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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: Ron,
I have a green iguana that I got from a pet store. They didn’t tell me anything about calcium supplements, but I have been hearing from chat rooms and web sites that calcium, in addition to incandescent lighting to digest the calcium, is a big requirement. What do you recommend for a baby iguana as far as dosage and lighting in a 50-gallon tank.
Weaver
A: Hi Weaver,
Your iguana needs two kinds of lights. The incandescent (screw in bulb) light is your heat source. In a 50-gallon tank, you might need two of them. A 100 or 150 watt basking light, depending on how close it can get to it, and a red or black bulb (the red comes in 100 watt) to keep the air warm at night.
In addition you will need a "UVB" bulb. These are usually fluorescent (long tube) and don't give off heat. They provide UVB rays that stimulate the production of vitamin D3 in the animal’s digestive system. This is normally provided by sunlight. If the iguana doesn't get UVB, then it doesn't make its own D3 and the D3 is what gets the calcium from the food and into the iguana’s bones. There is no evidence of oral supplements of D3 effectively doing that.
Dark greens like collard, mustard and dandelion greens are all high in calcium and a mix of theses should make up 60% of the iguana’s diet. Other fruits and vegetables, like carrots, squash, strawberries and mellon can be added, depending on what the iguana likes. A correct diet for an iguana does not include lettuce. Not even the "green leaf" or romaine.
Adding small amounts of reptile vitamins to a correct diet for an animal that is getting the correct lighting will assure that the animal gets all of the additional vitamins and minerals its body needs.
Adding more vitamins to a poor diet with the wrong lighting would be at best, wasting money. It should never be used as a substitute for the correct diet and lighting because it won't help.
Good luck,
Ron
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,
I am an elementary school teacher and was thinking about getting a rabbit for our classroom. I would take it home on weekends and during the summer. What can you tell me about keeping a rabbit in the classroom?
Mrs. Miller
A: Mrs. Miller,
Hi. Actually pets of any kind do not do well living in a classroom and only coming home on weekends and summer. Many dangers and illnesses could go undetected with nobody around and the pet could die. It would be a trauma to walk into a classroom and find a dead pet. Rabbits are very social animals and get lonely. They get scared. They need to eat. Who would feed it supper and at bedtime? They need hay 24/7 to keep their digestive track going. If they don't eat and it goes undetected, they can actually die within a matter of hours if not taken care of properly and quick enough.
In addition some rabbits do not do well with children. Some of them get frightened of noisy, active children and might bite. Also rabbits need to be spayed and neutered to calm their hormones among other reasons. Hormonal rabbits might be nippy. Rabbits need plenty of exercise. A classroom would not be able to provide the bunny proofed, supervised exercise time they require. And some children and adults are allergic to rabbits and other pets.
There are alternatives to the idea. Some shelters have therapy pets and visit places with pets such as nursing homes and schools. They will actually come to your school and do an educational event about rabbits and bring a rabbit to visit. Or, a person who owns a house rabbit that has some experience might be willing to bring their rabbit for a visit. But you also need to check out legalities and liability, school policies etc. Or you could take a field trip to a shelter, rescue, zoo, small animal reserve, etc.
Thank you for asking. Rescues and shelters have ended up with rabbits that used to be classroom rabbits because people did not understand the work and care involved. Some classroom rabbits lives have sadly ended early because they were left alone and illness was not detected quick enough. Also rabbits do sometimes need vet care. Who would pay for that? I hope this information helps you understand why rabbits should not live in a classroom.
Susan
Ask the Vet!
Lauren Mascola is the veterinarian at Petcare Veterinary Services in West Hartford. She studied at UConn for undergraduate and Tufts for Veterinary Medicine. She has over 10 years experience and 2 dogs and 3 cats of her own. She is excited to answer your questions!
Q: Dear Dr. Mascola,
Our dog gets diarrhea once in a while, but it doesn't seem to bother her. Are there any home remedies that we can try to get her through these episodes?
Thanks, Laura
A: Dear Laura,
Thanks for the question. Intermittent diarrhea can be a fairly common occurrence with dogs, since most are not shy about putting just about anything in their mouths! When a dietary indiscretion happens, and causes diarrhea, but your dog seems ok otherwise, it is alright to give canned pumpkin. Canned pumpkin is a good natural fiber source, which can get her back on track. If the diarrhea is bloody or persists beyond 48 hours, you should consult your veterinarian.
Good Luck, Dr. Mascola
Ask The Cat Lady!
Sally Bahner is a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and has a private feline consulting practice. She is the "Dear Sally" on Tracie Hotchner’s Cat Chat Radio (www.catchatradio.com), found on Sirius, the Martha Stewart Living channel. She is a longtime editor and writer on everything feline.
Q: Dear Sally,
I’m wondering what I can do about my cat's dandruff. She doesn't like to be brushed and sometimes her coat stinks.
Nicole
A: Dear Nicole,
To get to the bottom of your problem, I need to ask you some questions. How old is your kitty? Sometimes older kitties don't groom themselves as well as younger ones.
What are you feeding her? Low quality dry food may contribute to a funky smell. Is she longhaired and doesn't clean up properly after a BM? Do you live in a cold climate with dry heat? That may contribute to dandruff. Has she had a check-up with your vet to rule out anything physical?
One of my kitties does not like to be brushed either, but I just do very short sessions. Waterless shampoos may also help with grooming, but it's better to find out what's going on since cats are normally quite sweet smelling without much help. I love to bury my face in my cats’ fur!
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: Whitney,
My daughter and I have been considering getting a guinea pig and we are trying to figure out if it would be better to get a rescue or a baby. My daughter is 10 and we have been discussing this for quite some time. She and I are aware of the responsibilities and commitment and we have been doing a lot of research, but I still can't decide between baby and adult.
Thank you, Betty-Anne
A: Betty-Anne,
It’s a question of what is the best fit for a household. Guinea pigs of any age are curious, playful, engaging, and social. Some behaviors are just more dominant at certain ages than others, and temperaments and personalities vary widely.
Typically, baby guinea pigs are audacious, high-spirited, and fearless. They’re extremely active and aren’t always willing to cuddle; they have a big world to discover and snuggle time cramps their style. They can be unpredictable and aren’t afraid to break free and go exploring. This makes them a challenge for experienced, adult-sized hands to hold — and inexperienced, child-sized hands are no match for them. (Until the babies are older and bigger, you will have to be around when your daughter holds and carries them.) In short, it’s like having a toddler around.
Older guinea pigs are a little more docile, are big enough for little hands to hold safely, and are not as easily spooked by every little noise like babies are. They’re more cautious and, as such, will be less likely to bolt. (Keep in mind that occasionally you find a guinea pig who will always be a "wild child".) If you and your daughter are wanting cuddle-bugs who will, say, hang out with you while you watch TV or stare at your daughter lovingly while she reads to them, older guinea pigs will fit in nicely.
I encourage adoption because there are so many animals who do need a second chance at a good home. At rescues like The Critter Connection, Inc. in Durham (www.ctguineapigrescue.org), you can find both baby and adult guinea pigs waiting to find loving, adoptive homes.
Good luck! Whitney
Equine Expert!
Mary Jo Zanolli is an instructor at Connecticut Equestrian Center in Coventry. She has over 12 years experience teaching beginner and intermediate riders, and over 20 years experience riding horses. Send all of your horse related questions to Mary Jo!
Q: Mary Jo,
My 4-year-old daughter is just crazy about horses! Is she too young to start riding lessons?
Grant
A: Grant,
Deciding what age to begin lessons for a young child can be tough. The most important factor is the level of enthusiasm the child has for horses and riding. A close second is the child’s ability to follow directions, and the young rider’s level of balance and coordination.
Sometimes a parent will sign their child up for riding lessons, when really it is the parent who has the interest in riding! Horses, and even ponies, are large animals, and can be quite intimidating to a small child. The young rider should be comfortable working around the horse, brushing and helping to saddle (always under the guidance of the parent and the instructor), and not feel overwhelmed when up on the horses back. It is of great importance that the rider is having fun! If the child is scared, it can become a very negative and even dangerous situation quite quickly.
Following directions is another important part in a riding lesson. Everything from how to hold and use a currycomb, how to mount, and how to sit in the saddle as the horse moves is covered in the introductory stages of a young riders lessons. Sometimes even the vocabulary used in a lesson is difficult for a very young child to understand. The instructor should be capable of explaining things in a way that a 3 or 4 year old can comprehend and understand. The child needs to have a long enough attention span at this point where he/she can follow direction for the duration of a lesson.
Balance and coordination are essential components to riding. These two things are something even accomplished riders struggle with from time to time! A 3 or 4 year-old rider should have the ability to sit straight, with weight in the stirrups and heels down, both at the halt and at the walk. If the young student cannot manage that it is probably in the child’s best interest to wait a year before continuing riding lessons. Basic correct riding position is required for the rider to stay balanced and safe on the horse. The timing of the posting trot is another important skill that often a very young rider finds difficult to master. Teaching the sitting trot instead, with the rider still straight in the saddle and heels down, is often easier for the child to learn.
In summary, I would definitely encourage any parent who has an enthusiastic young horse-lover to consider riding lessons. Starting a child as young as 4 or even 3 years old is fine, as long as safety and fun are the priorities! Often these young riders will become avid equestrians and life-long horse lovers.
Mary Jo
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,
I was looking at adopting a pit bull terrier. Is it true that they are only aggressive if they are trained to be? What can I do to keep one from being aggressive?
Armando
A: Dear Armando,
Thank you for contacting me. Congratulations on your decision to adopt. There are a lot of dogs out there needing loving and caring homes, especially Pit Bulls. To clarify the breed, there are no "real" Pit Bulls, it is really a generic term used to describe a blend of different breeds. These dogs can make wonderful pets and companions.
Unfortunately, too many people obtain these dogs for the wrong reasons and have little understanding of the breeds and characteristics the dogs possess. Most of them are responsive to training and it is important that you begin training as soon as you get your dog. A well-behaved Pit Bull can certainly become an ambassador for the breed. Like any other breed, they can develop undesirable behaviors if poorly bred, mishandled, or unsocialized.
Unlike the myth, propagated by the media however, aggression to humans is not a problem specific to pits.
They were specifically and selectively bred for hundreds of years to fight other dogs, in the same way Labradors were bred to hunt and retrieve birds. We cannot blame the dogs for what they were bred for, as it is part of their character, like Shelties herding, or Huskies pulling. They may have never seen a sheep, or may have never pulled, it doesn't mean they still don't have the compulsion to herd or run.
There are precautions to take when owning a Pit Bull especially in a multi dog household. Knowing how to avoid a fight, as well as how to break it up if, is proof of smart and responsible Pit Bull ownership.
Owners must be aware of the remarkable fighting abilities these dogs posses and always keep in mind that they have the potential to inflict serious injury to other animals. A Pit Bull may not even be the one starting a conflict, but has the genetics to finish it. Remember that Pit Bulls are almost always blamed no matter who initiated the hostilities, and often end up paying the price...as does the owner!
It is a mistake to think that the propensity to fight can be trained or loved out of the dog.
The more time you devote to training, and socializing your new dog the better your dog will be, and that goes for any breed.
Depending on where you live, you may want to check about local BSL (breed legislation laws) in your area. You will want to know whether Pit Bulls are allowed in your community and you will also want to look into your homeowner's insurance. Sadly, there are more insurance companies placing these dogs on their "banned for insurance" lists.
Read, research, investigate the rescue, ask questions to other Pit Bull owners, get with a trainer who is familiar with training pits, and if you can commit yourself to dedication, training, and bonding with your dog, you will have a great future with your dog!
Lynn
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