Before you make that trip to the pet store, ask yourself "Why do I want a snake?" Is it because you're trying to impress your friends? Is it because you saw a killer anaconda in a popular film, and you'd like something along those lines to show people when they come over? Do you want to shock or scare your parents and other relatives during holiday gatherings? Thanks to a nearly age-old role in mythology, folklore, religion, and, more recently, horror films and music videos, snakes are in high demand as pets. Unfortunately, many people want a snake for all the wrong reasons and fail to properly educate themselves about pet snake care before giving in to the impulse to accept a snake from a friend or buy one at the store. A snake is not a fashion accessory, party trick, or practical joke. Snakes are highly sensitive and, for the most part, wild creatures who should only be kept as pets for the sheer pleasure keeping and observing a snake can bring. If you fit the profile of a true snake fancier, then you've no doubt studied up a bit already. If you're still deciding whether or not a snake is the pet for you, learn more with the following information.
Snakes, like all pets, have their own unique set of requirements when it comes to temperature, housing, and dietary needs. The size of your snake's enclosure depends, of course, on the size of the snake you plan on owning. A good way to judge the amount of space your snake will need is to allow ½ square foot of floor space for every foot of snake, provided the snake is under 6 feet long. For snakes over 6 feet in length, ¾ a square foot of floor space is adequate. Snakes need to feel secure in their new home, as they will spend a lot of time basking or hiding. A good solution is to get an adequately sized aquarium and secure the top with a pegboard to allow for proper ventilation. Mesh should not be used as a curious snake can rub his nose rose on such material. The furnishings in a snake cage can be relatively simple. Line the cage bottom with aspen shavings, reptile carpet (or Astro turf), or pea gravel. Add a hiding place such as a pre-made "cave," or a cave you make yourself out of various sized rocks to your pet snake care list along with a small potted plant, whether fake or real, and a shallow dish of water for soaking.
As snakes are cold blooded, their body temperatures depend directly upon the temperature in their environment. Snakes have no self-cooling or heating systems. They simply move into and out of the heat. It's imperative, then, that you maintain a daytime temperature of between 80 and 85 degrees and a nighttime temperature between 65 and 75 degrees in your snake's tank. An adhesive thermometer and a heat lamp or cage heater that goes beneath the cage will help you accomplish these things. A snake that is even a few degrees below its optimal body temperature will often stop eating.
Speaking of eating, you should probably reconsider owning a snake unless you're 100% sure that you can handle feeding live or dead mammals to your pet. Smaller snakes will eat baby mice (called "pinkies") and medium to large snakes will eat either pinkies or adult mice. Larger snakes may require larger meals in the form of baby chicks or baby rabbits. Figuring out what your snake wants out of his meal may take some doing. Some snakes are terrified of live food and will only eat a mouse after its neck has been humanely broken (this kills the mouse instantly). Some snakes enjoy hunting and will not eat food that has already been killed, and some snakes don't care either way. While most snakes can live for weeks without food, it's best to feed an adult snake once a week or every ten days. Baby snakes should be fed more often to support their growing bodies. Check with a specific care guide for your snake to figure out how much food to offer your pet per feeding.
Once you've ascertained that your motivations for snake ownership are driven only by your love for these creatures, use your newfound patience to spend time searching for a variety of snake that fits your budget and your personality. Only buy a snake from a reputable source, and make sure you've either got an excellent book on pet snake care handy or an expert snake keeping acquaintance who can address any questions you may have and help you on the road to blissful snake ownership.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Pet Sitting Business
If you have experience with animals why not start a business. Maybe you are good with dogs that could make a very good home business. You can also off course watch other animals for example pets in cages doesn't need much experience to take care of if it's not for a long time. Pet sitters offers a very important role to help pet owners keep there pets healthy and happy, this can be a very valuable service and can generate money.
How to get started
First you need to decide if this is something you would enjoy doing as a job, it means being a pet sitter every day. You should at least have some experience with animals even if you dont have to be for the job it's good to tell pet owners that you are experienced with animals. Before you start a legal business you can try this by advertising in the local newspaper, to see if it is anybody that needs a pet sitter if there is you will find out if you would like to work with this.
Start your business by becoming legal. Obtaining a business license doesn't cost much and will give you a professional edge when getting new clients. You'll also be able to take advantage of many tax write-offs, including your costs for mileage to and from your customer's homes and any necessary business supplies.
Getting clients for your pet sitting business may be the most difficult part of running the business. However, with a little effort you can build a client list rather quickly. The best way to get clients and assignments is by word of mouth. Offer to pet sit for neighbors and friends to help build your reputation. Once you've done a good job for them, they'll tell their friends and so on.
You can also continue with ads in newspapers and online Internet just might be better than newspapers since so many people are online. Google's Adwords is very good place to put out some ads you can target your area with Adwords so it is worth the money.
Once you get your pet sitting business started make sure you treat your customers with great respect, if they like your service they will return and hire you again.
How to get started
First you need to decide if this is something you would enjoy doing as a job, it means being a pet sitter every day. You should at least have some experience with animals even if you dont have to be for the job it's good to tell pet owners that you are experienced with animals. Before you start a legal business you can try this by advertising in the local newspaper, to see if it is anybody that needs a pet sitter if there is you will find out if you would like to work with this.
Start your business by becoming legal. Obtaining a business license doesn't cost much and will give you a professional edge when getting new clients. You'll also be able to take advantage of many tax write-offs, including your costs for mileage to and from your customer's homes and any necessary business supplies.
Getting clients for your pet sitting business may be the most difficult part of running the business. However, with a little effort you can build a client list rather quickly. The best way to get clients and assignments is by word of mouth. Offer to pet sit for neighbors and friends to help build your reputation. Once you've done a good job for them, they'll tell their friends and so on.
You can also continue with ads in newspapers and online Internet just might be better than newspapers since so many people are online. Google's Adwords is very good place to put out some ads you can target your area with Adwords so it is worth the money.
Once you get your pet sitting business started make sure you treat your customers with great respect, if they like your service they will return and hire you again.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Making The Pet Environment Better
Puppies are like children. They can get into unimaginable difficulties when their environment is not structured.
Here is a basic checklist of environmental hazards:
Puppies can open loose cupboard doors. Buy cupboard door protectors or get out the good old duct tape and make sure that the cupboards that are low either can not be broken into or do not contain hazardous elements!
Puppies can chew light cords. Arrange your home so that light cords, TV cables, computer cords, and so on, are hidden behind heavy immovable furniture or are enclosed behind barriers.
Large Breed puppies can put their front feet onto ALL the counters. Push back items that they can get into, take them off the counters, or be prepared to have your most valuable items (such as your TV remote control) dragged off and chewed!
Clothing articles can be DEADLY. I personally have known several puppies around the age of five to six months that have died from ingesting socks or chewing on scatter rugs.... fabric often balls up and creates an intestinal blockage. By the time the vet discovers it, it is too late. Don't allow your puppy to drag around socks or old towels, take them away and substitute with a dog toy.
Common houseplants can be poisonous. Make sure you know which ones are, and keep them out of the environment where your puppy will be. You can find the poisonous ones through a quick check on the internet.
Household poisons used for insect or rodent control should be absolutely out of the question in the puppies' environment. Simply do not apply poisons in areas that your puppy has access to, under any circumstance!
Toys should be dog toys. Left over trucks from the kids' toy box are NOT GOOD. Items which have small parts which can be chewed off or swallowed are NOT GOOD. Likewise, most bones are NOT GOOD. Vets will tell you of the numbers of surgeries they have performed to remove bone shards from the intestines of dogs. If you must provide bones, the bigger "knucklebone" is a good choice because it will not shred off into sharp shards.
Sticks are the favorite as far as retrieving, but sticks in the mouth of running puppies are dangerous. They can jam that stick into their throat if they run into an immovable object, OR they can take out the eye of another dog or even a child. Use good dog toys for retrieving...and be sure the toys are not too small for the dog's mouth and can not be swallowed!
Nothing "settles down" a hyperactive puppy like a good exercise session. Do not over do, and be careful that you do not demand too much of your puppy before its young bones are ready....but go on walks, by all means. And make these walks a time to teach your puppy the basics of polite manners...sitting when you come to street corners, not barking at strangers that you meet. So that means these walks must be ON LEASH. (It's better exercise for you, that way, too!) After the "controlled" walk, a good run in a dog park, off leash, or a good swim in a nearby pond are excellent ways to burn off excess energy. The rule of thumb for walking distance for a pup is "no longer than 20 minutes" before six months of age.
Nothing is as important in the care of a puppy as regular vet checks. Be sure that your puppy is immunized at the right times, fed well, exercised well, and spends the majority of its time in a "puppy-safe" environment....and have fun bringing up your puppy!
Here is a basic checklist of environmental hazards:
Puppies can open loose cupboard doors. Buy cupboard door protectors or get out the good old duct tape and make sure that the cupboards that are low either can not be broken into or do not contain hazardous elements!
Puppies can chew light cords. Arrange your home so that light cords, TV cables, computer cords, and so on, are hidden behind heavy immovable furniture or are enclosed behind barriers.
Large Breed puppies can put their front feet onto ALL the counters. Push back items that they can get into, take them off the counters, or be prepared to have your most valuable items (such as your TV remote control) dragged off and chewed!
Clothing articles can be DEADLY. I personally have known several puppies around the age of five to six months that have died from ingesting socks or chewing on scatter rugs.... fabric often balls up and creates an intestinal blockage. By the time the vet discovers it, it is too late. Don't allow your puppy to drag around socks or old towels, take them away and substitute with a dog toy.
Common houseplants can be poisonous. Make sure you know which ones are, and keep them out of the environment where your puppy will be. You can find the poisonous ones through a quick check on the internet.
Household poisons used for insect or rodent control should be absolutely out of the question in the puppies' environment. Simply do not apply poisons in areas that your puppy has access to, under any circumstance!
Toys should be dog toys. Left over trucks from the kids' toy box are NOT GOOD. Items which have small parts which can be chewed off or swallowed are NOT GOOD. Likewise, most bones are NOT GOOD. Vets will tell you of the numbers of surgeries they have performed to remove bone shards from the intestines of dogs. If you must provide bones, the bigger "knucklebone" is a good choice because it will not shred off into sharp shards.
Sticks are the favorite as far as retrieving, but sticks in the mouth of running puppies are dangerous. They can jam that stick into their throat if they run into an immovable object, OR they can take out the eye of another dog or even a child. Use good dog toys for retrieving...and be sure the toys are not too small for the dog's mouth and can not be swallowed!
Nothing "settles down" a hyperactive puppy like a good exercise session. Do not over do, and be careful that you do not demand too much of your puppy before its young bones are ready....but go on walks, by all means. And make these walks a time to teach your puppy the basics of polite manners...sitting when you come to street corners, not barking at strangers that you meet. So that means these walks must be ON LEASH. (It's better exercise for you, that way, too!) After the "controlled" walk, a good run in a dog park, off leash, or a good swim in a nearby pond are excellent ways to burn off excess energy. The rule of thumb for walking distance for a pup is "no longer than 20 minutes" before six months of age.
Nothing is as important in the care of a puppy as regular vet checks. Be sure that your puppy is immunized at the right times, fed well, exercised well, and spends the majority of its time in a "puppy-safe" environment....and have fun bringing up your puppy!
Pet Health Care Plan
As an increasing number of pet owners adopt the necessary mentality that a pet is a real member of the family and should be treated as such, a number of services that were once offered only to humans have begun to crop up. One such service is the pet health care plan, which is an animal version of human health insurance. A relatively new service such as this comes with its own share of questions. What kind of pet health care plans are available? How should I choose one? Are they truly useful?
Just as with human health insurance, there's a wide variety of plans available to help you take care of your pet whether you're facing an emergency situation or a basic blood test or x-ray. As veterinary care becomes more advanced-and, as a result, more expensive-pet health care plans become increasingly useful. An illness that ten years ago would have led to your pet's tragic death can now be easily cured-if you have the money. With veterinary treatments for diseases such as cancer skyrocketing into the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, health insurance for your pet might suddenly seem like a wise course of action.
Some examples of pet health care plans include accident-only coverage, basic coverage, and life insurance. An accident-only plan would cover your pet in the instance of sudden tragedy such as poison ingestion, being hit by a car, or getting injured while on a hike. Basic coverage offers the same benefits as accident coverage, but also includes coverage in the event of illness. Basic coverage may or may not include prescription coverage. If it does not, you can usually purchase a prescription rider to add to your basic coverage plan. From here, there are several tiers of health care plans that take care of everything from an accident to a basic wellness check-up. Finally, life insurance is available for those who wish to be covered for medical expenses in the event that veterinary medicine is unable to save their beloved pet.
Choosing a pet health care plan can be difficult, given the sheer number of plans available in this booming business. Your first task should be to speak to your regular vet both for recommendations and to find out which plans they currently accept. There are also numerous websites out there that give you the opportunity to compare several plans side-by-side to see which is the most cost-effective option for your needs. Many companies only offer coverage for cats and dogs, but there are other companies devoted to animals like horses or exotics.
While figuring out all the bells and whistles of pet insurance might be difficult at first, just remember there are plenty of resources at your disposal for good advice. With patience, you're sure to find a plan that will suit both you and your pet; a plan that could cost you as little as a quarter a day-a small price to pay for the peace of mind the assurance of your pet's continued health and well-being will bring you!
Just as with human health insurance, there's a wide variety of plans available to help you take care of your pet whether you're facing an emergency situation or a basic blood test or x-ray. As veterinary care becomes more advanced-and, as a result, more expensive-pet health care plans become increasingly useful. An illness that ten years ago would have led to your pet's tragic death can now be easily cured-if you have the money. With veterinary treatments for diseases such as cancer skyrocketing into the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, health insurance for your pet might suddenly seem like a wise course of action.
Some examples of pet health care plans include accident-only coverage, basic coverage, and life insurance. An accident-only plan would cover your pet in the instance of sudden tragedy such as poison ingestion, being hit by a car, or getting injured while on a hike. Basic coverage offers the same benefits as accident coverage, but also includes coverage in the event of illness. Basic coverage may or may not include prescription coverage. If it does not, you can usually purchase a prescription rider to add to your basic coverage plan. From here, there are several tiers of health care plans that take care of everything from an accident to a basic wellness check-up. Finally, life insurance is available for those who wish to be covered for medical expenses in the event that veterinary medicine is unable to save their beloved pet.
Choosing a pet health care plan can be difficult, given the sheer number of plans available in this booming business. Your first task should be to speak to your regular vet both for recommendations and to find out which plans they currently accept. There are also numerous websites out there that give you the opportunity to compare several plans side-by-side to see which is the most cost-effective option for your needs. Many companies only offer coverage for cats and dogs, but there are other companies devoted to animals like horses or exotics.
While figuring out all the bells and whistles of pet insurance might be difficult at first, just remember there are plenty of resources at your disposal for good advice. With patience, you're sure to find a plan that will suit both you and your pet; a plan that could cost you as little as a quarter a day-a small price to pay for the peace of mind the assurance of your pet's continued health and well-being will bring you!
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