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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Baby Skunks

Baby skunk season is fast approaching. Baby skunks are properly called kittens or kits. Please make sure before you acquire a skunk as a pet you have learned everything you can about these unique animals. You must understand their nature. You can't feed cat food. you certainly can't place a bowl of dog food in front of the skunk. Learn about exotic pets before acquiring one. The exotic pet has very different care requirements.

Housing

You cannot cage a skunk - ever. When they are little, it is easier and safer to have them in a confined space. These little ones are not ready to have run of the house. That day will come soon. If you have an extra bedroom, or maybe even use the bathroom as a skunk room. This helps keep him safe from harm and helps with the toilet training process. When you are sitting around reading, or watching TV, you can keep an eye on him or, let him roam around the house. Eventually, you will let the skunk have total access to most of the house.

Skunks can be very destructive; they can scratch up your carpeting and tear it to shreds. You can never, ever declaw a skunk. Their claws are used as fingers and toes. It would be cruel. How would you feel if you didn't have your fingers or toes? Scratching and digging is the nature of the skunk. Are you sure, you want a domestic skunk?

Skunk Proofing Your Home

Skunks can escape out of the smallest places. I am not sure how they do it, but they can flatten out to the depth of a carpet and scoot under many things, like doors. They have a strong sense of curiosity and once out, they will sniff and investigate right into totally lost. The skunk is de-scented (scent glands removed) when you purchased him and has no way of protecting himself. Make sure there is no way for him to get outside your home. Check out dryer vents, heat vents, pet doors, there are numerous ways for a little skunk to get out. It is extremely rare that a lost skunk is ever found. Be sure to have your skunk microchipped and wearing visible identification.

Other things you need to do to skunk proof your home is to put childproof latches on all the cupboards that could contain dangerous materials or things you do not want the skunk to get into. Skunks love to dig, keep the potted plants out of reach. Look around at your low tables. Skunks front feet are very much like hands, they have quite the reach on them and can pull things down from tables and can become injured.

Bedding Material

Give them soft, cuddly materials for bedding. Give him an article of clothing that you have worn with your scent on it. It will help the bonding process and assure him when he is alone. Good bedding materials are old towels, old sheets, blankets, and even old articles of clothing. Just give him the bedding. Skunks are talented and like to make their own beds. It is a great deal of fun watching them arrange their bedding. A skunk "carrying" a blanket is hilarious. They pull the blanket backward with their front paws.

Diet

Make sure the skunk has plenty of fresh, filtered water available to him at all times. Skunks need a very nutritious diet. Feed high-quality protein from insects, lean meats, dairy products, fresh, cooked, and raw vegetables that are washed, the same with fruits, and greens, cooked eggs, cooked grains, and vitamin and mineral supplements. Even natural high-quality dog food such as Nutro. Poor diet can lead to many problems for example obesity, seizures (low blood sugar ect.), fur loss, hormone imbalance, just to name a few.

Spay or Neutering

Skunks are very aggressive and vicious if they are not spayed or neutered. Neuter little male skunks as early as possible, when you first feel their testicles start to develop. This can happen as early as 3 months. Little female skunks need to be spayed no later than four months. If they start reaching sexual maturity, they can begin to bite and be quite vicious. A while after surgery their previous personalities will most likely return to normal.

Health

When you choose a veterinarian for your skunk be very picky. Find out what his or her policy is if the skunk should bite someone. Make sure the vet has an updated education in skunks In fact, ask the vet if a skunk always carries rabies. If the answer is yes, run the other way - quick! Skunks do not carry rabies. They can contract rabies just like any other mammal by eating an infected carcass, by being bitten, or other means of transmission.

Many skunks have roundworms. You should have them tested for all worms. Skunks should be wormed for roundworms regularly. Get a wormer recommendation or prescription from your vet.

Skunks require vaccinations both canine and feline shots are an absolute must! The skunks should receive his first set at four weeks of age. Make sure the vet is using a killed virus. They will receive a set of baby shots and then a booster shot once a year.

Do not ever declaw a skunk. Skunks claws are his fingers. This is how he holds his food and eats. Think about if you had, your fingers removed how you would feel. Declawing a skunk is animal abuse, plain and simple.

Skunks can make great pets for some people. Learn all you can about pet skunks before acquiring a pet skunk. Please refer to my Exotic Pet Guide available below.

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Macaw Care

Macaw Care

Housing

Cages need to be secure and big. The cage must be big enough for a bird to stretch his wings. Always buy a cage with a playpen on the top of the cage so the bird can have freedom when being supervised. Or, you can use a separate parrot stand. Make certain sure it is a strong, sturdy cage with a good lock.

Most macaws WILL learn to open any lock. Many times I have seen them figure out a new lock! Rectangular and square cages are much better than a round cage. The macaw needs perches of various thicknesses for healthy foot development.

If your bird has behavioral problems you may want to forego the cage with a playpen on top. Buy a stand-a-lone playpen or build one. You want the bird lower than you are.

Diet & Health Issues

The basic diet should be a special pellet formulated especially for macaws. These pellets should be supplemented with any healthy food that you eat. They can have fruit, pasta, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cooked beans, hot peppers, bell peppers. Pretty much anything healthy that you eat can be feed to your macaw. Our birds ate for dinner whatever we were having for dinner. Fruit is their favorite treat. They should be provided with a cuttlebone and a mineral block.

Keeping a macaw healthy is a complex issue. Advanced research is necessary before buying a macaw. Toenails need to be trimmed. The wing feathers may need to be trimmed so he doesn't escape. You could accidentally cut a blood feather and the bird can bleed out very quickly.

Keep Your Birds Healthy and Active

Macaws are intelligent and complex. The need for toys is immense. Boredom is unhealthy for a macaw and can be fatal. Puzzle toys made for destructive macaws are great. There are interactive toys where a nut needs to be extracted. Chew toys are needed for these chew happy birds. Anything new and different that is safe for a macaw. Anything that you can find that will confound the macaw for a little while; because it doesn't take long for them to figure out each new game or puzzle. They love to interact with you. He loved his head scratched and soon would ask for a scratch in his well articulated, but nasally voice. We learned many games together. We spent countless hours on the floor playing.

Macaws need a great deal of specialized attention. It is not a good pet for someone that cannot devote his or her entire life to him or her. The macaw is very different from other pets, and each macaw is different from another macaw. Each one is unique!

Riker, the opinionated macaw hated bugs. He would turn his head to one side and with one eye watching a bug crawling up the wall. I called this, "giving the bug the hairy eyeball." All the while he is yelling, BUG, MOM, MOM! BUG!! If a bug was on the floor, he'd go the other way. Strange bird, Riker was!

Make sure you give this considerable thought and plan in advance should anything happen to you. If you and your significant other have chosen not to have children because you don't have time, you don't have the time to spend with a macaw either. They are very noisy. They are destructive!

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Zonkey - Zorse

The newest in exotic pets! A zorse, zonkey, or zeedonk, is a hybrid between a horse and zebra or donkey and zebra. This is possible because both parents are from the equine family. A zorse is rarer than a zonkey. While a zebra and horse and zebra and donkey can produce offspring, a zorse, zonkey, or zeedonk can't produce young. Which raises an ethical question. Is it right to produce offspring that can't reproduce?

A zorse is the offspring of a horse and a zebra. A zonkey is a result of mating a male zebra and a female donkey. A zeedonk is the offspring of a female zebra and a male donkey. A zorse is a bit rarer than a zeedonk or zonkey because a horse is not quite as enthusiastic to mate with a zebra as a donkey might be. Though either can occur in nature. Though, not often.

The animals are no doubt intriguing and handsome with the striped pattern of a zebra with the principal colors of a donkey. The cuteness of a donkey or majesticness of a horse.

Is it ethical cross-breeding when the results of the offspring are sterile? Cross breeding horses and donkeys produce a mule which is also sterile. A lot of people feel this is wrong. However, is your cat or dog neutered or spayed? Many exotic pets are spayed and neutered. These animals can't reproduce. Is this any different than the zorse or zonkey?

Does breeding these animals with such different chromosome count cause unknown or known physical/medical problems with offspring? Not that I've heard of. I wanted to check any issues that may have risen between a horse and a donkey. Well, the saying "Healthy as a Mule," is said for a reason. The mule seems quite healthy.

How about from A biblical standpoint? Taken from Genesis 24. "And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and everything that creeps upon the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good".

Are zebras, donkeys, and horses one of a kind?

What other ethical arguments for or against breeding the zorse, zeedonk, and zonkey? Your opinion?

The zonkey is cute, the zorse handsome. It will be interesting to see if any health issues arise and how people view the ethical view of the whole subject matter. What do you think about the hybrid breeding of horse and zebra and donkey and zebra?

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Avian Veterinarian

The BEST piece of advice I can give is to find a veterinarian before you have an emergency. Ideally, find an Avian Exotic Animal Veterinarian before you purchase a bird. Also, make sure you have a suitable carrier handy so when an emergency does occur, you have a safe way to quickly transport your precious pet.

Any veterinarian can call themselves avian veterinarians. An Avian Veterinarian who belongs to the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) is a veterinarian who has paid their dues to the Association of Avian Veterinarians. What determines a qualified avian veterinarian is a veterinarian who has Avian Certification from the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). Certification is given by the ABVP when an avian vet has had six years of extensive, documented avian experience or formal training and has passed a series of complicated exams.

Many excellent avian veterinarians out there do not have their certification from the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. Nevertheless, just because a veterinarian is interested in birds does not mean he is proficient enough to treat them. The best way to find a good avian veterinarian is word of mouth. Talk to other people that have birds. Call up raptor centers and find out who takes care of their birds. Speak to different breeders and organizations and find out whom they use. Look through the yellow pages for vets listed under exotics, call them, and see if they specifically treat birds. Get recommendations from regular veterinarians. Talk to pet stores that handle birds for their recommendations. If there is a local zoo, call and find out whom they use. There is an excellent search engine on the AAV website to locate Avian Veterinarians.

After you compile a list of possible veterinarians, make an appointment to visit them and their clinic. Compare each practice before making a final determination. Discuss your expectations with the veterinarian. Look over the clinic; is it clean? How do the technicians interact with the animals? Can they be reached in an emergency? What are the procedures for an emergency after the clinic is closed? Who takes over the practice when the regular veterinarian is on vacation or is ill? Make sure you can communicate with the veterinarian.

Birds are notorious for hiding their illness, your observations and communicating them to the veterinarian is crucial for your birds’ health and well-being. Find out how often they handle birds compared to other animals. Does he or she continue his or her education and knowledge on the latest information in avian and exotic pet medicine? Is he or she a member of the AAV? Members of AAV are informed of the latest developments in avian medicine by reports in The Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery; published by the AAV.

What kind of equipment and testing equipment do they have in their facility? What kind of special equipment do they have specifically for birds? Do they have access to specialists? Do they have access and a good rapport with an Avian Certified Veterinarian? Be on the alert, if you hand over the potential veterinarian a large macaw and the vet looks terrified, look a little further on your list. Make sure the vet is comfortable handling the bird.

A good Avian Veterinarian will joyfully spend time discussing your bird with you. He or she will offer suggestions on care and potential problems that could occur. Do not be afraid to ask your vet to clarify things you do not understand. Often when you show a great deal of interest, the veterinarian will spend more time with you. An Avian Veterinarian will be an invaluable ally to you and your bird. All these precautions may seem to be a time waster until you have a real emergency or illness.

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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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