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15
JAN
2017
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Did you know that rabbits and guinea pigs need different types of hay to sleep on and to eat? While grass and herb based foods, such as pellets, will provide a good portion of your pet’s fibre needs, grass is what they would naturally nibble all day long in the wild.
Providing enough fresh grass every day to meet your rabbit or guinea pigs’s needs is difficult, hay has just the same health and digestive benefits as fresh grass – but is much easier to store.
In fact, studies have shown that feeding hay should make up to 85-90 per cent of your small furry’s daily diet, that’s around 1kg of hay per week, to maintain a healthy gut and weight and keep teeth healthy.
However research has shown that the majority of rabbits and guinea pigs are not fed the correct hay, and instead are forced to chew on bedding hay, which, while comfortable to sleep on, is often unpalatable and has an unknown nutritional value.
So what’s the alternati.. [More]
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Difference Between Bedding & Feeding Hay For Rabbits Guinea Pigs Chinchillas South Africa
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15
JAN
2017
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Want to know why your degus chatters or thumps, and why they prefer dust baths to water baths? Here’s our quick guide to understanding degus behaviour…
Burrowing
In the wild, degus live partly above ground and partly underground, creating tunnels to cool down in during the summer and to stash food away in the winter – even organising themselves into digging chains to make the job easier! Encourage this behaviour at home by adding a thick layer of soft materials or soil to the bottom of their cage so there’s plenty of burrowing opportunities. Degus can often be found hiding food, and covering and uncovering it – but it’s not unusual for them to forget where they’ve hidden it too, so keep an eye on their favourite spots if they are allowed loose in your home!
Thumping
Tail wagging is sometimes used by females to show they are ready to breed and by some males to show off! Tail drumming can also be used as an alarm call to .. [More]
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Understanding Your Degu , Degus South Africa
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06
NOV
2016
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The purpose of a substrate (bedding) used in small animal cages is to absorb bad smelling, urine odour. Small pets such as hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats and guinea pigs need a clean habitat in order to thrive and remain healthy. Therefore the more absorbent a bedding, the better it controls nasty smells. There are a wide range of substrates available, each with its own positive and negative aspects.
You can use shredded paper as a substrate, but it won’t absorb odours, so your pet’s cage could get stinky fast. Make sure to use only paper that hasn’t been printed, as ink can be very dangerous to small animals. Only newspaper with black ink is considered to be safe.
Another suitable option for substrate are paper and wood pellets. These pellets have the benefit of being very absorbent. It may be difficult for some pets to burrow through it, however, and can be a bit expensive.
Burgess Excel Bedding is also a good option and made from natural straw i.. [More]
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Tags :
Purpose Of Small Animal Bedding South Africa , Importance Of Small Animal Bedding , Carefresh South Africa , Small Animal Bedding South Africa , Wood Shavings South Africa
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21
OCT
2016
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Many rodents such as hamsters, gerbils, mice, domesticated rats, guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus are commonly kept as pets. All of these animals can make great pets when they are cared for properly with the right diet and proper housing. Unfortunately, many people get these animals as pets and don’t realize that in addition to good food, a safe cage, and clean bedding, these pets – just like cats and dogs – need environmental stimulation to be happy and to thrive.
Many wild rodents are very social animals living with numerous others of their own kind in their normal habitat. In the wild, they have “jobs” – searching for food, finding mates, building nests. Most rodents nest in communities and share parental responsibilities. They spend 30-50% of the time they are awake grooming each other. When young rodents are separated from their mothers, they often show an increase in disease, are more anxious and aggressive, and are less likely to.. [More]
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Hamsters Need Enrichment For Emotional Health South Africa , Why Small Pets Need Enrichment South Africa , Hamster Toys South Africa
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02
OCT
2016
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Wood shavings are commonly used in South Africa as a bedding product for small animals because it’s cheap, absorbent and masks the odour from urine. It also has natural insecticidal properties and prevents the growth of bacteria (natural disinfectant). However, there has been much discussion over the safety of wood shavings among pet owners. Are wood shavings really dangerous for the animals for which they are intended?
When you open a bag of wood shavings you will instantly smell the "aromatic" nature of the litter. That smell is where the problem lies. The smell is from the natural volatile chemicals in the wood called phenols. Thus one of your best detection methods for determining an unknown bag of shavings is your own nose! If you sniff the shavings and they smell like a freshly cut Christmas tree, those shavings are releasing phenols. That bright, crisp smell is the chemical compound evaporating from the wood. Kiln-dried pine shavings are considered sa.. [More]
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Wood Shavings Are Toxic To Small Pets South Africa
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27
MAY
2016
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There is a major problem in South Africa where so many pet stores, breeders and pet owners don’t realize that feeding muesli foods can kill pet rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas, according to latest scientific research.
Their attitude is that they have been feeding these foods for many years and their pets seem to be okay. They seem to turn a blind eye to any new scientific studies or recent changes in feeding guidelines announced by animal welfare organizations or FEDIAF.
The two year scientific study on the 200 rabbits by Professor Anne Meredith from University of Edinburgh made headline news all over the world in June 2013. The results from this study proved to the pet industry that feeding any type of muesli food (dry mixes) including pellets can have fatal consequences. This research is supported by every animal welfare organization thoughout the world including the RSPCA, PDSA, Blue Cross, Wood Green, RWAF and FEDIAF (European Pet Food Industry Fede.. [More]
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Tags :
Muesli Can Kill Pet Rabbits & Guinea Pigs , Dangers of Feeding Muesli To Rabbits & Guinea Pigs , Pet Rabbit Food South Africa , Guinea Pig Food South Africa , Chinchilla Food South Africa
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29
MAR
2015
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Pellets are a smaller but important part of your guinea pig, chinchilla or rabbit's diet. They are designed to be concentrated sources of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals to help ensure that your pet is getting all the nutrients he or she needs.
When feeding pellets, it is important to remember that a rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla's natural diet contains a high volume of low nutrient food. They are grazers by nature and in the wild they spend much of their days munching on grass and grazing for food.
While pellets enable owners to protect their pet's health and give them the range of nutrients they need, they are ultimately a low volume of high nutrient food that runs contrary to the diet in the wild. Therefore, it is important to follow feeding guidelines closely to make sure that they receive as balanced a diet as possible.
Mixes vs Pellets
Mixes, also known as "muesli," are dry food mixes that are primarily cereal-base.. [More]
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Tags :
Choosing A Pellet Food For Guinea Pigs , Rabbits and Chinchillas in South Africa , Chinchilla Food South Africa , Guinea Pig Food South Africa , Pet Rabbit Food South Africa
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22
MAR
2015
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No matter what size our pets are, like any human they can get bored. It’s important to provide them with plenty of enrichment activities to keep them entertained as well as the added bonus of strengthening your bond with them!
Whatever you decide to play with them, make sure it’s fun for the both of you. Never force your fur friends into taking part if they don’t seem interested. There are certain times of the day that different pets are more active. Gerbils, hamsters and rats are more active at dawn and dusk. Take their sleeping schedule into consideration when you decide to introduce them to new enrichment activities to understand when they will most likely want to play.
Just to make things easier for you, we’ve put our heads together in the office and made up a list of the best activities you can do with your small pets. Enjoy!
1. Training
Training your pets can be perfect for both physical and mental enrichment. Every pet has the cap.. [More]
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Tags :
Playing With Small Pets In South Africa
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18
JAN
2015
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Our pets really are our best friends. They are loyal, pass no judgement, and they are there in times of need, so it’s no surprise that some of us feel closer to our pets than we do human beings. This is why it isn’t strange for people to experience intense grief at the loss of a pet, often rivalling the loss of friend or family member, please be assured that these feelings are completely normal.
What makes it difficult to cope with the loss of a terminally ill animal is that they are unable to understand the process of dying, we are only able to communicate with them to a certain extent. When humans fall terminally ill they are able to have conversations with friends and family and this is a form of closure for their loved ones.
Losing a pet is truly a heart breaking thing to happen so here are a few ways in which pet owners can help themselves, and others, to carry on after the death of a family pet.
1. Stick to your routine as much as possible .. [More]
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Tags :
Coping With The Loss Of A Pet
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23
APR
2014
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Looking for a cage that'll ensure your hamster feels truly at home? We've got a fantastic range to choose from, including brightly coloured options in a range of sizes. You'll also find plenty of different shapes on offer, from classic rectangle hamster cages to fun compartmental cages with interconnecting tunnels.
Pet Inn has launched a new range of hamster cages, called Vetro Plus Nature, which is a two-level cage that combines the traditional wire mesh cage technology with a glass bottom tray.
The transparent glass bottom section allows you to observe the activities of your hamster all the time. The glass tray is quite high and can contain a thick layer of bedding, in which the hamster can hide itself following its natural instincts. This also prevents dirt being kicked out from the cage, so the surrounding area around the cage, will always be clean.
The top mesh wire section with 7mm spacing between the bars provides adequate ventilation for your pet. This .. [More]
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Tags :
Pet Inn New Vetro Plus Nature Hamster Cage , Hamster Cage South Africa
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