Sugar Gliders, Pocket Pets
June 30, 2008
Many people are searching for different means to have pets. Dogs and cats are not always the best choice of pets for everyone. Here is an amazingly different type of pet. A Pocket Pet! A Sugar Glider.
The Sugar Glider is a popular pet because of its sweet, lively, inquisitive nature, but is illegal in certain jurisdictions, such as California.
Do gliders make sounds?
Sugar gliders are very social creatures and make many sounds, including barking, crabbing, clicking, and chattering.
Are gliders rodents?
No. Sugar gliders are marsupials (mammals that carry their young in a pouch); they are in the same family as the koala bear and the kangaroo.
I have gathered some information, and done some research. Perhaps this will be the answer for many wishing to own a different kind of a pet.
Sugar Gliders make excellent pets. They adapt very readily to captivity and can develop very strong relationships with their human keepers. This is why they would be great for people who cannot have big pets. They are small in size, are very intelligent and love to play. They are much smarter than a hamster or rat and have a much longer life-span, most living to be 10 or older if taken care of properly. Although nocturnal, this can be of benefit.
Your Pets Medicine Chest - Medications To Keep On-Hand
June 29, 2008
We all know that good food, a loving home and plenty of exercise will go a long way in giving your dog and cat a happy and healthy life. But what about those times when some minor illness suddenly appears and it’s 10 pm in the evening with no veterinarian available? (For those of you who have small children…you understand how this works).
Just like humans, animals can and will occasionally get sick. Considering some of the things animals get into, it’s truly amazing our dogs and cats stay as healthy as they do. There are a lot of potential dangers out in that big wide world.
“Child” Proofing Your Home For Your Pet
Pets are just like children. They are curious explorers that love to check out what’s in that overflowing garbage can or see if they really can reach the toilet bowl for a drink before someone catches them.
Here are a few guidelines to help you “pet proof” your home:
* When you use any pesticides, herbicides, antifreeze, or household cleaning products, make sure they are stored safely away after use. Wash away any extra waste that might have spilled immediately.
Why Crate Train My Dog?
June 28, 2008
A few years ago, before I decided to stay home with my kids, I worked as a veterinarian technician in an animal hospital. While at that job I saw so many clients who would bring in their dog and be upset because they had eaten something in the house, other than food, and were now sick. One client brought in her chocolate lab that had gotten into her sewing box and eaten a pincushion, pins and all!!! Off to surgery the dog went and the owner was out about $1,500. Case number two was a giant poodle that, while the owner was away, got into her closet and ate a pair of panty hose. Unfortunately this dog did not make it through surgery. The pantyhose got wrapped around its intestines and the doctor was not able to save the dog.
The above stories are a couple of really good reasons why you should crate train your puppy or dog, especially if you have a dog who likes to chew or eat things they should not be eating.
10 Greatest Puppy Training Tips of All Time
June 28, 2008
The 10 Greatest Puppy Training Tips of All Time According to Dog Training Experts
10) When trying to settle a puppy into a new home, providing them with a warm hot water bottle and placing a ticking clock in the room where they sleep will help to replicate the body heat and heartbeat of their litter mates and can really help them to relax in their new environment.
9) When taking your puppy to the Vet for its first inoculations, health checks etc, it is good practice to sit with your puppy on your lap and not have him or her on the floor. Apart from being able to comfort and re-assure the puppy easier in this position you must also consider the fact that there may be a number of sick animals in the surgery and your puppy is vulnerable if they come into direct contact with infectious animals that may also be in attendance at the same time as your pup. Make a very deliberate effort to ensure your puppy’s trips to the vets are as fun as you can make them. Don’t allow your puppy to think you are nervous or concerned, instead make a game and even take a toy to amuse the puppy with whilst they sit on your lap.
Why the Heck Would You Have a Pet Snake (or lizard, crocodile, monitor, frog, turtle etc)?
June 27, 2008
This is a question that has been asked of me and a thousand (million?) other herp keepers. I think it’s almost a case of once bitten, twice as determined. But seriously, it is something I have pondered but not really found an adequate answer for. They are not cute and cuddly. They bite (when young), they feel cold (not really) and they have funny eyes. And scales.
As a little tacker I was always into animals ? frogs, lizards, tadpoles, butterflies, beetles, spiders ? you name it, I went looking for it.
I don’t think I ever got over it. It’s hard to explain to people who do not have a fascination with animals, what the attraction is. It’s just there. I think most people actually have it but for a variety of reasons they do not act upon it or ignore it.
Snakes are particularly intriguing. The way they move, the way the eat, the way their metabolism is so brilliantly attuned to the particular environment they inhabit, their ancestry, the development of venoms so potent that that can kill in minutes, all of these things interest me and make me want to know more about them.
Goldfish Outdoors
June 26, 2008
How do you build a goldfish pond outdoors?
The tools you will need are a shovel, pond liner and underlayment, a long enough rope, coping stones and decorations, plants, a pump (you will need a pump to run a filter, fountain, or waterfall and it will keep the water circulating and the plants healthy), a filter system and some cooperative friends or family members. Now you can get started.
Time to choose
Several options are available and you could actually build a goldfish pond in a day, depending on the size you want it to be. Begin by deciding where in the garden you would like a goldfish pond.
* It should be near your house, as that would make it more accessible to power supply sockets.
* It should not be at the end of a sloping garden because when it rains all the water along with the chemicals from the garden would run into the pond.
* It should not be under too much of shade, as a pond needs at least four hours of sunlight.
* It shouldn’t be very near trees as the falling leaves and debris would fall in and clog the pond. You would be cleaning up all the time.
Goldfish Feeding Tips
June 25, 2008
What’s the best food for your Goldfish?
Goldfish need food that is a combination of carbohydrates and vitamins to help them grow and fight disease. They particularly need vitamin A to make their colors look bright. They do need protein but just about 12% so that they can build muscle. In the natural habitat, Goldfish mainly feed on plants. They eat a fiber diet that includes algae, grasses and aquatic plants in the natural environment. Thankfully you do not have to sweat much to provide them with the equivalent nutritional needs because you can get it off the shelf! These processed food available at pet stores include:
Flake food
This is one of the commonly available goldfish foods, especially made for them and it consists of brine shrimp. It is easily eaten by Goldfish and helps in avoiding a particularly fatal sickness called the Air Bladder Disease.
Pellet food
This is also flake food with brine shrimp but it’s packaged as a pellet. The only problem with pellets is that it sometimes swells in the goldfish’s stomach and makes it lose its balance. This is what is the Air Bladder disease.
Frozen food
Feral Cats - Societys Problem Children
June 24, 2008
There is a lot of talk going on about what to do with the issue of feral cat population.
Some measures have been proposed which will allow residents to kill what they perceive to be feral cats on their property. This suggestion has caused a bit of a stir, and amongst cat lovers, it is quite understandable. Cats are natural wanderers and a treasured feline may make a mischievous dash out of its home only to find itself hunted quarry in a neighboring property.
There are more humane solutions being practiced right now which entail trapping feral cats, neutering and then releasing them back to their environment (TNR). Critics of this method maintain that the problem of cat predation on local small animal populations still exists after neutering, and that a continuous supply of stray cats are finding their fertile way into these feral communities every day. Thus, any positive gains realized by the TNR program are being constantly negated by the actions, or inactions, of irresponsible pet owners.
Dog Food - Which Diet is Best for Dogs?
June 23, 2008
Why The Food You Give Your Dog Matters!
If you’re like most dog owners, you probably assume that commerical dog foods with brand names that are easily identifiable - Purina, Iams, Pedigree, etc. - must be good for your pets, right? After all, millions of pet owners buy them and feed them to their beloved pets, and surely they wouldn’t all give their dogs something harmful. Unfortunately, this may just be the case.
Now, before I get any further along, let me make it clear that I am not a veterinarian. I do, however, have a science background and education, and I’ve had more dogs in my care in one year than most people will have in a lifetime. As an observant and naturally curious person, I’ve paid close attention in the past 20 years to the general health of my pets and those I’ve had in my care through a rescue shelter I was involved with for several of those years. I’ve also picked the brains of several top vets in my state in my quest to get to the heart of the matter concerning the best dog diet.
Preparing for Your New Pet
June 23, 2008
Getting a new pet can be a lot of fun. You can choose from a dog, cat, hamster, gerbil, rabbit, and the list goes on and on. No matter what pet you choose, you will need to outfit them with the latest and greatest in pet gear. If you shop smart, you should be able to find many of your items for cheap.
The key to getting a good deal on pet gear is to shop early. Buy your items before your pet comes home with you. That way you won’t be rushed to pay more for the necessary items. The following is a list of supplies needed for a new pet.
? Health supplies- vitamins and medications. These are available through your vets office or pet health websites like petmeds.com.
? Food- daily food, plus treats. Do a bit of research to find the best type of food for your pet. Don’t forget to have treats for good behavior or to add variety to your pet’s diet.
? Toys- catnip for cats, exercise wheels for hamsters, and chew toys for dogs. Try to get a variety of pets to keep your pet entertained and happy.
