#They're eating pellets and seed but not enough

[bee-menagerie]

Babies eatin' dey slop [ASMR]

[pokemonshelterstories]

Despite their popularity, I can't find any good information on raising pichu and their family line. My daughter just caught a surprisingly young pikachu, I was wondering if you had any tips

the problem with the pichu line is that they're so astoundingly popular that there's a lot of misinformation about them online.

pikachu are remarkably social pokemon that live in large groups called nests in forests, where they spend their time foraging and playing with each other! they don't usually venture out into open fields unless there's a thunderstorm; when it's storming, they gather with their tails lifted into the air to attract bolts of lightning and charge up their electrical sacks.

what this means for a pikachu in captivity is that they really need companions- they don't do well on their own! they also need an area with plenty of hide spots and overhead coverage to run around in, with lots of chewable toys to keep their teeth in good shape and foraging opportunities to keep their minds engaged. you also need to electric-proof your home and only give them toys that wont conduct electricity well, as zapping objects with electricity is how they explore their environment. keep in mind that, if you have any carnivorous pokemon, you'll need to keep them separated from the pikachu.

a big thing we see with these guys in captivity is obesity. pikachu spend a lot of time in the wild running around and burning energy, and captive pikachu often dont have enough room to exercise properly. a large exercise wheel can help with that, but monitoring food intake and providing a variety of enrichment options are also really important! be mindful of overfeeding sugary foods like berries, and watch out for commercial pikachu feed that contains a lot of seeds or inappropriate treats like yogurt drops. these guys should primarily eat a vet-approved pellet diet supplemented with vegetables, with small amounts of fruit and the occasional small pokemon egg added in as treats.

best of luck to your daughter and her new pikachu!

[flock-talk]

okay i really need to know...i've seen this video where a zebra finch? gets fed millet by the spoonful and it just seems really dangerous to me because my googling says that birds can't feel whether they're full or not? and will still eat if fed? and that is just SO much millet? you're the only bird blog i follow and i don't have anyone else i can ask and my googling is not helping me at all. i'm worried mostly abt the bird's stomach capacity ig

I don’t know much about finches, from a parrot perspective if they’re still weaning then yeah they don’t know when they’re full and you have to be pretty precise on how much they’re getting. Feeding too much can cause compactions and sour crop as the food doesn’t digest through the crop quick enough.

I’ve also not ever seen hard food hand feeding, usually when they’re old enough for solids you just offer a small bowl for them to begin to try or you offer soaked pellets to introduce similar textures they can self feed. I’m not really sure what benefit spoon feeding hard seeds would have, especially considering that the seeds would all have to be hulled to do that since the baby won’t be removing the shells themselves at that point.

[giovannisphillips]

Hamsters As Pets - The Way To Take Care Of A Hamster

Hamsters are popular small pets. Should you be thinking of getting a pet hamster to suit your needs or possibly a child, you must realise how to pick one, what supplies you may need, and how to feed and maintain your brand-new pet. Hamsters are usually low-maintenance pets but care is vital to keeping them happy and healthy. Fogged headlights you must know about hamsters as pets. Selecting a Pet Hamster Hamsters are popular pets for youngsters and adults alike. They're small rodents that typically live about couple of years and therefore are usually best housed alone. Hamsters appear in a variety of colors and breeds, and other breeds are recognized for distinctive traits. You'll find 24 hamster species, however some common ones include: Chinese Hamsters: These small hamsters are certainly not as known as other kinds of hamsters. Lots of people mistake them for dwarf hamsters but you are incorrect dwarfs. They merely develop into 4 inches long. Dwarf Hamsters: There are several kinds of dwarf hamsters, like Roborovskis and Russians, and perhaps they are much like Chinese hamsters, but far more commonly present in pet stores. Syrian Hamsters: Syrian hamsters are available in several color variations and go by different names, for example goldens, panda, and teddies. They are much larger than dwarf and Chinese hamsters and therefore are the most commonly seen kind of hamster. Select a Healthy Hamster Only a few hamster from the pet shop is ultimate health. Moving from the breeder or supplier to a store could be a stressful period for baby hamsters, and they'll frequently get sick as a result. Choose an engaged hamster that does not appear to be it has a wet rear end or watery eyes. Both eyes ought to be open and, ideally, the hamster will eat or caught the cage. If your cage appears to have several sick hamsters, it's usually better to avoid buying any hamster from that group since ?hamster diseases have become contagious.1

Selecting a hamster which is an easy task to tame is yet another the answer to consider. Young hamsters will be simpler to train and hand-tame than older hamsters, who've had bad experiences and have never interacted with humans. Hamster Cages and Supplies There are many hamster cage possibilities open both web at pet stores however, many cages tend to be a lot better than others. Several cages may look cool, but aren't very functional and they are extremely difficult to wash (cages with colorful tubes are a good example of this). Tanks aren't good selections for hamsters either, since they lack proper ventilation. You may also need to consider that smaller hamster breeds have different cage needs than the larger Syrian varieties, since cage wire spacing can evaluate if or not a hamster can escape. Select a cage that has good ventilation, is not hard to clean, has enough space to operate and explore, and does not allow your hamster to flee. Within the hamster cage, you will have to provide soft and absorbent bedding, a water bottle, a training wheel, chew toys, a property, as well as a food dish. Keep in mind that hamsters like and need to munch on items. Wood, cardboard, plastic, and other chewable items may well not last long within the enclosure. Feeding Hamsters A lot of people believe that a store-bought bag of hamster seed is the most suitable, but hamsters need to eat a variety of proteins, fruits, and vegetables to ensure that they're happy and healthy. Hamsters may pick and choose what they desire to nibble on from seed mixtures and so will not likely obtain a balance diet. If you give you a pelleted diet instead of a seed mixture and supplement it with a various other safe foods, you will be providing your hamster with everything else necessary to thrive. Greens are a fantastic choice to offer daily; parsley, kale, romaine, peas, and squash are typical good options. Your hamster's diet must be created from 75 % fortified pellets, Twenty percent veggies, greens, and fruits, and 5 % treats. It is usually recommended that you provide hay in your hamster's environment to help you with nesting and foraging. Most hamsters will even consume the immature seeds from the hay. Hand-taming Hamsters Hamsters can be tamed to be very sweet little pets nevertheless for whoever has lots of people bitten, they know hamster bites definitely aren't fun. Young hamsters are generally easier to hand-tame, nevertheless, you will start teaching your hamster not to bite by looking into making sure that you do not startle it. Never wake it, and instead entice it to climb onto your hand without treatment using a tasty treat. This allows you to gain your hamster's trust as time passes, and allow you to definitely pet and hold your hamster while avoiding being bitten. Hamsters usually are not aggressive pets in case these are scared or startled they may bite. Toys for Hamsters Hamsters have to be active and also have enrichment so that they don't lose interest and overweight. In addition they need chew toys to keep their teeth and also trim. There are a number of hamster toys that will be chewed which means your hamster's teeth can be properly looked after, as well as an exercise wheel enables a hamster to own up to they really want. Special balls may also be purchased allowing a hamster to own around safely outside its cage; cute houses and other climbable option is accessible to provide your hamster with ample exercise. For more info about Chuot hamster check out our new webpage

[mushy-dreamer]

CAGE:

Very very important. Lots of things need to be taken into consideration. You want a big cage, first of all. A good cockatiel cage should have room for food and water bowls, an assortment of toys, and for the bird to fly around in. You're probably gonna want to get a cage for a larger parrot because of this. And if you can, you want a cage with horizontal bars rather than vertical. This isn't absolutely necessary, per se, but it's definitely better. It's easier for them to climb around the cage with horizontal bars. There should also be a pull-out tray under the bottom of the cage to catch dropped food, shed feathers, and poop.

FOOD:

Also very important. Seeds should make up only a small part of the diet. Like, very very small. The seed clusters you can find at any pet store? One a day is good. Sunflower seeds should only be given as a treat and should not be a regular part of the diet. In this area, blogs are your friend. Look up chop recipes for cockatiels and make sure they're specifically for cockatiels. Grains and vegetables should make up most of the diet, and pellets should be included as well. It does vary sometimes in what a cockatiel likes - Coconut won't touch kale and loves apples, which is pretty odd for a cockatiel - so try out a bunch of stuff. But always always check to make sure any food you give them is safe. Chocolate, avocados, salt, sugar, and caffeine should never be given. In small doses (and I mean SMALL) it won't do anything, so if a bird manages to steal a piece of candy or something and only LICKS it and doesn't actually eat it, it'll be fine. Coconut does that all the time because he's an idiot. There's a few cereals that are okay for them, like plain Cheerios and Grape Nuts, but those shouldn't be given regularly. Coconut loves Grape Nuts and it's so funny 'cause I use a very specific bowl to eat them, so he sees the bowl and gets really excited and starts running around and screaming at me to give him some. And then I give him some because if I don't he'll either 1) Not shut up or 2) Fly to me and walk down my arm to sit on my hand and eat them out of the bowl as I'm eating because he thinks he's hot shit

TOYS:

Also really important!! Cockatiels need toys to keep them stimulated and happy. A lot of them like bells, so those are always good. And things they can shred. Nothing with small plastic bits, 'cause they can break those off and choke on them, or swallow them and that's not fun. At all. I can't really say much here because Coconut refuses to play with toys, so I don't have a lot of experience with them. So you'll probably need to do your own research and stuff for that.

HEALTH:

Find an avian veterinarian in your area, and a parrot store. Chain pet stores don't always offer wing/nail clipping and don't usually have a wide selection for birds. A lot of parrot stores will give free nail/wing trims, which is great. The most common health-related problem is feather picking. This usually occurs when the bird is stressed. So for instance, if they're bonded to you and you're away for a while (I mean for weeks), or if their environment has undergone a massive change, or they're understimulated. As long as they have proper toys and spend enough time with someone, they'll be fine. Coconut's never feather-picked once in the six years I've had him, even when I've been in another state for weeks. There's a lot of illnesses and stuff that cockatiels can catch, so just be careful. Oh, and never pick up wild bird feathers. They can carry mites that can be passed onto your birds.

YOU:

Unless the birds have bonded to each other, they'll bond to you. They look around a year old, so they can still bond to you. Since you have a pair, they probably don't need as much as a single one needs, but they'll still need to be out of the cage for a lot of the day, and they'll need snuggles and stuff. Cockatiels are very cuddly birbs, and very clingy a lot of the time.

CLEANING:

They poop. A lot. Between every five to thirty minutes, depending on how recently they've eaten. You'll want to buy cleaning products specifically made for pets, and there's a few specifically to clean bird poop. You don't want to use anything, cleaning or otherwise, with strong fumes. This includes things like candles and incense. You can't train them not to poop, or only poop in a certain spot because they can't hold it in, so don't even bother. They also make a mess when eating, so you'll need to vacuum/sweep around the cage on a daily basis. Newspaper should be set at the bottom of the cage and changed every few days. There's a few alternatives, but I find newspaper to be the best because the cockatiel can actually stand on it, they can shred it, and it doesn't harm them. They also produce a lot of dust. Not as much as cockatoos, but a lot. It's not so much of a problem, but you need to be aware of it. They also molt a few times a year, so don't worry about that unless they're like, dropping all their feathers and new ones aren't growing back or something.

This is a lot more than the local vetenerian told me! Thank you i want to make sure their comfotable cuz they are still pretty scared of other humans.

Thanks for the help!!

[saintaliceofwonderland]

I found this checklist at a pet store that has rabbits, Guinea pigs, hamsters, and ferrets. This is a nice checklist overall, but there are a few items you don't necessarily need for a pet rabbit. Here's what I recommend based on my research and my experience with Alice.

Hay: Hay and dry food are a must. The type of hay to get depends on how old your rabbit is. Young rabbits can have alfalfa hay, but that is too sweet for adult rabbits. Adults need timothy hay, which can be mixed with orchard grass for variety. (Alice loves the blend!)

Dry food: Dry food, or pellets, is made with alfalfa hay or timothy hay, depending on the age of the rabbit for which it is marketed. Get alfalfa hay and pellets for young rabbits, and timothy hay and pellets for adults. Some rabbits, like Alice, are picky eaters, and may not eat much of their dry food. You can grind them and mix them with leafy greens.

Bedding: Hay also makes a great bedding! Rabbits love to lay and eat in their hay.

Salt Licks: Salt licks aren't that helpful. The idea behind them is that the rabbit will lick the salt, and in turn, drink more water. But who just licks salt for fun? Just because it's there? And it may not be a good idea to give them too much salt.

Treats: Treats are good! But I recommend fresh fruit and vegetables, and nothing with corn, oats, seeds, or yogurt. Those are just marketing gimmicks and not safe for rabbits.

Water bottle or bowl and food bowl: A rabbit parent may be tempted to leave the water in a water bottle until it's empty. Water bottles can harbor germs at the nozzles, and the water inside isn't always fresh. Instead, use a bowl or a crock to ensure they get fresh water every day. Make sure that your rabbit can't knock it over, though! Feeders are helpful, too, at least for Alice.

Cage/Hutch: Sigh. Although the pet stores may give you a cage with your rabbit, cages are just too small for them. They're cramped and tend to smell. A better idea is to make the cage part of the pen, so they can go in and out of it as they please. In my humble opinion, a hutch is just a large cage. Some hutches have two stories, but have the same limitations as cages. And do not leave rabbits outdoors in a hutch! That exposes them to the elements.

Little tray? I imagine the person who wrote this pamphlet meant "litter tray". Many litter trays made specifically for rabbits are triangular so they can fit in a corner of a pen. But they're usually too small for the bunny. Choose a cardboard or plastic box big enough for the bunny to turn around in. If you use cardboard boxes, you must replace them regularly! The shredded paper that you find in pet stores isn't as absobent as paper towels, and are usually too expensive as litter. And don't forget to add hay to the box; rabbits are known to eat and poop in the same area.

Hammocks are exclusively for ferrets. The inclusion of hammocks in this list reflects the greater trend of lumping rabbits, rodents, and ferrets together in the "small pet" category. I don't know much about ferrets, and I've never had hamsters, mice, rats, or Guinea pigs.

Hide boxes and Tunnels: These are actually good to have in the habitat! Because rabbits are "prey animals", they need a place to hide and feel secure. You can have one or the other, depending on your rabbit's preference. Alice likes boxes and "hidey holes" made of timothy hay and wood.

Natural wood toys and Nibble Sticks: Wooden toys allow your rabbit to chew and keep their teeth trimmed, as their teeth are always growing. Make sure the wood is not treated; chemicals used to treat wood can make the rabbit sick.

Nail trimmers and Grooming brush: Bunnies don't like having their nails trimmed or having their feet touched. If you're trimming their nails at home, you may need someone to help you keep them still. If your bunny is just too fidgety, you can take them to a professional rabbit groomer with their own nail trimmers. However, every rabbit parent needs their own brush. Usually, rabbits who trust you are calm enough to let you brush them.

Vitamins: If you give your rabbit enough leafy greens and dry food, they shouldn't need vitamins. However, papaya tablets have enzymes that help rabbits digest hay and prevent hairballs. Guinea pigs need vitamin C supplements, but rabbits can make their own.

There is so much information about rabbits and rabbit care, so it's important to do your research to pick what's best for your new furry friend.

[telepathicapathy]

Rabbits aren't rodents, they're lagomorohs. They have six incisors and 28 teeth total. Currently, there are 49 accepted breeds in the ARBA, but there are more working towards acceptance or that are in other countries. I consider them livestock and get really upset when people consider them to be pets first. If you have a market breed doe, she can have enough babies in her life to out-produce a beef cow. Rabbit meat is actually the healthiest meats; it has the lowest cholesterol and is ridiculously low in fat. There are also breeds that produce wool, and a lot of it. And rabbit manure is considered a cold manure, so you can use it as fertilizer immediately without burning the plants.

Rabbits can range from two pounds to over twenty pounds, depending on the breed. If you have a rabbit over 12 pounds, they need to be kept on solid flooring, though all of them should have a portion of their cage that is off wire. You also can never keep them in an enclosure made of chicken wire; they can absolutely tear that apart. They eat mostly hay (most pelleted feed is just compressed alfalfa hay) and need a lot of fiber. Their feed should contain 2-4% fat and at least 16% fiber, though I recommend 18-20% and supplemented with steam rolled oats and timothy hay. And barley. I actually feed my rabbits a mixture that's 4 parts pellets, 1 part black oil sunflower seeds, and 2 parts oats. If I had barley right now, I'd have 1 part oats and 1 part barley. The sunflower seeds help keep their coats healthy and in winter it gives them a little extra energy. You shouldn't feed them those in summer, or they could overheat.

Rabbits are nocturnal, so you should feed them the main part of their feed in the evening. If you give them hay, give it twelve hours after the main feeding, along with other treats. They need at least 5 ounces of water a day, but they should get more. They're 82% water and losing just 10% of that can kill them. If you're going to give them carrots, they can have one baby carrot a day, but they have too much sugar for them to have more. They can have small amounts of apple, potato, and dark leafy greens. Do Not give them lettuce. That can make them really sick. It has too much water and can give them diarrhea. If your rabbits aren't drinking, try giving them small pieces of apple or potato so they can eat their water.

Also, if you're going to buy a rabbit, either for a pet or livestock, buy from a breeder not a pet store. For one, I've never seen rabbits in pet stores that weren't sick, usually with pasteurellosis (snuffles). Two, rabbit breeders know how to take care of their rabbits and keep them healthy. Most of the ones I know are super helpful with new owners. Also, my friends and I hate culling rabbits that aren't show quality. Being able to sell them as pets is the only way we really thin our herds, since we don't have market breeds and can't bear to actually cull them.

To other autistic people, what interesting facts do you have about your special interests?