Author: Shanklin Pets

Ferrets Information

Ferrets sleep for up to 20 hours per day and are most active at dawn and dusk. When awake, they love to explore and need to be given the opportunity to run around and forage.

You need to allocate sufficient daily exercise time – just make sure you are around to supervise and play too! It’s a good idea to provide your ferret with appropriate balls, other toys and tunnels.  Some ferrets also enjoy playing in water so a little shallow bathing bowl could be provided.

Ferrets can live alone but they prefer to live with one or two others – if they get on! Also, unless you want a large family, make sure they are single sex or neutered.  If only one ferret is to be kept, remember you are its play mate and will need to dedicate more time to entertaining and exercising.

When thinking about introducing a ferret into your household, it’s important to remember they are easily frightened.  Be very careful with introductions to other pets. Ferrets can live with dogs and cats but not with other small furries.

It’s usually unsuitable to keep ferrets in a house with small children – they have sharp teeth and can bite so be careful whatever your age!

An owner should regularly check a ferret is healthy and happy.  You can do this by monitoring if there are any changes in eating, drinking, toilet habits and his / her behaviour or appearance.

check out ferret foods and ferret accessories 

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ANIMAL WELFARE / AWARENESS PET FOOD CHALLENGE, we challenge you to take part and show your support for homeless animals across the IOW and the UK, 100’s of pets need homes, copy our challenge and tag us in your video and nominate 2 friends to join in

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Like any other animals, different species of wild birds can be affected by different diseases, if the necessary hygiene measures are not considered. If you have a large number of birds attracted to your garden, the best way to help them is to focus on prevention of the disease.

Where does a disease come from?
Many bird diseases are transmitted by droppings. If contaminated droppings of one bird get mixed with food, the other birds will be at risk of picking up that disease.  Other species of animals (such as rats) can also contaminate birds’ food and that’s why it is important to guard against both sources of infection in your garden.

What are the signs of disease?
Although exact symptoms vary between diseases, and reaching a diagnosis requires veterinary input, but if you keep your eyes open to the following signs, you will be alert when an individual bird is suffering from some form of disease.

General signs are:

• Affected birds often appear lethargic and reluctant to move away from the feeding station.
• They may appear fluffed-up and show difficulty in swallowing food or water.
• They may also allow you to approach them and pick them up, something that a healthy bird would never do.

Can wild birds be treated?
Unfortunately, by the time it is possible to catch a sick bird for treatment, it is likely to be too late to help them. Treating sick birds without first capturing them is not advisable because there is no way of ensuring that medicines will be taken only by affected birds or in the correct doses. This means that it is far better to take preventative action to stop an outbreak occurring in the first place.

Top Hygiene Tips

• Amount of food in your feeder is important. If the food you put in it takes days to clear, this means you should reduce the amount. Ideally, bird tables should be swept clean each day to remove droppings and any uneaten food.
• Location of the feeder can protect it from the reach of other animals such as rats. Hanging feeders or birdtables are preferable. Try to avoid putting the food directly on the ground. Avoid placing a bird table under a tree in which birds perch or roost, since it soon becomes heavily contaminated with droppings.
• Keep the bird feeder/table and surrounding area clean and free from droppings or mouldy food. Mouldy food can provide a breeding opportunity for microorganisms which may make the birds ill.
• The ground beneath feeders should be kept clean by regular sweeping and disinfected through the use of an appropriate disinfectant. You can move your feeding stations to a new area every month to prevent droppings accumulating underneath.
• Clean and wash your bird feeders regularly, ideally using a disinfectant solution (used at the manufacturers recommended concentration) followed by rinsing and air drying before being used again.
• Water Containers should be rinsed out every day, particularly during the warmer months. After washing, allow it to dry before filling in with fresh water again.
• Bird Baths need to get cleaned and washed thoroughly every now and then, to prevent microbial contamination or droppings accumulated there.
• Your Personal Hygiene is also important. Wash your bird feeders outside of your house and use utensils separate from the ones in your kitchen. Always wash your hands before and after handling bird feeders, sick or dead birds in your garden.

The risk of disease transmission is related to the numbers of birds congregating together. One of the best things you can do is to use several feeding sites within your garden to divide the number of birds between the stations.

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Choosing the Right Set Up

Once it has been established what type of fish you want to keep then it is important to invest in the right set up. Aquarium shops are usually able to help you with this. Please note the following tips

Filtration:

The filtration is the equipment used to keep the water clean in both a mechanical and biological sense. Take into account the size of aquarium and the number of fish and their potential size, to allow for growth. Mechanical filtration removes solid matter (particles) from the water and biological filtration uses a healthy population of bacteria which develops in the filter to convert harmful substances produced by fish waste or uneaten food into non harmful substances that can be diluted when doing a partial water change.)

Setting up:

Read the instructions for the aquarium and any hardware before setting them up. Next step is filling the aquarium with substrate decor and water. The substrate and decor should all be washed thoroughly before placing in the aquarium and if you use tap water, make sure you use a product that removes the chlorine. You should check with the shop that the substrate and decor will not affect the water chemistry as some will. Once the equipment is plugged in and the system is running then the name of the game is patience!

Allow time before putting the fish in

One of the biggest mistakes a lot of beginners make is trying to put fish in too early. The biological filter needs time to mature and build up a good healthy colony of bacteria to enable it to cope with fish waste. You can purchase products which aid this process, but it is still prudent to wait for at least four weeks before introducing the first fish. You can test your water to tell if it is ready for your first fish however many beginners find it easier to take water sample in to their local aquarium shop where you can pay to get it tested and receive advice too.

Buying the right fish

Choose a good quality aquarium shop and give them the details of your aquarium (type, size, filtration and what you would like to keep). They should then be able to advise you on which species are compatible, what size they grow to and which fish are hardy and ideal for beginners. They should always recommend just a few hardy fish to start with as the biological filter will need time to adjust to having fish in the aquarium and the stocking process should take place over a few months to allow for this each time you add fish.

Feeding Your Fish

When looking after a fish’s water, it’s important to look for a food that will help keep the water quality good by not leaching components into the water before it can be eaten.  You can’t physically over feed the fish but you can feed more than they can eat in one go leaving uneaten food in the aquarium which, if the filter is not big enough to cope, will cause problems in quality of water.

Water Quality and Frequency of Cleaning

Even in correctly stocked and fed aquariums water quality needs to be maintained by sticking to a good regime of cleaning the filters and preferably performing a partial 25% water change using a gravel siphon every 6 weeks approximately.

It is important to note that when cleaning the biological part of the filter it should be washed in tank water that has been taken from the aquarium. If you wash it in tap water the chlorine can kill a lot of the bacteria and seriously reduce the capacity of the filter which may result in a deterioration of water quality leading to health problems for the fish and even death. Also the water used to replace the old aquarium should be conditioned in the same way as when you set up to remove chlorine.

Check out our online fish section https://www.shanklinpetstores.co.uk/product-category/fish/

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Ferrets are inquisitive, playful animals and, if well cared for, make loyal pets for up to ten years.  There are no ferrets in the wild which means we are still learning about their needs.  However, we do know that they are likely to have descended from polecats and their name means ‘little thief’!

Ferrets are strict carnivores – they need a well-balanced diet containing animal protein to stay fit and healthy. Ferrets cannot be vegetarians.  Complete foods specifically for ferrets are available but here are some nutrition tips to bear in mind when caring for your pet:

Ferrets have high metabolic rates -very short digestive tract -and therefore need feeding little and often.  It’s a good idea to have food available all day long – perhaps hiding it to stimulate their natural foraging behavior.

Ferrets cannot easily digest large amounts of fibre or complex carbohydrates so avoid bread and cereals.

The average ferret will eat 5-7% of its body weight on a daily basis – this is about 50-75 grams of food for a ferret weighing 1 kg.  However, the quantity of food differs from animal to animal and according to life stage.

Ferrets will require larger quantities during growth, gestation and reproduction. A reproducing female require a minimum of 30% protein in their diet and kits require more protein and fat. Older ferrets may need less food and of course if you think your pet is gaining weight, feed levels should be adjusted.

It’s also important to only give your ferret small amounts of treats. If ferrets eat too much and become overweight, this can lead to many other health problems.

It is not advisable to make any sudden changes to your Ferret’s diet as this may make them very ill. Always introduce new diets gradually and talk to your vet it your ferret is ill.

Fresh, clean water must always be available and check it regularly – at least twice a day. If your ferret is outdoors in winter make sure the water doesn’t freeze.

There are a number of foods that are poisonous to ferrets so always double check before you feed them.  DO NOT FEED your ferret raisins, avocado and chocolate. The list is not exhaustive, and if in doubt as to whether something is safe to feed it is best to avoid.

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What to buy and what to look for

Making sure that the pet bird gets a balanced diet is important, and of equal importance is ensuring they don’t get a chance to eat anything that might be dangerous or poisonous.

Most companion pet birds are seed eaters. However, seed alone will not provide your bird with the nutrients they require. Manufacturers of prepared bird food will supplement mixes to ensure they get the right nutrients in the right proportions.

Here are some of our top tips to ensure your pet bird is kept as healthy as possible.

In addition to seed, pet birds need iodine, vitamin A and calcium to avoid rickets.  The most important essential fatty acid for birds is linoleic acid and deficiencies can cause skin problems and poor feather development.

Minerals are very important to birds to maintain bones, claws and beak. They can be provided in the form of mineral blocks, cuttlefish bones or oyster shells.

To ensure your bird receives the correct, balanced diet, look for the words “complete feed” on the food packaging. This means that this particular food has been manufactured to provide all the nutrients it needs to keep it healthy.

Some birds (parrots and related species) are selective feeders so owners need to take great care not to indulge the bird with its favourite bits of any feed as this could mean he’s no longer receiving a balanced diet.

In addition to providing a good quality bird feed, small quantities of fresh fruit and veg may be fed as a treat for your bird, but you should take care not to overdo this as it is an additional source of calories.  Always ensure that any fruit or veg given is safe for them to eat and it should be washed thoroughly and cut in to manageable pieces.

In the wild, birds eat millet sprays fresh from the branches, and millet sprays can offer both a source of entertainment and a healthy treat for caged birds within the home.  Other treats, such as ‘seed sticks’ are also widely available and provide not only nutrition, vitamins and minerals but also are a great source of activity for the birds. As with all additional sources of nutrition, care should be taken to avoid any over feeding of your pet.

Small birds such as finches and canaries need to eat as much as 30% of their bodyweight in seed each day.

Care should be taken to always ensure that feeders are kept free of husks and that there is always sufficient seed available.

During the breeding season when seed eaters are feeding young they may take some higher protein manufactured ‘soft’ foods – many of which are egg based. The protein requirement of birds may also increase during growth, or at moulting time.

Softbills tend to be kept by more experienced bird keepers. These bird species have specific nutritional needs, depending on whether they are insectivorous, carnivorous, nectivorous (nectar feeders), frugivorous (fruit eaters), or omnivorous.

Always remember, birds need constant access to fresh clean drinking water from a suitable water drinker, available from pet shops. Clean the drinkers every day.

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These friendly little creatures make interesting pets for children. They only have a short lifespan, which is an advantage in many ways, but can be difficult if your child gets very attached to their pet. Due to their small size, mouse cages don’t take up much space but can become smelly if not cleaned out regularly. Mice are quick and lively, and love to climb. This can make them tricky for small children to handle, but with adequate parental supervision they can still provide lots of fun. Mice are social animals so you should try to buy a same-sex pair or group (preferably female – males have quite a strong smell and tend to fight if kept in groups).

Top tips for adopting a mouse:

• Mice like company, so it’s best to buy them in single-sex pairs or groups. Mice can get stressed if they are left alone. Female mice generally fight less than males, so can make calmer pets.
• Before buying your mice, have the cage and equipment ready. Find a space for the cage in a quiet area of the house and make sure that it is away from radiators or draughts. Your mice will need a cage with a deep base filled with bedding material that they can burrow down into and it also needs to have a few places for your mice to hide away from each other, like dens or tunnels.
• Baby mice are ready to leave mum at 5 weeks of age. Be very careful if you suspect that the breeder or retailer you are buying from keeps the mice in mixed-sex groups – you may be coming home with a pregnant female! Mice breed very quickly so think twice before buying a breeding pair.
• Arrange a time to look at the mice first, and select your own from those available. Make sure you check the environment that the mice are being kept in to ensure that none of them look ill (key signs are ruffled fur, runny eyes or nose, or a dirty bottom), and that they are in clean and hygienic conditions.
• Take a good look at your mouse to check that they are healthy before agreeing to buy: They should be active, bright eyed and breathing quietly. Their eyes and nose should be clear and free of discharge, their skin should look healthy (no flaky patches), and they should have a clean bottom, well-aligned teeth and a nice plump body with no lumps or swellings.

Settling in at home:

• All animals find moving house stressful and they will need time to adjust to their new surroundings. Put your mice into the cage with all of the essentials like bedding, food and water, and allow them to settle in over a couple of days, undisturbed.
• After giving your mice time to settle into their new home, you can start quietly talking to them, and putting your hand into the cage to feed them treats. Take this stage slowly, so that they learn that you are not a threat. Eventually they will come to your hand for treats, and then you can think about picking them up for the first time.
• Wash your hands before picking your mouse up for the first time. They can find food smells exciting and may try to bite if your hands aren’t clean! They can be quite difficult to catch, as they are so quick. If you take things slowly, your mouse will eventually crawl into your cupped hand if you place it gently in the cage. If you really need to catch your mouse, do it by holding onto her at the base of her tail (not the end of the tail, as this can harm them). When you catch your mouse, gently cup your hands around him so that he can’t escape, but don’t hold too tight!

Essential care:

• Your mice will need fresh food and water every day. Allow a small amount of special mouse food and a few fresh greens per day. They will really enjoy it if you hide some mouse food around the cage for them to find. Watch your mouse store his food in little hidey-holes for later!
• Clean the cage every week. Remove bedding and nesting material and wipe the cage with a damp cloth and pet-safe detergent before putting in fresh bedding. Mice rely on scent-marking to feel at home, so you may want to replace a small amount of old bedding material into the clean cage so that they do not feel stressed. It’s a good idea to cover the floor of the cage with newspaper, as this makes it much easier to clean!

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For reptile owners, there are many options available to provide a reptile with it’s proper lighting and heating needs, and the challenge is to put together a system that both fits the needs of the animal and the owner’s budget. Light is important because it helps to regulate the pet’s sleep cycle and mating habits and helps maintain the health of the animal. Heat is important since it helps to maintain the reptile’s body temperature and aids digestion. Prior to purchasing a new pet, it would be smart to read up on the animal’s specific needs, since they are all different. Check the library or helpful guides on the internet, ask questions at the pet store and try to get everything ready before you bring your new friend home. Exotic reptiles and amphibians come from all over the world and re-creating their specific environment is important and sometimes challenging. The goal is to get everything just right, which will lead to a long, healthy life with few vet bills. And, with a little planning and forethought, a healthy habitat can be achieved. Along with good food and proper husbandry, adequate light and heat are essential to your pet’s health. so before you run out and get a reptile, do your research, you cant treat a  bearded dragon the same way as a gecko just because there both reptiles, likewise with other animals, you have different needs for a dog as you do hamsters.

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Cat Food,Complete vs Supplementary

As a cat owner, it’s your job to make sure that your cat is receiving a healthy diet with all the nutrients they need for a long, active life. This means taking a close look at the product description and packaging for anything that you’re considering feeding to your cat. But even a seasoned label-inspector will know that this can seem very confusing at times! Our quick guide will help to clear up some of the most important words you need to know.

Complete food

A complete wet or dry food is designed to provide the full range of nutrients that your cat needs to stay healthy. This means that the food can be fed on its own, without the need to combine it with any other food products or supplements. So choosing a complete food makes it really easy to meet all of your pet’s nutritional requirements – all you need to do is make sure that you serve the right feeding amount to suit your cat’s size, age, breed and activity levels.

Supplementary food

Things get a bit more complicated when it comes to supplementary food (sometimes also called complementary food), which is lacking in one or more essential nutrients, such as taurine or calcium. This type of food must be fed alongside other products to make sure that your cat receives everything they need to stay healthy. Some brands, provide specific guidelines for combining their wet and dry food to ensure a balanced diet. Otherwise, you might find it helpful to speak to your vet about managing your pet’s nutritional intake. Even though incorporating supplementary food into your pet’s diet can be difficult to calculate at first, this is a great way to offer your cat more variety in their food bowl, with a range of flavours and textures. Supplementary food also makes a great occasional treat, just like how we might enjoy a portion of chips or piece of steak every now and then, but still need to make sure we balance this out with other types of food.

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How Old Is My Dog In Human Years? When trying to calculate your dog’s age in human years, you need to take both breed and size into consideration.

Larger dogs generally grow more slowly but tend to have shorter lives than smaller breeds. Mixed breeds generally have longer life expectancies than pure breeds. And castrated dogs on average live 1 year longer than non-castrated animals.

The rule of thumb used to be that 1 dog year was the equivalent to 7 human years. But more recent findings give us a new way to calculate a dog’s age. The following table provides a relatively easy way to calculate an individual dog’s age:

Translating Dog Years into Human Years

Dog’s age	Small breed – age in human years	Medium breed – age in human years	Large breed – age in human years
1	15	15	15
2	24	24	24
3	28	28	28
4	32	32	32
5	36	36	36
6	40	42	45
7	44	47	50
8	48	51	55
9	52	56	61
10	56	60	66
11	60	65	72
12	64	69	77
13	68	74	82
14	72	78	88
15	76	83	93
16	80	87	120

 

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