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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.
Substrate update.
I began to notice that the method of mixing the forest bedding and sand to make a substrate that could handle misting for reptiles, didn't fare much better, when it didn't get misted. If the misting wasn't enough to soak into the mix, it became dry underneath.
I took two subjects for an experiment. Two animals that would normally be kept in totally different substrate.
I made a mixture of the forest bedding, and with that I stirred in a variety of seeds. Cat grass seeds, bird seeds, (There are all sorts of seeds in canary and finch and even wild bird food. Make sure to just use the seeds and not food items like cracked corn that will get moldy), even a few flower seeds.
Subject One was a leopard gecko. I pressed the mix down firmly and added a few flat rocks and its hiding cave. Subject Two was a albino Pacman frog (Argentine horned frog). I made it a little deeper and included a bowl it could soak in. Both tanks are heated from below with heating pads.
Before the week was over, little sprouts began to pop up out of the soil. By the third week, the roots had formed throughout the tank, making the ground a lot firmer and less likely to be ingested. The grass seeds grew taller, while some of the other seeds came up curly and close to the ground. The poops are easy to scoop and any liquid waste is likely being turned into plant food.
The big test was to forget to mist it for a few days to see how it faired.
The frog tank went with no rain for three days. That was usually enough to dry out the forest bedding but now the ground was still firm. After a good misting, I poured some more water in the corner of the tank, and it was absorbed into the soil.
The leopard gecko went over a week, with me just lightly spraying the glass so it could drink. Even with most of the plants trampled down and dried out, the soil was still firm. It was almost spongy feeling because of the network of roots below.
So far it looks to me like something that can be used for a wide range of reptiles. It can minimize substrate impaction and provide a wide range of humidity levels. It doesn't look too bad either.
I just started a taller tank with tree frogs. I have two Dunkin Donuts coffee cups in it that I keep cut flowers in. I change the flowers every few days. I run a UVB light during the day for the plants. After less than a week, I have all sorts of stuff sprouting up. This tank is taller and will allow for more upward growth. The little frogs are less likely to trample it down.
Did I mention that it might not need to be changed for months?
I will keep you posted.
~Reptile Man
Ask the Lazi Birds!
Steve and Diane Lazicki have been rescuing and working with birds for over 8 years, as well as raising them as pets since childhood. They live with over 150 birds in their "bird house," so they have a wealth of bird expertise. Direct your bird related questions to the Lazi Birds.
Q: I have a question for Steve and Diane Lazicki, the bird experts:
My 8-year-old cockatiel has a plucking problem. It began after a week-long stay at a bird sitter several years ago. The sitter had a roomful of other birds, plus 3 huge cats. The plucking is mainly on the right side of her breast, neckline and rump areas. She has been a healthy bird otherwise. Is this due to separation anxiety from our traveling/working, a bad habit picked up from the other birds or anxiety over those cats? To this day she has a fit whenever the neighbor's cat walks across our patio. My other cockatiel, now deceased, used to lightly pluck the top of her wing, but stopped when she grew much older. They had been cagemates for a few years. Could she have developed this habit from the other bird? I work part-time and she spends much of the day outside of the cage.
Joan
A: Dear Joan,
From what you describe, I would say that this problem is definitely the result of trauma. There are several factors here which make it pretty much impossible to pinpoint which event; or perhaps it was a combination of events which caused this condition. The fact is that whatever the cause, plucking has become the result and we will focus on possible cures.
I wish I could tell you that there is a 'formula' to stop feather plucking but there isn't. All is not hopeless however, as there are several things which you can try. We have had some serious pluckers here at the rescue and our success rate is about 80%...
The very first thing that we work on is diet. We use Harrisons pellets and there is a blend, High Potency, which is for birds with health problems. We have all of our pluckers on it. Secondly, and very important, is to mist your bird daily. When the bird became stressed, itching could have occurred much the same as a person breaking out in hives. After a while, plucking can become a habit like nail biting (a habit is a little harder to break). When you mist your bird, mix Aloe Vera juice with warm water 50/50 in a spray bottle. You can also mix it in a bowl and swab it on your bird if the misting is stressful. Most birds enjoy the misting. Our guys love to hang upside down and spread their wings so don't stop the misting the first few times. Let your bird have the opportunity to realize how enjoyable it is. Aloe Vera juice can be found at Walgreens drug or in a health store. Another thing that I am using now with excellent results is Goji Berry juice which I add to their drinking water. Boredom is a big problem in pluckers. They need stimulation particularly when you are not home. TV is great, our birds watch cartoons and love them. Toys are also a necessity. Things that can be shredded and destroyed are most valuable to the plucker. If they are happily destroying toys, they will not be destroying their feathers. The key is to have destructible toys for them. Bird toys can be expensive and for that reason there is a tendency to try to find toys that will last a while. For the plucker, we have found that the bird needs to destroy. There are many things that you can do to make your own toys on a regular basis. Take empty toilet paper rolls and fill them with buttons and goodies that will make noise and wrap them in paper. You can either hang them in the cage or place them in the cage. Foraging is natural for birds. Take a small box and place it in the cage closed with goodies inside, roll paper and weave it in the cage bars. Take an empty pill bottle and put buttons or beads in it. Use your imagination. If your bird isn't used to new things, you will have to 'play' with the toys first. This will spark curiosity. The main things are to make sure your bird isn't itching and bored. Again, and I can't stress it enough, misting is imperative to your bird!
Good luck, Lazickis
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
We have 3 cats, 2 of them, Jack and Conner, are the males, and have been with us for a year and a half, and a year respectively. The newest cat, Gynger has been with us about three months. At the time we adopted her, they informed us that no one knew if she was spayed. We took her to our vet, and she could not determine if she had been spayed either.
After we introduced her to the boys everything was fine, until, lo and behold, she went into heat. We took her in, had her spayed, and kept her locked up for a few days. Before we got her into the vet, she had been chasing Conner all over the house. Again we slowly tried to re-introduce her back to the boys. Jack, the alpha, has had no problems, but Conner still hisses and runs away.
We have had Gynger on Prozac for the last couple weeks, to try and calm her, but to no avail.
Any help would be great.
Myke & Bob
A: Dear Myke & Bob,
Your feline household has been through a lot of changes and it will take some time for everyone to calm down.
Some cats are more accepting of newcomers than others, hence the difference in the reaction to Gynger between Jack and Conner. Gynger's coming and going and being in heat may have upset the teacart as well. A real simple solution that may or may not work is to put a drop of vanilla on everyone's nose or the top of their heads. That way everyone will be on "a level playing field." That would be a really quick fix!
More realistically, you may have to start from scratch in introducing them. Keep them in separate rooms and do a scent exchange. Rub a sock or t-shirt over one cat then over the other. Then do a room exchange. Step back if the cats react negatively. If you can then let the cats see each other through a screen door or gate. And finally let them be in the same room together under supervision. Make it a pleasant experience and reward them liberally if they behave. Encourage play with a fishing pole toy. Talk to them and tell them what good friends they'll be. (Sounds corny, but they'll understand the tone of your voice.)
If they act up, just walk between them to distract them or toss a toy.
I often recommend flower essences, which are much safer than drugs such as Prozac, which as you've seen, doesn't work. Visit www.spiritessence.com, look under cat behavior and check out the Ultimate Peacemaker group. Flower essences are applied to the ears or paw pads or put into the drinking water. Bach flower remedies can be found in health food stores (visit www.bachcentre.com for more information).
Keep in mind, too, that some squabbling is expected as the feline hierarchy shakes down. Gynger, the newbie, is testing the waters trying to figure out where she stands, and Conner may be feeling insecure. Make sure there are enough safe spaces for retreats, vertical as well as horizontal.
Hope this helps, Sally
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: Dear Mary Jo,
Do you think Equine Massage is an effective therapy for use in performance horses?
Thank you, James
A: Dear James,
I definitely think equine massage therapy is valuable to enhance a horses’ ability to work under saddle. Not only can it help day-to-day rides by making a horse more comfortable in his work. But massage therapy can also help horses recover from injury more quickly, and even help prevent injuries from occurring in the first place!
Horse muscles can become tight and tense several different ways, including learning new movements, increasing intensity of work, being ridden poorly, or incorrectly fitting tack. An equine massage therapist can find trouble spots through an initial evaluation of the horse. Treatment includes specific strokes, stretches, and releasing of trigger point tension within the muscles. Besides having an effect on the muscles, massage therapy can improve circulation, aid digestion, and soothe the nervous system. Eventually better muscle definition will be noticeable as the treatments continue. The horse can also become more flexible, supple, and able to use their backs as a result of ongoing therapy which, as any rider knows, is critical for success in any riding discipline! Many equine massage therapists ask that owners participate in the horses’ treatment, and will teach the owners basic stretches to help reduce injury and increase performance.
Most conventional veterinarian practices will be able to recommend a qualified equine massage therapist in your area. If you already have chiropractic or acupuncture work done on your horse, the veterinarian that you use for this may also be a great resource in helping you to find an equine massage therapist. Good Luck!
Mary Jo
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