Happy Pets

It does seem that the younger the bird, the easier he is to tame; however, all birds, of all ages, will eventually respond to kindness. The major problem is getting his confidence in you. His fear of new surroundings, lack of companions and strangeness of a new cage are all contributing factors to his wild behavior when you bring him to your home. He will undoubtedly bite when handled, cower in the corner and hiss and strike at your extended hand. Patience is the key word here along with slow, cautious movements. Speak softly each time you approach the cage, and keep the cage near you while you do your chores. (more…)

On the 18th or 19th day after the egg has been laid, a tiny hole appears in the side of the egg. At this time the chick can be heard chipping at the shell and making his very first “chirps.” Just a matter of hours later, the chick emerges from the shell. The parents clean the baby, for there is a kind of afterbirth encrusted on his body. Shortly thereafter they will feed the little one by regurgitating food into its mouth. It is best to leave the chicks with the parents for a few days. They do seem to get a better start by doing this. (more…)

The Nest Box

The nest box should be wooden and have a partition in the middle to keep the eggs from rolling too much. It should be large; this is stressed for two reasons :

1. Both birds incubate the eggs and spend hours together in the box. They need room to move freely and turn the eggs.
2. The nest box will act as “nursery” for the chicks until they are old enough to leave it.

The box should have a 32 inch hole in the center and a perch outside to make access easier. In fact, everything should be done to make the nest box convenient and easily accessible. The female is especially cautious at this time. (more…)

Breeding Cockatiels in an aviary, where there is plenty of dirt, sunshine, fresh air and flight room is relatively simple. With a good diet, large nest boxes, and conditions as near to their natural habitat as possible, they settle down with their mates and nature does the rest.

However, when the birds are confined to a small cage, provided only with commercial seed, subject only to room temperatures, the situation is radically changed. In fact, it may be more than difficult to get a pair on the nest. (more…)

When the babies are first hatched, they are far from a beautiful sight, except perhaps to the owner who has waited long and patiently for their arrival. The head and neck are the largest part of their bodies, and their eyes, not open, almost cover each side of the head. The amount of feathers on the body varies. Some of them have a few straggly olive colored quills, while others are covered with a brilliant yellow down. They are very active and appear to be walking around on four legs, since they use their wings for support. They are born hungry and crying for food. (more…)

Species of this family are native to South America, Africa, India, Burma, Thailand and Indonesia. Most are aggressive and predatory, but their colours and behaviour ensure their popularity.

Badis; Dwarf Chameleon Fish Badis badis 65 mm n in. India : standing waters. This fish can change its body colours and patterning to suit its surroundings. Generally it is a dark reddish-brown, with a greenish sheen. From time to time transverse bars may appear. The dorsal fin (similar in shape to that of Dwarf Cichlids) and caudal fin are greenish. The female fish is less colourful. (more…)

Although a cat’s maintenance costs are relatively low, there are certain unavoidable expenses that cat-ownership will incur over the years. These include providing your feline with the minimum of two meals a day of a nutritious proprietary cat food; buying cat litter for anindoor cat; settling an annual veterinary bill for vaccinations; and funding any additional veterinary treatment that a cat may need as a result of an accident or illness. Investigate these costs by paying a visit to your local pet shop or supermarket and veterinary surgery, noting down prices and asking for information. (more…)

Weaning

Weaning is the gradual process of separation of suckling kittens from their mother, when they start to become independent animals, able to feed and move around actively by themselves. Kittens may begin to show an interest in liquid food at around 3 weeks. By 6-8 weeks, they are usually eating well and receiving very little nutrition from their mothers. Many kittens are rehomed at this time. (more…)

Having answered all these questions, you will know whether you still want a dog or not, and can now turn your attention to the type of dog which would fit in best with you and your way of life. Don’t just look at the different breeds of dogs. Do a little research into their background and what they were originally bred for. This will give you a far better idea of the temperament your dog will grow up with. Every breeder will be tempted to tell you of the virtues of his favourite dog. Not many of them will tell you of their faults. Obviously, I can’t go through every breed for you here, but I will try to take a cross-section, to show you what you’re looking for.

The Labrador, the dog I am most familiar with, was bred to retrieve game birds. Therefore, he’s been bred to sit steady to the sound of gunfire, go out quietly and retrieve and to return to his owner. Nevertheless, he’s a very active dog and can work an eight hour day in the field and still look as fresh as a daisy: so he will want plenty of exercise. Here I can tell you how to read between the lines and find the faults of the breed. (more…)

House-training should prove no problem if you’re quick and alert to your puppy’s needs. He will need to pay frequent visits to his spot in the garden: after each meal, after a sleep and any time you think about it in between. Always pick him up and carry him to the spot. Give him a command. I use the words ‘busy dog‘. Don’t dump him and retreat back to the house and close the door. He hasn’t a clue what he’s been put in the garden for. You must stay with him, repeating your commands over and over again. Whether it’s hailing, blowing a gale or a snowstorm’s on, you must persevere. As soon as he’s been a ‘busy dog‘, give him lots of praise, tell him how clever he is, pick him up and return him to the house. If you are diligent and watch your puppy closely, you will know when he needs to go out. A sure sign will be when he puts his nose to the ground, his tail up in the air and runs round in circles. That is your cue to move speedily with him into the garden. (more…)