Parrots Heartrate
A parrot's resting heart rate is about 400 beats per minute!
Sense of Smell
Ok I know we don't have any dogs come through here but it is still amazing that a dog's nose has 14 times as many scent cells as a human's. They can sniff out their dinner from any room in the house :)
Chinchilla Fact -
Chinchillas have a very dense coat. Instead of a single hair emerging from a hair follicle, chinchillas may have up to 80 hairs arising from a single follicle. This nearly proved to be responsible for their demise, however, since they were hunted almost to extinction for their unique fur. Also because of the density of their coat parasites such as fleas cannot become established in it. Nice to know that is something you won't have to worry about :)
Diastema - Interesting Fact
There is a characteristic gap known as the diastema between the incisors and the molars. The diastema allows the cheeks to be pulled in behind the incisors, so that rodents can continue gnawing with their incisors while at the same time chewing selective food items with their molars before swallowing them.
Info from the Small Animals Question and Answer Manual - Published in 2001
Info from the Small Animals Question and Answer Manual - Published in 2001
Cockatiels
Before buying or adopting a cockatiel you should consider the following things carefully. Cockatiels can live as long as 15 to 20 years. Are you ready to commit yourself for such a long time? Will you be able to satisfy your bird's need for daily contact and play? Is there a family member or anyone else living in your household who is allergic to feather dust, is bothered by noise or doesn't like animals?
Heat StrokeIf despite your best efforts the sun gets the best of one of your pocket pets immediarely bring them inside. Run a cool bath for them in a sink, bucket or bowl and gently place them inside while holding up their head. Do NOT put them in water that is too cold or use ice as this can put them into shock with too rapid a temperature change. Once they start to move a little bit - they will still be groggy and uncoordinated - take them out and gentle towel them dry. Using a syring slowly give them a couple of dropper fulls of water every 10 mins placing them in their cage between this time to rest. The cage itself should be placed in a dark, cool area of the room until they have fully recovered. As they continue to improve you can adjust the time interval between using the syring accordingly until you see that they are drinking normally from their bottle again. Keep a close eye on them in the next couple of days to make sure that their appetite, drinking and all bodily functions go back to normal. Keep them inside for at least a week out of the sun and the next time they are out keep a close eye on them the whole time to make sure no symptoms reoccur.
|
Guinea Pigs_Unfortunately on the market today there are many foods, treats, and
additives that are advertised as good for your guinea pig or
even necessary to keep them healthy. These products are marketed toward
guinea pigs with the sole purpose of profit and in no way are meant to
improve the life of your pet. Remember the best treats for your beloved
cavy are always fresh fruits and vegetables!
|
Rabbits_Keep in mind the following as you
choose your litter:
|
Cockatiels
Cockatiels obtain most of their vegetable protein from a good variety of seed and good green foods. So greens should be offered regularly. Foods such as: curly kale, parsley, sprouting seeds, Brussels sprouts, spinach, celery, chicory, cabbage heart, cucumber, Swiss chard, watercress, turnip greens, and zucchini are a great place to start!
|
Grit/Gravel
Healthy tiels and other pet birds (with the exception of canaries, finches, and doves) DO NOT NEED grit to aid in their digestion! Feeding your pet bird grit can be very detrimental to their health by causing digestive impaction. WHY: Birds like turkeys, chickens, pigeons and doves consume seeds in whole with out removing the outside husk. These types of birds need gravel to aid their digestion to grind up the seed husk. Tiels and most pet birds remove the outer husk and eat the seed only. This is why they do not need gravel. Please only feed them grit if a vet prescribes it!
|
Health
New surroundings and environments can be stressful for birds. Prior to handling your new bird, give her 3-4 days to acclimatize to her new surroundings while monitoring her behaviour for any signs of excessive stress or illness.
|