Hamsters

Syrian or golden hamsters live on average about 2-3 years. Adults are about 6 inches in length. They are solitary animals that should be kept one to a cage. A basic minimum cage size is 12 x 18 inches (and 12 inches tall), but since hamsters are quite active, the bigger the better (and those cute modular plastic hamster cages are often too small for hamsters). Syrian hamsters that are handled from a young age usually have an agreeable temperament, but if not handled much they can be defensive and can deliver a painful bite (they are also nocturnal and can be difficult to wake or act grumpy if woken during the day). Overall hamsters are widely available and make good pets, with the advantage that they can be kept single. Also, several species of dwarf hamster are becoming more widely available. These are smaller than Syrian hamsters and are often more social, at least with others of their species. Some have a reputation as biters, although that depends a bit on the species and how much they are handled.

Birds Can Be Destructive

One of a bird's most prominent features, its beak, grows continuously throughout the bird's life, and must be worn down to prevent overgrowth. In order to keep the beak maintained, as well as to exercise jaw muscles, birds need to chew. Because of this, bird owners must be diligent about supervising their pets so as to protect furniture and valuables from the beak's gnashing fury. If a bird is on your list of potential pets, be prepared to offer it a plethora of safe and fun toys to rip, shred, and destroy. This will help minimize the risk of your bird chewing on something that is not his, or worse, something dangerous or toxic.

Birds Require Consistent Socialization

Unlike domesticated animals such as cats and dogs, birds are essentially wild and need to be handled and socialized with every day to remain tame. If you are thinking of owning a bird, you should assess your daily schedule and routine to see if you have the time that your feathered friend will require. Birds do best with reliable routines that they can follow throughout the day. If your schedule makes such a structure impossible, then a bird may not be the best pet for you.

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Fleas
If your rabbit is scratching itself a lot, he most likely has fleas. Fleas are small flying insects that are dark brown in color. They aren't easy to find in all that rabbit fur, but you can see small black specs of flea poop that has been left behind. Fleas need to be treated ASAP as the fleas will lay larvae on rabbits, rugs, carpet and anything hair like. The best flea treatment for rabbits is Revolution. The dosage needs to be worked out based on the rabbit's body weight, and is then applied to the back of the rabbit's neck. This is so it is not groomed or licked off. Rabbits should be seperated after treatment to ensure they do not lick the flea treatment from each other's fur. Any rugs or material items eg. towels, that have been around the rabbit should be washed in hot water to kill the larvae eggs. The revolution treatment lasts for a month, but rabbits may need further treatment if more fleas have hatched from the eggs.

Eyes
Sometimes rabbits get sleep in their eyes. Just wipe this away for them. If there is excess gunk or a lot of tears, your bunny may have a problem. Take your rabbit to the vet. Interesting facts - rabbits have a third eyelid, and don't need to blink very often. This is how they can sleep with their eyes open.

Brushing
Rabbits moult several times a year, and having central heating on inside the house must confuse them. A soft brush can be used to brush out excess hair. Rabbits are good at keeping their fur clean and tidy, so you don't need to bother brushing them everyday.

Nail / Claw Trimming
Rabbits need their claws trimmed every 4-6 weeks. The claws are like fingernails, and never stop growing. Most indoor rabbits won't wear their claws down enough, so they will need to be clipped. You can do this yourself using nail clippers, or you can take your rabbit to a vet. If you are doing it yourself, it helps to shine a light from underneath the claw so you can ensure that you don't clip the blood vessel (the pink bit).

Cleaning out scent glands
Rabbits have a scent gland either side of their anus. The scent gland needs cleaning out as the scent is a liquid that can clog up the gland. Its a yucky stinky job, but it needs to be done. To clean the scent glands out, get a cotton bud and wet it with warm water. You may need to get someone to help you hold the rabbit upside down securely. Gently swab at the scent glands until the discharge comes off. If you have any trouble doing this, ask your vet to do it for you.

Use towels and paper towels to dry as best you can, then use a hairdryer to direct warm air in the general vicinity of the rabbit. Do not point the hairdryer at the rabbit as you may burn the skin. Generally rabbits will try and lick themselves dry. Don't be surprised if your rabbit sulks for a while afterwards !!!

Put a towel in the bottom of the bath so the bunny has some grip. Use some gentle shampoo or soap in the water. Try and hold the front half of the bunny out of the water. This may stop her struggling. Gently massage the hind leg/tail area with your fingers and remove any poops. Tip the water out and then replace it with clean water to rinse the bunny.

Do I have to wash my rabbit?

NO!!! Never wash a rabbit unless it is very dirty or has soiled itself. Rabbits can go into shock when you immerse them in water. Rabbits do a very good job of keeping themselves clean and only need help when they are very sick. If you have to wash your rabbit, fill a bath/tub with about an inch of water.

Cleaning ears
You should regularly check inside your rabbit's ears to make sure there isn't any build up of wax or other gunk. If there is, take your rabbit to the vet. Rabbits can get ear mites, which cause itching and a build up of yucky stuff. Never poke anything into your rabbit's ears as you can damage the inner ear.

A poor diet can also cause a dog to shed more, have a dull coat and have body odor.

It is best to feed dogs a grain-free diet. While the better quality dog food may cost more, the dog can eat less of it since their bodies use more of what they are eating, producing less waste. Not to mention the vet bill if your dog develops issues from consuming a low quality food. Be sure to read the ingredients label of the dog food you are using. You may have trouble finding a good quality food at a grocery store and may have to go to your local pet store to find a higher grade food.

Take a look at your dog's teeth. Notice that he does not have any grinding molars. They are all ripping canines. This tells us that dogs were not meant to eat grains, as they lack the teeth to grind them up. Dogs have pointy canines for ripping into meat. A lot of dogs develop skin problems and other health issues, including bloat, due to the grains they are being fed in their dog food.

Chicken in its raw state weighs about 80% more than it does once it is cooked and processed into a dry pellet. Once it is processed you are left with only 20% of the actual meat.

The word "meal" in an ingredient is something that was weighed after the water was taken out. For example "chicken meal" is chicken which is weighed after it has been cooked and the water has already been taken out, giving you more meat and protein per weight volume.

Corn can also cause many issues. Dogs were not meant to eat corn or other grains. Corn has been linked to skin allergies, joint swelling and bloat in dogs, among other things. See Corn in Dog Food. Really?

Therefore be aware that if the ingredients read "chicken" first and "corn meal" second, the food may contain more corn than chicken. Corn is a filler that a dog's body does not utilize well, if at all. The corn gets pooped out and the dog must eat more food in order to get enough protein and nutrients that their bodies can use from the other ingredients in the food.