Stuffed Animals

Bantam chickens are extremely curious and energetic birds by nature, hence you will have to be very careful with their food, water, and other needs to keep them composed. Take a look at the following points that will tell you exactly how to raise bantam chickens.

Food for Bantams
Although bantam chickens can survive on the same food as their keepers, they cannot survive on it for long. They need nutrition that is specific to their diet, which includes:
•Whole grains
•Greens
•Protein
As a regular diet, whole grains are the best sources of nutrition for bantams; an enough supply of it should be available in the coop all the time. You can also find chicken feeds available at various farm feed shops where you can choose the one according to your budget and requirement. Make it a point to feed only whole grains against cracked ones as the former is way healthier than the latter. One good thing about bantam chickens is that they can search for food on their own unlike other chicken breeds. This will help you when you are out and cannot feed your pet. It will save a lot of time for other activities as well as you don’t have to keep monitoring the food timings of the pet, a frequent check is important though. Let them roam around in a fenced area filled with grass, weeds, and fresh green vegetable leftovers to feed themselves. As far as protein is concerned, bantams can obtain protein from insects, worms, and bugs in the summer, however, in winter their diet should include soy, milk, fish, etc., to fulfill the protein amount. Water is the most essential thing for the survival of chickens as it is for all living things. They need lots of water, especially when laying. A bowl of water should always be kept near the door of their coop where they can get it easily whenever they want. Make sure that you clean up the bowl every day and fill it with freshwater to prevent any disease.

Shelter for Bantams Read the rest of this entry »

History
The most striking feature of Sphynx cat is that it has very less or no fur. That is why, it is generally referred to as a ‘hairless cat’. The first breeding session of these cats began in the year 1966 in Canada. A domestic Shorthair cat had given birth to hairless kittens, which were then selectively bred to produce next generation of hairless cats. These cats were called “Canadian Sphynx” or “The Canadian Hairless”. As time passed by, people began referring to them as “Sphynx” which was then considered as their official name. So, every Sphynx cat is a descendant of the same domestic short-haired cat.

Characteristics
Sphynx is a muscular cat with a barrel-shaped chest, round belly and medium body length. It has a flat forehead with a wedge-shaped skull. Cheekbones are extremely prominent on the long skull. A whisker zone can be prominently observed on a Sphynx cat’s face. It has big oval-shaped eyes that extend upwards towards its ears. Its eye color can range from blue, green to hazel. Ears are large with a wide base and a narrow tip. Back legs are longer than front legs with thick oval-shaped paws. It has a thick, flexible tail which tapers towards the end.

Sphynx cat is found in various colors and patterns like cream, chocolate, white, black, cinnamon, spotted, patched, etc. Its color depends on the pigment of the skin. If left in the sun for a long duration, its color tends to darken. Even though the cat is considered hairless, it still has a very fine coat of fur. The skin of body, face and legs is wrinkled as compared to remaining body parts. The whisker zone might be distinct but it lacks their presence.

Behavior
This breed of cats is very friendly and fun-loving. It loves to bond with people and is affectionate towards them. Apart from being social, it loves to be the center of attention. Its loving, playful and lively personality makes it a great companion for children. Not only with humans, this cat can also get along very well with other cats and cat-friendly animals. A comfortable warm place is something this cat looks out for sleeping. So, you should not be surprised if you find your pet cat sleeping under your bed covers! Read the rest of this entry »

One of the advantages of kissing gouramis is that they are easy to care for. However, there are various factors that have to be taken into consideration, while raising them in an aquarium. They include the size of the tank, feeding, compatible tank mates, breeding, etc.
•One of the primary aquarium requirements of kissing fish is sufficient space. As they tend to grow bigger in a very short span, you have to keep them in big fish tanks. A 30-gallon tank or larger ones are suggested for raising this fish. Ensure that the bottom of the tank has a good amount of gravel and stones.
•Even the water conditions must be monitored. You can use soft or moderately hard water with a pH of 6.5 to 8.5. The hardness of water must be between 5 to 30 dGH (use soft water, while they breed). The water must have a temperature of 72 to 82 degree Fahrenheit.
•Make sure that these fish get enough space and lots of natural and artificial vegetation, in the tank. In case of natural plants, go for strong and sturdy ones like Java fern or Java moss (inedible), as tender plants may be consumed by them, in whole. These fish must have access to the water surface, as they take in oxygen from the air (in between).
•One of the important aspects of kissing gourami fish care is the choice of tank mates. As they are sometimes aggressive, it is always better to keep them with slightly larger fish. Kissing gouramis may also feed on smaller fish in the tank. They may also bully other fish and ‘kiss’ them. This may result in loss of protective mucus layer on the skin (of the other fish) that becomes prone to infection, leading to death. Ideal kissing gourami fish tank mates are cichlids, catfish, clown loach, silver dollar fish and barbs.
•As far as kissing gourami diet is concerned, you must understand that they are omnivores that feed on a wide range of foods. They are also algae eaters, who suck in the algae growing on the stones and inner surfaces of the tank. It will be better not to clean the back glass of the fish tank, as these fish can feed on the algae growing on it. Read the rest of this entry »

There are a few things to note, before you start the actual bathing process. Firstly, it is necessary to take lukewarm water and not very hot or cold water because extreme hot or cold water might cause physical harm. Secondly, a shampoo should be pet specific or a mild one which is commonly used for cats and dogs. In case, you cannot find a pet soap, you can use a baby soap, as it is milder than adult soaps. You should strictly avoid use of any detergent or dish soap. Thirdly, do not ever dip your rat into water, though it feels comfortable being partially submerged.

Step 1
Close the bathroom door and keep the lukewarm water ready in a small bucket. Keep the two pans in the bath tub and fill one pan with 2 inches of water. A bath tub is preferred over a sink because a frightened rat can slip out of your hands and go down the drain, hurting itself. Make sure that you keep all the after-bath requirements, like towel and dryer, handy to make things easier for you and your pet.

Step 2
Place the rat gently in the pan and wet it all over only with your hands. Do not pour water on the rat’s face.

Step 3
Now, take a small amount of pet soap and apply it on the rat’s body till it produces enough lather. Be careful while doing this because if the lather goes into the rat’s eyes or mouth it can cause irritation in the eye and upset its stomach. Massage the shampoo into the fur using your fingers.

Step 4
If any area on the rat’s face needs to cleaned, take a cotton swab, dip it in water and wipe the dirt off. Rinse the lather with water.

Step 5
Place the rat in the other pan and have a final rinse with clean lukewarm water. Here you can use your hand to pour water on the rat’s back or a small cup. Make sure that you clear off all the soap residue from the fur of the rat. Read the rest of this entry »

We all know that animals do not have the ability to use language as the medium of their communication. But, they do have other abilities of conveying messages to other animals amongst which use of body language is the most important factor. The messages can be of many types like conveying food location, calling for mating rituals, danger alarms, appreciation of good deeds like helping other animals in dangerous situations, etc. There are different types of animal communication, which will be looked at in this segment. Different species use different types of communication. There are two main types of communication in animals and consists of a few subtypes under them.

Verbal Communication

Sounds are one of the most common types of verbal communication in animals and the majority of the species use them as the medium to convey messages. Bats usually follow sound waves to communicate. They mostly rest in the morning and become active at night to search for food and do other tasks. All the birds communicate through their chirping and it is ultrasound waves that they use. Mammals, generally, make use of sounds to give calls to other members of their community. The smaller animals squeak and larger ones rumble. It is found out through studies that, an animal with the smaller head can produce really large sounds and also receive a greater frequency of sound! Whales are the perfect users of sound waves. They have a whale song, which they repeat after regular intervals.

Non-Verbal Communication

Facial Expressions
This kind of communication is mostly found in dogs. When they are angry, they show their teeth snarling and raise their ears. On the other hand, when they are frightened, they pull their ears behind with the mouth open. In birds also, when the parent bird brings food for the offspring, the ‘begging expression’ can be observed on its face.