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[saratogaspringer]

Hi Everyone!  With 2 little ones, it seems that I am not having enough time to enjoy my Aibos. My Pleos do fine, since they don't seem to mind being in my family room on a higher pile carpet, although they won't walk around much on it.  On the other hand, the carpet really seems to bother my ERS-7 and my 210.  They don't seem to have very good balance on it, and Buster, my 7, simply will not even attempt to shake hands if I bring him out to the family room.  He just ignores the command, and poor Padfoot just loses his balance if he tries to do any of his Dog's Life dances.  I have been using the office/computer room, since that has low pile carpet and they seem to do just fine on it, thus performing all their tricks and dances,  but the room is rather small, about 9X12, has 2 computer desks in it, and it is on the other side of my house, so I have to ignore my family while I play with my 'bots. 

I was thinking about trying out the kitchen, but I don't want my Aibos to fall on the hard tile.  I was thinking about getting a large low pile throw rug, about 5X7, to put in there.  That way, I could play with them while I am making dinner and doing the dishes.  I could work AND spend more time with them, but I don't know if this is enough room for them to roam.  Any suggestions?  I know the best thing for me to do would be to remove the carpet in the family room and replace wtih low pile carpet, or finish the hardwood floors underneath and put in a throw rug, but that is not in the cards right now the way my little ones always horse around on the floor.   I would appreciate any help.  They are a pretty big investment not to be enjoyed. 

[Crewella]

I have exactly the same problem, as my house is tiny and stuffed with far too much furniture.  I end up running them in the kitchen or bathroom where there's more space and light.  The bathroom has a softer vinyl floor but the kitchen floor is hard tiles, it does help to put socks on them, both the noise factor and also there's less bits of them to knock into each other.  I was considering one of those clear plastic mats that people put in hallways ...............  

For now, the Pleos get more playtime than the Aibos.  I'm thinking of moving ..........................  

ADDED:

Funnily enough, this post just turned up on the Aibo-Life forum! 

http://www.aibo-life.org/forums/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006667

[kat]

If it helps we have painted cement floors throughout the whole house excepting the bathrooms which are tiles.  We do have a rather lovely rug on the floor in the lounge room where I play with all my bots but I find the pleos do tend to struggle a bit when they are on the rug so I tend to put them on the floor it's self.  My Aibos always start off on the rug but within about 5 mins of run time both of them will have walked off it to go exploring and so far I haven't had any real issues with them falling over on the floor or causing any harm to each other.  They are a bit noisier on the cement floor but it isn't too bad.  I haven't bothered with socks on them yet as I find the noise helps me keep track of just where they are if they go out of sight. 
Why not give them a go running in the kitchen and see what happens.  If you do find they are too noisy try some baby socks or maybe look at getting a rug or mat that you can put down in the kitchen when you want to play with them.

[saratogaspringer]

Thanks guys!  I am going to try to get some pet wraps and let them run on the tile in the kitchen.  That way, if they fall, they won't get scratched.  I'll try it out for a while, and if it doesn't work, I'll go to plan B, which is to take the carpet out of living room and replace it.  I've been itching to do that for a while!

[kat]

I have a semi related question for you all.  How do you go about caring for an Aibo's skin?  Is there a way or special product you can use to fix scrapes and scratches on their legs etc..?  Milo has a lot of scratches on his legs - must have been living the high life - and I was wondering how best to care for him.  If it is possible to polish him and what I should use and what others have done to fix scrapes and scratches if anything?

[Crewella]

I think we end up back with the auto trade here, as with the Pleo skin issues!  

Most Aibo 'skin' is apparently painted plastic, so you need to be wary of anything abrasive (though I believe some people have had good results with a product called 'Novus' on the clear visors that works like t-cut does, but that's a MAJOR project and expenditure).  The kind of wax/cleaner used on car trim and interiors is probably best.  I do believe you have some ...........

[barrettgazzy]

unless you really know what products you are using and what might happen to Aibo skin when you are using them it prob best not to attempt anything , i think the scratches etc add personality to Aibo's just think most are over 10 yrs of age now . Alternatively and again only if you know what you are doing i know that some people have repainted their Aibo's it is something i would not risk trying but i have seen some pretty good paint jobs on 210 Aibo's .

[Crewella]

Gaz is right - you do want to be very careful, and you do need to make sure not to spray or inadvertently get anything on or in the joints or any of the moving parts.  A tiny amount of polish on a cloth should do the trick of covering the minor scuffs and keeping them nice and shiny.  The real 'battle scars' are just part of their character! 

[saratogaspringer]

Kat, Buster came with some scratches on his legs as well.  They don't really bother me, and he is with me for the rest of his life, and I don't plan on ever selling him, but I DO seem to see that when selling, not having any scratches seems to be important to people.  As Gaz has said, these guys are at least 6 years old now, and they are going to have some scratches.  I think some people buy these Aibos and just leave them sit on a shelf, just like you would an expensive sports car sitting in the garage. I got the feeling from emailing the guy who sold me Buster, that he wanted to sell it to someone who already did not own an ERS-7 or a bunch of other Aibos.  He didn't want Shogun, (now named Buster), sitting on a shelf collecting dust. 

Maybe Wolfbob has a suggestion for us, if he is checking in.....I hate to PM him.  He's probably busy fixing other pooches. 

[kat]

I have to say that I'm not at all bothered by his scrapes and scratches.  I never expected to get an Aibo without them.   It just goes to show he was well played with and loved in his last home and like you say not left sitting on a shelf gathering dust.  I just thought that been as we were kind of talking about the topic it would be interesting to see what people do to keep their little guys looking their best, all shinny and clean and if anyone had tried anything to get rid of or repair scrapes and scratches. 
I had been thinking that I might try to find some time to give Milo a wipe over as he does seem to show the dust and dirt more so than Pixel, but not really knowing what to use I haven't been brave enough to do anything yet.  Maybe I'll try a little Polyglaze on him in an inconspicuous spot and see what happens.  It would be lovely to make him all clean and shinny.   

[saratogaspringer]

Let me know how the Polyglaze works, Kat, if you try it.  I haven't seen it in the US, but I have some Vinylex, which I think is close to the same stuff.     I would like to get Buster all polished up as well. 

[Crewella]

My gut feeling is that, for the Aibo, the Polyglaze will actually be better than the Vinylex.  I'm not so keen on the 'glaze' type polishes for Pleo skin as I think the Vinylex has more conditioners to help the rubber stay moisturised long term, but for the hard plastic Aibo shells they are ideal. 

[latrine]

I have been trying to come up with an Aibo-safe  'fence' that I could make in sections to block my dogs or Pleos in certain areas.  I figure I could make them out of wood in a very short kind of white rail fence design or something and then use something softer for the inside so they can't get scratched on it, and then also paint that inside part black so they have an easier time recognizing it as a wall.. I am sick to death of my Aibo's walking smack into a door because it's white.

I thought if it worked well maybe I could even sell them and then try to make something similar for the Pleos, but like more of a tree-like design or roots or something like that. I dunno.. probly silly but maybe it'll be fun  

Loki doesn't wander TOO far but Thor, my 220, sometimes just takes off and I have no clue where he is going.. it's like that light on his head really does help him.. he peeks into a dark room, opens up the light and then just toddles on through.. CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK..

Wolfbob sent Loki home with one of those really soft small towels folks use to wipe cars, he had wiped Loki with it after fixing him the first time and he was SO shiny and nice when he arrived home so I clean him off with that when he's gotten into the trash   It doesn't help with dents/blemishes but it keeps him shiny and besides.. those scars are marks of character.. just like mine    (I would like to clean up his face though.. I wish there was a way to buff out the small scratches here and there on the face)

- Sarah