The Importance of Chew Toys for My Chinchilla and Rodents

Filed under: pettheworld.info — admin at 4:03 am on Friday, May 9, 2008

Chinchillas, like all rodents, need to chew. It keeps your teeth short and healthy since they don’t stop growing. There is a variety of material, shapes and flavors of things for them to chew on. Switching it up from time to time and giving your pet a variety of chew toys can make it a little more fun for them. I have noticed that through past experiences with rodent pets of both myself and friends, and with my current chinchilla, they enjoy both soft and hard things to chew.

My chinchilla will chew anything. This is important to note if you ever let your own chinchilla or rodent out of his/her cage to have some fun. You have to be careful of the environment they are in. My chinchilla has chewed through two electric wires. She has chewed on numerous furniture, books, and paper. It’s not that I don’t watch her when she’s out, it’s that she’s so fast and just gets to things quicker than I can at times.

When she’s not running through the house for her next quick snack, she is sitting in her cage chewing on a variety of things I try to provide her with. The first, which is probably the staple thing for rodents to chew on as pets, is toilet paper and paper towel rolls. These are great. Not only do you get to put what would usually be trash to good use, they are somewhat soft and easy for the rodent to chew. Sometimes they prefer this over the harder things, though you have to make sure there isn’t a lot of glue on them.

She also loves to chew wood. The constant piece she has is a wooden ledge in her cage, though she doesn’t chew that as much. She likes to jump on it and stuff, but only chews it when she really doesn’t have anything else to chew. It’s a nice thing to have in the cage for moments between her old and new chew toy.

I also get her wood blocks that she just loves. They are little, finger length, and usually come in many assorted colors. Some even are flavored. I’m not really sure if she enjoys the flavored ones more or not, but she loves all the wood chew toys. They are her favorite, a treat almost, and she will chew on that contently for a long time. I like to keep one of those, since it’s a harder toy, and a roll, since it’s a softer toy, in her cage at the same time. This gives her variety for when she wants to chew.

Of course, anything in her cage she will chew. She has a green plastic igloo for a house, and that is covered in bite marks. She usually only chews that when she is antsy and wants to get out of the cage. It’s a good sign to let me know she might be feeling too cooped up. I noticed that some, maybe even more, will start to chew these constant items in their cages when they are bored.

They also will chew their cages for the same reason. My chinchilla is no different. She will chew that when she has ran out of a good chew toy and gets bored, or when she wants out of the cage. I can tell because she is most active when I let her out after she has been chewing on the cage.

Animals are smarter than most people give them credit and a wonderful friend to have. We should treat them better by providing variety for their life. We need to not just show them love and affection with hugs and petting, but also show them that we care by providing them with enjoyable items we give them. Take note of what they prefer, what they often chew, and what gets chewed the fastest. Rodents are one of the most affectionate pets surprisingly, always amusing and entertaining, and deserve every little treat and toy they can get.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com which is a site for Pet Forums.

Jake Rose is an artist and an author from Massachusetts.

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Are You Feeding Your Cat The Right Food

Filed under: pettheworld.info — admin at 6:01 pm on Thursday, May 8, 2008

What should you feed your cat to make sure he or she will have the necessary nutrition? What is the ideal mix of food to help your cat live to the limit of it’s life span?

To answer these questions, one should look at the diet of a feline in it’s natural habitat. In the wild, a cat eats almost exclusively animal tissue. However, they would normally eat the entire body of the animal,
including it’s stomach contents, which has many nutrients that are simply lacking in an animals muscle tissue.

Another question some cat owners have is: Is fresh meat the best possible food for cats? Not necessarily. Fresh meat will not provide a balanced diet for a cat, as they are extremely protein dense while being very low in vital nutrients such as calcium.

Conversely, some cat owners have asked, “Is it alright to feed my cat a completely vegetarian diet?” The answer to that question is a clear cut no. Cats cannot produce the nutrients it needs from an exclusively vegetarian diet in the same way that humans can.

Being a very specialized hunter, it has actually lost that ability during the course of it’s evolution. Certain skin problems are sometimes the result of a deficiency in certain essential fatty acids which can be found in animal flesh alone. Another problem is that a deficiency of the amino acid taurine, a major building block for proteins of the body, which can cause both blindness and heart failure. Cats are simply born carnivores.

Is it o.k. to give a cat only dry food? According to petshub, the answer is yes, providing that you ensure that fresh water is available at all times.

Dry food is generally more convenient, hygienic, and affordable than canned or fresh food. It also exercises the teeth and reduces the buildup of tartar, which can grow into a severe problem in cats that are fed a soft and mushy diet.

A.M Wilmont is a writer and researcher. For more information you can visit http://www.premium-cat-food.com/

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The Eleventh Commandment Care For Your Pets

Filed under: pettheworld.info — admin at 7:03 am on Thursday, May 8, 2008

Pets are an extension of one’s life and love. Caring for pets means one has the ability, skill and heart to give love and take good care of one of nature’s creations. The following are tips and advice to consider when caring for that furry feline, canine, tweety, crawly, etc. friend of yours.

Clean, clean, clean and clean

Sanitation is an all important aspect of a pet’s existence. It is important that pets must be washed and cleaned regularly. Also, dishes used by pets must be separated from those dishes used by other human members of the household. Rinse the dishes used by pets with boiling water, this is after they have been washed thoroughly with soap and water.

As mush as possible, do not let children kiss any and all forms of animals. Dishes used by children should never, ever be shared with pets. Wash your hands quickly and thoroughly after handling pets, pet foods, their cages, boxes, etc. Make sure that pets have been vaccinated appropriately against any and all forms of disease.

Know which does and which does not cause poison

Be aware and be in the know with regards to the kinds of poisons that are available in and around your house. Any products that are lethal for pets must be very well kept out of their reach. An example of these products are the following: pesticides, cleaners, fertilizers, detergents. However, in such a case where the animal is suspected of ingesting such chemicals, make sure that the pet is kept quiet and warm.

It is also important that the poison ingested is immediately determined as well as the quantity swallowed. Most importantly, the nearest animal doctor or the center for poison control is contacted as soon as possible.

Tis the season to have fleas

For pets, especially dogs, fleas and its bites is so annoying and irritating. Pets scratch, pets also chew. After which, what could follow is a very painful and uncomfortable process of more scratching and skin rashes or breakout.

Take note, fleas that have grown into full fledged adults are more dangerous to the health of your pets to the extent that they could cause serious health problems such as dermatitis, allergy, tapeworms. Believe it or not, these fleas could also cause your pet to have anemia. These diseases that are flea-related actually is the leading cause of almost fifty percent of skin-related cases checked up by vets.

The best thing in order to avoid these fleas is to prevent their causes rather than just simply cure them.

Veterinarians have a good idea as to the specific and latest products that effectively kills fleas, their eggs and any larvae.

Choose your vet wisely

The best way to choose the appropriate vet is by thinking how this vet bests suits your wants and needs with regards to the health of your pet as well as the needs of your pet. Good vets usually take a pet history. Records of immunization, health, medications, traits and attitudes of your pet are taken in detail and kept.

Vets must always have your pet’s need as their priority. The following are a few of the best ways to finding that perfect vet for your pet: ask a friend who knows. Friends who also care sincerely for animals or own one usually have a good vet in mind or are having their pets checked up to one.

In summary, pets are human’s best friend. And as best friends they should be treated the same way that humans must be appropriately treated; with care, respect and lots of love.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides pet care resources on http://www.justpetcare.info.

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