Paddington the Prairie Dog

This post is for the Maloof family, who has expressed interest in our Prairie Dog from reading our blog. Here are a few pics of dear Paddington (or Paddy-waddy as we affectionately call her) and her past 8 years of life. Most prairie dogs in the wild do not live to be past 5 years or so. The range of life given to a domesticated prairie dog varies upong who you talk to. I have heard anything from 7-13 years. Our Paddington is kind of handicap now with arthritis in her back, hind legs, front legs, and jaw. I believe that this was from her ferocious exercise routine as a young pup. I swear she would put miles on her exercise wheel and when I would get home from class she would chase me around my two story apartment (up and down the stairs even). Tim had to eventually modify her cage from a two-story wire condo to a single story fiberglass haven because of her inability to get around. She still holds her own with the dog and cat though! Enjoy the pics.

Paddington and Bailey have always had a love/hate relationship. They co-exist okay, but Paddington tends to push the limit sometimes. Bailey is just fine sniffing her and that's it! No cuddling allowed!

When we used to live in Pullman, the winters were kind of brutal as far as the cold. Paddington usually has a heat lamp during the cold months to keep her from going into hibernation (her breed does not hibernate). I really felt that she needed another layer of protection and during one study session (I always found other things to do when the studying got too intense) I made a sweater for her out of Tim's old sock. It kind of makes her look like a lizard...let's just say the sock was lost quickly thereafter because Paddington would take anyone's finger if they tried to put her in it again!!

Paddington always seems to get overheated with her heat lamp. Here she is passed out on her coke box.

Here is Paddington in all her glory perching on our couch. She would jump up on the couch and perch by the window to check out what was going on outside. See the green washcloth behind her? She chewed a hole in the couch. She also destroyed Tim's only suit. Apparently she needed some more items to nest with in her cage....