India raises its chest with pride in being the world’s largest producer of milk. It is probably the only place where milch animals are both worshiped and killed for meat in different cultures. Strange paradox and yet we exist together in a country undisputed most of the times if not all. Many eyebrows were raised when National Diary Development Board came out with figures that showed an increase in the monetary value of milk and meat from 2004-05 to 2011-12 by measures that cannot go overseen. Where at one moment it was a moment of contentment in the domain of production, it gave a shock to the country, when the veil was lifted off. The animals that bore the responsibility of making the country fit and healthy went through a sequence of their tortures and states of turmoils.If vegetarians are happy thinking that by not consuming meat they avoid invoking killings and suffering then this is to better inform them that they do the most.

Let me explain how. Everyone need proteins right? And apart from the flesh, vegetarians make up to their nutrient requirement by consuming more milk.

“So whats wrong in that?”, You might think! , “At least I am not killing anyone.” Well you are doing worse. Milch animals are treated as no more than just machine. The horrible truth goes like that.

Cows and Buffaloes, bred for milking, are inseminated many times over a short period of time. Since the milk production is more at the time the animal gives birth, cattle are impregnated at least once every year for cows and every 15 months for Buffaloes, to get maximum profit out of it. Sooner after birth, within days, the calves are separated from their mothers causing emotional trauma for both the baby and the mother, which leads to 15-30% increase in milk production, again feeding the greed for profit. All of the mothers milk is then sent for human consumption. The females are injected with oxytoxin shots and other hormonal shots so that their body produces much more milk than usual. It is literally forcibly sucking out the life of poor creature.

The repeated milking via machines causes the udders to swell due to unnatural suckling, sometimes even giving electric shocks to the cow and causing infections. The calves that get separated are frightened and bewildered. The female calves are reared for the same torture they would witness on maturing while most of the male calves are sent to slaughter houses or abandoned, probably left to starve. Few, healthy ones are used for breeding. Sometimes they are used for labor and undergo castration without anesthesia. Once they are old, the males are sent to slaughter houses. The number of male cattle account to just 35.57 % against 64.42% females and counts to 85.18 per cent female against 14.8 per cent male in buffalo, which clearly shows the undesirability of the male cattle.

To keep the production going on the animal husbandry manual provided by the government recommends re-impregnation around 60 days after the previous delivery. Any longer interval would cause loss and if it is shorter the milk production would be low.Ever wondered how it would effect health of a human female getting pregnant and giving birth at the same frequent interval?

With the females the same process of insemination, impregnation, separation, continuous milking followed by possibility of mastitis or breast infection. The cattle are stuffed in an unhealthy environment and subjected to tortures throughout their lives. They are treated more like milk producing machines than animals. Milk production reduces after three to four pregnancies, post which the females are sent to slaughter houses as well. Such inhuman practice is done in a country where cows are considered sacred by the most populating sect and carried out by the same people. If this is not ironical then what is. The ill-practices to innocent creatures spits on the pride that Indians show in being foremost in milk production. Diary production involves killing. Production of beef is just a part of this process. The annual report of Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries clearly states an increase of milk production from 102.6 million tonnes in 2006-07 to 127.9 million tonnes in 2011-12 referring to various plans and measures taken up. The truth finally lies in the fact that the poor animals undergo ill fated consequences of these plans and policies.

All in all, a milch animal has to go through more distress than an animal reared solely for meat. But that doesn’t bother us from having our filter coffee or bed tea. We take joy in the fact that we are taking in milk and hence treating our health well. The poor animals on other hand suffer throughout their lives and go unnoticed to their graves, one after the other. This seems worse than being reared for meat where the animals are fed well and finally terminated in one go.

Today we don’t talk here about milch pets. We take up an issue of absolute cruelty that has gone unnoticed for so many years and is projected as an achievement rather than a misdeed. Animals are not being taken care of as they should be. The question just circumferences around economical or uneconomical, overseeing the ill-fated lives of the milch animals.It seems there is no point in feeling good being a vegetarian if you have supplemented milk in your protein build-up diet.now.Taking care of a milch pet is a far cry here. The diary farming today is an issue of survival under struggle for these cattle. In the end it only clears the glass for the fact that the process followed in production of milk is as gruesome as in that of meat if not more. If you really want to extend a helping hand towards those milch animals, reduce that extra cup of tea or filter coffee which you have got addicted to, to begin with.

This piece of writing is not intended to focus upon caring for your milch pets rather it solely focuses on how to provide a better life to our bovine friends. After all they are also living and deserve to be treated far better and not so inhumanly.

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Remember the time, as a kid, you used to go for horse riding in fairs, wishing that you had one at home too! Well if you still are into thinking of buying a horse to pet around and enjoy a ride everyday then better be it, but before you get your horsey home, make sure you have ample space time and resources to take care of your friend. Horses need a lot of attention and maintenance on regular basis, else they might easily fall ill. PetAttack brings to you points to keep in mind and ways to take proper care of you equine friend.

8. Cost

Horses  or ponies, you better buy them only if you can, because here my friends the cost of maintenance will be more than the cost of buying. Yes, the food, space, shelter and medical care are going to cost you a lot more than you think you can think. Never mind if you are cousin of Richie-rich. In the end its all about loving and caring for your friend which can give you as along as 35 years of companionship.

7. Space

You wouldn’t just want to buy that four legged mammal just because you like riding it. It is not a dog or cat or a parrot that you can keep in your home or lap and pet around. A horse needs ample space and when I say ample it literally means a lot. It needs to roam, stride, run and most of all graze whole throughout the day. So unless you are rich enough to have a huge grassland in your backyard or you are one among the bunch of hippies, that move across lands, your friend won’t stay happy in your home.

6. Food

Horses eat a lot. They have got weak digestion so they cant take in and digest two meals a day like we humans do. They simply graze throughout the day. They mostly feed on hay and forage. Grains can be included in their food twice a day along with veggies like carrots and apples.

5. Grooming and Cleaning

Get your brushes out folks, its time you give a little grooming to your friend. If the horse is outside most of the time, don’t groom it too much, that removes the good  natural oils that keep it protected from weather. Grooming is a vital part of keeping a horse. You got to buy curry comb, stiff brush and not-stiff brush. If the horsey fur has got too dirty start with curry comb to brush of the dirt. Use a wet sponge, make your horse shine like a brilliant stallion. Brush the mane and tail with a comb. Try avoid getting kicked and for that don’t stay directly behind the horse. Believe me,you will not regret anything more than standing behind that tall legged creature.

Your horse might keep moving away from time to time while you brush and groom it. Try making them stand still by tying a quick release knot in the lead rope.

4. Hoof Picking

Here comes the most critical part of cleaning, the hoof picking. Probably you might not be knowing it, so please don’t try to do it yourself and hurt the horse or get kicked. It may be possible that your pet can get injured and never be able to run properly, so better contact a professional. A hoof pick is used for picking. Run your hand down his legs, press the fetlock and lift its foot. Be careful with the sensitive area that is the soft part called frog. Remove the dirt and small pebbles from the groove around the frog area.

3. Exercise

Your horse needs regular exercise. Take it out everyday for a ride or run into an open field or paddock. Make sure the fencing of the area where your horse moves around isn’t made of barbed wire else it may be a cause for injuries. After the exercise if it sweats too much don’t let it drink too much water, just few sips would do. Walk it around so that it cools off slowly. Go for the sweaty summer way, ride your horse and make him exercise while during winters keep it warm and don’t go hard on it. Sweat can be removed by wet sponge and again the grooming and cleaning with different brushes. There is no fixed time to groom your horse, do it when you feel like and do it properly and gently all over the body using different combs and curries. There are separate face brushes which can are made for the face, use sponge or cloth to clean the ears, eyes and nose. If you have multiple horses avoid using same wipes to prevent spreading of any infections.

2. Shelter

So you have a got a huge house, a wide backyard, nearby some stretch of fields and a separate paddock for your horsey, but it needs its own house too. A stable, a barn or a shed would do. Covered from three sides, this would be where your horse would take refuge in summers, during cold and in rains. Make sure the place around is clean, stuffed with hay. Make sure the droppings are cleaned regularly and your horse has a clean and dry bedding of its own where it can rest away, even the smell can irritate your pet. Even when the horse is outside the muck should be regularly cleaned.

1. Care

Horses are gentle creatures. They just need your care and patience and they can be your best friends. Buy when only when you think you can fully take care of it. Regular medical checkup is necessary. Horses need to get Tetanus and other vaccinations once in a while and regular veterinary care. On any medical eventuality, the  costs are going to blow you away, so think before you wish to own your equine. Since they graze upon grass regularly, horses are prone to get intestinal worms, hence the deworming is required every six to eight weeks.

Remember a healthy horse is a happy horse.

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What do you do when you really wish to have a pet, but due to some reason or the other, getting a dog or a cat is not an option? The easiest alternative is to get some fish. A dog or a cat requires a certain amount of space, commitment and a lot of time and investment. People might even possibly be allergic to them. Also, more often than not, your guests may not be particularly comfortable with a dog or a cat in the house. Somehow, most guests find the quiet and peace of fish in a fish tank endearing. And in terms of commitment, all that a fish needs is some food, comfortably sized fish tank and a little bit of love and you are good to go. But at the same time, one needs to ensure that their fish tank is cleaned regularly and they are well fed even if the owner is away. To ensure good health, one can also feed them vet-approved medicines.

The most famous, easily available and loved species among fish is the Goldfish. Its small in size and beautiful to look at, hence earning that name. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and most commonly kept aquarium fish. It was first domesticated in China, thousands of years ago with various other species of the carp family. It was originally reared as food fish, but slowly gained favor as a pet. Some of these normally were gray or silver in color, but produced mutations in red, yellow or orange. This mutation was first noticed during the Jin Dynasty (265-420). With time, the breed was then introduced in Japan, Portugal and subsequently to other parts of the world where it quickly became popular. There are many different varieties of domesticated goldfish, but due to their bright colors and long fins, they are likely to perish in the wild. Common and comet goldfish can survive and breed in any climate that can support a pond.

Goldfish are usually small and can survive in small tanks but they can grow fairly large. Goldfish as big as 19 inches have been recorded. A 15 inch goldfish in England was known to weigh 2 pounds. This being a pet fish, it is believed that there are several fish in ornamental lakes that could possibly be much larger in size. A fish was caught in a pond in England 16inches long and weighing 5 pounds. It was assumed that it was probably abandoned as it outgrew its tank. In the wild, goldfish usually feed on crustaceans, insects and plant matter. They can’t willingly stop eating, which can cause damage their intestines. Overfeeding can be diagnosed by excessive waste and faeces produced. Compared to typical fish food, goldfish-specific food has less protein and more carbohydrates. Shelled peas, blanched green vegetables, blood-worms and brine shrimp are a favorite, but goldfish preference vary similar to all other animals. Goldfish have the capacity to distinguish between 4 primary colors-red green blue and ultraviolet, thus making their vision the most widely studied amongst all fish visions.

There are over 300 breeds of goldfish available in China currently, almost all of which have originated there. These breeds have differences in their color, body shapes, and fin and eye configurations. Some extreme versions can thrive only in aquariums and are far removed from their wild counterparts. Goldfish exist in colors like, orange, yellow, silver, black and several combinations of these. The Chinese classify goldfish based on their features. Ce goldfish lack fancy anatomical features. Wen have a fancy tail. Dragon Eye have extended eyes, and Egg have an egg shaped body with no dorsal fin. Goldfish reproduce only when there is enough water, right nutrition and the right temperature. Goldfish are egg layers that typically hatch within 48 to 72 hours. The newborns can take almost a year to develop a mature goldfish color. Some highly bred goldfish can no longer breed due to their altered shape, and hence require artificial breeding, that, if done incorrectly can harm the fish.

Goldfish are some of the most intelligent fish. They have strong associative abilities and social learning skills. Due to their visual acuity they can distinguish between individual humans. They are joyful when they spot their owners, or a known face, but hide and shy away from others. Goldfish rarely harm each other, although they can be extremely competitive when it comes to food. They have a memory span of 3 months. By using positive reinforcement, they can be trained to react to visual stimuli or to perform tricks. They are just as friendly and make a good companion as most pets. Goldfish have a tendency to generate a lot of waste, in the form of faeces and also from their gills. This creates a toxic environment in the fish tank, if it is not cleaned frequently. Certain laws are in place that restrict having goldfish in a fish bowl. This is considering the constricted space available for movement and the dangers of a toxic environment. Ideally a cleaning mechanism should be employed in the fish tank to ensure optimum measures.

Another reason why people prefer having goldfish as pets is its value in terms of feng shui. Feng shui is an ancient art of good living. Goldfish are said to bring good luck in the house. In fact according to certain customs a husband gifted his wife a goldfish on successful completion of one year of marriage.  In fact, placing just a model or image of a goldfish in the house is said to bring good luck in the house.  More often than not, it has been noticed that fish don’t last very long. In spite of their short lifetime, they bring us joy the whole time. No wonder, they are loved by all.

The post No Fishy Business appeared first on Pet Attack.

Why do people keep pets? What is that pushes them to spend their extra time, attention, expense on some random animal? Why people are ready to make a pet a part of the family? Some of the obvious reasons can be to shed boredom, to make their children happy, to establish a status in society owning a pedigree or may be just to get a companion. They don’t speak human yet we try to bind them into an owner-pet bond, which not only provides a love-affection binding but a lot more. Though they are categorized as animals and claimed to not understand human emotions, they still and time and again have proved to be our best friends.

So how keeping a pet helps us live better? Let us have a look.

7. Human needs and Benifits

Pets were basically used to fulfill needs of humans, for domestication. The poultry and dairy pets are kept for wool, flesh, milk and eggs. The horses and donkeys carry our loads. Some are even for leisure and sports. A dog for protection and cats and other small pets are for companionship and leisure. The basic need was to fulfill our own day to day needs that we began petting animals. With time it has developed from a benificial relationship to a good companionship.

6. Routine your Life

Once a pet comes into your life, you get to shed off the procrastination you carry out every day. No matter how lazy you are, you need to get up to feed your pet, clean it up, play with it, may be take it out for walk but overall you will enjoy all of it. With the well on time feeds and walks, regular cleaning and grooming, you will surely end up retuning the clock of your life while doing it for your pet.

5. Increase your social circle

Yes that’s true! When you take your pet out for a walk you will always meet up other owners and tend to interact with them. You meet people in training centers, clubs, pet stores, pet shows and public parks. Believe me, you end up going out and making new buddies when you are out there with your pet, the conversation starting by talking about each others pets and their behavior. You may progress from having a cup of coffee together to being really good friends!

4. Family Bonding

Children love playing around with pets. They can be one of the reasons for your kid’s joyous day to day activities. Kids can learn to develop affectionate and caring nature from the very beginning, by regular petting and pampering their pets. Even the elderly, who sometimes feel lonely and don’t mingle up with other members of family, get to have a companion and to enjoy lives by spending time with pets. A pet generates affection, laughter fun and exuberance among the people it lives around and hence gets the family together.

3. Relieving Anxiety

Touching, petting, pampering, cuddling your pet can reduce stress levels considerably low. Remarkable behavior changes have been observed in prisoners who have been exposed to being with pets. A sense of comfort and satisfaction is observed in spending time with pet. Your pet always tends to divert your mind and attention to pull it towards it. It is scientifically proved that pet owners are less likely to suffer depression than those who don’t have one. There have been many good outcomes of keeping a pet considering health, behavior, fitness stress etc. Also it is very satisfying to take care of another living creature. According to a research, presented in American Heart Association, the stress and blood pressure levels in stockbrokers, who had been on medication, had come down significantly come down, after they took to petting an animal along with medication. The affectionate bond and support can help in reducing stress that is a major contributor to cardiovascular problems.

2. Exercise

Well, not all pets can help you stay fit but most of them can. Take for example of your pet dog or cat. Regular morning and evening walks is good for your pet and healthy for you too. If you are not a regular gym person then make a habit to go for regular walks with your pet or chase your kitty around playfully. That will not only keep you healthy physically but mentally too you will stay off stress and diverted and devoted towards your pet.

1. Companionship

That is one of the most considered reasons for keeping a pet. A new member in family is always welcomed like a guest and so is a pet. Why because you always look forward to develop that bond with your pet. Sometimes even the closest people betray you and you seem alone and lost. But when you have a pet along it gives a sense of comfort and company to be with. A good pet will always try to interact with you or least keep you busy and try building a bond with you if taken well care of.

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Tiger salamander, though quite popular among people keeping pocket pets, an also branch out to adopt is known as Axolotls. These delectable creatures look like a cross between a salamander and some fish at first sight. They are actually what you can call exotic since there is slight chance that you can get your hands on one or a pair of these. The Axolotls are native to Mexico, and what is more intriguing or alarming, whichever suits the occasion, is the fact that the name given to these creatures are also used to signify various species of Ambystoma, an edible food source!

And the intrigues continue to come! The Axolotls are neotonic in nature like the Tiger salamander. Now you must be wondering what that means. Well, if any creature is neotenic, it means that it will not undergo metamorphosis from the larval to the adult form like other salamanders but with the aid of the gills in the larval form, become capable of reproduction in an aquatic environment. This, however, is not all when an Axolotl is concerned. Not only are they neotenic, they can also metamorphose into a terrestrial variety but this often causes them unwanted stress and they do not exercise this agency under ordinary circumstances.

Have you noticed how a lizard’s tails grows back after being wounded? Well, nerds among us might want to relate that to Adamentium (Wolverine’s powers of regeneration), but on a more realistic level, Axolotls have miraculous powers of regeneration, so much so that not only tails but any part of their body can grow back.    They are exceptionally invincible for this reason and incredibly hardy. If the water quality is good, they can live up to fifteen years in confinement. There is however one loophole to their otherwise invincibility. They have very sensitive skin and gills, and it is probably in their best interests that they are not handled unless absolutely necessary.

And you thought the list of surprises was over, did you? Well, not quite. If their noetenic habits and their powers of regeneration was not enough surprises, they, especially the young Axolotls exhibit cannibalistic tendencies towards each other so if you want to adopt more than one of these absolutely queer creatures, you must make necessary arrangements to keep them in isolated enclosures. There is very few reported cases of cannibalistic tendencies in adult axolotls but you might want to keep a lookout for them, just in case. However, since they can grow back a body part in very less time, there is a very slight chance of their being grievously hurt due to such disposition. So, keeping things simple, you just don’t have to worry, mate!

Housing is one of the chief concerns while keeping an axolotl. Since they can really get quite large, I would recommend you to house it in at least a twenty gallon tank. This however does not mean that you need to fill water to the brim( trust me, that will ward off at least half of potential owners!) . If you manage to fill as much water as will keep your pet submerged, it will be more than enough for it. You can also opt for a filtered aquarium since they are easier to maintain, and thus, more popular. Cleaning the tank is nonpareil.  However, you should take proper care that the filter intake should be carefully placed so that is does not trap the gills. You can use a siphon to vacuum the bottom f the vacuum the bottom of the tank, alongwith a twenty percent water change every week. If is recommended that you use tap water and not distilled water so that the pH of the water remains in the range f 6.5 to 7.5.

Now you might want to add some variety and introduce some colourful gravel. When doing this, you should keep in mind that it is coarse gravel and not fine gravel that you should use. One of the main reasons of this is because there is a high possibility that your pets might ingest the fine particles during feeding.

Temperature is another important pointer to consider if you are intending to keep an Axolotl as pet. The tank should be housed in such a place that is away from bright sunlight. It is very important that the water be kept cool, ranging between 58-69 F, and under no circumstances should it shoot over 75F. Axolotls require no special lighting, and are more habituated to a world which is relatively dark.

In the wilderness, Axolotls fee on small amphibians and fishes to crustaceans, worms and snails. You can feed them an assortment of commercial fish pellets of salmon or trout, bloodworms, tubifex worms, earthworms to brine shrimp and strips of liver or even beef depending on your mood. You must, however, endeavour to give your pets a balanced diet, and if you are alarmed( and I understand that there is ample reason to be), you might opt for customized Axolotl feeding pellets which you can obtain from the internet or if you are a native of Mexico, you might even consider driving to the Indians University Axolotl Colony. Whatever food you give, do be careful about removing uneaten excess food from the tank on a regular basis.

The post Adopting the Exotic Axolotl! appeared first on Pet Attack.

Do animals have spirits? Do they also become ghosts after they die as many people believe about humans? Perhaps yes. There are many instances, where humans have experienced or felt their pets, better to say apparition of them, long after they have gone to their heavenly abode. It is believed that owners with strong bond with their pets, who suffered great loss after their sudden death, are often approached by ghosts of their pets to remind them that they are alright wherever they are and not to worry about them. It can be a made up story and hypothetical theory, no one knows. Also there are many contradictory questions to it like can only animal pets return as ghosts or if even insects like mosquitoes can come back as phantom animals from the afterlife. Below is a countdown of stories that make you twitch in your seats and leave you baffled. Have a look.

5. Ghost of Ozzy

This is story about a pet ferret, which had to be put down by the owner because of serious illness. Ozzy used to live in the owners grandmother’s house with another pet cat and both were best buddies. After the ferret’s demise, her grandmother started experiencing certain unexpected activities. She claims that every night she felt something climbing under her covers, near her feet. She even tried keeping the night lights on, stripping the bed covers, suspecting it can be mice, but nothing turned up. Also she noticed the cat’s behavior change as if it was playing with Ozzy, as it used to when the ferret was alive. Though her grandmother’s can’t see anything but she is convinced that their pet is still around them and comes to sleep right next to her feet every night.

4. Bandit came Back

This story might not be easy to believe so does every other ghost story unless it is scary. This begins when the owner’s pet died unexpected death while being treated for some illness which it suffered from past three months. The owner was quite attached to the dog and was devastated on hearing the news of his pet dog. Sad and not able to get over this tragedy, one night he went to bed and woke up out of his body. He sat up and looked around to find his dog’s twin sister sleeping at his feet. The room turned dark and he saw his dog, Bandit against his leg, looking at him. Though he didn’t feel scared but certainly he was taken aback. Bandit looked healthy, fresh and wagged its tail continuously. It jumped down and ran off in distance looking back at his owner and wagging his tail. He then woke up suddenly but the out-of-body experience was so realistic that he made a dash to his brother’s room and told him about it. The dog carried a message to his owner as to not worry for it and that he is happy now.

3. Ghost Friend

In one of the cases the owner’s daughter suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since she was 12. Due to this she was in discomfort most of the time. But the strange part was that from the past couple of years she had been telling her mother that a ghost visited her and sat on her bed when she really felt sad. She claimed that it always sat right next to her feet and the mattress would depress right there when it would sit. Suddenly a realization dawned upon her mother who was dead sure now that it was their cat Andy, whom they had lost couple of years back. How? Well, Andy, when alive used to follow the same routine when her daughter would have been sad before.

2. Diabolic Cat

Not satisfied with the above stories? How about a ghost cat lurking around in Washington D.C? Demon D.C is the name given to the cat that haunts the government buildings in Washington D.C. The story behind it begins when cats were brought in the basement tunnel of the building to get rid of the rat menace. As the legend goes, there is a black cat ghost that is seen before and after the presidential elections in Washington D.C. It was spotted by the White House guards, the night before John F. Kennedy’s and Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The cat is said enlarge to the size of a tiger and even pounce on its victim and disappear in mid air. In an incident in 1890, one of the guards had fired at it while the other got a heart after seeing it, though it vanished.

1. Out of Ouija

Calley had a pet cat called Princy, which was seven human years when it had died few years back. This story is about two curious friends who played with Ouija Board one night. Dangerous as it is, they tried with the game and started asking question to the spirits like, ‘What is your name?’ and ‘How old were you when you died?’ The thing that frightened them was when the board replied that its name was Princy and it is seven years old. After finishing off the game, strange things started happening day by day. Calley heard moans of cat, the same she had heard when Princy was dying. Often she would here purring sounds in the basement which would often scare her. All this continued for some time but eventually dropped to nothing. Calley thinks it was Princy’s way of saying goodbye to her owner.

The post Ghost Pets: Five fables of phantom Pets appeared first on Pet Attack.

Birds make good pets, but before I begin I would like to add a personal note to it. If you really want to keep birds as pets don’t cage them all the time. They have got wings for a reason. So if you saw your neighbor getting a pair of love birds home and you wish to get a bird friend too, go for a parrot. Parrots are social and intelligent birds. They are trainable and develop very strong bonds with their owners. You can cuddle them; play with them, they simple love interaction, be it with their owners or other parrots. Now that you have decided upon buying a pet parrot, you have got a number of species to choose from.

 Parrots as Pets

There are a lot of things to keep in mind if you have decided to keep a parrot as pet. Some of them include cost, space available in house, interaction and time spent with your pet. Generally parrots’ diet includes a variety of fresh fruits and veggies, sprouts, nuts and seeds. Parrots create a lot of mess while eating; one has to be patient to clean the cage regularly. Be careful when you let the parrot out of cage, usually parrots have tendency of chewing upon things like furniture. Protect your belongings before you let the parrot out of the cage. Parrots need exercise and should be left free to roam around in the house. May be you can make a place to play around. Parrots screech and create lot of noise. The owners should be committed towards the pet, and should give enough time and attention to the pet. Parrots are social birds. They need attention from their owners. They might get irritated and can cause a lot of destruction if not comfortable. If you think you can’t pay required attention to your bird pet, then better by it a companion.

Parakeets

These tiny parrots are about 7 to 12 inches in length. Caring for parakeet involves going for regular round to a veterinarian, even at first signs of illness. Also parakeets shouldn’t be kept with other species of parrots, they don’t along much together. It might lead to behavioral problems. Parakeets are good at learning and can be easily trained. They can be trained to talk, sit on owners shoulder, perform tricks etc. But all of this is only possible if your pet is comfortable with you. A strong bond needs to be built before you start making him learn things. They love petting and pampering. Care need to be taken care as they get ill easily. Proper cleaning of cage, regular change in water, washing of food and water dishes, regular exercise, and proper nutrition needs to be taken care of. The bird’s cage should be placed at some secure place, away from too much noise and direct sunlight.

Cockatiel

They are usually grey or cream yellow in color with blushing cheek patches. The difference between male and female is so undistinguishable visibly that a DNA test needs to be done. Cockatiels require more seeds in their food. Some other food items include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, corn and few fruits like apple, mango, pear and pineapple. Chocolates, ice-creams, pastries etc should be strictly avoided. These birdies require big cages, preferably longer in length than in height. Cockatiels don’t usually learn to talk but males can be made to talk and whistle more likely than females. Patient and soft training sessions can possible earn good results. Breeding is a little difficult and requires time and commitment. It is best practice to delay breeding until your pet is mentally and physically mature enough.

Parrotlets

The most popular parrot species is a beautiful blue colored Pacific Parrotlet as the name justifies. Now several colored mutations have been developed though. These species though puny are bolder than expected on seeing their size. There are different species even in Parrotlets based on their color and size. Green Parrotlets are a little smaller than Pacifics and slightly intimidated by new things while Spectacle Parrotlets, which are similar to Greens in size, turn out to be more curious and inquisitive. The cage size for parrotlets should be 18” in length breadth and height on an average. The cage should be longer than being tall. These species require a lot of food in contrast to their size. This mostly includes fresh fruits and veggies, grains, seeds and high protein foods. Fresh clean water is must for you pet. They bond well with person who spend maximum time with them.

African Grey

Considered to be the most intellegent of  all parrot species, it originally belonging to Africa, is about 12 to 13 inches in length from beak to tail. A big bird, if you have decided to pet it, you should consider having a big cage and spacious living place for your parrot. They will give you company till 50, although some can even live till the age of 70+. These are intelligent beings and that shows in their behavior. They are affectionate towards their owners, but if bored or frustrated it will create havoc. As the name says they have grey feathers, with threads of white over the fur and black beak. They have shiny red tail color in contrast to old grey look. Like other parrots their diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables but they can even be fed pelleted food along with egg, cheese bits and nuts and seeds. They provide a good company and can easily be trained to talk. If properly cared for they develop strong bond with their owners. But care should be taken as to what you speak in front of them as they tend to repeat everything and remember it too all thanks to their high IQ levels. That may land you in trouble later.

Macaws

Macaws are large, colorful parrots named after their feather colors like scarlet macaws, blue and gold macaws, military macaws and hyacinth macaws. There also exist mini-macaws which include species like Hahn’s noble and yellow colored macaws. They reach to a length of 20 – 40 inches depending upon the species. The life span is about 30-50 years though if cared well they live beyond that. They are playful, exuberant, and affectionate and remain happy when they get enough attention from their owners. Yes they screech, they are loud and noisy. They have excellent ability to imitate but not as good as African Grey. Macaws need large cage about 24”x36”x48” for an average size macaw. The cage must be strong enough to withstand their strong beaks. Since they are quite playful, you can get them wooden toys to chew upon and play with and some hangings to climb upon. Their diet can include pelleted food with usual fresh fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds.

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A pet is your animal companion and eventually becomes your family as you develop bonds with it. At one point this human-animal bond becomes so strong that it can turn your pet into your protector. There are hypothetical super-humans who risk their lives for your safety. Now let us have a look at super-pets who have pushed the limits of human-animal relationship and emerged as heroes with their extraordinary and unbelievable deeds to protect their owners and family.

Below are few instances where animals have proved themselves to be understanding, protective, heroic and above all a best friend.

1. Protector Pedigree

This incident took place on a fine October day in 2007. Charlotte Svillicic, a 17 month old baby was playing in yard in her Australian home when suddenly their pet Doberman, Khan starting making growling noises. The reason behind his snarl was totally unexpected, as it turned out to be one of the most poisonous snakes of the world, king brown snake, under the house. The dog tried to nudge the baby away but when it realized no avail in doing so, it lifted the baby with the diaper and tossed her few feet behind him. This startled the snake and in the sudden act it struck back at Khan and bit him on the paw. The snake dashed away and the toddler was saved, but the dog was ended up in hospital. Though Khan was given antivenin and he soon recovered but this act of courage got him appraisal and made him ‘hero of the day’.

2.  Parrot Alarm

Megan Howard, who was babysitting 2 year old Hannah Kuusk, heard her pet Quaker parrot screaming at the top of its voice and flapping its wings. Megan was in bathroom at that time and later said that she had never heard such shrill cries of her pet before. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw the toddler had chocked herself and her face had turned blue by then. Immediately Megan performed Heimlich maneuver over Hannah, a series of steps to save people from chocking. Although she saved the little girl but admitted that her pet had been the real life saver. The bird was later presented with the local Animal Lifesaver Award by Red Cross.

3. Lulu to the Rescue

While on a vacation in Pennsylvania woods, Jo Ann Altsman suffered from a heart attack. Lulu, her potbellied pet pig realized that something went wrong with her owner and somehow managed to get out of their mobile home, towards the road. When a car would approach, the petit piggy would lie down in the middle of road to stop the passerby. The times car didn’t stop, Lulu would go back to her owner to check upon her and then run back to the road. This intelligent act of the pig made a motorcycle stop and follow the pig into the woods. There he found the lady and immediately called 911. Such an immediate and surprising act saved by Lulu, saved the owners life.

4. A Meow saveS 3

Keesling family would have died in their sleep, had their cat not woken them up, by nudging and meowing loudly and continuously. A gas-powered water pump started leaking odorless carbon monoxide in the home. Nobody realized it except the cat, who tried her best to wake up her owners. Cathy’s husband and son were already unconscious, when Cathy got woken up by shrilling meows of her cat. Slightly feeling dizzy she called 911 and got help before it was too late.

5. Magic Mare

Animal therapy has long been known for its health benefits. Animals are known to reduce blood pressure and even prevent heart attack.  In a similar incident where horse therapy proved to be a boon to a patient who hadn’t spoken to anyone for three long years in her assisted-living facility. Magic, a beautiful mare with blue eyes used to visit patients, who needed comfort. That included her trips to hospitals, care facilities and group homes. When that patient saw Magic for the first time, she uttered out her first few words after a long time and that were,” Isn’t she beautiful?” Those words made every one come to tears and the lady improved considerably up on her health. This one interaction got Magic AARP’s Most Heroic Pet 2010 award.

6. Taking a bullet

In this heroic act by Lefty, this brave dog dared to cross all bounds when she leaped in front of one of the robbers, who pointed the gun at one of the family members. This incident happened during one night when the family home was broken in by four robbers. The dog took the bullet all by her and ended up getting injured on her leg and her shoulder. She was immediately taken to the nearby veterinary hospital but unfortunately had to lose one of her limbs. The cost of surgery was too much so in order to raise money for her treatment, they shared her story on Facebook. Not only were they able to get enough funds but the family pet became a heroic pup overnight.

7. Fire Fighter

Buddy, a brave German shepherd, received a silver-plated bowl from Alaska State Troopers for his heroic act when he saved his owners home from fire. When Ben Heinrich’s workshop caught fire in 2010, he shouted to his pet for help. Buddy made a dash to the road nearby and led a state trooper to the fire site. With the in-time help and Buddy’s bravery, Ben’s house was saved from flares.

These are just a few stories of bravery and selfless acts of pets towards their owners. These super animals have saved lives in time, with their intelligent and heroic acts. They are not just your friends, they are caring and concerned for you as any family.

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In humans, the pregnancy period is quite a delicate time, so is for animals. Proper attention care is required towards the animal whether it is diet, safety, exercise or meds. First thing to keep in mind is that, you should not breed your pet unless are ready to take up the responsibility of the litter. Just for the matter that your dog/cat should have the experience of having a litter is not a reason enough for breeding your pet. Also if you have already planned for it then you should go to a responsible breeder who has considerable knowledge about your breed. You can also consult the vet first to get the breeding done.

After your dog/cat is in the gestation period, a lot of attention and care is required from your side being an owner. Below are few important points that you should realize while taking care of your pet.

Diet

This is the first and the most important thing that your dog/cat needs good nutrition. Now that she is carrying babies, she needs to intake extra calories, to feed more than one. Improper diet can even lead to death of newborns. After mating and while gestation, you should make sure that your pet eats properly. During the first few weeks dogs eat in normal amounts but as the weeks precede so does their requirement. By the end of the gestation period they tend to eat 1.5 times their initial diets. Same applies to your cat so increase the amount of food you provide to your pet. Give your dog/cat commercial dog/cat food that is high in calories. Also talk to your vet about the dietary habits for your pet and how to make it better. Most importantly provide ample amount of water at all times.

Exercise and Fitness

You dog should undergo sufficient exercises though not vigorous ones. The target should be to ease the complications during delivery and not weight loss. Regular outdoor walks should keep your pregnant dog fit and fine. Cats usually take care of themselves on their own during pregnancy. They may undergo morning sickness like certain behavior changes, not having food on time, vomiting and restlessness. But worry not this is a part of the hormonal changes going inside her body. Sometimes you might not even notice such changes. If the cat doesn’t eat food for a long stretch of time do consult your vet. Weight loss is not recommended for your pet and a lot of rest and sleep is required, so don’t try to tire your pet, in the name of exercise. Again plenty of water is a must.

Discharge

Your pet both dogs and cats experience discharge from genital area during pregnancy. The discharge is often pinkish in color in case of dogs and transparent in case of cats. If the color of discharge differs, it can be pus or blood. You should immediately contact your vet in this situation. In case of cats, if the discharge is pink it is a fungal infection while green discharge indicates bacterial infection.  After delivery discharge is normal in case of cats, which can be thick and either punk or brown in color. This continues for 10 days so no need to worry. Discharge during pregnancy should be taken seriously ignoring certain conditions can even lead to abortion or premature delivery.

Surroundings

To make your dog/cat go through the gestation period comfortably you need to ensure that their surrounding environment is stress free and tranquil. Make separate bedding for your cat, some time before her due date like a box. Provide comfortable bedding or base, by putting a soft towel, blanket or may be an old launder that makes them feel warm and cozy. Place it in a silent location; make it a point to keep it away from other pets and children in the house so that your cat/dog may rest silently without any disturbances. Let her know where the box is kept but don’t force her to be there. She may end up choosing some other location to give birth or may even make changes according to her wish in her newly made space. Keep your pet away for three weeks after parturition so as to prevent transmission of any potential diseases.

After Birth Care

You should make sure that your pet feels comfortable and secure around people in the house. Keep a separate den for the new mommy where she can feed and tender to her litter without any trouble or disturbances. Keep a bowl of water close by, but make sure that pups don’t fall into it by mistake. Change the bedding regularly to avoid smell and maintain hygiene in their resting place. Clean the puppy poop from time to time, although in case of cats, the queen, that’s what the new mommy is called, tends to eat up her baby poop, clean and groom them simultaneously. This behavior is sometimes seen in dogs too and is fairly normal. Ensure that your pet has proper food even during lactation. Whenever you feel any abnormal changes like loss of appetite in your pet, insatiable thirst, discharge etc contact your vet.

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Since childhood, my younger brother has always wanted a pet. But his demand is not of an average pet like a dog, cat, horse, bird, turtle, fish or any other everyday creature of nature that we think of keeping in our house. He wants to pet a tiger and /or a lion and /or an elephant! Ridiculous, is it not? Since he does not have the means to fulfill his needs (currently), he keeps dreaming of becoming rich and keeping a real ‘Sheru’ at home. Rich people who can afford exotic animals and have a fixation for the same, often fulfill their desires. But is it a wise thing to do? What if your beloved pet turns on you one day thinking that you are its prey? Let me give you an insight into this kind of a lifestyle. These are two cases of what happened when you pet a wild animal.

Folly: Sandra L. Piovesan (50) had nine dogs. Except that they were not regular dogs- they were hybrids between dogs and wolves. Ms. Piovesan also had two Rottweilers that were neither kept nor bred with wolf-dogs. Aside from her animals she’d lived alone in the same house for about two decades and had separated from her husband and her daughter had grown up.Sandra thought that she had a spiritual connection with wolves but since she could not keep real wolves in her house, she decided to get half breeds as pets. She had raised all of them since childhood. She once told a neighbor they “give me unqualified love.”  Ms. Piovesan treated her wolves like children, and said as much when neighbors asked about them. The fenced area in her backyard was about the width of a three-lane road, running the length of her house. The area was divided into sections: one for the wolf-dogs, one for her pair of Rottweilers, another for wolf puppies, with whom she’d play and romp. Ms. Piovesan provided the wolf-dogs with toys — a replica igloo, balls, a plastic playhouse.

Wolves have the tendency to claim leadership of their area once they mature– they want to become the Alpha. The owners of other breeds do not have to think about returning home from work and be scared to confront their Lab, Rottie or Poodle and fight for the Alpha status. Ms. Piovesan was last seen alive on a Sunday evening at around 8pm. Her body was found on Monday morning in a caged rectangular enclosure in her backyard, home for nine hybrids. The autopsy reported that she had suffered multiple soft tissue injuries and had been mauled to death by her very pets. These 9 hybrids were later euthanized while her 2 Rottweillers were sent to foster homes.

Slightly more than 300 people were killed by 403 dogs in the period from 1979-96, a report says. Fifteen wolf dog hybrids were involved in fatal attacks. Number one at 118 deaths was “pit bull types”, purebred and cross-bred; second was Rottweilers with 67 killings, third was mixed breed and fourth was German shepherds. Wolf dog hybrids came in ninth.There are not too many certified incidences of wolfdogs causing human fatalities. On August 1999, 4 year old Cody Tyler Fairfield was killed by his family’s German shepard/wolf mix when the animal crushed his throat and trachea. Another incident involved 8 wolf dogs killing a 73 year old woman whose son owned the animals.

Not a mistake yet: They are one of the most dangerous animals in the world. Yet, one family does not show any fear when it comes to their 7 pet tigers! Despite having no experience with tigers, Ary Borges rescued two tigers from a circus eight years ago, and has since multiplied the endangered species in his home in Brazil. Now he has a total of 7 tigers. His wife, 3 daughters and granddaughter also love the tigers and play with them. The daughters swim with the tigers and the granddaughter rides them around the backyard. The girls feed meat directly into the mouths of the fully-grown cats as they join their human friends in the kitchen for dinner- and they even lounge around the house in the evenings. The girls even walk the tigers on leads. “Every day since they were born we have taken care of them and fed them so their instincts become dormant”, they say. The eldest daughter’s husband is afraid of these big cats and wishes his wife and daughter were not so close to the tigers as they can be lethal. He fears that something will go wrong even after all the safety precautions are being taken, due to his innate fear of tigers, like most people. Ary was forced to abandon a breeding program after being told by officials that he needed a permit. But he now hopes to build a park so his beloved pets can roam free and he can educate others of the plight of endangered tigers. The Borges family is happy and safe so far.

Big cats (lions, tigers, mountain lions, jaguars, leopards etc) probably provide the most exciting news stories when they attack or fatally maul their caretaker, and the news media never misses a beat reporting on it. So if you can recall the last time you heard of a big cat attack, you will probably realize that they aren’t very common either, occurring on average about twice a year. The victim is almost always the owner or caretaker. Many fear that big cats will be a significant public safety threat should they escape into the wild, however it should be noted that no big cat escapes off the property of the animal’s enclosure have resulted in a fatality thus far.

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