General Articles

Buying a Ferret

Rusty

Buying a Ferret

Today when people decide to get a pet, they often want to go beyond the conventional. Hence they prefer exotic and playful creatures such as ferrets. These small, playful creatures can be as cute as a cat and even as loving as a dog. However, before you actually buy a ferret make sure you have taken care of a few things.

Places to get a Ferret from

– Once you have done your initial preparation regarding a ferret and its requirements, the next time is to find places to buy your ferret from. This is assuming that you have checked the local laws of course; because you need to ensure that keeping a ferret is legal in your specific state. Consult your local vet or research online before you buy a ferret.

– Keep some finances ready because the ferret alone could cost you anything ranging from $75 to $100. Some of the rare breeds such as Angora ferrets are quite expensive. These are genetically rare and besides need to be lactated by other ferret mothers, this only mounts the cost.

– A good place to start searching for ferret sellers and breeders is your local newspapers. You could even visit a vet in your area and get expert advice on the same.

– Like most things, even ferrets can be purchased on the Internet due to rise in the number of pet care websites. Do confirm and check all details, especially the authenticity of rare breeds.

Checklists before you get your Ferret home

Don’t be in a rush to get your ferret home after you’ve completed all the procedures. Before getting it home, you need to stock up on some vital things.

– The most important thing to stock is dry ferret food. These tiny creatures need high protein foods and have an appetite for meat.

– Another essential thing to buy is an exercise pen where your ferret can frolic around. Remember that these small animals love moving around and have bundles of energy to use. Therefore this exercise pen will channelize their energy and provide a safe place for them to play.

– Next you will need other basic items of ferret care such as a bad or hammock, litter box, special shampoo, tiny water bottles and most important a special air spray to minimize the odor coming from your ferret.

These items can be easily purchased from any pet store or website. You can even get bargain deals. Once you have the basics ready you can get your ferret and see how enjoyable and loving these creatures can be.…

Dogs for Adoption

Cat Care Secrets For The New Owner

Rusty

There are two types of “new” cat owners. The first will appreciate that they are in effect bringing into their home a strange animal, whose nature they do not fully understand. This group might do a little research beforehand, and buy or borrow a cat care and training guide. The second group may just assume that the new cat or kitten will very quickly pick up and obey the house rules, and it is this group who are more likely to get angry and frustrated, and maybe resort to smacking or shaking the cat.

For a start, any physical punishment is self-defeating – the cat will simply learn to fear you, and make any further training even more difficult. A very effective alternative to physical punishment is to keep a spray bottle of water handy – if she misbehaves, a little spray will let her know you are not pleased.

The surest key to success with your cat house training is to try to understand how your cat thinks, why she does the things she does, what motivates her. If you expect her to do something that goes against her nature, then you better be prepared to make it worth her while. If you want to make the most rapid progress, a modest investment in a decent cat manual or guide will be richly rewarded, and you will at a stroke begin to understand “cat think” and cat care in general, and also avoid the most common mistakes.

You will find that the most rewarding approach is to encourage good behavior, either by kind words combined with gentle stroking, or some food treat. The cat will quickly learn what she has to do to earn that “reward”, and if the reward is not forthcoming, she will assimilate the knowledge that she has broken some rule.

Cats are known for their short attention span, so your training sessions should be fairly brief, ideally around 10 minutes. You want to eliminate any distractions during these short sessions, so you maximise the chances of gaining the undivided attention of the cat. The perfect location is a small indoors room, with no view outside, and no disturbances.

The essential training exercises that concern most new cat owners are to do with urination, scratching, jumping and biting.

No cat will easily take to using a litter box – it is contrary to their nature – so it is essential that you are very determined and consistent in rewarding the cat when he performs properly.

The second biggest concern is with cat scratching, a behavior that is an essential part of the animal’s nature. The provision of good scratching posts in strategic places will alleviate the problem, and spare your furniture and curtains. The surgical removal of the cat’s claws was until recently seen as an easy and permanent solution to the problem, but in a more humane age this is seen as quite a barbaric act to perform on a Cat, and one that upsets the whole balance mechanism of the cat, and is really traumatic.

A cat will not expend unnecessary energy, so if she jumps there is a reason for it. Most often, she will jump onto the window sill to view the outside world – if you want her not to jump on a particular sill, block off the view for the first 15 inches, perhaps with a piece of fabric. If there is no view, she will soon go elsewhere. Jumping onto counters or worktops or tables in the kitchen should be completely discouraged from the beginning – it might simply signal that she wants feeding.

Biting is unfortunately often encouraged in a kitchen – children in particular enjoy being bitten by young kitten teeth, and will often playfully provoke it until it bites. But that “trains” the cat that biting is acceptable, so it should be avoided. If the behavior persists, you might discourage it with a spray from your water bottle.…

General Articles

Checklist For Bringing Home Your Ragdoll Kitten

Rusty

Checklist For Bringing Home Your Ragdoll Kitten

Whether you are going to the next town to get your new Ragdoll kitten or if you are having your kitten flown to you, here are some items you might want to make sure you have before you bring home your Ragdoll kitten.

o Pet Carrier – If your kitty is being shipped, then your kitten will come with one. If not, then you will want to get one to bring your kitten home in as well as use when going to the vet. Be sure carriers are large enough for when kittens get older- Medium size should be fine. If you are looking at carriers for their size, then you want to get one that is for about 20 lbs. And this is something you will have the entire life of your pet, so don’t worry too much about spending a lot because you’ll have it for a long time!

o Towel – Have a towel absorbent cloth for your kitty to rest on, and in case of a potty accident, if he is in the carrier for a long time.

o Food – Get whatever your breeder recommends or is feeding them now. If you do not like their choice in food, you will still need to have the food s/he is used to and then you can switch to what you want later. There are guidelines on how to transition cats to different foods and it’s very important to follow them.

o Water and Food Bowls – I recommend stainless steel or ceramic ones for easy cleaning. Plastic ones have been known to cause acne in cats, so best to avoid them altogether.

o Litter Box – Might as well get a big one since your kitty will need it when s/he grows up.

o Litter – You will want to have the litter that your breeder has been using, so that your kitten recognizes it immediately and wants to use the litter box. Of course, you can also transition to another litter later on – but starting out, you want the same kind your breeder is using.

o Cat Toys – Think about getting cat wand toys, catnip cat toys and even interactive cat toys – here are some to consider:

– Neko Flies

– Yeowww! Catnip Banana

– Bergan Turbo Scratcher

o Scratching Post – Again, see what the breeder has in their home and then see if you can find something similar. This allows your kitty to scratch vertically.

o Scratcher – A horizontal scratcher, like a cardboard one, allows your kitty to also scratch down, rather than up (vertically) – there are many toys out there that are multi-purpose in that they are a scratcher as well as a toy like the Bergan Turbo Scratcher

o Brush and Comb – Many Ragdoll cats don’t require a considerable amount of grooming, but it is important from a young age to get your kitty used to being brushed so that when they are 19 years old, then don’t hate the feel of it. Brushing your cat creates an excellent opportunity for pet owner and cat bonding time as well.

o Nail Clippers – Your breeder might have a recommendation as far as which kind of nail clippers to get. It is important to get them used to nail clippers and the feel of having their nails cut from a young age.…

General Articles

Kitten Biting Problems

Rusty

Kitten Biting Problems

Kittens are cute, adorable, fun little creatures. They are cuddly and want to play with your hands, biting or scratching them. At first, they may seem like harmless play. Watch out, when they grow older and the teeth and claws get sharper, playtime wouldn’t be that enjoyable anymore. They can even draw blood from your hands if you don’t stop this rough play as soon as it starts.

Kitten biting problems are often caused by the cat owner himself. I’m not saying that it’s your fault. The biting and scratching behavior in kittens are completely natural to them. It is a vital part of their development because of their predatory nature. However, if your hands become their target, this behavior should be stopped even before their teeth and claws get sharper.

In their natural world, together with their mother and siblings, kittens play a lot together. It includes mainly of stalking, biting, scratching, pouncing, wrestling and chasing- predatory skills that a normal kitten of the wild would have to learn to survive. Play can sometimes get rough and even become aggressive between siblings. When this happens, the other kitten usually growls, retaliate or just stop playing. The mother also corrects the kitten with a growl or a swat. Kittens can send each other signals to indicate that aggression in their games is not tolerated and subconsciously teaches the kitten to control his aggression.

Biting and any other aggressive behavior in kittens can be stopped. If playtime with your kitten means playing with your hands, try diverting his attention by using toys instead. You can use a string, balls made of paper, or any household items as toys for your kitten. If he still tries to reach for your hands, stop playing altogether and walk away. Your kitten craves your attention and if you ignore him, it is equivalent to scolding him. If during play, he becomes aggressive and bites your hand, say NO in a stern voice and gently remove your hand. Be consistent and he will soon learn to become a gentle and well-behaved kitten.…

Animal Control

Feline Fine: Cat Care For Cat Lovers

Rusty

Dogs, as it is often said, are a man’s best friend. But whilst they may indeed be a very loving and loyal companion to have around, the large proportion of cat owners in the UK would probably argue that their moggy is every bit as faithful a friend, and also a fully integrated member of the family unit.

Indeed, most people are fairly clear on whether they are a ‘cat person’ or a ‘dog person’ and normally have quite specific reasons for their opinions. But regardless of what camp a person sits in, most people would probably agree that cats require a lot less maintenance than their canine counterparts.

For instance, cats quite often tend to take care of their own hygiene, which can be of great help for those pet owners who perhaps have their time occupied with more important day to day tasks. But, and as many cat owners will have experienced, they also have a tendency to wander off, particularly if they are living in the countryside. It’s fair to say, however, that cats are reasonably independent creatures that are more than capable of taking care of themselves.

The down side to this independence is that when cats do stray away from home it can often be for long periods of time, but regardless of how many lives cats are supposed to have, this can still cause a great deal of worry for any feline-loving family.

Of course, when a cat does disappear for days on end, it is merely doing what comes naturally. It may be hunting, looking for a mate, or it may simply have wandered into a neighbouring garden where it has become acquainted with another, perhaps overly-generous, cat lover. Either way, it can be difficult to determine a cat’s reasoning for straying and more than often you begin to consider the worst has happened.

As a result, it’s not too uncommon to see posters placed around a neighbourhood, offering a description of the missing moggy in question, and perhaps even a small reward for its safe return. However, the cat may even wander home eventually of its own accord, and at times possibly a little bedraggled and worse for wear.

Moreover, even the littlest of scrapes or cuts can become infected after days of roughing it, which can lead to a great deal of expense if a vet’s help is needed. But as is the case with anything in life that we hold dear to us, it is possible to provide a little protection should the need arise, and many people choose to take out pet insurance for such occasions.

Having pet insurance in place will ensure that a mischievous moggy isn’t cause for a financial catastrophe, as protection is usually offered not only against the cost of veterinary care, but also for reward and recovery costs too. And as a fully integrated member of the family unit, that’s probably the very least a cat deserves!…

General Articles

Ferret’s Odor

Rusty

Ferret’s Odor

Ferrets are cute and supple looking creatures that make easy pets, and moreover they are loved by their owners from the hilt. But, do you really know that ferrets have unique smell associated with them. This strong skin odor makes them stand different from the crowd. The odor is the result of oil secreted from their skin, and protects him/her from dryness. And if you are bathing your ferret quite often, then it is quite natural that you’d be draining the oil away from your it’s skin. Irrespective of the fact that you clean the ferret cage for number of times, this unique and sharp odor remains in the cage and your ferret’s skin.

There’s absolutely no doubt that they are good and adorable pets to give you the company and enjoyment, the occurrence of very unique smell in the ferret’s skin keep the pet owners away from them. Therefore, the real tussle is to educate and learn yourself on how to stay with such unique smell, and also on how to live with the ferrets scent. Here is the list of to-do things that you should consider on priority while warding off the ferret’s scent:

• You should associate with the unique ferret’s scent that he/she possesses. Remember, it is the natural odor that is unique to every ferret, and you have to learn to live with this odor.

• Give potty training to your ferret, as in this manner you can lessen the intensity of smell coming from your ferret’s skin. Potty training can be started by making use of litter boxes and trays. If you fail in potty training your ferret, the result would be -Filthy Ferret Cage with Obnoxious Odor. Are you ready to take on this?

• Create a comfortable and hygienic environment in and around the ferret’s cage. Wash the objects/utensils inside the ferret cage as frequently as you can. Further, all he basic essentials like food, fresh water etc. should also be provided inside the ferret’s cage.

• You should also regularly and habitually clean ferrets bed, accessories and cage. Doing so will reduce the body odor of your ferret. You can also use lukewarm water and skin-friendly detergents for the job.

Here are some of the educative steps that you as an ardent ferret owner should religiously follow:

• Be explorative and grab as much information about the ferret s possible. Keep reading about different aspects of ferret’s health. The more you explore the more knowledgeable you become about your ferret’s health.

• Clean and wash your ferrets’ skin with ferret shampoo. Give your ferret frequent washes, but too much of bathing results in over secretion of the oil. And this further makes the skin odor pungent.

Ferret’s natural skin odor is the means to protect him/her from the external pathogens. But, the odor becomes unbearable for the pet owners inside the home. Therefore, following the above described guidelines will not only ensure good and refreshing atmosphere in your home, but also give your ferret a healthy atmosphere to breathe.…

Rescue Dogs

Is Owning A Pet Rat Right For You?

Rusty

When you tell someone your contemplating obtaining a rat for your family generally folks’s first reaction is this weird look on their face and they say “Yuck! Why?” “Their tales are scary looking!” They are frequently linked with scary and filthy things.

Here you can read and choose for your self if possessing a rat is ideal for you and your family members.

Unfortunately folks are poorly educated when it comes to these extremely clever critters . They only know what history has claimed them as being, a disease infested, nasty, annoying rodent that eats all your food and bites people for fun. When in reality, the domesticated rat (a.k.a. Rattus Norvegicus) are physiologically and psychologically different from their untamed relatives. The rat has no more health risks to people than any other pet..

Their tails might not be the cutest thing to look at but they help the rat to balance themselves. Speaking from experience, you don’t actually notice them or pay attention to them mainly because you’re to busy looking at those cute faces and big dumbo ears!

Dumbo/fancy rats are basically the same thing. The dumbo rat just has bigger ears than the fancy rat.. You will want to buy your rats in pairs so they can keep each company when you cant. You should buy rats in same sex pairs or you will have a bunch of rattie babies!!!!

Typically a rats lifespan is approximately 2 years but of course that can change if treated properly and they are maintained well. Size: 7-10″ body, plus 6-8″ tail.

Rats are very are the smartest of all small pets!!! If taken the time, rats can learn their name and come to it! Unfortunately, rats do have an odor to them. Ideally, their litter and caged should be cleaned every couple of days to help keep odors away, once a week at the latest. This does not just pertain to rats it’s with any caged animal.. So if your not to keen on small animal odors then rats may not be for you, or any other caged animal..

Once all the essentials are purchased, maintanence is fairly inexpensive. You will need a rat habitat to house your furry critter, bedding, food bowls and sipper style water bottle, fortified fancy rat diet, chew toys, exercise ball and wheel. Rat guides and training books are very beneficial. Please look under the buy rat supplies tab to see everything you need to maintain your new rat.

In my opinion, rats are the perfect pet! No having to take your rats on midnight walks because nature calls.. Rats are fairly cheap and inexpensive to keep. They will fit and adapt to any size home. They’re big on personality and real people pleasers! They are great candidates for training because they have great memory and problem solving skills.…