Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Putting your guinea pig in the same room as your dog and waiting for them to become best friends is wishful thinking. Your dog might perceive the new family addition as prey and might attack it. Also, the scary sight of the unfamiliar, large predator can startle your guinea pig and trigger cardiac arrest. To develop a friendship between your pets, avoid rushing things.
If you're planning on bringing adorable Roborovski hamsters (Phodopus roborovskii) into your home, one of your biggest immediate tasks involves setting up a comfy living environment for the wee cuties. Finding an appropriately sized cage is the first step. Never be random when it comes to your pets' residential quarters.
When making a pig farm in Minecraft, you're always going to need a 12 x 12 pen at least. Make a pig farm in Minecraft with help from a video game expert in this free video clip.
Guinea pigs and dogs can get along, although training each to accept the other takes a fair amount of time. Dogs younger than 16 weeks will have an easier time accepting your guinea pig or cavy, since they are still developing socially. With older pets, it can take several weeks of daily training time to get each species to accept the other.
They may not be as diverse as dogs, but the 13 recognized breeds of guinea pigs can look as different as a pug and a poodle. This is true for silkie and Abyssinian guinea pigs, who share a similar body shape but almost look like two different animals, thanks to their extreme hair styles.
If you have an inkling that your female guinea pig may be pregnant, the only way to know for certain is by bringing her in for a veterinary appointment. However, some key behavioral and physical clues may be helpful in allowing you to make an educated guess -- at least until you get to the vet.
Many times a guinea pig will use only one area of his habitat as a bathroom. If your little cavy is one of those fastidious rodents who "go" mostly in one corner of the cage, you'll be happy to know that his instinctive actions make him an ideal candidate for litter box training. You can't use regular cat litter for your guinea pig's litter box, so you'll need to find an alternative litter box filler.
Whether or not guinea pigs are good pets for young children depends upon exactly how young are the children and how committed are the household adults to caring for the cavies. While young children may be fascinated by these gentle little mammals, it is unrealistic to expect them to attend to the daily feeding, cleaning and personal attention guinea pigs require. Parents also need to be prepared for the expense of keeping a cage pet.
Cats and guinea pigs have very different survival instincts and because of this they don't always mix well. Cats are predatory animals and guinea pigs are prey animals. Even when a cat appears to just be playing with a guinea pig it can inflict serious injury in an instant. Therefore, before you even bring a guinea pig into your home it's imperative that you determine how you will keep the two away from each other.
Figuring out if you're looking at a male pumpkin vine or a female one requires you to keep an eye out for a few special things. Learn how to tell a male pumpkin vine from a female pumpkin plant with help from an experienced farmer in this free video clip.
Like most other mammals, hamsters have specialized glands that produce a strongly scented chemical that serves numerous purposes. They can use it to determine their location and communicate with other animals. While the excretion's smell is offensive to humans, hamsters and other animals rely on scent marking for their basic social and biological functions. While spraying is usually associated with males, who are typically more territorial and aggressive, female rodents are also likely to leave scent markings.
The name guinea pig is two mistakes for the price of one -- they aren't pigs and they don't come from Guinea. They're small rodents from the Andes Mountains of Peru that were domesticated by the ancient Incas as a food source. Today they are popular as pets and companion animals. Possibly because of their high-altitude heritage, they do not tolerate heat well and can suffer from heat prostration at air temperatures higher than 85 degrees, with an abnormally high body temperature. Illness can also cause their temperature to rise, and the quickest way to measure this physical indicator is…
The frilled lizard, a native of Australia, is a large lizard named for the mane-like flaps of skin around its neck. These animals can thrive in captivity with proper husbandry, and designing a proper cage is the first step. Frilled lizards can live up to 20 years in captivity and juveniles grow quickly, so it's important to plan for the long-term care and space needs of your pet.
Like most plants, grapes reproduce sexually. To produce seedlings, both male and female flowers must provide genetic material. Grapevine flowers might be female, male or hermaphroditic, or "perfect," which means that each flower contains both male and female reproductive parts. Most cultivated grapevines are hermaphroditic because flowers can self-pollinate and every vine can produce grapes. Grapevines are mostly wind-pollinated. If vines aren't hermaphroditic, fruit appears only if both male and female flowers are near each other.
Providing a dwarf cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) the proper care requires consideration of several factors. The dwarf cypress or false cypress are among the evergreen tree and shrub classification that includes some of the most ornamental conifers from around the world. Dwarf cypress are typically slow-growing evergreens and often resemble bonsai. Foliage appears in sprays of dark green to yellow fan-shaped structures. Dwarf cypress are used to accent wildflower meadows, formal gardens or provide borders between wind-free landscaped areas.
Dwarf citrus trees can grow under a variety of conditions. In cold-weather climates, you can grow dwarf citrus trees as houseplants, or you can treat them as outdoor potted plants seasonally and bring them indoors only during cold weather. In warmer climates, these plants can be potted outdoors year-round, or they can be planted in the ground. You can grow dwarf grapefruit trees regardless of where you live.
Female guinea pigs are prone to many of the same diseases that affect males, such as vitamin C deficiency, bladder stones, ringworm and heat stroke. In addition, the reproductive system of female guinea pigs often suffers from diseases specific to gender. Owners of female guinea pigs, especially those used in breeding programs, should remain aware of these conditions to avoid health complications that the animal may be unable to overcome.
Heat stroke is sometimes referred to as sleeper disease in veterinary circles. It is actually a milder form of heat stroke that, if not treated properly, can cause death as it progresses to a more dangerous form of advanced heat stroke. Hamsters with their thick fluffy fur are prone to becoming overheated, as their bodies are not efficient heat regulators when temperatures reach 75 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Knowing the signs of mild heat stroke or sleeper disease guides an owner in determining if veterinary care is necessary.
The fluffy hair of a guinea pig makes it naturally appear chubby. Yet this cute, cuddly creature can have a weight problem. Most male guinea pigs weigh between 1.5 and 2 lbs. Most females weigh slightly less, from 1 lb. to 1.5 lbs. As they are voracious eaters, monitoring the fat content of their food and providing exercise opportunities are essential to maintaining a healthy weight.
Finding out what is causing your dwarf hamster to lose his fur is essential to his health and well-being. Partial or complete hair loss in hamsters can sometimes be an indication of a life-threatening disease. Additionally, the condition may be paired with unpleasant symptoms, such as itching and malnourishment. Getting to the source of the problem can help you provide your pet companion with the proper care and treatment, and improve his quality of life.
Guinea pig pups are precocious little beings. They are born fully furred, with open eyes and erupted teeth. Soon after birth, they will start to walk around and will even take an interest in the food you feed their mother. A guinea pig sow usually takes very good care of her litter with little or no human intervention. However, there may be situations that call for extra attention. It is important to know when and how to help out.
Gerbils can become dehydrated, or low on fluids, for a variety of reasons. Intestinal distress that results in diarrhea can dehydrate an animal, as can a lack of access to clean drinking water and some forms of kidney disease. While it is possible to rehydrate a gerbil by administering intravenous fluids, it is a costly and risky undertaking. A more cost-effective and less invasive approach is to rehydrate via food sources.
A gerbil can break his leg in a variety of ways. A long fall to a hard surface, rough handling or even a fast-spinning exercise wheel can result in a broken leg. Signs of this injury include dragging or lifting the injured leg or squeaking, especially when touched. Immediate medical attention from a vet can help you determine the severity of the injury and the best possible course of treatment.
Guinea pigs require little space and offer amiable companionship in return for water, food and shelter. These compact pets are rodents, as are other pocket pets such as rats, hamsters, and gerbils. Though they're domestic mammals, they're vulnerable to the same diseases as their wild counterparts. Infectious diseases spread between animals and sometimes to people.
The Roborovski dwarf hamster is a Russian hamster frequently known as a “Robo.” These tiny creatures grow to be no longer than two inches in length and have a lifespan of up to three years. Extremely fast runners, Roborovski hamsters can be a challenge to keep contained. Their natural curiosity and personable nature make them likeable pets suitable for children.
Gerbils are small desert rodents found throughout Africa and Asia, which are also popular as pets. There are several options for building a living environment for a gerbil, but a glass aquarium is a popular one that will work well. To make a glass aquarium usable as a gerbil cage, however, you will need to add a few things to keep your gerbil happy, healthy and inside the cage.
Caring for dwarf Satsuma trees, also known as Owari Satsuma mandarin orange trees, differs depending on whether your tree is potted or planted in the ground. Your ability to grow one of these trees in your yard depends on your climate; Satsuma trees can usually withstand temperatures down to about 22 Fahrenheit as long as they are protected from direct winds. Dwarf trees are created by grafting the variety of citrus desired onto a dwarf root stock; those grown in containers finish out smaller than those planted, though none reach more than 8 to 10 feet in height.
Dwarf hamsters make excellent first pets for children. They are easy to care for and can live in a 10-gallon aquarium made comfortable with a substrate of wood shavings, chewable toys and an exercise wheel. Dwarf hamsters are much smaller and more skittish than their larger Syrian cousins and are more likely to try to attempt escape (See References 1). Dwarf hamsters get most of their exercise in exercise wheels--up to five miles a day--but can benefit from being out in hamster balls, as well. Walking a hamster on a harness is inadvisable because they are so delicate.
The dwarf pomegranate tree (Punica granatum) is a common bonsai tree. It grows quickly, adapts to new shapes and can be less than 1 foot high, making it ideal for centerpieces. It will grow flowers and tiny fruit if the branches are not cut off too early. The best pomegranate bonsai, however, are groomed in early spring before fruit starts to develop because it wastes the plant's energy. This tree does not like being overwatered and should be fertilized regularly to keep it growing at a steady pace.
Guinea pigs, or cavies, make playful pets. The pigs require only minimal maintenance to remain healthful and happy. An outdoor play area gives guinea pigs plenty of room to run around and explore their surroundings. Creating a safe enclosure for the pigs protects them from most outdoor dangers, but you should still supervise them when they are playing outside. Supervision ensures the guinea pigs are safe from predators, toxic plants and general injuries.
Bent hinges on a hamster's cage are commonplace, in part because hamsters are natural escape artists and tend to test any means of escape. A bent hinge can be dangerous to your pet, however. Paws can get caught in gaps caused by an uneven hinge, leading to potentially severe injuries as your hamster tries desperately to free itself. Luckily, a hinge can be fixed easily.
When choosing a cage for your pet hamster, consider the cage's size and durability. Larger hamsters, like smaller hamsters, need enough space for sleeping, eating and exercise. A large hamster is typically longer than 5 inches. Also, some cage models are more susceptible to cold draught than others. Cold draught is the pet industry term for cool air that passes through a cage. Excessive cold draught causes hamsters to become ill.
Long-haired guinea pigs need regular brushing and combing but are unlikely to often need washing, an event guinea pigs rarely enjoy. The odd occasion may arise when you should wash the guinea pig, perhaps if it has gotten something sticky in its fur. If the fur isn’t trimmed, it may become soaked with urine around the guinea pig’s rear. In such cases, using a shower attachment might be less stressful for the animal than giving it a bath.
There are several basic structures that can be used as hamster cages. Common cages include modified aquariums, barred cages and plastic modular cages. For the DIYer there are even instructions on how to make a cage out of a storage tote. Any of these basic cages can be made into an awesome hamster cage by adding toys, tubes, balls and various other items that your hamster finds exciting. Turn your hamster's humble home into a castle-like abode with hidden rooms, bridges and even mood lighting.
Cedar and pine wood shavings are traditional materials to use as bedding in a hamster cage, but both are inherently dangerous: The oils in both cedar and pine shavings can cause upper-respiratory infections in hamsters after inhalation. These materials can also be painful when stepped on by the hamster. Luckily, a range of alternative materials suitable for bedding exists.
Full-length mink coats can be the most valuable of all fur coats and can cost $10,000 or more for a high-quality coat. Even lower-quality full-length mink coats can be priced in the thousands. They can come in a variety of styles and colors and despite their high value, can depreciate in price over time due to wear and tear, style changes and even market demand. You can get the value of a full length mink coat by checking its coverage, amount of pelts and color.
Guinea pigs, or cavies, must be housed in a large cage. Improper cage maintenance techniques can lead to bad odors and a sick guinea pig. Many cavy owners use wood chips, but the oil in the wood is harmful to the guinea pig's skin and respiratory tract, resulting in chronic illness, infection and early death. A dirty cage can lead to odor, skin and foot infections. The key to keeping a guinea pig healthy, happy and odor-free is daily cage cleaning and the use of recycled paper bedding and timothy hay.
Cage liners provide a simple, sanitary way to keep your bird's cage clean, but keeping a fresh supply on hand can get expensive. Homemade cage liners are an appealing alternative to the store-bought varieties, because you can make your own from common materials you already have around the house. You can custom-fit the liners to any size, which will accommodate even the most oddly shaped birdcage. With a little do-it-yourself initiative, you can keep your bird healthy without draining your bank account.
Dwarf hamsters do well as a single pet or in small groups of other dwarf hamsters. Hand taming dwarf hamsters is necessary to prevent bites and unruly behavior. Interestingly enough, dwarf hamsters must be handled frequently to prevent them from losing their tameness and reverting to a wild rodent. To tame a new hamster or to re-tame an older hamster, always speak in a calm low voice and be gentle to reinforce its trust in you.
Gerbils are friendly, curious rodents that make amusing pets. Since they are sensitive animals with a strong sense of smell and weak eyesight, it sometimes takes time for a gerbil to fully explore and get accustomed to a new cage. Gerbils are territorial animals that feel uncomfortable when they are not in their familiar territory, so it generally takes about four to seven days for a gerbil to get acclimated to a new cage.
If you're interested in giving your hamster a new place to live but don't feel like shelling out the cash for a high-priced cage, you can save yourself a substantial amount of money by making one yourself. With an empty plastic bin, a few basic tools and a little bit of time, you can whip up a lavish new home for your bite-sized companion. After all, doesn't your hamster deserve only the finest living accommodations?
Hamsters may run several miles a night and even the largest cage doesn't allow them to do this. You should let the hamster out for exercise every day, either in a hamster-proofed room or an exercise pen, but this isn't enough in itself. To ensure that your pet gets enough exercise, a wheel is almost essential. Once you have the wheel, attaching it isn't at all complicated.
Skinny pigs are mostly hairless guinea pigs, not to be confused with the completely hairless breed known as the Baldwin pigs. Skinny pigs have delicate skin and therefore have delicate bathing needs. Bathe your guinea pig every one to two months to ensure good hygiene for your animal. Since the skinny pig's skin is so sensitive, it's imperative that you use the correct type of product while cleaning to avoid rashes or other reactions.
The head of a guinea pig is connected to the body in such a way that its difficult to tell where one begins and the other ends. Draw guinea pigs with help from an artist in this free video clip.
Members of the rodent family, gerbils are kept as pets and in medical or scientific research. The Mongolian and Fat-tailed gerbils are the two main types of gerbils kept as pets, though more than 100 breeds can be found in the wild. All gerbils share some basic characteristics, but different breeds have specific characteristics developed by those breeds.
With their porous skin, salamanders are very sensitive to pollution. Cleaning out a salamander tank using the powerful chemicals you have under the sink could lead to a dead or very sick salamander. On the other hand, a buildup of waste is also dangerous, not to mention unpleasant for both you and the salamander. The tank needs cleaning about once every two months. Choose suitable products and your pet should be fine. If the salamander belongs to a child, demonstrate the procedure and supervise her for several subsequent cleanings.
Dwarf nectarine species, such as Prunus persica nectarina "Mericrest," provide your family with flavorful fresh fruit while maintaining a manageable size. Most dwarf nectarine trees top out at 6 feet tall, making them a smart choice for cultivation in small gardens and home landscapes. Dwarf nectarines also perform well in containers, so you can grow them on a deck or patio. Caring for dwarf nectarine trees is a simple task. Dwarf nectarine trees perform best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8.
A guinea pig is a popular small pet for children or apartment dwellers as they are quiet and easy to care for. When you bring a baby guinea pig home, it is likely to be frightened and will hide from you. In order to make regular grooming including brushing and nail-clipping easier, as well as enabling you to move your guinea pig in and out of its cage for cage cleaning, daily exercise and vet visits, get your guinea pig used to your presence and your touch. You can accomplish this quickly with baby guinea pigs, who adapt more easily…
Gerbils are small rodents that originate from the deserts of Africa, Asia and India. These animals make great pets because of their friendly disposition, small size and ease of care. Gerbils weigh about 100 grams and feed mostly on vegetation such as leaves, roots, stems and seeds. They have a lifespan of about 3 to 4 years but are prone to health problems such as renal disease and cancer.
Unlike many other household pets, your guinea pig’s teeth have no anatomical roots and will continue to grow throughout its life. This is typically not an issue because guinea pigs eat forage that wear down their teeth. However, guinea pigs that suffer from malocclusion may experience overgrown teeth. Malocclusion means that your guinea pig’s teeth do not meet evenly and do not wear down properly. If the teeth of your guinea pig aren’t allowed to wear down, they can grow to a length that will make it hard to eat or even cause starvation. There is no permanent solution for…
