What Were You Thinking - All about exotic pets & animals you can keep as a pet - Pets & Animals on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

What Were You Thinking - Episode 95 Special Magee Marsh 2017 Listener Depreciation Day Podcast Aug 21, 2017

In response to a rude email from a listener, Book Character Bill Holm sits out his annual trip to Magee Marsh with Feather Brained author Bob Tarte. In between discussing the birds that Bob isn’t seeing on the famous Magee Marsh boardwalk during a lackluster migration impeded by cold weather, he and Bill lament the lack of support from What Were You Thinking? listeners. The upshot? You folks had better straighten up if you want Bob and Bill to continue producing the only supposedly humorous birding podcast in the entire known universe. And that’s a singularity.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Special Magee Marsh 2017 Listener Depreciation Day Podcast with Bob Tarte

What Were You Thinking - Episode 94 ‘Tequila’ Birding at Island Lake State Recreation Area Aug 03, 2017

How much wood would a Woodcock chuck if a Woodcock could chuck wood? Feather Brained author Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm may not answer the perennial question, but they see a Woodcock doing the Pee-Wee Herman dance and nearly get run over by a pair of yoga pants while birding at Island Lake State Recreation Area in Brighton, Michigan. All of your favorite birding features are on tap, including "Just the Birds, Ma’am," "Photographer’s Corner," and “The Fermentation Nook."
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - ‘Tequila’ Birding at Island Lake State Recreation Area with Bob Tarte

What Were You Thinking - Episode 93 Giant Silkworm Moths vs. the Feather Brains, Part Two Jul 17, 2017

The Giant Silkworm Moths may be masters as public speaking, but Bob Tarte shows he’s no sow’s-ear slouch, either, as he and Book Character Bill Holm extol the virtues and shortcoming of Bob’s latest book, Feather Brained. This is part two of a patience-straining nearly-one-hour talk about birds, birding, and flimflamming the general public on a sunny June afternoon at the Degraaf Nature Center in Holland, Michigan. For pity’s sake, listen to part one first!
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Giant Silkworm Moths vs. the Feather Brains, Part Two with Bob Tarte

What Were You Thinking - Episode 92 Giant Silkworm Moths vs. the Feather Brains, Part One Jun 26, 2017

Two doors leading into the Degraaf Nature Center in Holland, Michigan, were each marked with a sign. Visitors had their choice of seeing 'Giant Silkworm Moths' or hearing a 'Feather Brained Talk' by author Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm. Bob and Bill were fortunate enough to catch the overflow crowd from the silkworm moths. This laugh-filled riot of a talk on Bob’s book, Feather Brained, is divided into two parts to keep your sides from splitting and tears from clouding your vision.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Giant Silkworm Moths vs. the Feather Brains, Part One with Bob Tarte

What Were You Thinking - Episode 91 Pointless Nayanquing Point and Tawas Point Birding, Part Two Jun 01, 2017

Surrounded by vocal House Wrens, Baltimore Orioles, Brown Thrashers, Yellow Warblers, and disgruntled park visitors, Feather Brained author Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm try their birding luck at Michigan’s Tawas Point State Park on Lake Huron. Bob recounts an important communication from a listener while Bill hosts an installment of the popular Motel Corner feature. Bob also offers hints on how to tell a Spotted Sandpiper from an Emu or other similar-looking birds. It’s a laugh-filled show that either ends too soon or drags on and on, depending on your tolerance for pain.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Pointless Nayanquing Point and Tawas Point Birding, Part Two with Bob Tarte

What Were You Thinking - Episode 90 Pointless Nayanquing Point and Tawas Point Birding, Part One May 18, 2017

After years of wasting your time with birding podcasts that go nowhere, Feather Brained author Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm achieve a rare success. At Nayanquing Point Wildlife Area on Saginaw Bay, they score a close encounter with the rare-in-Michigan Yellow-headed Blackbird, and you get to hear it, too! They also see the secretive American Bittern and Least Bittern plus numerous Marsh Wrens. Added to that are your favorite “What Were You Thinking?” features: Photography Corner, Photographer’s Corner, Doesn’t That Rock?, and What’s New with Bill? Miss it or be square!
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Pointless Nayanquing Point and Tawas Point Birding, Part One with Bob Tarte

What Were You Thinking - Episode 89 Special Delayed Feather Brained Magee Marsh Show from 2016, Part Two Apr 27, 2017

It’s a total turnaround as Bob and Book Character Bill Holm enjoy a wind-free, warbler-filled new morning of birding at Magee Marsh. If that’s not enough excitement, listen closely to a slice of audio verite for a chance encounter with the esteemed author of The Warbler Guide, who had no idea he was being recorded – because Bob and Bill had no idea who he was. Pay close attention as Mr. Tom Stephenson validates an ID by Bob that another birder had just disputed. It doesn’t get any better than this! But please listen to the podcast anyway.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Special Delayed Feather Brained Magee Marsh Show from 2016 Part Two with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 88 Special Delayed Feather Brained Magee Marsh Show from 2016 Apr 13, 2017

Sure, it’s almost a year late. But the jokes are as timeless as the birding observations when Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm dragged themselves to Magee Marsh in northern Ohio for the annual May warbler migration. High winds nearly ruin the birding, but Bob and Bill’s high spirits blow away potential misfortune in this unique, radio-simulcast episode that’s just begging for a Part Two. Plus you get the skinny on Bob’s new book about birding, Feather Brained.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Special Delayed Feather Brained Magee Marsh Show from 2016 with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 87 Special Feather Brained Muskegon Wastewater Something-Something Show Mar 21, 2017

Shamelessly promoting his new book about birding, Feather Brained, Bob Tarte shares birding tips with reluctant birder Bill Holm at Muskegon Wastewater System in a bold January 2017 winter expedition. The pair actually spot some nice birds this time, including a rare Glaucous Gull, whose habits require some delicacy to describe. Tune in for a shocking Enslaved by Ducks movie teaser, too.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Special Feather Brained Muskegon Wastewater Something-Something Show with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 86 The Quest for the Worm-eating Warbler May 31, 2016

Do they or do they not stumble upon a breeding warbler that’s rare in Michigan? Feather Brained author Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm follow careful online instructions and still manage to get discombobulated as they search the vast, foreboding, and slightly muddy Allegan State Game Area (or at least a very small part of it) for this small, elusive bird. Please don’t reveal the special surprise ending to any of your friends!
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Quest for the Worm-eating Warbler with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 85 Tips for Writing Your Pet Memoir, Part 2 May 04, 2016

In Part Two of a Two Part Show, appropriately enough, Bob Tarte and Bill Holm share tips on writing a memoir for publication with the Mid Michigan Word Gatherers Writing Group. Although the tips are for memoir writing in general, pet book author Bob bases the tips on techniques he used writing his published memoirs Enslaved By Ducks, Fowl Weather, Kitty Cornered, and his newest book, Feather Brained.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Tips for Writing Your Pet Memoir, Part 2 with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 84 Long Legs, Long Beaks Jan 05, 2016

In this Golden Archive Show from August 2014, available to the public for the first time, Bob and Book Character Bill Holm brave the gathering storm clouds in Tawas City, Michigan, to search for shorebirds – or any birds, for that matter. Bob is posting this Golden Archival Birding Show not only because it is pure gold, but also for the opportunistic reason that his new book about birding, “Feather Brained,” comes out in April 2016.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Long Legs, Long Beaks with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 83 Tips for Writing Your Pet Memoir, Part 1 Nov 12, 2015

Wall Street Journal Best-selling author Bob Tarte shares tips on writing a memoir for publication, aided and abetted by Bill Holm, who also shares tips on becoming a character in someone else’s memoir. The two will also discuss humor writing in dull, unfunny terms in part one of this presentation for the Mid Michigan Word Gatherers Writing Group. Although the tips are for memoir writing in general, pet book author Bob swears by them when he isn't swearing at Book Character Bill, and they are derived from his publishing success with Enslaved By Ducks, Fowl Weather, and Kitty Cornered.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Tips for Writing Your Pet Memoir, Part 1 with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 82 World’s Worst Birding Show, Part 2 Jul 16, 2015

How bad is part two of World’s Worst Birding Show? So bad that Bob Tarte and Bill Holm burn up the first 15 minutes apologizing for how bad the show is. Things get brighter in the second half, recorded live from the Estuary Trail at Magee Marsh, Ohio. A Gray Catbird, a Yellow Warbler, and other birds add their voices as Bob and Bill somehow manage to run into three birders even grumpier than they are. It's all a bolt of blazing sunshine compared to the first half of the show - another nugget of comedy birding gold from the author of the forthcoming book FEATHER BRAINED.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - World’s Worst Birding Show, Part 2 with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 81 World’s Worst Birding Show, Part 1 Jun 12, 2015

You may never read this description of the World’s Worst Birding Show, Part 1, because this podcast might never make it online due to the need for certain minimum quality standards. It’s the usual content-free rambling from Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm about their annual birding trip to Ohio for the warbler migration plus breaking news about Bob’s forthcoming book Feather Brained. Tough to sit through. But comedy gold for start to finish as Bob and Bill analyze mysterious doings at Magee Marsh.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - World’s Worst Birding Show, Part 1 with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 80 Lake Huron Birding Bliss with Bob & Bill - Part 2 May 29, 2015

In the long awaited sequel to Part 1, your hosts Bob and Book Character Bill Holm find more birds in the parking lot of Tawas State Park in northern Michigan than most people find in a zoo that has an aviary containing more birds than the Tawas State Park parking lot! On their return to Nayaquing Point, Bill outbirds Bob yet again. But Bob turns the spotlight back onto himself with his impression of Irish actor/singer Richard Harris’ performance on the Jimmy Webb Sessions recordings, while Bill shares his unique method of locating birds. it’s birding humor at its most featherbrained!
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Lake Huron Birding Bliss with Bob & Bill - Part 2 with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 79 The Tofino Psychic** Sep 24, 2014
Bob interviews animal communicator Kate Sitka, who lives in Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Kate talks about discovering and developing her abilities to make a psychic link with both wild and domesticated animals - though another form of animal communication is simply becoming more sensitive to your pet’s needs. She describes a chicken’s psychedelic view of the world, what it’s like to be a whale, and how her cat loves to tattle on her dog. She also has suggestions for improving Bob’s relationship with his pet ducks and geese.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Tofino Psychic with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 78 Lake Huron Birding Bliss with Bob & Bill - Part 1** Aug 26, 2014
In the first Pet Life Radio show ever to be recorded live from a platform, Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm embark upon another epic birding quest. They begin the adventure on an observation platform near the Ferguson Bayou Trail at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge near Flint, Michigan. As a Common Tern flies overhead, Bill shows uncommon erudition in a discourse about the Shakespearean sonnet poetic form. Then, atop an observation platform at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area, Bill calls first dibs on the species they’d journeyed to Nayanquing to see, the Yellow-headed Blackbird. A spirited discussion of birding by ear leads to Bill’s desire for spirits of another kind as part one of a two-part extravaganza grinds to a halt.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Lake Huron Birding Bliss with Bob & Bill - Part 1 with Bob Tarte

Save 80% on Heartgard Plus (flea & tick control) — **PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 77 Crabville** Aug 04, 2014
Author Cayr Ariel Wulff (Born Without a Tail, Circling the Waggins, and more) likes to talk about her rambunctious dogs. But she surprises Bob by talking about her partner Dalene's rambunctious hermit crabs, whose proper care demands a carefully controlled environment. Learn about proper housing and whether Leroy the crab will eat honey on a cracker. Thrill to tales of crab escape artists and the crab who had two shells.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Crabville with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 76 The Full-Year-in-the-Making Birding Show, Part Two** Jul 18, 2014
In part two of the birding show that took a full year to produce, Book Character Bill Holm blows the lid off the fraud that he considers ‘birding by ear’ to be and Bob defends the practice as they recap the 19 warbler species seen the previous day at Magee Marsh in Ohio. Then they set out with open ears if not open minds for day two, though they were spoiled by so many birds on day one, they don’t bird nearly as hard. Bill wows the boardwalk crowd with his Swainson’s Thrush expertise while Bob wonders if he brought enough one-dollar bills, since a very cooperative Prothonotary Warbler was obviously angling for a tip. What a migration! What a show!
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Full-Year-in-the-Making Birding Show, Part Two with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 75 How to Bomb-Proof a Horse** Jun 25, 2014
Host Bob Tarte had no idea what Kelly Meister-Yetter was talking about when she told him she wanted to do an episode about 'bomb-proofing a horse.' Kelly, author of the book Crazy Critter Lady, explains the meaning of the term and her very patient work with a skittish horse named Bit in a highly entertaining interview.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - How to Bomb-Proof a Horse with Bob Tarte

border= — **PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 74 The Full-Year-in-the-Making Birding Show, Part One** Jun 07, 2014
It took Bob a full year to prepare for this birding show, working every single minute of the day, seven days a week. But it was worth it for his annual return to Magee Marsh with 'don’t call me a birder' Bill Holm, who contributes a report of his own recent birding trip to Cape May, New Jersey. Will the Magee Marsh trip be another bust, as chronicled in last year’s two-part podcast? Or will Bob and Bill babble happily about their huge success in another memorable non-pet Pet Life Radio show? Don’t miss this mildly amusing audio event!
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Full-Year-in-the-Making Birding Show, Part One with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 73 The Biggest Week in American Podcasting, Part 2 Aug 13, 2013

Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm experience what one birder terms the worst spring migration day in 13 years at Magee Marsh in northern Ohio, and the paucity of birds is mind boggling. Nevertheless, they manage to see a few noteworthy species - like a White-eyed Vireo and a pair of nesting Prothonotary Warblers - and to their surprise they realize that they had a great time after all. Even more astoundingly, Bill admits to having enjoyed his interactions with birders, who were so desperate for something to look at this year that they flocked around turtles and frogs.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Biggest Week in American Podcasting, Part 2 with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 72 The Biggest Week in American Podcasting, Part 1 Jun 18, 2013

Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm discuss their plans to attend The Biggest Week in American Birding for the third year in a row and ‘borrow’ the Biggest Week title for their own series of podcasts. Bob shocks Bill by boldly coming out as a birder. Then things get fast and furious as the pair tries to decide how best to present their trip to Magee Marsh this time around without repeating the same tired podcast they’ve done the last two years. Bob and Bill also prepare for an author-and-book-character talk at an Ann Arbor-area library and predict that it will turn into the usual disaster.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Biggest Week in American Podcasting, Part 1 with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 71 Once Upon a Flock May 19, 2013

Bob’s guest is Lauren Scheuer, author of Once Upon a Flock - Life with my Soulful Chickens. This unique book uses hundreds of illustrations and photos by Lauren to help bring the stories of Lucy, Hatsy, Li’l White, and her other charming backyard chickens to life - delving deeply into the big personalities, friendships, and rivalries of her flock. At the center of it all is Lucy, a Barred Plymouth Rock hen who survives an illness that is usually fatal in chickens and becomes a friend and occasional guardian to the other hens.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Once Upon a Flock with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 70 Backyard Wildlife Photography Gadgets May 03, 2013

Bob gets excited about two gadgets that he’s found for taking photos of critters in your yard that you might not even know are visiting. The BirdCam2.0 is a motion activated camera that Bob uses for checking to see if predators are sneaking into his barn. It’s fun for bird feeder photography, too. He also describes a device for digital cameras that lets you automatically take time lapse shots. In the second half of the show, Linda talks about the recent spring flooding and two of their favorite pets.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Backyard Wildlife Photography Gadgets with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 69 Travels with Soda** Feb 06, 2013
Missy Hill, host of the New Age podcast Galactic Earth Fusion, talks to Bob about a very unusual cat from her cross-country trucking days named Soda. Most cats hate to ride in a moving vehicle of any sort, but Soda was very different and loved to lounge in the cab. Missy also tells Bob about her experiences as an animal communicator connecting with everything from zoo critters to North Carolina’s answer to Punxsutawney Phil. And she explains why 'wild animals that are in zoos are actually there to teach humans' in this very fun and fast moving show.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Travels with Soda with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 68 Kindle Secrets from Carolyn Jourdan - and a Groundhog Story** Dec 18, 2012
Carolyn Jourdan, author of the national bestseller Heart in the Right Place, shares tips with Bob about how her new self-published Kindle book Medicine Men achieved stellar success right off the bat. (It helped that her funny and heartwarming book about ‘extreme Appalachian doctors’ is brilliant, too.) Aspiring pet book authors who want to break into print shouldn’t miss this show. Plus Carolyn tells some hilarious animal stories from her two books, including a tale about a groundhog that will leave you slack-jawed.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Kindle Secrets from Carolyn Jourdan - and a Groundhog Story with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 67 Cabin Fever Dec 05, 2012

Thanks to Linda’s brainstorm, Bob and Linda manage to snag a pet sitter and get out of town and away from the critters for a full three days. But some vacations are better than others. They get locked out of their cabin site, strange loud noises assail them during their stay, and they come home to a leaky roof – and soon a brand new waterfall in the bathroom. In other words, it’s just another typical period in Bob and Linda’s lives. But their ducks, geese, and hen end up happier than ever.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Cabin Fever with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 66 Circling the Waggings Oct 02, 2012

Bob can barely contain his glee when author Cayr Ariel Wulff starts telling stories from her latest book, Circling the Waggins: How 5 Misfit Dogs Saved Me from Bewilderness. Wulff talks about canine genius Waldo, who went from impossible-to-train puppy to a hero who saves another dog’s life, Rocket Boy, the intellectually challenged bundle of irrepressible energy, Lammy Lamb, who enjoys dressing up in onesies, and other bringers of chaos. It’s a fun time with an extremely talented writer and tireless advocate for animal rights.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Circling the Waggings with Bob Tarte

1-800-PetMeds Fetch/468x60.gif — **PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 65 Saul Lake Bog Show** Aug 10, 2012
Bob and Linda refuse to get bogged down despite recording their show at Saul Lake Bog away from their cats, parrots, and other pets. They spot 17 Sandhill Cranes right away, but this isn't a birding show. Linda describes the harrowing experience of getting trapped inside our new mink-proof duck pen for two hours, while Bob talks about an ugly raft that washes up on their river bank - plus a highly unusual wild bird that shows up at their suet feeder.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Saul Lake Bog Show with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 64 The Biggest Week in American Birding (Part Two)** Jul 29, 2012
They're away from home. They're birding. They're seeing lots of warblers. They're even mistaken for experts by other birders. So why are Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm their typically glum selves? Catch the buzz (and the buzz kill) in a fun-filled you-are-there podcast recorded live on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh in northern Ohio.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Biggest Week in American Birding (Part Two) with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 63 The Biggest Week in American Birding (Part One)** May 25, 2012
The two biggest losers in birding, Bob Tarte and Bill Holm, visit Magee Marsh in Ohio for the huge spring migration event known as "The Biggest Week in American Birding." Listen and marvel over the fact that despite seeing more good birds in a few hours than they usually see in 18 months, the pair still find something to complain about.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Biggest Week in American Birding (Part One) with Bob Tarte

DOG.com Monthly Special — **PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 62 The Mink-Proof Pen** May 04, 2012
Bob and Linda expound giddily about the completion of the brand new mink-proof duck pen. Finally the ducks, geese, and hen can be outside for more than an hour at a time and without Bob or Linda doing sentry duty. Also Bob chortles over the so-far success of his new book, Kitty Cornered, which made the independent bookstores bestseller list in its first two weeks and bagged a review in USA Today.
Questions or Comments? Email Bob at: bob@petliferadio.com
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Mink-Proof Pen with Bob Tarte

Official Shop of Warner Bros — **PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 61 Of Mice and Minks** Mar 19, 2012
It's deja vu all over again as Bob and Linda once again battle mice and minks. But both the house rodents and the riverbank predators are back this time with a vengeance. Hear how Bob and Linda dealt with their latest batch of pet problems and in the process met an actual vet who makes house calls. Bob also talks about his new book, Kitty Cornered, which hits the shelves in April 2012 to some very good advanced reviews.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Of Mice and Minks with Bob Tarte

Save on ALL Costumes at Halloween Express — **PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 59 The Mystery Show** Oct 17, 2011
Just in time for Halloween 2011, Bob and Linda Tarte present their 'mystery show.' Is it fittingly spooky for the season, like last year's 'ghost cat' episode? Not in the least. But the topic of the podcast is a complete mystery to Bob, because Linda's running the show. Tune in for details about a spate of summer disasters around the house, plus Linda's neat solutions to a skittish stray cat, a noisy African grey parrot, and an aged parakeet. You'll also get the latest news on Bob's new book, Kitty Cornered.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Mystery Show with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 57 Not a Non-Bird Birding Show, Take 2 (Part 2)** Jun 30, 2011
It took host Bob Tarte so long to say the title of the show, "Not a Non-bird Birding Show, Take 2," that it wouldn't fit it into a single podcast. So Bob and Book Character Bill Holm are back for the second half of their trip to Magee Marsh in northern Ohio, where they lose themselves among a flurry birds and birders. Did they make it through the experience with their sanity intact? Does an ostrich have wings?
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Not a Non-Bird Birding Show, Take 2 (Part 2) with Bob Tarte

Get 10% off your order with coupon code behave10 at Petco.com! — **PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 56 Not a Non-Bird Birding Show, Take 2 (Part 1)** May 19, 2011
Six weeks ago, Bob Tarte and Book Character Bill Holm visited the usually ‘birdy’ Muskegon Wastewater facility to record the "Not a Non-Bird Birding Show," but the lack of birds doomed the podcast. This time they traveled to Magee Marsh in Ohio at the height of the warbler migration for a not-a-non-bird birding podcast that’s, well, not too bad. They ended up with such extensive on-the-scene reporting and so much baseless complaining especially from Bill, that "Not a Non-Bird Birding Show, Take 2" ended up as a two-parter. Get an up-close, you-are-there aural glimpse at birder frenzy at its best and worst. And find out why Bob packed his dress shoes.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Not a Non-Bird Birding Show, Take 2 (Part 1) with Bob Tarte

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 55 Shrew Show** Apr 14, 2011
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

**PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 54 Winter Doldrums Show 2011** Mar 02, 2011
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

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 52 The Ghost Cat Oct 20, 2010

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

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 51Shore No Shorebirds Oct 07, 2010

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

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 50 House Wrens and Cedar Waxwings Sep 05, 2010

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

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 49 The Ultimate Pet Duck Podcast Apr 03, 2010

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

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 48 A Shrimpy Podcast Mar 03, 2010

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

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 47 Downunder Critter Sitter Feb 13, 2010

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

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 46 Bonus Winter Birding Show Jan 28, 2010

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

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 45 Blame It On Rhea Dec 23, 2009

With their formidable beaks and attitudes, parrots and geese can make intimidating pets. So imagine owning a rambunctious bird that stands six-feet tall. Cheryl McAtee’s ostrich-like South American rhea named Myrhea thankfully had a pleasant personality (as long as Cheryl was careful to dress in gray). He loved to pluck blueberries from her hand. Cheryl tells Bob about raising Myrhea from an 18-inch-tall youngster and watching him grow a half-an-inch a day. She talks about his humming song, mating dance, and fear of airplanes, plus other charming peculiarities. She also discusses Tomi, an affable cat she found injured on her farm who turned out to be fifty-percent bobcat, and who guarded her family like a watchdog.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Blame It On Rhea with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 44 The Rime of The Ancient Murrelet Dec 03, 2009

Bob hops into his car and drives just under 200 miles round trip for the chance to see an incredibly rare wild bird. A somewhat penguin-like seabird called the Ancient Murrelet lives in the waters off Alaska. But one of them somehow made it to Lake Michigan and was spotted off the pier at Tiscornia Park in St. Joseph, Michigan. Only five have ever been seen in the state before. Does he or doesn’t he get to see it? Bob talks about the trip and also discusses the best guide to raising and keeping pet ducks he’s ever seen: Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary Director Kimberly Link’s The Ultimate Pet Duck Guidebook. (Check out birder Robert Epstein’s photo of the Tiscornia Park Ancient Murrelet.)
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Rime of The Ancient Murrelet with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 43 The Frog That Sings For His Supper Nov 14, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Frog That Sings For His Supper with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 42 Not Just Another Duck Show Oct 16, 2009

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."
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Not Just Another Duck Show with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 41 Katrina Versus Katrina Sep 23, 2009

New Orleans animal rehabber Katrina Perkowska Sanders 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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Katrina Versus Katrina with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - What Were You Thinking - Episode 40 Frankie the Walk ‘n Roll Dog Aug 21, 2009

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!
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Frankie the Walk ‘n Roll Dog with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 39 Sugar Sugar Jul 21, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Sugar Sugar with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 38 Clean Sweep Apr 14, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Clean Sweep with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 37 Mink Attack Apr 01, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Mink Attack with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 36 Lineolated Parakeet and Catch-up Show Mar 08, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Lineolated Parakeet and Catch-up Show with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 35 Locket’s Meadow Feb 26, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Locket’s Meadow with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 34 Quest for Crossbills Feb 12, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Quest for Crossbills with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 33 Second Annual ‘Zero Degree Weather’ Show Feb 04, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Second Annual ‘Zero Degree Weather’ Show with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 32 A Duck in My Tub Jan 26, 2009

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!
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - A Duck in My Tub with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 31 Hi-Tech Cat Capture Jan 17, 2009

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Hi-Tech Cat Capture with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 30 What’s It All About, Alfie? Dec 14, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - What’s It All About, Alfie with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 29 The Petsitter Puzzle Dec 02, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Petsitter Puzzle with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 28 The Pet Lover’s Dream Job Nov 02, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Pet Lover’s Dream Job with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 27 The Show That Cried Wulff! Oct 22, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - The Show That Cried Wulff! with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 26 Lemon The Duck Sep 17, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Lemon the Duck with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 25 Flickers Jul 30, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Flickers with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 24 Rats! Jul 19, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Rats with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 23 The Particulars About Pocket Pigs Jul 11, 2008

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?
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -The Particulars About Pocket Pigs, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 22 If You Find a Baby Bird Jun 30, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -If You Find a Baby Bird, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 21 No Quibbles Over Button Quails Jun 04, 2008

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.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -No Quibbles Over Button Quails, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 20 Are Two Pets Better Than One? Apr 25, 2008

Bob and Linda respond to an email from a listener who wants to know if she should get a new companion for a duck whose mate died. When should you have at least two members of the same bird species, and when is getting a second one a bad idea? They also discuss the pros and cons of having more than one pet rabbit, and ask listeners to tell them about their favorite books about pets for an upcoming show. Your favorite can be a how-to book, an author’s account of living with animals, or even a piece of fiction. Email Bob and Linda and suggest a book.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Are Two Pets Better Than One?, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 19 Make Friends With A Hen Apr 02, 2008

As birds go, hens are fairly trouble-free as pets, as long you keep them outdoors, of course. They're more tidy than ducks and don't require a pool. And some municipalities that won't allow other 'livestock' give the okay to a backyard chicken or two. Bob and Linda discuss the winning if occasionally perplexing personalities of these personable birds, and they explain how Lucky earned her name and where the heck bantam hen Dottie was hiding when she went lost for a full day.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Make Friends With A Hen, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 18 The Rarest Bird in Michigan? Mar 09, 2008

Bob and Linda struggle through the worst Michigan February on record. And so do their animals, when an icefall from the barn roof demolishes their two outdoor pens. Fortunately, the critters were safe indoors. Prospering in the miserable weather is a Yellow-rumped Warbler which Bob considered to be unusual for the time of year, but not extraordinarily so. However, a sharp-eyed birder saw Bob's warbler photo online and tentatively identified it as the western 'Audubon' variety of the bird, which has only been recorded twice previously in Michigan. Hear the tale of an expert birder scouring the woods for 'Bob's warbler.' Can he somehow find the tiny bird that Bob hadn't seen in days? Meanwhile, Linda talks about sighting another seldom-seen bird, a Long-eared Owl, in an episode of What Were You Thinking? that's strictly for the passerines.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -The Rarest Bird in Michigan?, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 17 Spooky, Bossy, Sneaky, and Quacky Feb 18, 2008

Where did that recording go? Bob talks to Georgiana Kotarski, author of the book “Ghosts of the Southern Tennessee Valley,” about her many flesh-and-blood animals, including a ‘practice cow,’ an escape artist donkey, and the inevitable house duck. Bob begins the show with a short excerpt from Georgiana’s forthcoming book about her critters, “Canoeing with Cows.” The excerpt hilariously describers her fear of chickens as a little girl. But the truly scary question is, what happened to the podcast that Bob recorded with her the previous day? It came out blank when Bob tried to play it back. Have ghosts been messing with Georgiana again?
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Spooky, Bossy, Sneaky, and Quacky, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 16 My Chinny, Chin, Chin Feb 05, 2008

Elaine Campbell talks to Linda about her pet chinchilla Danny Boy and explains that chins have a somewhat delicate constitution. She offers tips on keeping your chinchilla happy and healthy and also describes chin vocalizations. Danny Boy, in fact, is so vocally expressive, that Elaine is considering teaching him to ‘talk’ at the same time that she trains her Senegal parrot. She also tells Linda about a possum she befriended and details how she rescued him after he took a spill from her roof.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -My Chinny, Chin, Chin, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 15 The Zero-Degree Weather Show Jan 30, 2008

Bob and Linda had intended to talk about African grey parrots the whole half-hour. But everything seems harder to accomplish when the weather is cold, and it’s zero degrees in Michigan. So, instead of rambling on about the greys, they discuss the drudgery of doing winter duck chores, while Bob reports a successful heater installation in the barn to safely keep poultry and waterfowl spirits up. Linda tells of a woodpecker population explosion on the ‘suet tree’ outside the back door and follows up on last week’s mouse report. Finally, Bob and Linda describe the cheap and easy parrot toys they’ve been making just in time to bring the show to an end as outdoor temperatures climb to a balmy 12 degrees.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -The Zero-Degree Weather Show, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 14 Pests, Pests, and More Pests Jan 18, 2008

It’s an episode you’ll be telling your great, great grandchildren you heard! Book Character Bill Holm (featured in Bob’s books Enslaved by Ducks and Fowl Weather) hijacks the show with the help of Marcia Davis, under the guise of offering suggestions to increase Bob’s audience. They lock Bob out of his house and exclude animals from the first half of the episode. In the second half, Bob and Linda apologize for Bill and Marcia’s pesky intrusion and spend the remainder of the show discussing animal pests. Bob reads a short selection from Fowl Weather about a mouse nest in their dining room, Linda talks about mice eating her car’s O2 sensors, and the episode wraps up with the tale of the sighting of Nosy, an unusual short-tailed shrew.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Pests, Pests, and More Pests, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 13 Duck Diapers, Boas, and Geckoes Jan 09, 2008

Bob invited April Rousseau on What Were You Thinking? to talk about her pet ball pythons and fat-tailed gecko. Instead, Bob and April open the show discussing duck diapers. Yes, such things do exist, and April knows all about intimate apparel for waterfowl. In addition to the lizards that light up her life, she also keeps an indoor white Pekin duck named Kamikaze Duck, or KD duck, for short. In addition to giving us the lowdown on KD’s personal habits, April describes the eating predilections of pythons and geckoes and explains why you should never leave crickets in the cage with your gecko for an extended length of time.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Duck Diapers, Boas, and Geckoes, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 12 A Healer for House Pigeons on Pet Life Radio Jan 05, 2008

Like most people, Edie Britt had a negative attitude toward pigeons. But she changed her mind as soon as she took in her first one as a pet and discovered its affectionate nature and intelligence. That bird led to many others. Edie releases the wild pigeons that can be rehabbed, finds home for others, and keeps a few in her home to spoil. In her interview with Bob, she also talks about her collared doves (also known as ring-necks) plus her unusual gifts as a psychic medium, which help her to communicate with injured animals. This Edie Britt is no ‘desperate housewife.’ She’s a healer for house pigeons and a dove’s best friend.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -A Healer for House Pigeons, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 11 Janet's Ark Dec 19, 2007

We don't know if Noah brought fish aboard his fabled ark, but when Linda and Bob visited Janet Twesten's house, they marveled at her saltwater and freshwater aquariums. (Or did Noah pluralize them 'aquaria'?) Linda talks to Janet about her fish and marine invertebrates, inquires about her lizard pets, and straight from the horse's mouth gets the skinny on her smarty–pants equine pets. Who knew that horses were such accomplished escape artists, or that they played tricks on one another? It's a full house at Janet's — and we haven't even mentioned her pet birds.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Janet's Ark , with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 10 Orriel The Oriole Dec 10, 2007

What would an aria sound like if a chicken sang opera? This isn’t a rhetorical question. Classically trained vocalist Orriel Smith joins Bob to crow about her CD, “The World’s Favorite Cluckoratura Arias,” which interprets classical operatic selections as a hen -- and in one case, as a hen and a cat -- might have performed them. Orriel also talks about her folk singing years in the flower power era, her appearance as a harem girl on “The Jack Benny Show,” getting dragged around by German shepherds in a movie, plus other weird and wonderful topics. You’ll thrill to snippets from her “Cluckoratura” CD.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Orriel The Oriole , with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 09 Bird Rehab Nov 21, 2007

Not everybody can have a pet. Maybe you live in the frigid north and move to a condo in the Caribbean every winter. That means you probably don’t own a cat, dog, or one of the great apes. Or maybe you just don’t want the responsibility of a year-round pet. Bob and Linda Tarte sympathize, and on this week’s show they talk about a way to get involved with birds on a short-term basis. Each summer, Linda helps the Wildlife Rehab Center raise and release orphan songbirds. (Bob helps a little.) Some birds are easy to raise and don’t require a permit. Others are a bit trickier. Hear the story of ‘Big Boy,’ the Red-bellied Woodpecker who still drops by for a visit, and the juvenile Green Heron that didn’t want to fly.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Bird Rehab , with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 08 Going Whole Hog Nov 16, 2007

This week, Linda hogs the entire show with her interview of Helen Tucker, who talks about her Ossabaw Island hogs, Dusty and Rusty, which she obtained from George Washington's birthplace. These smaller-than-average pigs are a heritage breed which dates back 400 years when the Spanish first brought them to the New World. Fewer than 200 breeding pairs are known to exist today. And speaking of pigs, more of less, Helen also tells Linda about her Hog Island sheep, a very hardy domesticated breed once widespread in the Colonial Era but extremely rare today. Helen entertains Linda with tales of runaway pigs and tips on feeding Popsicles to a hog.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Going Whole Hog , with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 07 Slow But Steady Wins the Race Nov 06, 2007

Do you root for the tortoise or the hare? This week turtles get their due as Bob interviews Lisa Frankland, the secretary of the Rio Grande Turtle and Tortoise Club [http:// www.rgttc.org]. Lisa talks about turtles as pets, including her Ornate Box Turtles and Red Eared Sliders, plus her Bearded Dragon and Kenyan Sand Boa. You’ll want a turtle of your own after spending a few minutes with Lisa. After the interview, Bob asks his wife Linda, how many mistakes can he make in a single show? Listen to his ‘outtakes’ with Lisa, and grit your teeth as he blunders even more. Why is this man on Internet radio? Because, clearly, he doesn’t belong on the airwaves.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Slow But Steady Wins the Race , with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 06 Happy Rehab Habitat Oct 31, 2007

This week, Bob visits the Wildlife Rehab Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and gets a tour from Executive Director Peg Markle. Peg shows Bob some of the animals that she’s caring for, including an injured Great Blue Heron and Red-eared Slider turtle. After showing Bob around, Peg shows off husband Roger’s latest pet, an African Spurred Tortoise. Back at the Tarte house, Bob and Linda talk about some of the juvenile migratory birds that they have raised and released under sub-permit from the Wildlife Rehab Center. Bob asks that listeners consider donating money to the Center, so that Peg and Roger can continue their much needed work.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Happy Rehab Habitat , with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 05 Along Came A Spider Oct 25, 2007

Don’t squash that spider. It just needs a little love. Wade Harrell has been keeping invertebrates as pets for thirty-four years and first started keeping tarantulas fifteen years ago. He is the current president of the American Tarantula Society and keeps more than a hundred tarantulas and other arthropods in his basement. Just in time for Halloween, he joins Bob to talk about why tarantulas make good pets and also discusses the habits of the really big spiders that Bob has been seeing in his woods in West Michigan. Bob’s wife Linda shares her horrific story of her close encounter with one of those same really big spiders. Spooky!
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Along Came A Spider, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 04 Do The Zoo, with Brian O'Malley Oct 16, 2007

Maybe you don’t want a pet monkey smoking your cigars while swinging from the drapes. You might not even want a parrot eating the woodwork. One way of satisfying your craving for exotic critters without having pets of your own is volunteering at your local zoo. Brian O’Malley describes his volunteer duties at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. Brian feeds macaws and sloths, raises crickets, and stays out of the way of large, serpent-like fish called arapaimas.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Do The Zoo, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 03 What Were You Thinking - Shhh... We're Talkin' Wabbits Oct 03, 2007

Proving that you don’t have to be cwazy to have a wabbit in the house, reassuringly normal Utah artist Julie Jacobsen shares her memories of family bunny Skoobit. Bob and Linda talk about traits to consider before taking home a rabbit, and why two bunnies are better than one, even if they don’t get along. Bob uses the skit that opens the show as a valuable lesson in how not to do a podcast.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Shhh... We're Talkin' Wabbits, with Bob Tarte

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 02 What Were You Thinking - The Crazy Critter Lady Sep 23, 2007

Bob Tarte phones Kelly Meister, the Crazy Critter Lady (www.crazycritterlady.com), and she talks about how she takes care of other people's ducks that were dumped at Miller's Pond in Perrysburg, Ohio. (To see Kelly in action, visit BobTarte.com and watch the Duck Man vs. the Crazy Critter Lady video.) After the interview with Kelly, Bob's wife Linda describes the kind of care and housing that pet ducks require. Ducks make great pets, but you have to accommodate them properly.
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More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -The Crazy Critter Lady -with Bob Tarte on PetLifeRadio.com

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 01 What Were You Thinking - From Pet-Free to Forty Sep 18, 2007

On the premiere episode of What Were You Thinking?, author Bob Tarte (Enslaved by Ducks, Fowl Weather) and his wife Linda talk about how they went from a blissful, pet-free existence to a life of constant demand from over 40 animals. They discuss some of their first animals and extol the virtues of doves as companion birds. Linda explains how you can be a part of the show and share your experiences with birds, reptiles, guinea pigs, rabbits, tarantulas, rats… you name it!
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -From Pet-Free to Forty -with Bob Tarte on PetLifeRadio.com

PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 00 Welcome to "What Were You Thinking?" Sep 18, 2007

Bob Tarte welcomes everyone to his new show, "What Were You Thinking" about exotic pets, and gives a preview of what to expect in upcoming episodes.
More details on this episode MP3 Podcast -Introduction- Welcome To "What Were You Thinking" with Bob Tarte

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What Were You Thinking – All about exotic pets & animals you can keep as a pet – Pets & Animals on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

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