Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Fancy Winter Pet Clothes

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Now that winter is fast approaching, pet clothing is also fast becoming a necessity and slowly becoming a fashion statement. Pet owners out there should be prepared to dress their pets properly knowing that winter can be very harsh to their cute bundles of joy. But for those who really like to dress their pets up, then the climate can also be considered a blessing because of the fancy and cute winter pet clothes that are available.

Most common pet clothing during the cold winter months is snowsuits and rain suits. What's amazing about these clothes are that most of them are reversible, waterproof and comes with a cute hood. Also, these pet clothes come in very attractive colors and designs, which would make a pet look very admirable.

For those having dogs, there are doggie skin and all-weather dog shirts that are available. This kind of clothing comes in different styles and sizes, which is perfect for many kinds of breeds. Then there are also jackets and vests that are made for the stockier breed of dogs like pit bulls, bulldogs, and pugs. 

Last but not the list to consider in choosing winter pet clothes is the accessories that come along with it. Pets, especially dogs do not come in last when fashion is being talked about, and this is often displayed on how dog owners accessorize the clothing of their pets. Matching boots that comes in variety of color, size, and design add up to the pet's fancy get-up. Then there are also the fancy hats, which can add extra warmth.

Having comfortable clothes do not mean that one should not be enjoying the whims of fashion. This also applies in dressing pets. Just remember that pet clothing can become an extension of one's own fashion sense as well, so better make the pets look good and ready for the coming cold winter months.

Praline Ramirez is a writer for Pawstogo, an online pet boutique. Visit us at http://Pawstogo.com.

Article Source: Fancy Winter Pet Clothes

Monday, April 30, 2012

Scientific Confirmations for Animal Communication

Fluff on the phone
By Thom P Williams

Professional animal communicators use what is referred to as "external confirmations" to know they are connecting with the right animals and getting verifiable information. Usually these confirmations come from the pet parent or someone that has a relationship with the animal or works closely with them like a caretaker, a zoo attendant, etc.

During a couple of recent animal communication sessions I had unusual, external scientific confirmations. While communicating with the first client, there was an issue that had arisen outside their home in which a stranger cat was urinating all over the car port, including an area where she left food out for the outdoor cats she was taking care of. This situation began to develop into behavior changes and displaced aggression for both her two indoor/outdoor cats. During the communication session I asked her cats about the situation. The first cat told me "It was done by a black and white 'good for nothing fat cat' and this guy has been invading their territory for a few weeks. He comes around eating all the food the neighborhood ladies leave out for us and he's trying to take over the territory." So, my client's cat 'kicked his butt' and this invasive cat was very mad at hers. The client's second cat said, "Oh yeah, that is 'Fat Ass Jack', we all hate him, he comes around causing trouble and eating all the food."

My client happened to have a wireless wildlife camera system and set it up that evening in the carport. By early morning I had a high priority email waiting for me. She was so excited to share the photos. There, in all his glory, was 'Fat Ass Jack,' a huge black and white tuxedo mix breed cat wandering all over her car port, doing his business and trying to make claim to their property. After a couple of weeks the story took another twist. My client happened to come across the pet parent of Mr. Jack, who lived just a couple of blocks away from her home, and learned that his name for this wandering troublemaker is - Jake!

In a very odd coincidence, just three weeks later, I had another client all the way across the country who had two cats that were experiencing very similar displaced aggression symptoms. While I removed all my filters before doing the animal communication session, I still obviously asked what the problems were that were bothering each of the cats. Both of these cats described a big brown lumpy creature who was very aggressive that they called "Old Smelly." There was also a big orange striped cat who was living in the neighborhood that had no home, but was pretty mean to them. As with the previous client, this couple had purchased a wildlife camera set up. By the next day I had received an email saying "We cannot believe it, but we have photos of both the creatures you described, you were completely on target with both of them!" There was a big well fed ground hog coming into their porch every night and an old orange tabby following his trail just a short time later.

I have had external confirmations by almost all of my clients, but these were some of the most amazing scientific/photographic evidence that my animal communications were right on target!

Thom Williams. professional animal communicator & Reiki master, Thom@animalhealings.com, 941-321-8484, http://animalhealings.com

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Weirdest Celebrity Pets

Reese Witherspoon’s Donkeys


In 2010, animal lover and actress Reese Witherspoon got a pair of donkeys named Honky and Tonky after falling in love with some of her friends’ pets. “They’re just docile and sweet,” Witherspoon told Ellen DeGeneres in December. “I call them badonkadonks.” Now, they’re reportedly being a pain in the Oscar-winning actress’ badonkadonk. The donkeys have been making noise and angering Witherspoon’s neighbors, so much so that they sent her a letter to complain, Us Weekly reports. However, the donkeys are not Witherspoon’s only odd pets: She also has two pigs, three goats, 20 chickens, three dogs, and her very own pony. “I have one horse,” Witherspoon told DeGeneres. “It’s hanging with the donkey; it’s sweet.”
*Image is not of actual pet

George Clooney’s Pig


George Clooney’s longest relationship ever might have been with a pig. The actor owned Max, a 300-pound pig, for 18 years until the he died in 2006. “He was as old a pig as the vets had ever seen,” Clooney told People magazine. The bachelor was so close to Max that he sometimes allowed him to sleep in his bed and accompany him to interviews. His pet was so irreplaceable that when asked if he would get another pig, Clooney replied, “No, I think Max covered all my pig needs.”

Michael Jackson’s Chimp


Bubbles the chimpanzee was Michael Jackson’s constant companion in the late 1980s. In a videotaped interview, the eccentric singer stated that his pet would use his toilet, help him clean, and used a spoon and fork at the dinner table. Jackson also allegedly said that he and Bubbles shared a bed in the same video. But their honeymoon period ended by early 2002, when Bubbles was removed from Jackson’s Neverland Ranch because he became too aggressive. The following year, a depressed Bubbles reportedly attempted suicide, according to The Telegraph. But Bubbles is OK now and currently lives at the Center for Great Apes in Florida, where he spends his time painting and hanging out with other chimps. According to his trainers, he could easily live to age 60. Upon Jackson’s death, the chimp’s trainer told The Telegraph, “Bubbles definitely missed him when they parted and will miss him now.”

Tippi Hedren and Melanie Griffith’s Lion


She may have been running from Hitchcock’s Birds, but Tippi Hedren has a long-established love of lions. The actress allegedly kept a fully grown lion as a pet at one point, even though her daughter Melanie Griffith was bitten by one on the set of Roar in 1977. But Hedren now says that wild animals should not be kept as pets. In 1983, Hedren founded the Shambala Preserve to protect exotic animals. After the zoo at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch was shut down, his two tigers, Thriller and Sabu, were sent to live at Shambala. When Jackson passed away, Hedren said she had told the tigers that he died. “You don’t know what mental telepathy exists from the human to the animal. But I hope they understood,” Hedren told The Guardian.

Nicolas Cage’s Octopus


When money is no object, a man can acquire some interesting… and completely ridiculous items. Part of what led to Nicolas Cage’s financial struggles was his purchases of several yachts, a jet, a castle, more than 50 cars, and two islands. But most bizarre of all was his alleged $276,000 spending spree that included two king cobras—Moby and Sheba—and an octopus, New York magazine reported. Cage claims that he bought the octopus because it would help him with his acting, but unfortunately he had to say goodbye to his tentacled companion.
*Image is not of actual pet

Kristen Stewart’s Wolf-Dog Hybrids


Is Kristen Stewart secretly on Team Jacob? When the actress fell for a werewolf in The Twilight Saga, she may have been channeling her previous experience with the furry creatures. Stewart’s mother raises wolf-dog hybrids, which are legal in some states. The starlet told David Letterman that the oldest male Jack is “really sweet. He, like, falls at my feet.” When the late-night host reminded Stewart that wolf packs go around killing herds of elk, Stewart retorted, “And you know what? It’s such an awful thing because all the hunters have much more of a privilege to shoot them because that’s the only reason we’re killing the wolves, and it’s awful.” Edward Cullen better watch out.
*Image is not of actual pet

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Tortoise


After attending the North American Reptile Breeders Conference and Trade Show in 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio bought a 38-pound Sulcata tortoise for $400. TMZ reported that DiCaprio asked for the biggest tortoise they had. The actor’s 10-year-old tortoise could grow to as big as 200 pounds and he’s still basically a child–tortoises of that kind can easily live for 80 years!
*Image is not of actual pet

Rupert Grint’s Teacup Pig


Buying into trends has its consequences, as Harry Potter star Rupert Grint would know. In the midst of the U.K.’s teacup pig craze, Grint bought one of the tiny porkers, which can sell for up to $1,100. However, there was a rumor that Grint was actually ripped off and bought a normal pig instead. In response to the controversy, the actor told NBC in 2010 that the pig was getting “kind of big now. We’ve got him living outside now.” When asked if his pet species of choice is really the most intelligent, Grint replied, “I haven’t really seen proof of that yet.”

Paris Hilton’s Kinkajou


Hotel heiress Paris Hilton has had her fair share of pets. Though her Chihuahua Tinkerbell may be the most famous, Baby Luv, her pet kinkajou, an endangered mammal, is definitely the most rare. In 2005, Hilton was reportedly given notice that she had to give up Baby Luv because it is illegal to keep the animal in the U.S. The species is native to forests in South America and the pet could never have been house trained. In spite of all this, Hilton kept Baby Luv around until at least the following year when her beloved pet bit her on the arm. “It seems she thinks animals are as disposable as her friends and fiancés,” a rep for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said of Hilton.

Mike Tyson’s Pigeons


Though his pet tiger was stolen in The Hangover, in real life, Mike Tyson used to keep pet pigeons. At the age of 11, Tyson got into his first fight after a bully tore the head off of one the pigeons. Tyson now has a reality show about pigeon racing, much to the dismay of PETA. “This is what I love to do– this is a hobby I do with childhood friends, we battle against other friends,” Tyson told Entertainment Weekly of the activity. “It’s a really ancient sport, before Christ even.”

John Quincy Adams’ Alligator

Move over, Bo Obama! While many presidents have kept pets in the White House, the sixth, John Quincy Adams. reportedly owned an alligator while occupying the Oval Office. The Marquis de Lafayette gave Adams the odd pet, which he reportedly kept in a White House bathroom, along with his wife’s silkworms. And shockingly enough, Adams is not the only president to keep the biting reptiles around: Herbert Hoover allegedly had two gators that he sometimes let roam the White House grounds.

*Image is not of actual pet

Article source: thedailybeast.com



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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Adopt a Homeless Pet this Holiday Season


Similar to human beings, there are many homeless pets luring the streets of cities across the world. They have no where to rest, find clean water nor eat a good, nurturing meal. There are individuals who would save every animal on this earth, but we all know that is impossible.

Charities, such as PetsMart Charities, have made it their mission to find a lifelong, loving home for every homeless pet. They aspire to improve the quality for all pets by creating and supporting programs that save the lives of homeless pets and promote healthy relationships between people and pets.

According to PetSmart Charities' website, they try to maintain their initial vision by doing the following:

* Funding new and collaborative programs that save the lives of homeless pets
* Joining forces with thousands of animal-welfare agencies across the U.S. and Canada to create innovative animal-welfare solutions that we share with other animal-welfare organizations
* Providing immediately needed emergency relief, for both natural and man-made disasters
* Granting adoption rewards funding to animal-welfare Adoption Partners that participate in PetSmart Charities® Adoption Centers
* Lifting awareness of companion animal-welfare issues
* Promoting healthy and happy relationships between people and pets
* Conducting customer and associate fundraising programs, such as pin pad donations in PetSmart® stores and P.A.U.S.E. (PetSmart Associates United to Stop Euthanasia)

Want to help a homeless pet? PetSmart is giving you the opportunity to save a life this holiday season by adopting a pet during the PetSmart Charities Holiday National Adoption Weekend. This three-day event runs from Friday, November 12th through Sunday, November 14 at all 1,164 PetSmart stores in the U.S. and Canada.

Additional information is available at http://www.petsmartcharities.org

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Serving the Charlotte area, Queen City Pet Sitting offers an array of services worthy of any pet owners respect. Jump onboard the Pet Taxi for a ride to the veterinarian, order a quick grooming, or even ask for an errand run to return your late movie rentals. Whatever the case may be, these pet care sitters promise to get it done!




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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Protect Your Pet in Cold Winter Weather

By Norma Crozier



The cold weather seems to be upon most of Canada and the United States in the month of January. Your pets should be taken into consideration when the cold weather hits your area There are some guidelines to keep in mind for the winter months in protecting your pets.

Dogs should never be let off the lease in the snow or ice because they often lose their scent in this type of weather, may get away from the pet owner and be hard to find in this cold weather. They can become disoriented in the cold weather and therefore be lost to you being out too long in the cold.

People are warned to stay bundled up and inside in below temperatures this also applies to your pets. You must keep pets indoors as much as possible when temperatures are in the low freezing times when wind chill warnings are out. The effect on a person does not take long in the wind chill or pets.

You should never leave your pets- dogs, cats etc.outside in the cold weather unsupervised because you cannot tell unless you are with them how the cold is really affecting them. If there is some reason that you cannot bring your pet inside then try to make a place that is warm and away from drafts for them to sleep. Ensuring that they will be safe away from the winter chill. Provide some form of bedding which will give some insulation and help keep them warm. Straw for example will help protect them from the cold floor and provide some insulation.

Cold weather can affect a person's hands, face exposed places so you should take precautions with your pets as well. Clean your pet's paw's off before they come inside. The salt and ice-melting chemicals used on most streets during the winter months can burn dogs' paws. There are many new styles of winter boots or overshoes available now for dogs as well as the new pet-friendly ice melts now being carried in many pet stores. There is more and more new items available for protection of your pet in the winter. Also many stores now carry clothing in the forms of coats and sweaters for many pets. We must dress warmer in the winter for those temperatures so it is therefore necessary to prepare your pet as well.

We have all experienced strange noises at one time from out car start up. Be sure to knock on your car hoods before starting the engines because it is found that warm car engines provide an inviting place for cats and small animals to cozy up to for warmth not realizing the risks involved.

Antifreeze is another well known threat to pets and taken in large amounts can be harmful. . It is a sweet tasting treat which seem to attract animals and found more at this time of year on the ground. A precaution is to keep this poisonous substance from pets by wiping up any spills that may occur and by storing containers where they are not easy assessable by anyone except yourself. Antifreeze will not harm pets if taken swallowed in small amounts, but reactions can happen, because it is made from propylene glycol but can be poisonous if digested in large quantities. Any kind of alien chemical should not be of access to pets or anyone.

The winter is hard on everyone and people tend to take vitamins, apply more creams and lotions to keep their skin moist in the cold dry air. Pets also need supplements such as fatty-acid and skin conditioners for protection of their skin and coats through the winter months. Pets with short hair will be affected more with the cold.

Pets should not be left in a vehicle for a long period of time during the winter any more than in the summer months. The summer the vehicle can become a furnace well it is opposite for the winter and pets can pick up chills in a cold vehicle for long periods of time.

Heaven Pet Urns cares about your pets and the pet owners. We hope you will keep these guidelines in mind through the winter months when temperatures drop. Protect yourself and your pet because we care and it shows in our pet urn products and our thoughts.

author: N.Crozier owner of [http://www.heavenpeturns.com] I have always love animals and pets with a connection to them. I love people, socializing, community events. Visit us and find a quality pet cremation memorial urn, granite laser pet garden grave markers, granite laser memorial pet plaques, pet cremation jewelry keepsakes, memorial poem pet urns, Rainbow Bridge Pet Urns, Rock Memorial urns and markers, pet memorial trees and many more customized pet urns as dog urns, cat urns, family pet urns. Free engraving, shipping and more. Our pet urns not only show your love and respect for your pet dog, cat, bird, rabbit any family pet you may have but what they deserve.

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Do Chinchillas Make Good Pets

Frankie

Chinchillas are quick, perky little animals. I love them. If you have never met the acquaintance of one, they have a personality similar to a park squirrel.

Chinchillas have many characteristics that make them great pets. However, they are not suited for everyone. I do not suggest them for children because they are small and fragile and if they are squeezed too tight - they will bite. I prefer them to all other rodents because of their lack of unpleasant smell and unusually long life spans.

What Are Their Good Qualities?

Their good qualities include a beautiful soft lush fur, an inquisitive, boisterous nature and no objectionable noises. They are very low-maintenance pets.

They're a very clean animal. The video below shows how they clean themselves.

What Are Their Not-So-Good Qualities?

On the down side, chinchillas are somewhat high-strung, and they have relatively short attention spans. They also do not tolerate hot weather or high humidity well.

Where Do These Animals Come From?

Chinchillas originated in the Andes Mountains of South America where they inhabit crevices in the rocks. Chinchillas come in a variety of colors. The most common color is silvery gray; but the also come in white, beige, ebony and sapphire (super-violet) color.

What Are Some Characteristics Of Chinchillas?

Adult female chinchillas weight about a pound-and-a-half and are a bit bigger than males. Chinchillas can live 12 to 20 years – an exceptionally long life span for a rodent. They also have an exceptionally long pregnancy, 111 days. So babies pop out ready-to-go like their distant cousins, the guinea pigs. Chinchillas will not thrive above 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.8C) or in humidity over 40%.

Buying A Chinchilla

Unfortunately, pet stores are in business to make a profit - not to provide you with a friendly, healthy pet. Pet shops are the worst place to obtain a chinchilla. If you have not yet obtained your pet, go to a reputable breeder such as those that are members of The Chinchilla Club and ask the breeder for the phone number of satisfied clients in your area.

Chinchilla personalities are determined during their first month of age. They need to be handled and petted frequently after they are born or they will grow up skittish and aggressive. An ideal age to purchase your chinchilla is 10 weeks of age.

If possible, check both the parents and the youngster for problems before you become attached to a Chinchilla. Be cautious of watery or pasty eyes, drooling (tooth alignment problems), wool pulling or missing areas of fur. I prefer to buy directly from a breeder I trust or one who willingly supplies me with satisfied contacts who have purchased her animals. Most of the problem animals I see were purchased through pet stores. Common problems I see in pet store purchased chinchillas are wool pulling due to boredom and stress and malocclusion due to improper diet and genetics. Aggression is a problem in animals not socialized to people at a young enough age.

Do's-and-don'ts With Chinchillas:

Chinchillas allowed to run free in the house will slowly but surely chew it down. Besides this, through their indiscriminate chewing they will be exposed to many household toxins.

I like to keep a chinchilla in no smaller than a 6’ x6’ x 4’ mesh cage with a galvanized droppings pan. If the galvanize is new, I wash it thoroughly with vinegar. The galvanized cage coating has been known to be toxic when chewed. Powder-coated metals are apparently safe. Imported Chinese-made cages may be coated with lead-containing paint. If you make the pen, the ABS plastic pan that is supplied with collapsible dog crates works well - it the chinchillas can not reach it to chew on (they need an exposed corner to get started).

Chinchillas love cardboard boxes to hide in and destroy as well as ledge shelves to bask on. They also love dust bathing. I supply them with cornstarch or corn meal in a shallow dish or crock. Beware of plastic toys or cage parts that the chinchilla might ingest.

The floor of your pet's cage should be solid – never wire. Wire floor housed chinchillas eventually end up with arthritis of the foot. I prefer pine shaving or corncob bedding. Chinchillas do not do well on cedar chips. Cedar smells pleasant, but it contains natural chemicals that can be toxic. That is why insects do not bother the tree.

Cages need to be cleaned every two days. You can sprinkle baking soda in the corner the Chinchilla uses to eliminate. Locate your cage out of drafts and strong direct sunlight.


As a food bowl, I prefer a human-quality food crocks (no lead glaze). All chinchillas need a water bottle with ball bearing sipper tube. It is a good idea to purchase a metal shielding for plastic water bottles as chinchillas quickly chew through the bottles.


A large specialty activity wheel is a real treat for active chinchillas. They can be purchased over the internet. Chinchillas need more exercise than most cages will accommodate. Chinchilla-proofing an exercise room is a challenge. These rodents will gnaw all wiring and wooden base molding and trim. Some bitters mist or triple no-chew spray from a pet store might discourage this behavior.


Chinchillas have an insatiable desire to gnaw. That is because chinchillas, like all rodents, have teeth that grow out continuously through life. These teeth must be continually worn down by gnawing. Be sure there are plenty of things for the pet to chew within his cage. Good chewing blocks are pieces of hard rock maple, non-resinous pine, fruit woods and beech. Deer antler and bone also make good gnawing blocks.


Given its choice, a chinchilla will select a diet far too rich for itself. They love pizza crust, chetos, raisins, apple and the like. However these items given more than occasionally will soon lead to digestive upsets, loose stools and eventual death.

The Chinchilla’s primary diet (90%) should consist of chinchilla or guinea pig chow (Mazuri 5M01, ZuPreem, Purina or equivalent). This can be supplemented with coarse alfalfa and timothy hay, endive, escarole and spinach. Some alfalfa is entirely too rich. Do not feed beans, corn, sweet potato apples and carrots. They are too rich in carbohydrates and sugars.

Carbohydrates , including sugars, poison the normal intestinal flora (bacteria yeasts and molds) of the chinchilla. Raisins, bits of fruit and fruit roll-ups should be reserved as occasional treats and training aids or not given at all.


Keep a mineral/salt block from a feed store or chinchilla supply in the cage.

I have never read that chinchillas needed vitamin C. Guinea Pigs do require vitamin C. However, many owners feed rose hips to chinchillas. These should be OK in minute quantities (no more than 10 iu ascorbic acid per day).

Training Your Chinchilla

Chinchillas are relatively easy to train. The secret is in using food treats as encouragement. They should quickly learn to come to the scent of a raisin. Next, use a cupped hand as a cradle for the animal while coaxing him with a raisin in the other hand. Soon it should trust you enough to hop into your outstretched hand and hop to your shoulder and let you pet him/her.

Chinchillas are creatures of habit with strong internal clocks. Play with the pet at the same time each day and let him know what to expect.


Portions of cement blocks allow for your chinchilla’s toenails to wear naturally. You may still need to trim them every 3-4 months with a human toenail clipper. I suggest that you have your pet’s fecal specimen examined twice during the first year of life. After that examination is optional.

You may want to clip the hair surrounding your pets anus to prevent soiling. Generally, chinchillas with soiled posteriors are chinchillas that are eating too rich a diet. Any change in consistency of their droppings is a cause for concern.

Chinchilla Health:

Teeth

Because chinchilla teeth grow up to 10 inches a year, tooth apposition problems are relatively common. Some feel this problem is genetics; others feel it is due to improper calcium/phosphorus content of their diets. Both factors probably play a part in this condition.

Lead paint

Lead paint ingestion in houses constructed before the late 1960’s can also be a problem. Beyond these problems, chinchillas generally have healthy long lives. This is another reason they make great pets.

Ringworm

I occasionally see Chinchillas with ringworm. Sometimes, the pet's fur coat appears normal - but it is the owner who develops a ringworm lesion. Another form of ringworm is also common in large chinchilla farms - particularly those supplying the fur trade. It is caused by a similar fungus, T. mentagrophytes. Chinchillas with this problem loose their hair and develop and scabby red spots on their nose, feet, and around their eyes. Two medications, griseofulvin or itraconazole will cure it.

Intestinal Problems (Enteritis)

This is caused by feeding the wrong diet, crowding or poor sanitation. Pet shop stress can also be a factor. When the pet's diet does not contain sufficient fiber or contains too much carbohydrates, their "good" bacteria die and organisms such as E. coli, salmonella, pseudomonas or giardia take advantage of the situation. Treating them is a challenge because they are so small and have minimal body reserves to fall back on.

Respiratory Infections

Pneumonia, sneezing and upper respiratory infections and eye drainage are problems associated with poor sanitation, crowding, improper temperature and a deficient diet. You can avoid these problems by purchasing your pet from a reliable source. Once the pet has this problem, only TLC and antibiotics might cure it. Even once your pet has recoverered, it may still harbor the bacteria for a long time. So you must continue to keep it in a low stress situation.

Slobbers

When a chinchilla's teeth do not line up properly they will overgrow and cause the pet to drool and loose weight. This is called malocclusion. In many cases, the problem is genetic. In others, it is due to an early mineral-deficient diet. If your pet developes this problem, its teeth will need to be clipped or sawed off periodically.

Barbers

This is only a problem when several chinchillas are kept together in close quarters. It is the chinchilla without the missing fur that is the culprit. It it do to boredom and stress.

Heat Stroke

Because these pets are native to the cool, dry Andes Mountains of South America, they do not take heat or humidity well. They do best in the United States when their quarters are well ventilated, shaded and air conditioned during hot weather. Sudden colapse or weakness in a hot environment may signal heat stroke. These pets will be breathing rapidly and may feel hot to the touch. They should be misted off and massaged immediately with cool water to which a drop of dish washing soap has been added.

This cute poofy guy is a royal Persian angora chinchilla


Article source: 2ndchance.info



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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

5 Questions to Ask Before Bringing Home an Exotic Pet

By CS Swarens


A super cute baby sloth


Are you considering purchasing an exotic pet? If so, you aren't alone. A growing number of people are deciding to adopt exotic pets for a wide variety of reasons. But, are you really prepared to bring home an adopted pet? Before you go out and make a purchase, be sure to provide yourself honest answers to a few important questions.

Why Do I Want an Exotic Pet?

The first question you should ask yourself is why you want to purchase an exotic pet in the first place. Is it an impulse purchase because you fell in love with the little critter while stopping in at the pet shop? Do you want the pet because you think it seems cool to own one? Are you trying to be part of the latest fad? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, you should really reconsider making the purchase. Remember, taking home a pet requires making a long-term commitment and, once the novelty wears off, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the time and effort required to keep many exotic pets healthy and happy.

Am I Able to Care for the Exotic Pet?

In addition to requiring a time commitment, many exotic pets also require making a substantial monetary commitment as well. In fact, you will likely need to purchase special housing and supplies for your pet. Depending on the availability of specialists you may need to travel an extended distance or pay a premium price for veterinary care.

Is it Legal?

Many exotic pets are illegal to own in certain areas or, even if a pet is legal to own, certain jurisdictions may restrict the ownership of certain pets. Even if a pet store is selling the pet, don't automatically assume it is legal for you to own one. In some cases, you may have to complete certain paperwork in order to be legally permitted to own a pet. So, make certain you are aware of the proper procedures and that you follow them. Otherwise, you may find yourself in legal trouble and you may lose a pet that you have become attached to.

Does the Pet Suit My Household?

When deciding whether or not a pet is right for you, you should also consider your current household situation. Do you already have pets at home? If so, how well will your current pet or pets get along with your new pet? Are the types of pets compatible?

If you have children, you should also consider whether or not the pet is a good fit with your children. Consider the safety and welfare of both your children and your pet before bringing it home.

Do I Know How to Properly Care for the Pet?

Many exotic pet owners make the mistake of bringing home a pet before they really learn how to care for it. Make certain you are aware of the feeding and housing requirements for your pet before you bring it home. You also need to know how long your pet is likely to live and how large it can become. That way, you are prepared to accommodate your pet as it grows larger and its needs change.

Owning an exotic pet can be very exciting and fun. At the same time, exotic pets can be time consuming and expensive to care for. Therefore, you should be certain to do your research and to make sure you are prepared for the commitment before you bring one home.

CS Swarens is the CEO of Find a Pet Online. 800 998-7065

For additional information on dogs, cats, birds, horses, and exotic pets visit the internet's resource for pets for sale.

Research pet information with detailed profiles of over 430 pet breeds.

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