July 2010 Archives

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Rabbits have got a well deserved reputation for being great domestic pets. They’re well-behaved, curious, more than happy to relax and play with their owners and will contentedly be stroked and held. Together with the right diet, care and supervision both you and your bunny will have a lengthy and wonderful life together. This can be for up to 12 yrs or even more.

There are certain considerations you might want to know about your animal’s eating routine so that you can savor the experience of being a bunny owner.

What’s normally not necessarily recognized is that rabbits require high amounts of a mixture of 2 types of fibre in their digestive system, categorised as digestible and indigestible fibre. You need to ensure you supply the proper percentages of these two kinds of fibre so that the bunny receives the absolute maximum nutritional benefit.

Indigestible fibre is normally moved throughout their digestive tract and passed as individual, round, hard droppings. This acts to help keep the digestive system moving and stimulates hunger. The digestible fibre is transported upward straight into an body organ named the caecum. The good bacteria in this organ ferment the fibre which in turn come out as sticky waste. The bunny subsequently re-eats these kinds of droppings and their internal system removes the important vitamins from them when the fibre travels through them for a 2nd time.

If you don’t give the right ratio of fibre your bunny can easily get ill, or maybe die. That is why muesli type foods are such a major problem. Rabbits can be fussy eaters but will take in sweet tasting ingredients as an easy way to have a sugar hit. Because of this, they opt for the unhealthy bits within the muesli and leave the remainder.  This is called selective eating and will eventually undoubtedly result in an imbalanced diet, lacking in calcium mineral, phosphorous and Vitamin D. Above all this kind of behavior can cause a lack of fibre with life-threatening consequences.

These kinds of complications are usually avoided simply by sticking with a fibre full food plan and you may decide to purchase approved rabbit food that will fulfill your rabbit’s dietary requirements. Moreover, it’s also possible to give your bunny the occasional treat. Bear in mind that not all fruits and veggies are beneficial for your rabbit. Apples, banana, green grapes and cabbage can be ok in small amounts, however avoid feeding potato, rhubarb and avocado.

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If you should have multiple cats or reside in a neighborhood where there are a lot of cats you already know that cats do fight. Cats express their discontent with other cats by picking fights. When you fully grasp the reasons why cats fight you are able to better determine how to forestall your cats from fighting down the road. Discussed below are the primary reasons why cats fight.

They are being territorial

Cats are very territorial a lot more so as compared with dogs. Whenever they think that their territory has been or is going to be invaded they are going to fight. They will even hiss and paw at cats who have been in the house even longer than they have. Both female and male cats are just as territorial so recognize that it has absolutely nothing to do with gender. One way to prevent territorial battles would be to establish a place for each cat in your home.

They are fighting for Social Rank

This is prevalent in male cats if you possess more than one male in the home. Even neutered males are prone to fighting to establish rank. Male cats will battle to establish themselves as the head of the cat hierarchy. Two cats might position their bodies, then begin howling and screaming at one another.  If one of the cats walk away or back down, then the catfight is invariably avoided. If neither cat is willing to back down they will continue to fight until one surrenders. There are normally no incidents suffered in these kinds of combats and it is rarely probable that your interference will be necessary.

They are expressing internal aggression

Cats also fight due to some kind of redirected aggression and this is fairly common, especially with indoor cats. They may battle for your attention, for each others attention or for simple things like who gets the treats first. These kinds of battles are quite common and short lived.

If you have to handle the occasional fight understand that this is quite normal for cats. When there is a bonafide threat to a cat you will most certainly be able to distinguish. In these scenarios you will need to intervene before there is any bloodshed. When you do intercede do this cautiously to protect yourself from getting scratched. You can get their attention by making a loud sound or spraying them with water and then administering corrective actions.

Bottom line is that it’s in cats nature to fight and you should take whatsoever safeguards you can to forestall fighting like making sure each cat has his or her own toys, space and utensils. Monitor the fighting and get involved when necessary.

Read more of Diane’s writing at Wii Unlock Plus, Men Made Easy and Green DIY Energy.

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Chinchillas have a lot of energy. Even though they’re small rodents, chinchillas need to get out of their cages sometimes to move around. Their hind legs make them love to jump and even the largest chinchilla cage can’t give them the room they need to get all their energy out.

That is why you need to give your small pet time outside of the cage in a blocked off room and that is set up safely for him to be a chinchilla. You would be surprised how tiny of spaces these guys can go through, so if there are any gaps or cracks leading to somewhere he shouldn’t be plug them up first.

Before letting your chinchilla run around anywhere, make sure you are comfortable with him. You want to be able to pick him up when it’s time to go back into his chinchilla cage without getting attitude. If he isn’t ready to get back in, then just put some food infront of the cage to bait him back in.

One of the best places and the easiest is the staircase. Just use baby gates to block them off and let your chinchilla get a workout running up and down the stairs. If you’re not comfortable with him running and jumping freely then use a rodent ball. He will be able to still run around and explore but when it’s time to get back in the cage it is much easier. Of course still block or close the door even with the ball so he doesn’t go crazy. If he’s running around make sure to remove wires and such that he could chew on.

Make it a regular event to have play time, your chinchilla will learn to expect it and will behave better knowing it’s going to happen again. Plus this is a great time to clean the cage.

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Ferrets are creatures that known to be notoriously in love with hammocks. So, if you’re planning to adopt a ferret as a new pet, then, never forget to get him a Ferret Hammock. Ferrets love to nap and they sleep longer than you could ever think. Ferrets tend to sleep 18-20 hours a day. You may not want to place your new pet on a small wire cage, right? You want to provide him a clean and comfortable place too. So, a comfortable, soft sleeping material is really essential for ferrets. Ferret Hammock can provide a very perfect sleeping spot for ferrets.

You can find a readily made Ferret Hammock both online and in local pet stores, and available with different sizes, price, and materials. It depends on what you want to get and the budget that you have for your new friend. If you have enough funds for that, then you can get a little expensive one to give your new pet a more comfortable spot to relax and nap. They have a lot variety of styles in terms of materials made and the style of stitching patterns and the specific prices for each item. You can check this online to know what kind of styles that soothes your budget. Or, if you really can’t afford to buy one, try to make some home made improvised Ferret Hammock for your pet, just learn the right pattern for making it. This can save you money.

Ferret Hammock is very important if you’re planning to have them as a pet. This Ferret Hammock can provide a lot of basic essential needs of your new pet. It serves as their playing and sleeping spot, these two are the basic need of ferrets. They play a lot and sleep a lot as well. This can also serve as their hiding places on which ferrets are also known to hide their selves from enclose and dark places.

Providing a clean, relaxing and comfortable home and sleeping spot for you new pet can be a huge factor for him. They will feel welcome, cared, and love by you. This is what ferrets also need and cares about from their owners. You can provide the most comfortable Ferret Hammock if you have some spare fund for that. This will pay you off if you could that your new lovely friend is enjoying the new place that you have provided for him. It brings out a good feeling to see that your new pet is happy with his new home. Now you can play with him as long as you want.

James A. Myers is a nature lover with special interest in animals – particularly feral ones. He adopted his first pair of <a href=”http://www.ferretcaretipscenter.com/need-a-ferret-hammock/”>ferrets</a> 3 years ago and raised them to become a family within a family. Visit James’ website <a href=”http://www.ferretcaretipscenter.com/”>www.ferretcaretipscenter.com</a> for tips and tricks on how to give ferrets the care that they deserve.

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When you bring a new kitten home, there are many things that you have to have. Many people forget to buy kitten collars because they think they don’t need them. Truthfully, you should make sure you have a collar on your cat as soon as you get home. There are many reasons for this, and the biggest one being safety. You may think that your kitten will not venture outside of your home, but if there is any chance for them to do so, they will find a way. If they do not have a collar, no one can return them to you.

You will want to find kitten collars that have room to grow. However, you do not want any that are exceptionally large. It has to fit securely around their neck, but also must have room for them to grow. You should check your kitten collars quite often. Make sure that as your kitten grows, the color is loosened to accommodate that growth. If you do not loosen the collar, they will choke as they get larger. Kittens tend to grow rather quickly, so make sure you check them very often.

When you bring your kittens home, make sure you add identification tags to your kitten collars. In the event that your kitten gets out of your home, you want to have clear information about where they belong, and how to reach you. Your kittens are extremely curious, and if there is an opening left where they may venture outside they are likely to do so. When someone finds your kittens, you want to know that they can bring them home to you safely as soon as possible.

Also make sure your kitten collars will not slide off from their heads. While it is important to keep them loose enough so that your kittens do not choke, you have to make sure they cannot get out of them. If you have ever seen a cat or kitten try to get out of their collar the first time you put it on them, you know what I mean. Most young cats will get out of their kitten collars at least once or twice before they get used to them. That is why it is important you always check to make sure they are still wearing them, and that they are comfortable. You should also make sure the identification tags have not been removed.

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A pet door is an important part of every pet owners home. It gives your frisky one the freedom to have access indoors when it decides to take a walk and check out the hood. With a pet door, your cat or dog is easily able to go out into the yard to do its business and come back in without much fuss

The back door of a house is typically where a pet door is installed. These days you can conveniently install a patio door for your dog with a ready-made tall and translucent panel. It fits the size of any existing door frame in your patio. At the bottom part of the panel is a flexible door for your dog or cat. It fits rights onto the track of your door and becomes a part of the main door itself with a locking mechanism.

Prior to installing a patio door for your dog, you have to consider whether you want something that is permanent or semi-permanent. Temporary patio dog doors are easily installed and removed from your door frame. Semi-permanent dog doors come with locking devices that are aligned with the bracket of the door and have to be screwed in place. They are still removable though, but can take a bit more time than the temporary types. Patio dog doors are both sold in manual and automatic door flaps.

The very first thing you should do after deciding which type you would like to install, you might have to measure the size of your dog to make sure it doesn’t get stuck after its eaten a big lunch. These patio dog doors come in different sizes, and your dog is still a growing puppy, choose one that has adjustable rise features so it can be adjusted to the size of your growing pup-kin.

If you’re mot much of a handy person, you won’t get much of a challenge with patio dog doors. Installation does not require much tools or other than a little elbow power. Choose one that does not have complicated instructions for you to put it together.

Most homeowners have always considered the security issues of having a dog door. Although it may be true that thieves have used dog doors as main access to a house, these days, pet doors that are made of high grade aluminum can now be purchased. This makes it more difficult for thieves to open. Combined with a security lock system, some pet doors can be attached to a plain patio dog door. The security lock system has a key attached to you dog’s collar that it can read, to ensure that only your dog can enter thru the door.

Choose a dog door manufacturer that has good years of experience and known for its durability and safety features. There are many dog doors available in the market made of different materials. They can come in different colors and level of security it provides as well the type of frames. It could be well worth your peace mind knowing your dog and your home is safe and that you’ve made the right choice.

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You love your dog, and you want to take the best care of them with all that you can. When you try to do this, a question starts to arise for you, and that is what type of collar would you buy for your dog? Many dog owners have this question, and the answer really depends on what type of dog that you have.

A wide range of novelty dog collars are available in your pet in a limitless variety. At specialty dog shops or ordered online, you may choose from sports group collars, luxurious collars which have stones embedded within the material, and even handcrafted leather collars that are available in a wide range of totally unlike leather stained colors. Relying on the varieties of collars you discover, you may additionally be subject to buy a matching leash, so that the leash and collar coordinate. Remember that because you are buying a specialty or novelty dog collar, it’s possible you’ll be paying quite a bit greater than you would for a primary one.

In case you are in the behaviour of taking your dog for a stroll at night time, either on or off leash, or in case you have a big yard and may not discover your dog at night time to convey him in, you may need to put money into a lit or reflector collar. A lighted collar can be turned on and off, in an effort to turn it on before a dog is let off the leash or is let loose within the yard to play at night. The collar will let off a steady or blinking pink or yellow light that lets you know the place the dog is at within the yard. Understand that because of the light, these kinds of collar will approximately all the time price greater than a standard collar because it can include a battery. As properly, the battery will need to be changed on a regular ground, depending on how often you utilize it. In case you don’t need to bother with replacing the battery, it’s possible you’ll choose for a neater reflective collar, though these will only give off light when a light is shined upon them.

Electrical fences are becoming a popular and less expensive solution to hold your dog contained inside your yard. Although electric fences are cheaper than the traditional picket or shaped iron fence, they will nonetheless price between just a few hundred to a thousand dollars depending on the dimensions of the yard. If your dog spends a substantial amount of time outside, this is a sound investment though. The electrical dog collars that accompany the fence will remain around a dog’s neck each time it is outdoors and will send off a slight shock if the dog goes outdoors the yard boundaries, which are set in place.

Choker chains are nice for energetic or large breed dogs that have a robust lead and like to pull after they walk. The collar resembles a sequence and could be present in many different widths and lengths, depending on the scale of your dog. A choker is supposed to place slight strain on the dog’s neck to keep them from wanting to drag whereas on a leash walk. This sort of collar is a good coaching gadget for basic instructions, but should only be used when strolling or training. Another step up from the choker is a pinch collar that sends little prongs into the neck of the dog to keep them from pulling. Although it may look dangerous or afflictive to the dog, it is actually thought of safer by some training specialists as a result of they are not choking themselves, as with the choker chain.

Harness collars are wonderful for small, short nosed or brief necked dogs, because a harness collar is supposed to maintain these dogs from feeling choked. Harness dog collars will go across the belly, instead of across the neck, in order that the leash could be clasped around the high of their back. This can stop them from having respiratory trouble, which often happens when utilizing a leash with a choking neck collar.

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In Part One of Chicken Coops and Hen House Basics, we looked at some of the general issues you need to consider when looking for plans. In this section, we will address some specific concerns you will need to keep mind as your look for chicken coop plans.

Chicken Coop Protection:

Whether you live in the city or in the country, your chicken coop or hen house must provide your birds with various types of protection. You will want to find chicken coop designs that have already taken this into consideration. Just to name a few of the predators that your coop must keep out: cats, foxes, snakes, rats, and vermin.

Quality chicken coop plans will have protection issues as part of their design. These might include such things as wire-covered windows and ventilation holes, above ground foundations, and even instructions on fences and chicken runs.

Flooring for Your Chicken Coop:

One mistake novices often make is putting their chicken coop or hen house directly on the ground, using the dirt as the floor

This is a poor choice as it almost guarantees that rodents and other predators will be able to get into the coop. A dirt floor is also very hard to keep clean and may become muddy if it rains hard.

As you shop for chicken coop designs, take a moment to examine the type of floor that is being used in the particular coop. The two most common flooring materials are concrete and plywood. As you might imagine, concrete costs more, but it will last a long time and is very easy to keep clean. Plywood is the least expensive and is the most popular choice among those who raise chickens.

Hen House Nests:

If you plan to raise hens for eggs, you will have to find chicken house plans that include nest boxes. Nesting boxes are not needed for other types of chickens.

Generally, a good size for a laying nest is 12×15 and 13-14 inches deep. A good tip for those new to raising hens is to put your nest on the floor for the first couple of weeks so the hens get used to them. Then you can put them up higher, about 18″ above the floor.

Chicken Coop Roost:

When you look for chicken coop plans, take a moment to examine the type of roost that is recommended. Most people will find that a simple wooden dowel will work just fine. Depending on the size of your chicken coop and the number of birds, you may have to put in more than one roost.

Chicken Coop Doors:

Normally, you want to find chicken coop plans that allow for two doors: One for you, and one for the birds. This, of course, will depend on the size of your coop.

Chicken Coop Watering Systems and Feeders:

We have saved one of the most important issues for last. Your chicken coop must have a watering system and a feeding system for the animals.

Quality chicken coop plans will have this information included which makes it easy for you to get the right set up. It is important to remember that the more birds you have, the more watering points and feeding points you will need.

We hope our articles on chicken coops and hen houses have been of help to you. We encourage you to find the best designs and plans available for your chicken coop as this is one way to get off to a great start quickly and easily.

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Let me tell a bit on myself to start out…I literally thought the big pet categories fell into the cat and dog columns and that there was little else happening. Until I started writing this article, I had no idea that pet birds were so popular.

And guess what, owning a pet bird, especially the larger parrots can become very costly. Very quickly.

Taking ownership of a bird is a big undertaking and as you start to add up the costs, it becomes very apparent, very quickly that you are going to need instant ways to get the cheapest bird supplies online sooner rather than later.

It’s crystal clear why the big bird suppliers have embraced the online vendors like Amazon etc…the margins can be much higher for both parties.

Everything from bird toys to bird food to bird carrying cases…these are the things that quickly turn a simple pet into a costly venture so moving to get these supplies online to get the best prices is a no brainer to many.

Additionally, there are the larger Petcos of the world that are both online and offline that probably have the brands you know you need at the prices online and off that will compete with anyone.

As you look into owning a new Macaw or a parrot or any other type of bird, know this…the expenses add up quickly. Just getting a custom bird cage online can become an event.

Having had no idea that the bird community was as strong as it, it makes me wonder what else I should probably look into aqs far as perception versus reality is concerned.

 

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Dog Training Camp

Is there a canine problem in your family?  Does your pooch get on everyone’s nerves?

No doubt about it, being the owner of a poorly behaving canine  could be really nerve-racking. The continuous barking and jumping up, perhaps even nipping and other hostile and disrespectful conduct can put you in the dog house with your friends and neighbours.  What is a canine owner to do?

Well, how about taking up your little darling and dispatching him off to boot camp?  Many owners seek to do just that.  They shell out big bucks in the hope that obedience training at a boot camp for canines will provide a solution to their canine behavior problems.

Are these dog training camps effective?

The answer is a definite maybe!

As one glove doesn’t fit all, and all  dogs are not created equal, these training courses may show results in only a few dogs.  

Here are the basics:

Dog training camps have intensive training programs commonly called ‘doggie boot camps’. These programs are for dogs which are difficult to train, and many also promise to correct behavioral difficulties. Similar to any other boot camp, your dog will have to live at the school for the duration of the course. However, should you reside nearby, you might be allowed to take little Fifi  home for the night. The time frame of a boot camp might be between a week and a month, depending on the program. As you might anticipate, the costs, content and duration will differ considerably from school to school.

The majority of boot camps for dogs will start with the fundamentals: sit down, stand, stay, walk on a loose leash, and come when called. Their program is likely to include teaching of good manners such as not jumping on people, taking food/treats gently, etc. If your canine needs specific attention, many schools offer the facility of creating a program to fit your dog, at an additional cost, of course.

While there are lots of (apparently) happy clients of these dog training camps, there are also a big number of dissidents. One stated disadvantage of boot camps is that a number of facilities use punishment-based methods. When dogs are considered important members of the family, their masters won’t put up with any thing that appears to be canine mistreatment.

Nevertheless,  by most accounts the popularity of boot camps is on the rise.  This is most probably due to  the time required if owners wish to educate their own pets. A boot camp is a timesaver, and as a result provides a speedy and simple fix. Of course a huge part of  their dog’s negative behavior most likely originates from their own lack of leadership and ineffective communication. While professional obedience instruction can make a huge difference in your dog’s behavior, keep in mind that the most efficient training still comes from the canine owner.

Here are the fundamentals of canine training:

 

Employ the reward method.

When the dog obeys a command, you can reward him with positive affirmation (good boy), or a treat or playtime with a preferred toy. This kind of training fortifies the bond between dog and master. The primary and most essential point your dog needs to understand is that you are the leader of the pack. This understanding is really a must, or all your efforts will be ineffective. This understanding will shape the basis of all future instruction.

Establish your position.

One way to do it is to give him a command to eat after putting the food into his bowl. If you leave food out in his bowl and set it down and go away, your canine might fail to understand the source of the food. However, if you make him first sit and then place the bowl down, he’llunderstand that you simply manage the food. The reality is that in canine culture, the pack leader rules the food. It is only with his permission and consent that the next in the hierarchy eats, and so on down the ranks. As soon as he has to look for your authorization, he will understand that you are the boss. In the same way, one should first make him sit down prior to letting him go outside. Once you open up the front door, have him sit till you give him an order to go outside.

Always lead when walking your dog.

This will identify you as the pack leader. Ensure that you are the first one out the door and the first one back in. Your dog should maintain pace beside or behind you whilewalking. Manage your pet’s movement by using a short teather. Use the leash to communicate, guide, and correct your dog.

Concentrate on one order at a time.

Make sure you do this until it’s correctly grasped, or confusion might set in. While coaching your dog to obey an order, indicate to him what you expect him to do and continually repeat the phrase you want him to react to. For instance, while training him to sit down, lightly press down his rear while repeating the word ’sit’, and reward him with a treat when he does conform.

Conclusion:

Now that you have read the fundamentals of dog training, do you still wish to send your pet to a boot camp? If so, then at least you should do a little background check on the proposed camp. Find out in detail the methods being applied by the coaches for behavior changes. Furthermore, find out if the coaches are qualified to conduct the instruction. Better still, if you have the time, be on site to watch the procedure. For good measure, also request a list of verifiable veterinarian referrals. From them you are able to confirm if the methods applied by the school produce results.

This article, along with literally hundreds of videos are available here:  Dog Training Tools to help improve the life of your pet.

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