WRISTBANDRUBBER

3 House Plants Safe For Cats to Use in Your Home

Many cat lovers want to spruce up their homes with house plants safe for cats but are not sure what plants are safe. In addition, they want plants that are colorful and easy to keep alive. Before going out and purchasing beautiful plants that could be harmful to your kitty, check the list below for four easy to care for house plants that are both safe your children and your cats.

African Violets

African violets are great house plants since they do not need direct sunlight. They are easy to maintain in almost any house. They can be place on the floor or hung from the ceiling. In low lighting, the leaves turn a deep dark green, which is ideal. If the lighting gets too bright, the greens turn pale and may turn yellow. If this happens then just move the plants away from the lights.

Boston Fern

Boston ferns can grow H-U-G-E and that is why some homeowner’s love them. Place them on the patio and they flourish. The deep colors and jagged leaves add beauty to any room. If you want to plant to grow indoors, you need to watch humidity levels during the winter months. Boston ferns require a fair amount of humidity to grow. Without proper humidity, they have a tendency to shed their leaves. If your fern starts shedding leaves, then place some water in a saucer with some rocks.

Spider Plant

Not only are spider plants a safe choice for your home but they are easy to share. They are best when hung from the ceiling as the “spiders” shoot off and hang down. These offshoots are great to cut off and give to friends. Simply cut off the offshoot and place in a glass of water to root-out. When the roots get long enough to plant, you can place in its own pot to start a completely new spider plant. If you want your spider plant to remain full and robust, cut off the new “spiders” as they appear.

Christmas Cactus

The Christmas cactus blooms in pink, fuchsia, white and yellow. Cacti give a unique look to a house. With the easy care and longevity, the Christmas cactus can be passed down from generation to generation. However, if you want them to bloom around Christmas time they do take a little extra care. I know what you are thinking. It’s a cactus. Won’t it hurt my cat? Nope, the Christmas cactus is perfectly safe to have around pets.

When it comes to your pets, you can never be too safe. The ASPCA has a complete list of hazardous house plants to avoid and you should look it over to keep your pets safe. Cat lovers may also want to consider planting a cat garden as an alternative. Cats like to nibble on house plants and if they have a healthy alternative, they are more likely to nibble on what is acceptable.…

Do You Need a Ferret Hammock?

There is only one thing a ferret likes to do more than zoom around and that is to sleep. Can you believe that ferrets sleep on average 15 to 20 hours a day! If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I think I want to come back as a beloved family pet ferret. Maybe I could catch up on some of the sleep I’ve missed in this life.

Seriously, though, they spend nearly 80% of their day sleeping. That is why it is so important for you to provide them with a safe, comfortable place for them to burrow in and doze. They need to be able to regulate their body temperature while they are sleeping, so depending on the temperature of your house and the season, you will need to provide different kinds of bedding for your little guy.

During the warm summer months the best choice for your ferret is a ferret hammock. Ferrets love to curl up in a hammock (who doesn’t) where they can catch a breeze. The ferret hammock is suspended between two “trees” so to speak and allows your ferret to lounge in luxury and stay cool and comfortable. If you have more than one ferret, you can get a larger hammock that can accommodate them both. They love to cuddle up together for a nap. They can also use the hammock as a perch or a jump off point to get to different levels of their “home.”

When the winter comes, they are going to need extra warmth so they don’t get chilly while they sleep. There are these adorable sleep sacks you can purchase that lie on the floor of the cage or on some level and it has an opening that they can crawl down into. They are burrowers by instinct, so the love to snuggle down under the covers for a long winter’s nap. This sleep sack usually ends up being one of their favorite play items too as they zoom around their cage when they wake up. Ferret life is sounding better and better don’t you think?

Whatever you end up getting, make sure that it is machine washable. You will want to take them out and wash them occasionally and you don’t want to take it out of the dryer and have it be half the size it was when you started. Also monitor your bedding for any tears or signs of chewing or tearing and replace it when necessary.

Sleep is a very important facet of your ferret’s lifestyle. So it is important for you to provide them with the safest, most comfortable place for them to sleep and play. Ferret hammocks and sleep sacks are not that expensive and they are the perfect way to show your little guy how much you love them.…

New Ferret Buyers Guide For Lazy People!

Your friend just got a ferret and now you want one. You read some information online and checked out some You Tube videos and you’re hooked. They have a strange odor and can be trained new tricks. But before you adopt one of these fascinating animals, you need to prepare yourself.

Before you introduce your new pet to his new home, make sure that your place has been fully “ferret proofed.” In case you don’t know, ferrets are natural troublemakers. Born explorers and persistent, they have the ability to squeeze into the tiniest openings and steal any object they find interesting. Even if they aren’t made for climbing, you can catch your ferret in the most unusual places. They are professional thieves and con men. So keep an eye out on these little guys. Close off any gaps that lead into any potentially dangerous situations. Check under sofas, beds, refrigerators, washers and dryers to make sure they can’t get squished. Get rid of any reclining chairs. Too many stories of mangled ferrets in reclining chairs. So I wouldn’t even entertain the idea of trying to ferret proof one. Ferrets love to chew on things, so hide any exposed wiring, and small objects, especially Styrofoam, rubber, sponges or anything that can tear easily. Gastrointestinal blocking causes a large percentage of fatalities among ferrets. You get the idea.

Introduce your new ferret to his new home and let him get acquainted with you. Don’t send out an email to your friends to come on over to check out your new pet. Save it for a later date. Feed your ferret some treats by hand through the cage at first. Do this often and be patient. In the next few days, open the cage and have him feed from your palm while you stroke him. Eventually, you can let him out and carry him in comfort.

Scruff training is essential. A firm grab right behind the ears can calm your ferret down. This is done naturally by their mothers, and should be practiced by you regularly.

Play tug of war with him, role him around and grab his tail. If he plays too rough, meaning that he nips too hard, keep him in check by grabbing him by the scruff and give him a firm “no.” Do this early and be persistent. In a short time, they will instinctively know not to bite you too hard, but they don’t mean harm, so don’t get upset. When trimming nails or cleaning ears, grab him by the scruff with one hand and support his lower body and feet with your other hand. This should put him in a relaxed state.

Litter train your ferret as early as possible. You should already have a litter box placed in the cage. Ferrets naturally do not want to soil their sleeping area and will back into any corner to do their business, so this can help you out. But you will want to slowly expand his enclosure and discipline him for doing using the restroom in the wrong spot.

All of these tools will socialize your ferret in a healthy manner. Finally, when you’re comfortable, invite your friends over to meet the new member of your family.…

The Truth About Marshall Ferrets

Ferrets are actually the domesticated type of European polecat mustela putorius. Mustela is a Latin term which means weasel as well as putorius which means smell bad in latin since polecats have glands that is capable of producing bad smelling liquid as their defense mechanism.

Ferrets are usually captivated and have been bred long ago. In fact, the upper class is the ones that can afford these hounds and were used in hunting deer, games, and wild boar. Therefore, ferrets have become a part of the working classes that are still observed today, particularly in the traditional territories of North England.

Although ferrets have the reputation that is somehow unpleasant like they are considered as smell, savage, not trustful and bad tempered, but still many people are having them as pets. Such thinking is actually far from the truth. Ferrets just like the Marshall ferrets if handled properly starting from the early age can be amiable, fun and docile.

They are not as wild as the dog or cat that nip or bite if they are aggravated or handled improperly. If you are opting to buy a Marshall ferret to be your pet, there are several things about these lovable pets especially on how to handle. That way you can be sure that you are buying the right ferret that suits you.

First thing you should know is about how the ferret smells. These wondrous animals have musky smell which most people find quite offensive but others don’t feel that it is not troublesome. Thus it is important to spend more time holding your ferret so that you will know how you will feel about its odor.

However, even the ferret was being descented, the smell still remains due to the odor that comes from the ferret’s skin glands. Hence, you don’t have to let anyone convince you that the odor can be removed because it is not true. In fact, bathing a ferret will not help remove the bad odor, instead it will make the odor stronger since the skin of a ferret will is being dry out so the skin glands will tend to make more oil.

Whether it is a Marshall ferret that you own which comes from the premiere ferret breeding company, still it is similar to those other ferrets that really smell bad. These animals were born to have scent glands that are capable of releasing strong odor. This is the reason why, some ferrets that are being sold in the US or in other countries, their glands have been removed.…

Tricks Are For Ferrets

Ferrets are made for fun. I like to think of them as “land otters.” But don’t let their playful demeanor make you think that they are not highly intelligent. If you use problem solving as your measure of intelligence, ferrets rank above cats and dogs. If memory is the measure, they rank somewhere between dogs and cats. Their habit of moving on to the next interesting thing in their environment makes training your ferret somewhat of a challenge.

A key component in training your ferret is understanding his short attention span. His training sessions need to be brief and fun. Due to your ferret’s natural curiosity, the best training environment is familiar ground. A new environment will invite him to explore, a known environment is old news and not as distracting.

Begin your ferret’s training with teaching him to stay on your shoulders. Start by sitting on the bed to minimize the results of an accidental fall. Utilize a combination of positive and negative reinforcement. Invite him to climb on your shoulder with a treat as the motivation. Praise him for staying still and gently stroke him as you reward him with the treat. If he starts to get down, get his attention with a loud “No!” It won’t take long for him to realize that it is more enjoyable to stay on your shoulders.

Ferrets are self-centered creatures. They require some sort of reward to motivate them to obey. The more highly valued the treat, the more likely you will experience cooperation and learning. The trick is to teach the ferret to relate performance of the trick with the reward.

Some of the tricks your ferret can learn include “sit”, “come”, roll over” and “beg.” Your pet can be taught to recognize his/her name. Find a way to persuade your ferret to do the action, identify the action with a command, and give the appropriate reward for the action. Stay at it until he makes the connection between the command, the action and the reward.

For example, to teach your ferret to recognize his name, call his name over and over until he looks up at you. When he does praise him and give him a treat. This works the same way with other tricks. Hold a treat above his head where he has to sit up to get it. Clearly say “sit” when he reaches for it. Let him have the treat and praise him for his behavior.

Experts agree that there is a difference between training a dog and a ferret. Any trick you can teach a dog, you can teach a ferret. Although a ferret can match the dog’s intelligence, the motivation is different. A dog will learn a trick out of the sheer joy of performing it or wanting to please his master. Your ferret expects to be rewarded in some way for his obedience.

Your ferret is a fun-loving animal. Make your training times fun for him. Remember to keep them short and be patient. He will enjoy the special attention you give him during your training sessions and reward you with learning the tricks you are teaching him.…

The Little Baby Ferret

Just like any new born the baby ferret is the same, cute and defenseless, they need to be with their mother for the first part of their life and then after around six to ten weeks they will be hopefully fortunate enough to go to a new home that loves them and cares for them, how they deserve to be cared for. As young they are known as kits and like other pets will need to be vaccinated.

They can also be De-scented and neutered, these little guys like the skunk can give off an odor when they feel threatened or scared, although it is not quite as offensive it can still smell a bit, but they can be De-scented. Some people do not agree with this, where others feel it is perfectly okay. It is best to get advice from your veterinarian, although who ever you may be getting your new kit from may of already had this done. It is just something to keep in mind and a definite question to the ask the kit seller.

Some people prefer to get an adult ferret, either from a rescue center or from some one who can no longer accommodate their pet, this is fine, but all their habits will have already been formed. If you decide to go for a kit, then it is important to get a few things right at the start of your relationship.

The new kit will need to be handled as often as possible and not just by one person of the family, it is best to get all the family involved and then the new kit will be use to the whole family and become at ease with different people. The training of your kit should start immediately, from showing and placing your kit in its litter tray, to dissuading it from doing things that they should not be doing.

Make sure that you have provided in the cage a comfortable bed, they need to feel safe and secure when they are in their own little environment and they will always like to burrow into their bedding. Before you bring your kit home make sure you are aware of the food that they have been consuming, changing this could upset their system, if it is not the food that you want to continue them on, then you can gradually ween them off it and onto a new type by mixing them together and gradually phasing out the old one.

Their diet should be quite strict and consist of a good amount of protein and fat, they are not best served things that we eat, but can have treats recommended by a pet store and these should be used in their training. The sooner you start training the better for you and your kit in the long run. It may seem like hard work to begin with, but it will be worth it as your new fuzzy friend will know the boundaries that you set.

The biggest thing to do when you get your kit home, a part from obviously taking good care of it, is to have as much fun as possible, we all like fun and so do these little guys. Ferrets will provide endless entertainment, so join in and enjoy the fun together.…

5 Point Plan in Taking Care For Sick Ferrets

If there is one thing that pet owners do not want to experience, it would be handling sick ferrets. Besides, seeing them ill and sick is like encountering challenges, all of which are truly uncertain.

Taking care of sick ferrets either requires professional treatment or tender, loving care. The first logical thing to do is take note of the symptoms, impose some first aid or bring them to the vet.

There are cases wherein, out of the counter medicines proved effective. Meanwhile, there are some common diseases that could very well end up as life-threatening illnesses. Nothing about sick ferrets gives us any relief, which is why when you are not sure of how things are done or how it should be, it is always best to keep track of the following tips.

1. Study your pet’s condition and try to assess any relative symptoms. This may include hair loss, lethargy, aggression or loss of appetite. While these symptoms may belong to one form or type of disease, others are also indications of serious health conditions.

2. Giving them enough water comes handy, especially if you are dealing with sick ferrets. Normally, pets with stomach-related illnesses or common diarrhea suffer from weight loss or reduced appetite. This may cause them to lose bodily fluids, which could lead to dehydration and the only remedy would be lots of water supply.

3. Try to feed sick ferrets as much as possible. While this can be a downright challenging task, assisting your pets while eating is also applicable. This can be done by simply hand-feeding your pets until he is strong enough to eat on his own.

4. Refrain from giving solid foods. One problem that owners tend to have would be administering food into the pet’s system. To help him in terms of digestion, it is only proper to give him soluble foods. You can choose to give more liquids instead of normal ferret food. Others also regard the importance of giving ferrets homemade duck soup.

5. Lastly, once you have tried all possible solutions but to no avail, a quick stop to the vet is your last resort. Never give sick ferrets any medicines without the doctor’s prescription. Ensure his safety by means of giving him only allowed medicines or food. Do not jump into mere conclusions unless you are through with the doctor’s prognosis or recommendations. Betteryet, it is always necessary to verify facts and think less of myths and unfounded clues.…