Mice are from the rodent family which are a group of mammals that are characterized by their incisor teeth which are large and cause the animal to gnaw incessantly to prevent overgrowth. Rodent is derived from rodere a latin word that translated means ‘to gnaw’.
Exercising Your Dog
If you are something of a couch potato then think again before choosing a dog as your pet. Dogs need exercise not just to maintain their physical health but to also maintain their psychological health too.
Do not pick up your rabbit by the ears
Do not feed your rabbit human treats such as chocolate
Make sure you make vegetables and hay the base of your rabbit’s diet
Buy a cage big enough to allow your rabbit to move about
Make sure there is always a water bottle, food dish, litter tray and toys for him to play with
Make fresh water available at all times
Buy chew treats as rabbit love to chew
Rabbits are prone to temper tantrums. This is normal! Don’t panic.
You need to give your rabbit plenty of love and affection. Make sure you visit them if they are outside.
When picking up a rabbit make sure he feels secure by holding his feet. If not they will struggle.
Your rabbit will love to chew on apple tree branches but please avoid the following as they are poisonous to your rabbit: cherry, plum, apricot, peach
When bonding with a rabbit you need to have mountains of patience and time. It will happen eventually.
Be sure to protect your rabbit from potential predators both in the home i.e. your other pets and outside
Clean you rabbit’s cage regularly
Keep the cage out of direct sunlight and drafts
If you’re looking for a guinea pig then begin your search at a rescue centre rather than a pet store. There are many litters of guinea pigs abandoned each year although you may not instantly associate rescue centres with this type of pet. Your local centre will have plenty of guineas for you to view and as with most creatures no doubt you’ll be charmed by the little babies in the litter. But take time to consider an older guinea pig before automatically choosing a baby. There are advantages.
I saw a wonderful programme last night with Martin Clunes, a big dog lover, tracing back the dog ancestry to its roots in the wild. He made a lovely statement that no matter how much you dressed it up if you had a dog you were sharing your home with a wolf! As I sat curled up on the sofa with Tashi, a cuddly teddy bear of a shih tzu and Harvey, a much more imposing figure of a large basset hound, I was intrigued by the show immediately. Where did these cute and funny characters originate from?
Toxoplasmosis is a condition that is known to infect many people across the UK. It is caused by a parasite and humans are often unaware that they are infected as the symptoms are very similar to that of flu and our immune systems are often robust enough to deal with the infection efficiently. However if you are pregnant or have small children toxoplasmosis must be avoided as it can be deadly when it infects lesser developed immune systems such as that of a foetus and is known to cause miscarriage.
My friend was telling me last week about her mum’s dog, Deefer, which had taken to chewing on its own hair and pulling out. This was due to her mum being suddenly rushed into hospital leaving not only an anxious and lost dog at home but an equally lost and confused husband!
Birds can become easily ill or infected if you don’t keep to a strict hygiene regime. Wipe down the surfaces of the bird cage daily and remove any bird faeces from perches and toys. If your bird has a bird bath in the cage change the water daily and clean the bath regularly.
When talking to dog owners I often hear them lamenting how restrictive having a dog is. You can’t go on holiday, nip to the pub or take off on a day trip out without worrying about leaving the dog behind.
Hamsters are busy industrious creatures and can become bored very easily if they are not provided with entertainment and distraction. This can lead to antisocial behaviour like gnawing bars on the cage for example.
