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What do Lizards Eat?
A lizard’s diet varies greatly depending on exactly what species they are, but the majority of people who ask this question are referring to pet lizards that can be kept at home in a tank rather than those that are roaming free around the desert.
One of the most popular lizards kept as a pet is a bearded dragon. This lizard will usually enjoy a fairly varied diet, consisting of crickets, earthworms and grasshoppers (and yes he wants them alive and kicking so feeding time may not be for the squeamish) mixed with the occasional leafy green salad (but absolutely no iceberg lettuce.) Some bearded dragons are also quite partial to a nice bit of fruit or even a cooked potato chopped into bite size pieces.
If you go a little bigger and head into iguana territory, you'll find he is really a veggie fan, and will enjoy his healthy greens more than the creepy crawlies, but he does need them occasionally to provide him with the protein he needs to stay healthy.
Any lizard needs a supply of nice, clean drinking water and most will benefit from a pet store vitamin supplement once or twice a week. The best way though to determine what the right diet is for your new scaly friend is to ask at the pet store or pet outlet where you purchase him.
Some lizards develop a taste for the strangest things. Some like pizza, some like macaroni and cheese, some like a nice piece of cheddar. These can be fed to them in very small quantities, as a special treat, but the most important thing about any lizard’s diet is that it is balanced.
Can Guinea Pigs be Trained?
Litter training a Guinea Pig is not as easy as litter training a cat (let’s face it, there is not much to that) but they can be housebroken. Most people begin to litter train a guinea pig simply by allowing them to roam a small area with a hay filled litter box close by. They then add a few of the animals' own droppings from his cage to encourage him to use the box as a bathroom. Many people recommend shielding the litter box with a chair or an end table as most Guinea Pigs are rather private and demure little creatures who will prefer to “do their business” in private. Some Guinea Pigs get the hang of the litter box right away, while others need a little guidance, being put into the box and praised excessively when they “do the right thing”. On the other hand there are those Guinea Pigs that never do quite get it right, but they will still appreciate the “floor time”; you will just have to limit it to an area covered with newspaper to avoid too much mess. Many Guinea Pigs learn their names, and can be taught to do simple tricks like beg for food. While this may be fun for you to watch, do not push the issue if your furry friend does not seem too interested in learning. Can Dogs Take Aspirin?
According to vets, animals should not be given any medication without consulting with a member of their profession first. Dogs do feel pain and some dogs who suffer from arthritis seem to benefit from a dose of aspirin but only in very small dose supervised by a veterinarian. Aspirin belongs to the NSAIDS (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) family and can cause gastrointestinal problems in humans, and these difficulties can be magnified in canine stomachs, sometimes with fatal consequences. Many professionals in animal medicine prefer to use a supplement like Glucosamine to help ease an arthritic doggy’s joint pain. In fact, the substance together with Chondroitin Sulfate is essential for keeping canine joints healthy and flexible. There are a number of specialist dog foods that are fortified with the substances and you can also buy supplement tablets and liquids as well. The pets that certainly should never be given aspirin are your cats. Cats simply do not have the capability to produce enough liver enzymes to break the aspiring down and even the smallest of doses can make them very ill and even prove fatal. Some people say that for cats who appear to be in a lot of pain ¼ of a baby aspirin a day is OK but the majority of vets advise that the risk not be taken, especially since any pain relief Fluffy might get from such a treatment would be minimal at best.
How long do rabbits live?
One special point worth noting that if an unspayed female rabbit does not breed she will be particularly susceptible to uterine cancer. Uterine cancer is a problem for rabbits but the risk is lessened if an animal is spayed if she is not to be used for breeding purposes. The ideal time to spay a female rabbit is four to six months of age, but your vet can advise you what is best for your bunny. Ensuring that a pet rabbit has a good diet is another huge factor in how long they might live. Rabbits have rather sensitive stomachs and certain foods can prove harmful if not downright fatal. Starch and fats are not at all rabbit friendly and although most of them really like it fruit should be fed as occasional treat only. The mainstay of any rabbit’s diet should be grass hay, with timothy, meadow hay and oat or barley hay being ideal. How do you Potty Train a Puppy?
Some dogs get the hang of the whole “potty training’ thing far more quickly than others, but the key to housebreaking any puppy is consistence and patience. There are several different ways to potty train your puppy and it seems no one method is the “best”. Simply, some puppies respond better to certain methods than others. Potty training puppies has to begin inside. You can lay “wee wee “ pads on the floor and encourage the puppy to do his business there. These pads, readily available at pet supply stores – are pretreated with a chemical that gives of a scent designed to draw your pup to them. As the puppy learns, the papers are moved closer and closer to the door, until he gets the message and begins to understand that his bathroom is outside, not inside. The problem with paper training is that it allows a puppy to go to the bathroom in the house at all, a habit that it may be hard to break. Some people find that crate training is far more effective. Puppy is placed in a crate that is just large enough to be his bed. Dogs are loathe to soil their own beds because even a puppy realizes that he will have to lie in that mess afterwards. Proponents of crate training say that this teaches puppies to regulate their bowels and bladder more quickly, to learn that they can “hold it” if they want to. To be most effective the puppy has to be taken out of his crate at regular times for walks, and gradually be allowed to move around the rest of the house. Some people use neither of these methods and opt for simple vigilance. Puppies have a “pre potty” pattern that is fairly easy to recognize and if you have the time to watch puppy all day, he can simply be hustled straight out of the back door whenever he goes into his routine. |
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