Feeding your tropical fish the right tropical fish food is essential to ensuring their survival. Feed some species of fish the wrong food and they won’t eat it. Some species will simply starve if they′re not interested in the food you give them, whilst other species, such as those that are carnivores, may even eat smaller fish! So ensuring that your fish receive the right tropical fish food is important.
Now the first step to remember with tropical fish food is that quantity is just as important as the quality of the product you’re giving. Give your pet tropical fish too much tropical fish food, even if it’s good, and you’ll notice your tank will begin to gain slime and the quality of your water will become bad. This can lead to further problems such as constant tank cleaning, and general poor health of your tropical fish.
So how do you circumvent the potential problems of feeding your tropical fish the wrong tropical fish food? Quite simply by feeding the species of your tropical fish with the correct food for that species. If your species needs a certain vitamin in particular, then put food containing that vitamin in your fish tank. If your species needs a certain quantity of a fish food more than a smaller tropical fish species, then make sure to give them more fish food. Once again, the quality and the quantity of your fish food are both important for your pet tropical fish.
Defecencies in the essential vitamins for your tropical fish can lead to unhealthyness within your fish. It is not uncummon for poorly fed tropical fish to show elements of depression, lose of appetite, and may even cause certain fish diseases. All of these things would be very sad indeed, and could be prevented if only you had used the correct tropical fish food to begin with.
So remember, that your tropical fish are beautiful and unique, and deserve the best tropical fish food possible. For this reason, make sure to research the species of tropical fish that you wish to maintain, and if you have multiple species within your tank, try and find fish food that all species can enjoy. Last but not least, ensure that you clean your tank frequently so that excess food scraps don’t begin to rot and dirty your fish tank.
So to sum it up, remember that both quantity and the quality of your tropical fish food are important to ensuring the health of your fish, to ensuring they live the happiest and most fulfilling lives possible. A happy and healthy tropical fish means that you can observe the beauty of a living organism that you’ve nurtured and maintained. All of your friends will be amazed by the beuaty of your tropical fish, and all this will be as a result of the tropical fish food you’ve fed them.
Exotic birds are among the most popular pets to keep. Not only are they absolutely beautiful, with their brilliantly colored feathers, many pet owners find them easier to take care of than, say, a fuzzy cat or a rowdy dog. However, choosing among the best exotic pet birds is rather confusing because there are several species to choose from. Here are some of the most popular exotic pet:
Sun Conures these birds are popular among the medium-sized variety. They grow to about 12 inches in length, requiring less living space than large parrots. The feathers of Sun Conures are tinted with brilliant hues of orange, yellow, red, green, and blue. Like parrots, Sun Conures can learn how to speak, however they can become quite vocal and noisy. They scream and screech and may not be ideal for those living in apartments buildings. Sun Conures usually live to around 20 to 35 years.
African Grays these birds are considered to be among the most loquacious among exotic birds, they can acquire a vocabulary of up to 2,000 words. These birds are also rather intelligent, but they can get demanding and easily bored. However, African Greys can also be quite affectionate - perfect for owners who want sensible companions. They may live from 50 to 70 years.
Budgerigars these are the most common among the pet birds and serve as good introduction to owning feathered pets. Budgies can be good pets for children and are quite attractive with a great variety of colors. They also require a relatively small space, while being quite easy to maintain. Though they can typically learn only few words, they are intelligent enough to be able to sing and whistle tunes. Budgerigars may live from 12 to 14 years.
Parrotlets these are among the smallest varieties of parrots. While parrotlets may be feisty they are quite intelligent just like their giant cousins. Parrotlets are also rather quiet compared to other exotic birds and thus they are ideal for owners who live in apartments or duplexes. The average parrotlet grows only to about 5 inches and lives to about 20 years.
Cockatiels many find the medium-sized cockatiel as delightful pets. They also belong to the parrot family, and are known to be intelligent. Cockatiels usually just whistle or mimic random sounds, but they can also learn how to talk. They come in different combinations of color and can be quite attractive members of a home. Cockatiels usually live from 15 to 20 years.
There are many more exotic pet birds and it is best to consult with a breeder to find the best one for you.
The rich and famous are known for starting all types of trends and one of the latest is using pets for fashion accessories. Famous for nothing Paris Hilton and pop starlet Britney Spears are just a few of the individuals in the limelight carrying small pocket sized pets as accessories. However, while this trend seems to be taking off and many stars as well as the not so famous have purchased pets to accessorize their wardrobes it really is not a trend that the general population should follow.
Reasons Why You Should Become an Exotic Pet Vet
If you are a practicing local veterinarian, you might want to consider taking in exotic pets as patients too. Regular pets like dogs and cats maybe a common thing for you, but are you ready to take on the challenge of being an exotic pet veterinarian?
Since you are in this field for quite sometime you might think of becoming one. Being an exotic pet veterinarian has a lot of advantages. And here are just some of them.
1. You will have a broader range of clients. Imagine more people consulting you for all their pets, no matter what kind it is. That also means you will be able to earn more by being able to expand your clinic or office.
2. You will become more famous. There are just a few exotic pet veterinarians in your area, for sure. A regular veterinarian may be one too many, but an exotic veterinarian isn't. You may even have customers coming from other states, just to consult you regarding their pets. What are exotic pets like?
3. You will widen your knowledge about animals. Being confined to dogs, cats, and other regular pets could be less challenging after being in the field for too long. Maybe it's time to take your expertise to another level and take on skunks, turtles, and snakes as patients.
The International Association of Pet Cemeteries (IAPC) has designated the second Sunday in September as National Pet Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember our departed animal friends.
4. You will be able to help the environment. Being a veterinarian of exotic pets would enable you to help injured and very sick animals out of danger. You can lengthen their lives and add to the preservation of their species in the process.
5. You will be able to inform other people. As you attend to sick exotic pets, you can enlighten its owners as to the proper care these types of animals need. And you will also be able to give them tips to prevent the same illness from happening again. What are exotic pets like?
6. You can use your knowledge and expertise in reaching out to more people. Once you have became an exotic pet veterinarian and have done well in it, you will be able to use all the things you have learned in making informed decisions people wanting to get exotic pets. You can join an advocate protecting exotic animals or other similar organizations according to your personal beliefs and principles.
Being an exotic pet veterinarian could mean lots of things to learn and lots of information to digest, even if you are a practicing veterinarian already. You might even go back to school again for that purpose alone. But think of the things it can give you. Being an exotic pet vet can become really fulfilling so just go for it.
If your pet can feel happy when there is the cause to,then why do you think it can't feel sad and grieve whenthere is cause to?
When you decide to have an animal at home or on your farm, it is important that you know how to take care of them properly. This may be easy if you have those domesticated animals that do not require much care. But what if you buy a riding horse and discover it is not as easy to care for the animal as you thought it would be? A lot of tack supply items are needed to take care of horses and one of the most important are the horse blankets.
Saddle blankets are made to keep horses warm. These blankets are also ideal for protection from wind and other elements. These types of blankets vary in sizes. In fact, most of them are custom-made to perfectly fit around the body of the horse from his chest to rump. Blankets for horses have straps that cross underneath their belly.
Although the blanket are heavily secured and fastened, horses can still move about freely. The most common of these blankets normally have one or two straps that securely buckle in front.
However, there are also some designs with closed front, thus requiring it to be slipped over the head of the horse. Also, there are those that have smaller straps lightly lopped around the hind legs of the horse that help to prevent the blanket form slipping sideways.
Horses wear horse blankets especially when they are traveling and they are designed with different weights for different weather conditions; water-resistance blankets are also available. Presently, almost all of these blankets are created and made with the toughest of modern materials.
These materials are also the ones used on human outdoor wear. Additionally, blankets for horses also help to keep their hair short. Preventing winter coats is also possible when they are used all throughout autumn. These are also suitable for horses with a partial trace clip or full body clip.
The Cooler is another of the many kinds of horse blankets. It is that square blanket that is tied and then draped over the horse that has just been bathed or has just completed a hot and sweaty, intense workout. This type of blanket is placed on the horse while it is being walked to cool down.
This provides better air circulation for the horse to dry off, while preventing drafts and chills that can cause problems. It is always important to consider the safety and the health of your horses, and this includes the type of horse supply products that you use.
Every family would like to have an animal or pet in their house at some point of time. Generally people feel that cats and dogs only make great pets. However, there are other people who think that unusual pets are great. Although dogs, cats, gerbils, fish, rabbits etc. are the most common pets that you would find, some families would prefer to bring home exotic pets. If you know well about such unusual or exotic pets, they can be different and exciting and can be a good addition to your house. Else sometimes it could end in disaster.
You will perhaps require more expensive food and housing if you have a more exotic pet and also you should get educated more about such exotic pets as to whether they would be suitable to your family environment. Therefore, it is important to do a lot of research on such exotic pets well in advance before choosing an exotic pet. You can also find a lot of information available on the Internet to know whether a particular exotic animal or pet can be suitable. Also you can visit a few pet shops and get advice about the type of exotic pets and the needed arrangements for them.
Though exotic pets are great, they can create problems to eco-systems when unchecked. As food would be abundant, it could eat everything available and can also start reproducing heavily as there would be no predators and no enemies. There are many examples from lizards and snakes to ferrets and other such large animals of prey. It is even said that the sewerage system in New York was found to have alligators and animal control people and city workers captured many such creatures in the past. Therefore it is important that people who wish to get such exotic pets are responsible for the actions and consequences. It can be a fun to have a tiger cub in the early stages and there is a real problem afterwards with such animals. Therefore people should consider all the facts and know well before getting some types of exotic pets.
The new addition of exotic pet may upset your existing pets sometimes and you may not know how they will get along with each other. For keeping them well away, you may need certain alternative measures. Most exotic pets have unusual feeding habits and hence you need to ensure that you know the type of food they eat and also how to get that food. Also you have to know the appropriate type of housing required for the animal and the things needed to add to their aquarium or cage to make it comfortable for the new exotic pet. Also check whether a veterinarian is available in your locality to give health care for your pet.
Some exotic pets can also carry potential illnesses or diseases that could bring harm to the children or elderly people in your home. Also know that there are certain species that are illegal to keep as pets in homes. Therefore before you take such exotic pet home, know about the local laws. Nevertheless these are certain things that are to be considered and it does not mean that you not go for an exotic pet. They can be an excellent choice sometimes when you get exotic pets that are easy to handle and care for.
Are the kind of person who would enjoy taking care of an exotic animal for a pet instead of a dog, cat, rabbit or any of the regular variety pets? Caring for an exotic pet is serious business, but it can also be a fun and challenging endeavor.
Exotic pets are animals that are not commonly considered pets by many. They are not your regular, every day pets. Unless your pet dog or cat belongs to a very rare species, it's not an exotic pet. Exotic pets are also referred to as non-traditional pets because they are not the kind of pets that most pet owners would have. Some of the more popular exotic pets include exotic cats, frogs, hamsters, hedgehogs, lizards, monkeys (illegal in some countries), parrots, snakes, spiders, turkeys and turtles.
Before acquiring an exotic pet, you need to be clear as to why you truly want to own one. Are you just getting an exotic pet so you can be "cool" and show off to friends and family? If you are, it is best to forget getting one. Caring for an exotic pet demands is a big responsible, one you should never take lightly. Because you will be caring for a non-traditional pet, your exotic pet will require special accommodations, attention and food.
However, if you truly want to own an exotic pet not for the cool factor having one but for a real desire to care for one then the next thing you should do is research on the kind of exotic pet you want to have. Also, make sure that the exotic pet you are going to get is legally allowed in the area you are living in.
Below are a few more things you should keep in mind when buying an exotic pet.
* Consider how big the exotic pet you want will grow into as adult. Don't just go for an exotic pet because you think it's cute when it's still a baby. Think about its size when it becomes an adult. Remember that the larger the pet, the bigger the space it will require and the harder it may be to handle.
* Do you want an exotic pet that likes people and frequently handled? Perhaps you want an exotic pet that does not mind if it is not handled regularly.
* What kind of food will your exotic pet need? Exotic pets usually need specialized food. You need to know if you will be able to get food for your exotic food from a regular supplier. Also, consider how food would be prepared as some exotic pets require freshly prepared food every day. Factor this in your decision since you are the one who will be feeding your exotic pet.
* What kind of housing will your exotic pet need? Will a small cage do or will you need to build something to hold your exotic pet?
* Consider the cost of keeping your exotic pet alive. Exotic pets are more expensive to care for than ordinary pets. You will have to find out how much food, housing, supplies and veterinary care your exotic pet will require.
* What are your plans for the long term? Do you see yourself moving to a new place or being away for a long time? How will you take care of your exotic pet during those times when you are away?
* Do you have children living with you? Make sure that the exotic pet will be safe around kids and vice versa.
* If you have other pets in your home, make sure that the exotic pet you get is compatible with them.
* Make sure that there is available veterinary care nearby for your exotic pet.
* There are exotic pets that live a long time and may even outlive you so consider this when choosing an exotic pet.
* Consider an exotic pet's destructive tendencies. Will you be able to train your exotic pet? How much training will be required to curb your exotic pet's destructive tendencies?
* Keep in mind that there are animals that carry disease that can be transmitted to humans so take care when choosing an exotic pet.
* Avoid getting an exotic pet that can pose potential danger to your or other people's life. There are exotic pets that are aggressive and downright dangerous.
Whether your plans include a beach resort, downtown hotel, or a mountain lake retreat here are 5 tips to keep you and your dog happy at dog friendly hotels.
1. After checking in, take your dog for a short walk around the grounds, going back to your room several times. Your dog will leave a scent trail and feel more comfortable in the strange surroundings. Go down the hall, up the stairs, out the front entrance of the hotel and down to the pool. Go out to the parking lot and then back to your room. Your dog is curious about its environment just like you are.
2. Whenever you take your dog outside your room carry a small spray bottle of cleaner, a few paper towels and of course plastic bags for cleanup, a bottle of hand disinfectant is a good idea as well. You can pack this in a fanny pack to be less conspicuous. Always take it with you, if you don’t, you can be sure that’s the one time your puppy pal will go potty. If that happens don’t scold your dog, just calmly clean up the mess. Dogs are trained to go outside and they don’t know that the hotel landscaping is off limits for example.
3. Never leave your dog in the hotel room alone, even if it’s crated, or otherwise restrained. The dog may not be able to destroy anything in the room if it’s confined but it can bark and howl. And that’s exactly what the dog will do when separated from its family. Dogs are pack animals and don’t want to be left in a strange place without its’ pack members and that’s you. Most dog friendly hotels insist that dogs are not left in the room alone. Don’t be tempted to run out even for five minutes. If you need ice put your dog on the leash and take him with you to get the ice.
4. Even if your dog is well trained to walk with you off leash, keep him/her on the leash at all times. Most cities have leash laws. And just as importantly it’s common courtesy to the other guests. It’s hard to believe but not everyone loves dogs. Small children can be easily frightened by dogs, even if your dog has the sweetest nature, the child doesn’t know that. Keep in mind your dog is out of its element and may be frightened. Frightened dogs may have a tendency to defend themselves against strangers, even if they don’t at home.
5. Pack an extra leash. It’s a good idea to leave a leash and collar in the car’s glove compartment too. If it’s time for a potty break it’s not the time to go frantically looking for Rover’s leash. If you misplace the leash or forget it you’ll always have a spare.
6. Know where the dog is when you open the hotel room door. If you’re in the room but your children or your significant other is outside the room, ask them to open the door slowly and careful and block the opening with their body until they know where the dog is.
There are many great dog friendly hotels. You and your dog can have a great vacation.
Get your free ebook, Dog Friendly Vacations. Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books and the novel “Over Time.” She is the proud companion of Rose, the Irish Setter, and Kate the English Springer Spaniel. Read Rose and Kate’s blog.
If you decide that an exotic pet is the right choice for you, and you do not want to go with the traditional cat or dog, then you are probably wondering where you can go to find the best exotic pet store that carries a variety and best types of exotic pets. Depending on your locality, there are usually pet stores that carry various exotic pets, however, you do need to make sure that the pet stores are knowledgeable about the exotic pets, know where they came from and many other details about them.
The breed and type of an exotic pet can make a big difference. Wherever you choose to look for your exotic pet, make sure that they know the breeders and where the pets came from. A good exotic pet store will have documentation of the origin of your pet and know enough about them to make you feel comfortable leaving the store and bringing your new exotic pet home.
Exotic pets can call for a lot of different kinds of care from traditional pets and different kinds of supplies and food, and buying your pet from a trustworthy and educated source is critical for your success in creating the right environment for your new pet at home. You also need to keep in mind what kind of food your exotic pet requires and where you will be able to attain it from. For instance, different species and breeds of snakes require different kinds of rodents or fish to live off of. Some are allowed to eat frozen animals that you could buy online if you had to, but others survive best off of live animals.
Other things to consider when choosing your exotic pet store is how the animals are kept there that are being sold. A good pet store will be exhibiting the exotic pet in his ideal environment and habitat and give him the proper space. If you enter an exotic pet store and see that the animals look too close, or not in the environment you think is right for them, you could be bringing home an unhealthy exotic pet. That could mean a lot of unnecessary costs and obligations for you.
It is important for you to do your own research before you buy an exotic pet. Know exactly what you are getting yourself into before you go in and pick out a new pet to bring home. Some people are unaware of the level of care that it takes to tend to the needs of an exotic pet and are not prepared for what to expect when they get them home. Choose a pet that fits best with your lifestyle and habits. If you are away from home a lot, you do not want to get certain kinds of exotic pets that require special care every day. Some are more independent than others, and it is important that you find out all of the information that you can prior to buying one.
Look around at the different exotic pet stores that are available to you, do not just settle on the first one that you go into. Look at all of them that you can to determine who seems to know the most about the pets and who is taking the best care of them. Make sure that they are willing to help answer any questions that you may have after your purchase of the pet as well. All of these things can be big factors in the health and happiness of your exotic pet.
The best way is start grooming your puppy is when he first comes home with you, but if you have an adult dog who balks at grooming here are a few dog care tips.
The first time you bring out the nail clippers hold the clippers in your hand next to the dog’s paw and give him a treat with praise. The next time hold the dog’s paw and place his nail in the nail clipper but don′t cut. Again praise him and reward with treats. When the dog calmly accepts you holding his paw and bringing the clipper to his nail, and placing the nail in the clipper, then cut the nail quickly and confidently. Don′t be nervous because your dog will pick up on that emotion. Praise your dog and give him a treat.
Do this with the other dog grooming tools as well. The dog will associate being groomed with praise and treats. Keep your first grooming sessions short. Right before his dinner is a good time. Your dog will be alert and hungry which means he’ll be more motivated. He’ll start to associate grooming with dinner as well as treats.
Don′t lose your temper. Keep a smile on your face and the sessions as pleasant as possible.
Most dogs don′t mind having their teeth brushed and actually like it. If your dog struggles, use the same method with the toothbrush as you did with the nail clippers. Your first session, hold a treat in one hand and the toothbrush with a bit of dog toothpaste by his mouth. Give him the treat and lots of praise. Then gently lift his lip, again reward with a treat and praise. Finally lift his lip and gently scrub his side teeth. The dog should get a taste of the toothpaste and your struggles will be over. Don′t overdo the toothpaste, a little is enough.
Veterinarians say that the most common pet health care problem is their teeth. If your dog has tarter it could turn into a serious problem resulting in infection, loss of teeth, and at the very least, very bad breath. Tarter is that yellowish soon to turn brownish hard build up next to the gum line. Prevention by brushing is much easier than getting rid of tarter. Most of the time that means a professional cleaning and it’s expensive. Dogs don′t sit still to have their teeth cleaned like people do, so they have to be under a general anesthetic and that’s costly.
One method that seems to work with some dogs to get rid of a mild case of tarter is gently swapping their teeth with a piece of gauze soaked in medicinal strength (not hair bleach strength) hydrogen peroxide every day.
When brushing your dog’s coat, hold the hair with one hand on the skin side of a tangle and use the brush with your other hand to brush out the tangle. That way your dog won′t feel the pull of the brush as much. Use a people hair detangling spray to make the brushing even easier.
Use these dog care tips for grooming your dog and the sessions should be fun for both of you.
Find more about dog grooming tools. Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books and the novel “Over Time.” She is the proud companion of Rose, the Irish Setter, and Kate the English Springer Spaniel. Read Rose and Kate’s blog.
The setting up of an aquarium is both a fascinatng and patience-taxing job. The greater the depth of the water, the more troublesome is the task. The boyancy of the plants time and again frustrate our efforts. Usually after several futile attempts, a root selection seems to be successfully pushed down into the sand. Before one can follow through with the rest, the plant becomes foot-loose, gracefully arising to the top, necessitating starting all over again.
Frequently I would have beautiful plant specimens, well rooted, perfect in every way, but in the process of planting, quite often from one to two-thirds of the roots would either be destroyed, or so badly bruised, they would eventually rot. Resulting in weeks to overcome the shock.
One of the best tools is the common aquarium plant weight. Commonly called lead weights, they are not actually made out of lead, but rather a tin composite. These weights can be gently wrapped around the roots of a plant and pressed into the gravel thus holding the plant in place.
The beauty of using a plant weight to hold the plant is that the weight frame also provides a place that allows us to gently cover the parts of any roots that should be covered in gravel. Thus we can gently cover roots without worry about damaging or bruising the roots.
It is best to not use metal because most metals will leach into the water and may be toxic.
This is also a more healthy way to plant roots as this allows us to spread the roots out so they can grow more naturally and healthily.
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Some people will tell you that your dog’s toenails will wear down naturally if you just give them enough of the right kind of exercise. They base this idea on the fact that wolves and foxes have managed perfectly well for millennia without humans following them around with nail clippers. If they don’t need them, why should your dog?
It makes sense when you think about it that way - at least at first. However, that is at first. No matter how much exercise your dog gets it is not the same as it would be if he were to spend his entire life outside. Like most dog owners you probably let your dog spend most of his time indoors, which is not a place that will put a lot of wear and tear on his toes or nails.
Don’t forget most dog owners and trainers actively discourage indiscriminate scratching on the part of their dog. Put those things together and the dog just won’t have the opportunity or the inclination to keep his nails short.
Dogs that come closest to fitting the picture of dogs who don’t need their nails trimmed are farm dogs. They spend a lot of time scratching and running outdoors. Nonetheless, they still need care from their owners like your dog.
If you are a responsible dog owner you should check your dog’s paws regularly as well as taking care of his nails. Whether he gets enough exercise on the surface needed to keep his nails filed down or not he still needs that special care as it isn’t enough most of the time. His nails can splinter or they can break - this can be very painful for your dog if it goes long enough.
Be a responsible owner and trim the nails on your dog!
About the Author:
Author Jonethan Bass can help you potty train your puppy in 7 days. If you want ddog training tips that are guaranteed to work then go to http://pottytrainyourpuppyin7days.com and download your free report.
First, we need to know what kind of fish will be living in the tank. Putting the wrong fish together can be disaster. Some may not make it due to the living conditions, others may get injured while in the tank, and the two different fish may get into constant fights. Usually one fish will eventually not come out from these fights alive. Make sure to know the personality of the species of fish you’re about to place into a tank together. Typically, you’ll want to stay away from sticking aggressive fish with each other.
Next we need to have all the equipment that runs the aquarium. Get a tank that will fit in the space or display area that you have in mind. Make sure it fits wanted area from the start and that there is enough room for the kinds of fish that plan on being in there.
Lighting should be next on the list. Again you’ll need to know some information about the fish. Some species prefer low lighting while others like to swim in a lot of light. Your choice here will also be affect if live plants or reefs are planned to be placed into the tank. Make sure to cover the lighting requirements of everything placed into the saltwater aquarium.
Filters are the next most important. Without a quality filter, bacteria and disease can get out of control in the tank leaving your fish in danger. This also helps clean the water of anything excreted by the fish.
To finish up, there are a few other important items that are needed to properly run a saltwater aquarium. A heater is use to regulate the temperature of the water at the required levels of the fish. Bigger tanks may need more than one of these. As make sure to buy some substrate. This is the stuff commonly seen at the bottom of the aquariums and looks like rocks and pebbles.
Hopefully, this guide will help in the creation of your first saltwater aquarium. Do some research and keep the fish’s needs in mind and everything should go fine.
Justin Oliver owns a shop with cheap aquariums and used aquariums.
