What Are You Grateful For Today?

[parrotthepolly]

The few leftover pieces of room temperature (better than frozen) popcorn chicken i got to eat before any cats or cockroaches got to them. Haven't had fast food in over a month, this was amazing.

 

[ms spock]

I will survive this separation from my psychiatrist. This will pass, despite how I am feeling now.

 

[Teasel]

I'm incredibly grateful for adhd meds. Even if they don't work out for me long term. I am incredibly grateful for a slight increase in my ability to executive function today.

think this may be the best thing I have ever done for myself.

Well wishes

 

[ms spock]

I slept well.

 

[FMCA]

for the new friends I have made , i count myself really lucky to have met such nice people

 

[Teasel]

Hopefully found a new car

 

[Harorudo]

I'm grateful for my sister who cares for me no matter what even on tough days.

 

[8888]

That I seem to be making progress on my healing journey again

 

[Harorudo]

I'm grateful for a roof over my head and some cool air from my air conditioning unit, to cool me off and my cats. It only works a little since it's very old though I'm happy I have it regardless since it's over 100°F outside right now.

 

[ms spock]

I'm grateful for a roof over my head and some cool air from my air conditioning unit, to cool me off and my cats.

Please note that I am not active in this arena anymore and there's probably been developments and evidence based research that I am unaware of.

A lot of the basis for my comments comes from this book for The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet by Jeff Goodell. It was published in 2023.

In Australia, we use ice packs wrapped in towels etc for both ourselves and our pets. In a pinch we use frozen bags of peas, strategically placed.

For animals have multiple sources of water. Have normal water and water with ice cubes. Clean out their water bowls thoroughly each day or swap out bowls. Animals will drink the freshest water. Clean water containers help prevent dehydration.

For human heart stroke prevention rotate the ice pack from your neck to your inner thighs or any place that you feel comfortable. Have hydralytes on hand and take the recommended dosage during the heat wave.

It is best if you do heat stroke training with your animals regularly. I would put in extra water sources randomly. Place in frozen treats high value (for the animal) treats on a regular basis so when a heat wave hits they are habituated to your heat wave SOPs. (It's also great environmental enrichment). Do it randomly so it is an unexpected novelty.

So for a tiger they might put a chicken carcass frozen ina bucket. The tiger can see the chicken carcass but they have a lot of licking of the ice to get to that carcass. (It's also great environmental enrichment).

For dogs make an area which they can sit on ice packs under the towels. If you freeze a meat treat in a old ice cream container. Your dog will spend some time licking the ice to get to the treat/s.

Or if they tolerate it attach ice packs too their collars. And you can get ice pack coats as well

Have normal water and water with ice cubes. Clean out their water bowls thoroughly each day or swap out bowls.

For cats have ice packs wrapped in towels in a few of their favourite places.
For cats make an area which they can sit on which has ice packs under the towels. If you freeze a meat treat in a old ice cream container. Your cat will spend some time licking the ice to get to the treat/s.

Have multiple sources of water. Have normal water and water with ice cubes. Clean out their water bowls thoroughly each day or swap out bowls. Animals will drink the freshest water. Clean water containers help prevent dehydration. This can be the difference between life or death.

I was looking after a collection where I had habituated the animals to a range of heat stroke preventing options. Another collection lost one third to a half of their animals. They were more experienced than me but didn't understand that in Australia but heat stroke kills more people than all natural disasters put together. I will put the name of a good book that discusses these issues at the end of this.

For birds, have ice packs attached to the outside of their cage/aviaries..

Also spray and mist the birds. I have done this in large aviaries with a majority of the large parrots opening wings and happily get misted or drenched. But I had acclimatised then to this. I will not just spray a bird who I hadn't built up trust with.

For 20 birds you would put in 20 +1 extra ice frozen treats

Put in bird bathing areas.

Cover aviaries to create shade.

Make sure the bird/s is not in the sun and have access to shade at all times.

Have multiple sources of water. Have normal water and water with ice cubes. Cleaning out bird water bowls thoroughly each day or swap out bowls.

Animals will drink the freshest water. Clean water containers help prevent dehydration from setting in.

Cut foliage, spray it and put in cages and aviaries. Birds will drink the water from the leaves. For bigger birds provide larger width tree branches for chewing.

Smaller parrots may play and eat treats such as frozen peas etc.

For bigger birds, freeze favourite treats like treats like grapes in ice cubes. Or use an old ice cream

For reptiles who have not been fed recently. You can turn off heat sources. Or put your reptile in the container you put it in to clean out their enclosure. Have a thermometer to monitor their body heat.

For reptiles who have been fed recently, like a snake which has consumed a rat, watch the thermometer, but as they are ectothermic, you have to make sure they have access to cool spaces. Turning off the heat source may be required. Some will regurgitate their food if over heated.

For wild animals like bats, you have to start spraying the colony early in the morning. You still may end up with 5,000 dead bats but it would be much worse if we didn't do that.

For wild animals in general, provide a range of water sources throughout your backyard or property. For small birds I would put in sticks and stones so that if the small bird falls in it can get out.

If you know the bedding areas or habitat areas for certain species you can take out big tanks/buckets/water containers. Always prioritise endangered species first.

It only works a little since it's very old though I'm happy I have it regardless since it's over 100°F outside right now.

Can you spray cold mist in the direction of your air conditioner? Make sure to regularly apply ice packs to yourself. Drink water. If at all possible don't go outside.

35,000 people have died from heat stroke so far in Europe because human bodies haven't evolved to know when they are over heating. And countries in Europe don't have the skills to protect their citizens.

Even elite athletes have been found dead, with full water bottles and their car keys in their hands right next to their cars. Humans don't have the ability to just if we are over heating.

In Australia, heat stroke kills more Australians than all other natural disasters put together.

Just to repeat please note that I am not in this arena anymore and there's probably been developments and evidence based research that I am unaware of.

A lot of the basis for my comments on heat stroke comes from this book for The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet by Jeff Goodell. It was published in 2023.

 

[8888]

I’m grateful for my artistic abilities

 

[Harorudo]

1.) I'm grateful I got better sleep even if it was only a little last night.
2.) I'm grateful for my cats who love me a lot and help me so much with my anxiety and trauma.
3.) I'm grateful for all my family and pets that their in my life and try there best to make me happy, feel safe, comfort me and help me with my C-PTSD and other mental health issues.