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18
DEC
2017
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‘Tis the season to be jolly but, for our pets, it’s also a time of hazardous foods, poisonous plants and dangerous decorations. Ensure the four-legged members of your family have a safe and happy Christmas by following DR SUZANNE MOYES’ festive advice For those pets who have seen a Christmas or two, the sudden arrival of a pine tree, tinsel and plates piled high with mince pies, will likely be taken in their stride. However, for young animals, all these exciting new things require close inspection, which can lead to all sorts of problems.
All You Can't Eat
At this time of the year, many of the foods we love to tuck into will do our pets more harm than good – so those pleading eyes must be ignored. It’s far better to keep your pets on their usual Burgess diet. Festive foods on the blacklist include:
Pigs in blankets: Fatty, salty meats such as pork can lead to pancreatitis.
Mince pies and Christmas cake: Raisins and sultanas (a.. [More]
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Christmas Perils For Our Pets
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08
AUG
2017
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One of the most common questions we receive is simply: "How do I get my pet bird to switch from it's current food, to a more healthy diet of Roudybush?" There are several answers to this question. Most birds are creatures of habit and will choose foods that look most familiar to them. Converting your bird to Roudybush formulated pellet diets is mainly a matter of convincing your bird that it is food. There are several methods that can be used; choose the one that is most appropriate for your bird. The most important factor in switching your bird to Roudybush is your determination that it will eat a nutritious, balanced diet. Your bird may initially act as if it does not like the Roudybush, but imagine a child that you are trying to convert from a diet of snack foods, candy and ice cream to a lower fat, healthy diet; it is a similar situation. Once your bird makes the transition you will find that it enthusiastically eats Roudybush.
1) Instinctual. The instinc.. [More]
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Tags :
How To Get Pet Birds To Eat Healthy Roudybush Diet , How Do I Get My Bird To Switch To Healthy Roudybush Diet , Bird Food South Africa , Bird Pellet South Africa
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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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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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When it comes to food, your pet needs a balanced diet as well as lots of clean water to stay in tip top shape. Feeding your bird correctly for maximum health has never been easier than it is now. For a long time, the standard way to feed pet birds was to buy a seed mix, and possibly supplement the seeds with some fresh greens and a piece of fruit. Most kinds of pet birds see seed mixes as tasty, but the mixes are fattening and lack many essential nutrients. As a result, many pet birds died young from preventable diseases.
In the past couple of decades, research into avian nutrition has made huge strides. This research has resulted in excellent pellet foods and ready-to-serve mixes for many species of bird, which will help ensure a long healthy life for your pet. But while it may be convenient to know exactly what nutrients our pets are consuming, many parrots look upon commercial pellets with disdain. And because pellets can be consumed far more quickly that seeds, parrots.. [More]
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Seeds Vs Pellet DietsFor Birds South Africa , Parrot Diet & Enrichment South Africa , Are Pellets or Seeds Better for Parrots South Africa
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11
AUG
2016
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Recent scientific studies in 2013 revealed that chinchillas can live happily on just high quality hay and water for a balanced diet. If you feel you must feed some commercial food, then it must be rationed. Only a heaped tablespoon of high fibre pellets/nuggets must be fed daily to an adult chinchilla which will provide the essential digestible fibre. The rest of the day, the chinchilla will spend eating a long fibre hay which will provide the essential indigestible fibre to keep their digestive system moving and to maintain the right balance of intestinal bacteria. So is it necessary to feed them some fruit and vegetables as well?
According to RSPCA and PDSA (People's Dispensary For Sick Animals), fresh food should only take up less than 10% of a chinchilla’s diet, so don’t offer too much because if they eat too much of any fruit and vegetable, they are likely to get a upset stomach. But the right kind of fruit or vegetable can make a tasty treat for a chinchil.. [More]
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Can Chinchillas Eat Fruit & Veggies? , Are Fruit & Veggies Safe For Chinchillas To Eat?
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29
MAY
2016
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The latest feeding recommendation for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas is a diet of 80% grass hay and/or fresh grass. But why are there so many pet owners reluctant to do this? Maybe there is a fear that their beloved pet will starve to death. Or how do we know if our hay in South Africa is good enough? It has been proven that only a diet of hay provides them with good digestive health as well as physical and mental stimulation.
Concentrated food such as pellets, nuggets or dry food mixtures (also called muesli) must constitute only 10% of the diet because they don’t contain the right type of fibre. Failing to provide adequate portions of the right kind of fibre can rapidly lead to illness or death.
Because grass/hay does not appeal to humans, we have decided to feed more concentrated foods. Many people today are becoming more and more conscious of what they putting into their bodies. This is why we always look at the nutritional information on the back of foo.. [More]
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Tags :
What Is Best Hay In South Africa? Which Is Best Hay In South Africa? , Review of Different Hay in 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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30
MAY
2015
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As a chinchilla owner, it’s common knowledge that your playful pets need to be treated to a dust bath to keep their fur in tip top condition.
So why do chinchillas need dust baths?
The natural habitat of a chinchilla is in the Andes Mountains. In the wild, volcanic ash gets into Chinchilla’s fur and absorbs all the oil and dirt. This process keeps their fur thick and soft. Dust baths for domesticated chinchillas are our way of replicating this natural behaviour.
Everyone who has felt the fur of these pets knows that their coat is luxurious and soft. Chinchillas have around 60 hairs to each hair follicle, meaning that their fur is very dense. Due to this fact it is important that a chinchilla is never bathed in water. The thickness of the fur means that a wet chinchilla cannot air-dry, and having damp skin can cause fur rot or other health problems.
How often should they have a dust bath?
Regular dust baths are a necessity for your chinchill.. [More]
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Why do chinchillas take dust baths South Africa
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28
MAY
2015
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There are several different types of hamster. In South Africa, there are generally two types of hamsters available for adoption, these being Syrian and Dwarf hamsters. Here are some differences between these breeds:
Syrian Hamsters – These animals are the larger of the hamsters you will find. They’re both inquisitive and gentle, and because of their slightly larger size, make a better option for smaller children. Syrian hamsters usually reach over six inches (15 cm) in length and live up to three years. Syrian hamsters however tend to prefer life alone in their home.
Dwarf Hamsters (Russian, Chinese and Roborovski breeds)– With an average length of four inches (10 cm), these are some of the smallest pets you can get. They don’t usually live as long, often between one-and-a-half to two years, but they are busy during their short lives. Being smaller, they do tend to squirm out of your hand easily. They are typically a.. [More]
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Tags :
Choosing The Right Hamster South Africa
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