Exotic Pets Stolen, Recovered From Store

A pet supply shop in the Great Mall of the Great Plains was the target of a thief not once, not twice, but three times. The thief stole two pocket parrots, three sugar gliders, a chinchilla, and an aquarium. www.kmbc.com

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Sugar Glider

Pocket Pets had a kiosk set up at the Christiana Mall where they were selling Sugar Gliders and supplies. I worry that people don't realize what a commitment owning these wonderful little creatures is.

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Pet Rat Care - Bumblefoot

What is Bumblefoot?

Bumblefoot is a sore or callus that forms on the bottom or underside of the rat's foot. These sores, if not treated immediately, can rapidly turn to ulcers that are often raw and prone to bleeding. The medical term is ulcerative pododermatitis and it is a complex condition that can be difficult to treat. It has yet to be determined whether or not the bacteria staphylococcus aureus, often found in these ulcers, comes after the sore has begun or is part of the instigation of the problem.

Cause of Bumblefoot.

The jury is still not in as to exactly why our pet rat may develop these ulcers. A few possible causes are as listed below.

Genetic Predisposition is commonly accepted as playing a large part and can explain how one rat may develop this condition yet his rat mates, fed, housed and cared for in exactly the same manner, do not.

Aging rats, particularly overweight pets, tend to be more prone as a result of walking more flat footed and placing more weight on the pad of the foot.

Soiled bedding or dirty flooring can cause infection to develop in wounds. Where solid flooring is used in your pet rat cage, puddles of urine could cause the risk of bacterial infection to occur.

Wired floor cages should be avoided. The uneven surface of wire can cause stress and wounding on a rats foot which again can lead to problems.

Rough bedding such as wood chips are believed to cause foot problems. Look into a softer bedding material, but one that is not too dusty.

Obesity is thought to be a contributing factor and although may not be a direct cause, is certainly must be kept in mind when caring for our rats.

Treatment.

Prevention is better than cure! A few simple steps may help in the prevention of Bumblefoot, however, if your pet rat does develop these sores rapid treatment will help to slow down and hopefully reverse the condition.

If you do own a wire cage, try to use wood or towels that can be tossed away when dirty over the wire.

If you own a cage with solid flooring, regular cleaning is essential. Always ensure bedding is clean and dry and all surfaces are clean and dry too.

Make sure your pet has a good diet. Watch carefully what you feed your rat and not too many treats, they do not need to be overweight to be happy.

If your pet still develops symptoms of Bumblefoot, then I strongly suggest you try a few of the following treatments. As a rule of thumb, I tend to try one for about 7 to 10 days and if no improvement is obvious, then I move onto something else.

Simple soap and water to clean the rats foot, followed by complete drying and a change in bedding, cage flooring and cleaning frequency can often stop the infection in its tracts in the early stages.
Betadine can be tried. Apply several times a day.

I have used True Blu 11 which has been quite effective in some cases. I use this on my horses as it is actually designed for larger animals, but be warned, it is messy.

Diluted grapefruit seed extract can be apply to the lumps a few times a day.

If you can, take your pet to the vet and obtain a cause of antibiotics.

Surgery may be necessary but only as a last resource. Please consider all your options before putting your beloved pet through this procedure.

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Habitrail OVO Loft Hamster Cage Review - Description and Information

The Habitrail OVO Loft Hamster Cage review aims to provide you with the description and information of this cage. This hamster cage is one of the many OVO editions created by Habitrail. In the next few paragraphs, I will touch on the product dimensions, items lists, descriptions and highlight a few comments made by customers who bought this large hamster cage.

1. Dimensions of the Habitrail OVO Loft Hamster Cage

69cm (27in) Long
30cm (12in) Wide
25cm (10in) High

2. Items included in this cool hamster cage

Main Base Area OVO Loft Cage
Two Large Orange Windows/Doors
Silent Habitrail Exercise Wheel
Matching Food Bowl
Cozy Hideaway
Water Bottle
Lock Connector
Loft Cardboard Maze

3. Description of the Habitrail OVO Loft Hamster Cage

This cage is made up of 8 items as listed above. The main base area is where your little animal can run about freely. The rounded corners prevents it from chewing the sides of the cage. The two large doors allows you to have easy access to your pet so that you will have an easier time feeding and playing with it. These easy access doors are secured which prevents your hamsters, gerbils or mice from escaping.

Basic items like the silent Habitrail exercise wheel, food bowl and water bottle are also provided. This means that you do not need to get them on your own. It is great value for your money!

Habitrail also provides a cardboard maze for your pets to explore and also chew on it.

Still not convinced this is the cage for you to house your hamsters? Let us see some reviews by customers who have bought the Habitrail OVO Loft Hamster Cage.

4. Comments made by customers who bought the cage

Positives:

Hamster owners who bought the cage love it because it is very roomy and spacious. The cage is very safe because of the tubes are secured by lock connectors.

In my opinion, it has a good value for money - a big space for a small price. You do not have to worry about wood shavings spilling out of the cage when the hamster burrows because of its high base.

You are also able to have a clear view of hamsters running around in the cage but also giving them enough privacy because of the top of the cage is clear but coloured.

Improvements to be made:

Dwarfs hamsters might be unable to climb vertically up the stairs to the food bowl. It is quite steep for them and is rather slippery. This can be easily solved by placing another food bowl in the cage, where your pets can reach.

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Sugar Gliders As Pets: Vet Approved Cage and Housing Facts

www.asgv.org. Top Vets teach the FACTS about proper Sugar Glider cages and cage supplies.

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Ferret Houses - All You Need to Know

Ferrets are active and energetic little creatures and they tend to get bored quite easily. As such, as a responsible owner it is your responsibility to make their houses an interesting place to live in. Cozy and comfortable bedding, litter trays/ boxes and treats and toys for your ferrets are some of the prime things that are to be included in ferret houses.

Make sure that the ferret shelters are spacious enough to let these frizzy creatures move and play around freely. A ferret house should ideally measure about 18 inches by 30 inches by 36 inches with at least two full levels is best and is strongly recommended for a single ferret or a pair. These little animals prefer to live a lavish life and as such it is important to ensure that you keep their houses decked with proper bedding and litter boxes.

Ferrets are generally clean animals and when it comes to their homes, they prefer clean and neatly decked up houses. Things you need to include within the ferret houses are small water bottles, exercise pens for ferrets, ferret deodorizing sprays, dry ferret foods, ferret hammock, ferret toys and litter boxes.

When choosing a house for your ferret, it is advisable that you choose a metal cage or hard plastic-coated wire cages, preferably the multi-level ones, and make sure that the wire openings do not exceed the standard measurement of 1" by 1". Also, avoid using glass aquariums for ferret homes, as they cut down the air circulation.

For litter boxes, you can use square litter pans rather than the cornered ones. Most of the ferrets love to place all four feet in the litter pan while using it. You should compulsorily keep one litter pan in the cage, preferably at the bottom level. Use a wood or recycled newspaper pellet litter.

Abundance of bedding is required in the cage, as ferrets love to burrow. T-shirts, hammocks, baby blankets, sweatshirts, and snuggle sacks are some of the favorites for ferret bedding. Keep tubes, toys and numerous treats in the cage for your ferrets to have a nice time inside. However, avoid latex, rubber or bean-filled toys.

Finally, keep the ferret houses in a cool area, away from direct sunlight. Ferrets cannot live in high temperatures.

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Know Your Chinchilla Facts

Before buying a chinchilla, has it ever crossed your mind that you have to know what you are getting yourself into? Having a chinchilla as a pet is not easy, and you'd better know the basic chinchilla facts, than get confused later for apparently knowing nothing or too little about chinchillas.

First, differentiating the male from the female chinchillas can be a challenge, as it usually is with most rodents. One clear giveaway in telling a pair of chinchilla couples is the size. Given the same diet, the female chinchilla is usually bigger than the male. The latter can be as heavy as 400-500 grams, whereas females are about 400-600 grams. Looking at the organs might not be very helpful, as the penis of the male chinchilla only shows usually after three months. By the third month, a chinchilla will have reached puberty. By the 8th month, it is ready to breed.

As for female chinchillas, they can be pregnant for as much as twice a year. Since the gestation period normally takes 111 days, a time allowance in between two pregnancies is recommended. To make sure that a pair of chinchillas will not breed, separating their cage is the most advisable thing to do. A mother chinchilla will give birth to a litter of 1 to 3 kits, the name for baby chinchillas. Once born, a kit is already fully developed and does not need intense caring from its parents. The normal weight of baby chinchillas is 35-40 grams.

Upon growing, chinchillas will develop stronger teeth. As it does, you have to supply its cage with a lot of wood and toys that they can chew on. These objects will help them sharpen their teeth and ensure that they don't get too sharp.

Chinchillas will also develop their own personalities as they grow up. Although its unique traits should be observable upon birth, they will be more prominent upon growing up. Take note of these key traits as they will not only help you differentiate chinchillas from each other but will also help in communicating with them.

A claim to fame of these rodents is its highly valuable fur. Considered endangered for its expensive fur, chinchillas had been viciously hunted until the end of the 19th century. With 150 to 250 chinchillas, a stylish coat made of chinchilla can be made.

Because of the uncontrollable rate at which chinchillas were being hunted and killed, something had to be done with the situation. This explains the presence of many chinchilla farms around. These provide a healthy breeding environment for chinchillas, which was meant to supply the increasing demand of chinchilla fur for clothing. However, with the times changing in favor of animal rights and against the killing of chinchillas for clothes, these animal farms began to serve an altogether different purpose: providing an unconventional alternative to pets like dogs, cats and other rodents.

Chinchillas are a breath of fresh air. Very few people have them and once they do, they simply cannot help but love them. Martha Stewart, in fact, confesses her love for the creatures and even owns as much as 15 of them! With the distinct nature of chinchillas, there is every reason why you should have them as your new pets. Knowing your chinchilla facts can be a enlightening experience.

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The Lowdown on Chinchilla Care

Do you want your chinchillas to reach its optimum age of 20 years? Chinchillas can last that long, but only if you care for it well enough. A lot of people have no idea how proper chinchilla care should even be done and end up relying on their own instincts. Chinchilla are delicate creatures and relying on "gut feelings" to know how to take care of them will only compromise its health and ultimately shorten its life. If you love your pet chinchilla, you surely want neither of that.

Moderating the Temperature

The function of sweat glands is to release the heat in the body in liquid form. This way, your body can adapt to increasing temperature without causing a breakdown in your system. Ever notice how your body starts sweating when you're just too tired or the heat is becoming too much to bear? That's your sweat glands at work.

Unlike you, your chinchilla doesn't have sweat glands. Obviously, this means that it doesn't have an ingenious way of adapting to increasing temperatures. Once the temperature becomes too much to take, it will most likely suffer of heatstroke. The threshold of chinchillas when it comes to handling temperature is much lower, partly due to its lack of a complex immune system and tiny body. The ideal temperature is 65-70. Anything beyond will be harmful for your chinchilla.

Also, if you think its thick fur will protect it from the cold, you are alarmingly mistaken. Immediately beneath its thick layer of fur is its skin. In other words, the only thing protecting your chinchilla from harsh temperatures, including the cold, is its fur. If the environment gets either too hot or too cold, your chinchilla will have undesirable complications and may even die.

Finding a Vet

Though chinchillas make perfect pets, they are classified as exotic. This doesn't just mean that they are endangered and are not allowed to be used for animal clothing. In pet lingo, this means that they're much harder to care for and required much more attention that your average domesticated pet. Unlike cats, you can't simply leave food for them and expect them to get through the day. Chinchillas must be taken to the veterinarian regularly.

How do you find a veterinarian for exotic pets? Consider it a challenge that you will have to go through. Don't settle for just any vet who claims to have an experience with rodents. Make sure you get someone that actually knows how to deal with chinchillas.

The price you will be paying the vet for your chinchilla should be no more than what you'll pay for other pets, like dogs or cats. You want the best chinchilla care, but be careful about getting overpriced services. It all boils down to how well you look for a vet that 1) has a specialization in exotic pets such as chinchillas and 2) knows how to name the price right. With both bases covered, you will have found a veterinarian that will do everything in his or her power to extend your pet's lifespan to its optimum age.

Moderating the temperature and finding the perfect vet are just two of the many ways by which you can show your pet chinchilla love and affection. Consider these two steps as a positive start to a long life with your adorable rodent.

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A Ferret's Nutritional Needs

Ferrets are animals that are delicate and needs a lot of attention whether it is on their diet or nutritional needs. If they are not given proper diet, they could be at risk on a serious health problem. Ferrets are meat eater and they could not survive on high fiber and low protein food. In the past, ferrets are given cat food since it is the only source closest to their dietary needs.

Today, ferret owners need not worry about their pet's nutritional needs since professionals that have spent a lot of time studying on ferrets' nutritional needs have formulated the perfect food for your pet ferret. This helps ferrets achieve a healthy and happy life giving them the right combination of protein and fat. Baby ferrets have different nutritional needs and you don't have to worry since a lot of available brands in the market today so your baby ferret would get the right amount of nutritional needs. One good thing about ferrets is that they eat a minimal amount of food so it is not that expensive. And let me remind you that ferrets are very choosy when it comes to their food; they have the tendency to starve themselves if they don't like the food given to them.

Ferrets should eat twice every day to gain the calorie and the energy they need so only a small portion of food is given to them. If you give your ferret a moist diet, make sure that you have to take it out after 45 minutes. You can also try to giving your ferret dry pellets and always make sure that it has available fresh water. Ferrets like to drink their water in a bowl rather that in a bottle. So you have to make sure that you change their water every 1 or 2 hours.

Aside from giving your ferret their usual food, you can also give them a treat but not often. Giving your ferret treats with high sugar can cause nutritional problems like malnutrition, tooth decay, obesity, insolinoma, intestinal blockage hypoglycemia and diarrhea. It would also give them the reason to refuse on their normal diet. Vegetables and grains are not well digested, so avoid giving them. Never, ever give them onions! It is considered to be poisonous to them.

Proper nutrition, healthy grooming will give your ferret a happy and comfortable long life. It also helps minimize stress in them and diseases. Ferrets are playful, loving and affectionate animal much like to dogs and cats. Giving them the proper diet together with your love and affection towards them will give your pet a perfect long life with you.

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Fleece Ferret Hammock

So what's with the latest craze about the fleece ferret hammock amidst ferret owners? If you've been around many ferret owners you may have noticed that almost all of them either are talking about it or already have one. The reason is that it one of the most versatile devices you can get for your ferret.

The fleece ferret hammock isn't like the traditional human hammock for a few reasons. Most obviously, a human won't fit into one (please don't try). These hammocks are customized for your ferret's body shape and size. This means it will automatically fold just enough to wrap around your ferret's body and shield it from light. Ferrets love dark places to sleep. The hammock is also very inviting to them as a bed because it puts them into their natural sleeping position, and of course, fleece is soft.

In the fleece ferret hammock your ferret will also find hours of enjoyment in using it as a toy. You can really tell that your ferret is having a blast when it's swinging away in this device. Be forewarned that you need to be careful in setting it up because of this. They may smack themselves on the sides of the cage if you aren't careful.

This may not seem like all that much, but ferrets have three primary activities. These are eating, sleeping, and playing. This cheaply-purchased hammock covers two out of three, and if you wanted three out of three it obviously wouldn't last very long.

You should also keep in mind that they do require some maintenance if you decide to get one. It's important, but not that elaborate. Throw it in the wash every week or every other week, and check it for fraying or splitting. It's a very rude wake up call for your ferret to be swinging and then fall tumbling from his hammock.

So grab yourself enough money for a few cups worth of coffee and get headed out to your local pet megastore or go searching the internet for one and you'll have a happy, well-rested ferret for some time to come.

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Sugar Gliders: Tiny Acrobats

In the last decade or so, the popularity of sugar gliders as pets has grown considerably. The small size of these furry acrobats, their personalities, their plush fur, their large eyes, their agility and their ability to bond closely with humans have attracted legions of new sugar glider devotees.

What is a sugar glider and where did they originally come from? Sugar gliders are small marsupials and members of the possum family. They are found in Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia, and New Guinea. Their scientific name is Petaurus breviceps. Most sugar gliders these days are captive-bred and not wild-caught.

Like their larger marsupial cousins, kangaroos, sugar gliders have a pouch where their infants grow and develop. Their young are called "joeys," as are the young of kangaroos. You may come across the term OOP while researching sugar gliders on the internet. OOP means "out-of-pouch" and it indicates how long the joey has been completely out of his mother's pouch. Joeys are ready to go to a new home at approximately 8 weeks OOP.

Sugar gliders are approximately chipmunk-sized, measuring about 9 to 12 inches long (including their long tail), and they weigh about 3 to 6 ounces as adults. Their normal color is steel gray to brownish with a black stripe down the back, but selective breeding in captivity has brought out other color variations, including albinos. In captivity, they can live as long as 15 years, although 8 to 12 years is more usual.

One of the most distinguishing features of sugar gliders is a thin membrane, called a patagium, that stretches between their front and rear legs, much like the more familiar flying squirrels of North America. This is what allows them to glide from tree to tree. When they glide, the skin spreads out, making sugar gliders look like furry kites! When the sugar glider is sitting, the patagium looks like ruffled furry skin, shaped somewhat like the edge of lasagna noodles.

Their tail is not prehensile, unlike their more familiar American opossum cousins. That means that sugar gliders cannot grasp, grip and hang from their tails. Instead, the tail is used as a balancing and stabilizing tool, especially while gliding.

Sugar gliders are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. They have very large (relative to their size) eyes, which help them see at night. They also have large ears, an obvious benefit to an animal who is both preyed-upon and a predator. Those big ears allow them to hear even the smallest sound.

Sugar gliders have fixed teeth, incisors, molars, and premolars. You should not trim your sugar glider's teeth. Unlike some species, such as guinea pigs, their teeth do not continue to grow once mature. If a tooth falls out, it is not replaced. Wild gliders chew on branches and in the process, clean their teeth. Gliders in cages will also chew on branches.

Sugar gliders have 5 toes on their front feet. Each toe ends with a very sharp claw that helps them land when they glide. Those claws also make gliders very agile climbers. Their hind feet also have 5 toes, but one of them is an enlarged, clawless opposable toe. An opposable toe means that they can use that toe to grip things, much as humans' opposable thumbs allow us to do the same.

Why are they called "sugar gliders"? In the wild, sugar gliders eat, as part of their diet, manna (a crusty sugar left where sap flowed from a tree trunk or branch) and honeydew (an excess sugar produced by sap-sucking insects). In captivity, sugar gliders have a fondness for sweet foods. They will eat too many sweets if allowed, so sweet foods must be rationed.

In the wild, sugar gliders nest in holes of trees in colonies of 7 to 15 members and have been observed gliding as far as 300 feet! The ability to glide is one of the most amazing features of sugar gliders, and one of the things that makes them such special pets. Teaching your sugar glider to glide to you is very rewarding!

Sugar gliders are social animals, which means they live in groups. They get along with and love the company other sugar gliders, and many sugar glider owners choose to have more than one glider. It is their social nature that allows them to develop strong bonds with their human owners. But it is also that social nature that creates their need for attention from their owners. Sugar gliders are not the kind of pet that can be left for long periods of time without any attention from their owners. The more time you spend with your sugar glider, the more he will become bonded with you.

Many sugar glider owners bond with their new gliders by carrying them around in a bonding pouch for several hours a day while the glider sleeps. Sugar gliders are sometimes called "pocket pets" because they will often curl up in your pocket and go to sleep!

Diet and housing are perhaps the two most important factors in deciding whether a sugar glider is the right pet for you. Sugar gliders require a varied diet consisting of a protein source (meat, insects, etc.), a fruit and/or vegetable source, and a supplement of calcium. There are commercial sugar glider dry and soft-pellet foods available, but it is not recommended that you feed your sugar glider a diet consisting solely of these commercial foods. Sugar gliders require fresh food sources in addition to any commercial food. Calcium is also crucial to their diet, and there are a number of products on the market that will allow you to easily add calcium to your sugar glider's diet.

Sugar gliders require as tall a cage as possible. They feel safer up high because they are normally tree-dwellers. 30 inches tall is usually the bare minimum for a sugar glider cage, but most breeders and sugar glider experts recommend cages 4 feet tall or higher. Many sugar glider owners buy flight cages designed for finches and other small birds. The flight cages are tall enough and roomy enough for a sugar glider. It is also recommended that sugar glider owners permit their gliders supervised play time in a glider-safe room for at least several hours a day.

Although sugar gliders are loving, affectionate and adorable, it is recommended that an adult closely supervise any young children around sugar gliders.

The cost of a sugar glider is approximately $150 to $250. If the glider must be shipped to you via airplane, there will be an additional cost. Certain desirable color variations can raise the price of a sugar glider considerably.

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Hammock Chairs - Installation Instructions

www.hammockchairs.biz This video shows you how to install your newly purchased hammock chair.

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