NOV. 2006

Reptile Man!

Ron Wulff, the Reptile Man, has worked for one of the big retail pet stores for 6 years as a reptile and aquatic specialist. He rescues reptiles and runs www.nopaws.com, dedicating his time to educate people on exotic pets. Direct your exotic pet questions to Reptile Man.

Q: Dear Ron,
I have had a ball python for a few months. It is in a 20-gallon tank with a heating pad and a heat light on the side with its hide box and water on the cool side. I feed him a small mouse, in a separate container every ten days. When I went to feed him last time, his eyes looked cloudy and he didn't want to eat. A few days later there were pieces of shed skin all over his cage. One eye is clear the other still looks cloudy and there are some pieces of shed skin on top of his head. Do all pythons shed like this? Does it need something else to rub against?
Chad

A: Hi Chad,
Bad shedding is usually a result of low humidity. Your snake’s cloudy eye is probably a retained eye scale from the old shed. Your set up sounds pretty good, but you didn't mention what kind of substrate you have in the tank. Most of the time simply having a bowl of water available isn't enough. Ball pythons aren't all that big on soaking. They are more likely to soak because of mites than in preparation to shed. Some of the commercial snake bedding can look good and make cleaning easier but make maintaining humidity a little harder.

Ball pythons come from the western part of Africa just North of the Equator and can be found from dry savannahs to lush forests. This is why they can be kept on a variety of substrates. What keeps a balance of humidity is the fact that they spend much of the hot part of the day underground or inside a tree trunk, where the humidity is high. They probably spend days this way when they are in shed mode.

With this in mind, you can recreate the snake’s natural humidity range in several ways.

I keep ball pythons on a product that resembles potting soil and comes compressed about the size and shape of a brick. You put that brick in a few inches of water. When you drop the brick in twenty minutes later you will it will be more the size of a loaf of bread. While it is still damp, press it firmly to the bottom of your tank. You don't need to make it thick, just a firm, slightly damp earth floor. With this kind of substrate you can spray the tank down with water twice a day. When you turn the day light bulb on and off would be the best time.

If you don't want to change what you have in the tank now, or the problem continues you do have another option. When a snake is about to shed, its eyes get kind of cloudy. When this occurs place the animal in a smaller plastic cage with a cover, which will fit in its own cage, and cover it with balls of damp paper towels and keep it on the warm side of the cage. Every time you find it on the top of the paper towels, put it back on the bottom. Keep doing this until you find it on top looking all clean and shiny, and you will find the wet shed skin all stuck to the paper towels. If it takes a few days remember to spray down the paper towels to make sure they stay damp. This is also a good way to loosen up what is left of a bad shed, including the eye cap.

While we are on the subject, if you are interested in adopting a ball python, contact me at Reptilerescueman@aol.com.
Ron

Ask The Cat Lady!

Sally Bahner has spent the last 10 years specializing in writing on cat-related issues, specifically nutrition, holistic care and multiple cat behavior. She was editor-in-chief of "The Whole Cat Journal" and has contributed to "Catnip", "Catwatch" and the new "Whole Cat Journal".

Q: Dear Sally,
We have a 2-1/2-year-old Abyssinian male, Max, that is very feisty and adventurous. He goes out on a harness and leash, but has slipped the harness and escaped. We would like to travel with him, but are afraid that he will escape and get lost. How can we make sure he stays safe?
Joanna

A: Dear Joanna,
Abyssinians are known for their energetic personalities and it sounds as if Max is no exception.

First of all I would suggest that you get Max microchipped so that if he is picked up without a collar, his identity can be traced. He should also wear a collar with two ID tags when you travel – one with your regular address and another with the address of your destination. A couple of manufacturers make cat-walking jackets, which are more secure than a harness. He should always be in a hard-sided crate while riding in the car – he’ll feel safer not seeing everything whizzing around and be safer in the event of an accident. (Get him used to the car by taking him on short jaunts and gradually increasing the amount of time in the car.) When outside, there’s also the Kitty Walk stroller (www.kittywalk.com).

Consider clicker training him. Karen Pryor is the goddess of clicker training and wrote a book, "Gettng Started: Clicker Training for Cats." Since Abys are very intelligent, the training may help channel his energy and prevent boredom. He can also be clicker-trained to come on command, which may help if he escapes.

I’m sure with the proper equipment and strict attention on your part, Max will become a seasoned traveler.
Sally

The Guinea Pig Expert!

Whitney Potsus has owned guinea pigs for nearly a decade. She is Vice President of The Critter Connection, Inc., a Durham-based non-profit dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abandoned and neglected guinea pigs. You can find the rescue on the Web at www.ctguineapigrescue.org. Please direct all your Guinea Pig questions to Whitney.

Q: Dear Whitney,
My daughter has a male guinea pig, who she got about 18 months ago. When he was 7 months old, we took him to the pet store and looked for a companion for him, but when we put him near other guinea pigs he started making noises. The person at the pet store said the noises he was making indicated that he was not happy about being near other guinea pigs. My daughter has been reading about guinea pigs and read that they can suffer from depression. Is it possible to introduce another guinea pig after they've been alone for so long?
Thank you! Eleanor

A: Eleanor,
Guinea pigs absolutely can suffer from depression. By nature, they’re communal animals and benefit greatly from companionship (visit www.guinealynx.com/companionship.html for more about the benefits of having two guinea pigs).

But as with any species, it can take time for your little guy to find someone he likes — picking someone, bringing them home, and then dropping both of them into the same cage never goes well. And it’s understandable. How would we feel if another human we don’t know suddenly shows up in our home and starts helping themselves to our food and water, crawling into our bed, playing with our toys, and taking the attention of our loved ones?

Any new guinea pig must be quarantined in its own cage — though that cage can be next to your little guy’s — for three weeks. As far as you know, yours is healthy but the new guinea pig might be in the early stages of an illness that hasn’t shown symptoms yet…and you don’t want to risk both guinea pigs getting sick. The quarantine period will also give them time to get used to each other and socialize through the cage bars. There is an entire language of sounds, behaviors, and body postures that accompany the introduction process between guinea pigs (see www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm#Introductions and www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2972).

When done properly (see the earlier link to Cavy Spirit), guinea pigs are often delighted to finally have a companion, regardless of how long they lived alone. Some matches are instant, some will take time; a guinea pig who has lived alone may be a little pickier about who it shares space with. It’s all about the individual personality — and guinea pigs, though small, have big personalities.
Thanks for writing, and good luck!
Whitney

The Bunny Expert!

Susan adopted her first house rabbit 5 years ago and soon after got highly involved in rabbit rescue. She has volunteered at a local rabbit rescue group and a local animal shelter working with rabbits. She has since co-founded 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue Inc. Susan can surely answer all of your rabbit questions!

Q: Dear Susan
Where should I look to get a pet house rabbit? Also, where would I learn about proper care?
Thank you, Laura

A: Dear Laura,
There are many places to get a rabbit. Being highly involved in rescue work myself, I would first suggest checking out rabbit rescues including www.3bunnies.org. There are many rabbit rescues that have all kinds of adoptable rabbits that need a second chance on life. Rescues offer lots of great education to help you make a decision. We do bunny dates to find your existing rabbit a friend. We also match up personalities of rabbits to potential adopters. Most rescues adopt out rabbits that are spayed and neutered and it saves you money rather than doing it on your own.

Many animal shelters have rabbits that need homes. Rabbits are the 3rd most surrendered pets at shelters. Some shelters spay and neuter and some don't, so you have to ask. Animal Control Officers in many towns often have rabbits that need homes. They don't really have space for rabbits, so they often ask rescues to take them or sometimes advertise on www.petfinder.com, but it is always good to call and ask if they have any.

Classified ads often have rabbits. Some are looking to re-home and some are breeders. Sometimes vets acquire rabbits that need homes and also many rescues work with vets, so a vet could suggest a rescue. Pet stores and breeders also have rabbits . www.petfinder.com lists rescues and shelters and also has a classified section. If you do a rabbit and zip code search, you can find local places that have rabbits for adoption. To get updated correct educational info, I would suggest reading rescue websites such as www.rabbit.org.

The House Rabbit Handbook is also a good book to have, which can be found at some rescues and some bookstores. Often wrong information is portrayed in many places. Bedding is not needed for rabbits and cedar and pine shavings has been proven to cause respiratory problems in rabbits and can cause death. Plain rabbit food pellets in small quantities should be fed, no seeds or mixtures as that can cause digestive problems, blockage and could lead to death. Lots of timothy hay is needed 24/7 to keep the digestive track going and is the most important food. Alfalfa hay should only be used as an occasional treat. Too much alfalfa hay can lead to health problems.

Suggested veggie lists can be found on rescue websites. There is a lot of info on our website at www.3bunnies.org as well as educational links to other websites.
Susan

Dog Training?

Lynn Whittaker, Dog Trainer and owner of Bow Wow University has been training dogs for several years, has extensive rescue experience, is a pet sitter certified in Pet First Aid and specializes in aggression management. She is also an Aroma-therapist and a Reiki II practitioner. She has attended professional dog training school and later became the director of the facility she attended. She is currently studying canine athleticism and nutrition. Please feel free to direct your questions to Lynn!

Q: Dear Lynn,
We have a 3-month-old puppy that we have been walking now for about 2 weeks. She was doing great, but this week for some unknown reason she is tensing up on the walk out. She really pulls backwards from us as we are walking away from the house. But once we turn the corner she starts to relax and stay even with us. Finally when we turn again, and are heading towards home, she is trying to get in front of us. What is causing this?
Maya

A: Dear Maya,
Three months is a bit young for long walks. Puppies are best exercised where they can stop and rest whenever they like. Physically this can be strenuous on growing bones that can later cause problems. She might be finding them to be too much, and perhaps appreciate a more brief investigation of the great outdoors.

Don't worry at all about whether or not she is beside you, behind you or in front of you. Just resist the impulse to pull her or tug on the lead if she is behind. Let her stop and sniff, let her lead to things she wants to investigate. If she pulls either out in front or to the side, just stand still, get her attention to move back towards you and move when the leash is slack again, being sure to praise her for all of her great efforts. Giving positive reinforcement, i.e., praise, is very key in relationship building. The more you praise, the more she will want to do for you. The important thing to remember is that she is a puppy, and a young puppy needs to explore the things he or she encounters. Exploration can help build confidence in a dog.

So take your puppy out for brief expeditions and enjoy watching her discover the great outdoors. There will be plenty of time and energy to devote to getting her to walk nicely as she continues to grow.
Lynn