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20
JUN
2014
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African Greys are bright, lovably, cheeky, pets. They make wonderful companions and are very entertaining. However, it is crucial that they receive the right care. Firstly, it is imperative that African Grey’s have lots of company, either human or avian. All parrots are very social animals and if left alone for long periods, they will become depressed and could begin to self-harm.
How to Avoid Feather Plucking
Parrots usually self-harm by plucking their feathers, which is typically caused by depression, boredom, or stress. Of course, it is almost impossible to be with your bird all of the time. Therefore, it is highly likely that the bird will sometimes be left alone, but it’s best to try and keep this to a minimum. A parrot may find solace and stimulation in having a radio on when no-one else is around to keep him, or her, company.
What Kind of Cage Should an African Grey Have?
African Greys are among the smaller parrots; however, they still need l.. [More]
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How To Care For African Grey Parrots
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20
JUN
2014
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Rabbits require mental and physical stimulation and toys are the perfect way of keeping your bunnies fit and their minds occupied. Just like small children, rabbits get bored and this is when they go and look for their own fun. If you don’t want chewed carpets and curtains and a ruined garden then you’ll need to provide your rabbits with alternative activities.
Different rabbits are going to enjoy different toys, so you may need to test a few before you find the ones that your rabbits will prefer. Changing toys around will prevent your rabbits from getting bored.
The problem is that pet shops sell toys but lots of them won’t be suitable for your rabbits. Spending a fortune isn’t necessary; there will be plenty of things lying around your house that you can turn into bunny toys for free.
Paper and paper bags
Shredded and screwed up paper, telephone directories etc… all of these things will make fun types of toys. Try hiding treat.. [More]
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Tips For Rabbit Enrichment , Making Your Own Rabbit Toys
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20
JUN
2014
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Flying time helps keep budgies healthy and happy. Also called parakeets and budgerigars, budgies are bright, curious and sociable birds, and they enjoy time spent outside their cages in safe environments where they can exercise and explore. Trained budgies leave and return to their cages when directed by their owners, but untrained birds can be difficult to catch.
Flying Time
Budgies need exercise and socialization time to stay healthy. Birds who never leave their cages become overweight and develop illnesses such as fatty liver disease and tumors. Budgies live in flocks in the wild, so they also need to spend time with their caregivers and other birds. Let trained budgies out of their cages into a safe room every day and allow them to fly around for an hour or so. Untrained birds also require time outside their cages but you may want to have their wings clipped for safety. Veterinary surgeons can clip budgies' wings.
Safety Precautions
Homes contain many hazar.. [More]
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Tags :
Letting Your Budgies Out To Fly , Budgies South Africa , Budgie Food , Bird Pellets , Bird food , Budgie cages , Budgies Fly Time Outside Cage
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19
JUN
2014
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Hand raising a baby bird is a wonderful experience for bird lovers. Whatever the reason, for love or necessity, when you decide to hand raise a baby bird it is a responsibility – and it is rewarding. Perhaps you have found a dove on the foot path, a finch or budgie from a fall, or an orphaned bird? Or maybe you may find a bird discarded by it’s parents in the home aviary, or you want to bond with a pet bird? A non hand raised bird can be tamed to a degree with many hours of handling and training, but they will never love you the way a hand raised bird will. It is truly a wonderful experience to hand raise a baby bird – the young bird will see you as their own kind, their parent perhaps?
What age to start hand rearing baby parrot’s?
There are 2 methods of hand rearing baby birds. The first is right from the egg, the second is rearing them from 2 or 3 weeks of age. We recommend to hand rear birds from 2 or 3 weeks old for a number of reasons. A .. [More]
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Tags :
Hand Raising Baby Birds , Handfeeding baby birds , Roudybush Handfeeding Formula Bird Diet South Africa , Bird Pellets , Birdfood
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18
JUN
2014
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Lories and lorikeets are small to mid-sized parrots known for their playful energy and specialized diet. Their acrobatics and stunning colors have won them many fans among bird keepers. Let’s learn a little more about lories to help you decide if one is right for you. If you already live with one, I’m sure that you will learn something new.
Lories in Brief
Scientific Name: Many different species available
Adult Size: 6 to 15 inches (15 to 38 cm)
Weight: 0.7 to 10 ounces (20 to 280 g)
Life Span: 15 years or more
Talking Ability: Varies by species
Appearance
There are more than 50 species of lories and lorikeets, so there is no really “typical” appearance. In general, these are slender parrots with fairly long tails. Although there is no strict rule, the larger birds with square- or round-ended tails are called lories, and smaller birds with longer, tapering tails are called lorikeets. Most species of lories are brilliantly colored.. [More]
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Tags :
Lories As Pets in South Africa , Lorikeets As Pets , Roudybush Nectar Lory Diet , Roudybush bird pellet food , Parrot food
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15
JUN
2014
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Your hamster may have stolen your heart even before you brought him home, but before long, you may not want to take a whiff of air near his cage. It's usually his urine that stinks so bad. If the smell of your pet hamster's urine is the first thing you notice when you enter the room you keep him in, chances are you need to change how you are taking care of your pet. Hamsters are not smelly animals -- they're super-clean -- but their cages can develop a serious odour problem if you aren't taking measures to keep bad smells at bay.
Normal Urine Odours
Urinating is one of your hamster's way of removing waste from his body. Urine is a sterile fluid that primarily contains water along with various salts, minerals, toxins, sugars and various compounds. The odour of hamster urine is typically weak, but the smell becomes more noticeable depending on what your hamster has been consuming, whether he is suffering from medical problems and whether you clean his cage as you should... [More]
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Tags :
How to Control Odors in Hamster Cages , Controlling Hamster Cage Odours , Bad Smelling Hamster Cages , Getting Rid Of Hamster Odour
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15
JUN
2014
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There is no escaping the fact that a trip to the vet has the potential to be very unsettling for all concerned, especially the first time. Here we take a look at how to organise the vet’s visit so that it goes as smoothly as possible.
Choosing your rabbit’s vet
Where possible, it is always a good idea to find a vet that specialises in small animals. Although many owners do not feel that taking a rabbit to the vet is necessary, it is certainly reassuring to know that in the case of emergencies, there is an experienced person at the end of the phone, or in the surgery. Before choosing the right vet for you, do your research: check that they have relevant experience with rabbits, what their costs are, and how close they are to you. Speak to friends with rabbits and see who they use, and check out organisations online, as many offer information regarding recommended vets.
Don’t wait for an emergency
Many owners put off visiting the vet until th.. [More]
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Organising Your Rabbit’s First Trip To Vet
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15
JUN
2014
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South Africa is a country with little or no research on small animal feeding much less chinchillas. We pretty much dependent on foreign know-how to care for our chinchillas. Two of the most critical parts of a chinchilla diet are timothy hay and pellets. However, our choice of chinchilla food in South Africa is very limited. Timothy hay should be the main diet of chinchillas. Alfalfa hay can be fed in small amounts to young and undernourished chinchillas.
Why is a good-quality pellet essential?
As mentioned, along with hay, pellets make up the majority of your chinchilla’s diet. Therefore, careful consideration needs to be given to the various brands on offer, and, which is the most suitable. Don’t be misled into believing that rabbit or guinea pig food make good alternatives to chinchilla pellets, as this is not true; they have very specific dietary requirements and need a food that can offer this. There is a fairly substantial amount of choice, so ta.. [More]
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Choosing The Right Chinchilla Pellet In South Africa
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15
JUN
2014
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Oats been called the super food of the world from reducing asthma risk, control appetite hormones, part of gluten free diet, improve insulin….etc. In recent case, it is used more frequently as a supplement for small animals – providing necessary fattening agent and nutritional benefits.
Unknown to many, rolled oats are steamed groats that have literally been rolled out and flattened, with the bran (nutritional part) discarded. When most people think of “oats,” they’re thinking of rolled oats.
The main problems with oats are the phytic acid and the avenin, a protein in the prolamine family (along with gluten from wheat, rye, and barley, and zein, from corn). As far as phytic acid (or phytate) goes, oats contain less than corn and brown rice but about the same amount as wheat. Phytate has the tendency to bind minerals and prevent their absorption. So, even if a grain is rich in minerals, the presence of phytate prevents their full absorpt.. [More]
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Are Oats Healthy for Small Animals?
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15
JUN
2014
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Anyone owning or considering owning rabbits should give serious consideration to the housing they offer these animals. A small hutch hidden away in the garden is not sufficient and we need to move away from the notion that rabbits can be locked away 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is WRONG!
In the wild a rabbit will cover an area equivalent to 30 tennis courts each day. Think about your own rabbits; if they are locked away inside a hutch all day it would simply be impossible for them to cover even a fraction of this distance. You should also consider the fact that wild rabbits also love to jump, dig, forage and hide – you should therefore offer your rabbits the opportunity to do the same.
Bear these factors in mind when shopping for a hutch and run. Buy the biggest you can afford and don’t forget that it may be cheaper to make your own. The hutch should offer each rabbit its own “bedroom area”, with a separate toilet area and a l.. [More]
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Tags :
Providing Suitable Rabbit Home
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