u/LonesomeBeaver

A little while back I posted about the pet I struggled to make (right). This is meant to have the maycast mass tower shield jewel socketed. Well, I wasn't happy with only this and wanted something with more trap potential, so lo and behold "Kitten 2.0" (left).

This cat WAS. A. PAIN. I've never had so many fails at epic in my entire wiz101 career. I probably burned another 20+ hatches and unknown amount of gold and crowns. Thankfully, it's done and I'll eventually socket the defy + maycast brace jewel.

However, I am once again unsatisfied with the pet. To be a true support pet, I need a pet with item cards, so now begins the second leg of my journey to move these both over to balance pupbellies. Yes, I am aware how awful that sounds, but it must be done!

Anyway, thank you all for commiserating in my pain and suffering of these pets. If anyone wants a lend, let me know!

I can't get any work done when I have this guy sleeping right above me...but I love him too much to disturb the obviously deep sleep

Managed to capture this unique shot with a freighter while watching the sunset from atop Sleeping Bear Dunes on my most recent trip not too long ago. Don't think I'll ever be able to recreate this again!

Those of you with keen eyes will notice the cardboard and I apologize. I wasn't planning on rescuing these guys as caterpillars, but that seems to be my fate this year (I rescued another earlier this summer). Long story short, they were quite literally in the middle of being attacked. Now I know that's just nature doing its thing, so be upset if you must, but I stepped in to save them.

All I had was a box at the time as I was out of town for a few days. Bless my wife as she was on caterpillar duty everywhere we drove, making sure they didn't escape (which they did once in the middle of the night!). The first caterpillar I had this summer I named Beuford, so these were respectively named Beuford II and Beuford III. Caterpillar duty became known as "watching the Beufords".

Now normally I'd put them on a new milkweed somewhere safe and call it good, but I was worried about their conditions. Not sure how well the photos show it, but one was already missing a horn (antenna? Not sure what to call them. This was Beuford II). They were twitching and acting weird, and I wasn't sure if they had parasites or not or how well they could handle themselves.

Well, the little stinkers decided to pupate before I got home and ignored all the sticks I gave them and instead elected the cardboard box lid. I've never been so afraid of hitting bumps on the road until that drive home.

They have since hatched and were released immediately once they were able to fly and are now on their way to Mexico!

NOTE: I do plan on making milkweed boxes next year so any I do rescue are completely hands off and help them as naturally as possible.

I forgot to post my update on Saturday when he hatched, so here he is! I ended up keeping him a few hours longer than planned due to it being so windy outside that day and wanting to make sure he was fully good to go upon release.

I unfortunately had an event that afternoon and didn't get to see him fly off his flower (pic 2), but I'm sure he's enjoying his life now!

Disclaimer: I only handled him when trying to give sugar water and he climbed up my arm instead, and then again when putting him on the flower. He was never in any danger 😊

Picture speaks for itself, he's almost here! Does anyone know if he's late enough in the year to be part of the migratory generation, or would that be his offspring?

Found this large guy a while back when he was much smaller. I understand they should be left outside, but long story short, all the milkweed by him was being mowed down and I couldn't just leave him there. Unfortunately, all other nearby milkweed was rather unhealthy or just sprouting.

I took daily drives to get fresh leaves and stored them in a damp paper towel in the fridge, allowing fresh changing of leaves four times a day. With how much chopping of milkweed there is around here, I didn't find it reasonable to put him out and him likely be chopped up by a mower. It was hard enough finding fresh leaves every day. I understand we let nature take its course, but I will help if I can in the most natural way possible.

He's currently in chrysalis at 8 days (picture is from day 2) and I'm excited to see him come out in the coming days! He will be released immediately, but I will have fresh cut flowers and sugar water should he want any before he flutters away.

I did raise these guys in my garden when I was a kid, and it's so nice to do it again. I'm hopeful that the next time I see one of these guys I'll be able to leave them with healthy milkweeds without risk of being mowed. Just trying to do my part helping them until I can plant milkweeds of my own.

New to reddit and this thread, but had to share a few photos from a trip my wife and I took last year to Rifle River. We're avid campers and have hit just about every major area in the state. Fortunately I'm never tiring from revisiting places!

My cockatiel, Stimpy, has always been a laid-back dude who just loves to snooze. My green cheek, Mango, on the other hand...he's a bit psycho. I call him Mad Mangs. His toy was brand new and three times the size about 15 minutes prior to this photo. I love them both!

Say Happy Birthday to my cockatiel, Stimpy! I adopted him back in January 2021 and he has been with me through college and a couple moves. I unfortunately never got his hatch date, but based on other birds I've adopted, I estimated his hatch date at late May, so I said May 31st. It's a day late but never too late to celebrate!