What Were You Thinking - Pet Life Radio Original

Bob and Linda talk about a pesky shrew that makes itself at home inside their house in a most improbable location. Shrewdly enough, they discuss other topics, too, such as Linda’s success in ferreting out pet book author Bradford Brown plus a staggeringly rare species of duck that shows up on the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Shrew Show with Bob Tarte



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Bob and Linda finally shake of the winter doldrums long enough to do a topic-filled show. It begins with big news about the German-language version of Bob’s book Enslaved by Ducks called Das Landneurotiker (The Rural Neurotic) and then glowingly describes Bill Volkart’s charming children’s book about a blind duck, Meep Finds His Way. Bob talks about the hubbub that ensued when he took bantam chickens Julia and Julius to see the vet, while Linda describes the early February blizzard and the clever survival tactics of a Carolina Wren. Bob and Linda close the show by talking about their newest favorite pet book author, Maine vet Bradford B. Brown, author of While You’re Here, Doc and Just One More Thing, Doc.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Winter Doldrums Show 2011 with Bob Tarte



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Just in time for the holidays, any holidays, Bob and Linda Tarte talk about their favorite books about animals. And, no, this isn’t just an excuse for Bob to plug the brand new Kindle edition of Enslaved by Ducks and Fowl Weather, though he does accidentally mention the fact. Fortunately 99-percent of the show is spent gushing over other people’s must-read books about pets and various wild critters. (For a list of books discussed on the show, click the Episode Info link.)

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Animal Books for the Holidays with Bob Tarte



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Just in time for Halloween, Bob and Linda talk about a mysterious 'extra' cat that both of them have seen and heard running down the basement stairs. Is their basement haunted? Shifting to less scary topics, Linda describes recent improvements to the outdoor barn pen to keep the snow and ice from flattening it every year. She also discusses the oversize ego of tiny bantam rooster Julius.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Ghost Cat with Bob Tarte

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It's supposed to be the peak of the shorebird migration. But when Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm visit Muskegon Wastewater System on a birding expedition, they come up a little short in the sightings department. Not to mention the intelligence and common sense departments as well. They do manage to spot a pair of Peregrine Falcons and a few other migrating birds, but not enough of anything to come away with any trace of dignity. Don't miss this underwhelming you-are-there audio experience!

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Shore No Shorebirds with Bob Tarte

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Bob and Linda have been busy this summer with bird rehab. Okay, Linda has been busy, but Bob helps a little bit. Our author and his long-suffering wife talk about starting the season with a big batch of raucous starlings, and then ending the summer raising and releasing one of their favorite birds, the Cedar Waxwing. About 14 of them, to be more or less exact. Linda also discusses a visiting pair of House Wrens that nested in the yard and Bob makes weak excuses about why it’s been so long between podcasts.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - House Wrens and Cedar Waxwings with Bob Tarte

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Bob’s guest on this episode is the dynamo of duckdom, Kimberly Link, founder of the Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary in Lebanon, Connecticut and author of The Ultimate Pet Duck Guidebook. Unlike other duck care books which include a duck recipe section in the back, Kim’s book treats your ducks as pets instead of holiday entrees. It’s packed full of information on everything from day-to-day care to serious medical issues, and covers essential tips on food, housing, flock management, enrichment, and more. It’s also fun to read, thanks to lots of entertaining anecdotes about Kim’s life with her flock. Kim’s a blast to talk to, too. Visit her website at www.majesticwaterfowl.org and contribute by buying a copy.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Ultimate Pet Duck Podcast with Bob Tarte

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We've never done a jumbo podcast before. But this time we're definitely doing a shrimpy episode. Expert aquarist Rus Wilson tells host Bob Tarte about the pet shrimps that he keeps as pets. He has shrimp that live in freshwater, brackish water, and saltwater environments. Some dance, some can live in excess of 20 years, and all sound like interesting additions to the household. Visit Rus' website www.aquarimax.com for shrimpy facts and photos, plus various podcasts.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - A Shrimpy Podcast with Bob Tarte

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In the show’s first telephone call to the bottom of the globe, Australia pet sitter Karen Riddell describes her experiences as a professional pet sitter taking care of every kind of creature from house rabbits to axolotls. She discusses chilling out with bearded dragons to get them comfortable enough to eat and trying to convince a flock of spoiled chickens to go into their coop for the night. Karen also has excellent suggestions for helping folks choose a sitter for their critters. Bob wonders how soon she can come to Michigan.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Downunder Critter Sitter with Bob Tarte

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Don’t look at this as yet another off-topic podcast about birding. Look at it as a special bonus addition of the show. It marks the precise one-year anniversary, give or take a few days, weeks, or months, of host Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm’s acclaimed "Quest for Crossbills" winter birding podcast. This time around, the hapless duo roll to Muskegon Wastewater to search for ducks with results that should have been predictable. But stay with our bumbling pair for a few unexpected twists and a lunch of cheap Chinese food as they find themselves next to the submarine SS Silversides only to find... Well, you’ve got to hear it for yourself.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Bonus Winter Birding Show with Bob Tarte

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