Here are some important tips for Pot Belly pigs:

1. Spaying or Neutering is Highly Advised – Spaying and netering alter the hormones of a potbelly pigs or any pets like dogs and cats and make them less aggressive and gives you a more manageable pig. Pot belly pigs have a distinct odor that is pungent and strong and as they grow older it became stronger and more pungent. Spaying and neutering lessen or totally removes the stinky odor.

2. Feed Properly – Pigs are voracious eater so it is advised to know the right amount of food given to them. The right food varies on their age level and it is advised to check a vet to determine the amount of food given to the pigs. Not following the right amount of food can cause overweight and may lead to poor health and heart attack.

3. Proper Usage of Litterbox – Pigs need to be trained to use the litterbox or else you will be having a messy space. Pigs are actually clean in nature and once they identified a litterbox they will be using that for bowel purposes. If there is no defined space for the pot belly big it will consider the entire home and surrounding as the space to litter and that leads to a messy and unhygienic place.

The 3 tips are common when new to a pot belly pig and must be followed. Always consult a vet when doing a dire action like spaying or neutering and ask people with experience in pot belly pigs especially in establishing a litterbox and space.

Homemade dog foods is not as easy as mixing a bowl of meat with a bowl of potatoes. The nutrients dogs and cats need differs from us and we are not all nutritionist or vets. Our expertise when it comes to pet’s nutrients is actually insufficient for us to prepare homemade pet foods. Although it is an advantage preparing pet foods that are fresher, there are many factors to consider first before we shift to the home made pet food from commercial pet food.

1. Pets are focused on Nutrients and Less on The Ingredients

Commercial foods are made based on the pet’s nutritional needs. They are processed to provide the needed daily nutrients of our pets. Concocting our recipes may be risky for we might be depriving them of important nutrients such as proteins and carbohydrates.

2. Fresh are Good but Raw are Bad

Fresh foods are good and in fact, vets advises pet owners to give fresh foods to their pets such as bananas and some veggies but not all pets eat veggies and fruits. Raw meats are dangerous. Even though our pets may enjoy nimbling raw meats and bones, it is not safe to give them raw and uncooked foods. Pets are susceptible to salmonella and E.Coli with raw meats. There are also studies showing that dogs became aggressive when feed with raw meats.

Home made pet foods are good but it must be well prepared. Seek advice from your vets or find an online recipe for your dogs and cats. There are even books for pet foods. Commercial pet foods are still advisable because they are economical but it would also be a good treat to your pets if you cook for them once in a while.

Here are some basic information about rabbits that everyone needs to know before having rabbit as a pet:

1. Spaying and neutering is advisable to rabbits. It extends their lifespan and prevents them from acquiring diseases. It also lowers their aggressions and mood swings.

2. Rabbits are social animals so you need to give them much time. They can also interact with dogs and cats if introduced properly.

3. Rabbit pellets are not enough. Rabbit needs to have fresh leafy vegetables and hay as well.

4. Rabbits are not recommended for active young children for they may got harmed when picked or played with. Rabbits are sensitive and fragile.

5. Rabbits likes to be near with their owners but does not like being held most of the time. The prefer to be just on the ground.

6. Rabbits needs to be in a large cage and is safer in indoors. Safe from predators and bad weather.

Rabbits are social animals and would be a great companion and pet to your child but do not put all the responsibility to your child alone. Rabbits are sensitive and needs guidance from adults.

Exotic pets are those animals that are rather unusual to have as pets but are not wild in nature like Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Parrots and Iguanas. The exotic pets are covered by certain laws due to its adaptability to environment unlike cats and dogs that can easily adapt to the home environment. Wild Animals are extremely prohibited and considered illegal to be used as pets due to its domestication issues and also problem in adaptability and may also threatens their survival.

Here are some reasons why you should not consider having Wild Animals as pet from HumaneSociety.org:

Caring for wild animals is difficult or impossible

Despite what animal sellers may say, appropriate care for wild animals requires considerable expertise, specialized facilities, and lifelong dedication to the animals.  Wild animals also pose a danger to human health and safety through disease and parasites.

Baby animals grow up

Baby animals can be irresistibly adorable—until the cuddly baby becomes bigger and stronger than the owner ever imagined. The instinctive behavior of the adult animal replaces the dependent behavior of the juvenile, resulting in biting, scratching, or displaying destructive behaviors without provocation or warning.

Wild animals spread disease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discourages direct contact with wild animals for a simple reason: They can carry diseases that are dangerous to people, such as rabies, herpes B virus, and Salmonella. The herpes B virus commonly found among macaque monkeys can be fatal to humans.  Tens of thousands of people get Salmonella infections each year from reptiles or amphibians, causing the CDC to recommend that these animals be kept out of homes with children under five. A 2003 outbreak of monkeypox was set in motion when African rodents carrying the disease were imported for the pet trade and infected native prairie dogs, who were also sold as pets.

Domestication takes centuries

Wild animals are not domesticated simply by being captive born or hand-raised. It’s a different story with dogs and cats, who have been domesticated by selective breeding for desired traits over thousands of years. These special animal companions depend on humans for food, shelter, veterinary care, and affection. Wild animals, by nature, are self-sufficient and fare best without our interference. The instinctive behavior of these animals makes them unsuitable as pets.

Capturing wild animals threatens their survival

The global wildlife trade threatens the very existence of some species in their native habitats.  Often, they become sick or die because their owners are unable to care for them properly. Captive breeding is no solution. It does not take the wild out of wildlife.

Wild Animals are not meant as home pets and also when choosing Exotic pets consider always the risks to human health and safety, animal welfare, and the environment for some exotic pets may not also be domesticated enough or not suitable for your home and environment.

If you’ve used a GoDaddy coupon code to make your own pet website, consider adding a warning about exotic pets to your site as well.

Here are the materials needed for the parrot cage:

Bird Cage

Bird Food Bowl and Water Bowl

Bird Perch

Parrot Toys

Parrot Play Pens

Parrot Treat

First, make sure the bird cage is wide enough for the parrot. The parrot should be able to freely move in the cage and can stretch its wings fully. A good cage is when a parrot can flop its wings and fly a little from one point to another.

Second, add bird food and water bowls. The bowl should not be too deep and just enough for the parrot to reach the food and the water.

Third, add play pens and perches. Parrots are playful birds and they like to have some toys in their cages.

Lastly, always clean the cage and give your parrots treats. Parrots are very appreciative and they like it when they receive treats such as bird foods and fruits.

Before starting to have a parrot pet in your home, talk first with your veterinarian and ask for advice. Parrots are sensitive birds and must be treated with utmost care.

Overheating usually happens when the sun is too high that the outdoors is so hot and may be unbearable to our pets. Even the indoors such as cars and our houses can be too hot for out pets.

The signs that our pets especially dogs and cats are suffering from heatstroke or overheat are as follows:

* panting too much

* sluggish

* loss of appetite

* disoriented

* and vomitting

If you see all these symptoms especially too much panting because pets pants  to breath in and out cool air, so that they can breath in moisture and vapor to cool their bodies, so if panting is evident, then give them cold water to drink or put some ice cubes in a bowl for them to lick. It is also advisable to call the veterinarian for additional remedies. Another great idea is to spray your dog some cool water or give them a bath to cool their bodies.

If the room is too hot, you can turn on the air conditioner or the electric fan and let it face in your pets especially dogs. Dogs love facing the air from the electric fan. If your pets are inside the car, don’t leave them too long or at least park your cars in a cooler place like under the shade of a tree.

When bring your dogs to the park, it is a good idea to bring a bottle of water and a small bowl so in times that the temperature it high, you can give your pet a wisk of water in the face and have some to drink.

Heatstroke due to overheat are common in pets and be a responsible owner. Know the signs and know what to do. A sluggish dog or cat may not just be sleepy or tired. They might be suffering from heatstroke and heatstrokes can lead to cardiac arrest in cats and dogs. So always be cautious with weather changes and know what to do.

So what is the truth? Is it really bad? or beneficial? Lets find out!

Onions and Garlic came from the Allium species in which a type of herbs that are commonly used by humans for flavorings and medicines for it promotes better blood flow and causes warmth to our body but the Allium substance may not be beneficial to the dogs and cats. It is not really well documented if Garlic and Onions are bad for the animals but in my own opinion the effect is based on the amount of the Allium taken.

Here is the logic, we, humans uses a small dosage of garlics and onions in our food, probably just half a clove of garlic and one piece of medium sized onion for a single dish. Doubling or tripling the amount will have a nasty effect to us and the same effect will happen to our pets if they intake high dosage of garlics and onions and that makes the Allium toxins to their body. Remember that they have smaller body compared to us.

So the best thing to do is to keep away Garlic and Onions away from our pets.

Here is a concrete definition of Spaying and Neutering:

Spaying and neutering refer to the surgical sterilization of an animal. In other words, spaying and neutering ensures that your pet cannot reproduce.

Another reason why neutering and spaying is a good practice is that it will also prevent unwanted animals from being euthanized. Let’s face it. We can’t take care of many pets in our small homes and given our busy schedules, having many pets is also not a good idea.

Here are some health benefits of spaying and neutering:

1. Female pets will never get pregnant. Without the reproductive organs of our pets, there be no  unwanted pregnancy and its complications.

2. Your Pets will not be “in heat”.  Pets in heat often gets infight with other pets. They will try to sneak out looking for mates and they create annoying sounds to attract partners.

3. Female Pets Will No Longer Have Unwanted Visitors: Your house will be safe from intruding pets trying to seek your female pets.

4. Lessen The Urge to Roam – With no sexual heat cycles, your pets will prefer staying in home protecting it from intruders than roaming around and getting lost.

5. Happier and Healthier Pet. Your pets will be happier for there will be no distractions, stress, unwanted diseases and fights with other animals.

So if you really dont have plans on breeding your cats or dogs, then have it spayed and neutered. It is actually our responsibility to control the number of cats and dogs and prevents them from living in the streets or worst.. getting euthanized.

Another good thing, there are spaying and neutering services to assist you and your pets and in some cities its free. Neutering and Spaying is actually endorsed by most animal welfare societies like PETA.

Chocolates are considered to be toxic to dogs and cats because of the chemical it contains. Chocolates came from the fruit beans called Cacao which contains high amount of Theobromine. Aside from Theobromine, Chocolates also contains a small amount of Caffeine and both compounds are considered to be toxins to dogs and cats.

So how does Chocolate affects your pets? Theobromine, which is highly present in Chocolates stimulates the central nervous system of dogs and cats which causes extreme nausea and vomiting. Theobromine also is an stimuli to dogs and cats Cardiovascular system which leads increase blood pressure, stress and fatigue due to high and fast heart beat and can lead to heart attack and death.

How much is Fatal? How much is Safe? Giving enough measurements of how much fatal and how much is safe is actually not a solution because at all times we must consider that Chocolates are toxic to pets. But according to studies, it would take 1 to 2 kilos of Chocolates for a medium sized dog to have cardiac arrest but I find it pointless, the best way is not to give your cats or dogs Chocolates at all.

I give my dog some chocolates? Shall I panic? How will I know if my dog is poisoned from Chocolates? Ok, so you gave your dog some hershey’s kisses because you cant resist it. Well, don’t panic, your dog is still fine but make sure that it will not happen again. You can tell if your dog got poisoned by the chocolates you give is if it is acting differently. The signs includes over excitement, nervousness, trembling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, head down and looking tired and seizure. By the way, its not just the Chocolate bars that are toxins, Chocolate cakes, Chocolate flavored ice creams and anything that has chocolate in it are toxins.

What to do when signs are visible? The best thing is to call the vet. If thats not possible, try to relax your pet and give your pet some water or an ice cube for it to lick. It will calm your pet down.

So next time, think before you toss something to your pet. You may want to tweet this to your friends so they know not to feed their pets chocolate.

Most parents today deprive their kids from having pets due to fear of asthma attacks they may get from pets.

Childhood asthma is caused by inhalant of allergen sensitization. Allergic reactions are caused by proteins in the food or reaction to different chemicals. Proteins in the dander, urine or saliva of pets such as dogs, cats, birds and even fishes causes allergic reactions and can trigger asthma attacks to anyone who exposed to pets.

There are actions that can be made to prevent asthma attacks from pets. Avoiding encounter with pets is not the solution, there are pet owners who are allergic to animal danders who are able to have pets, all they do is follow some safety measures.

Here are some actions to take to prevent asthma attacks from pets:

1. If you are able to prove that pets causes asthma triggers to you, consider the idea of having them a different home for example a dog house outside your home.

2. Keep your pets away from living room, couches, beds and places where you most likely to stay longer or lie down. The danders that they release are the allergens that causes asthma attacks so making sure that they stay away from furnitures with fabric and carpets is a good idea.

3. Vacuum your house as often as possible. Probably 2 – 4 times a week to remove danders that causes asthma triggers.

With these preventive measures, you and your family can enjoy having pets without the worry of asthma and other allergic reactions.