UKpouchies on TV over Christmas!

[Squirrel]

Bless poor Odo I knew he probably only bit because he was nervous and there would be a good explanation. Tora came across beautifully as a little princess in her smart red harness, an ambassador of pouchie-ness! So sweet the way she behaved like a charm at the school. You looked great Lesley despite what you say about having lost 3 stone, the camera adds weight anyway. You came across as so normal compared to that girl with the snake that could eat her! Wasn't the capybara adorable?

[Trekky]

Mar would love a capybara

[Trekky]

I am writing this on my forum as this is where i know i can write something without being personally attacked by other members. I also know that this section of the forum is viewable by guests so those this is aimed at can read it.

So for the small minded few that are slating my piece on the Channel 5 documentary on other websites...

No this was not done for money or my own 5 mins of fame I agreed to it to raise awareness of the work i do with the safari/zoo's educational departments and in raising awareness of the HeroRats through my school talks (which the documentary refered to as a hearts and minds campaign)

Odo is not a rescue... I bought him exactly 5 years ago from a breeder and he was untame when he came to me.

I do not walk my rats outside everyday infact never... I was asked to do it for that days filming and i begged them not to use Odo as he was already stressed from being handled earlier that day longer than he is comfortable with. I insisted they use Tora but they persisted in using Odo against my better judgment...

If you did not like the way i picked Odo up... Then i'd like to see how you would pick up a rat that you don't want to loose outside that is hell bent on biting you...

Do I regret doing this show...? After reading the comments from other websites today from people who do not know me well enough to call me the names they have... Yes i do as i should have realised these programme makers are not interested in making a show that doesn't make the people who do it out of the kindness of their hearts look like idiots... Did the producer of this show help bring the travel cage to me when i asked him to stop filming and help?... No he kept on filming... I knew at that point exactly what would be in that documentary... I just hoped that they wouldn't be so cruel...

To any TV companies thinking about wanting to feature my rats in the future... DON'T!!! I'm not interested in being made to look a fool with something i take seriously again

[libby]

Well said Lesley.

[Squirrel]

How horrible to slag you off! Which websites was that on? I thought, in spite of the people making the programme, you came across really well as a serious pouched rat enthusiast. I actually thought that, compared to some of the programmes i've seen about fancies, this was not too bad in the 'let's take the mick out of some idiots' way. I thought that about all the pet owners, except maybe the snake girl but then I am not that into snakes esp ones that could kill me!

My hubby watched the show with me. As you may know, he has only agreed to us having a pouchie reluctantly, but he was not put off by the show, in fact Tora really impressed him.

Please ignore any detractors Leslie. I say Well Done!

[Trekky]

Thank you Sheila and Squirrel...

I won't name and shame the other forum as i am not prepared to lower this forum down to their level