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 Reptile guy,
I have a 6 foot, Red Tailed Boa in a large custom built cage.  My problem is that the snake is getting too big for the hollow log it hides under, but still tries to cram itself in it.  I can't find any that are much bigger.  Where can I find something that looks good and that is big enough for a snake over 6 ft. long.
Jason
A: Hi Jason,
This is a situation where it would be much more practical to make one.  There are inexpensive storage containers that come with covers in a variety of sizes.  I use them for water tubs and travel containers also.  Pick one that the snake can fit into comfortably and cut a hole on one end that it can get through. They are made of plastic and not hard to cut. Make the hole in the middle so you can still put the cover on it.  Sand the edge of the hole to make sure it is smooth. Once the hole is cut, the top where the cover goes will be the bottom. You can paint the outside of the upside down container  a natural color, and then hot glue layers of the natural looking silk leaves  that they sell at craft stores. Try to fold some of the leaves through the entrance and glue them inside so it makes the entrance smoother.  They sell fake plastic vine you can wrap around it in pet stores.  Once the cover is put back on, it will make a clean bottom for the snake to lie on.  Monitor the temperature inside the hide box.  You can keep the humidity higher on the box during shed time by putting some moss on the bottom.
How much work you are willing to put into it, will determine how good it looks.  You could even use paper mache and turn it into a rock if you wanted.
One time I made a land area that I could keep in a kiddy pool for water turtles out of a laundry basket.  I still remember sitting with a hot glue gun and a bucket of smooth flat rocks, gluing one rock at a time for the top. 
It will be a fun project.  Good luck. Ron
 

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,
My cat Henry is 15. He was adopted from a shelter and has always had a somewhat obsessive compulsive personality. He would often chew plastic bags, then throw them up, so I learned to keep them out of his reach. He also paces a lot in a set pattern. He’s always been fascinated by water and very vocal, but lately, even more so. He howls a lot at night and seems frustrated when he can’t get to the water in the sink.
What’s going on?
Judy
A: Dear Judy,
Since Henry is 15, it’ll be kind of difficult to change an ingrained behavior pattern. Both the pacing and plastic-eating sound a bit OCD. If the vocalization has gotten worse, he may be experiencing at bit of feline cognitive dysfunction, a sort of kitty Alzheimer’s.
Also have his thyroid (T4 values) checked out by your veterinarian since excessive vocalization can accompany hyperthyroidism. Try giving him a nice meal before bedtime.
Anyone who reads my column regularly knows that I often recommend flower essences, especially those by Spirit Essence (www.spiritsessence.com). There are ones specifically titled Obsession, Graceful Aging, Night Owl Remedy that may be helpful with Henry.
Hope this helps a bit. Sally
 

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!

Capturing those special "Kodak Moments" in our pets' lives can be a challenge.  I was on a website (www.digital-photography-school.com) recently and got some good tips about photographing pets.  I thought I would pass on some tips from the experts to help our readers get some fun photos of their furry friends!
1.  Use natural light.  Flashes can not only cause red eyes, but may also frighten your pet and ruin the shot.  Instead, try an outdoor photo session or using a room well lit with a big window.
2.  Shoot at their level.  Sit on the floor or lie on your belly and take the photo at your pet's eye level.
3.  Give value to their character.  You know your pet better than anyone else and a successful picture is one that conveys the character of its subject.  If you have a lazy cat, show him yawning; if your animal is playful, show him in action performing his favorite trick.
4.  Be patient.  Pet photography requires a lot of patience.  No matter how excited your pet is, if you are patient enough, he will end up relaxing and you will have the opportunity to get a decent shot.
Good Luck! Dr. Mascola
 

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: Dear Lazi Birds,
I am a new parrot owner as of this summer. We have a Conure named Teddy that has spent the summer on our screened in porch from the time we got him. He was very happy out there. We spend a lot of family time on the porch during the mild weather. We have now taken Teddy in for the season and he has started plucking some of his feathers and screaming. Are we doing something wrong? Were there specific steps we needed to take? Someone told me that he could survive out there during the winter, should I put him back on the porch? We are frustrated as we love him and want to see him happy.
Thank you, Smith family
A: Dear Smith family,
I personally would never advise leaving a Conure or any other tropical bird out in the winter cold. I know there are folks that do it but when you consider a bird’s natural habitat, my personal conclusion is that although some birds may be able to survive, they are also suffering while they attempt to adjust. My feeling is that if they were to survive it would be because they were in a 'flock' not a single bird fighting the cold by itself. The Monk Parakeets are proof of community survival.
As far as taking steps to bring Teddy in, I will tell you that the large majority of birds do not like change. If I had been able to give you advice early on, it would have been to bring Teddy into the house often to spend time with the family inside. In doing so, the final pre-winter move wouldn't have been traumatic. Teddy would still have been in familiar surroundings. Is he in a family area now as he was on the porch? While outside, he got to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. I would be concerned about stimulation for him within the confines of a house to which he had not been exposed before the move.
As far a screaming, if he didn't scream on the porch I am quite surprised. Conures are known for being extremely loud. They are beautiful birds, however the noise level, which can be pretty consistent, is one of the problems people have in keeping them as pets. We never place Conures with families living in apartments or condos for this reason. Likewise, we also have a 'full supply' of Conures here at the rescue as people were uneducated before their purchase only to find the decibels intolerable.
I recommend taking steps to ensure that Teddy isn't bored. He needs light, toys and something that changes if you are not with him a lot such as a radio or TV. Placing him by a window might also help provided there are no drafts. I feel the plucking is due to the unintentional trauma caused by the move.
Again, I can't stress stimulation enough. Daily misting is also very important. A simple spray bottle set on a fine mist with nice warm water daily would be a big help. This should be done during the warmest time of the day (early afternoon). There are also products available to discourage feather plucking. I do NOT recommend these products. Grooming is a big part of a bird’s daily behavior. When you spray something distasteful like bitter apple, just to name one, onto their feathers, they will often over groom in an attempt to clean themselves. Plain water is best.
This first winter may be a little rough but don't give up. Teddy is doing his best to try to adjust the same as you and your family are trying to help him through.
Lazicki's Bird House & Rescue, Inc.