As I Xi It

All that malarkey about leap years and changing seasons may well become redundant. Our seasons don’t really match up anyway what with global climate change and all.

On the whole, Cuzco is a fairly well behaved chinchilla but could do with some training. She’s reasonably friendly, will take food from my hand and let me pet her when she feels like it, however, she doesn’t listen to commands which is something I’d quite like her to do.

So I’ve decided to try clicker training her like people do with dogs. There have been reports of success with chins on the web so we’ll see how she fares. Rather than buy an actual clicker, I’ve opted to use a clicker training app. I’ve spent the last two nights loading the clicker with oats – clicking and then giving her a treat, which she’s responded to quite well. So far so good. Next, to get her to come to me when I call her name.

“Santa” wants me to delve deeper into myself…at the genetic level. I’m expecting diabetes to be right up there along with fatness.

AT, GC

In light of my recent post on annoying positive phototactic insects, today, I found various bits of insect carcass on my car.

Arachnid with one less leg

Vespid abdomen

Just as I was about to start writing, I noticed that I didn’t have a science category, but I do now.

I’m sitting at my desk and there’s a daddy long-legs (a.k.a. leather jacket, a.k.a Tipula sp.) who keeps bouncing into the lamp. You never see some of these insects during the day and at night, they’re all out and about, flying into various light sources. Why don’t they just come out during the day and fly into the sun? They’re just so gosh, darn annoying.