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24
MAY
2014
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In the past few years, a fascinating array of reptiles have become available in the South African pet trade. Reptiles can make excellent pets, but sometimes inexperienced owners are overwhelmed when the realize how expensive and difficult some reptiles are to care for. Unfortunately, many owners go home from pet stores with incomplete and even incorrect information on proper care of their reptiles, so end up surprised and unprepared when they find out what it really takes to care for their pets, in both time and cost. Unmet expectations and poor advice about care can result in a bad experience for the owner and can ultimately be fatal for the reptile.
Some reptiles are poor choices for beginners, often due to diet or environmental needs or an unwieldy adult size. However, there are some readily available reptiles that are good for beginners. These animals are relatively low maintenance, compared to other reptiles, but they still need a significant investment in proper eq.. [More]
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Reptiles As Pets In South Africa
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24
MAY
2014
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FANTASTIC NEWS! New research conducted by The University of Edinburgh & Burgess Pet Care has shown that rabbits fed on a muesli diet are more likely to suffer from dental and digestive problems. Pets at Home have taken a HUGE step by announcing the following: “We’re phasing out rabbit muesli in our stores & advising all our rabbit customers to transition onto rabbit nuggets and hay.”
Why are Pets at Home discontinuing rabbit muesli?
Pets at Home the largest pet retailer in the UK with more than 360 stores support the latest thinking in pet welfare standards and this decision has been taken in light of the weight of feeling amongst the veterinary community towards the feeding of muesli based diets, and their potential negative effects on the health of rabbits.
What is selective feeding?
A muesli diet consists of lots of different ingredients that make up the mix. A rabbit fed on muesli may pick out their favourite bi.. [More]
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Latest Muesli Research Findings by The University of Edinburgh & Burgess Pet Care , UK Pet Stores Stop Selling Rabbit Muesli
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23
MAY
2014
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We all need to take care of our teeth, but that is especially true in the case of pet rabbits. Vets report that three-quarters of all pet rabbits they treat are diagnosed with dental health problems, which can cause pain and distress, and can even prove fatal.
The most common complaint reported by vets is overgrown molars and enamel spurs that grow from teeth. These can irritate and tear the delicate soft tissue in the mouth, causing agonising injuries.
These spurs generally develop because rabbits aren't eating enough forage and hay, as they would in the wild. These naturally-abrasive, fibre-rich foods are important because they wear down the teeth. And because rabbits' teeth grow continuously by an astonishing 2mm every week, or 10-12cm every year, a lack of fibre in the diet means that problems can quickly develop.
Left untreated, uneven or insufficiently worn molars can lead to secondary complaints such as dental abscesses, which can cause your pet t.. [More]
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Rabbit Dental Heath Care in South Africa , malocclusion ,
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20
MAY
2014
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Rabbit Awareness Week, hopped into action on May 4 in UK, and called for muesli-style rabbit and guinea pig food to be removed from supermarket and pet store shelves, following the results of a new academic study that has proved it is dangerous to the health and welfare of Britain’s 1.7 million bunnies.
The announcement of the findings from the two year academic study conducted by The University of Edinburgh, coincides with Rabbit Awareness Week, an annual event which highlights the health and welfare needs of Britain’s third most popular pet. The research confirms the link between muesli-style rabbit foods, fed with or without hay, and potentially deadly dental and digestive problems that lead to costly veterinary treatment and in some cases can be fatal.
Rabbit Awareness Week is backed by major UK animal welfare charities and pet experts including Burgess Excel, RSPCA, PDSA, Blue Cross, MSD Animal Health, Bayer Animal Health, Practice Plan for Vets, .. [More]
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Feeding Muesli A Ticking Timebomb
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18
MAY
2014
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Rats and mice in the wild can be one of the worst pests for mankind, notwithstanding their indispensable part within the ecosystem. Domestic rats and mice, on the other hand, contribute a great deal to the advancement of research for the benefit of man. Domestic rats and mice are not the same as their wild counterparts, having been domesticated for over 100 years.
As Pets
Rats and mice suffer from bad “press” with much prejudice and misunderstanding directed toward them. As urban sprawl continues to limit the necessary space needed to keep dogs and cats, rats and mice as pets are gradually emerging as an ideal substitute. Easy to keep, with minimal space and care requirements, they provide all the pleasure and satisfaction of a warm, cuddly, intelligent, and friendly pet companion. They are also very inexpensive to obtain along with the required accessories needed to make them happy.
Domesticated rats make excellent pets for children and adults alike. .. [More]
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Adorable Fancy Rats and Mice in South Africa , Caring For Pet Rats & Mice in South Africa
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17
MAY
2014
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Imagine paws as big as your own hands, ears as long as your arms and teeth as strong as any dog – all covered in colourful fluff and twitchy whiskers! Whether it’s a French or English lop, a Continental or Flemish giant or a giant Papillion, rabbits can really grow to an impressive stature and weigh more than five kilograms.
Giant rabbits can be good natured, affectionate and make really great pets provided they are fed and cared for properly. You need to ensure you can really give a giant rabbit the attention, love, home and vast amounts of food it needs before welcoming one into your extended family.
Here are our top tips for looking after giant rabbits:
1. Accommodation
Big rabbits mean even bigger homes – think about the bunny version of a castle! A cosy hutch used for smaller rabbit breeds would be like trying to cram an elephant into a Mini! A rabbit-proofed room in a house with a customised dog basket to sleep in or a small shed wou.. [More]
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Caring For Large Rabbit Breeds , Rabbit Hutch in South Africa , Rabbit Homes in South Africa
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11
MAY
2014
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Many people think that muesli-type foods are enough to give their guinea pigs but in truth, they are not. Muesli is also referred to as dry mix or mixture foods and pellets are also called nuggets. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion regarding muesli diets, and there is now a campaign to ban this type of pet food from pet stores in UK.
Most of the cheaper brands are flashy. These are the foods we want to buy because they look good and taste good to guinea pigs, but unfortunately they are the ones to stay away from. These muesli type foods are usually a mixture of pellets, colourful pieces (flakes or pellets), nuts, seeds, and/or fruit bits.
Muesli mixes have also been known to contain pieces of twig, stone and other harmful items. The seeds and nuts in muesli are high in fat. Often times the mixtures include sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds in the shell are dangerous, not just because of high fat content, but because the shells splinter into sharp pieces that c.. [More]
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Guinea Pig Muesli Ban in UK , Guinea pig food South Africa , Muesli Bad Guinea Pigs , Muesli versus pellets , muesli verus nuggets , Guinea Pig Pellet food South Africa
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28
APR
2014
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This is a question we are often asked… Can I feed my Chinchilla Rabbit Pellets?
The answer we always give is a resounding “no”. Chinchillas have a similar digestive system to rabbits and fibre is a core part of their diet. However, their nutritional needs are quite different which is why Burgess formulated Excel Nuggets specifically for Chinchillas. Consistently feeding rabbit nuggets or rodent pellets to a chinchilla can cause illness, so please opt for a food that has been specifically formulated to meet their needs.
This is also why we would suggest that rabbits and chinchillas are not kept together as pets. As with rabbits, a chinchilla’s teeth will continue to grow throughout his life. They can become overgrown and this can be fatal. A good, coarse fibre filled diet, including Burgess Excel feeding timothy hay, will help to keep teeth in good shape in addition to wooden chew objects for gnawing.
If you spot that your chinchilla i.. [More]
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Feeding Chinchillas The Right Diet in South Africa , Chinchilla food South Africa , Chinchilla pellets , Muesli Chinchilla food , Lucerne pellet , Muesli Chinchilla food , Chinchilla breeder , Timothy Hay
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23
APR
2014
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Hamsters make great pets but whether you decide on a Dwarf or Syrian hamster they both need the love and care that a larger animal would. Make sure you are prepared to take on the responsibility, especially if you are adopting your hamster (or hamsters) for a child as a family pet.
Dwarf Hamster
Due to their small size Dwarf hamsters are not recommended for small children, especially the Roborovski. Hamsters are nocturnal but once they are up and about they are full of energy and can be found swinging from the bars of their cage like a child on a monkey swing, which is entertaining to watch and you find yourself willing them on. They’re also into everything, loving to gnaw on the cardboard box you bring them home in!, and are gentle natured.
The four species of Dwarf hamster are: Russian Campbell, Russian Winter White, Roborovski and Chinese, although technically a Chinese hamster is not classed as a Dwarf due to their longer tails. The most commonly kept as a pet i.. [More]
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Why Hamsters Make Great Pets , Hamster Cage , Hamster Food , Hamster Bedding , Hamsters South Africa
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22
APR
2014
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Congratulations on your efforts to provide your feathered friend with optimum nutrition. Seed is never a balanced diet and results in severe nutritional deficiencies that will result in the early death of your bird.
After years of healthy eating with uncoloured Roudybush Maintenance pellets as the staple diet, what do parrots prefer when given the choice of a sunflower seed or pellet as a treat? 10 out of 10 they picked Roudybush pellets over sunflower seeds. Once in a while they just like something different for fun or variety and that's perfectly normal. If pellets make up the dominant portion of their diet, this is absolutely considered to be more healthy by avian veterinarians. Interestingly the same results continued for pellets vs nuts as long as the nut wasn't bigger than the pellet. However, the birds will often go for a small piece of pellet over an average piece of nut or seed.
Feeding a pelleted diet is essential to maintaining a healthy pet bird. .. [More]
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Tags :
Which is right choice Bird Seed Or Bird Pellet?
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