Are you planning to get a dwarf hamster as a pet? If you are, there are a few things you need to know

First, you should know when is the right time you can adopt one and that is, when it is already at least a month old.

At this age, the little hamster is already weaned from the mother. However, if you want to adopt one at the ideal age, you can do so when it is about two months old because at this age, a female hamster is already capable of getting pregnant. You might be wondering why it is always preferable to adopt a dwarf hamster at a young age. The answer is that when taken young, they are a lot easier to train and discipline.

Choosing a hamster

The best time to go to a pet shop and pick your hamster is during the afternoon. They are grumpy and not at their best in the morning since these little creatures are nocturnal. They simply do not want to scurry about and be friendly in the morning, so if you want to see their best side, it is recommended to visit them late in the afternoon or in the evening.

Factors to Look Into

Here are a few tips you can use in choosing your hamster.

• It should have clear eyes because it is a good indication that the hamster is healthy.
• The fur should be shiny and beautiful, and not dull.
• There should be no lumps in any part of the body.
• It should be energetic and vibrant. A hamster that looks tired could be sick or unhealthy.

You can always opt to adopt a not-so-healthy hamster but you need to understand the responsibility it entails. This means you should get a hold of a veterinarian who will give you advice on how to nurse your hamster back to health. Additionally, you will need to put in extra effort in the care of your sickly pet.

Should you buy two hamsters?

One of the things that a hamster needs is a companion. You might want to consider getting a male and a female hamster but expect to get a large hamster family in no time because these little creatures multiply quite fast. If you do not want this, you can buy same-sex hamsters- they can be either males or females. Take note though that determining the sex of hamsters is not always accurate.

Feeding your hamster

You should know that hamsters only need to eat once a day. You can purchase their food at any pet store but it is important that you buy healthy meals. The quantity of food would range from 1 to 2 tablespoons, and they are best fed in the evening. You can give them leafy greens and vegetables to ensure good health.

Caring for your hamster

Hamster care is not rocket science but it does require you to be extra patient with them. It may not be so easy at the onset but later on, you will find that taking care of your pet hamster is a whole lot of fun. Feed them right, love them and know the signs and symptoms of a sick hamster and you will do just fine.

Source: http://www.acumenfund.org/psa/?utm_source=googlePSA&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=PSA

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	The rabbit may perhaps be one of the most misunderstood of all house pets

Bunnies possibly will seem to be cute and cuddly, however beneath that furry outside is an animal that does not turn into an ideal pet for every home. Pet shops may show beautiful, adorable-looking rabbits, particularly right ahead of Easter, eager to persuade parents to acquire one for their children, although this can be a very large blooper.

One of the key reason why bunnies do not turn into enjoyable pets for children is that the majority bunnies do not like being picked up and cuddled. They are quarry animals by temperament, and in the wild they have to persistently be alert for predators that mean to kill and eat them. If a pet bunny is abruptly startled by a child grabbing at it, the bunny is liable to revert to its instincts and struggle to safeguard itself by biting, kicking and scratching. Then those soft and friendly-looking bunnies have incredibly sharp teeth and nails and powerful leg muscles.

Rabbits as well are communal animals, and if they are kept isolated in a cage the majority of the time they become unhappy. They want at least two or three hours of exercise each day. This means being let hop in the house, everywhere they may be able to gnaw furniture, computer cables or electrical wiring if they are not supervised by a responsible person.

Since a healthy bunny can live as long as ten years, they should on no account be purchased on a urge. More accurately, they must be seen as a long-term liability. Rabbits call for a special food intake that includes hay and fresh vegetables as well as a small quantity of specific rabbit foodstuff on a daily basis.

Whilst people get pet bunnies without knowing all the nuisance they are getting themselves into, they may possibly be tempted to let loose their unwanted bunny out into the wild, such as a close by park. This over and over again leads to catastrophe, as forsaken rabbits often fall victim to being bump into by motor vehicles, killed and eaten by raccoons, coyotes, dogs or feral cats. If they survive to locate a burrow of rabbits, they are just as likely to be injured or killed as an uninvited invader. If they somehow stay alive they will likely grow to be a nuisance by eating park foliage and then invading neighborhood gardens.

For someone who has learned the essentials and nevertheless wants a rabbit for a house pet, they should know that across the country there are lots of animal shelters where rescued rabbits may be adopted or fostered on a stable or temporary basis.

Rabbits can be outstanding, loving companions and pass much joy to several households, but a affiliation with a rabbit is not something that ought to be entered into without sensible consideration and consideration.

Soruce: http://www.animalpetsandfriends.com/Article/So-you-want-to-Own-A-Cute-Pet-Bunny/13436

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	Wild spider monkeys now have a new tool under their proverbial belt: a body scratcher that may release medicinal compounds …

Wild spider monkeys now have a new tool under their proverbial belt: a body scratcher that may release medicinal compounds, according to a study published in the latest issue of the journal Primates.

The study is the first to report this spider monkey scratcher. Lead author Stacy Lindshield told Discovery News that two other instances of the use of objects as tools by the social monkeys have been documented.

“Spider monkeys have been observed rubbing crushed and chewed leaves on their bodies,” said Lindshield, a researcher in Iowa State University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program.

She explained that the smelly practice may “play a role in olfactory communication.”

“Second, spider monkeys are known to break off branches and drop them on or near human observers,” she added, “so it’s not a good idea to be directly beneath these guys!”

She and co-author Michelle Rodrigues collected observational data on wild spider monkeys at El Zota Biological Field Station in northeastern Costa Rica. They documented three instances where the monkeys used the scratcher tool.

Source: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/07/31/spider-monkey-scratcher.html

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	Rabbits are unusual in our society as they are one of the few animals that are viewed as food by some people and as pets as others.

The number of homes that have indoor rabbits has been increasing at such a pace that there now exists a House Rabbit Society organization to supply useful information about how rabbits may be kept safely and in a healthy manner within a home setting.

One characteristic about rabbits that interferes with them enjoying free run within a home is their propensity for chewing. Even though rabbits can be successfully trained to use a litter box, it is more challenging for them to be convinced not to chew such things as furniture legs and electrical wires. This is why many owners of house rabbits seek an indoor hutch or rabbit cage in which their long-eared pets may be kept when they cannot be supervised.

According to the House Rabbit Society, a rabbit’s housing should provide several things. They need to be able to fully stretch out in all directions. They require at least two levels, so they may jump up and down for working out. They need a supply of food, especially hay, as well as water. And, of course, a litter box is needed.

A new trend in building indoor rabbit hutches is to make a “bunny condo” out of modular storage cube squares. Many hardware and home furnishing stores sell 14-inch square wire cube components for making modular storage units. These squares can be used to construct a multi-level rabbit house that provides sufficient space for all the requirements as specified by the House Rabbit Society.

Building a rabbit condo that is three squares wide, three squares high and two squares deep will create a space measuring more than 28 cubic feet in size. This is far more spacious than the standard dog carrier that many people use for housing their indoor rabbits.

When building a rabbit condo, a number of other considerations should be kept in mind. The bare wire floor should never be used by itself, but should be covered with a material such as plywood. For ease in cleaning, covering the flooring and shelving with vinyl tiles or linoleum is recommended. However, it should not be too slick a surface, as rabbit feet were designed for hopping on natural earth and grass, not on smooth artificial surfaces.

Many plans for rabbit condos are now available across the Internet, and most of them would give all the safety, security and living space a house rabbit needs. Still, they cannot be locked away all the time. Even a rabbit in a fancy condo needs to get out into the house for some good working out including running and jumping for quite a few hours at a time.

Source: http://www.upublish.info/Article/Rabbit-Hutches-for-Indoor—Outdoors/235752

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There are a few options you have to help your horse and control flies; You can train him to not be afraid of fly spray…

There are a few options you have to help your horse and control flies; You can train him to not be afraid of fly spray, you can use roll-on products or wipe him with fly repellant, and you can take steps to help reduce the number of flies in your area.

A short-term solution would be to pick up a roll-on type product (a fly repellant that comes in a tube with a roller, and you simply roll it over the horse). These are usually used in sensitive areas, like around the face and legs.

You can also spray onto a cloth, and wipe your horse down with the wet cloth.

These are short-term solutions because they won’t solve the underlying problem (your horse’s fear) but they will allow you to give him some fly relief in the mean time.

The next step would be to get your horse over his fear. If he is afraid of flyspray that can actually be dangerous– what happens if you’re at a show or trail ride and someone nearby sprays their horse? You don’t want him to freak out. Plus, his fear is an incovenience because he can’t be sprayed normally.

What I would do is follow the steps in this article about Sacking Out, but instead of using a blanket or other object, you will use a spray bottle filled with water (as you’re going to spend a lot of time spraying and getting him used to it).

I would take him to a safe area, such as a roundpen, and not have him tied in case he pulls back. I also might roundpen or lounge him first to get any excess energy worked off before you begin your desensitization process.

Start off a comfortable distance away– where he doesn’t freak out– and spray the ground. Slowly make your way closer and closer until he gets used to you at closer distances. This is all to get him used to the sight and sound of spraying without it actually touching him.

If this seems difficult at first, you might even try with an empty spray bottle, and once he is confortable with that, filling it with water.

The same process used to desensitize (or “sack out”) a horse should work with any object the horse is afraid of– from ropes to plastic bags to fly spray. A desensitized horse is far happier and safer than one that will spook randomly at objects.

The last way to protect your horse would be to make an effort to reduce the flies in the area. Keep manure cleaned up, because moist piles provide a place for flies to breed. To control mosquitos, make sure you remove any standing water (even small pools, like those that collect in old tires, provide a place for mosquitos to breed).

Here are some other fly control tips:

- You can install fly traps or bait around the barn area; many are commercially available, or you can make your own.

- Fly Predators– a small, nocturnal wasp that lays eggs in fly pupae– can be purchased to help control the fly population.

- You may consider putting a flymask on your horse to protect his face.

- Some people believe that feeding apple cider vinegar to a horse will make him smell or taste less attractive to flies. You can add apple cider vinegar to your horse’s water.

Fuente: http://ultimatehorsesite.com/articles/at_flysprayphobia.html

It is really great to have a hamster as your pet. They are very cute and they like to chew different things but especially cloth.

It is really great to have a hamster as your pet. They are very cute and they like to chew different things but especially cloth. While cats and dogs are allowed to walk freely around your home, you don’t let your hamster out of its cage. You do need to have a hamster cage in case you own one of these lovable pets. The cages come in many different shapes and sizes and have a variety of features for your hamster.

The most popular shape for hamster cages is rectangular. Because of this particular shape the hamster cages are usually put in a corner, so that they wouldn’t stand in the center of the room and be on your way. When you feel like playing with your pet, you can easily take the hamster out but when you have stopped playing with it and are leaving the room it is good to make sure you have put it in its cage.

You should pay attention to your hamster’s security because if it escapes from its cage, it might become a prey for animals. Many neighbours have cats and they can hurt your adorable little pet, so you should protect it from them. Consequently, if there are any cats around you should always lock your hamster in its hamster cage, so that it would be safe.

Just as any other mammal hamsters need a daily supply of water. Most of the hamster cages have a water bottle system. In cages made of wire there is a little ball at the end of the nozzle so that the water doesn’t flow free but comes out when the hamster is thirsty.

You can also buy little bows which can be used for feeding. They are put in the hamster cages and the pets can eat from them. There are several types of hamster food.

It is very important to keep your hamster fit as it needs regular exercises. You can help it by purchasing a small wheel that fits inside the hamster cages. This is how you will make sure your lovely pet will get some exercises when it is closed there. There are also such hamster cages which have plastic tubes which go through and around the cage. Their main purpose is to entertain the hamster and let it roam around its home.

Cleaning hamster cages is a very important task and should not be neglected for the well-being of both your little pet and yourself. To make it easy for cleaning, you can put a newspaper on the bottom of the hamster cage and also some wood chips. You just lift the paper and the wood chips out and replace them with new.

When living in a building where having animals is restricted taking a hamster might be just the way to have a pet. It is good for your children to have a pet like hamster as they will easily learn how to take care of a pet while playing and having fun with it.

Fuente: http://ezinearticles.com/?Great-Ideas-For-Hamster-Cages&id=297295

Turtles can be great pets and it’s a fact that children love turtles as their pets. These animals are very fascinating. And there are several types of them too.

Turtles can be great pets and it’s a fact that children love turtles as their pets. These animals are very fascinating. And there are several types of them too.

If you decide to take a turtle for your pet, try to learn more about these animals first. They require proper care and a certain level of attention. There are some species that can be taken cared of by humans while there are others can’t be taken away from their natural habitats.

Generally speaking, there are two types of turtles that you can take home – the aquatic and the terrestrial types. Terrestrial turtles need a lot of time on land while aquatic turtles need to be in water most of the time. It is important that you know which type of turtle you’ve got so you can take care of it properly.

For terrestrial turtles, you have to prepare a big tank and some mud. Mud turtles need twelve hours worth of sunlight every day. If you can’t take them outside, use a UV lamp instead. Terrestrial turtles also need to be in a place with a temperature of 80 degrees during the day and 70 at night. And while these pets prefer the land, they also need fresh water to drink and swim about.

As for the aquatic turtles, the common species are the painted turtles and the sliders. The sliders want swampy areas. They live near the lakes that have lots of mud. They tend to go out in the sun in broad daylight and then swim during the night to cool off. But then, they still have to spend more time submerged in the water than out in the sun. Between the sliders and the painted turtles, the latter is the specie that is a lot harder to take care of because of the special things it needs.

At this point, you should have decided on the type of turtle you want. The next thing to think about is the size of the tank you’ll buy. You normally need a 40 gallon tank – or larger if you want a larger specie or if you want to take care of more than one turtle. The bigger the tank you have, the better your pet can move around in the water and over the land.

Plants are required, but you have to be sure that they’re not poisonous. Don’t put barks and wood chips in the tank either, as bacteria and molds might form on them. Turtles tend to munch on these things too, although their digestive tract can’t handle it. Instead, add some small rocks and mud for the turtle to play on.

As for food, your pet would need berries, lettuce, and some feed sticks. Some species eat goldfish and insects too. You also have to be very particular about the water these pets drink and swim on. Use mineral or spring water instead of tap water in the tank.

The chemicals and chlorine in tap water can be very harmful to your turtle pet. Chlorine and other chemicals in the tap water can cause bacteria in their digestive systems.

By: Eric Stan

When you think of bunnies, what first comes to mind? Most of us think of cute, cuddly creatures that you just want to hug and love. At least, that’s what I’d hope you’re thinking of!

When you think of bunnies, what first comes to mind? Most of us think of cute, cuddly creatures that you just want to hug and love. At least, that’s what I’d hope you’re thinking of!

Unfortunately for us humans, rabbits aren’t particularly cuddly. They generally don’t like being held even when raised from birth to be held, though this depends on the personality of your particular rabbit. But why don’t they want our love and attention?

Think about a rabbit in the wild. Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits are prey animals rather than predators. They are hunted by creatures like wolves and hawks. How do those predators catch rabbits? By picking them up! So, when you reach down to pick up your rabbit and lift them up in the air, the first thing that comes to your rabbit’s mind is, “Oh no! I’m gonna be somebody’s dinner!”

Since we don’t want to frighten our bunny pals like that, it’s best that you let your rabbit come to you if it wants loving and attention. Your rabbit will lay down next to you, jump up on the couch next to you, or nudge your leg when it wants affection. This is how a rabbit is comfortable showing that they like you and they trust you.

Another behavior whose understanding is vital if you want to properly care for your rabbit is the affinity for chewing. Like their rodent cousins, rabbits have incisors that are constantly growing. If they don’t chew and wear down these teeth, they will overgrow and the rabbit will starve to death. If you don’t supply items for your rabbit to chew on, it will chew on whatever is available to it. If that means chewing on your desk, your chair, or your sofa, then it will. The best way to keep your rabbit from chewing furniture and other household items is to supply wooden or cardboard chew toys for your rabbit to play with. This is not only very entertaining for your rabbit, but it’s essential to their health.

One of the most adorable bunny behaviors is the binky. Binkies are little hops your rabbit will do when it’s feeling happy or playful. Not only is it beyond cute to behold but it shows that your rabbit is happy and comfortable! The more binkies, the better!

Rabbits each have their own personalities and, in turn, their own unique behaviors as well. As you get to know your pet rabbit, you’ll be able to tell when they’re happy, unhappy, angry, sleepy, and a number of other emotional states. Rabbits are more subtle in showing these things than dogs, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible for them to feel. They are very expressive creatures who will give you lots of love and affection if you are patient and willing to learn to appreciate the bunny’s perspective.

Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/so-you-want-a-pet-rabbit-basic-rabbit-behavior.html