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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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Tags :
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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Tags :
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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Tags :
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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14
JUN
2014
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There is a huge variety of hamsters cages on the market, but not all cages are created equally. Most of the cages that are sold as 'hamster cages' are actually suitable for dwarf hamsters and don't provide enough floor space for the larger species of syrian hamster, or have components that aren't safe for a larger hamster. A cage is the most important investment you'll make for your hamster, so you want to choose wisely.
There are various hamster housing options, each with pros and cons. To find the right one for your hamster, consider factors such as species type, safety, maintenance, budget, and above all, size.
A rule that you must always follow: Syrian hamsters cannot be housed together! They are territorial, solitary animals and will fight and inflict serious wounds to each other if not kept apart. They can, however, be kept near each other in separate housing. Dwarf hamsters MIGHT be kept together in same-sex housing.
Size it up
In the wild, hamsters h.. [More]
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Tags :
Choosing Best Hamster Cage , Hamster Cages South Africa , Types Of Hamster Cages , Finding The Right Hamster Cage
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13
JUN
2014
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They are small, hairless and have been taking the UK by storm... meet the skinny pig. The bald creatures are just a few inches long and can easily fit in the palm of your hand standing them out from the larger and more common guinea pigs.
The bald animals must live indoors and need sun cream in summer
Unlike their Peruvian cousins, 'Skinnys' do not occur naturally in the wild, but were created by scientists in The Institute Armand Frappier lab in Montreal in Canada in 1978.
Because they only have a small amount of hair on their muzzles, feet and legs skinnys have become a popular choice for animal lovers with allergies to hair. 'Skinnies, as they're known, can come in a variety of colours and patterns, such as Dutch, tortoiseshell, Himalayan and many others.
The skinny pig (left) is smaller than its Peruvian cousin (right)
While they typically have hair on their muzzles, feet, and legs, they are hairless over the remainder of their bodies.' However,.. [More]
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Tags :
Meet The Skinny Pig , Guinea Pig South Africa
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13
JUN
2014
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Rats make excellent pets; they are wonderfully social both with other rats, and their owners. In fact, many families that opt for hamsters, which are largely antisocial are actually looking for the qualities of rats. However, rats have been misunderstood in popular imagination for years. And truly, there is a vast difference between the rats you find in pet shops and the feral ones in the streets.
These pets are growing in popularity though, due to their charming ways (and their ability to keep themselves cleaner than other pets of the same size). With their winning ways, it is possible to fall in love with a rat before knowing exactly how to care for her. The key is to ensure you treat your rat like any other pet. This means providing a clean and safe home, as well as plenty of food. Nutrition is key for any pet’s health and happiness, and rats are no different.
Rat Feeding Basics
Rats are scavengers – those rumours are true. They love digging.. [More]
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Tags :
Feeding Your Rat Quality Food
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