Hamster Care Guide

Golden hamsters make delightful pets. Solitary but affectionate, they are well-suited to pet parents who are most active at night.

Golden hamsters are small, nocturnal rodents that are best kept by themselves. Unlike mice, hamsters do not enjoy the company of their fellows, except to produce more hamsters. A related animal, the dwarf hamster, may be kept in groups in places where they are legal pets.

Hamsters like to sleep the day away and then have a heavy aerobic workout during the night. If you’re a night-owl type, a hamster might be your ideal companion. Hammies are reasonably easy to care for, they are friendly, and they don’t even make much smell. In fact, if you can smell your hamster, his cage is far past due for cleaning.

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT
Hamster “habitats” composed of interlocking plastic tubes are very popular. Unfortunately, the tubes tend to be too narrow for a Golden Hamster. As a result, hamsters sometimes get stuck inside. Also, the tubes are very difficult to keep clean.  Therefore, ignore the coolness factor, and buy a cage that will be comfortable for your pet.

A much better choice of hamster home is a wire cage with a solid plastic bottom. The plastic should extend up the walls for several centimeters in order to contain the bedding. The wire walls and ceiling allow for plenty of ventilation. This is very important, especially here in New South Wales, because hamsters are sensitive to heat. Anything above 22C (~72F) is increasingly risky for hamster health. On very hot days, a block of ice in one end of the bedding might be needed to keep your hammy safe.

Your hamster will also need a hamster wheel. Be sure it is big enough for a golden hamster. If your hammy will need to curve his back to use it, the wheel is too small. Solid plastic wheels are safer than the old-fashioned wire wheels.

A sippy water bottle for the side of the cage and a couple of ceramic bowls will do nicely for dishes.

You have many choices for bedding in hammy’s cage. Avoid clumping litters and softwood shavings. Clumping litters will cause digestive problems, and the oils from pine and cedar cause respiratory disease. Bedding made from paper products are your safest bet for bedding, and shredded paper is easily available.

Hamsters enjoy having a place to burrow and hide. There are many “hamster homes” readily available without tube components, and any of them will be fine.

EXERCISE
Hamsters are perhaps best known for their love of exercise wheels. They will amuse themselves for extended periods of time by running on their wheels. The wheel must be big enough that the animal does not need to arch its back. Also, the wheel should be made of a solid plastic construction. The old-fashioned wire wheels are dangerous, and they have led to many injuries over the years.

Tropical Fish Care Guide

If you choose the types of fish carefully, Tropical Fish are great pets for almost any household. Check out our Tropical Fish care tips for beginners.

You’ve been eyeing the lovely aquarium of tropical fish at a friend’s house or even your dentist’s office, and now you’re thinking you’d like one of your own. If you choose the types of fish carefully, tropical fish are great pets for almost any household.

There’s a trick to keeping a beautiful tank of tropical fish. Here it is, in a nutshell:

Start with a freshwater tank of 20-50 gallons;
Set it up with the gravel, filter, plants, “cycling” fluid, rocks, and so on before choosing your fish;
Allow it to sit and “age” for at least a week;
Choose an appropriate number of small river fish; and
Do routine maintenance regularly, instead of waiting for something to go wrong.
Why should you choose river fish for your first fish tank? They are the easiest to keep healthy in a small body of water such as an aquarium. Most popular lake fish and marine critters need the water conditions to remain perfectly stable. River fish can handle fluctuations in acidity and temperature more easily than the others. As a result, adding water to the tank each week or two is less of a risk, you’re less likely to kill your fish be changing the medium in the filter, and a heatwave or sudden winter “cold snap” will be less likely to make your fish sick.

Starting with small fish (specifically, small fish that will stay small) makes sense unless you can afford a truly gigantic tank. Most popular fish need to live in groups, and the fastest way to a smelly, unhealthy mess of a tank is to overcrowd it. One inch of fish-length per gallon of water is a good rule of thumb.

Before choosing your fish, make a trip to the pet store and see what fish appeal to you. Make a list of the names of the fish. Now, go home again and look up these fish on a decent website. How big do they get? For example, black ghost knifefish are beautiful and fascinating, and the little 3″/7cm babies are the cutest fish ever, but do you have room a school of 18″/45cm adults? On the flipside, the cherry barbs and cardinal tetras aren’t going to grow much. If you plan to have more than one kind of fish in your tank, also check how many you’ll need per species (count on at least five, for schooling species) and whether the water requirements are compatible…and whether the fish themselves are compatible.

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT
The bare essentials for keeping tropical fish looks like quite a list, but any pet store that deals in pet fish will have almost everything you need:

• Tank and canopy with light, usually sold as a set;
• Gravel, enough for a depth of at least an inch (2.5cm) in the front and three inches (7cm) in the back;
• Water filter and filter media (which might or might not need a separate water pump), often sold as part of a set with the fish tank;
• Water thermometer and water heater;
• Rocks or ceramic tank ornaments for the fish to hide in or behind (you’ll see them more often if they know they can hide);
• Fish food;
• “Cycling” fluid, which sets up the essential bacteria in the water before the fish move in;
• Water conditioning fluid, which “takes out” the chlorine and chloramines from tap water;
• Fish net of appropriate size for your fish;
• Siphon and hose, to “vacuum” the gravel, and a clean bucket that has never had soap in it (traces of soap will destroy your fishes’ gills) for water changes.

EXERCISE
Left to their own devices, your fish will get enough exercise simply swimming around attending to their fishy activities. The slim breeds are much more active than the rounder, long-finned varieties.

Hypoallergenic Cat Breeds

Allergies to cats are more common than allergies to dogs and in some cases cat ownership is just not possible for those cursed with allergies. We discuss which breeds are more likely to upset allergy sufferers.

People with allergies to cats tend to react to the FEL D-1 protein that is found in the saliva and the sebaceous glands of cats. Cats tend to spread this protein all over their skin and hair when grooming. Theoretically long-haired cats have more of this protein on them, as there is increased surface area, compared to a cat with little to no hair.

Those cats that shed then spread the allergen throughout the home (and all over the furnishings and your nice black suit). The protein is also contained in dander, which are microscopic dead skin cell that are constantly being shed into the environment and also end up everywhere. All cats spread dander all over the home, just as humans do from their own skin, so there is no escaping dander. This is why there is no true allergen-free cat. Hypoallergenic cats simply have a few characteristics that make them less likely to cause allergies.

IS IT REALLY A CAT ALLERGY?
Allergic humans can also react to the pollen granules or other environmental allergens that get trapped in pet hair, so if you are not 100% sure the allergy is to cats it might be useful to get allergy tested via your immunologist. Allergen levels in individual cats vary, sometimes on a seasonal basis and they also vary within breeds, so a cat may be okay at certain times but trigger allergies during a change of season.

In many cases a person may have multiple allergies and the cat can just be the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ and tip them over the edge. Reducing exposure to other allergens may actually make the cat more tolerable by reducing overall allergen load. For more information about allergies and pets, visit here.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HYPOALLERGENIC CATS
Hypoallergenic cats share certain characteristics that make them less likely to cause allergies, so they may be tolerated by people more than other breeds. However there is no true allergen-free cat and within breeds there are huge variations in allergen status. Unfortunately 25% of Rex cats in shelters were relinquished due to this confusion, with owners thinking they would not cause allergies and this not being the case.

The FEL D-1 allergen that cats carry in their skin, sebaceous glands and saliva is shed in dander and carried on hair. Some breeds such as Siberians, Bengals and Balinese are thought to carry less of the protein in their skin, so are considered hypoallergenic.

Cats that have a short hair coat or even no hair at all are also considered low allergen as they will groom less and have less surface area for the allergen to accumulate on. Rex’s are considered hypoallergenic due to their short, sparse undercoats that don’t shed much at all. Oriental shorthairs have a very short coat, as do Russian Blues and Siamese, so are considered hypoallergenic for this reason.The ultimate in hairless cats is the Sphynx.

Entire males and even desexed males generally, are more likely to cause allergies, as are darker-haired cats and kittens. The theory about darker-haired cats is based on one study which showed that dark-haired cats were 4 times more likely to trigger allergies, but in subsequent studies this was not the case. Theoretically a light-coloured, female cat that would stay a kitten forever could be less likely to trigger allergies.

Some hypoallergenic cat breeds:

• Cornish and Devon Rex
• Sphynx
• Siberian cat
• Bengals
• Oriental short-haired cats
• Balinese
• Javanese

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR ALLERGY SUFFERS

• If you are considering a cat, first ‘borrow’ the cat or foster on a trial to see whether this cat triggers your allergies, bearing in mind you may have delayed allergies rather than an immediate reaction. You can do a similar thing by rubbing a towel on the cat in question, then having the allergy sufferer hold and breathe in the allergens on the towel. Some people have worsening of asthma symptoms due to living with a cat and this can take a few weeks to occur, so give the trial a month just in case if asthma is the issue. Of course you don’t want to do this test if you know the person has a severe cat allergy!
• Consider regular bathing of the cat to reduce allergens on the coat, such as with Aloveen shampoo. You can also rub the cat down with a damp towel on a daily basis. The allergen levels are much higher around the face, so pay particular attention to this area.
• Brush your cat daily to remove excess hair and dander. Ideally this should be done by the non-allergic person in the household.
• Wash cat bedding on a hot cycle in the washing machine weekly.
• Consider keeping the cat mainly outdoors in a cat run, out of the carpeted areas of the home or away from any areas with thick, heavy curtains.
• Keep your home well ventilated, use exhaust fans and HEPA filters.
• Wash your hands after touching the cat and avoid touching your eyes or face.
• Ensure fleas and any allergies the cat may have are kept under control, as over-grooming will lead to more of the allergen in the coat.
• Consider allergy testing and if possible immunotherapy to desensitise yourself if your allergies are becoming intolerable. Your doctor can refer you to an immunologist.

Choosing A Cat Breed That's Right For You

Cats come in all shapes, sizes and temperaments. We cover the questions that will help you choose the right cat for your family and lifestyle.

Planning on getting a cat? That’s great! Your new cat will likely become a much-loved member of your household, enriching the lives of everyone in your family for many years to come. You can increase the odds of that happening by making careful choices in selecting the breed of your new cat.

Cats are relatively long-lived animals. The kitten that you bring home today could easily be a member of your family for the next 15, even 20 years. So the choice of which cat to bring home is an important one. Get this decision right, and you’ll reap the rewards of a wonderful and fulfilling relationship that will bring years of joy to your household.

But it’s not an easy decision. There are lots of variables to weigh, and lots of options to sort through. And perhaps the single most important decision you’ll make is in selecting the breed of cat you will buy.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS
According to the RSPCA, Australians have more than 40 recognized breeds to choose from when selecting a cat. There’s no doubt that having so many choices to sort through makes the decision a bit more difficult.

But the other side of the coin is that having so many choices means that you have a world of options to choose from. You have a rich array of personalities, colours, and coats from which to make the very best selections for your family.

Perhaps the two key considerations you’ll be faced with when selecting a cat breed have to do with coat type and personality traits.

• 1. COAT

Would you like your cat to be sleek and slim, or fluffy and puffy? Shorthaired breeds tend to require less grooming. That means that you’ll be spending less time brushing and grooming your cat – or hiring it done by a professional groomer. Shorthaired cats will also shed less, so you’ll be spending less time sucking cat hair off your carpet with a vacuum.

But a longhaired breed can be spectacularly beautiful. And you should know that even among longhaired breeds, there are differences in tendencies to shed and in grooming needs. Some longhair breeds shed much more vigorously than others, and some will require much more attention from you to attend to their grooming needs. So if you do your homework and choose your breed carefully, you can strike a balance between the positives and negatives of owning a longhaired cat.

And of course, if someone in your household tends to suffer from allergy problems, a longhaired breed probably won’t be the best choice for your household.

• 2. PERSONALITY

Though there will always be personality differences between individual cats within a breed, each breed, on the whole, does offer distinct personality traits. If you want a cuddly lap cat, for example, a Persian or Burmese might be a better choice than an Abyssinian.

In fact, there are many breed-specific traits that you’ll want to take into consideration when selecting a breed. Some breeds are much better with children than others. Some will get along better with other household pets. Some will prefer to be the only cat in the household, while others will long for a kitty companion.

Each individual cat has its own unique personality. But by carefully sorting through breed-specific traits, you’ll greatly increase the odds that the cat you select will be a great fit for your household.

CROSSBREEDS AND MOGGIES
For additional choices in cat breeds, you can look beyond the world of purebred cats.

Crossbreed cats have pedigreed parents, but each parent is of a differing breed. Crosses tend to offer some of the personality and physical traits of both parents. But you’re less likely to know exactly what you’ll be getting in terms of temperament and personality from a crossbreed cat.

Moggies are cats that were born of non-pedigreed parents. Moggies can make great pets; purebred papers aren’t required for a cat to become a beloved member of a family. You’ll likely spend a lot less cash in acquiring a moggie. And moggies tend to be healthier than pedigreed cats because of their larger gene pool and lack of breed-specific genetic problems.

But if you bring home a moggie kitten, be aware that you just won’t be quite sure what you’ll be getting until the cat has matured. Temperament and physical appearance can’t be predicted nearly as accurately as with purebreed kittens.

IT’S ALL PART OF THE FUN
If you’re planning to add a furry feline to your household, you’ll have some decisions to make. You’ll need to do some brainstorming to determine the personality, temperament, and physical characteristics that will best suit your family. And you’ll need to do some homework to learn about the characteristics offered by all of the various breeds that are available.

It will be a bit of work.

But the payoff will come in the form of a companion that will enrich the lives of every member of your family for many years to come. And that’s worth a bit of upfront effort, wouldn’t you agree?

Top 7 Dog Health Tips For Autumn

Ahhh, Fall! This time of year means football, crisp air, colorful foliage and even, depending on where you live, a little bit of snow. It’s a great time to get outside with your pet; for a dog, there’s nothing like a romp in the leaves, while for cats, midday sunbeams have never felt better as the days get shorter and the nights get colder. When it comes to keeping your pet healthy and helping him enjoy fall to the fullest, there are some things to keep in mind. Read on for our top fall pet tips.

#1. Watch out for ticks in fall
Just because fall is here doesn’t mean that ticks aren’t still lurking. In fact, according to the University of Rhode Island, many species of ticks are active even into the winter and can survive the first frost. Here are some tips to keep your pet tick-free this fall:

Don’t let ticks cozy up. Eliminate their favorite environments, such as leaf and garden litter, where ticks can sometimes survive even into winter.

Continue using tick control and repellent products, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors with your pet enjoying activities like hiking, camping, or hunting.
Ask your veterinarian about regular screening for tick-borne infections. (The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends screening annually for tick-borne infections.)

#2. Beware rat poison and other rodenticides
Fall is the time of year when mice, rats, and other rodents start to scurry for warmth. And where do they find it? You guessed it – your home!

Be careful when it comes to mouse traps and rodenticides like rat and mouse poison. Nobody wants an infestation of mice, but many poisons that are currently on the market can be very harmful to dogs and cats. Direct ingestion can be deadly.  Make sure you talk to your veterinarian about methods of pest control that are safe for your pets.

Even if you don’t have a rodent problem or choose to deal with mice and rats humanely using live traps, you never know what methods your neighbors are using. The carcasses of rodents that have been killed by rodenticides can also be dangerous, so if you see the telltale tail dangling from your pet’s mouth, make sure he drops it and keep an eye on him, and if you think your pet has eaten any of the rodent, contact your veterinarian immediately.

#3. There is a fungus amongus!
In some regions of the country, fall is just as wet as spring. That means that more mushrooms dot backyards and forest floors. While most mushrooms are perfectly safe, there’s a small percentage that are highly toxic to our furry friends (and to us!). Check out this handy guide from the ASPCA to stay informed about toxic mushrooms, and if you think your pet has gobbled up a toxic mushroom, contact the ASCPA  Animal Poison Control Center immediately!

#4. Feed your pet right
It’s getting colder out there, and cool temperatures mean more energy is needed to stay warm. You’ll probably need to feed your pet a bit more food – food generates body heat, so pets who spend a lot of time exercising outdoors need to eat more than in the summer. However, don’t start dishing out more food just yet – make sure you talk to your veterinarian first, as every pet’s needs are different.

#5. Watch out for antifreeze toxicity
In preparing for the winter months ahead, people tend to use fall to winterize their cars. This often involves changing fluids such as antifreeze, which can be deadly for pets. Consider this: one to two teaspoons of the stuff can kill a 10-pound dog! Less can kill a 10-pound cat.1

Part of the problem is ethylene glycol, a substance in antifreeze that has a sickly-sweet smell that entices pets to lap it up. That’s why it’s important to clean up spills immediately and make sure your pets steer clear of the garage while you’re working on your vehicle. Read our in-depth article to learn more about the dangers of antifreeze and other automotive fluids.

#6. Beware chocolate and hearty foods 
The fall and winter parallel our holiday seasons, when we ramp up our intake of hearty, heavy foods and sweets. It’s important to make sure your pets don’t get into any foods that can make them sick; for dogs, this means chocolate, grapes, and raisins are off limits because they are toxic.

Just because some foods aren’t technically considered toxic to pets doesn’t mean they’re safe. Rich, high-fat foods can cause stomach problems such as diarrhea and gastroenteritis and even more serious conditions like pancreatitis. Also, think about small food items that can be choking hazards, like turkey bones around Thanksgiving.  Talk to your veterinarian to make sure you know what’s safe and what’s not.

#7. Be careful with decorations
Holidays mean decorations! But be careful about leaving irregularly shaped objects and trinkets around the house. While you might like to get into the seasonal spirit, dogs and cats do too – in the form of sampling, say, decorative gourds or other fall props. Eating strange objects can be dangerous and lead to foreign body obstruction. Learn what to watch for, including symptoms, in our in-depth article about foreign body ingestion.

Bird Grooming and Cleaning

There’s no getting around it, birds are messy. Given a chance and the proper tools, they keep themselves clean and well-groomed, but you’ll need to clean their cage.

Birds spend an average of a third of their waking time preening and grooming themselves. If they are flocking birds, as most pet birds are, they might groom each other, too. As long as they are not actively pulling out their feathers (a potentially-dangerous condition known as ‘French moult’), this self-grooming is a good thing. The down and contour feathers are essential defences against the weather and other hazards, and the flight feathers need to be in good shape for efficient flying. For most water birds, grooming also allows the animal to water-proof its coat so it can both keep warm in the water and avoid uncontrolled sinking.

Keeping the bird’s home clean is your responsibility, however. This is a constant effort, as the cage should be cleaned every day and the surrounding area will need to be tended frequently. However, it doesn’t need to be difficult. A little preventative maintenance can work wonders.

PET BIRDS NEED BIRD BATHS TOO
There are bird-baths made for use inside bird cages, and there are some made for use outside the cage. Choose one that is big enough for your bird to have a good splash, but not so big that he will have trouble getting out again. Most birds can’t swim.

For waterfowl, which can swim, be sure to provide water that is deep enough to dunk their faces and necks, because this is how they clean their eyes and faces. For non-swimming birds, it is safest to provide baths only under supervision and use warm (not hot!) water. Be sure the bird has enough to time to dry off before bed-time, or he can get dangerously chilled.

A little ‘mutual preening’ is nice, too. Scratch your bird with your fingers to imitate a mutual preen. Scratch against the lay of the feathers, though. Unlike a cat or dog, birds do not enjoy having their coats smoothed down against their bodies. Watch the bird’s body language while you scratch.

Most birds have favourite scratchy spots, such as a cheek or the back of the head or under the wing. Some, such as cockatiels, dislike being touched on certain parts of their bodies. If the bird leans into a scratch, he probably likes it. If he tries to get away or opens his beak at your finger, he wants you to stop.

AMMONIA IS NOT YOUR BIRD’S FRIEND
Your bird’s droppings contain what is termed nitrogenous waste, just like yours do. When it breaks down, it releases ammonia into the air. Ammonia is not good for your bird’s lungs, or for your lungs, either. When you do a deep-down cleaning of the bird cage, move the birds into another room, in their carrying cage, until the ammonia has been aired out. If there is a large amount of dried bird-dropping to clean up, there will be a strong ammonia smell by the time you’re finished. For your own sake, open a window or get a fan going while you work.

The safest cleaning products to use for cleaning the cage and the toys are diluted vinegar and the various enzyme-based cleaners that are sold in pet stores and supermarkets. Enzyme-based cleaners go by such names as Nature’s Miracle, Poop-Off, and Poo-B-Gone. They all work on the same basis, using enzymes to break down the organic matter.

If you have other pets or small children, you’ll find that these cleaners are also great for getting out other stains and odours from carpets.

CLEAN FOOD AND WATER DISHES ARE A MUST
The food and water dishes need to be cleaned regularly. Dry pellet dispensers can be washed a couple times a week. Water and damp-food dishes should be washed twice a day. For nectar-eaters, wash the dishes every time the bird has been fed.

You’ll also find that it is much easier if you have several dishes to change out, to avoid washing dishes several times a day. Any mild dish washing soap is suitable, and most bird dishes can be washed in a dishwasher, also.

The short version here is: If you wouldn’t eat out of it, it’s too dirty to use for your pet bird.

PREVENTATIVE CLEANING WILL HALVE YOUR WORK
Don’t bother trying to litter-train a bird. It won’t work. Some parrots have learned to poo by straining as hard as they can, because they’ve learned that they will be let out to play if they do their business in their cages, but this is not really a healthy thing for a parrot to attempt. Most other kinds of pets birds don’t even have the physical capability of controlling when they go.

Spreading newsprint or paper towels under the bird’s favourite perches will catch most of the droppings. This will, in turn, save your rugs and flooring. The cages for some types of birds (parrots and finches, mostly) have a tray under a wire floor. The tray can be pulled out. If you line the tray with paper towel or newsprint, most of the discarded food and most of the droppings will land on the paper. It will be easy to remove, and there is less scrubbing for you to do.

Obviously, the paper method won’t work in an aviary or on the bottom of a cage with a solid floor. In this situation, the birds will simply pick at the paper, and are likely to make themselves sick. Solid floors simply need to be scrubbed.

CLEANLINESS IS IMPORTANT FOR GOOD HEALTH
Cleanliness is important for the bird’s comfort and health, and also for your own comfort and health. Ten or fifteen minutes a day will keep your bird cages clean. It will take more time for large aviaries and dovecotes. The effort is worth it, though, because the result is a healthier bird and a more comfortable you.

Goldfish Care Guide

Goldfish are as popular as they are beautiful. With proper care and housing, some of these colourful fish can live for 20 years or more.

Goldfish and a similar fish known as “koi” have been kept as ornamental pets for more than a thousand years. Koi and goldfish have shows and societies devoted to them, just as there are shows and societies for dogs, cats, and fancy mice. Although goldfish are associated with fish bowls, these bowls were never intended to house the animal for extended periods. In fact, they were originally used to show off exceptional fish during dinner parties and other showings, and then the fish would be released back into the pond.

Quite possibly the most important factor for keeping your pet healthy is the choice of accommodations. Proper housing for these animals includes ornamental fish ponds and large aquarium tanks. Even though they are considered a coldwater fish, goldfish tolerate the range of normal Australian temperatures pretty well so long as there is enough water available. The higher the temperature of the water, the less dissolved oxygen it contains. Therefore, the warmer the weather is likely to be, the bigger the tank needs to be, to prevent suffocation. For most of New South Wales, a good rule of thumb for minimum tank size is 25-30 gallons for the first fish, and 10-15 gallons per additional fish. A small school of three to five fish is a good place to start.

It’s also very important to keep any fish tank out of direct sunlight. It’s amazing how fast the sunshine can heat up the water, no matter what the air temperature might be.

Now you know why so many pet goldfish die after just a week or two in a goldfish bowl.

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT: The bare essentials for goldfish are a tank and canopy of appropriate size, clean water, gravel or glass pebbles, a heavy-duty filtration system, fish food, and some live or silk plants for the fish to hide in. Other useful items are a fish net, a couple of clean buckets which have never contained anything but water (no soap, ever!), an algae scraper to clean the walls of the tank, and a siphon for cleaning the gravel.

EXERCISE: Left to their own devices, your fish will get enough exercise simply swimming around attending to their fishy activities. The slim breeds are much more active than the rounder, long-finned varieties.

FEEDING: Feeding a goldfish is a simple matter. There are many excellent commercial goldfish foods on the market. The small pellets and flakes are the best choice, even for large fish. These allow all of the fish to grab something to eat, even if one of the fish is a bit of a bully, which happens sometimes. The large pellets are for ponds containing large schools of fish.

The usual advice is to feed fish two or three times a day, only as much as they eat in two minutes. Another way to estimate is to give the amount of food that would cover each fish’s eye. A missed day or two, from time to time, will not hurt them.

One of the most common causes of premature death in goldfish, other than suffocation, is the fish equivalent of constipation. Fortunately, this is easy to prevent. A few times a week, blanch a small piece of spinach in hot water, and float it in the fish tank. The fish will nibble on it, and it keeps them “regular”, to borrow the Americanism. Sometimes, this can save the life of a goldfish that is already in difficulty, but it is much easier to prevent the problem than to solve it.*

Taking Your Dogs On Holiday With You

Can’t imagine leaving your pooch behind while you go on holiday?  With just a little planning, you can bring all members of your family along on your next getaway, including your beloved dog.

Do you feel that your dog is a genuine part of the family?  Chances are your pet feels the same way.  They are pack animals after all.  Which is why it is unsettling for animals to be left behind when you go away on holiday.

Not so long ago, you had little choice but to place your beloved animal in a kennel or arrange for a dog walker while you were away.  While these are still valid choices, they are costly and simply not suitable for some owners or their pets.

Fortunately, more and more destinations are willing to accommodate people holidaying with their pets.  So with just a little extra planning, you can enjoy taking your furry best friend on your next trip away.

TRANSPORT

Train, plane or automobile?  Whether you are taking a driving holiday or flying to your destination, you will need the right restraints to keep your dog safe.

For driving, a safety harness or a barricade across the backseat is important.  Also make sure there is good ventilation.  If your best friend is travelling in the back of a ute, take care with an ample size cage and don’t forget about shade.

For those taking to the skies, check with your airline as they will have strict rules about dog carriers and even dog breeds.  For instance, Qantas allows small to medium dogs but has some exceptions relating to dangerous breeds and puppies less than 8 weeks old.  Excess baggage fees may also apply so do your homework in advance.

You will also need an authorised crate or carrier to fly on a plane.  Luckily, there is no need to invest in purchasing an expensive carrier just for a one off holiday.  You can easily hire one from places such as Jet Pets which are specifically designed for air travel.

TOILET STOPS AND BREAKS

Head off on your Aussie road trip with a water bowl, treats, food tray and the leash for your dog.  Keep plenty of bottled water on hand in case tap water isn’t available.  You don’t want a thirsty hound on your hands.

Make sure you allow extra travel time for toilet and exercise breaks when planning your drive.  It’s nicest, and safest, to take rest stops at a park or playground so you and your pooch can have a run around.

Dogs easily suffer heat stress, so never leave your pet in the car unattended.  Also consider buying shade screens for the windows if the dog will be travelling in the back of your car.

ACCOMMODATION

The internet is your best friend when it comes to finding pet friendly accommodation.  This can range from farm stays (dogs love running in all that open space) to dog-friendly B & B’s, camping and caravan parks.

Before you book, it is important to check the in-house rules.  Do they allow animals matching your pet’s size?  Do you need to bring your pet’s bedding?  Are dogs allowed inside or outside only?  Is there a fenced area for your dog to relax? It is best to pick accommodation which allows a close match with your dog’s usual routine.

Best of all, you are no longer stuck with the outskirts of town.  If you want to enjoy a city-escape, you can now stay in an inner-city Melbourne or Sydney hotel and not compromise on lifestyle. For instance, right on Woollahra near Centennial Park, The Hughenden hotel offers pet-friendly hotel packages so why not let pooch enjoy a bit of pampering while you are away?

PET HEALTH

Although we hope it never happens, anyone can get sick on holidays, including Fido.  So before heading off, find out where the local vet or pet hospital is.  This is particularly important if you are going camping or heading somewhere remote.  Also don’t forget to pack any pet medication you may need and take enough for the whole time you are away.

DOG SITTING

Once you are on your fabulous holiday, what do you do if you want to check out that fantastic new show or gourmet restaurant up the road?  If you think you will want some time without pooch in tow, enquire about a dog sitter.  Check with your accommodation first.  Do they offer this service?  If not, are there any reliable sitters in the area?  Will they come to you or do you take the dog to them?  Just look into this before you go ahead and book your accommodation so you will not be disappointed.

PETS ARE A BIG PART OF OUR LIVES

It’s great to be able to include pets in our family fun.  Although a little extra planning is needed, taking the dog with you on holidays is a rewarding experience for you and your pet.  By choosing the right accommodation, taking the dogs favourite toy, familiar bedding and paying attention to details for your dog’s health and safety while on the move, your holiday can be fun and a stress free for everyone.

How To Keep Your Cat Healthy

Cats have a reputation for being finicky eaters, but that is usually a distortion of the truth. Cats have a very keen sense of taste and smell, and they know what they like. If you have fed your cat the same food for years, then change brands, she may boycott the new menu. If you must change her diet, do it over time, mixing just a bit of the new food with plenty of the old favorite. Slowly increase the amount of new food and decrease the old.

Cats are creatures of habit. Your feline friend will feel more calm and comfortable if you feed her at the same time each day. If more than one cat shares your home, be sure that each has a food and water bowl of its own. This lessens competition, territoriality, and ensures that everyone is getting their fair share of nutrition.

Cats have unusual nutritional needs and you should check the labelling of your chosen cat foods to ensure they are included, or consider nutritional supplements. These include:

• Vitamin A
• Niacin
• Essential Fatty Acids
• Taurine

The amount and frequency of food you put out depends on the age, health, and activity level of your cat. Kittens under 12 weeks of age usually need to eat about four times each day. Adult cats benefit from twice-a-day feedings. Read packaging labels or ask your veterinarian for guidelines on how much food your cat should eat each day. Don't panic if your cat skips a meal, but if she doesn't eat for more 48 hours, contact your vet. But, keep in mind that if your cat is allowed to roam outdoors, she may be ruining her appetite at a neighbor's house. Never feed your cat table scraps. They are unhealthy for her, and create annoying begging behaviors.

I would always pick a meat-based cat food over a vegetable-based one. Despite the fact that you will pay more for the meat food, if you are concerned about the health of your cat, this will be a cost worth paying. And because meat-based products are generally of better quality, your cat will be satisfied with less of the quality cat food that she would be with a lesser quality product.

Moist, or canned food is usually a favorite - the moisture amplifies the scent-but make sure your cat also eats dry food regularly. Leave a bowl of dry kibble out for your cat to snack on throughout the day; the crunchy food helps clean her teeth. If you do feed "wet" food, make it available for about 30 minutes, and throw away the uneaten portion. This teaches your cat to "get it while the getting is good." Never leave canned food in a dish all day long; it attracts ants, cockroaches, and creates a bad habit in your cat.

In addition to a bowl of dry kibble, make sure your cat has plenty of fresh water in a clean bowl. If your home is large, or has multiple levels, consider putting out more than one water bowl so that she always has access to water and won't need to try quenching her thirst via an "unsafe" supply.

Most people know that cats are carnivores, or meat eaters, and are puzzled when their cats begin eating houseplants. This could be dangerous - some plants are toxic. A plant-snacking cat may be trying to get required minerals that might be lacking from the commercial food she eats. Give her access to a planter pot of "cat grass" (available at pet supply stores and garden centers), and she'll leave your other plants alone.

Bird Training & Hand Rearing

From stepping up to learning to talk, taking the time to train your pet bird can be a rewarding experience for you and your feathered friend.

Birds are more intelligent than most people give them credit for. The insult “bird-brain” doesn’t really suit the majority of pet birds. Like most intelligent animals (including us), pet birds become bored and restless if they don’t have something to occupy their minds. Also, there are certain behaviours that will make it easier for your pet bird to fit into your family. Chew toys and ladders are a good and necessary start, but you should consider training your bird.

It helps to start with a healthy hand-raised bird. Many bird-breeders raise the chicks as pets in their households. This is an ideal situation. Aside from legal and ethical issues around poaching wild birds for the pet industry, the captured animal is traumatized and usually sick. Taking in rescues and fosters is wonderful, but probably not the wisest choice for your first bird, unless the re-homed bird is known to be healthy.

Hand Rearing and Stepping Up
Hand-taming and Stepping Up are especially important for birds that will have direct human interaction, such as parrots and doves. “Stepping Up” refers to the skill of walking onto a human’s hand on request. “Hand-taming” is simply the task of reassuring the bird that being held is safe. Members of many species enjoy cuddling, once they feel safe, while some prefer to just sit on people. Hand-raised birds tend to be hand-tamed, of course. Some of the chicks will even have learned the “Step up” request by the time they are ready to go home with you.

Language, Arts and Maths
It may come as a surprise, but pet birds can learn to understand words and phrases. Some of them can even speak and compose their own phrases. The parrot and corvid families are well known for this. Within species known for speaking, such as African greys and green-cheeked conures, the degree of vocal ability varies widely from one individual to another. Male birds are supposed to be better at speaking than females but you will find that some hens are especially adept. If talking ability is important to you, bear in mind that the birds with deeper voices will be easier to understand, all else being equal.

As for Mathematics, have you ever seen the puzzle games that are made for small children, in which a coloured shape fits into a shaped hole? These puzzles are also made for parrots, and are sold in various sizes for different species. (A plastic shape that is a good size for a macaw to pick up in his beak is simply too heavy for a cockatiel to manage.) Start with a couple shapes, or two colours, and gradually work up to complicated puzzles and counting.

Recall Training
“Recall training” refers to teaching the bird to fly to you when called. It can also include walking, climbing, or running to you. Some birds pick it up quickly (I’ve had a chick learn it before she finished learning to fly) and some birds take several months to catch on. It’s a neat trick to show your friends, but it is also your first line of defense, if your bird ever gets loose outside or in a dangerous part of your house.

Clicker Training and Incentives
Clickers are small devices that are held in the hand, and which produce a brief “clicking” sound. These are excellent for signaling to a bird that you approve of whatever he just did. This fast signal is endlessly useful in training the basics and for tricks such as skate-boarding. At first, the click is accompanied by a treat each time. Later on, the treats are only used sometimes. Treat foods should be healthy and tasty, but not too big or calorie-dense, because you don’t want your bird to get fat. Small pieces of a favourite nut or seed and pieces of non-sugary breakfast cereal (such as Cheerios) are good choices.

Where to Next?
What’s the next step? Talk to your bird. “Who’s a pretty bird? Who’s a pretty bird? Sunny’s a pretty bird; yes, he is”. Sure, you’ll probably find that you and your friends sound as though you’re addressing a toddler, but that’s okay. Birds learn from your tone and repetition, too.

Also, check out some books and YouTube videos about bird tricks and training for the kind of bird you have. That will give you an idea of what is possible, and spark some ideas for amusing your feathery little friend.

What Size of Aquarium?

Before you decide on an aquarium, you should consider what you want to create, what kind of fish, whether you will be making changes later – and most importantly, where it is going to stand.

• A sensible aquarium should be over 100 litres. Above this volume most types of fish have relatively stable living conditions. The eco-system in the aquarium functions well and required maintenance is limited. Smaller tanks need more care and attention. The water quality, in particular, should be monitored.
• In the shops you will find EHEIM aquariums from 54 up to 720 litres. They are equipped to a high standard. Furniture combinations in various designs fit in well with all room furniture types.
• If you are a beginner, EHEIM starter kits offer the ideal solution. These kits comprise a glass tank with hood and lighting as well as an EHEIM internal filter and EHEIM heater; some models have even more equipment. There are special stands for these sets.

Positioning:
Your aquarium deserves an attractive place in your home. In a place where you can watch the underwater world, where you can relax and dream. However, the following points are important:

• Avoid locations in direct or a lot of sunlight. Otherwise the formation of algae will be encouraged and the water unnecessarily heated.
• Avoid positioning near a radiator.
• An electrical socket should be close by.
• You need space above (for maintenance, water changes etc.)
• Make sure it stands straight (water surface!).
• Choose a place with a flat base

DON’T FORGET: THE FLOOR HAS TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE WEIGHT (WATER, TANK, EQUIPMENT ETC. CAN BE HEAVY. RULE OF THUMB: TANK VOLUME X 1,8 = TOTAL WEIGHT IN KG.)

What kind of lighting?
The lighting in an aquarium is not just there for you as observer. Fish need only a little brightness. The important thing is the correct light for photosynthesis and growth of plants

• Plants don’t grow without light. Through photosynthesis they break down toxins in the water and produce and produce essential oxygen for the fish.
• All EHEIM starter sets and aquarium combinations are fitted with the correct light units.
• If you want to have an aquarium without a hood, your specialist retailer can supply pendant lamps.
• The length of lighting time should reflect the cycle of nature. The light should thus be switched on 8 – 10 hours daily.
• It should always be switched on and off at the same time. Ideally you should control the lighting with a timer.
• Any change of time will irritate plants and fish. Perform any necessary changes in small steps (approx. 30 minutes).
• Change the light tubes after approx. 1 year, as their intensity degrades.