conversation with ethan-8yr, on way home from school.
e: can we get an oxpecker?
me: excuse me? (surely I did not hear that right, or I have no idea what an ox pecker is. Only one thing is coming to mind. And I really wish it weren’t.)
e: it’ a bird.
me: (silenty, OH!!!!)
e: it can eat 100 ticks a day.
me: sounds like a lovely creature. why do we need one?
e: I saw duke scratching the other day.
me: he’s a dog. dogs scratch. (I didn’t add, “he’s a male. MALES scratch. a LOT.”)
e: well, this book from Grandmother says that the oxpecker can also eat snot and earwax off larger animals.
me: uh huh.
e: so duke could really use an oxpecker.
I told him to talk to Mike about it. Not because I minded telling him ‘no.’ And not because I thought Mike might say ‘yes.’
Just because oxpecker conversations are rather rare, and should be shared.
11:30 pm
Oh my. That was really funny. Birds creep me out, so I think I’d stick with Advantage
12:20 am
Speaking of dogs, my three year old has been begging for a little white furry dog. I think she has finally worn me down and I’m going to look at a toy poodle Friday. Pray for my sanity!
12:25 am
Because I think what your household has really been lacking all these years is a big ol’ tick-eating, snot-licking bird to follow your pets around. Yup. Just what I was thinkin’!
5:06 am
You could start a whole new trend… pet birds for your dogs! I can see it now, sweeping the globe :o)
3:41 pm
Wow, never before realized that what we need at our house is an oxpecker!!!
The more you know!
4:18 pm
Um… Can you please scan a photo of this “oxpecker” i’m very interested in getting one for my husband? Does it clean up anything else after them? LOL… i’m just teasing. My hubby really is a dream.
6:30 pm
LOL i think our doggie needs one of those too!!! I may have to look into this!
5:11 pm
That’s funny! The things kids can come up with…
Hugs from me to you!
6:54 am
While just exactly what an oxpecker is was not quite obvious at first — what is obvious to me is that You. Are. Hilarious. : )