SKUNKS

Skunk - Photo: Pixabay

Skunks are famous for their ability to produce foul smelling odor to defend a prey. These mammals belong to the Mephitidae family. Eleven species of skunks are known. The types of species can be divided into four in general: Spilogale or spotted skunks, Mydaus or stink badgers, Conepatus or hog-nosed skunks, and Mephitis or stripped and hooded skunks. Skunks are found in North America, South America, Canada, Philippines, and Indonesia. 

Lengthwise they vary from forty centimeters to seventy centimeters and in weight they vary from one pound to ten pounds. They have front claws which help them to dig easily and have short muscular legs, which go with their reasonably long striped body. Commonly, their fur is of white and black colors, but there are skunks with gray, brown and cream colored fur. Skunks are stripped from birth. A thick stripe runs from their tail to the top of their head. Some may have two thin strips, broken strips or white spots. Some Skunks legs are also stripped. 

Some countries have laws about keeping skunks as pets. It is legal to have a skunk as a pet in the United States. Usually, mephitis species are preferred pets as they are very social. Before selling a skunk, the pet retailers remove the scent glands of skunks. They are supposed to live longer in captivity when compared to living in wild. Their lifespan is from ten to twenty years. It’s usual with Pilgrims and European settlers, in the United States, to keep skunks as pets.  

Skunks feed on both plants and animal and hence are omnivorous. Coming to animals they eat insects, earthworms, lizards, frogs, rodents, salamanders, snakes, moles, birds, and eggs. When they cannot find meat, they feed on wild fruits and seeds. Some skunks even feed on garbage, in urban areas.   

Skunks are crepuscular animals. Skunks stay aloof when not breeding, but stay in communal dens in the winters. They do not hibernate in the winters, but become inactive and do not eat much. They live in burrows dug by them or man-made pits or natural pits, depending on their necessities and situation. In winter, a huddle with one male and nearly twelve female live a den. They use the same den, every year in the winter. 

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Skunks have superb hearing and smelling sense. But their vision is not good. They can not see clearly more than three meters and that is the reason why most skunks are killed in road accidents. According to a study, nearly fifty percent skunks die due to road traffic and not more than ten percent cross three years of life.  

Skunks have the ability to carry rabies. Almost thirty-one percent of them are infected with it, but all the human rabies cases result from dog and bat bites. Before keeping them as pets, they should be vaccinated to avoid any mishaps. And in case, a skunk bites certain measures should be taken. Clean the wound thoroughly with antibacterial solution and water. If the wound is bleeding, apply an ice pack or pressure to stop it. Emergency service should be called immediately. After getting to the doctor insists on taking a tetanus shot. Try to catch the skunk, either dead or alive, so that it won’t spread rabies to others in the neighborhood. Also, a test can be performed to determine whether the skunk had rabies or not. 

Exotic Pets: DEGU

Octodon degus - Photo: Wikimedia

Degu belongs to the family of rodents. They are very friendly and intelligent pets when compared to other rodents. They are hassle free and demand less maintenance. Some people compare degus to chinchillas, squirrel and even gerbils. They have a tweed brown color and have a long tail with a brush like hair at the end. 

The tail is nearly one to two third of the body’s length. They use it to maintain balance while climbing and while walking they keep it in an upright position. Their belly is creamed color and there are circles around their eyes. Their ears are surprisingly big as well as their whiskers. They hinder the growth of their claws by nibbling on them, so they the claws don’t require grooming. Degu’s forelimbs are longer than their hind limbs. They are born with yellow teeth that turn orange after reacting to the chlorophyll present in plants, which also turns their saliva into orange. 

They are originally found in Chile and are exported to other countries. There are some import restrictions on degu in America, so it is uncommon to find degus at pet shops, but they can be found in pet stores, all over Europe. Initially, other countries brought them not as exotic pets but to conduct laboratory experiments. They do not have the ability to digest sugar, so they were used to test diabetes.  

When young, their size can be compared to hamsters and when they grow to their full size they can be compared to hamsters. They grow in size within few months, so all the equipment should be bought with keeping these constraints in mind. The cage should be big and must have a running wheel. Their average body weight is 160-230 gram when they grow into a full adult.

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Degus are very playful animals and lots of toys are generally kept in their cage. Baby degus do not fight at all and are always involved in playing. It would be a bad idea to keep their cage in the bedroom, as they will keep people away with all the noise they make. Although they are diurnal, they sleep for short periods and chances are that they stay awake for few hours at night. They are at peak of activity in mornings and evenings and otherwise, shut their eyes a little. Since they are sociable and not afraid of humans, it is recommended never to keep a degu alone. They should be kept, at least, in pairs. If they are kept alone, they life period decreases and they get really depressed, in spite of human attention. They also become aggressive.  

Degus have the tendency to shed their tail in defense when animals attack them. So it is recommended never to tug the tail. The tail bleeds and nearly half of the tail dries slowly and falls off or gets chewed by the degu. Even worse is that the tail doesn’t grow back.  They even don’t like to be held very tightly and for a long time. Never lift them from the top as they have the natural tendency of getting scared as the degus in forests get carried away by birds. Owners can gain familiarity by stretching out their palms and calling out to them calmly. The degus develop voice familiarity and get trained to climb onto the palm of the owner. 

In the forests, the degus can live up to less than a year and less than one percent live up to two years. But in captivity, they can live up to five years and more. Females, who live with males, die fast as they become weaker because of constant pregnancies. Their pregnancy periods last for eighty-seven to ninety-three days. Therefore, it is recommended that members of the same sex should be kept together as pets. If the owner is interested in breeding them, opposite sex can be kept together but should be careful about not exhausting the female with regular pregnancies. Keep In mind, that they shouldn’t beget a child more than once a year.  

Exotic Pets: RACCOONS

Raccoon - Photo: Flickr 

Raccoons are sometimes called the masked animals because of the black fur near their eyes which resembles a bandit’s mask. Their fur is usually of the colors white, black, grey and brown. They can be found in major parts of North America and Europe. Their native habitats are deciduous and mixed forests.  

They have five long fingers on each limb which help them in easy opening latches, boxes, jars, open trash cans and turn knobs. Their prints have a great resemblance to human baby’s handprints. Raccoon’s tracks are found mostly on mud near water, where they usually wander in search of food.  Their body weight can vary from six to thirty-five pounds and the length of their body can vary from twenty-four to thirty-six inches. Their bushy tail measures up to ten centimeters and has an alternate coloring of white and black. The black circle around their eyes, make them look mischievous and give them an image of a thief.  That is substantiated by the fact that they are often sighted in urban areas stealing human garbage or eating other pet animal’s food. 

Raccoons are omnivorous and apart from eating a nut, berries, corn, mice, human garbage they also eat fish, shellfish, salamanders, egg, bird, frog, insects, and amphibians. They have a habit of washing their food before consuming it, especially those who live in captivity. Pet raccoons can also be fed with cat food, as they enjoy it very much. A female raccoon gives birth to four to five offspring at a time. Raccoons mate in January or February and following by birth in April or May. They don’t hibernate in winter but do become inactive.

Besides rabies, raccoons can also be the carriers of parvovirus, canine distemper, and roundworm. Nearly thirty-eight percent cases of rabies are a result of raccoon bites, in the United States. If any unknown raccoon is spotted in the locality at daytime, the local health department should be contacted immediately. Raccoons show no sign of rabies and their body fluids will have the virus if they are infected.  

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It is illegal to keep raccoons as a pet in the majority of states of America because of the reason that they are a carrier of rabies which could risk human life. In states where they are permitted, special exotic pet permit should be taken. Orphans raccoons which are rescued from the forest have a higher risk of being rabies carriers. They should not only be vaccinated but also tamed. Raccoons can be bought from special breeders who would have taken care of everything beforehand because taming a raccoon is a really tough job. They have really wild instincts which require thorough and strenuous training. 

They have a natural tendency to bite, contaminate the food of other animals by excreting in it and are nocturnal. All these weird habits of raccoons require complete dedication of time and hard work. They can be even made to sleep at night. But raccoons held in captivity face health problems like obesity and develop a strange diet. The problem aggravates due to lack exercise. As they are omnivorous, they should be also fed with non-veg. diet, which is difficult for people who are vegetarian. When people make a decision of keeping raccoons as pets, they should be ready to keep it forever, because captive raccoons face lots of dangers when released in the wild. 

CHINCHILLAS Staying Healthy With Pellets and Hay

The chinchilla's process of consuming food is quite different than other animals.  They should have a lot of roughage and fewer nutrients.  One of the things that they must have enough of is pellets.

Chinchilla pellets can be purchased from a breeder or a pet store.  Not all brands contain the same ingredients.  When you purchase them, be sure that the basic ingredients are in the mix.  This would include alfalfa meal, wheat germ, molasses, oats, soybean oil meal, corn, and added vitamins and minerals.  The chinchilla pellets are long because the animals eat with their hands and they must be able to grasp them.

Photo by Daveybot

The chinchillas consume the pellets until they feel full.  When they get to that point, they will stop and refrain from overeating.  You can either feed them once or twice a day.  You'll want to figure out which feeding regimen is best for them.  Stick with whatever works best and be consistent.  If you're not, the chinchilla will know and the inconsistency will cause them to be stressed.

A chinchilla's livelihood is based on routines.  You can feed the pellets to them either from a hopper feeder or a ceramic bowl.  The hopper feeder is good to use because you don't have to concern yourself about it falling over.  Ceramic bowls are good because they are heavy and the chinchilla can't chew it like they would a plastic bowl.

Chinchilla pellets are one of the best things they can eat; but if for some reason you can't locate them, you can substitute rabbit or guinea pig pellets for them.  These are fine to consume as long as they contain plenty of fiber and are low in fat.  If for some reason you do have to switch their pellets, do it gradually.  Once they get used to a system, it's difficult for them to change suddenly.  They will adapt, but they get stressed if it happens all at once.

Hay is good for them because it also provides fiber for their system.  You can choose from two kinds:  alfalfa or timothy.  They can be purchased in loose or small compressed blocks with a measurement of 1" X 1" X 2".  The animals will eat both kinds and it must be chemical and mold free.  Because of their sensitive digestive system, chinchillas can only consume fresh hay.  To remain fresh, it must be stored in a dry place.

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Fifty-pound bags may be too much for a chinchilla owner, so cubes can be purchased in smaller amounts.  It's better if the cubes are broken into smaller pieces.  This way, they can handle them easier as opposed to being one cumbersome piece.  One pressed cube or a handful of hay is all an adult chinchilla usually eats.

An alternative to hay would be Bermuda grass.  If your house has a lawn with Bermuda grass, you can feed that to your chinchilla.  However, the grass must be chemical and fertilizer free.  Just wash it off and give your chinchilla a few.  Bermuda grass helps to remedy any digestive issues.  

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Djungarian HAMSTER - Phodopus sungorus

Djungarian HAMSTER - Phodopus sungorus - Photo: Pixabay

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TARANTULAS as Pets

Spiders can make great pets! I wouldn't suggest anyone with arachnophobia (fear of spiders) having one as a pet, but even beginner pet owners can take care of some types of spiders.

Female Mouse Spider (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tarantulas are the most common type of spider kept as a pet and have become more and more popular as a pet in recent years. Although people tend to fear to keep a tarantula as a pet, it is often more harmful to the animal than to the pet owner. Tarantulas can die from a shortfall if their abdomen ruptures, so great care must be taken when handling one.

Tarantulas are venomous, but in most species, the toxicity of their venom is not strong enough to seriously harm a person. A tarantula bite can be compared to a bee or was a sting. In most cases, it is harmless, though a person can have an allergic reaction to spider bites in much the same way that some react to bee stings.

There are hundreds of species of tarantulas and some are more aggressive than others. A few types that are great for beginners are Chilean Rose (Grammostola rosea), Curly Hair Tarantula (Brachypelma albopilosum) and Costa Rican Zebra (Aphonoplema seeman). The first is often the most highly recommended as they are considered the most passive of tarantulas.

In general, ground-dwelling or burrowing tarantulas are ideal for beginners, as they tend to be slower which decreases the chance of escaping their habitat or their owner's hands.

Most pet dealers sell only female tarantulas, as these make the best pets. Females live much longer than males as pets, and male tarantulas will wear themselves down trying to escape to find a mate.

The ideal habitat for a tarantula is a small, plastic terrarium or aquarium. Be sure to check that the lid is secured tightly, as tarantulas can be surprisingly strong. Line the bottom of the habitat with potting soil that can be dampened every so often.

Include a water dish and objects for the spider to hide in. Food can include small insects like crickets and moths. Also, make sure all items within the cage are soft. Tarantulas are climbers and if they fall on rocks or sharp objects, they can die. Temperatures should be above 70 but less than 90 degrees within the habitat.

Female tarantulas may molt about once per year, and when they do this, they will flip onto their side or back. It isn't dying (a dying tarantula will often curl its legs under itself), and should not be touched while on its back. After the spider molts, which can take a few hours, it is extremely fragile and should not be handled for at least a week.

The best thing to do if you're interested in keeping a tarantula as a pet is to research the particular species, as they can vary greatly, and remember to handle it gently. Believe it or not, but you are far more dangerous to a tarantula than it is to you.

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.com/ which is the online community for writers. She is also a stringer for the Standard-Speaker, a Pennsylvania newspaper, and is editor of Word of Mouth Magazine. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Caring for Your MARSHALL FERRETS

Caring for your Marshall ferrets is extremely important since it will ensure that you will have a very rewarding experience with your pet ferret. There are many aspects to consider when you are taking care of your Marshall ferrets.   

Photo: Wikimedia

Ferret Health and Maintenance

Ferret health needs to be checked regularly. They tend to swallow things and that they are not able to filter what they get their paws on. This danger will require you lots of vaccinations and treatment options. You may even have to consider having the number of the veterinarian on speed dial in case there will be emergencies.  

Ferret Diet

Ferrets are carnivores and they like a healthy dose of rodents and other tiny mammals that they can eat. But you also have to watch out for what the ferrets eat because if it were a dirty mouse, they might get infected with a lot of viruses. Processed ferret food is also an option but it is expensive and may contain less of the required nutrients.  

Training 

Training your wild Marshall ferrets can be very challenging, and you might need the help of an expert in training ferrets to ensure the best results. But if you have enough passion and drive to train your pet ferret, you can do so. You can start by having a specific time and place to train your Marshall ferret. You might also need to outline specific tasks that you want your ferret to do or things that you expect them to be able to perform after you train them.      

Teething 

Teething can be a very challenging for your Marshall ferrets. But you need not be scared when this occurs. The thing with teething is that your pet ferret will constantly need to grind and move its teeth as its molars and other types of teeth come out.   

Taking them On Field Trips

The thing with Marshall ferrets is that they really need a lot of variety, especially with their surroundings. They always like to be excited and they need to be taken on frequent or regular field trips. As a pet owner, you can get creative and not have to go past your backyard by having the right props to mix and match for your pet ferret. But in case things get stale, they like open spaces and then some holes with which they can move their way in. You may even play fetch with your pet ferret and put certain colorful objects underneath the holes for them to pick. 

Letting Them Socialize with Other Ferrets

Socializing is also an important facet of caring for your Marshall ferrets. They will get very lonely if they are left to fend for themselves. You only need to monitor their activities with other ferrets to avoid injuries. There may be some injuries but they are minor and part of the whole socialization thing they have to undergo as ferrets.     

Ferret Proof Your House

Your house must also be friendly to Marshall ferrets. You must not leave objects that are hazardous lying around. Also, avoid enticing them with food that can be detrimental to their health like chocolates that can cause stomach aches.

Be very careful with holes that lead to electrical wiring or pipes as the ferrets may get too adventurous and head off to that area and endanger themselves. Make sure that the areas where they are not supposed to roam free are closed shut. 

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