Are you planning a trip? Are you taking your ferret along? Before you do, there are certain things that you must know. Traveling with a ferret is different than traveling with a cat or a dog.

First, if you are taking a car trip, your ferret will enjoy going, but he will have pent up energy that he needs to burn. Make sure that you bring along a harness and leash, and that you plan frequent stops for your ferret to stretch his legs. Make sure that you bring along a small traveling cage (you won’t want him loose in the car), food, water, and a small litter box as well.

If you are traveling by air, note that not all airlines will transport a ferret, and your pet ferret may not be welcomed in all countries. In fact, even in the United States, there are laws against the possession of ferrets in some cities - even if you are just visiting. Make sure that you call the game and fish department of your destination city to be sure that your ferret is welcome.

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Many people overlook that dinosaurs were reptiles, as are tortoises and turtles. Frogs are often lumped into the same category while they are, in fact, amphibians.

Reptiles evolved from amphibians because of their necessity to learn to adjust to life on land. This brought about the need for legs and lungs to breathe air. Yet snakes are legless, able to crawl along with their magnificent bodies. The scaly reptile skin was necessary to protect the bodies from the rough surface of the ground, much different from the smooth water the amphibians were used to.

Science has described over 7,000 species of reptiles, even going so far as to claim birds as a part of the reptile group because of the inherited characteristics such as their skeletons, internal organs, and DNA. There is a distinction besides feathers, though. Birds are endotherms, meaning they must have food for energy to keep warm. Other reptiles are ecotherms which need an outside heat source to help them retain proper body temperature.

continue reading "The History Of Reptile"

Today, guinea pigs are popular pets, and it is easy to find information concerning their care. Unfortunately, there is not a great deal of information concerning health concerns that are common to guinea pigs. For this reason, many people don’t realize that there actually are health concerns that they need to be aware of.

Guinea pigs commonly suffer from diarrhea, abscesses, scurvy, and respiratory infections. Female guinea pigs may develop ovarian cysts, if they have not been spayed. Some bedding can cause a corneal ulcer in the eye, and pneumonia is also a risk. Guinea pigs are also subject to genetic diseases, including congenital eye disorders and digestive problems, as well as waltzing disease, palsy, and tremors.

Some health problems require the services of a veterinarian, but many can be treated at home. Some health problems can be avoided completely. For example, scurvy can be avoided by making sure that your guinea pig has an adequate amount of vitamin C on a daily basis. Many infections and abscesses can be avoided by making sure that your guinea pig remains free of parasites, including lice, mites, and fungus. Ovarian cysts can be avoided by spaying your female guinea pig.

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Here are some things you might want to know about iguanas:

1) They are better suited to eating plants - some sources still continue to say that iguanas are omnivores. To say that iguanas will benefit from eating both plant and animal products would be mistake. This is because the metabolism of the iguana is better suited to absorbing plant proteins. The proteins found in animal products are just too complex to be properly utilized by iguanas. This means that not all proteins can be absorbed by their bodies as nutrients.

So what happens to the unabsorbed proteins? Well, it is usually stored as uric acid. This uric acid can have very harmful effects on your iguana. A build up of uric acid can cause gout. Getting rid of animal protein can also be very hard work for an iguana’s kidneys. This means that feeding animal products to your iguana may cause it to have kidney problems. This shortens the iguana’s life.

continue reading "Interesting Facts About Iguanas"

People who are interested in iguanas in lizards can find a lot of resources filled with information. In fact, anyone who is interested in iguanas and lizards is likely to find that one such resource is very accessible to them. Here are some resources that you can use:

1) Books - Some people have dismissed books as being old technology. These people believe that books are outdated. They prefer the faster and more exciting information provided by computers and the internet. However, there is wisdom to be found in old books. Books are written by people who truly know about iguanas and lizards. This means that the information contained within books is very reliable. You just can’t say that about other sources of information anymore.

Books are very convenient for people who are looking for extensive information. Of course, you are going to have to find the right book in order to get the information that you want. When you do find that right book, you are sure to get the best type of information available.

continue reading "Iguana Lizards"

The iguana family is one of the thirteen species of the lizard family. Usually they comprise the group of reptiles that belong to the largest species. The popular iguana species are commonly found in Mexico, southward to Brazil.

Features of Iguana

The common iguana is green with dark bands that form rings on tail. Similar to other reptile, iguanas are also egg-laying animal, cold-blooded with an exceptional ability to adjust to their environment. Species like iguanas vary on different colors, behaviors, sizes and their endangered condition in the wild.

continue reading "Rhino Iguana"

Eclectus parrots are highly social, and extremely healthy. Maybe it is their overall good health that makes us forget that they can be killed by toxic materials. The most innocent things can be extremely deadly for Eclectus parrots, and it is vital to their continued longevity that you know what those toxic threats are.

First, as much as you may love your non-stick cookware, if you use it in your home where your parrot lives, you are putting his life in jeopardy. The Teflon in this cookware emits a toxin that can literally kill your Eclectus parrot in minutes.

You must also be aware of Teflon in bread machines and toaster ovens, and also realize that self-cleaning ovens also emit toxins that can kill your beloved bird. This means that you must go back to old-fashioned cookware, and manually cleaning your oven in order to protect your Eclectus parrot.

continue reading "Your Eclectus Parrot and Toxic Materials"

Like humans, these iguanas actually also fall ill. If you have learned to love your pet iguanas, you might as well want to keep them for long. Here are some of the most common iguana illnesses that require immediate veterinary attention and proper medication or else you will lose your pets.

Fibrous Osteodystrophy or the metabolic bone disease. This iguana illness comes as a result of extreme malnutrition especially when they are not fed well. Most of the shops selling the iguanas give out worthy nutritional tips and advices to the buyers of these reptiles. Most of the pet owners prefer to feed their pets with squash and lettuce. In truth, the lettuce is a water sponge - meaning there is no nutrition to be derived from it. Such shortcoming is again aggravated by the insufficient vitamin D3 and calcium intake by the reptile. When they get exposed to this dangerous situation, they might in fact die. Among the vital symptoms of the disease are a swollen lower jaw, listlessness, rubbery or soft face and lower jaw, difficulty in eating, and swollen limbs. At most times, the spine and the limbs also easily get fractured.

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Many parents get their kids pet guinea pigs for a multitude of reasons. But is a guinea pig really the right pet for children? Is it fair to the guinea pig or to the child? Sometimes a guinea pig makes a great pet for kids, and other times, it is a sure death sentence for the guinea pig.

The first thing to realize is that a guinea pig is not a toy. Its purpose on earth is not to ‘amuse’ your child. It is a living, breathing being, and it has certain care requirements, and it also needs love and attention. A guinea pig is also not a science project. Too many parents see guinea pigs as disposable pets - pets that can easily be disposed of when the child loses interest.

Most guinea pig rescue operations will not allow children to adopt guinea pigs. They prefer for adults who really want a guinea pig as a pet to adopt their pigs. Some operations won?t even allow households who have children to adopt guinea pigs.

continue reading "Guinea Pigs and Children"

Once you’ve made the decision to adopt an Eclectus parrot, you need to find a breeder. You could purchase your Eclectus parrot at a pet store, but this is generally not advised. The healthiest and happiest birds come from private, experienced breeders. Here is a list of questions you should ask breeders.

Do you breed your pairs year-round? If a breeder breeds their females back to back, this doesn’t produce the healthiest of chicks. Consider another breeder, as this one has little regard for the health of these beautiful birds.

How many years have you been breeding Eclectus parrots? Obviously, the more experience the breeder has, the better off you and the baby are.

continue reading "Selecting an Eclectus Parrot Breeder"