Things to Remember When Feeding Hermit Crabs

Hermit crabs are becoming popular as pets because of their unique and interesting characteristics of changing their shells when they feel like it. They are also different in many ways and only require low maintenance when caring for them. Feeding is one important factor you have to consider when rearing hermits as pets because although they are not choosy with their food, we have to give them food that must be nutritious, clean and must not pose danger in their habitat. They can be kept on aquariums so the problem of keeping them is very minimal and less costly. We can find commercial food for our hermits easily at local pet shops but they can also enjoy some food items that are readily available in our kitchen.

They will munch on fruits, vegetables, breadcrumbs, and would you believe they also love peanut butter? So how do you make ways in feeding hermit crabs? You just need these simple things:

· Commercial pet food anything from grounded to palletized commercial food.

· Fruits

· Vegetables

· Shells that are shaped like dishes

· Water that is completely de-chlorinated

When you have these just follow these simple steps:

First step

Use the shells as containments for their food and water. The calcium in these shells can be absorbed by the food thus providing calcium supplements to your hermits. Feeding hermit crabs that are small while using a large shell can be a problem so you can put pebbles or rocks in the middle of the shell so that the smaller ones can be able to crawl over and will not drown.

Second step

When feeding hermit crabs with commercial food, you can put only about 2 small pinches of the food on their feeding shells and this can sustain the small hermits. For larger hermits, palletized commercial food is better.

Third Step

Providing sustenance from natural food is a must for hermit crabs so you have to provide them fruits regularly. Their favorite fruits are grapes, bananas and apples. They also love to munch on ripe mangoes, papaya and grated coconut. You can slice the fruits in medium size cut before feeding it to them but make sure you remove the hard skin of the fruits first.

Fourth Step

Vegetables are necessary for the hermit crabs' diet and they can eat any kind of vegetables. It would be better, however, if you could feed them carotene-rich vegetables such as carrots and corn. The carotene supplement can help them to go through their molting process easily.

Fifth Step

Because they love to eat, they must also be provided with continuous supply of clean de-chlorinated water in their tank for their drinking and bathing. Always replace old water because their water can get dirty easily as they will crawl all over their dishes.

Sixth Step

Feeding hermit crabs is much like feeding your other pets. You can treat them with other food such as plain crackers, cereals, groundnuts, corn meal, small seeds or unbuttered popcorn and they will love it.

If you want to learn more about many things on how to feed your hermit crabs with different kinds of nutritious food, you can find this information on my sight.

Steven is a hermit crab enthusiast. For more great tips and advice on feeding a hermit crab, visit [http://www.hermit-crab1.com].

Things You Must Never Feed Your Pet Bird

This articles offers certain foods that you, being a bird owner, should never feed to your pet bird. If you have questions concerning a particular type of bird seed or fruit, consult your veterinarian. Buy your bird seed from a reputable producer like ABBA or Kaytee and read about the native diets of your bird species and supply a diet that features bird seed, fruit, and vegetables that closely resembles the natural food source of your particular bird species.

Before purchasing a bird as a pet, read and collect information on certain things to do and not to do. There are many species of bird that, if cared for properly, will be lifetime companions and family members.

Every responsible bird owner should know that there are certain foods and specific ingredients that must never be fed to a pet bird. Here is a list of six (6) food items that should never be fed to a bird or caution must be taken in the preparation of the food.

1. Chocolate, unfortunately, is not for the birds. That wonderful candy bar will mean disastrous consequences for your bird. Chocolate is incredibly harmful to a bird's digestive system. Initially, chocolate will cause vomiting and diarrhea. It can then impact the central nervous system resulting in seizures and eventual death. Chocolate and food containing chocolate ought to remain well out of reach of your feathered friend.

2. Though fruits are without a doubt good for birds, there are types that should by no means be given to birds. These include apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and pears. The reason is rather stunning. These fruits contain minute amounts of cyanide within their seeds which is an incredibly dangerous and a likely lethal substance even in trace quantities. Birds can eat portions of these types of fruit so long as it is cut away from the seeds or core. Also, always clean fruit prior to giving to your pets, children or yourself. Damaging chemicals present in pesticides are often detrimental to small animals such as birds.

Avocado is one fruit that should never be given to your pet bird. Skin of the avocado may cause cardiac distress and heart failure in certain bird species. Better safe than sorry with the avocado so don't even bother letting them try it.

3. Certain types of vegetables are often harmful. Onions may cause acute digestive problems and mushroom, which is really not a vegetable but a fungus, can lead to respiratory distress, kidney failure and death. While some veterinarians and pet owners are worried about giving pet birds particular vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes, these vegetables are not unsafe if they are cleaned and sliced prior to offering it to your pet. Remember, check with your veterinarian when you have concerns about any food source, including fruits, vegetables and bird seed.

4. Even if you like to have a few, never ask your pet bird if he or she wish to join you for a drink. Alcohol depresses a birds organs which, in some cases, is fatal. Caffeine is incredibly harmful to birds also. It causes cardiac malfunction in birds and, in some cases, can cause arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, hyperactivity, and increased heartbeat. Keep alcoholic and caffeinated drinks well from reach and out of areas where your bird can access them. Aside from water, natural fruit or vegetable juice is good. It can provide additional nutrition your bird needs.

5. Salt or products containing salt should never be given to birds. Like in humans, excess salt often leads to dehydration, kidney dysfunction, thirst and death. Due to their small size, it does not require a great deal of salt to have negative affects.

6. Finally, never offer your pet bird dry or raw beans. Dry or uncooked beans contain a poison called hemaglutin. Hemaglutin is no longer a concern after the beans are cooked so if you desire to offer beans to your bird, cook them first.

These are 6 food items that you need to avoid feeding your feathered friend. Knowing and avoiding these and other damaging food items will help ensure they will live for a long time. Pet birds can be very expensive. Don't take a chance with your birds health by feeding it food that can be dangerous. So what should you feed your pet bird to keep it healthy and happy? To play it safe, provide a good quality seed and pellet diet and supplement with approved fruits and vegetables if desired. This way you will keep the bird healthy and happy.

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Things You Need to Know About Pet Birds

Birds are becoming more and more popular as pets. There are a variety of bird species and sizes to choose from. The smaller birds are the Parakeet, Canary, Finch, Budgies, Lovebird...the larger birds are the Cockatiel, African Grey, Cockatoo, Amazon, Quaker, among others. Birds are highly intelligent animals. They are extremely social creatures... fairly inexpensive to feed... relatively easy to care for... and display amazing colors and behavior patterns that are interesting to watch and have even proven to improve peoples health i.e lower blood pressure and stress levels. The smaller birds... canaries, budgies, love birds...are ideal for apartment dwellers. Cages: Stainless steel or aluminum cages are more fitting for housing bird(s) than are painted cages. Not only will they give longer service, but the older painted cages may contain lead based paint which is toxic to birds. Cages should be wide enough for the bird to stretch its wings.

Cages should be placed near family activities in the home. Lining the bottom of the cage with newspapers or paper towels will make for easier clean up. Food and water bowls should be cleaned daily and once a week thorough cleaning of the cage should be done. Cages should also include toys, perches, mirrors and chewable items. Diet: Dietary needs among bird species are not all the same. Some have very specific dietary needs and need special diets. Feeding pet birds the right foods is one of the most important considerations of its overall care. Balancing a pet birds diet will prevent many health problems later.

Diet for most seed-eating birds should consist of pelleted foods, fresh fruits (apples, grapes, cantaloupe, pineapple, figs, and kiwi) and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates, but shouldn't be left in the cage at room temperature for long periods of time as they can spoil causing bacteria that is harmful to the bird. It's important to research what types of foods are best for your species of bird. Offering the bird a food item at dinner time is OK as long as you make sure that the foods you share aren't toxic to birds. The best time for feeding is in the morning and have fruits and vegetables available during the day. Health and Care: Health should be a primary consideration when choosing a pet bird. For routine health examinations you should schedule a yearly checkup with a avian veterinarian in order to detect potential problems early.

A healthy bird can tolerate temperatures that are comfortable to its owner. A pet bird should never be let out of its cage unattended. Some common dangers for birds are ceiling fans, heaters, open windows and doors, other pets, water filled tubs, sinks, etc. Some do's: Do close the blinds or pull the drapes over the windows if you let the bird out of it's cage to keep it from injuring himself flying into the glass. Do make sure a fireplace screen is covering the fireplace. Do cover aquariums. Do keep toilet lids down to keep the bird from falling in.

Do keep other pets (cats, dogs) away from the pet bird. Do keep clean water in it's cage. Do clean food bowl. Do keep the cage clean. Some don't's: Don't feed the bird certain foods (i.e chocolate, avocado) because they are toxic. Don't leave any doors and windows open in case the bird gets out of his cage. Don't hold a bird tight because their bones are fragile and can easily be fractured. Don't let a pet bird loose in the kitchen around boiling water or stove burners. Don't turn on ceiling fans if the bird is out of its cage. Don't smoke around the bird. Don't over heat non-stick-coated (Teflon) pots or pans for the fumes are toxic to birds. Don't let the bird eat toxic plants (daffodils, juniper, azaleas, oleanders,etc). Don't feed the bird pits from fruit as in cherries, plums or peaches because these contain cyanide which is toxic to birds. Pet birds can be purchased from a variety of sources,such as pet shops, breeders, private dealers, or individuals.

Lamar Deane offers free tips and information How to Choose The Right Pet For You [http://pets4usite.info/popular-pets.html]

Pet Health Help - Things to Know Now

Even the most knowledgeable people have to ask for pet health help from time to time. Knowing the right medications to give or the proper supplements to offer should be guided by an experienced veterinarian. Your pets probably have enough food to sustain their health but if you want to be sure that your pet is truly healthy inside and out, you have to give them some kind of vitamin supplements.

Make sure that the vitamins that you have for your pet are the ones that help improve their health and increase their immunity. Once the animals possess strong immunity, they can fight many types of illnesses and diseases. Vitamins are also a good source of antioxidants that can fight free radicals. These free radicals can be a source of disease such as cancer. Giving vitamins to your pets will help him fight disease and help heal wounds much faster.

Since our pets cannot make decisions for themselves, it is really important that we provide them the pet health help that they need to help them grow healthy. They depend on us to decide what is good for them.

One common question that most people ask about pets is how will they know if their pet is ill? Even though your pet cannot talk, you can still understand the way he feels by reading his body language or signs. The most common symptom of an ill animal is the loss of appetite.

One type of pet health help that you can give is to monitor the food that he eats and the water that he drinks. It is normal to skip a meal sometimes but if you notice that he is already skipping two to three meals, then you need to take him to the veterinarian. Another symptom that your pet may be ill is if he suddenly does not want to mingle with the people around him. You should also watch out for fur or feather loss, itchiness, watery nose and eyes and dehydration. You will know that your pet is dehydrated when you perform the skin elasticity test. Find the tight area of the skin on your pet's body and pinch it slightly enough, observe if the skin can get back to its normal shape, if it does not, then your pet is suffering from dehydration. Get him to the veterinarian right away.

Faye Herl writes about saving money at www.gasfurnaceshelp.com