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Litter Box Accessories

September 2nd, 2010

Most cat litter boxes, even most automatic and self-cleaning models will benefit from the addition of some of the litter box accessories available today.  These accessories will help to keep your cat box cleaner and the whole area cleaner and fresher smelling.  Keeping a few of these essential items handy will make taking care of your cat’s litter box easier.

A litter box scoop is an almost indispensable item for nearly any litter box.  This will allow you to remove solid waste and clumps easily, while keeping your hands away from anything offensive.  While some people might flush such clumps down the toilet, many find it easiest to put these into a waste repository unit that is kept next to the box.  These are usually lined with some sort of plastic bag, making removal when full easy and neat.  It might be a good idea to keep a few extra scoops in the house, when one becomes soiled, it will be easier and cleaner to just toss it out and take out a new one.

Unless you are using a completely disposable litter box, there will come a time when it will be best to thoroughly clean the litter tray.  Even when using liners, odors and liquids can seep through, especially if the cat has torn the liner in any way.  Choosing an appropriate litter box spray cleaner will make this task much easier.  Following up with a spray litter box disinfectant will kill germs, making the box a safer spot for your home and family.  Most of the spray disinfectants will also leave a pleasant, clean smell, too.

Disposing of used cat litter is a problem faced by every cat owner whose cat uses a litter box.  Most people just dump it into the garbage, but some people try to flush it, usually with disastrous consequences.  It is good to know that there is now a flushable litter that is safe to put down the toilet.  This litter provides a sanitary way to dispose of cat waste and used litter.

No matter what kind of litter box your cat uses, there is nearly always the problem of litter being scattered over the floor.  Cats will often pick up some litter on their paws when they use the box and when they leave, they can inadvertently track it through the house.  There are litter mats available that can be used with nearly any litter box and these mats will trap any litter that might have adhered to your cat’s feet.

Adding a few of these accessories will make your life easier and your home cleaner.

The Pet Fountain And Your Pet’s Health

August 22nd, 2010

If you are pondering buying a pet fountain , you are making good sense. There’s no disputing the benefits to a pet’s health that come with  a source of moving clean water. Simultaneously, these great pet accessories make your life less complicated so it really is a benefit for both you and your pet.

A lot of people think it’s just publicity by the companies that make the product when they read all about the benefits that come with a pet fountain.  But one thing different  in this case is all that hype is really true. In the wild, animals generally don’t drink from water that is not moving. They desire moving water because their instincts tell them that flowing water is probably cleaner and fresher for them to drink. In addition to that they find moving water sources more attention-grabbing than standing water. It has been proven over and over that when a pet is given a fountain to drink from, that animal will drink more water and be better hydrated. The benefits to your pet’s health can’t be denied.

Urinary tract and kidney issues are very common in pets, especially cats. Almost all of these issues start with the pet not taking in enough water. It goes back to the plain reality that when pet owners get their pets to take in additional water, it is nearly a guarantee that they will be in better health.

There are a lot of pet fountains for sale, but how do you know the right one for you, your pet, and your home? Well, you should do a little research to narrow down your choices. A number of vets urge that cat owners stay away from plastic accessories since bacteria can grow on plastic easier than competing materials.  Instead, you can consider some of the stainless steel or ceramic fountains that are available. But remember, with proper maintenance you can keep a plastic fountain clean. In fact, one of the best selling cat fountains is the Catit Fresh And Clear Small Drinking Fountain.

Almost all pet fountains work in the same way. They use a small pump to move the water through a charcoal filter and up through some type of fountain. Depending on who makes the fountain you are looking at, the water might come out similar to a human drinking fountain, or it might have water running down a ball and into the main bowl. Each their own style for the flow of water in the fountain.

When you are going to place the pet water fountain in an out of the way place, you can choose pretty much any fountain. But if your fountain will be in a more noticeable area such as the cooking area or eating area, you might want to look for one of the more stylish fountains.  Ceramic and stainless steel are great alternatives when it comes to pet water fountains if they are going to be placed in this type of area.

How to Care for Goldfish

June 28th, 2010

If you want a low maintenance pet for your home or even office, maybe you should consider a goldfish.  Taking care of a goldfish is a relatively easy thing to do, but there are still several things you need to know.  While taking care of other pets like dogs, cats, and even hamsters or gerbils can be time consuming and sometimes frustrating, caring for your fish is actually quite easy.  Anyone can do it as long as you do a little bit of research first.  This site is designed to help you take the best care of your goldfish as you possibly can, and it will give plenty of advice and tips.

One thing any goldfish owner should remember is never to touch your fish unless it is absolutely, 100 % necessary.  Touching a small fish like a goldfish can harm it quite a bit, even causing injury, an infection, or in some cases, death.  Also, you may want to be careful when choosing a home for your new pet.  A bowl or aquarium from any local pet store will do just fine, but make sure you also purchase its “furniture” and decorations from that store.  While it may be tempting to go to your neighborhood creek or pond and fish out some rocks to make your aquarium more authentic-looking, you could be doing a great deal of harm to your pet.  There are many different types of diseases and bacteria floating around that could harm your fish.

There are also several things to consider when feeding goldfish.  First, you should always drop the food in the top of the tank or bowl and never try to feed your pet with your hand.  This is the same as getting rocks from a nearby pond.  You are likely to have certain bacteria on your hands that could be harmful to your pet.  You also want to follow directions closely when feeding.  Goldfish will eat whenever you put food in their tank, so don’t overfeed them or they will overeat.

Author: GuestPoster Categories: Pets Galore Tags:

Are Dog Bark Collars Humane?

May 30th, 2010

Does your dog have a problem with barking? Barking dogs can be the hardest to control because they are barking for a reason: they either feel threatened, or they are attempting to scare away a potential threat to their territory. Dog barking is bad enough when you live in a house, but if you have a dog you share your apartment with, his constant barking could get you into trouble. Taking control of the problem and solving it once and for all with humane results is the answer, and a dog bark collar is the solution.

Dog bark collars are a simple collar you place around your pet’s neck. It has a small receiver box that is placed directly against your pet’s throat. The receiver is sound sensitive, so if it detects a noise generated against if over a certain decibel, it will emit a small shock through two small electrodes which protrude from the box. This shock is not enough to severely harm your dog, but it will startle them and teach them that the act of barking is associated with a shock, so it is something they will learn not to do.

How well dog bark collars work for your pet really depends on the pet. If your dog picks up immediately that the source of his pain is his barking, then the collar is working as intended. However, some dogs never make this association so they continue to bark and then yelp as they are surprised from the shock. Intelligent dog breeds have been known to have more success with a dog bark collar, but there is no reason you could not try this solution for any type of dog with a bark problem.

Many people feel as though these collars are not a humane solution to solving the bark problem, but this is simply untrue. They emit a temporary shock that your dog feels for a brief moment, which helps them associate the act of barking with a bad thing, in order to prevent it in the future. Find further information on dog collars at Some Dog Collars.

Author: GuestPoster Categories: Pets Galore Tags:

Clipping Guinea Pig Nails

March 22nd, 2010
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Struppi
Creative Commons License photo credit: fleckchen

One very important aspect of guinea pig care is to keep their nails regularly clipped.  Guinea pigs spend most of their time on grass or in their guinea pig cage and so don’t have much opportunity to wear their nails down naturally.   For this reason it is very important to make the clipping part of your weekly pet grooming routine.

You can use specialist pet nail clippers or human clippers to do the job.  Clip the nail to just above the quick (this is easy to see on pigs with pale coloured nails but may be difficult to see on pigs with dark nails).  If you accidentally clip the quick then use a cotton wool bud to stem the flow.  This procedure needs to be carried out regularly as otherwise the quick tends to gradually lengthen.  Use a pet grooming guide for extra information on how to care for your pig.

The Chinchilla Cage

February 11th, 2010

There are certain things that you should think about when you are purchasing a chinchilla cage for your pet chinchilla. You must understand exactly what the animal requires in terms of the size of the cage, the space that the chinchilla requires for its own health, and you must understand something of the habits of the chinchilla. Although these animals were originally from South America, the Andes Mountains to be exact, they are still fairly demanding creatures when it comes to keeping them in an environment which will not only stimulate them but keep them alive. This of course is true of any animal, if you owned a dog then you would need to purchase a dog house which was large enough for the animal to move around in, you wouldn’t buy a small dog house for a St Bernard dog for instance.

Because the chinchilla is intelligent and is so interesting, simulation is one of the things that you must provide within the environment of chinchilla cages. Your chinchilla must be stimulated by providing very necessary playthings and the chinchilla must have the room to move around its own environment. Because the chinchilla can chew very vigorously, and any object that you place inside the cage for the chinchilla to play with most comply with specific safety requirements. The chinchilla will chew and swallow some of the pieces that it is chewing off, so you must ensure that any of the pieces that chinchilla is swallowing our not going to damage the animal in any way. For instance, little bits of plastic that a chinchilla will chew from plastic toys can actually get lodged inside the chinchilla, especially in its intestinal tract, causing very serious problems. This is one of the main reasons why most chinchilla toys are made from simple wood. But you must make sure to purchase toys that are made from specific types of wood because the chinchilla can sometimes be allergic to some types of wood.

Now, as I mentioned previously, space is one of those things that the chinchilla cage must provide. Because the chinchilla has a nature of climbing and jumping it must be allowed to have as much space in order to carry out this instinctive behavior as possible. 24″ x 24″ is the minimum floor space that chinchilla needs and you should make sure that your chinchilla cage has sufficient height for the animal to climb.

Using a Dog Cage For Training

January 30th, 2010

Many of the dog owners today struggle with the problem of house breaking. While gentle and humane methods to solve the problem are often effective, some tend to use drastic methods due to frustration and the desire to have a reliably house trained pet in no time.

To achieve the desired behavior, a dog owner can choose a method that is appropriate for the pet. You could train your dog by constantly supervising it or by using a housebreaking aid like paper or a dog cage. Although, using both also produces results.

Even though cage training is effective, you will find a lot of concerns about this method. There are people who believe that this form of training is inhumane. They feel that no matter what training you are trying to accomplish you should not use a cage on a dog. Contrary to this thought patter, cage training has been shown to be one of the most efficient and effected methods for training both dogs and puppies.

How can this be? For one thing, dogs naturally dwell in dens. They would love it if they could retreat into a den for warmth during cold weather or for some shade during hot weather. Dogs see their den as their home, a place where they can go to be safe from any danger. cages should therefore look and feel like home – not cages!

Also, dogs are creatures that like to remain clean, and they will most likely avoid soiling their own cages. By confining your pet to their own den, they will learn how to control their bodily functions until the proper time presents itself. Puppies need to be taken out more often than older dogs because they have limited control of their bowels and bladder. Taking these steps will help your puppy establish a schedule for bathroom trips.

Cages can be found in many different styles and are made of many different materials. You can buy one from your local pet supply store, hardware or pet section in some department stores. Think about the needs that your dog has before committing to purchasing a cage. For traveling, you may want to consider buying a plastic cage and wire cages for dogs that are sensitive to extreme temperatures. You should also think about the size of the cage. Buying a new crate for your dog because it has grown to big for their old one could cost you some money. You can easily buy a large cage for your puppy to grow into and simple block off the area of the cage that the puppy does not need, so he/she can’t go to that area to void.

Housebreaking your dog with a cage will require some determination and consistency. Your housebreaking issues will soon pass if you do this properly.

Different Types of Goldfish

January 8th, 2010

When looking to purchase a goldfish you may not be familiar with just how many different types of goldfish there are. For many people, goldfish is just one kind of fish but there are actually tons of different species of goldfish. The different types of goldfish grow to different sizes, thrive in different environments, and can look very different from what a “conventional” goldfish looks like. You will need to do a bit of research to ensure that the type of goldfish you purchase will do well in your home.

Selective breeding, very much like dogs, has created many different types of goldfish that vary in colour, size, and shape. I’ve assembled just a few of the available goldfish types so you can get a feel for the varieties available and the type of goldfish care they require.

The Common goldfish is aptly named. This goldfish is what everyone thinks of when someone says goldfish. It is the most common, and is very social. It plays and gets along well with other types of aquarium fish. It is also very hardy and can survive in pretty harsh conditions.

The Black Moor goldfish is yes, black. It has protruding eyes which cause it to be partially blind. Despite this problem it is a very hardy fish and can live in a variety of different temperatures.

The Comet goldfish loves to swim and can swim very fast. This type of goldfish should not be kept in a bowl but should be given the space to swim freely in a larger aquarium. It is known for its long tail fins and for loving food.

The Shubunkin goldfish is bred as a calico fish. This means that it has its own unique markings of black, orange, red, white, brown, and light blue which makes it stand out for its beauty. Another unique feature is its scales which are opalescent. This fish grows to be large so it will need a good sized aquarium.

Author: GuestPoster Categories: Pets Galore Tags:

What Kind of Chinchilla Cage Do You Need?

January 4th, 2010

Chinchillas are from the native land South America. They usually live in places such as the beautiful mountains. They have beautiful fur that is very thick, and soft. If they are not caged right they might experience overheating. Chinchilla cages are needed for this reason and in an area within the home that is very quiet and cool.

Most times, it is best to get a large chinchilla cage. It is great when the cage is large. Chinchillas should be able to run around a lot and they need space to be free. The best kind of large cage to get is 24 by 24 inches. Before getting a large cage do not forget do some chinchilla cage plans first. The wire of the cage and the type of tray should all be taken into consideration. After getting any cage for chinchilla there might need to be some arrangements done in the room because of the cage being big the room and cage should be measured first before it is put in there.

Chinchilla’s are such adorable rodents that while it’s best to let them roam free you still might need to get a change for a chinchilla. Sometimes the best kind of a cage might be a homemade chinchilla cage. This will allow you to do things in a certain way and all of your need will be taken care of doing it homemade. Some companies do a custom chinchilla cage if you do not have time to do a homemade one. You can find that you can get a custom large chinchilla cage and those custom designs will match the chinchilla cage plans that you first made with a cage for chinchilla. There are so many things to consider and think about when getting a cage for a chinchilla.

You can think about what kind of homemade chinchilla cage you first wanted and use that idea before getting a custom chinchilla cage. After that, you can look into a large chinchilla cage and see what one fits into your homemade idea. Sometimes after doing research, your chinchilla cage plans might need to be changed. Whatever you decide though you can pretty much still be able to find a cage for chinchilla at almost any price that is reasonable. You might even find a discount when getting a cage for a chinchilla. That is another reason why some people stick with doing a homemade chinchilla cage because of the cost but if you get a custom chinchilla cage and do a large chinchilla cage then your chinchilla cage plans can still help you save money no matter what kind of cage for chinchilla you are wanting. You should be able to find a cage for a chinchilla that is a homemade chinchilla cage from getting a custom chinchilla cage and still be amazed at how much money you save.

Shopping for A Good Dog Bed

December 26th, 2009

Dog beds come in a variety of shapes and colors to be aesthetically appealing to your pet and serve their needs. When choosing a dog bed, you need to consider the size and personality of your pet. Smaller breeds have different nesting characteristics that larger ones. The shape of the bed can mean the difference between your dog feeling at home or becoming apprehensive about sleeping in it. While it may not seem obvious, there are a variety of features and characteristics of a bed to consider when making a purchase. If you have a young dog, you need to consider their long term changing needs. Dogs tend to sleep longer than their human companions, about 14 hours per day. Such a widely used dog commodity needs to be the best it can be.

Shapes are important when choosing a bed. Many shapes are available, including squares, circles, and ovals. Smaller dogs like to curl up in a circle to sleep. Beds with side walls make the dog feel more closed in and safe. Side walls also help keep in heat better. Dogs like to have a sense of security in their own private space. Consider getting a bed that is completely enclosed with a top such as an “igloo” style one. A large dog might be more suitable with a rectangular bed. Make sure it’s long enough so they can spread out from head to tail. Their body needs to be able to stay on the bed and not touch the cold floor.

Materials like polyester and cotton are great for beds because they are so soft. The filler inside should be soft enough so the dog cannot feel the floor beneath them. This is important for long term joint health to prevent conditions such as arthritis. If you have the budget, consider getting a bed with memory foam inserts or luxury padding such as down feathers. The exterior of the bed should be made with water and stain resistant materials. Every now and then your pet may have an accident which needs to be cleaned up. A removable pad makes this a lot easier because you can just pop it into the washer for cleaning. Even if your pet isn’t prone to accidents, be sure to clean the bed regularly to deter pests like fleas from hiding in the material.

For the ultimate in dog bed comfort, there are dog beds heated with an electric element which can keep your pet warm in the night. This also provides a therapeutic effect which soothes dogs with health problems.