Keep Exotic Pets and Birds Safe During Natural Disasters

If there was a tornado siren right now could you transport your bird or pet or exotic pet to safety? What if there was a fire in your home or a wildfire racing down the hill? Do you have a hard sided carrier to help protect your parrot from blowing debris? Is the hard sided carrier stuffed in the closet? In the garage under mounds of other stuff, you have stored? If you need to transport your bird or exotic pet to safety quickly, that carrier is worthless to you if you can't get at it quickly.

What did you say? Your state never has tornadoes? I beg to differ no state is tornado proof. If you have only a rare tornado how about straight line winds? Perhaps floods? How about an out-of-control car crashing into the living room? A fire? There are always natural or not so natural emergencies where your bird or exotic pet may need to be transported quickly.

Preparedness is the key to the passage to safety when it comes to tornadoes, but sometimes the best plans go awry. Tornadoes are sudden, unpredictable, and early warning systems can go terribly wrong; an example, being turned off?

We have a plan, a well-rehearsed plan. Of course, the first order of business is getting humans to safety. Now it is just the two of us living in this big old house, but in previous years we had an 80+ elderly person, five adults, and two babies plus all my animals. We had a plan for each.

If the upstairs bedroom doors are closed the hallway is a reasonably safe place if we can’t make it to the basement or if we can’t get the animals to the basement. One of the upstairs bathrooms has no windows and has what looks like a Fort Knox Jacuzzi tub. The house was built in 1885 and is built solid.

The plan was to get the children to the basement. Next, we would get the animals to the basement or a reasonably safe place. We keep all our hard-sided animal carriers (pet porters) upstairs where the animals hang out. The trick is, make sure the carriers aren’t stored under a pile of stuff or outside in the garage. We would stuff the animals in the carriers and run them down to the basement. If there weren’t enough time, the ferret cage would go into the hallway. The rest of the carriers sat side by side in the bathroom. All doors are then closed.

OK – then came an actual tornado. No matter how many times we went over the plans and rehearsed the plans nothing went as planned. My daughter was driving back from Sioux Falls and was just south of Huron when the tornado touched down. She was very close to where the tornado was. She called home on the cell phone and said she couldn’t see anything and the rain was falling UP. She couldn’t see any driveways to pull off the road - she was driving blind in a rain-wrapped tornado. We suddenly lost contact with her. She had her oldest daughter with her (two at the time). We had the baby with us.

In the meantime, we went into action. My husband went to the basement with the baby secured in her car seat. My daughter’s husband was sitting on a central stair on our staircase trying to reach his wife after losing contact.

I got my mother-in-law on the way to the stairs to get her to the basement. After a five minute shuffle, I realized she’d never get down two flights of stairs before the tornado hit our house. I put her in the Jacuzzi tub and tossed a mattress over her.

Now I got the animals situated. I pulled the ferret cage into the hallway. Got the rest of the animals into carriers and realized I couldn’t get them down the stairs. Again, our prearranged plans were completely thrown off. It was up to the adults other than me to carry the animals to the basement. With having a spinal disease and multiple surgeries I just can lift them anymore. So the carriers went into the bathroom with grandma.

Now, I was supposed to be in the basement and so was my son-in-law who was still busily hitting speed dial. I found I couldn’t leave my mother-in-law in the upstairs bathroom by herself. I yelled to my son-in-law to get down to the basement with the baby and my husband. He just yelled back, I’ve got to find out if my wife is OK. So I sat on the privy next to the tub trying to calm my mother-in-law down.

The all-clear sounded, and it was safe to come out of our safety spots. We finally got a hold of my daughter. She had passed a guy walking down the road in that horrid storm. Nobody would stop for him. She stopped and picked him up. His appearance caused people not to stop to help. When my daughter asked where he needed to be dropped off, he specified a local church. He was collecting aluminum cans for a fundraiser. I was so proud of her for not letting preconceived bias to influence her decision to choose between right or wrong.

All the animals, exotic pets and otherwise were safe but rather miffed off at us. We were thankful that the tornado never hit the main part of town.

Make plans, have everything you need ready. Even if your plans do go awry, those plans will help if you need to go “off script.”

If you become separated from your exotic pets or get as much information to your local shelters, nearby shelters and any rescue agencies as possible; with your contact information.

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Pet Chipmunks

The pet chipmunk is a high maintenance - high octane pet. Pet chipmunks are full of curiosity, zip, vim, and vigor. They have very specific needs. They are not a hold me - cuddle me type of pet. They must explore. They must be able to dig and tunnel. They have many instinctual self-protection modes that must be respected, accepted and understood.

They can't live in a small cage they must - MUST have a large habitat. If you have a spare room with some chipmunk proofing this would be closer to ideal. Chipmunks can be very destructive. You must protect them from their own destructiveness. Anything electrical that is remotely accessible to them is out of the question. Remember, they dig immense tunnel systems in very hard ground and can chew.

Chipmunks require a great deal of attention. Few people realize this. At first, when bonding with a young/baby chipmunk, you will need to spend a minimum of an hour a day with your new pet.

Chipmunks are diurnal they wake with the sun bright and early in the morning and go to sleep with the sunset.

Chipmunks are very clean animals - they groom themselves often. They have no distinct odor. If they have an odor you are not doing your job and keeping their habitat clean. They will use one small area of their habitat as a toilet. Even cleaning their cages will be very different from other animals and other rodents. Clean the toilet area often. Don't clean their food caches very often it will really upset and agitate them. Storing foods is one of their preservation modes I was referring to. Other preservation modes are avoiding capture from all the animals above the food chain of the chipmunk. These instinctual behaviors are exactly that will never go away. Visceral behaviors preserve their life.

Chipmunks will die if you use phenol-based (phenolics) or coal-based disinfectants. These are toxic to chipmunks, and many other animals.

Chipmunk Care

Diet - There is no canned or bagged chipmunk food and there is no one pet food that can be substituted - ever! There is no one food that will sustain them, no one type of food. They must have dozens of different types of food to maintain their health.

They will need seeds, nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, protein including meat - small bugs. Cooked egg is an excellent source of protein. They need calcium and Vitamin D - yogurt is an excellent source of calcium. have a mineral block and cuttlebone available at all times.

Always make sure they have plenty of fresh filtered water available.

They should never have sugar. Giving sugar to a chipmunk can be deadly. Habitually read labels of all food items so that there is not any hidden sugar. Do not feed chocolate.

Always make sure there are no pesticides on their food. If you can buy organic do so. But, remember to clean any fruits and vegetables completely.

They must have a material to dig and burrow in. Never ever use pine or cedar it is toxic. Aspen shavings are nice, so is peat. They must have places to hide, jump, and play. Toxic-free - pesticide free branches as wonderful. They must have toys! They love to chase. Make sure the toys are pet-safe.

They must feel safe give them hiding places to hide. If you use a LARGE wire cage made sure one side is solid. Otherwise, they will feel exposed.

If you cage your pet chipmunk make sure they have a good portion of the day they are able to run free in a chipmunk safe environment. No place to wiggle out, chew, objects that can fall on them, poisonous plants or other toxic or poisonous objects. They will be destructive!

Chipmunks must chew. Give them plenty of safe stuff to chew.

Make sure everything you need for a chipmunk is in place before you acquire one. Make sure you have located a veterinarian willing to provide the medical needs for a chipmunk.

Chipmunk as pets. Chipmunks do make great pets however, chipmunk pets are not a pet for probably most people.

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Pet Unicorn

How to care for the pet unicorn. I want to introduce to you an exotic pet that is wonderful but has extreme care requirements. Exotic pets all have individual needs, and we need to learn about those needs before acquiring any pet.

The pet unicorn can be quite shy and timid. They will habitually render themselves invisible until the danger passes. Unicorns are furiously protective of their young. They love to leap into the air cavorting with their friends. Weird and beautiful occurrences can happen when a unicorn is nearby. Because of this, many believe that unicorn is magical. The magical properties of the unicorn have never been proven. Then again, it has never been disproven either. Let's examine the world of the pet unicorn as exotic pets.

At night unicorns emit a natural radiance. While running through the night the glow leaves a temporary trail behind them, sparkling in various hues. However, this magical essence can only be seen if you have an open mind.

Unicorn Pictures

I attempted to get a unicorn picture of my pet unicorn. Pictures of unicorns are very hard to get because they are quite timid (and FAST). Mine evidently is very camera shy. You can see in the picture an image of a unicorn right before he disappeared. However, you can see his aura. Notice the radiance left behind.

The lifespan of the unicorn is unknown. Only a small number of people have seen dead unicorns. A few archaeologists have unearthed the remains of unicorns including intact heads with the single horn protruding from the center of the forehead.

The young will stay with their mother and father for fifty years or more. They have powerful family groups.

Unicorns have a complicated diet which could prove to be challenging to care for a unicorn as a pet properly. They love herbs especially the flowering parts of the herb plants. They also eat new and tender shoots off of many plants. They seem to adore fresh mushrooms, but only the mushrooms that sprout from the damp earth at night. They eat many fruits; especially fond of kiwis, raspberries, and pawpaws. They adore four-leaf clovers. Because of their extreme fondness of four-leaf clovers, this would make an excellent treat for the animal or as a training aid.

They must have fresh water, and I do mean very fresh. It must come from a cool, fast-moving stream or a waterfall. If the water is contaminated, they will refuse to drink water. They will catch raindrops with their tongue or lick the fresh morning dew off plants.

As I mentioned before, they are timid and become frightened. The disappearing can become a problem when working with your unicorns. We use to convince kindly fairies to dazzle the unicorn, making them reappear. But fairies are becoming very hard to find. Human encroachment has caused tremendous habitat loss and fairies are endangered, nearing extinction.

We have found another method to astonish the unicorn back from invisibility. You will have to make it yourself but, it is pretty easy. Take a quart fruit jar, diamond glitter, and a glow stick. Cut open the glow stick and pour the contents into the jar. Add the diamond glitter and shake. Keep the ingredients of the glow stick off your skin and also don't ingest it. The effect only lasts a short time and is only good for one use. This will wow your unicorn back to material form. If you use a real fairy be patient with the unicorn, they do act rather silly after seeing a fairy.

My concerns about having a unicorn as a pet are. First, they are challenging to feed and supply with fresh water. Second, they do need a lot of running and frolicking space to be happy and healthy. Ask yourself if you can truly provide for the needs of a unicorn. You also have to consider their extremely long lifespans. What would the unicorn do if confined and something should happen to you?

Since North Korea has proven the existence of unicorns, finding the grave of the unicorn, and the unicorn lair of the same unicorn that King Dongmyeong rode, I don't think anyone can doubt this evidence that unicorns are real.

A brief flight of fantasy is occasionally called for...

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Eclectus Parrots

The Eclectus parrot makes for an amazing pet bird. They are quite capable of reasoning, perception, and are highly intuitive. Compared to other parrots they are highly unusual because they are sexually dimorphic, the male and female's appearance is quite different. The female (hen) is primarily bright red and blue to purple. The male (cock) is bright green and red. Many years ago it was generally thought that the red and green birds were totally different birds while in fact, they are both Eclectus.

Baby female Eclectus. Photo courtesy of Cedar Hill Birds Lodi, CA Cedar Hill Birds Eclectus breeder

The Eclectus has a fun personality a very clownish nature. They are highly sensitive. They are very susceptible to stress and don't often do well in a noisy, hectic environment. They are capable of a tremendous amount of love and require a lot of love and attention. The need for complex games and toys is excellent in the Eclectus. They will need lots of your time and attention.

Because of a bigger proventriculus and a longer digestive tract, their dietary needs are much more complicated than most parrots. Because of this they also utilized nutrients. Careful with too much fat They utilize fat quite well too, and you certainly don't want an obese parrot. They need for an excellent choice of foods is crucial. Including protein.

They should have a right size cage; they are an active bird. They should also have a playpen on top of their cage or a standalone play stand. They should spend a significant amount of time outside their cage during the day. They need to spend a great deal of time with you and other human family members. They need plenty of love, affection, and attention. I can't stress this enough.

While not all Eclectus will learn to talk, most have good talking ability. You should never purchase a parrot because of their talking ability because some will never learn to speak. They can learn speech and understanding speech. They have a clear, crisp voice. They are also capable of a wide range of tones and sounds. They are also proficient at loud screeches though not nearly as bad as many other parrots. The louder their environment, the louder the Eclectus will be. The calmer their surroundings, the quieter they will be.

They usually breed fairly easily typically laying a couple of eggs. They have a lifespan on an average of 50 years. Make sure you make plans for your pet Eclectus if something should happen to you.

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Hedgehog Salmonella - Who Is Infecting Whom?

Guest Author - Z. G. Standing Bear

I sincerely applaud the efforts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to track infectious illnesses, but it seems that the tracking mechanism, at least in the case of the animal appears to be one-sided and lays blame upon the animal rather than the human. Could it be that humans, given the overwhelming incidents of foodborne illnesses leading to salmonella, are passing his illness on to the cloistered pet hedgehogs? At least that seems quite plausible to me.

The 2012 Hedgehog Salmonella “Outbreak”

Then, in 2012, we have an “outbreak,” according to CDC, of incidents of a particular strain of salmonella (Salmonella typhimurium) - 20 cases spread over eight states where a pet hedgehog resides in the home of the human salmonella patient. Of these 20 cases, one case each is reported in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, and Oregon, three cases each in Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio, and seven cases in Washington state. Of these reported cases, one has resulted in death (Washington state) and 47% of cases involve children ten years of age or younger.

The “connection” to pet hedgehogs in this matter means that a pet hedgehog is in the household where the Salmonella Typhimurium was contracted. In my inquiry to the CDC on this matter, it was revealed that in only two cases of the 20 reported, was the hedgehog actually tested for this bacteria, and the results were positive. Of course, this means that zoonotic illnesses work in two directions – either the hedgehog passed the illness to the human, or the human passed the illness to the hedgehog.

The CDC estimates that about 1,000,000 cases of salmonella occur each year in the USA and some 20,000 require hospitalization. Some estimates place the number of annual cases of upwards of 1,400,000 cases. Most of these cases occur from contaminated food products, such as chicken and eggs, then recently romaine lettuce. So, I would contend that in these 20 "hedgehog cases" the hedgehog got blamed simply because the hedgehog lived in the home where a salmonella case occurred. Otherwise, why has this "problem" not been identified over the last 20 years (as PulseNet has been in operation since 1996)? Even if these 20 cases could be directly attributed to hedgehogs (which I seriously doubt) the number 20 out of 1.4 million cases is statistically insignificant.

The Reaction from Paxton the Hedgehog

Paxton is a hedgehog that posts his opinions from time to time on the Yahoogroups list-server Pog-Chit-Chat, a list-server for hedgehogs. In reviewing this “outbreak” of salmonella typhimurium, Paxton was swift to observe an interesting fact about pet hedgehog life in North America. Paxton noted that humans are fond of giving pet hedgehogs toilet paper tubes as toys so they can engage in a pastime called “tubing,” where the hedgehog places the cardboard toilet paper tube on her/his head and roams around, seemingly enjoying this “tunnel vision.” It is essentially unknown as to why these hedgehogs enjoy this, but such are the mysteries of the universe (we still have not figured out self-anointing) for these creatures that are the oldest continually surviving live-bearing mammals on earth – they used to hang out with dinosaurs.

At any rate, Paxton is swift to point out that toilet paper tubes are provided to hedgehogs by humans as entertainment devices. Now, really, where do virtually all toilet paper tubes spend their entire working life? So, the logical question that follows is whether PulseNet also asks questions concerning the use of toilet paper tubes as entertainment devices for the pet hedgehogs. In other words, it seems logical (to Paxton and myself, anyway), this salmonella strain is being given to the pet hedgehogs by their (otherwise well-meaning) human companions, rather than the other way around.

After all, pet hedgehogs are properly kept indoors and in relatively isolated enclosures. I have cared for over 350 hedgehogs long-term for fifteen years, and my average population here at the Rescue is between 35 and 50 resident animals. My primary orientation is to wash my hands thoroughly before handling the hedgehogs, rather than after (unless the hedgehog is in initial quarantine or afflicted with an illness such as mites or Clostridium, etc.). Otherwise, I have no concern about catching anything from any of the hedgehogs in the regular population here.

Of course, once CDC officials have a chance to read this article, I can see an additional question added to the already very complex PulseNet questionnaire about salmonella for laboratories:

a. Does the household have a pet hedgehog?

b. If yes, does that hedgehog have a toilet paper tube as a recreational device?

Who Is Infecting Whom?

I sincerely applaud the efforts of the CDC to track infectious illnesses, but it seems that the tracking mechanism, at least in the case of animals appears to be one-sided and lays blame upon the animal rather than the human. Could it be that humans, given the overwhelming incidents of foodborne illnesses leading to salmonella, are passing his illness on to the cloistered pet hedgehogs? At least that seems quite plausible to me.

Dr. Z. G. Standing Bear is a criminologist and forensic scientist who has been involved in animal rescue since 1995 and hedgehog rescue since 1997. He is the administrator of The Flash and Thelma Memorial Hedgehog Rescue, Inc., in Divide, Colorado, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Hedgehog Association.

PulseNet and Foodborne Disease Outbreak Detection

In order to understand the most recent chapter in the hedgehog salmonella alert, it is well to consider the methods by which the CDC examines and tracks “outbreaks” of illnesses that may be linked to animals and/or food sources. Since 1996, CDC uses a sophisticated computerized program called PulseNet to track reported illnesses according to a “DNA fingerprint” for bacteria making people sick. The program has produced some amazing results with a speed that is truly impressive. It tracks a cumulative database representing some half million isolates from food, the environment, and human foodborne illnesses. In a recent outbreak of Listeriosis, the PulseNet system was able to trace the origin of the illness to whole cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado. This took just seven days in Colorado and some 17 days in other states – truly a remarkable and exemplary public health effort. Contributing to PulseNet are 87 laboratories in all 50 states as well as other contributing federal, state, and local laboratories. There are many fascinating pages on the CDC as to how PulseNet produces illness outbreak data.

PulseNet triggered outbreak investigations have resulted in the recall of over one half billion pounds of contaminated food! More importantly, these investigations have identified unrecognized problems in food production and distribution. For further information on PulseNet, visit the CDC website at Pulsenet

The initial response article was originally published in the IHA News, Volume 7, Issue 2, February 2005.

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Pet Crawdad

I have had some pretty unusual exotic pets in my day. I think the most unusual, and a little fellow I grew very attached to, was a crawdad. I didn't go out to find a pet crawdad, it just kind of happened. Luckily, I had an aquarium set up at home. I had it set up to use for something, but I sure don't remember what it was.

When my kids were little, we had gone fishing for catfish. We had been fishing at a farmer's pond. It had been a beautiful day. Someone scooped up a bucket of lake water. When the bucket was brought home, there was a tiny little crawdad. I used the same bucket of water we had found the crawdad in to pour in the aquarium.

Finding food for the little critter to eat was a family project and an excuse to spend time scouting the pond area where we had located him. Everyone enjoyed watching him grow up. We created several caves for hiding spots. It was a neat family project.

I checked him one night before we went to bed and my heart sunk. He was very still in one of his little caves. The next morning I went to remove the body. I picked it up and had it part way out of the aquarium when I saw movement out the corner of my eye. My crawdad had only shed his old shell. He had moved to a new cave where his new duds hardened. It was a cause for celebration.

A year passed. After several more molts, he had grown quite big. One morning we were getting ready for church. I checked on the crawdad before we left and he wasn't in the aquarium. He had climbed up the air tubes and had gone on a walk-about. We searched high and low but mostly low. He was nowhere to be found. We went to church and came back home to search the entire house. No crawdad.

Later the next day I went to the coat closet off the living room to hang a new children's coat I had found on sale. When I opened the door, a crawdad came dashing out waving his claws at me. He looked up with pleading eyes, "Please put me back in the water I am parched!"

I placed him back in the aquarium. It wasn't long before he forgot his previous predicament and escaped yet again. It was apparent that the aquarium needed a much more secure top!

That little crawdad had been a great joy to our family — one of the many joyful experiences that added to my children learning the values of life. Caring for a living creature, loving the critter teaches compassion and responsibility. It is an experience I will never forget.

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Birds as Pets

Do you want a bird as a pet? You could have a lovely canary that may sing up a storm or a parrot friend such as the macaw. Birds as a pet have their advantages. However, they also have their disadvantages.

Birds are clever. Clever meaning they can find lots of mischief. Parrots will find even more tomfoolery if they are bored. Birds are highly intelligent. They are not a window dressing to be ignored. Birds are a flock animal and are highly social. If they don't have their flock, as a pet bird wouldn't, they need you for friendship. A bird cannot be kept in isolation. They do not like to be alone. They cannot be confined to a cage day in and day out. They must have a variety of toys and other outside stimulus. They must have a change of new toys and a variety of healthy food. The dietary requirements of birds are much like a humans. They must have protein, grains, fruit, and vegetables.

Expect birds to be messy and destructive. If they are unhappy, unhealthy, or bored; even more destructive. If you can't deal with your stuff getting broken, don't get a bird.

My first macaw de-wallpapered my wall. The cage was on wheels and was fitted with a on top of cage playpen . Evidently, the cage had gotten moved closer to the wall. I was busy doing something and the macaw evidently wasn't happy. He didn't have my attention and promptly peeled the wallpaper off the wall.

Always expect the unexpected. Often from the upper floor, the bird would hear us yell out to in response to a knock at the door - Come in! One day I got a phone call wondering why we were yelling come in and had the door locked. No one had been home. When people knocked at the door, the macaw was yelling come in to each rap at the door!

A bird will make considerable noise! This is their nature. If you have close neighbors that don't like noise, a bird is not for you.

A bird can be very affectionate and loving. A pet bird can be a great friend and even a confidant. They love to be close to you, see you, hear you and share every moment possible with you. They love to be at your side or on your shoulder. You will be delighted when he tucks his head and asks for a scratch.

Most birds have long life spans many birds extremely long lifespans. Before you get a bird make sure there is someone willing to love your bird and care for your bird as you would if something should happen to you.

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Guide to the Canary

Canaries (Serinus Canarius) are originally from the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa. Most people think of the canary as a yellow bird, but the canary also comes in other variations of color. The canary requires less attention and space than parrots. A canary is a songbird that is sure to delight your family.

The male canary is the singer in the family, but the female canary is more social than the male. It is tough to tell the difference between the male and female canary. If you are only interested in purchasing a male that you know will sing, purchase after a year old and make sure you’ve heard the birds singing before you purchase him. Hopefully, you will enjoy and love your canary if it sings or not. Purchase a canary while they are still young.

The Canaries are not overly social birds and can be kept as a single. In fact, male birds are very territorial.

Purchasing a Canary

Prices of canaries vary a great deal. If you purchase from a pet store, they will likely be more expensive than purchasing from a private breeder. The fancier the variety of canary the more expensive the canary will be. Males are usually more expensive than females.

Make sure you pick out a healthy bird from a reputable breeder. I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a canary from an outdoor aviary. Mosquitoes carry canarypox and easily transmit the canarypox to canaries. This is a good reason to make sure your screens are in good condition and are secure.

Make sure you find out what the canary has been eating, and continue to feed the same food, changing over to a different diet gradually; if you feel the need.

Cages and Accessories

The Canaries don’t climb for exercise as parrots do. They need to fly. A good-sized rectangular cage is needed to give them an opportunity for optimal exercise. They enjoy hopping from branch to branch. Never put your canary in a round cage. The minimum sized cage should be 24" long, 16" deep, and 18" tall. The bigger the cage is, the better. The bar spacing should be no bigger than one-half inch.

You should give the canary perches of different diameters from one-quarter inch to one-half inch in diameter for optimal foot health. Do not use the sandpaper perches you find in pet stores. Natural branches are excellent for optimal foot health but make sure they are not from a poisonous tree or have chemicals such as pesticides on them. Wash and dry the branch thoroughly before using. Sun drying is the best drying method.

The cage and accessories should be cleaned and sanitized on a weekly basis. The cage floor covering and food dishes need to be cleaned daily. You can use a newspaper that doesn’t contain colored ink,. This works great for a cage floor covering. You can also purchase cage floor coverings from a pet supply store. The branches need to be washed in hot soapy water, rinsed well and allowed to completely dry.

The Canaries enjoy toys. Most any toy suitable for a parakeet is excellent for a canary. Keep in mind that the male canary may not sing if he has a mirror. The canary enjoys a swing in its cage.

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Pet Skink

Skinks are small lizards. Like most reptiles, climate control is very important. The Blue Tongue Skink is a popular pet skink. One well-liked breed of the Blue Tongue Skink is the Northern blue-tongued skink. They are omnivores meaning they eat meat and plant matter.

The skink is a docile lizard, in my opinion, comparable to a bearded dragon. If you hold and handle them from a young age they even enjoy cuddles.

Stinks that are in captivity can live to an average of 15 years. Keep your Skink happy, healthy and in a healthy and clean environment. This is important to reach optimum their lifespan. They can grow up to 20 inches.

Make sure you acquire your exotic pet skink from a reputable breeder. Make sure they have bright clear eyes and are healthy.

Part of keeping your pet skink healthy is climate control and the need for vitamin supplements and calcium supplements. You must provide UVB lighting. In addition, reptiles can't regulate their own body heat, they need an outside source to warm themselves. In nature, they would bask in the sun to keep warm. The enclosure should range in temperature from one side to the other from 75-85 F (24-29 C) gradually increasing to the basking side of the enclosure which should be around 95 F (35 C). You can accomplish this with an under tank heater and a basking light. Keep the UVB and basking light on around 10 to 12 hours a day. Don't let nighttime temperatures fall under 70 F.

Calcium and UVB lighting are essential to keep your skink from getting a metabolic bone disease. Basking in the sun not only provides them warmth but also with UVB rays. They will bask in the sun for many hours a day. You must provide these same rays with UVB lighting bought where you would buy other reptile supplies. The UVB helps metabolize calcium. In a home environment, you will need to provide a calcium supplement. Sprinkle the supplement on their food. Also, provide a vitamin supplement especially for lizards.

Provide plenty of filtered fresh water in a shallow dish for drinking. They do bathe in their dish where they will defecate. Make sure the bowl is cleaned often and the water changed.

Their diet should be a combination of plant matter and meat a ratio of 60 percent plant and 40 percent meat. A high quality, high protein, low-fat dog food is acceptable supplementing with insects and mice. The size of mice will range from pinkie to larger mice depending on how big your skink is. Feed plant matter in the form of fruit and vegetables.

Provide a good size enclosure, at least a 55-gallon tank. Provide a safe substrate like a cypress mulch or aspen bark. They will need a couple of hiding spots. One item you could use as a hide is a PVC pipe size of course larger than the skink. You could also use a large piece of bark or a flat rock that has been carefully propped so it doesn't fall and injure the skink. Keep in mind they may dig under these props so make certain nothing can fall. Keep most of the bottom of the enclosure wide open they enjoy scampering about. Though the skink doesn't climb you will have to provide a secure lid.

Keep track of the humidly level using a hygrometer. Most varieties of skinks need a humidly level of 30-40 percent. Use a reptile enclosure thermometer to keep track of the temperature. Don't attach it to the glass walls of the enclosure. The glass will inhabit a proper temperature reading. Skinks shed often make sure to mist your skink to aid in shedding. If you don't it can lead to serious problems.

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My Ragdoll Cat has Died - Feline Chronic Renal Failure

My little ragdoll cat Squeaky died last week, she was 12-years old. Weeks before that we were on constant vigil trying to keep her alive. Her symptoms were constant vomiting, muscle loss, and weight loss. It happened several times over the last few years. It didn't happen often and wasn't severe at first. The diagnoses ranged from eating too fast to an irritated stomach. She was prescribed antibiotics, different food, among other diets. It wasn't any of these things, it was kidney disease or Feline Chronic Renal Failure, CRF

It took me quite some time to write this article. In fact, I had a heck of a time functioning to write anything. I loved that cat. She was my Velcro kitty, next to me all the time. She was also a one person cat. Since Squeak was a kitten I have had four major spine surgeries, cancer, an antibiotic-resistant flesh-eating infection, lost many family members, that little cat got me through a lot.

We finally got a proper diagnosis not long ago when we took her to a veterinarian who is also the bishop of our church. He tried to save her. He stopped the last crash, rehydrated her and then brought her home to us to spend her last couple of days. He gently explained the quality of life and that some people would go so far as to use feeding tubes to keep the animal alive. He taught us about special kidney disease diets. Explained to us the biggest killer was the cat not eating if she wouldn't eat the homemade kidney disease diet, or the prescription kidney diet to have her eat Fancy Feast. The chicken-grilled variety, not seafood that has more salt. Salt is one of the many problems with kidney disease.

I literally held her in my arms day and night. She nuzzled me and the most remarkable thing happened. She looked at me intensely in the eyes, she raised up her paw and pet my arm over and over. She got tired and laid inside my arm and I patted her. The next day she was very ill again and we knew she was suffering. We talked to the vet again and he assured us as far as the kidney disease had progressed there was nothing we could do to make her well. There was only one decent thing we could do. We took her back to the vet and she was put to sleep. I really had to be honest with myself, how much do we intervene before we are beyond the quality of life.

We couldn't pinpoint any one thing that could have caused the kidney failure. Her diet was excellent and high quality. There is a lot of different problems that can cause it. We learned that ragdoll cats are prone to kidney disease. It is also common in older cats. We will never know what caused it.

I will always have this painful hole in my heart where Squeaky belongs. Rest in peace Squeaky, I look forward to being with you again someday. You are now with my teenage son, my brother, my folks, and many other loved ones. You can play with 56 years of my family's pets who were and are my best friends.

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Bearded Dragon Guide

Did you know that feeding your beard dragon a firefly could kill your dragon? When harvesting your own bugs from the great outdoors are you certain you would be able to differentiate between a firefly and another bug in the daylight hours? The firefly has no flashing light during the day. It would be easy to catch a bug and have no idea it is a firefly.

You could accidentally catch a bug to feed to your bearded dragon and end up feeding bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is the same thing that causes a firefly or jellyfish to light up. It is highly deadly to the bearded dragon. I think it is a good idea to raise your own insects. You just never know if an insect has been around poisons or other deadly chemicals.

Temperatures need to be kept warm for the bearded dragon. In nature, they would bask in the sun to increase their body temperature. Allow one side of the enclosure to be around 105 F degrees for basking. Never use a heat rock but use a light making sure the light can't be reached by the bearded dragon. The other side of the enclosure should be around 80 - 90 degrees. Don't allow temperatures to get under 60 degrees F. - ever! This way they can adjust their body temperature by simply switching from one side of the enclosure to the other or anything in-between. They can't control their own body temperature internally they must depend on an outside source such as a lamp. They cannot digest their food if they are too cool.

The bearded dragon must have a UV-B light. It is essential. The UVB synthesizes Vitamin D3 which is critical for the body to utilize calcium. The use of UVB prevents Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). The dragon would naturally get the UVB rays basking in the sun. It just isn't possible to get these much-needed rays inside the house, make sure to use a UVB light. It is also a good idea to add extra calcium. You will still need a reptile lamp to increase the temperature inside the enclosure. The UVB doesn't increase the temperature, nor does the lamp used for heat add UVB. Look for reptile lighting in your local pet store to learn the difference between lights used for reptiles.

Basic Bearded Dragon Care

The Bearded Dragon is one of my favorite reptiles. Why is the bearded dragon my personal favorite? Because the bearded dragon has a naturally gentle nature, they always seem so composed. The bearded dragon forever seems to have a look on his face signifying two things, everything is right with the world, and I know a secret you don’t know. I have heard that people have been able to walk up and pick up bearded dragons in their native habitat. Interesting little tykes aren’t they. They are fondly known as a Beardie. Beardies have captured many hearts.

Bearded Dragons are chosen as exotic pets not only for their personalities but also for many other reasons. One of the reasons is that they don’t grow as big as many other reptiles. The biggest the bearded dragon will get is 16-22 inches. The iguana can grow up to four to six feet long. The female bearded dragon normally has smaller heads than the males.

Iguanas also can be quite friendly. However, for my own personal needs, I prefer a reptile where a mortgage isn’t required to house the reptile.

Not that the Bearded Dragon isn’t already intriguing they also have a spectacular display. They got their name bearded because they have a spiky beard or pouch under their jaw. This pouch will puff up when they inhale air. They will also flatten out making themselves look bigger, push up their front legs, and bob their heads. This behavior is associated with aggression and mating. Both the female and the male dragon can turn their beards black, but this behavior is primarily associated with the male during his mating display.

The bearded dragon enjoys semi-arid to arid climates. Several breeds are found in Central Australia and Eastern Australia. Bearded dragons can range in color from mild earth tones to brilliant yellows, oranges; that looks like a sun setting, to deep red. You will also find white, green, and blue.

Bearded dragons can be found in woodlands, on the ground, or up a tree. They primarily climb to find warm basking locations or to find prey. It isn’t that they can’t fall because they can.

Bearded dragons are opportunist eaters; a synonym for omnivorous. They will eat fruit, leaves, or flowers, as well as insects, small mammals, and vertebrates. Fireflies, some arachnids, and other living organisms have bioluminescence chemicals, and this can kill the bearded dragon.

Bioluminescence causes an animal to light up, like a jellyfish. This can cause a problem if you are catching wild prey. How many people know what a firefly looks like in the daytime? Besides, you may be catching something the next door neighbor just sprayed with poison or an insect that walked over a poison line left by the Orkin man. I strongly recommend raising your own food (prey) for your bearded dragon.

Since they also eat vegetation remember to remove any possible poisonous plants or toxic plants and keep it out of a bearded dragon’s reach.

Eating vegetation made it easier for them to acclimate to dry climates. Much of the water they need to survive can come from the food they eat. Though, a pet dragon as with any pet needs their water changed daily. More often if their dish becomes dirty. They are inclined to go to the bathroom in their water dish.

Always, as with any pet make sure they have clean, fresh, filtered water.

Bearded dragons need ultraviolet light (UV) lighting as most reptiles do (pretty much other than snakes). They will need a UVB light. They will also have to have calcium supplement to their diet. The bearded dragon spends much of his time basking in the sun in his natural habitat. The UV lighting will take the place of the sun and provide the vitamin D3 he would otherwise get from the sun. He will need 12-14 hours of exposure to the light. This is true of most animals (length of time will differ). They stress and can become ill if they don’t have some resemblance of day and night. Even nocturnal reptiles need some UV lighting. Captive animals do not get the same diet they would have chosen for themselves in the wild. The added calcium and UVB light will ward off MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). The distance of the light will change as the bearded dragon grows. This, of course, depends on the output of the light bulb; depend on a thermometer. Have the heat/light variables figured out before the bearded dragon comes home? Even then, always keep a digital thermometer on each end of the cage; one being close to the basking area (warmer end of the cage).

Temperatures should range from 80F to 105F. The dragons warm basking area should be on the 95F side of the enclosure allowing the rock to warm to about 105 F. Keep a thermometer handy and check the enclosure often. Regulate the distance of his lighting to adjust the temperature. Make sure the dragon doesn't come in contact with the light. The bearded dragon should have dark at night and a temperature of around 80F. As with many reptiles, the bearded dragon will not eat or will not be able to digest his food if he is too cool.

Don’t use a heat rock the dragon will be burned. An under the tank heating pad or tape can ensure the temperature stays around 80F. Place the pad under one-third of the tank so that he can escape the heat if he needs to. It would be wise to keep the pad at the end where the basking rock is. You have a head start keeping the warmer side warm.

Bearded dragons need to be housed individually if housed together they could injure or kill each other. The enclosure should be good sized. I like glass aquariums with a screen top that is secure. If you have youngsters around make sure the top will lock. Ideally are the ready-made vivariums which you can purchase in many reptile/insect supplies, pet stores, or Amazon.

Bearded dragons have a tendency to eat substrate especially like sand, corn cob, Repti Bark, wood chips, or ground up a walnut shell. They will become impacted and die. Calcisand is especially bad because they have a tendency to like it, therefore, eating more of it, ending up becoming impacted and die. Pine shavings and cedar shavings should never be used for any pet. What has worked well for me is natural rock tiles meant for kitchen floors. Wheat bran works very well too.

Bearded dragons have gotten themselves crushed by tunneling under rocks and anything else heavy in the cage; an example would be a food dish. Make sure anything heavy is flush to the floor before adding any substrate.

Prey should be no bigger than the size of the space between their head and eye. Don’t leave the prey in the cage uneaten the prey could injure the bearded dragon. Young dragons need more animal protein than adults do. Adults should eat about 70 % vegetation. The bearded dragon can be feed dubia roaches. They have 2 times the protein as crickets, and the roach doesn't have the spines on the back legs as crickets do. The roaches are much quieter at night, and they don’t stink as crickets do. They can have mealworms. (Larvae of a beetle)

Mealworms are lacking in many minerals and vitamins. Make sure you are using vitamin/calcium powder. Mario worms (larval stage of the Zophobas beetle), or butter worms. When babies get closer to adults slowly change the animal protein proportional with vegetation eventually becoming 70% of the adult diet.

Babies should be fed 3 times a day, juveniles 2 times a day and adult dragons once a day. Experience will help you determine how much they need to eat. If they leave a lot of food, you are feeding too much. If they pounce on their food like a Velociraptor, they’re hungry.

Make sure the prey has had a good diet because what you feed your dragon is what the prey ate. Don’t use prey that you have just recently purchased. They have had little to eat if anything. When you hear the term gut loading, this simply means you have fed the prey very well. Therefore, your dragon will have nutritional prey to eat. Feed the prey vitamin and mineral rich foods. Dust the prey with calcium and multivitamins. Two days calcium then one-day multivitamins works pretty well. RepCal and Herptivite are a good choice. You can also mix the two, but only enough for one feeding as the calcium can damage the beta-carotene in the Herptivite.

Vegetation should be of high nutritional value. Stay away from lettuce. Also, stay away from spinach it will mess up calcium absorption. Dragons can have most fruits (no citrus), veggies (no carrots), and stay completely away from the cat or dog food; feeding these foods is a good way to make sure your dragon’s lifespan is short.

Bearded dragons will need to shed their skin. Never assist the dragon by pulling off the skin you will injure him. You can help by providing him with warm water, around 98 degrees, with either a shallow bath or a misting bottle.

As with any animal keep their cage and supplies clean. They do a lot of poo so you will need to clean their habitat daily. Always make sure they have filtered, fresh water supply. This you will need to change often – perhaps several times a day. They do poo in their water dish.

Above all else enjoy your bearded dragon.

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Finches - Finch Care

Listening to finches makes me think of the meditation CDs for mind and spirit. Though the finch won't be able to learn to talk, this could be more of an advantage than a disadvantage. They are not raucous and piercing as many birds from the parrot family. Coming home to your own world of timbre and rainbow of colors would be a haven from the flurry of the commotion of daily living.

Advantages of the finch as your companion pet would be fitting into an environment; such as apartment living or mobile home courts. Also, you may have a busy work schedule First, the noise issue would not be a problem as it would be with a cockatoo. Finches are not normally a bird that enjoys physical contact though hand-raised babies can be an exception. If you have a rigorous work schedule, a finch will make a better companion pet than a cockatoo which needs constant love and interaction. In actuality, a finch may stress from too much handling.

Finches are an active bird requiring a flight cage. As you sit back and watch the finches in the flight cage, you will learn to tell them apart because of their unique personalities. There is also a wide range of species of finches ranging in color from golden colors, to greens, turquoises, blues, neutral colors, white, to the more complex combination of colors an example the Diamond Firetail. The Zebra finch is also an interesting color combination as is the Parrot Finch.

If you are looking for an exotic pet bird you can hold and interact with, perhaps you should consider a different bird. To get an idea of what a finch would be most like, observe the common house sparrow what in reality is a Weaver Finch. These little darlings were not native to the United States but introduced to the United States as breeding pairs in 1850.

Purchasing your Finches

Choose a finch breeder that is well-known.

Make sure the eyes are clear and bright, clean, smooth feathers, and no feces around the vent area. Also, no runny droppings, and also observe that the birds have good appetites.

Quarantine all newly purchased birds for approximately 45 days depending on veterinarian recommendations. I also recommend an avian veterinarian to check out all birds preferably before they are purchased.

Housing Needs - Aviary and Cage

Cage size must be considered since the finches are not let out for exercise like many pet birds. The flight cage should be large. Think what it would be like to spend the rest of your life in a cage. I envision a person with hands on bars and nose sticking out of the cage. Finches need an aviary, large aviaries.

The bigger the cage, the better off your finches' will be. They should be kept in pairs or more. Some species of finches can be aggressive toward other species. You can usually keep the same sexes together.

An example of a cage size of 48 inches length by 56 would be suitable for 9 birds. Some finches are more aggressive than others, and this must be taken into consideration when caging multiple finches.

Purchase a cage from a reputable company. You would want a square or rectangular cage instead of a round cage.

Use a variety of diameters and textures of perches for healthy feet.

Finches like to sleep in wicker nests. If you have several finches, you will need quite a few wicker nests. Some baskets will avoid arguments and potential harm to your pets. If territorial aggression takes place, remove the baskets, they can sleep on perches.

Basic requirements are fresh water with no chlorine and changed frequently. Also, be careful about contaminated water. Consider using a filter. The water must be changed at least daily or more often if the water becomes contaminated with droppings or food particles. Warm weather is another reason to change the water more frequently than daily. The water dish must be sterilized often. A bird can become very sick from contamination.

Finches need a wide variety of foods as well as nutritional supplements including vitamins, calcium, and minerals. Feed a seed or pellet mix along with freshly washed greens, fresh and washed fruit along with additional protein boiled crumpled eggs or egg food (recipes can be found online with keywords finch, egg food). Make sure the egg is well cooked; crumble the egg with a mixer or food processor. Mealworms increase protein intake, wax worms add additional fat but are low in nutrition. Finch food should be balanced.

Health Issues

Watching for ailing birds can be difficult; they naturally keep signs of ill health from being noticed, to keep predators from harming them. A bird that looks ill has been sick for a while; get to an avian veterinarian immediately. Signs of poor health are decreased appetite and weight loss, decrease in grooming behavior and activity, feathers fluffed out for extended periods, discharge from mouth and nose, loose droppings, feces around vent area, and sitting on the bottom of the cage. A sick finch is really sick by the time they are showing symptoms.

Find a vet that can handle finch health problems before you purchase your finch.

Sanitize cages, dishes, and miscellaneous objects such as toys frequently. It is your responsibility to keep your pet healthy. Learn what you can on finch care and bird information. Contact me for finch help.

Above all, enjoy your finches in all their glory!

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Should Young Children Have Pet Ferrets?

Ferrets do not make good pets for small children, but again, I do not believe any small child is safe with a pet or pet safe with a child unless supervised 100% of the time. Each child matures differently, there is no set age.

Some children are mature enough for a ferret at a much younger age than some older children. You must assess the situation before bringing a ferret or ferrets into the home. You must evaluate each situation honestly. You also must appraise yourself; will I really supervise 100% of the time? Or, will I watch TV or play games on Facebook and forget the ferrets and children are together?

There have been numerous dog attacks on small children, compared to a rare ferret bite. Ferrets will sometimes bite just in play like a kitten or puppy. Baby ferrets can be a bit nippy.

It happens rarely in fact, I am not sure I have seen a factual (proven to be true and accurate) article of a ferret chewing the fingers of a baby. However, if that ferret and baby are not supervised, something horrific could occur! Ferrets may have difficulty determining the difference between the texture of a baby's hand and the texture of a toy. Both seem rubbery - much like a ferret toy.

I doubt if a ferret would injure a child out of maliciousness but accidental injuries are certainly possible. I have yet to see a mean ferret.

Newspapers and television news love to sensationalize everything. If there was one event of a ferret bite and small child, a one out of a million occurrence, that one event would get a ton of coverage whereas the peaceful, loving day to day home life of a ferret, and human family with children never get any coverage.

I was checking out the ferrets in a Minnesota mall and talking to a group of people. Out of habit, I raised a little baby ferret (kit) up to give him a kiss. He bit my lip and hung on. I had been telling everyone about the joys of having a ferret when I had one hanging from my lip. Kits, as I mentioned earlier can be a bit nippy!

Check into the legality of the ferret in your area. Laws can be different from state, county or local government Ferrets are great little pets and baby ferrets are as cute as a bug's ear. They are a blast to watch and are very funny animals. Above all, enjoy your new pet!

Learn to care for a Ferret If you are serious about owning a ferret learn all you can. The article URL below will give you an idea of how to care for a pet ferret. However, if you are making the commitment to have a ferret as part of your family it is your responsibility to learn as much as possible. I have a great book on the market with current up-to-date information. It is quite popular and has five-star reviews. It is available at Amazon (paperback and Kindle).

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Guide to Pet Rabbits

Rabbits can make a delightful companion. Rabbits purr when they are content. Rabbits prefer to sit next to you rather than be held. Of course, there will be exceptions to this generalization. Rabbits can be litter box trained. Rabbits are inquisitive, enjoy the interaction with you, and enjoy playing with toys. Plan to spend plenty of time playing with your rabbit, at their level, on the floor.

I raised blue satins long ago. I enjoyed showing them in different rabbit shows. They were affectionate but in a different sort of way than cats and many other animals. They are smarter than many people give them credit. I found them to be truly amazing little animals. Nothing much beats the feeling of a wiggly nose in the neck-shoulder. This is a body part you develop only when you have had a baby or when you have a pet rabbit.

Rabbit Information Rabbits live to be 7 to 10 years of age. Rabbits are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dawn and twilight and sleep during the day and at night. The oldest rabbit on record was 19.

Purchasing your Rabbit

Rabbits are often given as curiosity pets or bought on impulse. Many pet rabbits are given to shelters the shelters become overpopulated and the rabbit is put to death. Many “Easter” exotic pet rabbits that are given as gifts often end up at the local shelter. Consider adopting a rabbit from the local animal shelter. Adult rabbits are often easier to train than young bunnies. Other places where a rabbit can be purchased are from the local pet store, the local feed store, or even the local 4-H club.

Make sure the rabbit has bright shiny fur. The rabbit’s fur will reflect the health of the rabbit. Check the ears to makes sure they are not dirty. Usually, a residue in the ears is a sign of ear mites. Look in the nose and around the nose for matted fur and discharge. Check the rabbit’s teeth. The teeth should be clean and even. There is a genetic condition in rabbits called malocclusion where the teeth do not grow properly. If a tooth is only broken, do not be overly concerned because a rabbit’s teeth grow continuously.

Rabbit Cages

Rabbit cages should be good sized, the bigger the better! A rabbit cage should have room for the rabbit’s food dishes, litter box, toys, and plenty of room for exercise. Rabbits should have the freedom to run in at least a small area of your house. Leave his or her cage open so he can come and go as he pleases.

A cage should be the rabbit’s special place. A rabbit will mark their cage with a few pellets to mark their territory. This is not a breakdown in rabbit litter training. Respect his territory. Clean his cage while he is out of the cage. Allow him to enter and exit on his own free will. Gently guide him into the cage. Do not grab him to take him out of his cage.

Cages with only wire floors are not good for rabbits. Rabbits do not have pads on their feet and the wire floor will injure their feet. If you do have a cage with a wire floor provide a board for him to sit on. Keep the cage floor clean and dry. Keep the board clean and dry. Rabbits love the rabbit condominiums. These cages have two levels; the floors are connected with a ramp.

Allowing Free Run of the House

Rabbits can have free run of the house once they are trained. The house must be rabbit-proofed. If the house is not completely safe, the rabbit should have constant supervision the entire time he is out of his cage. The rabbit should be introduced to free- run of the house gradually. Once he is litter boxed trained, more area can be added.

Toys and Teeth

Rabbits need toys for mental stimulation and physical exercise. Rabbits love and need toys to chew on. Rabbits must have the means to keep their constantly growing teeth worn down. Specifically, the four front teeth top and bottom. Purchase rabbit chew toys to lend an assist. Chewing hay and such also helps keep the teeth worn down.

Rabbit toys should be safe. Rabbits can ingest plastic. Cardboard boxes are great to climb into, play and chew. Old telephone books are fun to play with and shred. Parrot toys make equally good rabbit toys. Rabbits love baby toys like sturdy plastic keys. Cat cubbies and condominiums with ramps and lookouts are great for rabbits. Save the large tops off laundry detergent and laundry softener bottles. Wash these tops well. The tops are wonderful to hold on to and haul around. Rolling large balls are fun. Rotate the toys often to keep the rabbit’s interest.

Nutrition

The primary diet of the rabbit usually is commercial rabbit pellets. I would recommend limiting or avoiding these pellets. Pellets were developed for the rabbit industry, basically with fast growth and weight gain in mind. The pet rabbit, which should be spayed or neutered, will gain too much weight on pellets. Provide the rabbit with fresh water daily.

Offer your rabbit fresh vegetables. Those that are especially healthy are dark leafy vegetables and root vegetables. Make sure there are a variety of vegetables offered each day for nutritional balance. Rabbits (almost always (love carrots but also the tops of carrots. Parsley is a goldmine of nutrition. Some leafy vegetables have oxalates such as parsley, spinach, and Swiss chard and should be given in moderation. Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value.

The rabbit must have roughage/fiber for good health. Offer the rabbit, Timothy Hay. Hay will eliminate hairballs and other blockages and aids the natural digestive process of rabbits. Timothy Hay reduces the likelihood of urinary tract problems. A small amount of alfalfa hay can be offered. Unlimited amounts of timothy hay, oat hay, and grass hay should be available throughout the day. Rabbits need access to food 24/7. Remove the soiled hay daily. Rabbits do not need any animal protein nor is it good for them.

Litter Training

Litter training is easy. Simply place the box in the corner that the rabbit has chosen. It takes time and patience. In the early stages of training place, several boxes around the area the rabbit occupies. As the rabbit catches on to remove the boxes one by one, so only a few remain. Rabbits learn much easier as they get older. Be patient with the youngun; he will get it when he is ready!

Be careful what type of litter you use. Rabbits are different from cats in that they tend to ingest some of the litter. Clay litter is dusty and can cause pneumonia. Clumping litter is ingested and clumps in the digestive tract. Corncob litter can also be ingested and can cause a lethal blockage. Paper pulp litters work well. Litters made from aspen bark works well. Citrus-based litters work great but are hard to find and can be expensive. Straw can be a safe, inexpensive litter but needs to be changed often.

Rabbit manure is an excellent fertilizer so choose a litter that can be composted. Since rabbit pellets can be used straight on the garden without worries of burning the plants, the litter can be mulched right into the garden.

Accidents outside of the litter box should be cleaned with vinegar to eliminate the odor so the rabbit does not return to eliminate again. If the rabbit urinates over the edge of the litter box, try a covered litter box. The covered litter box also works when the rabbit kicks litter outside of the litter box. One thing that turns people off on exotic mammals as pets are the odor of their waste. This is a safe and a solution that works. Great odor control for small mammals Marshall Bi-Odor Internal Waste & Urine Deodorizer (8 fl. oz.) Bi-Odor Waste & Urine Deodorizer for Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, and Small Animals.100% natural supplement deodorizes your pet's stool, urine, and body odors. Just add to your pet's food or water daily. Recommended by top breeders and veterinarians. Available in most any pet supply.

Spaying and neutering

Pet rabbits should be spayed and neutered. Altered pets are healthier and make better companions. The act of sex stimulates ovulation in the female rabbit. Many rabbits are put to death in animal shelters – be responsible and spay or neuter. You won’t have a hormone-induced emotional rabbit if you do spay or neuter. Rabbits are social animals but cannot be with a member of the same sex unless they are altered. Rabbits, unless altered can become quite aggressive, because of hormones.

Female rabbits should be spayed at 6 months of age. Males should be neutered at 5 months of age. The surgery is safe but makes sure a veterinarian with experience in operating on rabbits does the surgery. The female should have both her ovaries and uterus removed. Removing the testicles through the scrotum is a safer surgery in males rather than entering through the abdomen. I have seen a few vets recommend this approach and the only thing I can think of, is longer surgeries equal more money. Please correct me if there is a good reason for this approach to neutering.

Please consider purchasing a rabbit from a local animal shelter. You will have saved a life. Above all, enjoy your pet rabbit.

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My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides

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Conure Care Guide

The Conure is a small species of parrot that is every bit as friendly, adorable, and sweet as any other parrot. The conure is highly intelligent and they can become very animated. Many conures learn to talk very well and some conures only learn a few words. The average lifespan of a wild conure is fifteen years but many have been known to live as long as thirty-five years in captivity. I think with proper care, cleanliness and nutrition your bird can live well past the average lifespan.

The conure loves your attention! They are highly social birds, and socially complex birds, and need quality time with you. They love to play and can easily learn to do tricks.

I spent hours one day watching two hand-fed baby sun conures playing together. It was delightful. They also got very jealous when I paid attention to each of them, both attempting to get more attention than the other did.

They do enjoy the company of other conures. Unless you want fertile eggs it is best to keep the genders separate.

The downside of the conure is that they can be very noisy. They can screech rather loud so they may not make a very good pet if you live in an apartment or are close to neighbors. The Nanday Conure is one of the noisier conures.

There are many varieties of conures coming from many areas such as South and Central America, parts of Mexico and even the West Indies. They range in price according to popularity and rarity.

Sun Conure

The conure is available in a wide range of colors from the brilliant, sweet sun conure to red-headed, green mitred conure. Most exotic birds have interesting color combinations.

Purchasing a Conure

A conure should be purchased from a reputable breeder, supplier, or pet store. Never buy a bird that has been wild caught. Some varieties of conures are extinct or are endangered. Exploitation and habitat loss are the reasons for their extinction and endangerment.

The conure should appear to be healthy with smooth, bright feathers, bright shiny eyes, and no discharge from the nose. The vent should be clean and free from soil. Look at the bottom of the cage to make sure the droppings are firm and well-formed. The bird should be active and aware of his surroundings. Before you buy and bring home your bird, have him tested by an avian veterinarian. These tests should include a complete blood count, (CBC) Chlamydia Screen and a culture of the throat and vent. Make sure a signed veterinarian certificate accompanies the bird.

The best pet birds are the ones that are hand-fed babies. Hand-fed babies grow up to be outstanding pets. It is usually wise to choose a bird that has been weaned and is eating on this own. Some of us have been taught to hand feed, but unless you are experienced, this could lead to torn or burned crops, infections, and other problems.

Before introducing your new bird to your other pets they should be quarantined for at least eight weeks.

Cages and Accessories

The conure needs a big cage the bigger the better. Be very cautious about the amount of spacing between bars especially since conures are smaller than other parrots and could get their heads trapped. There should be vertical and horizontal bars. Conures enjoy climbing. The cage should not be round it should be square or rectangular. The conure needs to exercise his wings and it is much easier and a lot less dangerous in a square or rectangular cage.

Supply a number of perches of different diameters and textures. Having an assortment of perches helps maximize optimal foot health. Never place the perches above the food or water dishes. The bird will eliminate in its food or water and this can be very unhealthy due to bacterial growth. Watch perch placement in relation to the cage bars so that the conure does not wear his tail by brushing against the cage constantly.

The cage and accessories need to be kept clean and sanitized. Plenty of fresh filtered water should be provided daily. If the bird has soiled in his water be sure to clean the dish and supply fresh water more frequently.

Lots of toys should be available for your conure to play with. They need physical exercise and mental stimulation. They should also have lots of playtime outside of the cage. Rotate the toys frequently so they always appear fresh and new.

Be careful on the types of materials you use for a cage cover. Conures like to chew and they will chew the cage cover; producing hanging strings that could entangle and strangle the conure.

Health and Nutrition

Seed mixes and pellet mixes are a good beginning diet for a conure. Often time’s conures will pick out the sunflowers seeds and then only eat the sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are fattening. So it is better to pick out the sunflower seeds and offer them as rewards or treats. Some pellet mixes come in a variety of shapes and colors. Conures are more inclined to eat the pellets if they are different. Supplement the diet with lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, greens, and proteins. Always remove fresh foods from the cage after he finishes eating. These foods can spoil and you don’t want your bird to get sick. I feed my bird most any healthy food that we eat. They should never have chocolate, caffeine, avocado, or alcohol.

I prefer to keep my bird’s wing's clipped as long as they live in a home environment. Far too often they fly out a window or door, or into windows or mirrors. If they have free flight they can accidentally fall into open toilets or open pots of boiling liquids. Many pet birds have fallen into glasses of liquid; their broken-hearted family finds them dead. There are many dangers in your home.

If you do not clip their wings you will have to supervise them 100% of the time and be 100% certain there are no dangers in your home such as a glass of water, boiling pot of water, or thousands of other potential dangers.

There are toxic fumes in your home. Never smoke cigarettes around your bird. Never use Teflon around your birds. When Teflon is overheated is emits deadly fumes. Scented candles and perfumes can be toxic. Air fresheners are bad for birds. Birds breathe differently than mammals and many things can be deadly. In addition, keep all poisonous plants out of your home and away from your bird. Do not cut tree branches for your birds that have pesticides, toxins or that are poisonous.

Conures like most birds enjoy a bath. Use a bird bathing tub or save the bucks and use a shallow dish you have lying around the house. Gently wrap the bird with a towel until partially dried. The conure will finish the drying process by preening and flapping. Do make sure the room is warm before allowing your bird to become wet.

Above all else, enjoy your pet conure!

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