So the issue of a dog’s breed is a big one. A lot of people treat dogs as accessories or social symbols, so them, the dog’s breed matters a lot. The more exotic, the better. But even those of us who own dogs simply because they’re amazing companions and we love them, rarely venture beyond the familiar. Yes, familiar, because while most of us are familiar with the various imported, or foreign-origin dog breeds, there are not too many of us who can even name a couple of local breeds, let alone be familiar with them. Ironically, it is is the local species, obviously, who are best suited for raising in our climate. Imported dogs, especially those from colder areas, are often not able to adjust to the Indian weather, and thus need to be kept indoors in air conditioning all the time. However, this goes against their very natures, for these are outdoor dogs, and need lots of exercise, which naturally leads to a depressed and ill-tempered dog. And so is the case for a lot of imported varieties.
Indian breeds however, are, for the most part, very hardy and well-suited for the local weather, be it the sweltering heat (up to an extent, of course) or cold winters, depending on the part of the country they come from. Unfortunately due to lack of awareness and the popularity of exotic species, a lot of these breeds are seriously in decline. S, in the spirit of raising awareness about local breeds, we’ve created a list of our favourites:

Mudhol Hound
This one is my favourite, particularly because of it’s regal, graceful appearance. It’s appearance is more elongated, for lack of a better word, than most imported species, although it does bear  a stark resemblance to the Afghan Hound, albeit with a much shorter coat, and is probably descended from them too. The Mudhol, or the Caravan Hound, as it is also known, is native to the Deccan Plateau, where it can commonly be seen domesticated by people in rural areas. The Mudhol is prized for it’s abilities as an excellent guard dog and hunting companion. It is athletic and very active. As a result, it may not be best suited for apartment dwellers. People who have plenty of space and who can give time everyday to the dog to indulge in physical; activity will find this the perfect pet. These dogs are very rarely aggressive. Although not very friendly, they will not attack people, and once they get attached, they are very loyal towards their owners.

Kanni
The Kanni is a now rare breed of dogs mostly found in villages in Tamil Nadu. Again a tad on the skinny side, like most Indian breeds, the Kanni has a beautiful black coat with silver or light brown markings. This is not a breed that you can just buy from a local breeder, no matter how resourceful. The Kanni are owned be very few families down South and are generally not for sale, due to their rarity and also as they are highly prized as guards and hunting dogs. Families will not  sell their dogs, and only rarely will they give them away as presents, as long as they are promised loving homes and excellent care. They will also almost never be seen roaming in the streets. Kanni are shy, but they love human company! Friendly and easy to train, these are the perfect companions for people with relatively active lifestyles. They do need a lot of exercise though, having been bred to be hunting dogs. They are very graceful runners.
The fact that only a few of them remain now is a cause for great concern. These dogs have lost out to other more popular species, since they are local, and therefore not considered exotic enough, and are also ill suited to the sedentary  modern lifestyle. As a result, they were not bred often enough to maintain their population. Fortunately, there are a lot of dog enthusiasts out there who have taken it upon themselves to popularize this specie and promote breeding programmes.

Indian Mastiff
Due to the lack of serious studies conducted regarding these dogs, and also their dwindling numbers, there is a lot of  confusion and disagreement, even amongst seasoned breeders, regarding this species. A lot of people claim that it is the same specie as the Pakistani Bulli Mastiff, or the Indian Sindhi Mastiff,while others disagree on all these points.
Found in Rajasthan and Panjab, these dogs are unfortunately also faced with severely dwindling numbers. Even worse, wherever they do happen to be bred, they are bred for the heinous purpose of dog-fighting, for which, they are bred to be aggressive. Otherwise, these are mostly employed as guard dogs, being extremely alert and intelligent. There are several historic records that detail tiger hunts that were accompanied by these dogs.

Gaddi Kutta

This breed is ideal for those living in the colder, mountainous parts of the country. Adorably fluffy, the Gaddi dogs, or the Indian Panther Hound, as they are also known, are found in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. They are used by Gaddi shepherds as sheep dogs, which is where they get there names from. Stockier, and longer-haired than most other indigenous species, these dogs are well adapted to the cooler climes. They are also known to be able to fend off attacks from snow leopards, which makes them invaluable as guard dogs. Although aggressive towards strangers, they are very gentle and intuitive, and thus make ideal family pets.

Bhakarwal dog

Another specie from the mountains, this fairly ancient breed lives mostly in Kashmir, where it is bred by Gujjar shepherds as a sheepdog. They resemble the Tibetan Mastiff to some extent. This breed is unique in that it is vegetarian, and subsists on a diet of milk and bread. They have a heavy coat and are extremely robust,a requirement if the harsh terrain that they inhabit. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get one as a pet anytime soon, as there are only a few hundred of them left. The Gujjar and Bakharwal tribe have requested that they be  classified as critically endangered and receive the appropriate conservation measure, but the request has not been honoured as yet. This old breed is in danger extinction, particularly because they reproduction rates are so low, with females producing only 1-3 puppies a year.

The post The Indian Exotics appeared first on Pet Attack.

So a lot has been written about cats and dogs and rodents. Even a little about the ferrets and the lizards. While a couple of these may be a bit unusual, none of them lie on the extreme mend of the spectrum, the absolutely bizarre. The ones that make you go, whaaatt? You wonder why anybody would ever want these animals as pets, and what kind of strange people their owners must be to actually keep these animals as pets. The reasons for the oddities vary. Exorbitant upkeep costs, ghastly appearances, or the unnaturalness of the act of attempting to tame something that clearly belongs in the forest, and not a back yard, whatever the reason may be, the mere thought of keeping some of these animals as pets is inconceivable to most people. But maybe that’s what people thought when someone first tried to tame a dog for the first time. So will these animals one day be seen as common household pets, the alligators resting next to the rabbits? Probably nowhere in the near future.

So yes, alligators. The subject of many a thriller-horror film, alligators mostly get a bad reputation for being ferocious man-eaters. now we’re not suggesting you go and and attempt to play catch with one, but the reputation is greatly exaggerated. They do attack humans, however, with near  a frequency as these movies will have you believe. Saltwater crocodiles, however, are a completely different different story, and deserve every bit of the bad press they get. However, we digress. Alligators are a lot more common as house pet in the US than you would imagine, however, and these used to be quite a fad at one time. As they are protected under CITES, you won’t be able to buy one in India though, not that we recommend it anyway. A lot of people who bought these reptiles because they thought it made them seem cool, very quickly realized that alligators grow at an alarming rate, and can be up to 13-15 feet in length. As a result, they ended up abandoning them. A few were rumoured to have been flushed down the toilet, leading to the urban legends about colonies of mutant alligators in the sewers, which are definitely untrue, although there was one alligator that was discovered in a New York sewer in 2010.
Apart from the whole very pointy teeth and an unpredictable temperament thing, alligators also need a large area to live in comfortably, fresh water, and plenty of sun bathing, being cold-blooded.

So if the thought of getting an alligator gave you the shivers, wait till we tell you about the Madagascar hissing cockroach. We’re not joking, these loud, huge, flying cockroaches are actually kept as pets. There was even a designer who came up with the concept of bejeweling them and attaching them to chains, to be worn as brooches. The pinnacle of the bizarre oddity that is modern fashion. These have been described as being ‘beautiful’ be some owners, but i feel that is a matter of personal taste. They need to be kept in terrariums that are properly sealed, because the young ones have a special knack for slipping through the most narrow cracks. They eat greens, rotting leaves, and fruit, and this specie is actually described as being very docile by owners party

Skunk. Yes, that’s right, skunks. Anybody who’s watched Looney Tunes will be familiar with the character of Pepe LePew, and the self defense system he employs whenever under attack or extreme duress. A skunk’s defense primarily consists of spraying the offending party with the most foul-smelling fluid, a smell so foul that it can make you gag, and one that stays on you for a very long time after the incidence.The gland responsible for this secretion is removed in skunks intended as pets, although this practice has been banned in the UK.

Skunks actually make perfect pets, by all accounts. They are highly intelligent, respond well, can be affectionate and loving. The are extremely curious, sticking their noses into things and exploring around the house all the time. They’re quite cute looking too. They’re not easy though. They need time, and effort, in order to bond with them successfully. But those who have experienced having them as pets claim the effort is worth it, as with skunks, you get what you give.

Remember the yesteryear villains?Quite a few of them had a shark living under their swivelling chairs that they would feed anybody who displeasured them in any way to. Turns out it’s not such a fanciful concept, and there are actually a lot of people who keep saltwater sharks as pets. I bet a lot of people are thinking, its just another fish after all. But if sharks were like other fish, salmon could have been the subject of the Jaws franchise.

Obviously, one needs to be very careful while dealing with sharks, you can’t stop it from chewing your hand off just because you’re the pone who feeds them everyday. Also, most people can’t afford sharks, not just because of the initial cost, but also because the upkeep is very high. They need huge tanks that they can move around in comfortable, and that is not something that most people have the space or the money for. Also, keeping other fish is also not recommended, because, you know, they’ll get eaten. If you want to buy a shark, make sure you trust the store completely, and that what is being sold to you has not been illegally sourced, or is not an endangered specie.

The post Bizarre pets (Part 1) appeared first on Pet Attack.

To continue with our list of bizarre pets, here’s the next one:

Walking sticks. A lot of people wonder about the name, but i assure you it is not a misnomer. Ranging in colour from yellow to green to brown, and with a thin, elongated body, these insects are masters at camouflage. The best part is, their movements are slow and careful, so it can be very hard to actually spot them in the wild. The most common specie of stick insects available to keep as pets is the Indian Stick Insects, originally residents of Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately, as is with a lot of exotic pets, a few of these were released into the wild in parts of US and UK and are now considered an invasive specie that have caused massive damage to local crops. Regardless, these insects, being very unique, make great pets for insect enthusiasts.It is advisable to make their habitat warm and humid, and need to be handled very gently since their legs are very delicate and are prone to snapping off.

A major drawback, unless you’re planning on breeding an entire colony, is that most of them are females, and don’t need the presence of a male insect to breed, and all eggs laid in such way will be female. Over their life-span of a year, stick insects can lay hundreds of eggs that may take about one year to hatch. The eggs may be transported away by ants, so owners have to make sure they are well protected. Although the ants do not actually eat the eggs or the larvae, they do eat the knob of the eggs, which doesn’t seem to harm the larvae as such. So unless owners watch out, they may find themselves with hundreds of stick insects swarming their home and garden. Sticks like berries and ivy as food.

Again, why would someone want to keep as pets the very fish that has been the subject of so many terrible horror movies? But apparently, piranhas are much more common as pets than one would imagine. A lot of people consider them cool pets, without considering the exorbitant costs involved when it comes to their tank, upkeep, feed, maintenance and vet bills, not to mention the fact that they need a lot of space in order to be able to thrive. They need huge tanks that are heated to very specific temperature requirements, and need to be cleaned very regularly. Dirty water makes them very susceptible to diseases such as fin rot. To add to the costs, they are very aggressive, and tend to knock down fixtures such as heaters, rocks or plants. To address the issue of feeding them, piranhas are omnivorous, and can be fed fish carcasses, frozen fish food such as shrimps etc, but owners will often feed them other live fish and small mammals such as baby mice, or pinkies. Obviously, keeping piranhas as pets requires the ability to stomach these acts.

Although they live in schools when smaller, they quickly outgrow these tendencies, and prefer to be solitary as they grow up. Keeping two or three in a tank at a time is not unheard of, but then neither is a bigger fish tearing apart smaller ones. A lot of piranha owners claim that they can be kept with other species, as long as they are well fed all the time. In case you were wondering, yes, there have been cases of the fish taking a chunk out of their owners, but that does not seem to deter fans of the piranha.

if you think piranhas are deadly, then let me introduce you to the next animal on our list, the hippopotamus. If you’ve seen a hippo at a zoo or in photos, then you probably have no idea what I’m talking about. Hippos may look chubby and lazy, but they’re actually responsible for more human deaths in Africa than any other large animal. Their closest relatives are the whales, which shouldn’t really come as a surprise, and they’re semi-aquatic, spending most of the day wallowing in river mud. Their most powerful weapon is probably their powerful jaw, that can easily crush a human. Male hippos are very territorial and will attack anybody they see as an intruder. Despite this, there have been instances where people adopt them as babies and choose to rear them. Jessica the hippo from South Africa, for example, is something of an internet celebrity. Not all pet hippo stories have happy endings, however.

Case in point, Marius Els, a South African farmer who was savagely killed by his pet hippo Humphrey in 2011. Humphrey bit him several times and held him underwater for an indefinite point of time.

There has been a spate of  loris videos online recently, with people showing off their pets eating, climbing, and participating in generally adorable activities. Lorises, with their beautiful fur and huge eyes, may appear to be very desirable as pets, but keeping them captive is simply illogical and cruel, not that any of the other animals as pets is particularly morally sound. Victims of a thriving illegal trade, there are thousands of these being poached from their homes in rainforests for various purposes, affecting wild populations. They are also subjected to cruel and unnecessary practices such as the cutting off of their teeth before being sold. The specie indigenous to  India, the Slender Loris, is subjected to cruel voodoo practices, and poached and sold as pets for very high prices to customers abroad.

And with that we’d like to end on a disclaimer. There are a ton of fascinating animals out there, but most of these animals belong in the wild rather than in a cage or a tank. Keeping the animals on this list  may not only be inhumane, but also illegal.

The post Bizarre Pets (Part 2) appeared first on Pet Attack.

Whenever you think you know and understand your cat, she’ll do something completely weird and baffling and correct your erroneous thinking. Cats are quirky creatures by nature, they have tons of these weird, adorable, or appalling habits that are just so hard to explain. You think you’ve got them figured out, and then they go do something completely unexpected. Or sometimes it might just be an old habit that you’ve never quite managed to decipher. Does it imply affection towards you? It she offended when she does that? Is she simply asking for a belly rub? You might never be able to discern the answers to all these questions, but we’re going to help you figure out at least some of the weird things your cat does.

1) Kneading

Kneading, as is done to dough, when the cat pushes it’s paws repeatedly against an object, repeatedly. Have you observed your cat doing this whenever she’s on your lap, or just anything soft and squishy for that matter, say, a pillow?

Theories are abound regarding exactly why a cat does this, but the most common one seems to be is that its a habit left over from its kitten days. As a part of a litter, it would have had to compete with its siblings for its mother’s milk, and would have kneaded its mum to promote the flow of milk from her teats. It is very common behavior and anybody who has observed kittens feeding will have noticed this. So what does it mean when the cat kneads your lap? Maybe that your lap is as soft and squishy as its mother was, which, i guess, is a compliment in cat terms. regardless, it seems to be trying to give you a compliment. You, or the blanket. If you like it when she kneads you, and it makes you feel all warm and soft because, at least somebody likes your pudgy paunch, then encourage her to do it. You can do this by petting her every time she does it, so she knows its behaviour that you approve of, and will also like that her affection is being returned in petting. Kneading may be accompanied by sucking on whatever it is she’s kneading. Which brings us to another quirky habit.

2) Wool sucking

Wool sucking, although named as such, refers to the habits some cats develop of sucking on all kinds of cloth, and not just wool. A lot of owners complain about having soggy, chewed up shoelaces, because the cat’s been at them. You might also find that your cat starts to lick your clothes whenever you’re near her, or holding her. Its got nothing to do with the taste of the fabric, in case that’s what you were wondering. Wool sucking is thought to be a habit developed by cats who were weaned from their mother too early, one that they generally grow out of. There are a couple of species that are particularly predisposed to this behaviour, you might catch them doing it throughout their lives. If neither of these cases are applicable, your cat’s diet may be deficient in some essential nutrients. Visit the vet and consult him regarding what could be missing. Also, while the sucking itself might not be dangerous, it might escalate to eating plastic or other such harmful materials. And when it comes to cloths like wool, she could easily swallow the fibers, which she just simply throw up later as a hair ball, but it could also clog her intestines, so this is not a quirk, no matter how cute, that should be encouraged.

3) The dead animals

So everyone’s been through this right? You wake up early in the morning, and little Tubby has a surprise laid out for you on the carpet; a dead mouse, a still struggling baby bird, or whatever happened to catch their fancy. You could’ve understood if they were hungry, but you feed her regularly, so that can’t be it, can it? Also, she doesn’t even always kill them. Sometimes she’ll just grab them, set them free inside the house, then hunt them down for fun, making you wonder just what kind of monster you’ve let inside your home, especially when she won’t even eat them after sometimes. A certain theory says that cats don’t see us as humans, just as bigger cats. And seeing as how we’re unable to even hunt for ourselves, they like to show off their hunting skills to us to prove their superiority over us. Not that they need any affirmation regarding that matter. Or maybe it is how a lot of owners like to believe, that they’re giving us presents in the form of unappetizing dead/semi-dead animals as a thank you for all the back rubs.

4) The incessant rubbing

Does your cat like to rub it’s face, ears, chin against you all the time? Does she randomly sit on you while you’re lying down and start rubbing all over your face?

Most people assume it’s a sign of affection, from their cat, something like how people kiss each other to show affection. That may not be far from the truth, but it isn’t exactly wholly accurate either. Cats have scent glands behind their ears, under their chins, near their paws, and they basically use it to mark their territory by rubbing the glands over it. So basically, what she’s doing when rubbing against you so lovingly, she’s basically marking you as her property. This can’t be a surprise to you, you know her she’s more your master than you will ever be of her. But i guess the good thing is, she’s probably doing it to mark you as hers, so other cats know to stay away from you. She’s basically saying, this human’s mine, so back off!

The post The quirky things that cats do appeared first on Pet Attack.

The monsoon is finally here, to give the parched city some respite from the inferno that is the Delhi summer. The perfect season for chai and pakoras, but not quite as pleasant when it comes to the water logging and the traffic jams. But that, in my opinion, is a small price to pay to finally be able to say goodbye to the summer sun, as long as you’re well prepared in advance. Your dog too, must be glad to not have to put up with the heat, but unfortunately, for them, monsoon is the season of nasty bugs, damp fur and soggy rubbish everywhere. Pets are extremely susceptible to diseases and conditions that the rains bring with them. The city’s deplorable sanitation conditions and water drainage systems make it the perfect host for a plethora of nasty disease-causing germs. Naturally, therefore, the arrival of the Monsoon calls for some extra attention to be paid to your dog’s well being during this period.
Walks. Which self-respecting dog doesn’t like walks? The highlight of their day is when someone puts on their shoes, picks up the leash and calls out to them. Unfortunately for them, the rain makes it impossible to take them out for walks a lot of times these months. It may just be a brief step outside for you, but for dogs, their daily walks are very important. Foregoing these walks may be a cause of anxiety and depression. The problem requires you to be a bit flexible about your schedule. It may be raining in the morning or evenings, or whenever it is that you take him out for walks, so make an effort to take him out whenever the sky clears during the daytime. If you’re out working out studying, ask some other family member, or a trusted neighbour to do so for you.
Lack of daily walks may also cause unhealthy weight gain. If your house it too cluttered, move the furniture around to make space so you and your dog can play with a ball or their favourite toy, the point being to make them exercise and stretch their muscles for a while. It might not be as exciting for them as going out, but they all love good game of catch anyway.
When you actually manage to take them out for walks, you’ll need to be extra cautious. The rain brings out the creepy crawlies in hordes. Earthworms, fat, juicy slugs, snails, you name it. Now, your dog, being a dog, will want to sniff and explore and bark at everything that he sees, being the curious creature that he is, but don’t let it progress to licking or chewing or playing with it please. None of creatures are likely to be poisonous, since the only poisonous varieties live in the sea. However, living in the earth, as they do, they can pick up some pretty nasty things as they go about their slimy ways, especially pesticides present in the soil. Some of them also have questionable culinary tastes, and feed off the droppings of animals such as rats, which may contain parasites such as lungworm, and those are pretty dangerous for you dog. These chemicals and parasites may be present in their slime trails too.

There’s dirty water collecting everywhere, the gutters, puddles, pot holes, so make sure they don’t go about drinking it. Even if it looks clean, there’s no way of knowing what it contains. Dirt water may cause jaundice or other such diseases. Make sure the dog’s bowl is always full of fresh, boiled water, to dissuade him from attempting to sate his thirst outside.
Also keep away from long grass, which may be home to fleas, which brings us to the next major issue that plagues dogs in monsoons. Ticks and fleas are very common in this season. they absolutely love the damp conditions. make sure your dog’s fur is routinely washed and kept dry. Consult the vet and bring home medicated powders, shampoos and whatever else they advise you may be needed. Damp fur brings a host of other problems as well, rashes being the most common of them. Medicated talc and ointments are usually available to deal with these. The damp tends to permeate cloth based furniture also sometimes, so make sure their sleeping areas are dry and warm. The best way to deal with these problems is to trim their hair, though. Don’t worry, it’ll grow back after the rains are over, and you can manage to avoid a plethora problems while doing so. Try out dry shampoo also. It does not need water, and you can rub some into the fur and then comb it through. it cleans just as well as regular shampoos without the hassle of using water. It leaves residue, though, so make sure that you dog isn’t irritated by it.

Booster shots before the rains are imperative, as is regular deworming. Diseases such as canine distemper and leptospirosis are rampant, and the conditions for their spread are ideal. Leptospirosis is a dangerous, and unfortunately, common bacterial disease, whose symptoms include high fever, chills, red eyes, abdominal pain, a dull coat, vomiting and diarrhoea. It is carried by rodents such as wild rats, who live in gutters and sewage lines, ideal breeding grounds for this, and other bacteria like it, and can enter your dog through cuts and abrasions. It can also be passed on to humans, which makes it all the more dangerous.
There are several other diseases that your dog can get exposed to. Foot eczema is common, as is otitis, or infection of the ear canal. If you’re caring for stray dogs, look out for maggot infections in wounds. Clean and bandage all cuts and injuries regularly, and make sure that their sleeping places are in warm, dry spots and that they have constant access to clean drinking water.

The post Monsoon Woes appeared first on Pet Attack.

What would your ideal pet be like? One that you can hold and cuddle all the time, one that won’t poop outside it’s litter box and won’t cause too much destruction around the house?

Well, you’re obviously not in the market for a bunny rabbit then.

When people get rabbits, they expect fluffy, docile herbivores that they can just keep in a cage all day and take out when they need some cuddling. Imagine when they find out that ball of fluff actually has quite a personality and doesn’t think too much of sitting in a cage all day.

The problem is , when people get rabbits, they expect them to either be very simple, easy to manage, dumb animals, or, they expect them to be like cats or dogs, animals that they can somewhat relate to. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that they rarely talk. Cats meow to voice their hunger or distrust, or contentment, or whatever it is that cats feel, and dogs bark to voice pretty much any emotion. Friendly barks, angry barks, oh-you’re-back-home-i-missed-you barks.

Rabbit only growl and grunt, and that’s usually to express displeasure. They also possess the ability to scream, but that’s only when experiencing acute pain and it is the most horrifying, blood-curdling sound you never want to hear. So for the most part in their daily lives, rabbits are quiet. But this does not imply that they do not have personalities. They’re generally friendly, companionable, and like human company, but don’t treat them as you would a cat or a dog, because they’re nothing alike.

To address the most pressing issue, you might love picking the rabbit up and hugging it, but it finds the experience very distressing. If you must, make sure you’re supporting it’s rear with one hand, rabbit backbones can be hurt easily. Also, if it tries to wriggle out of your arms and jump, let it go, do not offer too much resistance. If you do, you will get an armful of scratches, whether it intended them or not, by you rabbit using your arms to propel itself.

If i have hampered you bunny-cuddling plans, do not be alarmed. They don’t like being picked up, but they do love a good head scratching. Every bunny has a unique spot that they like to be scratched or pet on. Try behind the ears, under the chin, or between the ears. Once you figure out what it likes, it’ll demand scratches from you, coming up to you and gently nudging your hand with it’s nose till it gets what it wants. Sometimes they just close their eyes as if they’re asleep as you’re doing it, which shows they really trust you.

Since they can’t speak, you have to study their behaviour and moods to make sure you know exactly what they need. That nose nudge we just mentioned? Yeah, sometimes they just want that limb out of their way, and you better do just that, or little nibbles from their sharp teeth will follow to make sure that you got the message. Which brings us to another facet of the rabbit personality. They’re explorers by nature. They want to get into every nook and cranny and sniff everything. Behind or beneath every piece of furniture you own, every little gap they can stick their heads into, every human in their way needs to be nudged and poked and studied. Sometimes they scratch their chins against things or people, that’s their way of marking it as theirs.

Oh and they eat everything. Everything. No wire, cable, bag or random piece of cloth must be left undamaged. Make sure you’ve bunny proofed your electronics by putting all the cables out of their reach, or you’re soon going to discover that the sneaky little rodent has caused quite a bit of damage. This is also the main reason you can’t just leave them unsupervised as you would another house pet, because your headphones aren’t the only things in danger. There is a very real possibility that your bunny might accidentally electrocute itself, or ingest toxic materials in the process.

If you think the solution is to keep it in a cage all the time, you’re going t have a very unhappy rabbit on your hands. Ever seen documentaries about rabbits in the wild? They run, leap chase each other around and that’s how they’re meant to be. You need to make sure your rabbit get let out of the cage to run about for a few hours every day, and that it has enough space to jump around and stretch itself properly. Even if it doesn’t, and prefers to just sit, let it do that. Being let out of the cage keeps them happy. Use their curiosity to engage them in games to make sure they get enough exercise, or they get fat very easily.

A lot of people assume that they just poop inside their cages or all over the place all the time, but they can actually be trained to use a litter box. But since they poop basically all the time, it’s not going to work as well as it does with cats. On the positive side, rabbit pellets are comparatively easier and less yucky to clean. They also have assigned spots that they frequent for the purpose, so rest assured, you’re not going to have poop pellets strewn all over your house.

In conclusions, rabbits are more work than most people assume, but they also make the most wonderful, loving pets, and if those are the qualities you seek in your ideal pets, then rabbits are certainly a sure bet.

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Rabies is one of the most grim diseases that afflict animals, not least because how easily it can be transmitted to humans. According to WHO statistics, roughly 36% of all deaths caused by rabies occur in India, and it certainly isn’t the prettiest way to go.

Caused by the Lyssavirus, rabies can be contracted by all warm blooded animals. In India, the most common cases of rabies were transmitted by dog bites. There has also been an increase in the number of cases of infected monkeys biting people. Apart from these animals, rabies can be carries by mongooses, ferrets, cats, moles, etc. Although not unheard of, cases of rabies in small rodents are rare.

They say prevention is better than cure, in the case of rabies, however, there is no cure. There is no stopping the disease once symptoms start manifesting themselves. Past a certain stage, the mortality rate from rabies infections is nearly 100%.

Your pet is at risk of contracting rabies if they are unvaccinated or  play outdoors and/or come into contact with wild or stray animals. The disease makes the animal salivate excessively, and there are large amounts of the virus present in the saliva, so rabies is primarily spread through animal bites. If you suspect your pet or you have been bitten, you must clean the area thoroughly with antibacterial soap and water for at least 15 minutes, and especially make sure that there is no residual saliva present. Be careful while doing so though, and use gloves. Do not touch the infected area directly, lest you get infected yourself.

If the animal in question is somebody’s pet, get in contact with the owner and make sure that the pet has been vaccinated, or if it has been displaying any of the symptoms of rabies. Symptoms to look out for in an animal can be the animal undergoing a behavioral change, such as becoming more aggressive, or very docile. The animal will probably be running a fever,  will be repeatedly licking its wounds if it’s infection comes from a bite and will be salivating excessively. However, the animal may be a carrier of the virus even if no symptoms are present, they will just manifest later. So, the safest option would be to clean the wounds and take it to a vet. If the animal is wild, or stray, make sure you contact an animal shelter or the animal control department and inform them that the animal is going around attacking people unprovoked. Such behaviour in itself may be a symptom.

Rabies mat manifest in two ways: furious and dumb. In the furious rabies, the animal becomes extremely aggressive, and may go about biting other animals or people. It may even become uncharacteristically friendly. In dumb rabies, the animal is partially or completely paralyzed.

The rabies virus affects the spinal cord and brain of the host animal. The problem is that diagnosis can only be made on the basis of symptoms, so there is really no way of knowing if the animal has rabies or not if it’s symptoms have not manifested yet. The only way to be absolutely sure is by performing a biopsy on the brain tissue, and that can only be performed after the animal is dead. Apart from the symptoms mentioned above, a rabies infection also leads to agitation, confusion and hallucinations, at least as observed in humans. This, apart form the behavioral change, is also another reason why the animal is said to go mad when infected. Stories about the sweetest dogs turning into ferocious beasts that go around biting people without provocation on being infected are very common, unfortunately. That is not where the horror stops. Rabies also causes excessive salivation, due to which the animals froth at the mouth, and develop an acute fear of water, or hydrophobia. Nobody could ever allow such a horrible death to befall their beloved pet.

The solution, of course, is to get them vaccinated beforehand, especially in the case of larger mammals. You might assume that since your pet always lives inside the house, or since you always walk them on a leash when outside, that your pet isn’t at risk of getting bit. But accidents may happen and catch you off guard. The worst would be if the bite were unnoticeable and you if you were to fail to spot it on your pet. In such a case, you’d only know once the symptoms started, and by then it’d be too late.Contact your vet immediately and ask him about the vaccination options available and get your animal, vaccinated immediately. If you haven’t already done so, make sure you get vaccinated yourself too.

If your pet has not been vaccinated and it is bit by another rabid animal, it will need to be quarantined, for months on end, if necessary, to ascertain if it has been infected or not. In case it is found to be infected and the symptoms begin to manifest, the kindest thing would be to euthanize the animal, to prevent it’s prolonged suffering and inevitable death.  The only way to avoid unleashing such misery on yourself and your  pet is to get them vaccinated.

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Creepy-crawlies got your pet? Tarry not! This is not just a problem of being itchy, fleas can be very dangerous, and they certainly won’t just ‘go away’ as some owners seems to think. If anything, they’re more likely to multiply and establish a nice flea colony on your  pet and further infest your home and maybe even yourself.

Most people consider fleas innocuous creatures, probably because of their diminutive size. But they forget that it was fleas that were responsible for the spread of the Black Plague. Although unlikely to give you or your pet the plague, apart from causing a vastly annoying itch, fleas can be much more dangerous in other ways. The worst that could happen is that your pet could be allergic to flea saliva, in which case, they could experience intense itching, hair loss, scabs and reddened skin. Their eggs are also known to host parasites that could find their way to your pets stomach. That’s not the end of it. Fleas are known to consume up to 15 times their own weight in blood somehow, so if your pet has an infestation, that could spell trouble in the form of anemia and other related troubles, especially if you have a baby animal or a small pet.

It isn’t enough to just give your pet a bath, that is hardly going to get rid of the extremely resilient and well adapted pest. You’ll need to disinfect your pet and every corner of your house till you’ve made sure there’s no coming back for those pesky insects.

Firstly, to identify a flea ridden pest. It is a common myth that house pets cannot get fleas, or that only dogs can get them. House pets can certainly get fleas if you might have brought them into the house inadvertently, and all pets with fur are susceptible to fleas. Anything that they can suck blood from. Now, if you’ve noticed your pet scratching themselves or itching more than usual, check their fur. We’re not taking about a regular scratch behind the year, we mean an obsessive scratching repeatedly, and regularly. If you notice unexplained little bumps that may or may not itch, that look like insect bites then chances are that you either got them from your pet, or transmitted it to them. Look in your armpit area, or behind knees, inside elbows, basically folds of skin where they might go unnoticed. On your animal, check the area around the base of the tail, the stomach, ears, etc. Check for eggs, small specks of blood. Even if you don’t see a flea, brush them with a comb to make sure you haven’t missed any, just to make sure. Fleas are very fast and can jump surprisingly high, so catching one on your pet isn’t as easy as it sounds. Lie them down on a piece of paper and then brush through the fur with a fine toothed brush or a blow dryer, so all the particulate matter and any fleas fall on the paper. Look for suspicious looking flecks of dirt, which might be flea excreta, and small, white, round shapes that look like eggs.

Once you’ve ascertained whether your pet has fleas or not, you need to decide on a manic cleaning spree. Bathe the animal with a good flea shampoo and warm water, and wash diligently, make sure not to miss a spot. There is also medication and ointments available in the market, but make sure to consult the vet first. You can get them a flea collar, but that doesn’t necessarily work. Dog collars, for example, were recently proved to be ineffective, and the chemical used in them is actually poisonous for cats, so you have to be careful about details like that, especially in a multi-pet household.

Clean their bedding and any coverings such as blankets thoroughly. Dip in detergent and hot water, and dry it properly, preferably with heat, in the sun maybe. Fleas like moist places, so it needs to be dried completely before it  can be used again. Vacuum around the house, every corner, every bit of furniture needs to be vacuumed, and then clean the bag out immediately. Carpets, curtains and the space under furniture especially needs to be vacuumed This is a well tested method and works really well, especially when it comes to sucking up all the eggs or larvae that may be hanging around that might just compound your problems. Use an insecticide, one that is certifiably safe for your pet, and spray the area around the bedding or cage and the carpets.

Do you have a vermin problem in your house, get rid of them and prevent them from ever coming back immediately. They might be the source of the fleas and are generally known to be disease carriers. If you take your pet out, make a note of which other animals your pet interacts with, the might be the source of the problem. If they’re pets too, politely inquire whether their pet has fleas, and if it does, you will, unfortunately, have to keep your pet away from them. If they don’t, warn them about your pet’s problems, so they know to watch out for fleas, and stay away from them anyway, You don’t want to go about giving other people’s animals fleas.

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Friday the 13th, black cats, evil eyes, kajal tikas, sacred trees, haunted bungalows….the list is endless. Let’s face it, for all our proclamations of modernity, we’re still a very superstitious lot. We love hearing stories about the supernatural, never mind that we won’t be able to sleep for days after that. We loudly proclaim our atheism, yet we all have these secret charms and habits that we keep for ‘good luck’ especially if exam season is around the corner. We haven’t spared our animals either, there are countless superstitions related to animals and the things they can do or symbolize, and it’s not just us. All over the world, people have quirk superstitions about animals, some spooky, some quirky and some just outright gross.

Let’s start out with one that seems to be common to a lot of cultures, the black cat. Considered by a few, especially in the olden times, as the Devil incarnate, or his little helper at the very least, black cats have always had a bad reputation. Black cats crossing the road are still considered a bad omen by many, who turn back if it should ever happen. A few find the act so disturbing that they even go back and take a bath if it should ever happen. Poor kitty. What did it ever do to deserve such ill treatment?

Mariners, however, view these felines with a more favorable eye. Although saying their name aloud was considered taboo, and an invitation to misfortune by many sea-farers, actually having a cat on board while on a voyage was considered a lucky charm, and was said to bring good luck to the voyage. Although the practice probably began as a measure of keeping the rat population on board in check. Regardless, mariners often deliberately brought a cat to the ship ( i wonder how the cats felt about this, surrounded by water all the time) and that’s why so many books and movies about sea voyages in the olden times feature a cat on board.

Next, something bizarre.

Although not a very popular superstition in India, it is certainly well heard of (but not really practiced) in the West. Rubbing a rabbit’s paw is  considered lucky in many parts of the world. Let’s face it, how can a creature as fluffy and adorable as a rabbit have any negative superstition attached to it’s name? But here comes the gross part. Apparently, it wasn’t uncommon in old times for people to carry around a rabbit’s paw, which they would kiss for luck before any event that so required.  Now come the even grosser part. A short snoop around the repository of all things strange and gross that is the internet reveals that these things are still available fro sale. Yes, an actual rabbit’s paw that you can just carry around, usually in a decorative pendant setting so you can wear it around your neck, next to that vial of basilisk blood you’ve got. No thanks, kind sir, I’ll just take my spoonful of sugar before setting out of the house if i need luck that bad. Or just kiss a live rabbit. That should work, right?

Ahh another one, and this is one everyone who’s had a childhood should be familiar with. So everyone, yes. Remember looking for ladybirds in the grass in the school sports grounds, when you were actually supposed to be taking laps? And then if they flew off the tip of your finger, good luck was guaranteed. If they just fell off or refused to fly, no luck for you. In the most common version, the bug flying off is a guaranty of finding true within the week or something like that. I think most people back then just asked to pass in the upcoming test though.

Another common one. The bat. Personally, I find bats quite adorable, besides the whole leathery wings that look like they’re made of human skin thing of course. Unique in the kingdom Mammalia for their ability to fly as birds do, and not just glide, bats are fascinating creatures. But most people can’t seem to get over the fact that they supposedly want nothing better than to bite into their necks and suck their blood. To be fair, they’re confusing bats with Count Dracula, and no, the two aren’t synonymous. Most bats species don’t even drink blood, and the few that do the infamous Vampire bat for example, stick to cows rather than transforming into mysterious men with high collars, preying on unsuspecting women for sustenance. They may carry rabies virus though, so don’t try and cuddle one anytime soon.

The next is a sad, terrible one.

Meet the Slender Loris. This shy, nocturnal creature live in the forests of South India and Sri Lanka. A perfectly harmless animal, it has been put on the UN’s list of endangered species due to severe of habitat. As if that wasn’t enough, the Loris has now fallen prey to human superstition too. People use these animals as living voodoo dolls. If they wish harm to befall an enemy of theirs, they take these animals to a black magic practitioner, who then proceeds to mutilate the animal in the same way as the desired injury. As a result, there have been numerous cases of Lorises showing up with missing limbs, eyes, or other mutilations. It might be hard to believe that anybody would be cold hearted enough to harm such a gentle creature, but it is a sad reality. Animal shelters, in the city, however, are aware of the horrendous practice, and give shelter and run rehabilitation programs. These animals are also torn away from their natural environment and sold as pets, illegally. Despite the endangered status, the trade is lucrative and alive.

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Dogs are wonderful, slobbery creatures. Drooling all over the place in excitement, trying to lick your face whenever they can, you know how  they are. But ever heard of doggie breath? A stench emanating from your pooch’s mouth, so foul that it could’ve come from the cavernous depths of hell itself? Let’s hope you’ve never experienced that. But just in case you have, then you know that we’re not exaggerating here. Some people seem to assume that it’s natural, and okay, for a dog to have halitosis, but bad breath, just as it is for humans, is not just an indicator of bad oral hygiene, it could be an indicator of a much more severe problem such as a respiratory or gastrointestinal problems. Consult your vet if you feel that your pooch’s breath has suddenly acquired a strange odour, to make sure that the problem isn’t serious. If it isn’t then bad oral hygiene is your enemy, and if you want to continue receiving slobbery doggie kisses without gagging, then you’ll have to tackle the problem yourself, since it is unlikely to go away with time.

Take your pooch for regular dental checkups. This will make sure that you’re kept on your feet regarding your dog’s dental hygiene, and the vet will be better trained to identify any strange odours. They can also give you tips on how to prevent halitosis and help keep you pooch’s mouth stink free.

Mouth odour is caused by the build up of bacteria in the mouth, lungs, teeth or tongue. It could be a gum disease, or plaque build up.Now, the most obvious solution here, which is something most dog owners tend to very lazy about, is brushing your dogs teeth. We know it’s hard, trust us, we do. Dogs generally hate having their teeth brushed. Start early and do it regularly, and hopefully your dog will get used to it before long. Human toothpaste is, of course, a big no-no. All you’ll achive by using Germicheck on your pet is giving him an upset stomach. Seriously, these toothpastes can make dogs ill. There are toothpastes available in the market that cater specifically to dogs. If you haven’t got a clue about them, contact your regular pet store, they will most probably carry them. The great thing is, these come in flavours like meat, to make them more appealing to their canine customers.

For those cheap dog owner out there who think they can make do with giving the dog one of their old toothbrushes, please just don’t be that disgusting and get the poor thing his own. There are also special brushes available for dogs.

Check the dog’s diet. The problem might just be as simple as eating an unsuitable food that is causing the problem, like garlic for humans. Moreover, dogs, while supremely adorable, can also be disgusting, sticking their noses and mouths in all sorts of things, such as dustbins, so naturally, they smell of whatever it is that they’ve managed to pick up as a snack. Keep an eye on what your dog is sniffing, and keep him away from things he shouldn’t be consuming.

Maybe the problem is a foreign object stuck in the dog’s teeth, like a food particle? Check the dog’s mouth to remove doubt and as previously stated, brush regularly to make sure you can avoid this happening.

Rawhide bones are especially helpful when it comes to dealing with canine halitosis. Dogs love chewing on these, and regular chewing makes sure that the dog’s mouth is clean and free of stray food particles.

If these measure don’t help, you may have to get the teeth cleaned by a specialist. They can properly get rid of any plaque build up and suggest medication that you can give your dog, if necessary. There are foods and chewable treats available on the market especially for this purpose. Yes, we realize this is the third time we’ve made this statement, but apparently canine halitosis is a major concern for a lot of dog owners.

If the dog in question is still a puppy, the problem might be as simple as teething. At this state, it is normal for their mouths to have an unusual smell. Just make sure you keep them supplied with plenty of chew toys, to keep them busy, and the problem should fix itself in a few days.

The final source of the problem, is you haven’t pin-pointed one yet, may be the dog’s diet. meat rich diets, normally, cause bad breath. Their diet needs to be balanced, with carbohydrates in the form of rice, perhaps, added in as well. This applies not only to the problem at hand, but the dog’s well-being in general. Make sure meals are regular and well-monitored, so you know exactly what the pooch is consuming.

Dry dog food also seems to help with bad breath, so trying adding that in his diet.

Hydration is also an important factor. A dry mouth may also be the cause of the stink. Make sure your dog gets more than enough water everyday, and change the water in the bowl regularly.

And if you still can’t find the source of the problem, make sure to contact your vet to check of the problem has a more severe root.

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