Why keep a canary when you can have an African Clawed Frog? These affable amphibians don’t take up much space, are easy to care for, and don’t have fussy eating habits. Added to all that, they can live for up to 20 years. Aquatic pet expert Rus Wilson talks about the many interesting qualities and endearing attributes of African Clawed Frog, Hiro, whom he raised from a tadpole. Not only is little Hiro as cute as the proverbial bug’s ear, but we’ll hear him sing in hopes of scoring a treat when he spots Rus. Join in the froggy fun! Visit Rus’ Aquarimax.com website packed with info on keeping fish and invertebrates.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Bob Tarte wrote two books that feature ducks, and gets lots of emails from people who keep them as pets, so it’s easy for him to do shows about the subject. This episode is different, though. It’s not just another duck show, because it is as much about Bill Volkart’s life story as it is about his Mount Holly Duck Sanctuary in Amelia, Ohio. Bill describes his death (clinically speaking) from a stroke and the strange appearance of seven Muscovy ducks when he asked the seemingly unanswerable question, “Why was my life spared?” He also tells which TV show is a favorite with one of his ducks and discusses the children’s book he wrote about a blind duck called “Meep Finds His Way.” Visit Bill Volkart’s website http://mthollyducksanctuary.com

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

New Orleans animal rehabber Katrina Perkowska had a lot on her plate when Hurricane Katrina struck. She and her husband had to evacuate not only their kids and vital necessities, but also numerous critters. They lost their home and ended up in a FEMA trailer. Then a few years later they had to move the gang all over again courtesy of Hurricane Gustav. The family is finally back inside a house, but life is hardly sedate. Living indoors with them (that’s right, indoors) are 23 chickens, nine starlings, a black capped conure, eight zebra finches, two diamond doves, two parakeets, nine starlings, seven ducks (three of them handicapped), and whatever songbirds she’s rehabbing a the moment. Katrina is a force of nature, and she has a wonderful story to tell.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

A dog isn’t usually considered an exotic pet, but a dog who gets around on wheels might be! Barbara Techel tells Bob about her happy female dachshund, Frankie, and how she learned to use a doggie wheelchair after a spinal injury. Frankie has become an inspiration for people with disabilities, folks in nursing homes, and just about everyone that Frankie meets. Barbara also talks about the award-winning book she wrote about her pet, titled – what else? - Frankie the Walk ‘n Roll Dog!

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Ever craved a marsupial as a pet? You don't have to play possum or kidnap a kangaroo to care for a pet that carries babies in its pouch. Sarah Worrell describes the joys of owning sugar gliders. These small marsupials from Australia love people and will sit on your shoulder like a parrot. Find out what it takes to keep these curious little critters happy and healthy - and learn the secret about the female sugar glider's 'dual beverage' nipples.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Linda starts off this episode with her own telling of discovering a sleeping bear in the woods behind the barn. Then it's onto the topic of cleaning up after the indoor birds. Bob and Linda discuss the pros and cons of various approaches to seed sweeping. Their favorite cordless sweeper gets pluses for mobility and minuses for the delicate construction that necessitates buying at least two a year. It's a topic that will be dear to the hearts of every beleaguered individual who owns caged birds.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

An unusual consequence of river flooding threatens Bob and Linda’s outdoor pet ducks, chickens, and geese. A presumed mink slips into the barn at night through some miniscule crack and kills three of their hens. Bob talks about the steps they took to keep their birds safe after the attack, and then describes another bit of unique fallout from the cresting Grand River. Linda goes for a walk in the woods behind the barn and finds of all things, a bear sleeping in a tree way, way south of its usual range in Michigan.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Soldiering on from his sick bed, Bob describes a new bird that he and Linda have taken in to help a friend who's moving. Lineolated Parakeet Houshi may not be beautiful, due to permanent feather damage, but he's 100-percent lovable. Bob also follows up on his last two shows, sharing the results of author and animal communicator Kathleen Schurman's reading of Bob's cat Frannie, and another unexpected and ironic White-winged Crossbill sighting for Bob.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Bob’s guest on this special episode is Kathleen Schurman, an extraordinary woman who has rescued 45 horses from slaughter and given them a wonderful home on a Connecticut farm that she and her husband David have dubbed Locket’s Meadow. Locket is an enterprising donkey who happens to be the central figure in Kathleen’s first book, Locket’s Meadow; The Long Road Home. Kathleen is as full of great animal tales as her home is full of animals. In fact, a recuperating pig and rooster on her porch pipe up in the background as she talks to Bob. You’ll also hear about the mischievous ghost that roams the property, plus an unusual talent of Kathleen’s which allows her to get deeply in touch with her critters. Don’t miss this fun and fascinating interview. Visit her website, www.locketsmeadowfarm.com.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

A shortage of natural food sources in their normal territory has resulted in some species of wild birds wandering further south than usual this winter. White-winged Crossbills, which are usually uncommon in southern Michigan, have been widely reported in the Ann Arbor area. Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm document their drive five-hour round trip to see these rare birds, and you're along for the ride on this show. Make sure to listen to the sign off and beyond... because when Bob arrives back home, he receives a stunning announcement from Linda.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

In their second annual ‘Zero Degree Weather’ show, Bob and Linda complain about the more miserable than usual Michigan weather. Who else but these two could lose heat on one of the coldest days of the season in spite of the fact that they have not one but two furnaces, a geothermal heat pump and a back-up oil burner. In addition to describing the revolt of their home appliances, Bob and Linda talk about the tribulations of caring for outdoor animals, both wild and domesticated, under arctic temperatures. Bob also learns that Muscovy duck Victor knows him better than he thought.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Kelly Meister, Ohio’s Crazy Critter Lady, joins Bob again to describe her latest efforts on behalf of domesticated ducks dumped in a Toledo-area pond by people who didn’t want their pets any longer. Kelly talks about the particular problems that these flightless ducks face, particularly during the recent spate of zero-degree weather that we’ve all been enjoying so heartily in the Great Lakes states. Kelly braves the cold to feed the pond ducks several days a week and check up on their general welfare, but her dedication goes far beyond that. One duck, whom she has named Pretty Boy, has suffered various wing and eye ailments and on three occasions ended up living in her bathroom a few days while getting veterinary attention. Now that’s dedication! Visit Kelly’s website, www.crazycritterlady.com, for photos, a link to her blog, and more.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

In a podcast that wasn’t meant to be a podcast, but was originally just a bit of background info for Bob’s latest book, Bob’s brother-in-law Jack Smith shares an amazing tale about stray cats. Concerned that a pair of stray kittens wouldn’t survive the sub-zero mid-January temperatures, Jack devised a way to catch the youngsters with the help of technology and a week of nearly sleepless nights. Joining Jack is Bob’s sister Joan, Bob’s wife Linda, and the usual background chaos. Joan and Jack currently provide a home for a dozen cats. All of them are rescues. The Smiths are as good as people get, and you’ll love hearing their story.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

I met Angela Bowen while giving a talk at the Hackley Public Library in Muskegon. She asked if she could come on the show and share stories about her Holland lop rabbit Alfie, and it’s just that simple to be a guest on “What Were You Thinking?” Angela gives me the ins and outs about caring for a rabbit, including researching potential problems beforehand, and offers oodles of advice for anyone considering being a bunny benefactor. Alfie is a genuine character, as is brand new guinea pig Tobie.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

When do you need a petsitter? How do you go about choosing a person to take care of your trusted critters while you're gone? Bob and Linda give you tips on what to look for and what to avoid when selecting a helper, and also, once you've picked your sitter, how to make a complicated job much easier for a person who has never pampered your pets before.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Janessa Kite has what most animal lovers would consider a dream job. She works at a zoo. She’s a senior bird keeper with the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park and works with all different breeds of birds, from rare and endangered parrots to domesticated geese. Janessa shares some of her adventures as well as details about the less glamorous day-to-day tasks that are the main part of anyone’s life with animals. And what kind of exotic birds does this bird keeper have at home? Just a pair of budgies, but an entertaining pair at that.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

We've never done an episode of "What Were You Thinking?" about cats and dogs before, because this show is supposed to be about exotic pets. But what could be more exotic than devoting your life not only to rescuing homeless dogs and cats, but also taking in those with the biggest problems? Author Cayr Ariel Wulff shares humor and insights from her compelling new book, Born Without a Tail. She also tells what it's like to live in a log cabin in a national forest surrounded by trees and coyotes.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Bob gets his ducks in a row as he interviews Laura Backman, author of the new children’s book Lemon the Duck. It’s based on the true story of how Laura and her students hatched four ducks for a school project and discovered that one of them had neurological problems and couldn’t walk. But with lots of care, plus an invention that helps her stand up, Lemon learns to live life to the fullest. It’s a heartwarming and visually appealing book that adults will appreciate just as much as children.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Bob and Linda describe their adventures trying to get seven juvenile Northern Flicker woodpeckers to eat so that they can be released back into the wild. It turns out that this was the easy part, because two of the birds get into trouble within days of letting them go. Then, while taking them to the vet, Bob is caught in the worst rainstorm he can remember, and on top of that, he has to wash and blow dry one of the birds when he gets back home. And don’t even ask about the oriole and grackles. You’ll hear about them anyway.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

Rats get a bad rap. At least pet rats do. But 'fancy rats' are affectionate, intelligent creatures that can even learn to recognize their names. They are easy to care for, quiet, and neat, which makes them ideal companions for apartment dwellers. Chris Divelbiss talks to Bob about the 30 rats that rule his and his wife Clara's lives, and he contributes lots of tips for keeping the rodents happy and healthy.

By the way, that's Bob's cat Maynard you hear in the background trying to voice his own opinion about rats.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

How do you tell if an African pygmy hedgehog doesn’t like you? It might roll itself up into a ball and hop away. Jill Warnick has been breeding these pocket pigs since 1995 and tells Bob what great pets they make. Hedgehogs are inquisitive, can be affectionate if socialized at an early age, aren’t difficult to care for -- and what animal on earth is cuter?

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

It's the season when wild birds are nesting and raising their young. But what do you do if you find a baby bird on the ground? Bob and Linda describe the steps you need to take to keep the bird alive until you can get it to a licensed rehabber. Included are valuable tips on syringe-feeding a special formula to baby birds every two hours consisting of 1.5 cups of kitten chow, 1 jar of chicken baby food, three drops of liquid vitamins, and enough water to turn this into the consistency of yogurt in your blender.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com

If you quail at the thought of keeping large poultry as pets, you won't quibble about the virtues of the Button Quail, also known as the Chinese Painted Quail. Ethan Teerling of Ada, Michigan shows Bob his impressive indoor coop for these mild-mannered but constantly active birds that are about the size of a chicken egg. (Their chicks resemble brown and yellow bumblebees.) He explains the quails' housing, feed, and well-being requirements -- and warns about their tendency to fly straight up in the air and bump their heads when startled.

Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com