Growing Adult Brine Shrimp
June 25th, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World48 Comments
Brine shrimps, or artemia, are a zooplankton used mainly as fry food, but they can also be grown to about 20 mm (0.8 inch) in length and be a valuable food source for adult fishes as well. What makes brine shrimps such ideal fry food is their good nutritional value, their ability to live 5 hours in fresh water before dying, and the fact that the eggs can be stored for many years as long as they are kept away from water and oxygen. Once the dried eggs are returned into oxygenated saltwater they resume their development and hatch. This is an adaptation to living in desert lakes that dry up.
The time it takes them to hatch depends on the temperature. It takes 15 to 20 hours at 25C (77F). A higher temperature shortens hatching time. The optimal hatching temperature depends on the origin of the brine shrimps, however temperatures between 25-30C (77-86F) are recommended.
- Recommended salinity: 30-35 ppt (1.022-1.026 density)
- Recommended pH: 8.0 (pH 6.0-9.0 is acceptable)
Once they hatch they enter the umbrella stage, during which the larvae do not feed since they haven’t yet developed a mouth or anus. They survive on their yolk sac during this time.
After 12 hours they enter the second stage of development and start feeding by filtering micro-algae from the water. The nauplii grow fast, and can reach adulthood in 8 days. Brine shrimp can live for up to 3 months.
Since this article is focusing on growing brine shrimp to adulthood, I shall not address the question of how to hatch brine shrimp.
Caring for your brine shrimp
There are several factors that contribute to the successful raising of brine shrimp to adult size. The two most important ones, besides giving the brine shrimp the above stated water parameters, are:
- Feeding: brine shrimp are not hard to feed. They accept most food they can filter out of the water as long as it’s not too big and doesn’t dissolve in water. There is brine shrimp food available in pet stores, containing micro-algae for the nauplii to eat. There are, however, quite a few cheaper alternatives that you can buy in your regular grocery store; for example yeast, wheat flour, soybean powder and egg yolk. It’s hard to know how much to feed the nauplii, but the transparency of the water can be of help. During the first weeks you should be able to see about 15 cm into the water. When the nauplii grow, the food concentration should be kept a little lower, and a water transparency of 25 cm is recommended. Food levels should be kept constant, so frequent feedings are required.
- Aquarium maintenance: Brine shrimp are usually kept in small tanks, and therefore water quality may deteriorate quickly. Water changes are of utmost importance. I recommend changing at least 20% two times a week. This is to prevent low oxygen levels which will be a result of poor water quality. It’s also important to clean the bottom of the tank since brine shrimp moult very often during their way to adulthood, leaving a lot of remains on the bottom of the tank which may lower the water quality. Cleaning should be done at night using a flashlight to draw the brine shrimp to the surface. Brine shrimp are drawn to light, and the light from the flashlight will attract them to the light source, keeping them safe while you clean the bottom of the tank.
Breeding brine shrimp
If well cared for and kept in a low salinity, your adult brine shrimp will (or might) spawn in your aquarium. Every adult female is capable of producing 75 nauplii a day, or 300 every 4 days. They will be able to spawn 10 times during a normal lifespan. However if well cared for they can, as I stated earlier, live for as long as 3 months and during that entire time spawn every 4 days.
About The Author
Article by William Berg writer for Aquatic Community with more then 20 years of aquarium experience. Find more of Williams articles about Brine shrimp or maybe something completely different like Lungfish
Parachromis Managuense
June 25th, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World10 Comments
Parachromis managuense has a bad reputation, just like many of the other large predatory cichlids. This reputation is largely undeserved, and besides, the positive sides of these fishes more than make up for any negative ones. Not to mention that an adult P. managuense is incredibly beautiful.
I’ve kept these cichlids and have nothing but good to say about them as long as you have an aquarium large enough to handle this species that grows to 55 cm/22 inches. I would say that the absolute minimum to keep these cichlids together with other cichlids is a tank of 540 litres/120 gallons. And that’s a minimum; a larger aquarium is preferable. Large specimens require even larger aquariums. They can be bred in aquariums that are at least 250 litres/55 gallons.
The aquarium should be decorated so that natural territory boundaries are created and so that there are a lot of hiding places for the female, as the male can be quite mean to her if she isn’t ready to breed when he is. Larger rocks should be placed directly on the bottom of the aquarium since this species digs a lot and can move large stones. Use silica to glue caves and stone formations together so that they don’t fall down.
This species hasn’t got any bigger demands and thrives in most water conditions as long as pH and DH levels aren’t too extreme in either direction.
P. managuense can be kept with other cichlids from the region as long as they aren’t too small and can stand up for themselves. This is true for most cichlids species from Central America. P. managuense can be aggressive, but in my experience their aggressiveness is greatly exaggerated and P. managuense leaves most fishes alone. However, during breeding they will protect their young and their territory furiously, and since they are quite large they can claim large territories especially if normal boundaries aren’t created in the aquarium. But I wish to stress that P. managuense normally isn’t that aggressive and doesn’t beat other fish to death. Just don’t keep them with fish small enough to eat (except for Ancistrus which usually survive despite their small size).
Feeding P. managuense is easy and they accept just about any food. I recommend feeding them a diet of pellets, shrimps and fish bits. To vary the diet I sometimes feed them live feeders, usually convicts since it seems that one always have spare convicts one can’t get rid of by selling or giving away. I usually feed my P. managuense twice a day with the occasional week without food.
Sexing P. managuense is usually easy and follows the line of most other cichlids. Females are smaller and rounder. Breeding P. managuense is according to my experience also easy as long as you give them their own aquarium. Breeding them in aquariums with other cichlids is harder, but not too hard. The biggest problem is deciding what to do with and how to raise the very large number of fry. Each spawning can generate up to 2000-3000 fry.
They are usually very good parents and the fry grow very fast. They guard their young for up to 6 weeks during which time the fry reach a size of 1.5 - 2 cm, or approximately 3/4 inch. After that the parents spawn again and the fry have to be removed or the parents will kill them while protecting the new batch. However on rare occasions the parents can protect two batches simultaneously. This usually ends in the second batch being eaten by their older sisters and brothers, which will grow very fast on this diet. :-)
Spawnings are usually 4-7 weeks apart. They usually lay their eggs on a rock or root that has been carefully cleaned, and then dig very big craters right down to the glass bottom in which to keep their young. The fry are small but accept most kinds of food. The parents will spit out pellets that they’ve chewed into tiny pieces for the fry to eat. The growth rate I mentioned above is based on my own experiences when I feed only pellets. However, I don’t recommend you to rely too heavily on the parents chewing food for their young. You might observe whether the fry get the food they need this way, but if they don’t I recommend you feed the fry if you want them to survive.
Raising the fry without their parents is much harder and I wouldn’t recommend separating fry unless it’s absolutely necessary. If possible, it’s better to wait a few weeks until the fry have grown a little.
If you like predatory fish and are willing to take my word that most of its reputation is undeserved, then I recommend you to try this very beautiful fish.
About The Author
Article by William Berg writer for Aquatic Community with more then 20 years of aquarium experience. Find more of Williams articles about other cichlids or maybe something completely different like dogs
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Unusual Breeding Behaviour In Wild Caught Archocentrus Sajica
June 24th, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World12 Comments
I would like to write a few words about my experiences breeding wild caught Archocentrus sajica and a surprise that these fish gave me - a surprise that shows the fascinating and diverse behaviour of these animals.
I got a pair of wild-caught sajicas from a friend who had collected them on a trip. Since I had kept this species before (in fact it was the third cichlid I ever bred), I didn’t expect any surprises. Well, I was wrong.
For want of better accommodations I put the 6 cm/ 21/2 inches long cichlids into a 540 litre/145 gallon aquarium that was already overly crowded. In the aquarium already swam four 20 cm/8 inch Texas cichlids, a pair of N. festae (25 and 20 cm/ 10 and 8 inches), a pair of N. managuense (about the same size as the N. festae) and four Natal cichlids, Mossanbicus mossanbicus, (20 cm/ 8 inches). The tank was also inhabited by two convict cichlids (about 4 cm/ 11/2 inches) that had originally been put there as feeders, and finally loads of Ancistrus that just wouldn’t stop breeding. All of the species were breeding regularly in the aquarium. As I said, the aquarium was already very crowded. I knew I was taking a chance putting the small sajicas in with these predators, but I didn’t have any choice.
To my great relief the sajicas found themselves loving their company and were left alone by their larger predatory cousins. The aquarium was decorated with two very large roots that reached all the way to the surface of the aquarium and which created three natural territories for the fish in the aquarium. There were small gaps under the roots that the ancistrus utilised for breeding. The larger cichlids couldn’t get into these spaces. These large roots made the water in the tank very dark and made it look like a black-water river aquarium. However the water was harder and the pH level higher than what you might expect to find in a black-water river.
When the sajicas had been in this aquarium for a week, on a diet consisting mainly of Hikari pellets and shrimps, they spawned for the first time. Anyone that has kept A. sajica wouldn’t be surprised about this, the surprise would be if they didn’t breed during the first month. However the surprise was how they bred. My experience is that sajicas are dedicated parents that watch furiously over eggs and fry. But under these conditions this pair chose a different approach. The female laid her eggs on a root halfway to the surface. Her eggs had a much darker tone then A. sajica eggs usually have, and matched the colour of the root almost perfectly. This was something the parents seemed to be aware of, since they didn’t care about protecting their young. They both swam all over the aquarium just as before the egg laying, and it wasn’t unusual that the two fishes furthest from the eggs in the entire aquarium were the sajicas. Occasionally they did chase away some ancistrus. You would think that this strange parental behaviour would mean the end of the eggs in an aquarium where several fishes could eat all eggs in one gulp. But this was not the case and almost all the eggs survived and hatched, at which time the parents moved them (spat them) under a root where not even they could get in. They then continued acting as if nothing had happened. When the fry were free-swimming the parents took their young out for expeditions about 1-2 hours each day. The rest of the time they left them under the root, where they apparently found food because they grew nicely.
The parents continued to take them on these little expeditions for about a month, after which the fry had grown to approximately 1.5 cm / 3/4 inch. The impressive thing is that almost all of the fry had survived to this age. After the parents had stopped caring for their fry, the young quickly became bolder and started swimming around, which led to all but two of the fry being eaten one week later. (There had been 50-60 fry before that). These two however did manage to grow up in this aquarium.
The wild caught A. sajica couple spawned many times in this aquarium, once every 2-3 months, and they always had great success using this method. At one point I moved them to another aquarium about half as big as the other and with clear water. They shared this tank with a number of other cichlids, mostly fry from the larger aquarium. In this aquarium they spawned in the way one is used to seeing A. sajica spawn, i.e. standing guard over their eggs and fry. A little later the couple was moved back to the 540 L /145 gallon aquarium and they then started to “hide” their eggs and fry again.
Out of curiosity I also tried keeping them in an aquarium with clear water and a large pair of N. managuense as company, and the sajica couple spawned standing guard over their eggs and fry. It seemed like they simply chose another strategy in darker waters. I have kept other pairs of breeding A. sajica in the 540 litre/ 145 gallon aquarium since then, but none of them have shown this behaviour. I’m hoping that others get to experience this unique behaviour that just goes to show that cichlids never stop being surprising.
About The Author
Article by William Berg writer for Aquatic Community with more then 20 years of aquarium experience. Find more of Williams articles about other Breeding freshwater fish or maybe a completely different pet like Dogs
Ph Levels In The Discus Tank
June 24th, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World11 Comments
Because it is imperative that discus fish have optimal water conditions, much has been written about this subject, This is the plan put in place to insure proper PH water levels in our hatchery.
Allnut Enterprises’ breeder, Nick Lockhart of Noblesville, Indiana, has many ingenious ideas as to how to accomplish things in the hatchery. We begin our experiment with two matched pairs: two red melons, and two leopardskins. They are lovely, friendly fish, and have been getting acclimated to our tanks and the aquarist since the end of June.
Initially, we begin to prepare for the new arrivals by setting up the tanks in this manner: water was tested for PH and nitrite levels, and a proper ecosystem for active bacteria was begin by populating the tank with cichlids that Nick has been raising prior to the purchase of the discus. When we felt that the water/bacteria levels were correct, we set up the meeting with the breeder, and made the trip to Bloomington, Indiana.
Upon arrival at home base with a travel time of about an hour and a half, we immediately begin to acclimate the pairs to their new home. We were advised by the breeder to let them acclimate to the new tank water by “floating” the bags containing the fish for approximately one hour to equalize the temperatures, and to add a cup of water to the bag from the tank to equalize PH levels.
We did not, however, follow this procedure. We took approximately six hours to acclimate by adding a cup of the tank water to the bag each hour, and keeping a close eye on the discus and PH levels, because they were stressed from the trip. A Hanna PH digital meter was used for testing, which gave us a very accurate reading. As large changes in PH in a short period can shock the discus, we were careful in this approach. Our water at the time matched the water in PH levels from the breeder closely.
Because the two pair were bought for breeding purposes, Nick was not comfortable with the PH level, which at that time was at approximately 7.5, high for optimal breeding conditions of 6.5-6.9. What to do?
We had read that hanging a mesh bag of peat moss would help to lower the PH, but were not happy with the idea of having debris from the Peat in our tanks, which are kept scrupulously clean. We knew there had to be a better way to accomplish this goal.
Because Nick lives in town, and has city water, he uses a Reverse Osmosis filtering system to insure that the water is free of chemicals and suitable for the aquarium. Knowing that Peat Moss will lower the PH in an aquarium system, and having a large bag left over from making culture for Grindal and White Worms, he took a 5 gallon pail, and drilled a series of holes around the perimeter of the bottom of the pail, using a 3/32″ drill. He then lined the bottom of the pail with a think layer of regular aquarium filter floss, and topped that off with a thick layer of Peat Moss, with the finished pail being about two-thirds full.
The outlet hose from the RO system was then allowed to drain into this pail. Setting the pail over the top of the holding tank, the water slowly drained down through this medium into the holding tank.
Initial test of the recycled water showed a drop in PH to below the base of 7.0. We have been adding the water to the discus tanks slowly through water changes so as to not shock the fish, and at our business meeting this weekend, Nick informed me that the PH levels in the discus tanks are now at approximately 6.6, which is the optimal level for breeding discus.
Cost of the project? If you already are using an RO system, and have a holding tank, you will spend a twenty dollar bill getting the Peat Moss and filter floss. Not bad, considering a breeding pair of dicus can run you $425 dollars!
Alden Smith is CEO of Allnut Enterprises, a diversified company, and is involved with discus breeding. His website is http://www.kingdiscus.blogspot.com
Breeding Piranhas
June 23rd, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World10 Comments
Piranhas are unique creatures that have gained popularity not just because of their appearance, but also due to the many myths that are told about them. Unfortunately only a few species of piranha have been bred, including Serrasalmus nattereri, S. spilopleura, S. gibbus, S. rhombeus. Another that is considered relatively easy to breed is S. maculatus.
Whichever of these species you choose, you should have an aquarium of at least 100 gallons. A group of 5-6 piranhas is quite appropriate; however if you want them breeding it is best to keep a pair only, so that there are no other fish to bother them. To find a mating pair select two adult piranhas, one thick and the other thinner - in most cases thick piranhas represent females and thinner piranhas represent males. Just make sure you are not looking at them after they have been fed. Although having found a male and a female doesn’t automatically mean success, it is a step on the way.
The ideal temperature is between 73-83F. Standard fluorescent bulbs are fine for the lighting. Piranhas also like some protective cover, and you should also make the lighting of half of the aquarium darker than the other. Piranhas are hardy fish but it is a good idea to maintain the water clean and clear. In their original Amazon River habitat, the rainy season is when most fish spawn. Frequent and bigger water changes seem to have an immense effect on the success of breeding (as they simulate the rainy season) and are most helpful in getting the piranhas into breeding condition.
When your piranhas lose all their colour and turn almost completely black, they are in breeding condition! Both of them may start to protect a certain spot; chasing off other piranhas that come too close. When they start picking up gravel in their mouths as if digging, it usually means they have already begun the mating process. Be careful not to disturb your piranhas during this time! The female will release eggs into the pit, and then leave the nest (but might stay close by it). The male is usually responsible for guarding the nest and eggs. The number of eggs laid varies from 700-4000. The eggs hatch in 2-3 days.
If you are lucky enough to have reached this stage, then it’s time to take care of the fry. Prepare a 10 to 15 gallon tank with heater and undergravel filter. Water should be from the parents’ tank. Be very, very careful when transferring the fry, as the parents can be extremely protective and aggressive. The fry will quickly absorb their yolk sacs and you can start feeding them live baby brine shrimp as food.
One thing you should be aware of is the legal issues. Some states do not allow the sell or ownership of piranhas at all. Other states require that you obtain a permit to sell or own a piranha. Be sure to check to see if any local restrictions apply before purchasing your piranhas.
About The Author
Article by William Berg writer for Aquatic Community with more then 20 years of aquarium experience. Find more of Williams articles about Piranhas or an article about completely different pet like Dogs
A Reference Guide For Symphysodon Aequifasciatus (discus)
June 23rd, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World11 Comments
This is general information on Discus, a member of the family Cichlidae. Although certainly not a complete reference guide, it will give those interested some background information on this exotic fish…
Symphysodon aequifasciatus (Discus)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes
)
Order: Perciformes (perch-like fish)
Family: Cichlidae
Scientific Name: Symphysodon aequifasciatus
Other Scientific Name(s): Symphysodon aequifasciata, Symphysodon discus aequifasciata, Symphysodon aequifasciatus aequifasciatus, Symphysodon discus tarzoo, Symphysodon aequifasciata axelrodi, Symphysodon aequifasciata haraldi
Common Name: Discus
Range: South America: Brazil, Peru. Found on Amazon and Solimoes rivers of Brazil, from the lower Rio Putumayo-Ica and from Benjamin Constant to Belem. Has been introduced to the Rio Nanay in Peru.
Diet: Carnivorous. Frozen foods preferred, but will accept flake foods. Particularly like red bloodworms, but feeding “live” food is not recommended. Red worms, etc, should only be fed to discus once every other day. Beware of parasites or bacteria in the discus tank from live foods!
Temperament: Timid of strangers. Easily frightened, unless placed in a high traffic area. Can be very friendly to aquarist, oft-times eating out of the hand. If given a place to hide, they will tend to do so.
Sexing: Discus are hard to sex unless breeding. Normally, the male will be larger, and will present with longer fin extensions and a wider forehead.
Breeding: Buy either proven pairs or a group of young fish and allow them to pair themselves. The eggs are laid on a breeding cone. A clay flowerpot turned upside down works well. The fry must be kept with the parents after hatch, as they “feed” off the body slime of the parents. Special care must be taken to insure that fry do not injure the parents when getting larger. Watch for marks on the body of the pair, and if it begins to occur, the fry are ready to be moved to a community tank on their own. If left w/ the pair, serious injury can result.
Special Care: If kept specifically for breeding, a bare-bottomed tank is highly recommended.
Other Comments: To keep Discus well, water conditions are absolutely crucial. A PH of 6.3 to 6.9 is the optimal level for keeping discus.
Water Temperature: Discus like it warm. They come from the Amazon basin, so water temps for these fish should be 80-84 degrees F, although some aquarists set the temperature as high as 90 degrees F.
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Alden Smith is a published author, and has been marketing on the internet for 7 years. His website, King Discus, is an active gathering place for discus breeders and lovers of discus fish.
His wife Betsy is the administrator of All The Best Recipes a site rich in online recipes and cookbooks.
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Raw Feed. Are You Joking
June 22nd, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World12 Comments
Let’s think about this for a minute: God did not design our animals to eat pre-packaged, kibble or pellet-like food. In the wild, dogs don’t tell each other, “Hey, I’m hungry, let’s go to the pet food store and grab us some lunch.” As if!
No, together, they go out and hunt down their food, then dig right in while it’s still warm. Sorry about the graphic image, but well, that’s nature for you! They also do not stoke up a campfire and sit around singing Kum Bi Ya while the meat gets cooked. Nope they just have at it in the natural raw form.
Now you might be thinking, “Yeah but that’s wild animals, not our sweet kitties and dogs.” Think again. They are and will always be carnivores. They need raw meat and bones to be healthy with a fully supported immune system. Also the raw, non-weight bearing bones such as the shoulders and backs give dogs and cats strong, clean white teeth eliminating the need for dentals done under anesthesia at a veterinarian’s office, something that is not only much riskier but much more expensive than feeding your dogs and cats what they were designed to eat: meat.
Your other pets such as horses, guinea pigs, birds and rabbits also need natural raw food in order to thrive. They do not forage for pellets, let me tell you. Many birds are omnivorous so they’ll eat fruits, veggies and meat. While our other furry and feathered friends need to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
Kim Christopher states, “Proper diet is among the more important considerations in the health maintenance of your pet and essential in the management of many diseases. To feed correctly, a knowledge of dietary nutrients and their availability is important.”
And Dr. Russell Swift,”Carbohydrates are not needed by dogs(or cats). Carnivores cannot maintain long term production of the quantity of amylase enzyme necessary to properly digest and utilize the carbohydrates. In addition, the proteins in grains are less digestive than animal proteins. As a result, the immune system becomes irritated and weakened by the invasion of foreign, non-nutritive protein and carbohydrate particles.”
So just what do you think most packaged pet foods commonly know as premium kibble contain? Grains. Byproducts. Toxic preservatives.
The question would then arise, if pet food manufacturers know this (they must because they’re in business to know) why are these things added to our pet food and why are we told that these packaged foods are so good? Even our mainstream veterinarians are selling these foods to us.
Good questions. Part of the reason is because it’s cheaper to use grains and byproducts. Byproducts can be anything we’d normally throw out such as beaks, feathers, feet/hooves, euthanized animals, road kill, you name it. It all gets rendered and added into our packaged pet foods.
Oh but it gets better. These foods are then baked. Here is what Dr. Betty Lewis stated on her website, “What’s wrong with commercial foods? The number one item which makes commercial foods inappropriate for pets is that these foods are cooked. No one has ever reported seeing wild animals routinely barbecuing their meals! Raising the temperature of food above 118F destroys all the enzymes and many of the nutrients.”
To top it all off, in order to be able to say that these commercial foods have all the needed nutrients in them, they SPRAY on the nutrients. To get more details on this pick up the book by Ann Martin, Foods Pets Die For.
One of the best things you can do if you’re confused about how to get started feeding your pets a natural diet is to first find a holistic veterinarian in your area and then find out what is appropriate for your pet. Homeopathic and holistic vets really adhere and promote the complete natural lifestyle for your pets and can help you put together a diet that will give your pet what he/she needs for full nutritional support.
All the problems we’re seeing in our pets: allergies, skin disorders, cancer, diabetes, feather plucking, pulling out furr, etc., can almost alway be attributed to poor nutrition AND to food allergies. Their immune systems are compromised because they are not getting enough nutrition to support themselves which then weakens their immune system. Then we see disease. If the immune system is not supported properly, disease gets a front door welcome into your pets bodies.
So if you want to start seeing your pets live healthier, longer lives and also greatly reduce your vet bills, then switch to a natural, raw food diet. Your pets will love you for it!
References: http://home.earthlink.net/~pawsreflect/nutrition.html http://www.raot.org/information/nutrition.htm
About the Author:
Kim Bloomer is a natural pet care educator helping pet owners learn to care for their pets through natural, holistic means. Disease prevention is her goal to help pet owners lower their pet care costs and extend the lives of their pets. Visit her website Aspenbloom Pet Care and her dog’s blog barkin’ about natural pet care from a canine perspective Bark ‘N’ Blog
Pet Containment. Keep You Pet In The Yard And Out Of Places You Don’t Want Them To Be
June 21st, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World10 Comments
Pet Containment
If you just recently became a pet owner or you’ve had one for many years the basics are simple. You have to feed your animal, make sure it gets its shots, and play with him as well. But, you also need to keep him safe. Pet containment systems can help you do this. Whether it’s a trip in the car, a visit to the vet, or just being outside in his own yard, an animal can react to outsides circumstances causing him to get into sticky situations. He could run into a crowded street or enter a neighbor’s yard. Pet containment is important to every pet owner for two reasons: the pet’s safety and the public’s safety.
There are several ways pet containment can work for your pet. If you have a small animal, a carrier is often the most obvious and easiest method for transportation to and from areas. But, larger dogs require bigger guns. For instance using a muzzle may help ensure your dog doesn’t bite anyone. Also, many pet owners use pet containment in their cars and vans to transport animals. Even such things as simply using gates to make sure the animal doesn’t jump or get into certain areas can help keep the animal safe.
Another form of pet containment is using electronic fences. These are often called pet containment systems. They work very simply. An underground sensor reacts with the collar that is placed on the dog. When the dog gets to close, the pet will feel an electric stimulation to cause them to move back. This type of pet containment can help eliminate the need for a costly fence around your yard. It is a safe alternative as well. It only causes the pet a small amount of discomfort and does not hurt the animal.
As you can see, there are many ways to use pet containment to help prevent accidents and trouble with your pet. Pet containment keeps animals safe and secure. It helps prevent outside distractions that can cause harm to your pet to or to others. Pet containment is something every pet owner needs. Finding quality pet containment will ensure your satisfaction is met. Pet containment can provide a sense of security to any pet owner. http://www.dogtrainingcollars.net
Byron Pappageorge
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Vaccinations Cause Vaccinosis Your Pet Is Being Harmed
June 21st, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World11 Comments
Annual Vaccinations for Your Dog?
Are they really necessary? - In a word, NO!
You probably receive an annual reminder from your vet that your dog is due for his/her annual checkup and vaccinations. I do.
But I don’t have my dogs vaccinated any more.
For years I was hoodwinked into believing that vaccinations were essential to my dogs’ health. Why else would my vet tell me my dogs needed an annual booster vaccination shot?
Why indeed.
I learned the answer when, after careful research, I decided not to expose my dogs to what I believe is unnecessary, and potentially dangerous, toxins, any more.
I received the letter from my vet as usual, advising that my dogs’ annual checkup and vaccinations were due.
I made an appointment and arrived ready to do battle. I advised the vet that I had decided not to have my dogs vaccinated any more. She said “Fine.”
That’s right - after years of leading me to believe that these vaccinations were essential to my dogs’ wellbeing, the vet agreed that they were not in fact necessary at all! She went on to stress the importance of still bringing the dogs in for their annual physical checkup (which was what I was doing, and certainly intended to continue to do).
So that’s why we’re all told that our dogs need annual vaccinations - it’s simply a ploy to get us in so our dogs can be given a physical. Why not just tell us how important these annual checkups are instead of slowly but surely poisoning our dogs with these vaccines?
I don’t have the answer to that, but I can tell you I was speechless.
I’ve now found out that all across America a new protocol for vaccinating dogs has now been issued and is slowly making its way to vets. (I haven’t been able to locate a similar protocol for Australia, but I’m sure it’s in the pipeline). This protocol does not recommend any vaccinations for dogs beyond 1 year of age!
Make sure you ask your vet next time a vaccination has been recommended for your dog - it this really necessary? And if you’re not satisfied with the answer, consider getting a second opinion from another vet.
Side effects of this appalling over-vaccination which has been going on for years can be significant and severe.
You can clear your dog’s system from all toxins by Removing Toxins Naturally - Click Here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/RemoveToxinsNaturally
Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in holistic dog health. Her site, Healthy Happy Dogs, has pages and pages of information on improving your dog’s health naturally. Brigitte is the author of a number of reports, articles, and the Healthy Happy Dogs newsletter.
For your special FREE report - “How to Improve Your Dog’s Health Within 30 Days - Maybe Even Lengthen Your Dog’s Life!”, Click Here for Your Free Dog Health Report! - http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com
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The Wire Fox Terrier
June 20th, 2008 | Posted by catto | Category: Pet World11 Comments
Of the thirty-three terrier breeds (most of which were first used for hunting of some sort and so came up as aggressive and lively), the Wire Fox Terrier has a reputation for scampishness. That is, the breed with the challenging personality that has been identified throughout its history as being as foxy as the fox it was once used to hunt.
Though beginning in the 15th century, it was the smooth-haired Fox Terrier was favored by the British to go to ground for small game animals, the sibling Wire Fox Terrier was right on its heels. By the 18th century when the English made fox hunting the ideal sport, the hunt masters (the one assigned to kill the fox) chose terriers to be by their sides, though were dismayed that the terrier s legs were too short to keep up with the foxhounds. This generated a great number of hunt kennels, where the smooth-haired Fox Terrier was bred, developed, and improved upon to meet the hunt masters needs and standards and where by the mid-18th century the Wire Fox Terrier became an improvement on the smooth.
A cross between the smooth Fox and the rough-haired Black and Tan Terrier, the Wire Fox Terrier was now brought to the hunt, too, to be used in the hunt for fox routing. With a muscular, low-to-the-ground and compact body, the Wire Fox was an energetic and game breed (by now acknowledged as a separate breed, that is) that continued as the ideal foxer for another hundred years.
Then, in the early 1900 s, the attraction to both varieties/breeds took on a very different bent: the Smooth Fox Terrier was discovered by the general American public in the 1920 s on the logo for a recording company label, pictured listening to his master s voice. But the Wire Fox Terrier was spotted in 1934 playing the role of Asta, Nick and Nora s impish pet in the Thin Man, and the Wire Fox Terrier personality (and reputation) was born.
The Wire Fox Terrier is still today lively, playful, and a little foxy. Full of peppery spunk and on the hunt for play at all times may, as some have decided, suggest a challenging (ahem obstinate) way, but given its alertness, this also means the Wire Fox is a great watchdog and even better pet for kids.
In fact, the Wire Fox Terrier needs activity. So daily exercise and a small bit of space to romp are ideal elements in the Fox environment. Also ideal is an occasional bath for the wiry, broken haired coat and frequent brushing to prevent what little hair might mat–from the shedding that does occur.
The rest of the needs of the Wire Fox Terrier with staying powers that outlast the best fox and with the hardy and cocksure personality are simple if you are up to it if you are up to the antics of a terrier breed that are always a surprise. Even to the Master.
Stephanie Hetu Happy Terrier Dogs
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