"Our best resource for keeping our pets happy and healthy is each other."
Welcome
Happy Easter Everyone and Please….Don’t Give Live Chicks or Bunnies as Easter Gifts
If you are thinking of giving a live animal as a gift for Easter, please think again. The percentage of animals purchased as seasonal gifts have the lowest life expectancy of pets considered for any other reason. For one thing no animal is a product, they are living and breathing with feelings and needs all their own and they deserve your consideration and careful planning before bringing them home. If traditional candy filled Easter baskets are not your choice then consider alternatives that will captivate and engage your child just as well or better throughout the holiday such as stuffed cuddly animals, remote controlled robot critters or go virtual with a new app for the IPad or game for the Xbox. Then later after the holiday has passed if you are still considering a live pet you will have the necessary time to plan, set up a place in your home that is just right and have all the supplies your new family member will need. This will also give you the time to learn as much as you can about the care of your new pet in order to make the transition into your home as happy and stress free as possible.
If it’s information you need I’m happy to help. Feel free to contact me directly or browse the extensive selection of pet care books in the Critter Nook Pet Shop. I’m here for you.
Your Friend Kat
PetsSmart Charities: National Adoption Weekend, Friday – Sunday, Feb. 22-24, 2013
Saving Lives Through Adoption
Today, there are millions of lovable healthy dogs and cats that desperately need homes. Due to overpopulation of homeless pets, 4 million are euthanized every year, that’s 11,000 pets every day. For this reason, PetSmart has chosen not to sell dogs or cats and instead we joined forces with PetSmart Charities to help save the lives of pets through adoptions. Many homeless pets are purebred, so even if you’re looking for a particular breed, our adoptions program can help you find your next best friend.
How Can You Say No to Faces Like These…..
Save a Pet’s Life Today
You can find adoptable cats every day inside all PetSmart stores and adoptable dogs are available most weekends. When you adopt in store, PetSmart gives you savings on products & services to help you get started.
Critter Love “Fun Tips & Tricks” for Your Sugar Glider
There is SO much fun to have with Sugar Gliders. They love to play, glide, and run in wheels. They love to take apart toys (also known as reset toys) and carry them off to their pouches. They love to have fun with YOU!!
It is pure enjoyment just to sit and watch your little one explore their cage when you add in new toys.
Be sure to check out www.critterlove.com for all of your Sugar Glider needs whether you are considering a Sugar Glider as a pet for the first time or are looking for the best diet, toys and treats for your Sugar Glider family. As a Company, Critter Love is committed to high ethical standards. “Our values are driven by the desire to improve both the health and mental stimulation in the lives of Sugar Gliders and to educate the Sugar Glider owners with the most up to date information on proper care.”
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Tips: Daytime Bonding
The bond one creates with a Sugar Glider is like no other. These furry little critters wrap you around their opposable thumbs and love you for all of their lives.Getting to that point though is not always the easiest thing to do. Even hand raised joeys (joeys that are handled from day one out of pouch), can come to you with just a bit of an attitude (normally that attitude is nothing more than fear) and require what Sugar Gliders like the best from you…TIME!!Bonding methods for one Sugar Glider may be different for another, as each Sugar Glider has its own temperament and personality. Some will greet you with happy clicking and want to glide right in for love, others seem to be shy and distant.
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In the wild, our Sugar Gliders live in colonies of approximately 7-9. They are VERY social and VERY territorial animals. Therefore, one of the first things that is an important step, is getting your Sugar Glider used to your smell. This can be done in a number of ways.First of all, you can cut some fleece squares (known as *blankies*) for your glider and wear them on your person to get your scent all over it. I often encourage new owners to sleep with a piece of fleece close to their skin for a couple of nights, or under a shirt all day long while you work. After doing so, place fleece squares in the Sugar Glider pouches/nest box. This will allow the Sugar Glider to smell you the whole time it sleeps. Allowing the Sugar Glider to do this, will teach it that the smell of you is not a threat, and can find comfort with you.Another way is to carry your Sugar Glider with you during the day while it sleeps. A pouch that closes up securely is highly recommended. Often times the pouch is worn under your shirt, this method brings it closer to your skin and the Sugar Glider gets the smell of you.
The Link Between Humidity and Dehydration in Reptiles
Lets look at this from outside the box, forget about everything you have read before, written by heaven knows who and passed on just because they read it. I always find my answers by looking and observing nature. Give your input.
What does dehydration mean?
Up to 75% of the body’s weight is made up of water (I am not sure of the percentage with reptiles). Most of the water is found within the cells of the body (intra-cellular space). The rest is found in the extra-cellular space, which consists of the blood vessels (intra-vascular space) and the spaces between cells (interstitial space).
Dehydration occurs when the amount of water leaving the body is greater than the amount being taken in. Dehydration is not a disease but a condition characterized by the body’s depletion of fluid (water). Dehydration may also be accompanied by salt (sodium, chloride), or another electrolyte imbalance in the body.
Choosing the Right Rawhide Bone for Your Dog
Dogs love to chew. When we’re lucky, they chew on their toys. There are times when furniture and even pillows become very attractive, but that’s a different story. For the most part, a bone is your dog’s favorite treat (aside from the love you give them) and they love to chew on them.
But, there are a few important things to consider when it comes to your dog’s choice chewing selections because not all rawhide bones are made equal. Some might be too tough, others may be too soft, and there are even those that can hurt your dog in certain situations.
“Cage” is a Four Letter Word
I have gotten quite a few questions just lately related to repetitive behaviors in a wide variety of different species of small animals, however, this post is pertinent for animals of every size. The consistent theme revolves around a variety of behaviors including, but not limited to, mindless digging, biting at the bars of the “cage,” nose rubbing in reptiles, self induced feather plucking in birds, fur pulling in rats and repeated escape attempts in all of the above.
What all these behaviors have in common is the “cage” the animal is in, and I use the word “cage” in this case, because I’m referring to a place that an animal is locked into, that for whatever reason they aren’t happy with and don’t want to be. A happy pet is one, that after a period of interaction with their respective person retires to their home to eat, drink and rest willingly and happily. I use my pet rat Munchkin as an example. The first thing I do in the morning is say hello to her and open both her doors so that if she wants to she can come out get some attention from me and roam about the table her home is on looking for the food and treats that I laid out for her the night before. She is used to this routine and looks forward to it and I often find 
her waiting at her door to be let out. She enjoys foraging for her food, exploring her play area and generally running around. She collects her food for the day diligently, carrying each piece one at a time back to her enclosure, hiding each one in what she considers to be the appropriate spot. This goes on for about an hour in the morning at which time she generally goes into her home on her own, grooms herself and naps for a good part of the day. When I am finished with my morning coffee and she is asleep I close her doors for her safety, not because I’m afraid she will escape as with her there is no escaping, she is happy and content in her home. This routine is then repeated at the end of the day as well.
Raising Domestic Ducks – All You Need to Know
It’s easy to raise domestic ducks if you take your time and know how to take good care of them. The choice of meals is extremely essential in raising domestic ducks. You need to steer clear of giving your ducks junk food such as bread, fatty foods or spicy meals and rather choose non-medicated pellet mash, refreshing veggies, backyard snails, worms, bugs as well as other suggested wholesome duck foods. Also when buying meals for your ducks you should make sure that they include adequate levels of proteins because proteins are extremely important for correct growth of your ducks.
Most domestic ducks are poor at brooding and taking good care of their ducklings means you will probably have to use a hen to brood the ducklings or use artificial brooding for your ducklings. If you choose to use a hen to brood the ducklings, then you definitely should put the ducklings with the hen during the night to ensure that she can acknowledge them. When utilizing synthetic brooding, you need to select a dry, ventilated and a well lighted area that is totally free from drafts.
Is Chemical-Free Able to Keep Tick’s and Fleas Away?
Keeping our dogs happy and healthy requires a lot of attention. Proper diet, plenty of exercise, oral hygiene, regular baths, and most importantly keeping them bug-free. Fleas and Ticks aren’t just annoying and itchy; they are often host to many other nasty parasites, such as worms which can be detrimental to puppy health.
With all the different shampoos, collars, topical, and even consumable dietary supplements, it can be hard to choose one that works the best for your dog. While these repellents come in many different forms, they also come with many different chemicals, quite a few of which aren’t exactly the most health-friendly. In fact, some are so powerful that they recommend you don’t use them on animals less than three and even six months of age. Keeping a puppy inside for that length of time is definitely out of the question, so you may consider looking elsewhere, perhaps to the very natural aspects that nature can provide.
Needless to say, you still want to protect your pup, but you don’t want them to deal with all the harsh chemicals found in modern repellents. The natural way is the best way, and there are a growing number of these natural repellents entering the market, so keep your eyes on the “contents” label because it’s a trend that is definitely popular enough to grab some attention.
Eliminating Cat Dander – 5 Ways to Keep it Under Control
The protein in cat dander affects millions. Breathing high levels of it consistently can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms, and cause respiratory problems to develop in those who were otherwise healthy. Dander is dead flakes of skin that are constantly being shed to make way for newer healthier skin that is more able to protect from disease and infection.
This shedding process will continue throughout your pet’s life and so learning to deal with it effectively with allow you to live a healthier lifestyle while being able to enjoy your cat more. The main source of irritation is a protein in the dander called Fel d1 (Felis Domesticus 1). It is also found in saliva and urine. Symptoms from exposure include itchiness, watering eyes, closed throat, congestion, and frequent sneezing. And while there is no way to eliminate it completely as long as you have your pet, here are 5 things you can do to keep it to a minimum.
Rocky Adventure: Musings of a Once-Lonely Dog
Make a difference in a dogs life and by doing so, enrich your own. Always consider adoption first.
I can see Rocky through the fence. He’s such a carefree dog, finding a moment to relax regardless of what else may be happening at that moment. It’s difficult for me to imagine the pronounced difference between the past and present situations I am lucky enough to find myself in, mostly because I’ve been too busy enjoying the company of my new companions.
My new companion has brought me the strange comfort of friendship I had almost forgotten. At first I had been scared, finding myself in a new place full of new sights and smells, and the change was not readily welcomed. Not to mention the fact that there was another creature here, a stranger that was neither pup nor person. And it definitely wasn’t a cat. I had seen a cat once, the stripes and smell were unforgettable. My only regret had been that I couldn’t give chase. My leash had held fast, confining me to my small home and forcing me to forfeit one of the greatest opportunities a dog can enjoy. There was no chase that day.
