Tomlinson's - Pet Supplies For Texans Since 1946

Pet Care by Tomlinson's

Pet IQ Trivia Questions
Pets have been around since the dawn of time and fascinating facts and statistics about them fill many books. Here are a few trivia questions you can puzzle over.

1. Can you hear better than your cat?

2. What did President Lyndon B. Johnson do that got him in trouble with pet lovers?

3. Do you know the name of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's black Scottie dog?

4. What country is thought to be the first place in the world where cats were domesticated?

Answers:

1. No. Scientists say most cats have hearing that is at least five times more sensitive than that of an adult person.

2. President Johnson was photographed picking up one of his pet beagles by the ears.

3. FDR's black Scottie was named Fala.

4. Egypt

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Choosing a bird cage
When selecting a bird cage, bird owners whould keep several basic considerations in mind:

Is the cage large enough to house the bird and its toys?
Are the cage bars properly spaced for the intended bird?
Is the cage door large enough for the bird to easily enter and exit? Can it be secured so the bird can't escape?
Is the cage constructed of materials nontoxic to the bird?
Can the cage be cleaned easily? Does it have hard-to-reach areas where bacteria can grow?
Are the seed and water cups placed properly? Can they be easily removed and cleaned?

Today's bird cages are available in a variety of styles--square, round, pagoda-shaped, house-shaped and more. Whichever style a bird owner selects, the cage should be large enough to accomodate the full wingspan of the bird, with room to spare for toys and accessories. Cage bars should be spaced so birds cannot fit their heads between them, thus eliminating the likelihood of injuries. Doors also can be a source of injury, especially since many birds are intelligent enough to open a cage door and escape. Some companies make cages with double door openings, making it virtually impossible for birds to escape.

Iguana Treats
Iguana Treats

Feed your iguana on a regular schedule, feeding the amount recommended on the package label.

Treats
Add a dish for treats. Plant matter is essential for iguanas, and in fact should comprise 98-100% of the treat diet. Dark green, leafy vegetables are the most important source of plant matter. One of the reasons for this is that these deeply pigmented vegetables are a great source of vitamin A. Any well stocked grocery store should have a wide variety of greens such as kale, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, watercress, endive, bok choy, escarole, spinach and duckweed. Other items that should be used are thawed, mixed frozen vegetables such as peas, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

Do not feed iceberg lettuce, it has almost no nutritional value and many animals prefer it to other more nutritious foods. Don't forget seasonal foods such as dandelions, either. Many people have more dandelions than they care to deal with in their yards. As long as they have not been sprayed with an insecticide or weed killer, they are an excellent source of nutrition. Iguanas will eat both the green leaves and the flowers.

The other plant matter that the iguana will love is fruit. Colorful fruit, especially red and yellow fruits, seem to delight iguanas. They will "run" across their enclosure to get these foods. Try to limit the amount of fruit to 5 - 10% of the treat diet as they are lower in nutritional value than vegetables, and have a bowel loosening quality. Again variety is very important.

Supplements
Herbivores fed an adequate diet should require minimal vitamin/mineral supplementation. A high quality calcium supplement can be lightly sprinkled over the food once daily. The calcium powder supplement should not contain phosphorus because the goal is to maintain a positive "calcium:phosphorus" ratio. If the calcium supplement contains vitamin D3, it should not be used more than once a week. A high quality vitamin/mineral supplement can be lightly sprinkled over the food once weekly. Processed diets should not be supplemented with any vitamin/mineral mixture. This can cause vitamin/mineral imbalances or a toxicity that is detrimental to the health, or could even cause death.

Kaytee Products

Hamster and Gerbil Illnesses
Health and Illness

Wet Tail (Proliferative Ileitis) One of the most common diseases of hamsters is a condition known as wet tail. Although not definitely determined, it is most likely caused by the bacteria Campylobacter, although E. coli is also sometimes isolated. Signs include watery diarrhea, moist matted fur around the anus or tail and weight loss. Teddy bear and long-haired hamsters are the most susceptible. Over the counter medications rarely work.

Tyzzers Disease is more common in gerbils (and rats and mice) than hamsters. It causes diarrhea and death. It is caused by the bacterium Bacillus piliformis, and is best prevented by keeping a very clean environment, bedding high quality food such as Kaytee, and keeping stress to a minimum.

Both hamsters and gerbils are susceptible to internal and external parasites include mites (which can cause mange with dry, flaky skin or hair loss), lice and fleas. Internal parasites most commonly seen in these pets include pinworms and tapeworms. Weight loss of the presence of actual worms in the droppings or cage means a trip to your veterinarian is in order.

Cancer is the second most common disease seen in pet hamsters, and can also occur ( although less frequently) in gerbils. Some of the cancers seen in hamsters are benign (which means they don't spread throughout the body) and these can often be removed surgically by your veterinarian. Malignant tumors are usually not treatable in these species. Colds and Flu can occur in hamsters and gerbils. In both you may notice itchy runny eyes and nasal discharge, as well as respiratory difficulties, lack of normal eating and a lack of normal activity. If you have other pets, isolate the sick one and keep it quiet, warm and comfortable. Do not use store bought antibiotics or ones in your medicine cabinet because they are ineffective in treating viral colds in gerbils and hamsters which are extremely sensitive to certain antibiotics.

Kaytee Products

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Tomlinson's - Pet Supplies

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