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31
MAY
2014
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Chinchillas have an exceptionally long lifespan, making them an appealing pet choice for people looking for long-term companions. In their natural habitat in the Andean regions of South America, they typically live for 8 to 10 years, but in captivity, chinchillas often live 15 to 20 years. To maximize a pet chinchilla's lifespan, proper care is essential.
When your chinchilla suddenly dies young, between 5 to 10 years of age, especially if they looked healthy and showed no signs of illness, it can be very upsetting. Understanding the history of chinchillas, the breeding techniques and their sensitive digestive system does help explain why many chinchillas can die younger than expected.
In the wild
When chinchillas were first imported from South America - at first into the United States,and then into Europe - people found it really difficult, at first, to keep them alive in captivity. This was mainly because of a lack of understanding of what wild chinchillas eat.. [More]
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Tags :
Dangers of Muesli Type Foods For Chinchillas South Africa , Never Feed Chinchillas Muesli Type Foods South Africa , Why Chinchillas Die From Eating Muesli Diets South Africa , Facts About Chinchilla Life
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30
MAY
2014
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Getting a pet should never be taken lightly, before you rush into picking up your very own bundle of fluff, give it some good thought. Here are some points to consider before you get a rabbit.
Rabbits like company
Rabbits are naturally social creatures and enjoy company. Your first consideration should therefore be to take on not just one rabbit, but at least two. We always advocate adoption; there are many rabbits living in rescue across South Africa right now. If you adopt more than one rabbit then ask the rescue for their advice on bonding, neutering etc.
Do you have the time?
You may think that rabbits are a low maintenance pet. They are not. You need to be committed to giving your pet the happiest and healthiest life possible, perhaps for many years and this involves interaction with your pet, plus time devoted to feeding, cleaning, trips to the vet etc. If you’re adopting or buying a rabbit for your child, can you trust them to keep looking after the.. [More]
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Tags :
Your First Rabbit - Things To Consider , Getting Your First Pet Rabbit in South Africa
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30
MAY
2014
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Create the perfect hamster home with Rotastak hamster cages! These cages are vivid and colourful, making them the ideal choice for younger hamster owners that want much more than a standard hamster cage!
The brilliant thing about Rotastak hamster cages though, is that you can buy a whole range of add ons and extras to create your very own hamster paradise that your small pet will love – they’re suitable for gerbils and mice too.
So what are the necessities of a hamster cage?
Rotastak hamster cages provide everything your hamster needs to be happy and healthy: a water bottle, separate sleeping area, facilities to exercise and a main room where your hamster can scurry around and hide food as they would in the wild.
So when you buy a Rotastak hamster cage you already have everything you need to provide the perfect home for your hamster. Now you’re free to expand it as you want! With tunnels, .. [More]
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Tags :
Create Perfect Hamster Home , Rotastak hamster cage , Buy Hamster cage in South Africa , buy hamster cage online South Africa
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29
MAY
2014
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Rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas must have diets high in fiber to keep their digestive systems healthy and working properly. Hay provides good digestive health as well as physical and mental stimulation. The two main types of hay are grass hay and legume hay. Grass hay is the better of the two because of its high nutrient content.
Grass hays include teff, eragrostis, timothy and meadow hay. Some legume hays are alfalfa, clover, beans and peas. While legume hays are very tasty to your rabbit, they are high in calories and can cause obesity.
The fiber in hay is essential to a rabbit’s digestive system. If bunnies don’t get a regular supply, their system will slow down, which can lead to fatal gastrointestinal stasis. The trouble is, not all hay is attractive enough for rabbits to want to eat.
Teff and eragrostis are perhaps two of the more widely used hay varieties in South Africa. The major disadvantage of these hays is that the nutritional value can r.. [More]
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Tags :
Timothy Hay Supplier , Rabbits Need High Quality Hay , Timothy Hay is now available in South Africa , Timothy Hay Finally in S.A. , Buy Timothy Hay
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29
MAY
2014
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People are often unaware that local animal shelters in many parts of South Africa, have many rescued guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, pet rats and hamsters that need homes, primarily as a result of people who surrender them because they unable to take care of them properly. Little Critters Rescue Club is a non-profit, prolife, rescue, rehabilitate and re-homing organisation for small animals in Johannesburg.
Many pet stores house both male and female guinea pigs together and occasionally sell incorrectly sexed guinea pigs. This increases the odds that a breeding pair has been sold or that a young undeveloped sow is already pregnant when purchased (sows can become pregnant as early as four weeks of age). Other pet owners intentionally breed their guinea pigs “to see what it’s like”; and the number of unwanted guinea pigs needing homes continues to grow.
Little Critters Rescue Club rehome these needy critters (Guinea Pigs, Rabbits,.. [More]
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Tags :
Little Critters Rescue Club , Small Animal Rescue Service in South Africa
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25
MAY
2014
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Should I feed my bird, seeds or pellets? The short answer to this question is that it's okay to feed your pet both seeds and pellets, but neither should be fed exclusively. Birds in captivity often do not get the variety of foods that they would in the wild, and can't get all of the nutrients that they need from seeds alone. As a rule, a bird should be fed a quality commercial pellet as a staple diet, and should be offered fruits, veggies, and greens daily, with a few seeds thrown in now and then as a treat and to add variety. Make sure not to let your pet eat to many seeds -- they are like junk food to birds, and some of our feathered friends may refuse to eat anything else if they eat a seed only diet, leading to health problems and a shortened lifespan.
A diet of bird pellets offers more complete nutrition than seed-only diets. Even better, many bird pellets are formulated with a wide range of healthy ingredients for specific birds. This means they offer the e.. [More]
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Tags :
Right Diet For Birds In South Africa , Roudybush Bird pellets , Bird Seed , Do I Feed Bird Seeds Or Pellets , Roudybush Bird Food Options , Feeding Birds The Right Nutrition , Feeding Birds , Bird food suppl
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25
MAY
2014
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Vets report that four out of five guinea pigs that come into their practice have a health problem that is directly related to poor diet. Common ailments are constipation, overgrown teeth, obesity and other problems related to these primary issues.
The good news is that many of these are easily prevented if owners understood a bit more about what their guinea pigs should be eating and why.
A day in the life of a wild guinea pig
Consider a day in the life of a wild guinea pig. He would spend 70% of his time above ground searching out or 'foraging' for food while keeping a beady eye out for predators, to make sure he wasn't going to end up as someone else's dinner! As a ground feeder, his diet would be mainly made up of grasses, hay, herbs and bark - all high fibre foods! He couldn't climb trees to get fruit. His territory would be the equivalent of around 20 tennis courts meaning he'd get a lot of exercise every day searching out food acr.. [More]
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Tags :
Why Timothy Hay Is Best Food For Guinea Pigs In South Africa
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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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Tags :
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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Tags :
Rabbit Dental Heath Care in South Africa , malocclusion ,
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