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 Clipping a Bird's Wings

Clipping a bird's wings the first time is not easy. You could injure the bird or even cause it to bleed to death during the wing clip. The first time I strongly suggest you professionally have the wings clipped and watch the procedure closely. This is a good way to learn how to clip wings. Each species of bird is trimmed differently. It is a safe procedure if you know how and have experience.

Larger birds such as Amazons and macaws need fewer primary feathers cut. Once the feathers are cut it is rare that they can fly, only glide down from where they are perched. Smaller birds such as a cockatiel are much more difficult to keep from flying and will need to have the majority of his primary feather clipped. Even then, the cockatiel is capable of flight; he cannot gain much altitude but can fly.

Some people will advise you to cut the feathers of only one wing. This is dangerous advice. Both sides need to be trimmed so the bird is balanced. If he falls or tries to fly off his perch, he needs to be able to glide down balanced, to prevent injury.

You will need someone to assist you in holding the bird and stretching out the wing. When you have gained experience and when you and the bird are completely used to each other, it is easy to trim the wings by yourself.

Arrange the tools you will need before you begin. You will need a pair of sharp claw cutters. Never use anything that has sharp points. The clippers must blunt ends. It is so easy to accidentally stab the bird, your assistant, or yourself. You will also need a pair of needle nose pliers, a few paper towels, and a pair of toenail clippers. Make sure the equipment you are using is clean. Have a towel to help hold the bird. You must restrict the bird so that he is not injured while flapping around. Parrots, especially large parrots, can bite and bite hard. Give a macaw a chicken bone to chew on if you do not believe me. They can take off a finger. You will need a cauterizing powder on hand to control any bleeding. (Their blood - not your blood). (Use direct pressure your own wound and clean it).

When working on your bird always act calmly, speak to him calmly, and move slowly. The idea behind the towel is to restrain him so that you can work on one wing at a time. Gently wrap the towel around him so that the opening is near the wing that you are currently trimming. Keep his face exposed so that he does not panic or smother. Remember the calmness that you employ now will determine your success at working on your bird later. Do not let him panic. Talk to him throughout the procedure in a calm voice.

The person holding the bird in the towel should firmly hold him behind the head and with the other hand; hold the bird’s lower body. The person cutting will gently stretch out the wing. First, examine the wing carefully for new growth feathers. Feathers, once they are fully-grown, are dead, like hair, and can be safely cut with no pain or bleeding. New growth feathers contain blood. These new feathers are known as blood feathers. Do not cut these blood feathers. The feathers once cut will act as a straw and siphon the blood quickly out. Bird's bodies have little blood so a bird cannot afford to lose much blood.

If you do accidentally cut a blood feather or if he breaks a blood feather accidentally you must act immediately. Use the needle nose that you prepared beforehand and pull the entire shaft of the blood feather, from the feather follicle. Pull the feather straight out. Immediately apply pressure with the paper towel. If the bleeding is not controlled with direct pressure and Kwik Stop get your bird to an avian veterinarian immediately. If you are afraid to pull out the blood feather, you should not be trimming the bird’s wings. Please leave it to a professional. It MUST be pulled out immediately.

The feathers that you are trimming are the outside feathers or primary feathers, in a small bird, you will want to trim most of the primary feathers. In large bird five to nine feathers are sufficient.

Identify each feather and cut the feather shaft as close to the wing as possible. If you cut closer to the wing tip the bird will have an aggravating feather shaft sticking out. Do not cut the wing, just the feather shaft next to the wing. Cut along the wing each long flight feather where the shaft meets the wing. Examine your bird carefully, do you see any blood?

Now that you are done with the feather trimming before you let the bird free, talk to him, and reassure him in a very loving voice. Let him free and give him his favorite treat. Spend some quality time with him and reassure him that you love him. If it is the first wing clipping watch him closely, he does not know he cannot fly.

Wings will grow back. Keep a close watch on feather growth and trim again before he is able to take flight. Many people lose their birds, when the feathers grow back, not realizing the feathers have grown back.

Clipping a bird's wings has one other advantage. You can bond with him much more quickly. Training the bird becomes much easier. If you are careful, trimming a bird's wings can have advantages and can alleviate much heartache.

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Guide to Miniature Horses

Miniature horses have always intrigued me. I grew up on a ranch, along with a lot of other animals we raised appaloosa horses, so I have always adored horses. Heck, as a young teen that was my main mode of transportation. You'd be surprised at how far I managed to get on horseback! A miniature horse can be a household pet (with certain health requirements - important needs that affect the respiratory system if kept indoors), outdoor/indoor, or strictly outdoor.

It is important if you choose to have a miniature horse as an indoor pet that they have time to play outside for fresh air, exercise, play, healthy sunshine, and their need to run around (essential for digestion). If kept as an outdoor pet the horse will need a warm shelter that has good ventilation.

The smallest miniature horse was 10 pounds and 12 inches tall when it was born. Her name is Black Beauty. Black Beauty is considered a dwarf miniature horse and is 18.5 at the withers which would be the area of the last hairs at the end of the mane.

The average lifespan of a miniature horse is 30-40 years. Along with their good nature and what seems the natural ability to guide, plus their longevity, they make outstanding guide animals or assistance animals; guide horses for the blind.

Make sure you acquire or buy a horse that has bright shiny eyes, looks alert, healthy coat of hair, and has a good disposition. Having a horse or foal examined by a veterinarian before you purchase is an extremely good idea.

Miniature Horse Care

All horses need extensive care that can be time-consuming. If you are interested in owning a miniature horse it is essential you have the time and resources to provide this care. Veterinarian care is expensive. They will need regular check-ups, vaccinations, dental care, and worming. Any animal could become ill or injured.

Horses need daily grooming including their hooves. The hooves need to be cleaned every three to four weeks (picked out, trimmed and sanded). The hooves will need to be trimmed on a regular base. This is normally done by a farrier.

The nutritional needs are a quality grain and hay no less than twice a day. Consider the size of the horse when planning their diet. You don't want an overweight or underweight horse. Perhaps a veterinarian experienced with miniature horses can set you up with a diet plan. Remember the need for exercise to aid digestion. A horse will enjoy grazing on pasture but limit the horses access to pasture that is green, long, and abundant, the horse can flounder which causes horrible pain and can even kill your horse.

Grooming should be done on a daily bases. It really is a special time between you and your horse. Grooming is an outstanding bonding time. Brush with the hair never against it. Horses shouldn't be bathed too often since it dries out the natural oils.

Truly a horse requires about the same amount of daily care as a pet dog if a dog is being taken care of properly.

You learned about the smallest horse, the biggest horse was a Shire horse (3,300 lb).

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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

Exotic Pets: Family Guide Paperback and Kindle. Available on Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited!

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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My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides

Exotic Pets: Family Guide Paperback and Kindle. Available on Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited!