Despite the fact that some of them can outlive their owners, birds are more fragile than many other types of animals. In fact, miners used this weakness to stay safe underground. They often carried a canary with them because they knew these birds were so sensitive that the canary would die if the air in the tunnel was unhealthy.

Pet birds have this same susceptibility to unhealthy odors. Teflon pans, aerosol sprays and even furniture polish can be lethal for your birds. Always be sure to use anything with a strong odor in a well-ventilated area that is well away from your birds.

Another serious danger for pet birds is their desire to chew. Birds will chew on welded items and develop lead poisoning from the soldered joints. They will also nibble on potted plants. Be sure that any plants near your bird’s cage are not toxic. If you aren’t sure, you may want to move them just to be safe. Despite all the reports to the contrary, poinsettia plants are not poisonous. Providing a safe alternative, such as a small pot of parsley can help your birds avoid the temptation to nibble on your houseplants.

When you feed your birds fresh food, you usually are doing something good for your birds. However, there are some things you should not feed them. Avocado, coffee and chocolate are toxic to birds.

As you approach the holiday season, you will probably be bringing a tree into the house. Many people see the tree and naturally assume that their birds can enjoy climbing on it. However, many Christmas trees are toxic to birds, especially if they have been treated with any type of preservatives. In addition, many of the ornaments and the electric lights can pose a safety hazard.

continue reading "Bird Safety"

‘They breed like rabbits’ is a familiar phrase. And it’s true. Rabbits are prolific. As prey for a wide variety of predators in the wild, the species survived, in part, by producing many offspring. But that ease and number can represent a problem for pet owners.

Breeding is best left to professionals or those who have experience. The breeding itself is simple, since (obviously) the rabbits are the major actors in the process. But the effort that surrounds the project is not small.

It requires increased cage space and maintenance, more food and feeding time, and other considerations. A pregnant female rabbit will consume about double the normal amount of food.

Above all, there’s the problem of what to do with the kits (the babies). Rabbits have litters of anywhere from 4-12 on average. Even at the lower end of the range, that’s a lot of animals to give away or sell. Any that are kept will also breed, leading to a runaway population explosion.

But for those determined to try their hand at rabbit breeding, there are relatively simple guidelines to follow.

Rabbits reach sexual maturity at about 6 months, some larger breeds later at around 9 months. Females have a vagina and males have a penis, like most mammals. But the male organ isn’t easy to see, since it’s tucked inside skin folds and to the untrained eye may resemble the female’s genitalia. At around 3 months, a male rabbit’s testicles will drop, making them visible to a careful observer.

When, after 6-9 months of age, breeding is desired the process is simple. Separate the male into a separate cage away from other males and females. Bring the female (a doe) to the cage of the male (a buck).

continue reading "Pet Rabbits - Breeding Guidelines"

Moving to a new home can be stressful for a bird, especially if the bird is a handfed baby. Luckily, if you spend some time setting everything up properly, it isn’t too hard to help your bird make the adjustment to a new home.

The first thing you should do for your new bird is to place his cage in an area that does not have too much traffic and confusion. However, although you don’t want him to feel like he is in the middle of everything, you also don’t want to put him in an unused room where he will be neglected. Pick a spot where he can interact with you, but won’t be constantly startled by loud noises and sudden movements.

If you already have another bird, you should quarantine the new arrival for 30 days. This way, if your new bird has an infectious disease, your original bird has a better chance of not catching the disease. To quarantine your bird, you should place him on another floor of the house and keep his food and water dishes separate from your original bird’s dishes. If you have central air, you may not be able to truly quarantine your bird, since air ducts carry the air from one room to the next. However, quarantining the new bird is still better than immediately putting them side by side.

continue reading "The First Month - Acclimating Your Bird"

If your child asks you if they can take a pet chinchilla to school, please show wisdom and tell them no. There are obvious reasons why. Under no circumstances should a child take a pet chinchilla, or any pet for that matter to school (unless it’s a seeing-eye dog). They should not be stored as pets at school.

The chinchilla and schoolchildren operate on two different schedules. When the chinchilla is up at night, the children are sleep. The chinchilla cannot be surrounded by a lot of noise, and schoolchildren make noise. It’s just in their nature. The chinchilla needs relatively no light or as little light as possible in order to get some sleep. They can get stressed if they don’t get enough rest due to lights and noise. The stress can lead to them biting their fur, spraying urine and acting unfriendly.

Another reason why your child should not bring a pet chinchilla to school is because they need a large case and constant supervision, especially when they’re being let out of their cage for exercise. They also require constant attention every day. Bring a pet chinchilla to school will hinder the everyday regimen for them. Temperature is another concern. The chinchilla has to remain comfortable and not too hot. They cannot stand high heat or humidity. If the air conditioner goes out for any reason, the chinchilla would start to get hot and sweaty. If there were an emergency, more than likely, the teacher would be responsible for securing the animal’s safety in addition to the students. That would be too much on the teacher because her first priority is the safety and welfare of her students.

continue reading "Should Your Child Take A Pet Chinchilla To School?"

Playing with your cat is the best possible way to build up a bond between the two of you. She will become more attached and you will feel closer to her.

The best way to ensure that your cat does not become overweight is by feeding him correctly with a balanced diet, but exercise also plays a part in keeping your kitty healthy. If yours is an indoor cat, then playing with you may be his only opportunity for exertion and staying trim.

Playing will help your cat to become confident. Also regular play periods, coupled with petting sessions, will get your cat used to human interaction, he will be less likely to shy away and hide, when visitors call.

Playing will help your cat develop his hunting abilities. Hunting is a natural instinct for all cats, a cat confined to indoors usually has little chance to express and develop this instinct. Encourage kitty to chase a toy mouse, allow him to pounce for the ‘kill’. This will aid him should he ever get lost and need to find food.

Playing will help your cat release aggression. Cats often display aggressive traits through boredom. Tutor your cat not to scratch, bite or attack you with play sessions. Use praise to reward your cat for playing gently, as soon as he shows any sign he is about to use his teeth or claws - end the play session. This will teach your cat that aggressive cat behavior is best directed to his toys, and not you!

Cats need fun in their lives, just like humans need it. Relieve the monotony of eating, snoozing and using the litter box by putting a bit of fun in your cats life. You will have a happier, more confident and less aggressive kitty.

Home pet grooming can be an experience for both animal and owner. The activity stresses out some dogs and cats and they behave differently when they are getting a bath or having their nails clipped. They may snip or bite at the pet groomer even if they are the ones they love. A loving, docile pet can become all teeth and nails if they do not want to be there. The best, most humane way to protect both human and animal during pet grooming is to use a muzzle. Though some people think that a muzzle is cruel, it can keep the animal restrained and stop them from possible doing harm.

A muzzle fits around the dog’s mouth and is secured around the back of the head with ties or straps. Pet grooming experts agree that the animal feels no discomfort when wearing the muzzle. It leaves enough room for the pet to breather and at the same time restricts the animal from biting. Muzzles are made in all different sizes. Even small dogs with tiny mouths can inflict a nasty wound. There are no muzzles for cats but there is a head bag that fits over the entire head that restricts biting. Pet grooming experts say that the bag is thin enough for the cat to breathe, but will restrict the movement of the head and keep the animal from biting the groomer.

continue reading "Why You Should Use a Muzzle During Pet Grooming"

So Fido is getting a little scruffy. Pet grooming professionals are very expensive and sometimes you will not get the desired results that you wish and first place. Home pet grooming has become a fad in the last 10 years. The question asked most by the novice pet groomer is exactly where do you get pet grooming supplies? You’ll need a variety of clippers, scissors, brushes, and combs. The supplies you need vary with the type of dog you have and whether that dog has long or short hair. The thickness of the coat is important because some clippers may cause pain or irritation to your animal.

Pet grooming supplies can be found at your local but veterinarian. Here you can find clippers, nail clippers, and even small, little clippers that can cut ear hair. This is not your best bet in respect to expense. The veterinarian usually has a high markup in all their pet grooming supplies. The advantage is that you will find but veterinarian close to your home and will not have to mail order or order the supplies off the Internet. You might want to call ahead to make sure that your but veterinarian has the proper pet grooming supplies for your breed of dog. Different breed sometimes require different supplies, and if you have a rare breed for that area of the country in which you live, it may be hard to find the proper grooming equipment.

continue reading "Where to Find Pet Grooming Supplies"

One of the keys to successfully bathing your pet is to make sure that you are in a safe environment. If you are putting your dog or cat in a tub or sink while you bath them make sure that they aren’t going to slip. Placing a rubber mat in the tub or sink will give your pet a sense of security, rubber door mats work really well for this purpose. Also make sure that you aren’t going to slip if water gets splashed on the floor. If you are using a hose to bath your dog outside, make sure you are in an area where they feel secure, and that, if they pull away from you grasp, they wont be able to run out into traffic.

Before you start bathing your pet make sure that the shampoo you are using is very mild. Shampoos that are specially formulated for your pet’s species are best because they wont strip your pets coat of the oils that they need for healthy skin. If you have to use a human shampoo try to use one that is meant for infant children. Make sure that the shampoo you are using to wash your pet is unscented. Washing your dog with shampoo that smells like lilacs is only going to encourage him to find a dead fish to use to cover the scent. Perfumed shampoos can also dry out your pets sensitive skin.

Before you begin bathing your pet, sit down and throughly brush its coat. This serves two purposes. First it helps relax your pet, and you. More importantly running a brush through your pets coat will rid it off all dead and loose hair. This is hair that will no longer be around to clog your plumbing system.

Try to use luke warm water. Hot water can burn your pet’s sensitive skin. Cold water can chill your pet. Both situations can make the bathing experience miserable. If you are bathing your pet in a tub, do not fill the tub full of water. To much water will make your pet nervous, and increase the amount of water that gets splashed on the floor and on you. Use a minimal amount of water when bathing your house pet.

When using a hose or sprayer to spray water over your pet be very careful not to spray water into their ears. Also try to avoid spraying water in their noses and mouths. Getting water in the ears, nose, and mouth will not give your pet pleasant memories of the bathing experience

When rubbing the shampoo into your pet’s coat start just behind your pet’s ears and work your way towards the pet’s tail. Use a circular motion to rub the shampoo into the pet’s coat. When you are done massaging the shampoo into your pet’s coat use the sprayer or hose to rinse your pet. Make sure that you get all the soap out of your pets hair. Soap that doesn’t get rinsed off will irritate your pet’s skin and cause them to rub and scratch at their skin. If the soap irritates the pet enough you could find yourself treating your pet for hot spots.

When you are done bathing your pet, use a large towel to dry them off.

After bath time is finished take some time to play with and cuddle with your pet. This will ensure them that you still love them, and confirm in both your minds that bath time doesn’t have to be a traumatic experience.

It is essential for every pet grooming professional to be dressed in the proper apparel. Not only does it show professionalism in the art of pet grooming, but also they are practical uniforms with style and functionality. They should be comfortable and stylish and have reinforcements at all the stress points for long life and durability. The uniform should reflect the personality of the pet groomer, and also should reflect what kind of pets he grooms. The uniform should be easy to wash and they should be able to withstand the scratches from dogs and cats without tearing. The uniform should be stain resistant and come out of the dryer wrinkle free. Each piece of the uniform should be fitted for the person intended to wear it. The uniform should be loose fitting but tight enough so that the loose material will not hinder the pet grooming process.

A vital part of the uniform is shoes. The shoes of a pet groomer should be comfortable because the profession requires that the groomer be on their feet for long periods of time. Dutch shoes should be made of a material that is easy to boorish as some animals lose the ability to control themselves and the shoes might be stained with urine or feces. The best pet grooming shoes in industry are crocs. The crocs are made out of rubber and if an animal had an accident, it will not hurt them. They are easily washed. Pet grooming shoes should not be made out of leather or canvas. These materials are easily stained and the smell of the residue of the accidents may stay in this material for a long time.

Pet grooming professionals should always wear long pants or jeans. Excited animals can scratch your legs if you wear shorts or a skirt. The jeans offer real resistance towards scratches or bites. Some pet groomers opt to where a leather apron or canvas leggings which will prevent scratches. Also if you were shorts the chance of an infection or infestation of fleas or lice is more likely to occur. The pet grooming specialists can shop at specialty stores or at large pet outlet stores where expert advice can be given to which clothes to buy.

Another consideration when deciding on pet grooming apparel is the choice of gloves. Some groomers wear just rubber gloves to protect themselves from diseases such as mange. These diseases if contacted with the human skin can be embarrassing and painful. Another choice of gloves that are used in the pet grooming industry are leather gloves. These can deter small animals from ripping up your hands by scratching our biting. For larger dogs who have a tendency to bite, the pet groomer may use a metal mesh glove which will stop the penetration of the teeth into the skin, but will not stop the pressure of that by coming down upon the hand. Though the hand will not be punctured, it may be bruised.

The pet grooming professional needs to take in all considerations when buying apparel. They say that clothes make the man and the uniform that the pet groomer chooses dictates professionalism and the way they are perceived by the client. Sources for pet grooming uniforms can be found on the Internet, local veterinarians, and large pet outlet stores.

Cat owners know that where there are cats there are also hairballs. Cats oral grooming habits involve swallowing large quantities of hair. Most of the swallowed hair passes harmlessly through the cat’s digestive system. Problems occur when instead of passing through the cat’s digestive system the hair remains in the cat’s digestive system. As time passes the undigested hair collects with other undigested hair, these hairs stick together, until a hairball forms in the cat’s stomach. The larger the hair ball becomes, the greater a risk it poses to the cat’s health and well being.

A vast majority of cats are able to rid themselves of a hairball by hacking it up. The sound they make when trying to bring up a hairball is similar to a person suffering from dry heaves, although the noise is slightly higher pitched. Most cat owners also report that the best time of day to extract a troublesome hairball is in the middle of the night so that sound can keep the cat’s entire family up all night. Cat owners also find that their cat is very clever at depositing the hairball in places where it’s humans frequently walk barefoot, like on the bathroom floor, directly next to the shower.

As unhappy as cat owners might be about having balls of half digested hair littering their house, they are even less happy about large hairballs that remain in their house cat’s stomach. When the enormous hairball makes its way into the cat’s intestine it can create a blockage that frequently means a hasty trip to the vet for an emergency surgery. This surgery can cost several hundred dollars.

Signs that your cat is suffering from a hairball are; your cat ignoring their personal grooming regime and allowing their coat to become dirty and matted, constant coughing and hacking, loss of appetite, constipation, and depression. Long haired cats, because of the length of their coat, are more prone to hairballs then their short haired contemporaries.

Pet grooming is a wonderful way for cat owners to prevent the unpleasantness of hairballs. Brushing your cat once a day will remove dead hairs from the cat’s coat. These dead hairs wont be around to stick to the cat’s tongue and later be swallowed to form a hair ball. Although any brush can be used to groom your pet cat, a cat brush purchased from pet store has bristles that are specially designed for cat hair. Daily grooming routines will strengthen the bond between you and your cat.

If you have a long haired cat, or even a short haired cat that seems prone to hairballs, you may want to consider clipping your cat to remove excess hair. Hair that is no longer on the cat’s body can not wreck havoc on their digestive system.

Another thing that cat owners can do to prevent hairball is to purchase cat foods that are specially designed to prevent hairballs from forming in the cat’s digestive system. If your budget wont extend to purchasing expensive anti-hairball foods, you may want to consider other commercial hairball remedies.

Cat owners should consult their veterinarian for additional methods of hairball control.