ISSUE #7 OCTOBER 2010 FREE TO SUBSCRIBE
BARKING MAD ~ CATS MEOW~ FEATHERED FRIENDS ~ KIDS PAGE PET PAPARAZZI ~ FEATURE ARTICLE ~ PET GOURMET ~ Q & A
COVER ART
Kassy ( Tag 900941) is 10 years of age and has lots of love to give. She is a sleek beauty who is very friendly and looking for someone to fill her days with affection and napping. Why not adopt your very own black cat this Halloween. She can be adopted from AWL for $50. ->
“KAOS” By the AWL Gold Coast Meet Farmer and his new wife, Amber! Farmer is a 17-month-old German Shepherd cross Bull Arab who was surrendered to us because he was chasing the livestock.! Farmer and Amber were both distressed about the changes so they were placed in the same pen. Farmer & Amber are much happier together and Amber is now eating well as a result. They have beautiful, gentle natures and love their cuddles. Both can be adopted for $170. each
All AWL animals are de sexed, micro chipped, vaccinated, wormed, flea treated, health and sociability checked. In addition to this, our animals have a 10 day health guarantee (covering any illness arising as a result of having been in our care), and a 21 day ‘settling-in warranty’. They also offer the Friends For Life dog training program for new owners. Puddy Woody (tag 521891) is a gorgeous 6 year old tabby cat. Puddy is a very sweet and friendly puss that is wonderful with children and a very affectionate companion. He loves to sunbake during the day and in the evening would be happy to sit on a comfy lap and purr the night away He can be adopted for $70.
Froggy (tag 207035) is a highly active and extremely affectionate Staffy cross Cattle dog. She is just 12 months old and will need a new owner committed to training and ongoing socialization with her until she is fully mature. She can be adopted for $170 .
Figaro (Tag 901162) is 3 years old. He is a very big boy, with a very laid back, relaxed and loving personality - a true gentle giant. He can be adopted for $70. The AWL Qld does not receive Government funding for its welfare work and is therefore reliant on volunteers and the community’s generosity. With the average cost being $400 per animal we rehome, the AWL Qld runs at a large loss when rehoming our animals.
http://www.awlqld.com.au/ Phone: 07 5509 9000
Contributors:
Animal Welfare League Gold Coast Tim Gorman Pet Peoples Place Kaye Dennan - Parrot Expert. The Rabbit Patch John Hammond - Journalist
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Lisa A Collins- Poodle Enthusiast Steve Challis - Aquaculture Rolf Lampo Anne Sterck - Siamese Cat Enthusiast Preston Blackmore - Hermit Crab Enthusiast.
Thank you. Page 2
Disclaimer Notice: The information, images and graphic design (artwork) contained on this web site is owned by Pet Scene Magazine and/ or the original authors where applicable. Information contained in any of the articles is not necessarily the direct opinion of Pet Scene Magazine and, where applicable, does not take the place of a consultation with a qualified and competent veterinarian. Veterinarian advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each patient. Pet Scene Magazine tries to provide quality information but we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained herein.
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Contents: Contributors...................................................................................2 Welcome........................................................................................3 See how owning a pet fish can be a great way to increase the bond and love within a family..................................................................6
Pet Gourmet.................................................................................10 Halloween Trick or Treats Kids Corner...................................................................................11
Feathered Friends........................................................................12 Parrots Feeding- where is the “crop� in your parrot. Pet Paparazzi...............................................................................14
Diabetes often overlooked in elderly horses................................16
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Summer furballs and your Rabbit..................................................18 Advice from The Rabbit Patch. The perfect family pet is only a click away.....................................20 Ask Mr Beefy Q & A.......................................................................21 Barking Mad..................................................................................22 The Poodle How to breed Siamese Fighting Fish............................................24
Cats are Amazing..........................................................................26 World Record Breaking Cats
Do’s and Don’ts of Pet Keeping....................................................28 The Cats Meow.............................................................................30 The Siamese 7 Reasons to clean a Hermit Crab aquarium................................32
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See How Owning A Pet Fish Can Increase The Bond And Love W By Tim Gorman
I was interested in finding a pet fish for my son’s 6th birthday. We went to the fish store. The idea is that a pet fish would be an ideal tidy little pet that would not require a lot of maintenance.
We purchased two goldfish. We were not trying to innovative or buy some rare tropical fish. All we wanted was a couple of healthy fish.
We chose a small Aquarium that Fish are beautiful and come in a fit the size and number of the lot of colors. Children respond two gold fish we selected. It was to pets. Having a pet is said to interesting to watch the transteach responsibility to a child. formation Fish are the perfect first pet because a child can actually care when my son developed from a little boy to the proud owner for the fish. We decided to get and caretaker for the fish. some fresh water fish as opposed to salt water. This was our first time owning a fish so we did not want to buy fish that we could not care for. Fish do not require heavy maintenance. It was easy to have the pet store show my son what he should do each day to make sure the fish was taken care of. www.petscenemagazine.com.au
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Be A Great Way To Within A Family The supplies for our little pet fish costs over $100.00, We just wanted to put the fish in a little bowl but were persuaded to purchase an aquarium that included all of the following items to make the fish more comfortable.
I opted to purchase the little flakes. I kept this information about the meat eaters to myself. I told my son that he could be almost exclusively responsible for feeding the new gold fish. Naturally this filled him with some great delight.
Aquarium hoods Aquarium Plants Aquarium Water Conditioners Aquarium Thermometers Aquarium Lights Aquarium Filters Aquarium Air Pumps Aquarium Heaters Aquarium Fish Nets Aquarium Gravel In addition to all those items we had to buy fish food. I did not know that goldfish are omnivores. That means they eat either other animals or plants. To think that gold fish actually eat vegetables and meat made me squeamish. www.petscenemagazine.com.au
We took the fish, the aquarium and all the associated equipmenthome. We started immediately putting the ac together. The aquarium was really beautiful with the plants, castles and brightly colored stones. We followed the instructions that we were given . Page 7
Continued... The store’s customer service representative encouraged us to slowly introduce the fish to its new environment It took over an hour to get the aquarium set up. We dropped the fish into the tank still in the plastic bag
We had just added new members to our family. We were responsible for feeding these omnivores food on a daily basis. We had to keep the water clean. There are a lot of health hazards that we needed to be aware of and the fish food needed to be of high quality.
filled with water. The fish were a beautiful gold color. We purchased a book on goldfish. I read the instructions and information about this breed of fish. I discovered that the name goldfish is a misnomer as all fish of that breed are not gold in color. Some goldfish have different patches of black The temperature in the house or silver. had to be level.
Pets are a great way to bond a www.petscenemagazine.com.au
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family. My son and I take care of the fish together. The fish are happy and healthy My son loves watching the fish swim in the new aquarium. They are thriving in the clean fresh water. My son is diligent about feeding the gold fish. I thank son for that.
For more information on freshwater pet fish [http://www.petfish-super-guide.info/Freshwater-Pet-Fish.html] please visit Pet-Fish-Super-Guide.info where you will find helpful information on saltwater pet fish, saltwater tanks and freshwater fish tanks [http://www.pet-fishsuper-guide.info/FreshwaterTanks.html] www.petscenemagazine.com.au
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Pet Gourmet TRICK OR TREAT Creepy Cat Cakes: Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg (beaten)
1 teaspoon all spice
2 tablespoons water.
Method: Place flour, rolled oats, baking powder and all spice in a bowl to combine all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together pumpkin, honey, egg and water. add your wet and dry ingredients and stir to combine. Spray the inside of a cat mould with cooking oil. Spoon mixture into the mould to within 1/4 inch of the top. Bake at 200 degrees celcius for aprox 20min. remove from the oven and let cool for 5 min before removing from the mould. Continue to cool then decorate. ( carob or yoghurt pet safe chocolate recommended.) __________________________________________
Pumpkin Pups: Ingredients: 250g whole wheat flour. 100g wheat germ 200g cooked pumpkin (mashed) 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons honey. Method: Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. Roll out dough on a floured surface to a 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter of your desired shape, cut out your shapes. Place cookies on a baking paper lined tray and bake at 170 degrees celcius for 30-35 min. Allow to cool. Can be stored in the freezer. www.petscenemagazine.com.au
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Make your own black cat trick or treat boxes at: http://www.allfreeprintables.com/halloween/cat.shtml
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Parrot Feeding - Where is the “crop” in your parrot. By Kaye Dennan
Purpose Of The Crop: Having a crop as part of the digestive track, the parrot can gorge on food when it is available and then sit back and digest the food at a later stage. This works in that the The physical makeup of a first food being eaten goes parrot regarding its feeding is through to the gizzard and controlled by an organ called then when that is full the folthe ‘crop’. Feeding a parrot is lowing food goes to the crop, not just a matter of putting acting like a second ‘stomach’. food in the cage and letting the parrot do its own thing, The crop is a small bag of it is a matter of observing skin surrounded by muscles the amount it eats each day and how the bird is reacting and situated approximately half way down the esophato food. The health of a pargus on the way to the gizrot can be greatly affected zard (stomach). The crop if there is no understanding allows the parrot to store of the role of the crop in the extra food that it has found. feeding process. When the stomach is empty the muscles surrounding the crop move the food up to the opening of the crop and then down into the stomach. This system works well for www.petscenemagazine.com.au
birds who cannot always find food available when they are hungry. The crop needs to be emptied at least once a day so that food does not remain there and go rancid. If the food is not emptied each day there is the risk of food spoilage and this then causes ‘sour crop’ which is a very dangerous health risk for a parrot. This is why it is a good idea to feed a parrot with two meals a day and with only a few nibbles in between. From the outside of the parrot the crop can be felt behind the breast feathers. This is handy to know because if you ever wonder if the parrot has had food you can actually feel the crop and if it is full it will feel like a little bag of food. If the bird has been Page 12
proper feeding methods to ensure the safety of the baby parrot.
Knowing how to treat a parrot pet will give him the best chance for a long and happy life. Have lots of fun with your parrot as you teach him Bacterial Infection Causing new parrot tricks and at Pet Sour Crop: Parrot Secrets http://petparSour crop can also be caused rotsecrets.com, you will also eating grains it will feel quite by a bacterial infection which learn how to take great care gravelly, but if it has been may not have anything to do of him so he is around for eating fruit it may not feel so with the amount of food that many years to come. Come lumpy. The crop should never the parrot has eaten. It could and join up to my FREE minibe so full that it feels hard, be that some food it ate was course ‘10 Secrets to Caring it should always feel a little infected or the existing bacfor a Pet Parrot’. soft. teria in the crop, that is always present, has worsened through natural progression. Hand-Feeding Baby This can be fixed by a visit to Parrots: a vet who will flush the crop Hand-feeding of baby parout and put the bird on some rots needs extra care because medication. their crop will extend so much that it becomes hard and the skin stretches which Parrot owners will feel so will cause major problems at much more capable when they understand about the a later date as the muscles will have become weakened digestion of a parrot as it can cause major problems if not by this process. The process managed correctly. of hand-feeding a baby parrot is quite complicated and if you plan on doing this by raising baby parrots then take the time to research the
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Diabetes Often Overlooked In Elderly Horses Hampshire, United Kingdom The incidence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus in horses is very low, but some veterinary researchers think this might be because it’s clinical signs are overlooked and under-recognized. A team from the Liphook Equine Hospital in England thinks there needs to be a greater awareness of the condition and therapeutic considerations of diabetes in elderly horses, and that there needs to be more investigation into the pharmacological management of horses with diabetes. They think that Type 2 diabetes should be more frequently considered as a diagnosis in elderly horses and ponies that are suffering from weight loss, increased thirst and other clinical signs of diabetes. Where such cases are encountered, the team thinks that clinicians should offer treatment and management advice.
Despite the fact that all 3 horses had what is termed as “end-stage” Type 2 diabetes, in which there is marked insulin resistance and sever pancreatic beta cell dysfunction, all 3 horses were returned to normal blood sugar levels (normoglycaemia) following treatment. Treatment included dietary modification, metformin and glibenclamide (antidiabetic drugs), and pergolide (a dopamine receptor agonist). The team noted that drugs used for diabetes in other species have not been adequately tested in horses. This news story is independently sourced and PetPeoplesPlace.com does not specifically endorse products or services offered by any company referenced in this article, or benefit from any association with any companies referenced.
In a paper titled “Type 2 diabetes mellitus with pancreatic 13 cell dysfunction in 3 horses confirmed with minimal model analysis”, published in the December 2009 edition of Equine Veterinary Journal, Andy Durham and his team investigated 3 cases of diabetes mellitus using a specific test for insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta cell function in order to accurately define and characterize the existence of Type 2 diabetes in the 3 subjects. www.petscenemagazine.com.au
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SUMMER FUR BALLS & As the weather warms up it is important that we start to prepare ourselves. Bunnies have health issues just like us humans so on this page you may find the answer to a problem that you may be experiencing with your furry friend. If you do then we hope the articles provided by us are of a help to you. Is your little mate looking very full in the tummy but not eating or just picking at his or her food? A quick test is to gently palpitate your hands on either side of the bunny’s abdomen and see if you can feel a mass of some sort. If you can, then chances are your little mate has got fur blockage or Furball. If you don’t want your little mate to die then you will have to take immediate steps to prevent and cure this problem.
fewer, and sometimes diarrhoea and bloating occurs. When my bunnies are going through a moult they favour all the fresh stuff I give them which includes fresh fruit, grass and other plant food and grass hay and leave their pellet mix. When I first see that they are leaving their pellet mix, I remove it altogether and instead, give them extra roughage in the form of dead leaves and branches off shrubs plus fresh fruit and veggies to help soften the furball and get it moving through the bunnies system and passed out.
reason that they need to drink more water to help loosen up the mass, soften it and break it up to get it moving. If you see the tell-tale signs of furball in your bunny’s pellets, give him a gentle tummy massage to help break up the mass and initially, some type of dog or cat laxative to help pass the furball as they can’t cough it up like a cat or dog. Any good dog or cat laxative will do and you just follow the directions on dosage for puppies or kitten If you don’t catch the furball problem in the early stages, and only notice when the bunny goes off it’s tucker all together
Furball Blockage During the hot summer weather, the bunnies will be having extra heavy moults and as a result will have a lot fur to get rid of. Consequently, they will have potential furball problems. Symptoms of furball include; their pellets (number twos) will show signs of being strung together like a string of beads, the size of their pellets is smaller and become
Gently palpate your bunny’s tummy just below their ribs and if you feel a mass then it is 100% sure that your bunny has a gut problem and the most common gut problems are furball or gas. The biggest factor with furball is that your bunny becomes de-hydrated due to the mass of fur and hence the
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then you will need to medicate your bunny further to help it pass the fur through it’s system. At this stage your bunny will, more than likely need re-hydrating which is a priority. The best way of helping your bunny pass the furball and to re-hydrate it is to firstly take away the bunny’s pellets and any other concen-
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YOUR RABBIT
By The Rabbit Patch
trated foodstuffs that you may be feeding it and replace them with pieces of fresh fruit and veggies in the form of pineapple or papaya, parsley or broccoli etc. Then feed it a small amount of fresh pineapple or papaya juice. It is widely known that the juice of these two fruits in particular have enzyme content which helps loosen up the mass. If it won’t take the juice voluntarily you will have to force feed your bunny the juice in a syringe. Refer to the pictures in the health check procedure for method of positioning bunny prior to administering medicine making sure that you feed the liquid through the side of the mouth and don’t cram it down the back of its throat. I usually feed about 10mls of juice and give a gentle tummy massage. Then I put it in the playpen to see what it will do. I don’t put it into its cage because I want to encourage it to move and hop about. This exercise helps break the mass up and get it moving. If it is put back into its cage it will just sit in a corner and not move. Sometimes the above strategy is enough to get your bunny drinking juice or water by itself and then start tucking into all the fresh goodies that you have provided it as mentioned previously. If this is the case, your bunny most probably had gas or furball. If your bunny still refuses to eat or drink take it to your pet vet. If the vet is not sure of the bunny’s problem he/she will more than likely give your bunny an injection to stimulate its appetite and ask you to return the next day if it doesn’t work. Take your bunny home and repeat the juice and massage process and put it back in the playpen to check the progress. In 90% of cases this will get you bunny’s bowels moving as the mass is softened and starts dissipating whilst your little mate gets stuck into
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its tucker and comes back to its normal happy self. Having a furball may only be part of the problem; there could also be other gut problems such as enteritis, gas build-up, gastrointestinal stasis or constipation. The other 10% will have to be taken to the vet to try and find out the cause and may have to be operated on to remove the obstruction. © September 2007 Trish Ratford from ‘The Rabbit Patch’
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The perfect family pet is only a click away With hundreds of thousands of pets abandoned and surrendered annually in Australia[i], Purina and the Animal Welfare League are calling on families to choose the right pet for their family and lifestyle, and as a result, help reduce the number of pets mistreated and neglected every year.
Combining over 80 years of global experience in pet care and nutrition, the dog and cat breed selector program gives Australians the opportunity to answer simple questions about their current lifestyle and reasons for wanting a pet. Once completed, the program will recommend two or three breeds that best suit the family needs and lifestyle.
To help reduce the number of abandoned and surrendered animals and assist in this decision making process, Purina has launched a dog and cat breed selector program, to ensure families make the right decision the first time.
It may seem like an easy decision, but I really encourage families to consider all the factors, not just the enjoyment of having a family dog or cat.
Purina’s resident animal behaviourist, Dr. Jo Righetti, says choosing the right family pet is an important decision and encourages parents to do their research online first, to make sure that their potential pet will aptly suit the family lifestyle. “You will be sharing your life with this special furry creature for a long time, so consider your resources such as time, money and patience. “For instance, dogs are great companions, but do require lots of owner time and some breeds are more energetic than others. Cats on the other hand are well suited to inner city living, but still require company,” said Dr Righetti. The interactive portal can be found at www. purina.com.au, and is a free and easy to use tool, which can be used by families to determine which cat or dog breed would be most suitable. For those who are unsure of the type of breed they want, Purina has also launched an extensive dog breed and cat breed library.
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“There are a myriad of factors to consider such as the amount of quality time that can be truly given to your pet, unexpected expenses from vet care to pet accessories, right through to other pets in the family home. “Once the correct research has been applied online and externally, it is a wonderful decision to make and involve the entire family. Giving love, care, support and time for a family pet is the most rewarding experience as they are most likely to give the same if not more, equal love and time,” concluded Dr Righetti. For more information or to use the Purina dog and cat breed selector programs, visit www.purina.com.au or contact the Purina PetCare Advice Centre on 1800 738 238.
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Q: Why do some people think Black Cats bring bad luck? A: The belief that black cats are bad luck manifested itself during the middle ages, predominantly in Europe. Prior to this and in many other cultures Cats were worshiped and in many instances thought of as bringing good luck, such as seen in Egyptian and Chinese history. During the middle ages many people of the Pagan faith kept animals and particularly cats as pets, believed to be very spiritual mystical animals with a 6th sense. So during the 14th century at the time of the witch trials propaganda was started associating cats with witchcraft and black magic. Stories were passed around speculating that cats were kept to carry out a witches evil work or that witches could turn into cats. These ideas probably got started because of the cat’s natural air of mystery, it’s cunning and habit of being active at night. Black cats may have seemed especially dangerous because they were harder to see in the dark than their fellow felines. The superstition about a black cat crossing ones path came from a belief that the cat was marking a path to the devil. Thankfully once a cats worth was understood people began to treat them with more respect.
Q: A friend told me that a plant I have in my garden with purple and white flowers all over it, isn’t safe to have with my dog after they saw a case of poisoning on Bondi Vet, is this true? A: The plant your friend is referring to is commonly known as Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow (Brunfelsia) and it is prolifically in flower during spring. It is easily recognisable by its blanket of Purple and White flowers, which change colour over a number of days during bloom. When an inquisitive pet with a lack of dietary discretion is combined with Brunfelsia, all too often the result is the ingestion of this extremely toxic plant, resulting in emergency veterinary treatment and often large medical bills. That is, if the cause can be identified in time. The toxin affects the brain and rages through the dogs system causing seizures and uncontrollable shaking. The dog needs to be stabilised quickly before the situation becomes critical. In the words of Dr Lisa “People need to know that if they have got a dog and they’ve got Brunfelsia growing in the garden they need to rip it out”
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Barking Mad
The Poodle
Poodles are not only beautiful to behold, but they also have a most endearing type of personality, which is what makes them much sought after today. As for its physical characteristics, it is a breed that has two different varieties of coats, which are the corded and curly coats, though the corded coated Poodle is pretty rarely found in the United States. Poodles also have three main sizes that are Standard, Miniature as well as Toy and thus will suit different lifestyles as well. Also, Poodles come in a variety of colors though black and also white are their most common colors. Another facet to the personality of a Poodle is its ability to pick up things very fast and a Poodle is also famous for being energetic and sometimes will even be termed as a clownish dog because of its natural ability to perform tricks. Poodles are also intelligent to a remarkable extent and there are even some people that opine that Poodles are in fact able to reason for themselves and they can also attune them to whichever environment they encounter. What’s more, a Poodle is also a very versatile creature and though originally bred to retrieve game, it is now famous for being a family pet dog. Poodles are well known for their love for human beings and they are also very good around children, and, in addition, their hunting dog characteristics that have remained with them over the ages have also made them ideal watchdogs as well, especially in the case of a Standard Poodle. However, Miniature Poodles as well as the Toy version will also make good watchdogs and they too will be very alert and quick to warn you should any stranger approach them. Poodles would have made excellent guard dogs as well but their small size is a limiting factor though even then the
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The Poodle “Performer Of Tricks.� By Ursula Poodle is a very bold animal and he also exudes much confidence and is not known to easily back down when facing other animals and even strangers. Though Poodles are docile creatures, when left to play with small children, it is still advisable to supervise them because in the presence of children who may not know how to treat with a Poodle, it could lead to him being ill treated, thus leading to the Poodle losing its trust in children and acting unpredictably as a consequence. It goes without saying that Poodles are excellent pet dogs that possess a good nature and are also very intelligent dogs that can adapt well to any surroundings. Poodles love human company and so require a lot of attention and love. And once they are showered with love and affection will soon develop a strong bond with their owners that will last throughout their lifetime. In addition, Poodles are not among those dog breeds that like to be left by them and will love it the most when they are the center of attraction.
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Another trait commonly found in all Poodles is that they are very quick to learn tricks and will respond well to training and their willingness to obey is what sets them apart from other dog breeds. Poodles also love stability and routine and will not like it when their routine is changed and they should also not be kept in an environment that is chaotic because that will make them anxious, which is not desirable in this breed. Poodles are often thought of as being one-man and also one-family dogs and are generally shy when strangers approach him. However, once they have been allowed time to settle into their new homes, Poodles will become more relaxed and will turn out to be ideal pet dogs. Lisa Collins has spent years researching the history of the Poodle breed. The Poodle has a long and rich history. By studying Poodle information you can understand why they are such a popular breed today. By Lisa A Collins
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How To Breed Siamese Fighting Fish: By Steve Challis The Siamese fighter is not one of the easiest fish to breed. It is considered to be a medium difficulty fish. Full instructions on breeding this fish would take up much more space than this fact sheet, but since I am frequently asked about breeding this fish, I will attempt to give a very brief description of breeding. Before the fish can breed they need to be in good condition; both the male and the female need to be well fed for sometime beforehand. An increase in temperature will sometimes induce the male to build his nest. After the male has built his nest, you can attempt to put a female in with him. Watch them! It is not unusual for one of them to attack and try to kill the other. It is not
male then chases her away. She should be removed.
always the male that tries to kill the female. The fighting fish is a nest breeder. The male builds a nest of bubbles on the surface of the water.
If there is another female available, in some cases, a male will then induce her to go under the nest as well and he will raise a bunch of fry from the eggs of both females, but you are increasing the danger of problems by having two or more females in while breeding.
The male guards the nest while the eggs hatch. He also guards the newly hatched babies until Then he entices a female to they are free swimming. After go under the nest with him. They wrap their bodies round that he will eat them unless he is separated from them. each other, and the female releases her eggs while the male releases his sperm to Raising Young Fighters fertilise them. After that the female sinks down in a sort of stupor while the male quickly picks up the eggs in his mouth and put them in the nest. If he has not finished before the female recovers, she starts eating the eggs. This process will be repeated until the female has no eggs left. The
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If you succeed in getting as far as having free swimming baby fighters, now you have the more difficult part. The babies are very small. You need reasonably good eyesight even to see them. They will need tiny food. In the wild they would be eating
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face film because the babies might not be strong enough to penetrate it to get air.
things like protozoans. These are single celled organisms usually too small to see without magnification, but much bigger than bacteria. In the aquarium hobby these are usually called infusoria. Some of these will be present in nearly all aquariums, but there will probably not be enough for the babies. There are ways of making cultures rich in infusoria, but this is a big subject in itself. There are also fry foods made by many companies. Fighting fish will need the finest ones at first. If you succeed in getting them growing at first, they will soon be big enough to eat larger fry food. At all stages, fighting fish benefit from some live food of suitable size. At around six weeks old the baby’s accessory breathing organ; the ‘labyrinth’ starts working. At this stage it will be necessary to have a small stream of air from an air stone to break up any sur-
The males and females are normally separated as soon as they can be distinguished, with the males going into containers by themselves. Types of fighting fish The wild fighting fish have much shorter fins than the aquarium ones. When they were bred in Thailand for fighting, colour varieties were developed, but fins were not selected for in the modem
Many different fin types have also been developed, including the crown tail, the half moon the double tail and the delta tail. Steve Challis has many other fish fact sheets and other articles on http://www.bettatrading.com.au
sense. The long and fancy fins of the present fighting fish are a comparatively recent development. Fighting fish are bred in many places. A lot of the fighting fish sold in Australia are bred in Singapore. Fighting fish come in many colours including blue, red, purple, white, yellow and black.
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CATS ARE AMAZINGWORLD RECORD BREAKING CATS
By Rolf Lampo
The Smallest Cat Commonly accepted as a celebrity in his own right these days, Mr. Peebles is a tiny 2-year-old domestic cat, from Illinois in the USA. Due to a rare genetic defect the fully-grown Mr. Peebles weighs less than 1.5Kg and stands just 16cm tall, thus taking the record for the world’s smallest cat! We have been unable to verify reports that Mr Peebles has had a fatal encounter during a recent photo shoot with the world’s largest living cat. We tend to think (hope) this must be a hoax, but we would appreciate hearing from anyone with further information about the alleged incident.
Best Mouser Featured in a previous edition of our Mews-letter, the world’s most prolific mouser was Towser, who worked for the Famous Grouse distillery in Perthshire, Scotland. Towser racked up an impressive 30,000 mice in his 24 years at the distillery, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
The Fastest Breed Why should you never play cards in the Jungle? Because of all the cheetahs!! You may think this is a bad joke, and rightly enough it is, but it is also true - you really shouldn’t sit playing cards, or doing anything else, where you might unexpectedly encounter a cheetah. Not only can even a young cheetah easily kill a person, but a healthy adult cheetah can run at speeds of up to 70MPH and has better acceleration than a Ferrari so it can out run you too! The cheetah is officially the worlds fastest land animal!
The Most Expensive Cat The most expensive cat ever sold is officially a generation 2 Bengal by the name of Sarez Kato, sold for £25,000 in February 1998. The breeder of Sarez Kato also claims to have sold cats for £65,000 but due to client confidentiality refuses to provide any proof. They also have a 90% Asian Leopard Cat/10% Domestic Short Hair, named Zeus, but with price tag of £100,000 Zeus currently remains unsold and so doesn’t qualify.
The Heaviest cat The heaviest cat ever officially recorded was Himmy, a tabby born in 1976 in Cairns, Australia. Himmy weighed in at a whopping 21kg and lived to the age of ten. In 2003, a Russian cat owner tried to have her five year old cat Katy recognised as the heaviest
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cat in the world. Unfortunately for Katy, the Guinness Book of Records are no longer taking submissions in this category, as they don’t wish to encourage owners to over feed their cats.
The Oldest Cat The life expectancy of a feral cat is less than 10 years, domestic cats enjoy an expectancy of 10 to 15 years, but once in a while a remarkable feline reaches more than double this age. The oldest cat ever recorded was Creme Puff of Austin, Texas. Born on August 3rd, 1967, Creme Puff celebrated her 38th birthday in August 2005. We have been unable to find any conformation of Crème Puff’s current corporal status.
Biggest Litter A litter of kittens is generally numbers between 3 and 5, but in August 1870 a four year old Burmese named Tarawood Antigone gave birth to a staggering 19 kittens in Church Westcote, Oxfordshire. 14 males and 1 female survived.
Most well traveled Cats have been noted for their ability to make long journeys to find their old homes, but not many cats are as well travelled as Hamlet. After escaping from his carrier on a flight from Toronto, Hamlet stayed hidden for 7 weeks, until he was found alive and surprisingly well hiding behind an interior panel. I wonder how many Air Miles he gets for that?
© copyright The Purr Company - One Goal, One Passion, Happy Cats! rel=nofollow [http:// www.thePurrCompany.com] www.thePurrCompany.com This article was first published in The Purr Company’s monthly Mews-letter, visit us for more [http://www.thepurrcompany. com/cat-articles.php]cat articles and stories, our online cat shop and much more for anyone with an interest in cats
More amazing cats A list of other famous or historically important cats, including some of those mentioned here, can be found rel=nofollow [http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_cats]here.
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DO’S AND DON’TS OF PET KEEPING By John Arnold Hammond
Keeping a pet does not have to be difficult because there are some simple things that you can do to keep the both of you happy for a long time.
• When training your pet to follow the rules you have set, you have to be firm but you must remain loving. This will make your pet follow the rules better compared to just forcing • it.
The Do’s:
• A pet has to be provided with a living environment that is safe, appropriate and exciting. The kind of shelter you provide has to ensure that the pet is warm when it is cold and protected from the hot sun during summer. The shelter should also be big enough to accommodate your pet. If you have a pet that sleeps indoors, you can select a specific part of the house where you can place mat or blanket that your pet can sleep on.
• Pets have to be showered with praise and affection to help build their confidence and make them feel secure. Animals that are not given affection tend to be very withdrawn and unhappy.
• Try and set some time each day when you can have some quality time with your best friend. If you have a dog, you can take walks together and if it is a cat, you can let it sit on your lap quietly. When • Give your pet a diet that is varied, balanced and spending time with your healthy. The foods you pet, you should make sure give to your pets should you make some physical be specially made for contact to make your pet them. Avoid giving your feel loved.
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pet leftover foods because some of the things the human foods are made of can end up affecting your pet. You have to be sensitive about your pet’s wellbeing and this includes both the physical and emotional. Make sure you visit the vet when you realize there is something wrong with your pet.
• Provide an exciting environment for your pet and do not let it get bored. Pets have to be allowed to be themselves and you should always include your pet in many of the things that you do. • Make sure you take good care of yourself because the pet relies on you for its existence. It is important to make arrangements with family members and friends to make sure that your pet is well taken care of when you are not around. Page 28
The Don’ts: • Pets should never be hit for any reason. Hurting your pet is never justified even when you feel that your pet has disobeyed you. This is one of the things that can destroy the trust and love that your pet has. • Never take your pet for granted by denying it attention, food and appropriate shelter. • It is not fair to expect your pet to behave like a human being • Pets should never be exposed to any danger in the home or outside and this means even your friends and family should not abuse the pet. John Hammond has many hobbies and interests. As well being a keen blogger and article writer for many sites, he has also recently created a site focusing on [http://www.lawn-garden-decor.net/]Lawn And Garden Decor.
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The Siamese Cat By Anne Sterck The Good, The Bad & The Ugly I love Siamese cats, but I will tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth with honest Siamese cat information! Lets start with the ‘good’ facts about Siamese. Siamese can be loyal, obsessively loyal. Siamese are smart, although there is the occasional exception (or maybe it’s just pretending) Siamese cats are often talkative; they seem to understand you even if they choose to be a little deaf at times. Siamese kittens and cats have character, no bland and bor-
ing snooze cat here. Siamese cats give and expect to receive. All the time. A Siamese cat has an easy care coat so no long and expensive visits to the beauty parlor required. Others even appreciate having their nails done - a ‘caticure of sorts’. You can even buy nail covers in some fun designer colors, great for the indoor Siamese and to protect your furniture. Siamese are beautiful and a pleasure to watch. Certainly better than watching TV. This cat knows it is special and is happy to be-
stow some of its’ special aura on a special person. Your Siamese will love to keep you company. And keep you company. And again. The Siamese kitten or cat loves heat more than most cats, preferably in your bed if they get half a chance. Are you ready? The ‘bad’ Siamese Cat Facts That Siamese loyalty may be more dog-like than a cat. Bad? If you are the kind of person who hates to be smothered, you might be better off with a less demonstrative bred. Siamese cats expect to help you write your great American novel (Chapter 1: kjf*&^%#^9ojn3o9iunf93). Don’t expect to hide in the bathroom for a bit of peace and quiet - it’s their favorite room, and anyway they refuse to be shut out. Period. Siamese are clever. Don’t expect your bright Siamese to wait for you to come home before being naughty. They need to keep that
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brain amused and if you don’t leave them copious reading material or some good films about bird watching, your Siamese (even a Siamese kitten) will find amusement wherever they can. I have seen some amazing flower arrangements and indoor gardens created by a bored Siamese. Be prepared to spend time playing.
ish you. To speed the forgiveness process little hors d’oeuvres might eventually be accepted. And please, never fuss over another cat when your Siamese is within earshot. Long after you have forgotten all about it an ambush of historic proportions will be mounted on the surprised rival for your affections.
I have known many quiet Siamese, but when they are noisy, boy are they noisy! If you bring home a talkative version, meditation and mind over matter lessons might be in order.
So as not to embarrass my ‘butter would not melt’ writing companion I will stop here but I would be remiss if I did not briefly mention dodgy litter habits, a certain sneakiness, and a tendency towards Attilla the Hun-type dominance.
When they are bad, they are very bad The ‘ugly’ side of Siamese cats? Facts can be deceiving and no single Siamese is all bad - although some come close. A jealous cat? Yes, so best not tease your Siamese or you’ll be at the receiving end of sulks for as long as your cat chooses to pun-
Please don’t let these little details put you off. If this Siamese cat information hasn’t put you off, then you may be one of the suitable and special people for whom a Siamese is a welcome addition to the family. I certainly couldn’t be without one. Anne Sterck, ‘The Siamese Cat Lady’, has never been without a cat or two or six! She is presently owned by Cumin, the cutest and naughtiest Siamese cat in France. Obviously she couldn’t include all the best Siamese cat information here so you’ll find the rest at http://www.loving-siamese-cats. com/siamese-cat-information. html.
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7 Reasons to Clean a The habitat of any pet plays a key role in their settling time. It is important for the owner to keep an eye on the cleanliness of their pet’s habitat so that they stay happy. It is same for hermit crab as well to keep their aquarium clean. You need to know how to clean a hermit crabs aquarium firstly so that you can do it effectively. It will get a lot raunchy inside the aquarium if it is not cleaned regularly.
It may sound difficult to a lot of individuals out there how to clean a hermit-crabs aquarium, but in real, it is not. At least once in a month, it is necessary for the owner to entirely clean the aquarium with fresh sand and good scrubbing. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners for cleaning aquarium because they are likely to be harmful for hermit-crabs. Natural gentle
cleaners work best. Ensure that it is rinsed completely several times prior adding more substrate. The reason behind why and how to clean a hermit crabs aquarium regularly are: If hermit crab’s aquarium won’t be kept clean, they would not stay happy and may become bigheaded. Never employ soap for cleaning the aquarium. Using vinegar and water for washing and cleaning the aquarium is suitable as well as other accessories in it. Soap contains harmful chemicals which can be dangerous for the hermitcrabs. When cleaning shells, boil them for around five minutes so that contaminated particles stuck to them gets washed off permanently,
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then put them in the aquarium. Remove debris and other waste from the aquarium first. Substrate in the aquarium must be strained before placing them back to their position. Use de-chlorinated water in boiling even with shells as they will make it healthy for the hermit crabs. Hermit-crabs must be happy, comfortable and healthy in their aquarium. A non suitable living environment for the hermit-crabs, as it will make them weak, could result in their death. Provide them an appropriate shelter they require. A suitable environment for hermit crabs will make them live longer, healthier and happier. Make sure your hermit-crabs don’t have mites. The main reason behind why and how to clean a hermit-crabs aquarium is to ensure that they must be free from mites. Mites are a form of disease which occurs on hermit-crabs in form of white and brown grains. If your hermit crab
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Hermit Crab Aquarium By Preston Blackmore gets mites on it, you would be required to bathe them immediately otherwise the whole water will be contaminated as well as other crabs in them. You won’t get rid off mites in first wash. You would require washing hermit crab several times to eliminate mites forever. Mites have the tendency to lurk inside the shell of the hermit-crab. Because of this reason, several washing is required to lodge them permanently from the spot. When you are done with your hermit-crab, wash your aquarium thoroughly as mites would have infected the water as well. Eliminate all the substrate with new ones is the most effective way of eliminating mites. If you cannot afford replacing substrates with new ones, then at least boil them and sterilize which will effectively kill mites.
mit crab is living does not get intoxicate, the substrates you provide to your hermit crab shouldn’t have ingredients of chemical in it as it can harm your pet severely. In molting process the exoskeleton of hermit-crabs is shredded and regenerated. Hermit crabs have the tendency to re-grow any missing part of their body. In this process exoskeleton emits toxic waste which contaminates water. After the molting process, it is necessary to clean hermitcrab shell by de-chlorinated water and wash the aquarium thoroughly.
By providing several shells of various sizes to the hermitcrab to choose according to their need, there is a probability of shell getting rot. By keeping rotten shells in the aquarium for few days might harm your pet to greater exA big reason to clean your tent. Take out the rotten shell aquarium regularly is the possibility of hidden toxins in and clean your aquarium appropriately. your hermit crab aquarium. These are an effective way of You need to ensure that the aquarium in which your her- how to clean a hermit-crabs
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aquarium. The habitat is the most important thing for hermit-crab as well as for any pet. Proper cleaning will ensure that they live comfortably in captivity.
Preston Blackmore is a hermit crab enthusiast. For more great tips and advice on [http://www.hermitcrabclub.com/how-to-clean-ahermit-crabs-aquarium/] how to clean a hermit crabs aquarium, visit [http://www. hermitcrabclub.com]http:// www.hermitcrabclub.com.
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