Red Panda

Posted August 21st, 2010 by admin

The Original Panda
There are two species of pandas: giant panda bear and red panda. Although most of us believe that the giant panda is the original panda, it’s this red panda that is the original panda. It was first described in 1821, that the red panda was discovered, which was 48 years before the giant panda was found.

Bushy Ringed Tail
Red pandas use their long, bushy ringed tails to balance themselves on trees. They also use their tails to cover themselves during the cold winter months. Thus, this tail acts like a cozy blanket for the pandas in cold weather. Read more on facts on pandas.

Complete Camouflage
The panda’s red and white markings on the fur blend in perfectly with the white lichens and red mosses growing on trees where they dwell. This helps them hide from their predators like the snow leopards and martens.

Life Span
In captivity, red pandas live to a period of about 14 years. However, in the wild, these red pandas manage to survive for only 7-8 years.

Bamboo
The name ‘Panda’ stands for the Nepalese word for red panda - “Nigalya poonya”, meaning ‘eater of bamboo’. From this fact itself we know that red pandas are fond of bamboos. Using their extra thumb, these pandas grab onto the bamboo stems and devour about 200,000 bamboo leaves a day. Their strong teeth and jaws enable them to munch comfortably on the tough leaves and stalks of bamboo. However, unlike the giant panda that only relishes bamboo leaves, these red panda are also quite fond of blossoms, bird eggs, berries, fruits and various other plants with small leaves.

Breeding and Baby Panda Facts
Adult pandas are solitary animals and come together only during the breeding season, which is in late fall during the winter. After a gestation period of 134 days, one to four young pandas are born. The newborn pandas are covered in thick, gray fur with closed ears and eyes and weighing only 4-5 ounces. After nesting for 90 days, the little pandas stick around their mothers until the next breeding season, by when they would have attained adult size.

Endangered Red Panda Facts
The sad part is that there are only about 2500 red pandas present on planet Earth. Man has ventured and destroyed their habitat, thereby leading to the depletion of their numbers. Moreover, being hunted down for their fur to make hats, etc. has caused panda numbers to plummet terribly.

Puppy Behavior Basics

Posted August 19th, 2010 by admin

Barking
Barking is part of any dog’s behavior, although puppies may bark a whole lot more than older dogs. This is because this is the easiest way they find they can get your attention, whether they’re hungry, thirsty or just want their tummies scratched. Most often incessant dog barking will lessen as they grow up and understand that there are other ways to get your attention, specifically if you are firm with them from a young age.

Chewing
If you have a puppy, my advice would be to take it in your stride that something of importance will find itself embedded in your puppies teeth, while his chew toy lies unmolested on the floor. Puppies chew when they are teething, just like babies. Chewing helps strengthen the teeth, and can also provide relief from puppy teething pain. It’s important to let your puppy chew on something, but train him on what’s chewable and what isn’t; if that isn’t working, and the chew toy’s are still uninteresting, keep all things of value out of reach, and puppy proof the house.

House Training
You’ll heave a sigh of relief when this one is got out of the way, but in the meantime, there’s a lot of cleaning up to do. Initially when puppy potty training it’s a good idea to take your puppy to a particular spot to familiarize him with his designated ‘potty spot’. When very small, puppies need to be taken out regularly to avoid ‘accidents’. Dogs learn by repetition, and respond to tones in your voice, so remember to visit the same spot, and praise your pup if he’s been good.

Dog Behavior Questions and Basics

In most cases an adult dog will settle into a routine with his owners without much of a problem. However, moving house, a change in routine, or separation for long periods of time can result in a changed dog behavior. The following are some common behavioral problems you may encounter.

Jumping
Are you one of those people who try to sneak into your own house, to avoid have your dog ‘welcome’ you home? Jumping up onto someone is one of the most common problems dog owners face, and it can be especially problematic if you have a big dog. This behavior is your dog’s way of welcoming you home, and the best way to deal with it is to ignore him once you enter (heartbreaking though it may be), until he calms down. On repetition he will learn to respond to this treatment and greet you more sedately.

Aggressive behavior
This is a problem in adult dogs that need attention. Sometimes aggression can be related to a past incident, specifically in rescued or rehabilitated dogs. Essentially aggression in dogs arises out of fear, or dominance. Dogs who are aggressive when afraid, will generally flatten their ears against the head, and crouch low, with their bodies angled away from the source of fear. Dogs who exhibit dominance aggression will have their ears erect and their bodies angled forward, ready to lunge. Aggressive dog behavior problems are best dealt with in coordination with a behavioral counselor who will give you the required dog behavior advice.

Separation Anxiety
Typically, separation anxiety in dogs will exhibit in destructive behavior, so you might come back to find your favorite shoes chewed on, or worse, after having left your dog alone for more time than he’s able to handle. This is a ploy to get your attention; your dog feels anxious and abandoned, and deals with this feeling by chewing or biting. Disciplining will not help a dog in this situation, the best way to work around this is with love and attention. Spend some extra time with him, maybe take him for a longer walk than usual, and leave him some toys to keep him occupied.

Dogs are the most fantastic friends you can have - they’re faithful, loving and fabulous fun to hang out with. A dog will listen to you for hours on end, and is more in tune with your emotions than you can ever imagine. Dog behavior questions will arise from time to time, and you will receive all sorts of advice, but remember, you understand your dog better than most, so pay attention to his signals, and you may find the answer staring you in the face!

Get Rid of Dog Worms

Posted August 19th, 2010 by admin

Symptoms of Dog Worms

There are several types of worms which can live in the body of dogs, but the most common of them are roundworms, hookworm, tapeworm and ringworm. Of these, roundworms are the most common and as per experts this type of worm can be found in newborn puppies. If your pet has got a pot bellied appearance of late and is accompanied by vomiting, it may mean that there are worms in it’s system. Moreover, your dog would lose weight rapidly even though it eats well, or enough food goes into it’s system. The main reason for this is, nutrients, which otherwise should go into the system of your pet, is consumed by the worms. This in turn leads to poor growth and over time your dog may lose its appetite to eat. You may also notice worms in the feces of your pet or many a times around their anus. Some of the other symptoms of worms in dogs includes dehydration and diarrhea. Once you have got an idea of the symptoms, and know that your dog has infested, you should know how to get rid of dog worms?

Ways to Get Rid of Worms

There is nothing to worry about dog worm infestation as there are several medications available, even over the counter. Ask for worming medications like albendazole or mebendazole which help in getting rid of dog worms. It’s mostly in baby dogs that this problem arises and once they grow up they form a natural resistance to worms, so in the long run there is nothing to worry. However, there are some preventive measures which you need to take so that your pet does get rid of these pests in the first place.

Whenever you have a newborn puppy, get the necessary worming shot as soon as possible (preferably within six weeks). This would help stop worm infestation, and most importantly get these shots when they are young. Usually babies get these worms from their mothers. So, they should be taken care of during the early stages of their life. Moreover, you need to make sure that you keep your pets away from fleas. Fleas are some of the best carriers of worms, especially tapeworms, so you can purchase a flea spray, so that you keep them away (but make sure that flea sprays are safe).

If you find that they get diarrhea and vomiting, then you can give some medications to soothe their upset stomach. However, you need to be sure of the doses that are to be given. Usually it’s a tablespoon twice or thrice a day, but you need to consult a vet before going for such doses. Additionally, you need to ensure that your pet does not eat anything in the trash can, as it can be breeding grounds for parasites. If you are one of these who like natural products to treat an ailment, then there are some options which you can use.

Dog Worms Home Remedy

For getting rid of dog worms without using any chemicals you can try out some natural treatment for dog worm infestation like crushed seeds of white pumpkin. Results have shown that they are an excellent product to get rid of these pests. However, while crushing the seeds, you don’t need to break them so as to form powder, but just enough so as to form small shards. A couple of tablespoon every day would be just fine. If you want you can give more, as it’s harmless and has no side effects. Moreover, you can also give garlic mixed with fennel, this helps in killing dog worms. Additionally, you can also use 2 tablespoon of oat barn, turnips or raw carrots with each meal. There are several other measures on how to treat dog worms, which you should know so that you get the whole rage of options available.

Keep Your Rabbit Healthy

Posted August 19th, 2010 by admin

1. Find a good rabbit hutch.

Like humans, rabbits need to have shelter in order to feel safe. When choosing a rabbit hutch, you should consider the size of your rabbit. The hutch needs to be approximately five times the adult size of your pet. Make sure that the height of the hutch is enough for the rabbit to sit up without its ears touching the top of the cage. This gives the rabbit enough room to run and play.

The floor of the hutch should be solid because cages with wire bottoms can irritate and injure the rabbit’s feet. If you cannot find a hutch with a solid base, cover the bottom with mats or newspapers.

2. Provide nutritious food.

Rabbits should not only subsist on pellets. They should also eat a variety of foods.

Hay is the most important component of a rabbit’s diet. In fact, rabbits should be fed hay in unlimited quantities because the fiber keeps the muscles in the intestines in good condition and it prevents impactions brought on by ingested hair or other objects.

Pellets are great for providing trace minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. Nevertheless, a rabbit’s diet does not require pellets in big quantities. Veterinarians recommend a maximum daily serving of 1/8 cup of good quality pellets for every 5 lbs. of rabbit.

Fresh vegetables keep the intestinal contents hydrated. This makes it easier for the bunny to pass food. Lettuce, spinach, kale, basil, endive, and other vegetables are great for feeding your pets.

Rabbits can also be fed fresh fruits as occasional treats. Otherwise, it might cause intestinal problems.

3. Provide unlimited supply of clean water.

It is important for rabbits to have access to clean water to avoid dehydration and other health-related problems. Supply your pet with water from a clean and heavy earthenware jar. Make sure to change the water daily and to wash the jar with hot water and dishwashing detergent to avoid the growth of bacteria.

4. Get a rabbit run.

Rabbits need to exercise to keep themselves healthy. They need an area where they can run around and play with their toys or with other rabbits. Rabbit hutches are usually not big enough for this sort of activity so you need to get a rabbit run. Rabbit runs will allow your pets freedom to roam while providing protection from predators.

Make Your Dream of First Fish Aquarium True

Posted August 19th, 2010 by admin

You should be sure about what kind of fish you are going buy. Just going to the local pet shop and buying attractive looking fish can be a very big mistake. Another point of consideration is - will these fish get adequate space. Once you are confident about the answers to these questions, you can turn to the next question.

The next thing will be how much space you can allot to these new family members in your home. You cannot count only on the walls but you should also look at the depth of the room in which you are going to setup the aquarium. Besides the size of the aquarium, you need to provide some space at the back for the filtration systems to work. You should also provide some space for keeping the accessories.

You can get recommendations from many e-books which are available on the Internet.

You should also ask yourself about the extent of commitment you are prepared to offer for this hobby. Is it going to be a long term affair or you are going to get away with it in a short time? The answer to this question will be useful for deciding a budget for this hobby. The range of expenditure for this hobby is very wide. There are numerous options available in the market on the types of fish and the sizes and styles of the aquarium as well as the accessories. Once you get in this hobby, you may be forced to spend much beyond your limits. So prepare a realistic budget before you start.

Just purchasing pet fish and buying an aquarium are not the only expenses. You need to buy a number of accessories for maintaining your aquarium. Take the advice of a good salesperson that will be able to select the right type of aquarium for you. He can also guide you about the species suitable to your budget. One more important item of the whole setup is the stand to mount your aquarium. There are a number of options available with many types of materials used.

If you go for mounting your aquarium on a wall to avoid the expenditure on the stand, you may not be able to save much. The structure required for fixing the aquarium on a wall is equally expensive.

Take some time in setting up the aquarium so that it gets ready for welcoming your fish. The fish may not be comfortable in a brand new tank. You need to keep the tank filled with water for at least a couple of weeks and treat the water regularly to make it compatible for the fish community. You will require some patience in working this out but it is worth the reward which you will get later for all these efforts.