Things You Need to Know About Pet Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are very docile and gentle in nature and make ideal starter pets for older responsible children. They rarely bite or scratch, but are easily stressed, so they require careful handling. They are very timid and shy by nature. They are generally sociable animals and are most content when kept with other guinea pigs.

These animals come in several breeds. The most common are the English short hair (also known as the American) and the Abyssinian. The American guinea pig has a short smooth coat as opposed to the ruffled coat of the Abyssinian.

They're not particularly agile and do not climb well, rarely attempting to escape from their cages. They have poor eyesight, but well-developed senses of hearing and smell. They are also surprisingly good swimmers. They are nosey, friendly characters that are easily frightened and always rummaging around for something to chew on.

They often will whistle as an expression of excitement when their owner approaches or feeding is expected. They will also purr when being held or petted.

Cage:
Aquariums are not recommended, as they provide poor ventilation, and wire-flooring in cages irritate their feet. A solid-bottom cage is best. For the health and welfare of your pet provide as spacious a living area as you can manage. Bigger is better.
Recommended cage sizes:
One guinea pig: 7.5 sq ft...30"x36"
Two: 7.5 sq ft to 10.5 sq ft...30"x50"
Three: 10.5 sq ft to 13 sq ft...30"x62"
Four: 13 sq ft...30"x72"
Clean the cage completely once a week by replacing dirty bedding and scrubbing the bottom of the cage with warm water.

Diet:
Timothy Hay (or a grass hay) is the animal's natural diet. Alfalfa hay is also recommended for the younger ones 4 months and younger. Guinea pigs are herbivores ( unlike hamsters who are omnivores ) and like primates are unable to produce their own vitamin C. Without enough vitamin C in their diets, they can become very ill with scurvy. It is recommended that 1 teaspoon of vitamin C be added to 12oz of water daily. Broccoli and cauliflower are very high in vitamin C.

Bedding:
Bedding should be relatively dust-free shavings (Aspen, Hemp, Kiln-Dried Pine) woodchips, hardwood pellets, grass hay, etc. Cedar is toxic to these animals and should never be used. Bedding should never be allowed to get damp. Be sure everything's dry before adding fresh bedding. Change the bedding once or twice a week.

Weight:
Adults weigh between 1.5 - 2.5 pounds (700 - 1200gms) and measure between 8" - 10" (20 -25cm) in length.

Life span:
They will usually live an average of four to five years.

Unlike many rodents, these animals are born with fur and their eyes open.

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Pet Parrots

So you want a pet parrot but have you thought it through? Yes parrots look like wonderful pets and Polly looks really cool sitting on pirate Long John Silver's shoulder or Johnny Depp's for that matter. The thing is, parrots are not pets you should get involved with either lightly or on impulse. There are some far reaching factors to consider and I have listed some of these pitfalls below. Parrots are fast becoming the world's number one unwanted pet so serious consideration of the following pitfalls to parrot ownership would make sense.


Parrots, depending on which type you get, can live for a very long time. Some live for up to 70 years. Will you still be around or is your parrot to become an heirloom bequeathed to one of your nearest and dearest?
Noise. Parrots can make an awful lot of noise. What about your neighbours? Do you live in a detached house or an apartment block? What about you, will you be able to handle the noise? At dawn and dusk your parrot will call out to his flock. He will also probably do a fair bit of calling in between times as well!
Mess. Parrots can make a whole lot of mess. Anything chewable can and will be chewed. Your furniture will be fair game and believe me the damage inflicted by a parrot can be great.
Behavior Training. Believe it or not your parrot needs to learn social graces. They need to learn how to behave, not just with you the owner, but also in the company of strangers. Are you prepared to do this? This is not something you can delegate and if you don't do it you WILL end up with a juvenile delinquent for a pet. That won't be fun!
Food. Feeding your parrot properly takes effort. You won't get away with just seed. Your parrot needs more than that. Fruit and veggies and occasionally some meat. My African Grey Parrot really enjoys his chicken bones. But not all food is suitable or even safe, so are you prepared to learn what is and is not suitable and are you prepared to prepare food each day for your bird?
I would not want to put you off having a parrot as a pet. Parrots make fantastic pets BUT they do take a lot of time and effort and it is better to go in to owning a parrot with your eyes wide open, rather than blinkered and then end up having to find another home for your parrot because you are unable to cope.

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Pet Gerbil

Things You Need to Know About Pet Gerbils

Gerbils are friendly, adorable, active, and curious creatures that make excellent pets for children. Gerbils are a pleasure to care for and will provide lots of entertainment. They are incredibly pleasant, and social animals and prefer to be kept in groups. Gerbils love to play, so provide it with an exercise wheel that does not have any openings in which their tails can get caught. They are excellent pets for apartment residents and people who do not have the time to care for a more demanding pet. Birds also make good pets for apartment dwellers.

Gerbils are part of the rodent family. They are native to many parts of the world, but the type of gerbil commonly kept as a pet is the Mongolian Gerbil which is a desert species, and lives in underground tunnels. Pet gerbils are available in a variety of colors. The most common colors are dove, white, all-black and golden. A typical gerbil measures between six and twelve inches long, including the tail which makes up approximately one half of their total length. The average adult gerbil weighs roughly 2 1/2 ounces, which is just a little larger than a hamster. Gerbils generally live to be 2 to 4 years old. Some have been known to live five or six years.

Feeding Habits:

Pet gerbils are usually fed a mixture of seeds, grains, and nuts, high in fatty oils, and will happily eat food from the dinner table such as lettuce, kale, bananas, apples, carrots, spinach, cooked sweet potato or broccoli.

Cage and Bedding:

Any secure container which allows air and light in, has an attachable water bottle with drinking tube and lots of bedding is sufficient for pet gerbils. Examples would be an aquarium (10-gallon minimum) covered with small-holed wire or any wire cage made for rodent pets. Aquariums are easier to clean and the bedding will remain inside as opposed to a cage with openings. Any cage should have a solid floor. Paper covered in a layer of sawdust is a perfect cover for the bottom of the cage. Gerbils like to use cardboard tubes to shred into nesting material then they will turn this into finely shredded bedding material to sleep in. Gerbils love to chew and dig, so make sure to have plenty of cardboard or paper bedding. Corn Cob, Aspen or hardwood shavings and shredded paper towels also make good bedding. Don't use Pine or Cedar wood shavings they can be harmful to gerbils. The cage should be cleaned once a week by replacing the bedding and washing the bottom of the cage with warm water and a liquid soap that's safe for animals. Additionally, provide some kind of untreated piece of wood block or sterilized bone for them to use to keep their teeth short and sharp.

Care:

Gerbils require minimal care and are almost odor free but gerbils do have specific needs. Pet gerbils like to hide and sleep inside enclosed spaces, so it's a good idea to place a small box or broken cup for this purpose. You should never pick a gerbil up by the tail. Gerbils have fragile tails that break off when grabbed or pulled. This is a defense tool in the wild. If the tail breaks off, it never grows back.

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Pet Stain Removal Tips

Pet stain removal can be quite an arduous job. A lot of us do not want to see any stains on our rugs and couches. Luckily, for us there are now enzyme cleaning products that are tough on stains. This product is a much better option compared to its chemical counterparts.

The enzymes work naturally and this is done by acting up on the stain itself. The process may not look great to look at but it gets the job done. The best thing about it is that it does not leave any chemical residue. It has become a popular alternative when it comes to pet stain removal.

Here are some tips on how to effectively remove the stains from your rug or carpet. It is a natural reaction to rub out stain but it only makes everything worse. Furious rubbing will only make the stain get more embedded. To successfully get the stain out, one should start rubbing on the outside and make their way in. This will help lessen the spreading of the stain itself.

I assure you that rubbing back and forth can only make it worse. The best way to attack this kind of situation is to stay calm. You do not want to worsen the problem by making the stain affect a larger area. Another way to remove the stain is to get a towel and soak it in hot water. Then cover the stain with the soaked towel for a few minutes. Try to apply pressure on it several times. This process will help soften the stain and remove it successfully. This may take a few repetitions before you can successfully clean the whole area.

Then you can dry out the area by using an electric fan or a blow dryer. Once the wet patch is dried you will notice that stain has been removed. You can master the whole process in due time. These are just a few of the process of pet stain removal which has been used by a lot of women in maintaining cleanliness in their household. Why not try it some time and you will be amazed of how much you can save from buying chemical cleaning agents.

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Pet-Rabbit Information - What Is Domesticated Rabbits? How To Care For Your Pet-Rabbit?

Domesticated rabbits are one of the most popular pets, apart from dogs and cats. They look attractive, lovely, gentle, friendly and cute. They are easy to take care and undemanding in terms of care and housing. They will settle well either indoor or outdoor, at home.

There are 40 species of rabbits and hares worldwide. All domesticated rabbits are originated from European rabbits. The scientific name for domestic rabbit is Oryctolagus cuniculus.

Typically, domesticated rabbits weigh between 2.2-221lb (1-10kg). The domesticated rabbits can be fed on commercially produced rabbit food, pellets, hay, green food, root vegetables, tree bark, herbs and apple.

The gestation period of a rabbit is 31 days and the typical litter size ranges from 6-8 young. The lifespan varies with breed.

Keeping a rabbit as pet requires a good training system to prevent unnecessary destructions or hassle. For example, furniture and carpet chewing problems, pseudo pregnancy symptoms, litter problems, fights, behavioral problems, rabbit-house worries, sickness, fleas, predators and etc. Nevertheless, these challenges can be overcome when the owners have the knowledge and experience to deal with them. Thus, one of the recommended ways to acquire the important knowledge is to read widely and exchange practical information with experienced rabbit owners.

A good rabbit cage must be large enough for the average sized-rabbit. A rabbit's living area must be spacious enough for a litter box, toys, and perhaps a cardboard box, with enough room left over for him to be comfortable. The minimum size recommended is 4 times the rabbit's stretched out length as to ensure the cage is tall enough for the rabbit to stand up straight.

It is important to watch out for any abnormalities in your rabbits as rabbits are susceptible to various digestive ailments and other life-threatening diseases. For example, rabbits are vulnerable to myxomatosis and VHD viruses. These are the killer viruses!

There is no universal system of classification for rabbit breeds. Some popular breeds of rabbits include:

o Alaska

o American Fuzzy Lop

o American Sable

o Angora

o Belgian Hare

o Beveren

o Californian

o Champagne D'Argent

o Checkered Giant

o Chinchilla

o Dutch

o Dwarf Hotot

o English Lop

o Flemish Giant

o Florida White

o Harlequin

o Havana

o Himalayan

o Hotot

o Jersey Wooly

o Lilac

o Holland Lop

o Mini Lop

o Mini Rex

o Netherland Dwarf

o New Zealand

o Palomino

o Polish

o Rex

o Rhinelander

o Satin

o Silver

o Silver Fox

o Silver Marten

o Tan

Domesticated Rabbits As Pet

The most important criterion before deciding to adopt a domesticated rabbit as pet is that you MUST have interest, love and willingness to take great care of your rabbit. This little cute bunny will need care and attention for approximately 10 years. Never adopt a rabbit and leave it uncared for at the corner of your house and the worst case is to abandon it in shelters, parks or even woodland areas. Once the poor rabbit is left wild, it has very little chance to survive. I am a rabbit lover, so I cherish rabbits a lot and treat them with bundles of affection.

What Are The Daily Rabbit Care Rituals?

Balance Diet:

A rabbit's diet should be balance, made up of good quality pellets, fresh hay, fresh vegetables and water.

Water should be fresh. It is recommended to change it twice a day. If water is not available, the rabbit will stop eating. The water container should be washed daily.

Treats such as bananas or carrots should be given in small amounts and only on occasion. Rabbits have a sweet tooth and will consume sugary foods to the exclusion of healthy ones. Never give a rabbit chocolate, sweets or chocolates. These stuffs may lead to an overgrowth of "bad" bacteria in the gut that leads to fatal cases of enterotoxemia.

Litter Training:

Train your rabbits to use litter boxes. Replace litter boxes with fresh litter everyday.

PRECAUTION: Do not use any litter containing pine or cedar shavings as these contain oils, which can cause respiratory and liver disease in rabbits. Litter made of plant material (hay) or paper (cellulose) is the safest litter to use with rabbits.

Droppings should be inspected daily without fail. Normal droppings look like regular round dry marbles, called pills. There may also be some clusters. An abnormality in droppings can be the first sign of illness in rabbits. For example, if you find your rabbit's droppings that are getting smaller, infrequent or misshapen, it signifies less is coming through. Thus, you ought to check out the reasons. It could be intestinal problems or any other kinds of illnesses.

Grooming & Health Care:

Rabbits enjoy human touch and love. By brushing and combing your rabbits for a few minutes daily will help them to feel your care and presence. Typically, rabbits shed every 3 months. Hence, it is absolutely for you to free your rabbits of this excess fur. It is perfectly common for rabbit to shed. So, spend enough time to help your rabbits to remove loose hair or fur.

Nevertheless, rabbits are self-cleaning and healthy small animals. They can groom themselves too. How do they do that? They can swallow excess fur! Once swallowed, these rabbits cannot vomit a fur ball, as what a cat can do. This excess fur can cause an obstruction. Technically speaking, we say that the rabbit has developed GI Stasis, a common slowing down of the GI tract. The symptoms of GI Stasis are smaller size droppings, lesser droppings frequency, loss of appetite, hunched up situation and teeth grinding due to pain. Bring your rabbit to your vet at once when you see these symptoms.

Exercise And Play Time:

Human must get daily exercise, so must your rabbits! The benefits of exercise for rabbits include smoother flow of blood circulation, stronger muscles and prevention from fragile bones. A rabbit's bone weight is only 7% of his total body weight compared with 15% in a cat.

Rabbits are crepuscular. Crepuscular refers to animals that are most active at dawn and dusk. The perfect time for your rabbit to get exercise is in the morning, when you are getting ready for work and in the evening when you arrive home. By the time you get home, your rabbit will have been napping all day! Bet you will be happy and entertained to watch him running and hopping around and doing bunny dances in mid-air, better known as "binkies".

Similar to kids, rabbits love toys! Rabbits like new toys daily! So, what are the toys that your rabbits love dearly? Some ideas of toys include toilet paper roll, cardboard box with a rabbit side doors, newspapers, towels, untreated wicker baskets and paper bags. Tunnels of any kind are always welcomed too!

Spay/Neuter:

This procedure is necessary if you want your rabbit to lead a healthy life, free from cancer. The risk of ovarian cancer in an older female is approximately 85% if she is not spayed during puberty (4-6 months).
The reason for a male rabbit to be neutered is mainly behavioral reason. It is crucial as well as to eliminate random spraying, reduce hormone-related aggression and for easier housetrain.

The process of spaying or neutering your rabbit with minimum risk can be performed professionally by your vet. A bonded pair should each be spayed and neutered to avoid pseudo-pregnancies.

Rabbit Proofing:

Rabbits like to gnaw as it is a expected action for them. Boredom is common reason for their chewing activity and other times, items such as electrical cords get in their way. Thus, they are smart to use their mouth and teeth to shift it. Rabbit is a must! It not only protects your belongings or furniture, it keeps your rabbit safe and sound.

All electrical cords should be concealed in vinyl tubing. Hide the cords before your rabbit move it.

By providing your rabbit with acceptable things like toys and card box boxes to chew will not hurt you rabbit. If you see your rabbit swallowing it whole, remove it.

All the best!

Warm regards,

Amanda Gates

A Rabbit Lover

Email: amanda@careforpet-rabbit.com

Website: [http://www.careforpet-rabbit.com]

Website: [http://www.rabbitinfo.careforpet-rabbit.com]

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The Care of Hamsters

The Care of Hamsters - A Choice of Standard Or Dwarf

Every species of hamster, whether it's a standard or a dwarf, requires pretty much the same level of care and maintenance. However, the biggest surprise has to be in the amount of food required by both, which is virtually the same, even though the physical size of the dwarf hamster is just a fraction of the Syrian hamster. The highly active metabolism found in the dwarf hamsters accounts for the relatively large volume of necessary nutrition. In fact, a typical hamster will generally eat the equivalent of one-tenth their body weight each day.

The bulk of the dwarf hamster diet will consist of a high quality blend of assorted seeds and grains, as well as, specialized food pellets, containing a well balanced mixture of nutrients, vitamins and proteins, all targeted to the primary requirements for maintaining your hammie's optimum health. Food pellets are important vitally important in the care of hamsters, since they contain all of the essentials, whereas seed and grain mixes too often facilitate the picking and choosing of the most liked components, which in the end, leaves the diet lacking in one or more vital ingredients. Fresh fruits and vegetables will also supplement a well-balanced diet. And, it's extremely important to ensure the availability of clean drinking water, by providing a plastic bottle with a metallic sipper nozzle will prove to be both convenient and sanitary.

Dwarf hamsters generally behave quite socially when kept in same sex pairings, however fights can break out and separation may be necessary, so you should certainly be prepared to accommodate the individuals. Males and females should definitely be kept apart, unless of course breeding and caring for the resulting larger family is planned. And, while this may be difficult to believe, dwarf hamsters will often mate once again within 24 hours of giving birth. So, as you can see, separation of sexes is a genuine necessity.

Your choice of cage will necessarily depend upon your choice of hamster. The Chinese hamsters and Russian dwarf hamsters will still need as much room for their active lifestyle as their larger Syrian cousins, but care must be given to a bit more security, as they do have the reputation for escaping from enclosures designed for larger inhabitants. The Roborovski dwarf hamster is aptly named "the escape artist" for good reason. At roughly two inches in length, this little rodent can squeeze through the bars of a standard "wire-barred" small mammal cage. So, if you intend to make the Robo hamster your choice of pet, the best advice is to utilize a 10 or 20-gallon aquarium for safety and peace of mind. You'll also want to secure the top with a locking cover or lid to prevent intrusion by small kids or other house pets.

Hamsters are by nature, burrowing animals who live in holes and tunnels in the shallow underground in their native habitats. Consequently, they love a thick layer of bedding material covering the bottom of their cages. A two to three inch layer provides a depth that facilitates tunneling around in any direction. The safest type of bedding and nesting material should consist of non-aromatic wood shavings such as Aspen (no cedar or pine), hay, cellulose or dust-free paper products that are void of any chemical dyes or inks, thereby avoiding issues with allergies or respiratory irritants.

Rounding out the essentials needed to maintain your dwarf hamster's optimum health is the hamster wheel or ball. In the wild, these little critters will travel up to an incredible eight miles per day in search of food. Consequently, lots of exercise is critical, as an important daily ingredient in the health maintenance program for all captive hamsters. It's also helpful to allow them time out of the cage, whenever possible. It's an opportunity for them to do what they do best, by investigating their surroundings. Such out of cage interacting will also strengthen the bond between you and your affectionate little pet.

Copyright 2010 Walter Tekman. All rights reserved. Please feel free to share the entire contents of this article with your friends or post it on your site as long as it is left intact with all links unchanged, including this notice.

Walter Tekman is a pet hamster enthusiast and author of The Best Ever Guide To Dwarf Hamsters, available at http://www.careofhamsters.com/bestever.html. He spends much of his time advising others on how to setup and maintain the perfect hamster habitat, while selecting the best possible hamster as a pet. Go to http://www.careofhamsters.com/ for his complimentary 10-day free email mini-course, which reveals lots of tips, techniques and secrets for creating the greatest possible experience with your pet hamster.

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