Tuesday 31 July 2012
TO CARE ABOUT YOUR BIRD
- A sick bird would look tired, droopy with ruffled features and would always have the tendency to hide its head under its wings.
- Frequently you would be finding your bird to be sneezing and also with the presence of discharge along its nostrils.
- An ill bird would also have its droppings stuck to the feather of the tail.
- A bird suffering from a terrible breathing disorder would show up symptoms like making a clicking sound while breathing or the tail often moving up and down.
A healthy bird would always seem to be energetic and with intermittent eating sessions. With respect to their physical appearance you will find that the bird possesses shiny feathers, bright eyes and highly energetic in nature. In order to insure a healthy bird you are recommended to purchase it from a reputed pet shop where you will get medical insurance facilities for pets. The following are some bird care tips that would help you to keep your pet bird healthy and active.
Bird Shelter, Food, Accessories and Health Tips
General Bird Care Tips
- Like dogs and cats birds also require affection and companionship from its caregiver. So, you should devote a considerable time for your little pet or else, you would find drastic behavioral changes if abandoned by you for long hours.
- Always try to keep the cage of the bird clean. Whenever the bird tosses or turns up its bowl of seeds or makes a mess with its droppings, make sure of cleaning the place as soon as possible. You should in fact are expected to clean the cage on a regular basis.
- Birds need sun’s ultra violet rays as the rays on getting inside the skin help in absorption of calcium from the food they eat. Calcium makes the muscles of the bird well toned and also makes the bones of the bird very strong and tough.Caged birds are often denied of sunlight as most of the time they remain indoors. To ensure optimal exposure to sun rays you are recommended to keep the cage near a window through which UV rays are coming in or place the cage outside on a sunny day. You may also cover a part of the cage with a cloth so that if the bird feels to cool itself it can get under the cloth.
- The cage should be washed with disinfectants regularly. Even the left over food of the bird should be discarded in every morning. In case the perch of the bird is of wood clean it with sand paper. Cover the bottom part of the cage with a news paper so that you can remove it every day and replace it with a fresh new one.
- The diet of the bird should also contain proper amounts of vitamins and minerals. You may give food items that are rich in vitamin A like sweet potato, squash, carrot, spinach, corn and such. Nuts can turn out be a food variation for your bird.
Grooming is one of the important bird care tips. Pet birds must be bathed and cleaned at regular intervals. Grooming activities like feather preening and feather molting are quite useful in making your bird look attractive and healthy.
Facts about Rabbits:
- A male rabbit is called a buck and a female rabbit is called a doe.
- A rabbit can see behind himself, without turning his head, but has a blind spot in front of his face.
- A rabbit sweats through the pads on its feet.
- Domestic rabbits cannot breed with wild rabbits.
- Rabbits are the most active at dawn and dusk.
- Rabbits can jump to a height of more than 36 inches.
- Rabbits can purr, just like a cat.
- Rabbits cannot vomit.
- Rabbits do not like loud noises and sudden movements.
- Rabbits eat their own night droppings, known as cecotropes.
- Rabbits need to eat hay, in order to assist their digestive system and prevent fur balls in their stomach.
- The droppings of a rabbit make an excellent garden fertilizer.
- The largest litter of baby rabbits was 24 and it has been witnessed twice.
- The record for the longest living rabbit is that of 19 years, while that of heaviest rabbit is 26 lbs.
- The teeth of a rabbit never stop growing.
- There are over 150 different colors of a rabbit’s coat, but only 5 eye colors (brown, blue-grey, blue, marbled, and pink).
- There are over 50 established breeds of domestic rabbit.
- When rabbits are happy, they jump and twist.
Number of Teeth: 28, with 6 incisors (4 on top and 2 on bottom)Smallest Species: Pygmy RabbitColors: Shades of brown, gray and buffDiet: Grass, forbs and leafy weedsNatural Habitat: Throughout the worldAge: 4 to 20 yearsAge of Maturity: 3-4 monthsGestation Period: 28 to 31 daysNumber of Offspring: Up to 7
Hi all, These kittens are 2 1/
Monday 30 July 2012
Techniques and measures to take if you want the best quality out of your flowerhorn fish
Basic Environmental Control
Water Temperature
The Flowerhorn fish is able to thrive best in water of tropical temperatures, ranging from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius. The optimum temperature would be between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius. It is advised that you maintain the optimum water temperature when keeping a baby or premature fry.
pH Levels
Flowerhorn fish can survive in water with a neutral pH value of 6-8. Similarly, it is advised that the pH is maintained at 6.5-7.2 when keeping premature fish. Changing the water of the tank regularly once a week is a good way to maintain pH stabitlity. If you are unwilling to change the water so often, you can also mix some crushed coral with the gravel. This will help to prevent any drastic fluctuations in pH levels, which will be detrimental to the fish. If you have the right apparatus, it would also help to check the pH of the water regularly.
Change of Water
Overly clear or clean water is also not necessarily the best for the fish, as it is of course difficult to maintain, and more importantly clear water from the tab is treated with chlorine and other minerals which are not too good for the fish. It is therefore advised that when changing the water, it is better not to change all the water, but leave a little bit of "dirty" water in the tank. Changing all the water at once will also cause too drastic a change in the fish's environment, giving stress to the fish to adapt to a new environment all over again. It would also be difficult as changing all the water in the tank would involve getting the Flowerhorn out of water, and being the aggressive and active fish that it is, it would be difficult to simply hold it on a small net for a while. It would probably jump out, or even attack the owner.
Cleaning and Filtration Systems
It is essential to have an efficient filtration system when keeping any fish in a fish tank, or the fish's waste or the fish food will contaminate the water, causing it to be very murky and dirty. The filter should be cleaned regularly. Some people keep sucker fish in the tanktogether with the other fish because the sucker fish is known to be able to feed on the fish's waste and algae, serving as a good cleaning agent. This is not applicable however when keeping a territorial and aggressive Flowerhorn Fish, as the sucker would probably end up being killed, or even eaten as it is a relatively small fish. It is therefore inevitable that you have to spend time brushing and cleaning the tank frequently if you wish to keep a Flowerhorn. Filtration systems are in no way functional as a substitute for water changing, as too much waste will eventually clog up the filters, and not all waste particles can actually be filtered. They are also unable to filter up the waste and algae that sticks to the sides of the tank, so it is very important that the water is changed and the sides of the tank are cleaned and brushed regularly.
Oxygen Pumps and Water Flow
Oxygen pumps are also essential to the well-being of any fish kept in a tank, as this will replenish the dissolved oxygen in the water. The pumping of air into the water will also cause mild currents and keep the water flowing, preventing uneven distribution of water temperature oxygen concentration. Water must also be flowing in order for the filtration systems to work.
Salt and its Benefits
Salt is good as a stabilizer of sorts. It helps maintain water conditions and keep the fish healthy by acting as a disinfectant and killing some parasites in the water. Also, although the Flowerhorn is a freshwater fish, even freshwater ponds and rivers have a certain concentration of salt, thus adding a little bit of salt in the water also helps to make the fish feel "at home". A "little bit" would mean one or two teaspoons, too much salt will also kill the fish!
Background Pictures or Fake Plants in the Water
This will also help to make the Flowerhorn feel that the environment in the tank is more similar to its natural habitat. Contrary to belief, fake rather than real plants are better for the fish because real plants are hard to maintain without extreme care, and should the plants end up dying, they will contaminate the water. Some people think that plants will actually help to convert carbon dioxide in the water to oxygen. Although the plants may seem helpful in this sense, you need a lot of plants to produce enough oxygen to replace an air pump, and as mentioned above, air pumps are more useful in creating mild water currents. Fake plants and background pictures will also help to decorate the tank and complement the appearance of the fish.
The Flowerhorn fish is able to thrive best in water of tropical temperatures, ranging from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius. The optimum temperature would be between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius. It is advised that you maintain the optimum water temperature when keeping a baby or premature fry.
pH Levels
Flowerhorn fish can survive in water with a neutral pH value of 6-8. Similarly, it is advised that the pH is maintained at 6.5-7.2 when keeping premature fish. Changing the water of the tank regularly once a week is a good way to maintain pH stabitlity. If you are unwilling to change the water so often, you can also mix some crushed coral with the gravel. This will help to prevent any drastic fluctuations in pH levels, which will be detrimental to the fish. If you have the right apparatus, it would also help to check the pH of the water regularly.
Change of Water
Overly clear or clean water is also not necessarily the best for the fish, as it is of course difficult to maintain, and more importantly clear water from the tab is treated with chlorine and other minerals which are not too good for the fish. It is therefore advised that when changing the water, it is better not to change all the water, but leave a little bit of "dirty" water in the tank. Changing all the water at once will also cause too drastic a change in the fish's environment, giving stress to the fish to adapt to a new environment all over again. It would also be difficult as changing all the water in the tank would involve getting the Flowerhorn out of water, and being the aggressive and active fish that it is, it would be difficult to simply hold it on a small net for a while. It would probably jump out, or even attack the owner.
Cleaning and Filtration Systems
It is essential to have an efficient filtration system when keeping any fish in a fish tank, or the fish's waste or the fish food will contaminate the water, causing it to be very murky and dirty. The filter should be cleaned regularly. Some people keep sucker fish in the tanktogether with the other fish because the sucker fish is known to be able to feed on the fish's waste and algae, serving as a good cleaning agent. This is not applicable however when keeping a territorial and aggressive Flowerhorn Fish, as the sucker would probably end up being killed, or even eaten as it is a relatively small fish. It is therefore inevitable that you have to spend time brushing and cleaning the tank frequently if you wish to keep a Flowerhorn. Filtration systems are in no way functional as a substitute for water changing, as too much waste will eventually clog up the filters, and not all waste particles can actually be filtered. They are also unable to filter up the waste and algae that sticks to the sides of the tank, so it is very important that the water is changed and the sides of the tank are cleaned and brushed regularly.
Oxygen Pumps and Water Flow
Oxygen pumps are also essential to the well-being of any fish kept in a tank, as this will replenish the dissolved oxygen in the water. The pumping of air into the water will also cause mild currents and keep the water flowing, preventing uneven distribution of water temperature oxygen concentration. Water must also be flowing in order for the filtration systems to work.
Salt and its Benefits
Salt is good as a stabilizer of sorts. It helps maintain water conditions and keep the fish healthy by acting as a disinfectant and killing some parasites in the water. Also, although the Flowerhorn is a freshwater fish, even freshwater ponds and rivers have a certain concentration of salt, thus adding a little bit of salt in the water also helps to make the fish feel "at home". A "little bit" would mean one or two teaspoons, too much salt will also kill the fish!
Background Pictures or Fake Plants in the Water
This will also help to make the Flowerhorn feel that the environment in the tank is more similar to its natural habitat. Contrary to belief, fake rather than real plants are better for the fish because real plants are hard to maintain without extreme care, and should the plants end up dying, they will contaminate the water. Some people think that plants will actually help to convert carbon dioxide in the water to oxygen. Although the plants may seem helpful in this sense, you need a lot of plants to produce enough oxygen to replace an air pump, and as mentioned above, air pumps are more useful in creating mild water currents. Fake plants and background pictures will also help to decorate the tank and complement the appearance of the fish.
Feeding
How often the fish should be fed
The Flowerhorn fish has a voracious appetite. There are no so called "optimum" times when it should be fed, but it is advisable to feed the fish in small amounts spread over a period of time every day.
Live Feed
The Flowerhorn is more carnivorous in nature and prefers meat or live feed. This includes small fish and shrimps. Blood worms and mealworms are exceptionally popular feed sold in Singaporean aquarium shops. Some of these insects are even enhanced with chemicals like colour enhancers to increase their size and nutritional value. Some of them are said to be able to brighten the colours of the fish, increase the size of its nuchal hump etc. It can feed on either fish feed or live feed.
Processed Fish Food
Processed pellet feed that is high in protein is recommended to be used together with other live feed, as they also contain colour enhances and other chemicals that are meant to be perfect for tank fish. It is not advisable to replace live feed with such foods however, as overdose of the different chemicals in the food will be harmful to the fish. A balance between natural live feed and fish food should be maintained.
The Flowerhorn fish has a voracious appetite. There are no so called "optimum" times when it should be fed, but it is advisable to feed the fish in small amounts spread over a period of time every day.
Live Feed
The Flowerhorn is more carnivorous in nature and prefers meat or live feed. This includes small fish and shrimps. Blood worms and mealworms are exceptionally popular feed sold in Singaporean aquarium shops. Some of these insects are even enhanced with chemicals like colour enhancers to increase their size and nutritional value. Some of them are said to be able to brighten the colours of the fish, increase the size of its nuchal hump etc. It can feed on either fish feed or live feed.
Processed Fish Food
Processed pellet feed that is high in protein is recommended to be used together with other live feed, as they also contain colour enhances and other chemicals that are meant to be perfect for tank fish. It is not advisable to replace live feed with such foods however, as overdose of the different chemicals in the food will be harmful to the fish. A balance between natural live feed and fish food should be maintained.
Other Tips and Techniques
Keeping Multiple Fish
The Flowerhorn fish is aggressive and territorial in nature, and it is not advisable to keep another fish with it. If you wish to keep two fish in the same tank however, it is a must to partition the tank to prevent the fish from fighting or killing each other. This technique is useful should you intend to breed some baby Flowerhorn. Keeping a male and female Flowerhorn in the same tank separated only by a transparent plastic partition will allow the two fish to be more accustomed with each other, before removing the partition for more intimate contact.
Mirrors
Flowerhorns show their best colours when agitated. When the Flowerhorn sees its reflection in a mirror, it will also be agitated and look its best. Putting mirrors and colourful images in the tank is actually a technique used by competition breeders so that they get the best quality from their fish and increase their chances of winning a competition.
The Flowerhorn fish is aggressive and territorial in nature, and it is not advisable to keep another fish with it. If you wish to keep two fish in the same tank however, it is a must to partition the tank to prevent the fish from fighting or killing each other. This technique is useful should you intend to breed some baby Flowerhorn. Keeping a male and female Flowerhorn in the same tank separated only by a transparent plastic partition will allow the two fish to be more accustomed with each other, before removing the partition for more intimate contact.
Mirrors
Flowerhorns show their best colours when agitated. When the Flowerhorn sees its reflection in a mirror, it will also be agitated and look its best. Putting mirrors and colourful images in the tank is actually a technique used by competition breeders so that they get the best quality from their fish and increase their chances of winning a competition.
In this article we will see some ideas which will help to know more about lovebirds...
Breeding Management
Before we thing about breeding of lovebirds the first things you have to do is to make sure we have a male and a female Lovebird. A pair of same sex will bond and act the same as a true pair that consists of a male and a female.
Sexing
Sex determination in Lovebird is difficult. At maturity ( Around one year), it may show behaviors of whether it is male or female, it includes ripping up paper and stuffing it into her feathers (female behavior) or regurgitating for its owners (male behavior: the male feeds the nesting female). This behavior is not a reliable indicator. A hen is usually a little broader and often perches with her legs a little further apart than a cock does. Her pelvic bones can be a little further apart and you may be able to feel the difference by gently feeling with your little finger. The only sure method is DNA testing but it is costly.
Sexing
Sex determination in Lovebird is difficult. At maturity ( Around one year), it may show behaviors of whether it is male or female, it includes ripping up paper and stuffing it into her feathers (female behavior) or regurgitating for its owners (male behavior: the male feeds the nesting female). This behavior is not a reliable indicator. A hen is usually a little broader and often perches with her legs a little further apart than a cock does. Her pelvic bones can be a little further apart and you may be able to feel the difference by gently feeling with your little finger. The only sure method is DNA testing but it is costly.
Nesting and Nest Box
Nesting behavior is mainly in female birds and the female will carry nesting material into the nest in various ways. Once the lovebirds start constructing their nest, mating will follow. During this time, the lovebirds will mate repeatedly. Eggs follow 3–5 days later. The female will spend hours inside her nesting box before eggs are laid. Once the first egg is laid, a new egg will follow every other day until the clutch is complete, typically at four to six eggs. Without a nest, lovebirds will not produce eggs.
The warmer months of the year is best to breeding in lovebirds. If we do not want to breed, the best way to avoid the breeding is supply of boxes containing a layer of peat only and not additional nesting materials.
Many Varieties of nest boxes are suitable for lovebirds, ranging from hollowed outgo logs to square timber fashioned out of unplanned timber. A good average size nest box for lovebirds is a box with a dimension of 25 cm height, 20 cm width and 15 cm depth. The box should be constructed out of timber at least 2 cm thick to stand up to the whittling activities of the birds and to retain thermal temperature.
The entrance opening is about 5 cm in diameter, is made near the top of the box and a small perch about 7 cm long should be placed just below this. Lovebirds require a high humidity in the nest during incubation. Preferred nesting materials include the bark of trees and pieces of straw. Non poisonous tree branches should be placed near the nest box such .as branches from fruit trees. The birds will soon busy themselves stripping the plant material and tucking it under their wings and taking it to the nest. Additional material should be made available throughout nesting period as the hen will replenish the nest at regular intervals and the added material will help maintain humidity and temperature. Do make sure not to give any poisonous or chemically treated (insecticides / fertilizer) plant material to your birds for nesting.
Feeding During Breeding Season
In this time adult birds have to be fed a good diet consisting of a seed/ pellet base along with fruits and vegetables. Sprouted seeds contain much more nutrition than dry seeds and you may wish to add some of those to their diet. Hard boiled eggs that are mashed up with the eggs shells provide good nutrition.
Egg Laying and Incubation
The female will not start to incubate in earnest until the second or third egg is laid. The hen does all of the incubating but the cock will feed the hen during the day and roost with her at night. The incubation period is about 23 ± 2 days in which time you should not disturb unless it is an emergency. As soon as you think the eggs are hatched, you can have a look at the chicks by opening the hinged door or whatever door you have, limit these inspections to the minimum and preferably, do it when the hen is absent
Both male and female will feed the chicks which will grow rapidly. Extra food should be made available with a good supply of soaked seed and green food. Some chicks will be ready to leave the nest in six weeks although the majority takes about seven or eight weeks to fledge.
Caring of Chicks
If we plan on hand feeding these chicks, the time to take them from the parents is approximately 2 weeks of age. This is the time that they will accept food willingly yet they have had time with their parents to give them a good start.
Never handfed a bird, you should not start without watching and learning from an experienced breeder. It is much too easy for an inexperienced hand feeder to make a mistake that could cause the death of a tiny baby.
Most breeders will allow the hen to feed the babies from hatching to the age of 2 or 3 weeks. From there, they will pull the babies out of the nest and place them in a brooder for hand feeding. Most Lovebirds need to be handfed until they are between 6 and 8 weeks old, when you can begin to wean them onto millet, soft pellets, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
The warmer months of the year is best to breeding in lovebirds. If we do not want to breed, the best way to avoid the breeding is supply of boxes containing a layer of peat only and not additional nesting materials.
Many Varieties of nest boxes are suitable for lovebirds, ranging from hollowed outgo logs to square timber fashioned out of unplanned timber. A good average size nest box for lovebirds is a box with a dimension of 25 cm height, 20 cm width and 15 cm depth. The box should be constructed out of timber at least 2 cm thick to stand up to the whittling activities of the birds and to retain thermal temperature.
The entrance opening is about 5 cm in diameter, is made near the top of the box and a small perch about 7 cm long should be placed just below this. Lovebirds require a high humidity in the nest during incubation. Preferred nesting materials include the bark of trees and pieces of straw. Non poisonous tree branches should be placed near the nest box such .as branches from fruit trees. The birds will soon busy themselves stripping the plant material and tucking it under their wings and taking it to the nest. Additional material should be made available throughout nesting period as the hen will replenish the nest at regular intervals and the added material will help maintain humidity and temperature. Do make sure not to give any poisonous or chemically treated (insecticides / fertilizer) plant material to your birds for nesting.
Feeding During Breeding Season
In this time adult birds have to be fed a good diet consisting of a seed/ pellet base along with fruits and vegetables. Sprouted seeds contain much more nutrition than dry seeds and you may wish to add some of those to their diet. Hard boiled eggs that are mashed up with the eggs shells provide good nutrition.
Egg Laying and Incubation
The female will not start to incubate in earnest until the second or third egg is laid. The hen does all of the incubating but the cock will feed the hen during the day and roost with her at night. The incubation period is about 23 ± 2 days in which time you should not disturb unless it is an emergency. As soon as you think the eggs are hatched, you can have a look at the chicks by opening the hinged door or whatever door you have, limit these inspections to the minimum and preferably, do it when the hen is absent
Both male and female will feed the chicks which will grow rapidly. Extra food should be made available with a good supply of soaked seed and green food. Some chicks will be ready to leave the nest in six weeks although the majority takes about seven or eight weeks to fledge.
Caring of Chicks
If we plan on hand feeding these chicks, the time to take them from the parents is approximately 2 weeks of age. This is the time that they will accept food willingly yet they have had time with their parents to give them a good start.
Never handfed a bird, you should not start without watching and learning from an experienced breeder. It is much too easy for an inexperienced hand feeder to make a mistake that could cause the death of a tiny baby.
Most breeders will allow the hen to feed the babies from hatching to the age of 2 or 3 weeks. From there, they will pull the babies out of the nest and place them in a brooder for hand feeding. Most Lovebirds need to be handfed until they are between 6 and 8 weeks old, when you can begin to wean them onto millet, soft pellets, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Adopt an Indian dog from the "Blue Cross" shelter and get everything you're looking for, all in one dog. The intelligence of a Poodle and the loyalty of a Collie. The bark of a Shepherd and the heart of a Saint Bernard, the spots of a Dalmatian, size of a Schnauzer and the speed of a Greyhound. A genuine All Indian has it all. And the shelter has lots of All Indian dogs waiting for you. There are genuine, All Indian cats too.
Get the best of everything. Adopt an Indian dog
Got Rs 10?
Do you want to make a difference to the world everyday? It doesn’t take muchandcan beincredibly rewarding.Did you know, for instance,that Rs 10 is what it costs us per day to feed a puppy at Blue Cross? A contribution of Rs 10 per day (works out to roughly Rs 300 a month) is easy on your wallet and assures you that you have fed a baby animal for an entire month!Residents at our Velacheryshelter have been rescued from dire situations. Some are abandoned as puppies, many have beenrun over by callous hit-and-rundrivers and hundreds more are brought in by our ambulance in response to distress calls fromcompassionate people who notice sick or injured homeless animals. All they want is a safe place and food to eat while they recuperate and look for a second chance at happiness: adoption by a loving family.
By making small, regular contributions, you can make a tangible, positive impact on their lives. Choose from our many options below (or make a general donation that go towards a multitude of other expenses that include medical care and shelter costs) and be guaranteed that your money goes directly to the animals: we don’t spend on marketing and we don’t have administrative expenses either. Except for hands-on staff, Blue Cross is run with the help of unpaid volunteers who spread the message of animal welfare on an honorary basis.
GENERAL
Feeding a kitten or puppy per month – Rs 300
Caring for a handicapped dog for a month – Rs 300
Caring for a bird per month- Rs 150
Fuel costs (approx)for one rescue- Rs 100
Vaccination against distemper- Rs 200 per vaccination
ANIMAL BIRTH CONTROL (one time expenditure per animal)
ABC for male dog: Rs.500
ABC for female dog:Rs.600
ABC for male cat: Rs.400
ABC for female cat: Rs.450
ABC for male dog: Rs.500
ABC for female dog:Rs.600
ABC for male cat: Rs.400
ABC for female cat: Rs.450
Since all the services provided by BCI- rescues, medical care, food and shelter- are provided free of cost to homeless animals, our only source of income is donations from the public. Will you be a hero for one of our animals today? Join us in making the world a kinder place to live in, one animal at a time. Email info [@] bluecrossofindia [.] org for details.
Blue Cross of India
This Labrador puppy was abandoned after being found to have hip dysplasia. He is 2.5 months old and is looking for a home with a family that lives on the ground floor as he can walk and run but not climb stairs. To adopt him, call 9841222223. This adoption is NOT open to breeders and this will be a free of cost adoption for a family that will keep him as a pet.
Sunday 29 July 2012
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