Even Animal Lovers Need an Animal Repellent at Times

Most of the time it is man that attacks man for greed or selfishness or malice. However, there are times when we can be exposed to an animal attack too. This is not something that is uncommon for hikers and campers and it is essential that some kind of protection be invested in. And then there are joggers who are attacked often by dogs who have been able to tear away from their leash or those that escape from the house in some manner.

The fact is that it is always better to be prepared for any such event rather than wait for a situation that becomes ugly. Even if you are an animal lover, you may have to ward off a bear when you are camping or shoo away a dog that seems to have taken a fancy to your track pants. And there is a humane and effective way in which you can do so.

There are products in the market like the bear spray or the canine repellent that can keep these stray animals away from you. If you have an attack situation, you can spray the pepper spray towards the bear or the canine to avoid any further problems. Keep in mind that the regular pepper spray should not be used for the same and you should make sure that you have one that is meant for bears or larger animals. This is mainly because the product contains the right amount of OC in the can depending on the expected use.

There are also more humane dog resellers. These are electronic resellers that emit a sound of high frequency that the dogs cannot tolerate. This makes the dog move away from the place that the sound is coming from and therefore keeps you safe.

Such self defense and protection products and more can be found at Best Defense Line where you can choose from among the various products like pepper sprays, stun guns, safety kits, home protection, personal alarms and more.

Even Animal Lovers Need an Animal Repellent at Times

Most of the time it is man that attacks man for greed or selfishness or malice. However, there are times when we can be exposed to an animal attack too. This is not something that is uncommon for hikers and campers and it is essential that some kind of protection be invested in. And then there are joggers who are attacked often by dogs who have been able to tear away from their leash or those that escape from the house in some manner.

The fact is that it is always better to be prepared for any such event rather than wait for a situation that becomes ugly. Even if you are an animal lover, you may have to ward off a bear when you are camping or shoo away a dog that seems to have taken a fancy to your track pants. And there is a humane and effective way in which you can do so.

There are products in the market like the bear spray or the canine repellent that can keep these stray animals away from you. If you have an attack situation, you can spray the pepper spray towards the bear or the canine to avoid any further problems. Keep in mind that the regular pepper spray should not be used for the same and you should make sure that you have one that is meant for bears or larger animals. This is mainly because the product contains the right amount of OC in the can depending on the expected use.

There are also more humane dog resellers. These are electronic resellers that emit a sound of high frequency that the dogs cannot tolerate. This makes the dog move away from the place that the sound is coming from and therefore keeps you safe.

Such self defense and protection products and more can be found at Best Defense Line where you can choose from among the various products like pepper sprays, stun guns, safety kits, home protection, personal alarms and more.

Your Pet Has Six Months to Live - Now What Do You Do

The difference between friends and pets is that friends we allow into our company, pets we allow into our solitude. " ~Robert Brault

What would do if your veterinarian informed you on an annual routine medical checkup that your favorite pet had developed cancer or another fatal disease and had roughly six months to live?

Many people bond closely with their pet be it a cat, dog, bird or even hamster. A special closeness develops between owner and pet. The caring and feeding of the dependent animal is offset over time by the companionship and love we feel from our pets. It is no hardship or imposition to care for such a reliable four footed friend.

When pet owners are informed that their beloved and trusted friend will soon be taken from them, they understandably are shocked and then try and cope as best they can with the impending loss.

The amount of loss experienced might be greater for an older adult as compared to a younger, more socially active person. The younger person's social network might act as a prop to help the person cope a little better with the tragic news.

The senior adult might also suffer an emotional setback especially if a deep and ongoing relationship had developed over time. The older adult's social network may be much more limited than a younger person's. The pet might have been a faithful and trusted companion to the elderly or the bed ridden individual.

Many folks tend to spoil their pets buying them special food, treats, powders, lotions, potions and notions. A few pet owners I know have purchased special clothing to protect their animals from the elements. Doggy blankets, sunglasses, booties and bibs are purchased by loving dog owners to protect their pets.

One person I know pampered his pet for seventeen years. His canine friend passed away this past spring and you can see that a major part of this man's life and day have been removed from his daily routine. His step is now strained and his gait a little slower than it used to be. His wry wit and sense of humor absent from his demeanor.

The following is an email response I received from Elizabeth, a younger cat owner who answered an opinion topic poll I posted a while ago.

"I'm 20 years old and just got my first pet around three years ago. I have a cat and I love him very much. Unlike some pet owners, I don't mind feeding him, giving him water, and cleaning his litter box. He's such a great cat.

" He loved to cuddle and be petted unlike a lot of other cats I've been around. If I was told that he was suffering from cancer and had six months to live I would be very upset. I would spend as much time with him as possible. Other than that I do not know how I would cope with the loss of him"

For Elizabeth the sense of loss she would feel would be devastating. Many pet owners focus their lives on their pets and this helps them cope better with the trials and tribulations the world throws their way.

When I was a student at university I had a pet hamster, Ziggy, who was a comfort and a friend. I spoiled him with hamster treats, fresh shavings for his cage and fresh veggies every day.

Although he was a nocturnal animal and ran on his wheel all night long I did enjoy his company and appreciated the way he seemed to sit in his cage and listen attentively as I rambled on about my day at class.

He was with me four years and then passed away. I felt a certain degree of loss but also an appreciation of the fact that for those four short years I was able to enjoy his antics and company as well.

People experience deep and lasting bonds with their pets. This bonding is a beneficial and life enhancing experience which I think makes people all the more human and better able to appreciate life and living a lot more fully.

Crazy Crabs - 10 Ten Top Tips to Keep Your Hermit Crab in Tip Top Shape

Introducing coenobita variablis, Crazy Crabs! Better known to us as hermit crabs, these wonderful creatures come in all sorts of colours from white and cream to orange and deep reds, and they make for an inexpensive, easy to look after pet.

There are 15 known species of terrestrial shell carrying land hermit crabs, and are native to the northern parts of Australia. They live near the salt water and generally only move about 500m inland. Fully grown they are 6-7cm across or about as big as a tennis ball, and can live for up to 20 years.

Far less demanding than a cat or dog, they can be a very good educational tool for teaching responsibility to an older child. Crazy Crabs are easy to look after, but have some specific requirements to keep them happy and healthy.

Here are my 10 top tips for keeping Crazy Crabs:

1. Create a 'crabarium' (crab tank). A great activity for kids to do with their parents. You need be able to control the temperature and humidity, and have a place for the Crazy Crabs to dig and take a bath.

2. Have a bunch of crabs, not just one. Crazy Crabs are social creatures and are best kept in groups.

3. Keep them active with things to do. Add some driftwood and hollow logs or coco huts to your crab tank for your Crazy Crabs to climb on, and munch on occasionally. They are very good climbers so watch out that they do not escape!

4. Keep them warm. Crazy Crabs like warmth and are most active when kept at 28-30°C, but they do not like to get cold. Keep them in the 'crabarium' whenever the temperature is less than 20°C, and use an under tank heater, hot rock or reptile type heater to keep them warm.

5. Humidity needs to be kept high. Your Crazy Crab must be kept moist to breath, with the ideal being 60% humidity in the air. Add a moist sea sponge and keep a lid on the tank to increase humidity.

6. Salt water pool. A salt water pool is compulsory for keeping Crazy Crabs as they cannot survive without it. They use it to flush their shell and maintain their salt balance. Make it deep enough so they can submerge their shell, with a ramp or stairs so they can climb out. Collect seawater and store it for use in a light proof container, or make up synthetic sea water as per instructions from your local pet store. Make sure you change the water in the salt pool regularly.

7. Fresh water pool. Provide a second shallow dish of non-chlorinated fresh water that the crabs can climb in and out of easily. They use this for drinking.

8. Provide shells to grow into. Spare shells are required to allow your crab to grow and replace damaged ones. Shells like Tonna, Nautica and Babylonias are tough but not to heavy. Snail shells can be used but they are light and not very strong. Paint and decorate the shells to add interest and easily identify each crab. Watch out, if you do not provide enough shells the crabs will attack and kill each other in order to steal a new shell.

9. Vary their diet. Feed your Crazy Crabs an alternating diet of lettuce, coconut, breakfast cereal, fruit and the occasional small piece of meat. Feed small portions and always remove any old stale food.

10. Substrate on the base of the tank. Crazy Crabs bury themselves depending on the conditions (e.g. to keep warm or moist). The substrate on the bottom of the tank needs to be deep enough so they can cover themselves and can be sand, coco fibre, saw dust, wood shavings, straw or chaff. Coarse material works best and is ideally located at the other end of the 'crabarium' from the water bowls.

All in all, Crazy Crabs are a fun and easy pet to keep that will teach children alot about animal care.

How to Find a Great Rabbit Hutch For That Rabbit That Your Kids Want So Badly

Children just love having a pet, and there's dozens of different types of pets to choose from. There's big and small, but many parents who are choosing a pet for their child would prefer to choose a small animal. And one of the best small pets for kids is a rabbit. Lets see why rabbits make such great pets, and let's talk about some tips for building your own rabbit hutch to house that first rabbit for your kids.

Rabbits make wonderful pets for kids. They are very social, fun to be with and love spending time with people. They can be house trained so you don't need to worry about mess, and kids love a rabbit as a pet. A pet rabbit generally lives around 10 years so you need to understand that once you have a pet rabbit you will have one for quite some time.

Rabbits have a simple diet. It is perfectly fine to feed them dedicated rabbit pellets which you can buy from a pet shop, as well as complementing that feed with fresh hay and vegetables. A rabbit loves many dark green vegetables like spinach, broccoli leaves and carrots and is also very happy to eat various fruits such as apples and pears. Rabbits are simple and cheap to feed.

If you're thinking of getting a rabbit for a pet for your children there are some things to consider before you rush in and buy your first rabbit. The main consideration is housing the rabbit. You will need a rabbit cage, or what is often known as a rabbit hutch. A rabbit hutch is a simple construction that allows your rabbit to browse outdoors on grass whilst also having shelter from the elements in a part of the hutch.

Therefore the rabbit hutch is generally constructed from timber and wire. You keep your hutch outside and move it around from time to time so that the rabbits can feed on fresh grass through the wire on the bottom of the rabbit hutch. A second compartment is always provided in a good rabbit hutch so that on rainy or windy day the rabbit can be safe indoors from the weather. This is where the rabbit usually sleeps. It is best to cover the floor of the compartment with sawdust or hay which gives the rabbit a warm and comfortable place to sleep.

It's important to choose the right floor for your cage. Many people use wire which is fine if your rabbit hutch is to be placed on the ground. Using wire allows your rabbit to eat the grass through the wire. However wire is an uncomfortable thing for rabbits to walk on and they don't particularly like walking on wire. So if you're hutch is off the ground and you use wire on the floor your rabbit will probably spend most of his time in his compartment.

There is an advantage to having a wire floor with a hutch above the ground. The droppings fall through making it much easier to clean. However you wish to do this look for a material which has much wider areas for the rabbits feet and much smaller holes. Plastic slats may well do the job better.

If you don't like the thought of wire on the floor of your rabbit hutch then you can use either wood or metal. Wood will soak up smell more, particularly of urine. Metal is a better material for the floor of your hutch as it's easier to clean. However if you're hutch is on the ground it doesn't allow the rabbit to eat the grass.

There are varying opinions about the size of the rabbit cage that you use. I have seen suggestions that a cage that is 4 times the size of the rabbit is adequate. Personally I think a rabbit hutch only 4 times the size of the rabbit is way too small and does not allow the rabbit to move around much for exercise. I would never house a rabbit in a cage that small. Bigger is always better, but if your rabbit hutch is very small you must ensure that you take your rabbit out daily to play and exercise on the grass.

It is very important that the hutch be cleaned regularly and so you will need a door large enough so that you can effectively clean the hutch and replace the hay each day.

A rabbit is an excellent pet for kids. Do your research on rabbit breeds, and give yourself plenty of time before you buy one to sort out a solid, effective and well built rabbit hutch.

Or build a hutch for your rabbit yourself. That just adds to the fun.

Five Tips For Taming Chickens

Taming will likely be your first priority after providing safe housing and stocking up on food for your new pet chickens.

So, how do you tame a chicken?

Chickens can be flighty and excitable, so you'll want to avoid forcing yourself upon them. Let them get used to their habitat first. It's easier if you've gotten them as baby chicks, as you can start handling them after just a few days.

Though baby chicks love to be held and gently petted, the same will not likely be true if you've gotten your pet chicken(s) after they've grown up.

Follow the tips below to turn that beautiful, but flighty, bird into a pet you can enjoy interacting with:

• Move slowly when approaching your newly acquired chicken(s)

• Talk, sing, or whistle a tune - chickens have excellent hearing and will cock their heads in interest. Soon they'll realize you mean no harm and will get used to your presence.

• Crouch down and slowly extend your hand with a treat in it - the first few times they may not come close, but you can drop the treat down and back up while they investigate it - soon they'll eat it.

• Spend as much time around your chickens as possible, they'll lose their shyness and eventually come when you call them. "Chick,chick,chick" will work fine 'til they get used to their names.

• When they come running to your call reward them with a piece of bread or fruit. Then reach down slowly and gently, pick them up and pet them.

Repeat often and your chickens will be begging for treats, flying onto your shoulders, or just following you everywhere you go. To learn more about all aspects of raising chickens, keeping them as pets, and showing them in competition visit the 'For the Love of Chickens' website.

Handmade Pet Costumes

It's holiday! For sure it means expenses for food, candies, parties and other fun activities that go with holidays. If you have money, then having a costume will not be your problem. You will not also have a problem in buying costume for your pet. But what if you are one of the millions who are in a saving business? I mean, if you are saving money for a certain concern for your future and for your kids' future. Of course, you will consider doing things yourself at home. Instead of buying costumes for your pet, you will just suit up in a handmade costume that will help you in saving money plus enjoying the holiday with your family and pet.

Handmade pet costumes are cheaper than bought costumes. They are cheaper because you can decide the materials to use for your pet. You can also make your pet look like your favorite cartoon characters and other horror figures if you do it yourself. You can lessen the unnecessary expenses like accessories, hats if you decide for the style of your pet costume.

A do it yourself costume gives you a freedom to put your imagination into reality. You can make a Mickey Mouse, snoopy dog or Jerry costume by using use linens or use clothes that looks like the features of the said cartoon characters. You can also think of making a count Dracula costume by using black linen and put it around your dog. Put also a little red paint in the both sides of the lips to symbolize a blood sucking creature. Don't worry about the sharp vampire teeth, because pets have sharp teeth like those of dogs and cats. This is a very simple and a very cheap way of making your homemade costume for your pet. You see imagination is your only limit in a do it yourself costume.

Ask friends and other people who can help you in making your homemade costume worthwhile. Experts they say knows much but you are saving money that is why in making a homemade costume for your pet it is practical to ask your friends who knows much because for sure they will help you for free. In this time you can also test a true friend if he would help you for free or not. More or less if you have known a lot of good companion in the fashion business this will be a good asset for your pet costume inquiry. Always remember to make use of your friends help in this kind of situation. It does not only help you but it also strengthens your relationship as friends in these times of creativity.

Lastly, in a homemade pet costume you can be quite sure of the safety of your pet. Some of the costumes that can be bought have a factory defect that can cause harm to your pets. Hazardous chemicals and other toxic materials that are might present in the costumes that you bought can bring harm to your pet. So before you bring you spent your holidays in the veterinary or in the graveyard at your backyard, it is important to be aware of these things.

All in all, handmade pet costumes can consume your time but it can make you more creative and more experienced in the world of fashion. So why not do it yourself.

No Kill Animal Shelters

Each year, millions of dogs and cats are turned over to animal shelters because their owners do not want them any more. An animal shelter houses lost or abandoned pets, mostly dogs and cats.

The shelter can provide a safe environment until the pet is found by its owner or until it is placed in another home or organization. Some animal shelters can look after the animals for the rest of their lives, without looking for someone to take them in their home. Sometimes abused pets requiring special care are placed in such shelters. But unfortunately, most of the animals that cannot be placed in another home are euthanized.

However, there is growing concern in Animal Rights Groups that are afraid that animals are killed too quickly in shelters. Some shelters are so full and there is no other option for them but to put down the animals. North Shore Animal League America has grown into the largest pet adoption agency due to its no-kill policy. The organization not only saves lives of pets in New York and the surrounding areas, but all over the world.

Although usually animal shelters are not accused of cruelty, sometimes you can hear things related to poor treatment. Shelter directors are so keen on having a low euthanasia rate that they hoard too many animals and forget about the quality of their lives. Euthanizing animals that are sick is difficult, but it is the more humane and compassionate option.

It has been estimated that 60% of dogs and 70% of cats that arrive in animal shelters are euthanized every year, due to limited space and resources. No-kill shelters rely on dedicated volunteers. Sponsoring for food and medicines is another resource. Programs relying on adoption and responsible pet ownership have been developed, together with some that emphasize the need of pets to remain with their owners. Measures included creating a pet food bank and animal behavior-training classes. Animals are still euthanized if they are very aggressive, severely injured or suffer from an untreatable medical condition.

Abusive shelters will turn off people who wish to adopt shelter pets or just to support a shelter. It seems that most Americans would prefer to take their next pet from a shelter rather than a pet store. Pet stores are seen as more money driven. This is why people think that it is more likely to buy a pet that has hidden problems. Adopting a pet from a shelter instead of buying one from a pet shop will not only help this particular animal, but also can help funding the rescue work for other animals. Sometimes older pets can be better companions for older people as they need less training so looking for a pet in an animal shelter is a better option.

No-kill animal shelters sustain adoption over euthanasia. Unfortunately, most shelters lack the funds necessary to keep the animals for a long period of time. Even though the cost of food is low, supplies and veterinary care can put a strain on a tight budget. And the truth is that there are always more animals than owners who can adopt them.

The Benefits of Probiotic Supplements For Dogs and Cats

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are dietary supplements that supply beneficial bacteria to the intestinal track of animals and people. These microorganisms benefit health by inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria that cause a variety of health problems.

"Good" bacteria exists at natural, balanced levels in healthy animals, and serves as a line of defense against harmful bacteria your pet might inhale or ingest. But diet, medications, age, and even stress can cause an imbalance that results in digestive and other health issues. Probiotic supplements are designed to restore bacterial balance so this natural line of defense works properly.

Signs of Probiotic Imbalance in Dogs and Cats

There are signs and symptoms you can look for that indicate your dog or cat may be suffering from a depletion of beneficial bacteria. Usually these are associated with the digestive tract, and include:

• Constipation
• Flatulence
• Diarrhea
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Your pet may also seem sluggish, have skin problems, or display signs of a weak immune system.

Causes and Triggers

Generally, an imbalance of intestinal bacteria types for cats and dogs is associated with an external cause.

One of the most common causes of probiotic depletion in pets is the use of antibiotics. The problem can be understood in part by looking at the terms. Biotic refers to organic life, with pro supporting, and anti destroying. The job of antibiotics is to destroy harmful bacteria, but unfortunately antibiotic drugs cannot distinguish between useful and harmful bacteria-so they destroy both.

If your pet was administered antibiotics and is showing of signs of probiotic depletion, a supplement can restore the necessary amount of healthful bacteria into their system.

Other factors that play a part in the depletion of healthy bacteria in pets include:

• Possible ingestion of fertilizers, pesticides or other chemical pollutants
• Poor diet
• Use of prescription drugs
• Age

If none of these factors seem likely, also consider if your pet has experienced recent stress, such as a kennel stay or change is household routine, as this can also trigger probiotic imbalance and intestinal issues.

Probiotic Supplements for Dogs and Cats

There is increasing evidence that probiotic supplements can prevent health issues in dogs and cats caused by a depletion of healthy bacteria levels. Supplements are comprised of various strains of beneficial bacteria and can include a combination of digestive enzymes, prebioitics and probiotics. Some formulas contain additional nutrients to support the digestive tract in dogs and cats, and may be specially formulated for conditions like food allergies or as post-antibiotic treatments.

Probiotics are also sometimes added directly to pet foods. However, your pet may not get a consistent dosage through their feed, so for best results supplements are recommend.

Probiotic supplements are a type of natural treatment that promotes holistic health for your cat or dog. These treatments take a proactive approach to maintaining pet health and help fight disease without the side effects of many prescription medications. Along with exercise and a healthy diet, holistic products like probiotic supplements will support excellent health and longevity for your dog or cat.

Holistic Pet Info provides information and products on holistic care for dogs and cats. Visit us to learn how to manage your pet's health with natural pet products like nutritional supplements, vitamins, herbal and homeopathic remedies. Probiotics supplements for dogs and cats can provide digestive support to your pet and help boost energy levels and overall health.

Ways of Low Cost Pet Neutering

Neutering a pet is the process of making it neutral without a gender. In other words, it means castrating (removal of testicles) the male and spaying (removal of ovaries) the female. Many people resort to finding ways of low cost pet neutering due to tough economic times. This is to bring about a relief to the pet owners, who do not want their pets to be mating and littering. However, the process of neutering could be an expensive one that can again be against their financial budget.

Therefore, the low cost pet neutering is all that these people would come in search of. It can be done in two ways. The first option is to neuter in cost effective pay and castrating clinics. There might be a problem of untrained veterinarians who are just from their veterinary schools, handling the pets. Another option is to go to a regular vet, which might as usual have high prices. Though the prices are high, there is complete safety assured. These veterinarians are known to be practicing with their clinics for several years.

Most of the vets are practicing the low cost pet neutering. The payment can be further reduced with the help of sponsors or government grants meant for the pets. These veterinarians take this as a good opportunity to gain experience in their relevant fields. One of the major risks of the low cost pet neutering is that, these inexperienced veterinarians are safe from any kind of malpractice or mistakes while neutering the pets as they are considered to be "legally inexperienced" by the law. So any kind of legal actions pursued against them for the damage or the loss of life of the pet shall be forgiven by the justice system.

There have been cases of people taking their pets to the private vets for neutering for the second time, after they failed to neuter for the first time in a low cost pet neutering clinic. This has become a very common practice in many low cost pet neutering centers. There are even instances of the loss of life because of injecting the pet with a wrong medicine.

It is always advisable to think twice before deciding to neuter the pet in a low cost pet neutering clinic as it could even result in the pet paying the price with its life. Sometimes the corrective surgeries could cost double the price due to the wrong neutering services.