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bestnatesmithever: “ americanphotobullterrier: “ sixpomeranians: “ lokithehusky: “ lifeoflaverne: “ I liked this photo that someone shared on my Facebook feed :) ” This is really important! A growl is a dog’s way of saying, “Please stop, you’re...
lifeoflaverne

I liked this photo that someone shared on my Facebook feed :)

lokithehusky

This is really important! A growl is a dog’s way of saying, “Please stop, you’re making me uncomfortable.” If you don’t stop when the dog growls or actually punish the behavior, the dog will learn that growling doesn’t help her, and so she must find another way to defend herself. Here’s a good article on the subject: http://www.nj.com/pets/index.ssf/2015/05/how_to_handle_a_growling_dog.html

sixpomeranians

People look at me like I’m the most ignorant dog owner EVER when I tell them to stop correcting their/my dogs for growling or snapping at each other.

It’s really no surprise that dog bites and fatalities are so copious. People teach their dogs not to given any warning before biting. You had no idea your dog was going to attack your infant climbing on its back? Well…

americanphotobullterrier

I cannot stress enough how harmful punishing growling is. It’s typically a dog’s  way of saying that it’s uncomfortable with the situation it’s in. Don’t punish a dog for being over threshold, remove them from the situation

bestnatesmithever

Just in general treating your dog like it is a human and requiring it to behave the way you think is socially acceptable seems so ridiculous. 

PSA About Bearded Dragons
animalaspects

I am seeing so much stuff about bearded dragons lately, I thought I would directly discuss the issues I’ve been seeing. Please read and pass on to other bearded dragons owners.

Bearded dragons are very easy to care for, but I keep seeing misinformed people become defensive when they are told how they are keeping their animal is a risk to their health. No one is trying to attack you, suck up your pride and do what is best for your animal. Pets are a learning experience! 

Once and for all sand is NOT okay for bearded dragons. When we think of desert dwelling animals we typically think of sand, but not all deserts are sand (Antarctica is a desert). In the wild, dragons are typically in trees, bushes, and solid ground, not sand, because there IS no sand in their environment. Something like this: 

imageimageThey lick their environment (like many other reptiles) because they have scent receptors in the roof of their mouths, they are smelling, not tasting. So, while they smell they are also picking up anything small enough to attach to their sticky tongues. When sand is in their viv they are eating it. Bigger things like stones are much less likely to be ingested because they either wont fit into the dragons mouth or he will just spit it out. It’s not so easy to spit out sand, once it’s on his tongue there is really no getting it off alone. Impaction is probably a word many dragon owners have heard, it is a condition where an animals digestive tract is blocked by a solid or semi-solid object. It can be caused by food that’s too large (which is why you never feed them food bigger than the space between their eyes), inadequate temperatures, and particle (sand/walnut shell) substrate. The dust also causes respiratory and eye infections, as well as staining if the sand is colored.

I am seeing many owners saying things such as “my dragon has been on sand for four years without a problem.” While this may be true, not all problems are easily seen. As your dragon eats more and more sand the blockage will slowly grow, it can take up to ten years in some cases for any problems to show up. If not taken care of your dragon will die, and you are looking at an extremely hefty vet bill. 

While we are on the topic of money, newspaper, tile, and reptile carpet are much cheaper than sand. Tile and carpet doesn’t need to be replaced, just wiped or washed, and newspaper can even be free if you get ads in the mail! Sand will eventually need to be replaced when it gets gross. There are reptile hammocks available so your animal has somewhere soft to go (although they live on hard ground their entire lives in the wild, I doubt they will care how it feels). 

Do not leave you dragon unattended with insects. Crickets will EAT your dragon if they are not eaten first. Tank feeding is usually a huge no-no as well. Unless you know the exact amount of insects you are putting in I would choose another tank, plastic bin, or bathtub for feeding. Crickets can easily hide and if you leave them alone they can bite your dragon and cause an infection. These lizards are very heavy sleepers and probably wouldn’t wake up from a cricket bite. 

Do not use heat rocks as a heat source or at all. Dragons have very sensitive bellies and cannot judge how much heat is coming off of the rock. They can easily burn their soft underbellies. They also need a source of UVB light to make vitamin b, and heat rocks do not provide that, they also do not heat up the entire tank. Real rocks or even bricks are fine as a resting place, in fact they love to lay on them in the wild. They also help dull their nails!

Do not house multiple dragons together. If you have ever seen two or more dragons together and they seem to be ‘cuddling’ this is actually a form of dominance behavior (seen in dragons as young as 3-5 months) and they are actually trying to steal the light from the other animal.

image

Do not interpret behavior of other species to be accurate for all animals. Cats and dogs curled up together is normal, dragons laying together is not. Dragons are NOT social animals. When a fight breaks out one of the lizards could end up missing a toe, an entire foot, or even die. EVEN IF THE ANIMALS GREW UP TOGETHER A FIGHT CAN HAPPEN. Unless you are trying to breed, do not keep or put them together. Even when breeding they should not be left alone together. 

Please pass this message on to bearded dragon owners. It is important to know how to properly care for your animals. Do deep research before purchasing any animal, and NEVER listen to what pet store employees tell you. Although some may really know what they are talking about, typically they are just educated on the manual they were given when they were hired which contains the wrong information. Double check everything when it comes to animals, DO WHATS BEST FOR THEM!

bethosaurus: “motherfrigginpsas: “ I have seen this image set circulating on facebook, twitter, and here on tumblr. Cute, right? They’re buddies, right? WRONG. THIS IS ANIMAL ABUSE TOWARDS BOTH CREATURES. “oh but it’s been like five days and he...
motherfrigginpsas

I have seen this image set circulating on facebook, twitter, and here on tumblr.

Cute, right? They’re buddies, right?

WRONG.

THIS IS ANIMAL ABUSE TOWARDS BOTH CREATURES.

“oh but it’s been like five days and he hasn’t eaten him!”

A snake that is not hungry will not eat. A snake that is stressed out (such as by having another creature running around on top of it) will not eat. They can go for long, long periods of time without eating. Ball pythons in particular are picky eaters and they will not strike even if they’re really hungry-it doesn’t matter if the prey is in there five days or fifty.

A rat is not going to think “oh, this predator hasn’t hurt me yet, we’re buddies!” This is the equivalent of someone following you around a room that you are unable to escape, pointing a gun at you at all times.  It is incredibly, unnecessarily stressful and cruel to let a rodent live like that even if you meant him as a feeder. Live feeding should be your absolute last option if your snake refuses frozen/thawed or freshly killed/stunned which are much safer options.

The deplorable condition this snake is being kept in (no substrate? Unweighted water dish?) combined with this false narrative of “buddies” shows that keeper is at best extremely ignorant. They’re not showing friendship, they’re competing for resources and keeping an eye on each other. This is going to end with one or both dead.

If they refuse to eat, the feeder should be removed immediately or it can and WILL injure and kill your snake! 

I know it really sucks to bust up the disney dreams of friendship against all odds, but no, this isn’t a one in a million tale of love, that’s just what we WANT to see. There will be an ugly ending. :(((((

For further reading on snake care, please check out these links and for the love of animals, stop sharing that terrible, terrible post!

http://animals.pawnation.com/dangers-feeding-live-prey-snakes-4384.html

http://alltailnolegs.tumblr.com/post/118230899216/have-you-seen-the-post-about-the-rat-and-snake

http://butthurtherpetologist.tumblr.com/ 

bethosaurus

whoops I didn’t know. :/ Reblog this please to get this info out

thalassarche

Have you ever been to a pond with ducks, geese, and swans, and seen birds that look like this? Like some of their wing feathers are swept outward? This is a visual sign of why you should not feed bread to ducks and geese.

This condition has the misleadingly lovely name of “angel wing” and it is an actual deformity of the wing, making the last joint of the “wrist” bend outward. This is what causes the feathers to sweep outward. It makes the bird unable to fly, and usually leads to an early death. It is incurable in adults, but young birds found early can sometimes be rehabilitated with wing-wrapping and an improved diet.

The cause of angel wing is not completely clear but birds that have it are lacking in certain important vitamins and minerals that are consistent with eating a lot of bread. Bread is a very high carbohydrate junk food that fills up birds quickly and gives them no reason to forage for their normal diet. They usually eat vegetation, like grasses and aquatic plants, which gives them the nutrients that are lacking in the birds that develop angel wing. 

What does this mean if you want to feed the ducks at your local pond? The best thing to feed them would be a thawed bag of frozen veggies. You can usually buy a store brand bag for the equivalent cost of a cheap loaf of bread. And unlike bread, uneaten veggies don’t promote the same algae blooms and bacterial/fungal growths if left in the pond. It’s better for the birds and better for their environment, too.

Thanks for reading!

image sources: Canada goose - mallard

PETA Is A Joke
pro-bees-anti-feminism

image

I’m sorry, but this is so fucking stupid. PETA is claiming that this is what a sheep looks like after it has been sheared. In case you were wondering, this is what a sheep ACTUALLY looks like after it has been sheared:

image

And that isn’t some “best case” scenario, believe me, I live in a place that has more sheep than people, and all sheared sheep look like that. It does not hurt the animal at all, aside from perhaps the odd slip with the shears resulting in a minor graze. In fact, shearing sheep is necessary for their wellbeing, because domesticated sheep do not shed their wool like a non domesticated sheep would, which can to them looking like this:

image

This is Shrek, yes, that is actually his name, notice how you can’t see his legs or face? That’s not good. He is a sheep who escaped his field and went wandering for six years, resulting in a sixty pound fleece. This is actually dangerous because it can cause overheating and if they get on their back the weight stops them from getting up again, they can die from this. PETA really cares about money and attention more than animals.

So yeah, fuck PETA, buy wool…and while you’re at it buy some goddamn honey because the bees need the help.

datani

If a cat or dog is eating vegan meals, they’re doing it out of their own free will, just saying. Give a dog a piece of Tofu turkey and they eat it, i didn’t force them to eat it, so. 

simplecircuitry

Give a dog anti freeze and they’ll eat it. Feed a dog rat poison and they’ll eat it. Give a dog grapes, nuts, chocolate, beer, etc. They’ll eat it. They don’t know that it’s dangerous for them. As their caretaker you are responsible for knowing better, not them. If you deprive your cats or dogs of meat, especially cats, you are actively killing your companion in the slowest way.

tort-time

Is it ok to paint my turtles shell? Answer: NO! 
I get many asks about painting a tortoise or turtle’s shell. “Whats the big deal? Isn’t it like painting your nails?”
NO.
There are several reasons this is extremely detrimental to their well being:
  • You’re blocking UV rays from being absorbed, this impedes their ability to get the needed vitamins for healthy growth from sun/light, etc! Without UVB they aren’t able to metabolize calcium.
  • Chemicals from the paint can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the shell and can taint the water the animal soaks in, being even more directly absorbed into the blood stream.
  • The fumes alone can cause respiratory issues, one of the leading causes of death in turtles and tortoises.
  • For wild turtles and tortoises? You are not only harming them with chemicals and inability to absorb needed vitamins, you are taking away their natural ability to avoid predators. 
These are just some basics on why its simply not ok to paint a turtle or tortoise. We’ve got to remember that the shell isn’t like a “hat” , Turtles and tortoises aren’t living in a cardboard box they walk around wearing. Their shell is like their skin. 
About The Turtles In the photo 
(Source: WTVR.com & Wildlife Center of Virginia)
WAYNESBORO, Va. — Please stop painting turtles. That is the message The Wildlife Center of Virginia has for people who might find a turtle wandering through their yard. The center posted that message online this week after a Lynchburg woman found an adult Eastern Box Turtle covered in pink latex paint.
“Other than the paint, the turtle was in good condition and had no injuries,”  The Wildlife Center said. “Staff [members] began short scrubbing sessions each day to remove the latex paint; within a week, the team had most of the paint removed. The turtle should be able to be released in the spring. Turtles must be released back into their small home range for the best chance of survival.”

The Wildlife Center said it had experience dealing with painted turtles.

“In 2013, a very bright and colorfully painted turtle was admitted from the Natural Chimneys Campground,” the center said.

To hammer home its point, the center created Wilson’s “Turtle Promise.” It urged people to leave turtles alone and not to keep a wild turtle as a pet.

Click here to read more “turtle tips” from the Wildlife Center of Virginia.

bogleech: “ raw-fed-pets: “ faofox: “ raw-fed-pets: “ All dogs share the same basic digestive system despite the range of physical variations (and attitudes) across different breeds. Every dog is designed to eat a raw animal-based diet, from the...
raw-fed-pets

All dogs share the same basic digestive system despite the range of physical variations (and attitudes) across different breeds. Every dog is designed to eat a raw animal-based diet, from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane. Breed-specific dog food brands are simply a marketing gimmick aimed at playing on the pet owner’s emotions, and their desire to feed their pet the best possible diet.

faofox

I don’t think that dogs need an animal-based diet. If done right they can be vegan and not contribute to the murdering of innocent animals. We’ve adapted and domesticated them enough to do so. They’ve evolved to live without meat just like us.

raw-fed-pets

200% incorrect. Vegan diets are carbohydrate-based. Carbohydrates are inflammatory, feed cancer (glucose), contribute to periodontal disease (leading to systemic organ failure, eg heart), cause insulin spikes leading to a multitude of other issues in the long-term (thyroid, liver, diabetes, heart disease) and also cause pancreatic problems due to extreme stress on the pancreas (secreting heavy loads of carb enzymes over a long period of time). The low moisture content coupled with high plant protein may also cause renal failure in the long term. The preservatives used may also be linked to cancer (BHA, BHT etc), and these diets also skew the omega3/6 ratio, causing further inflammation (linked to cancer again). They cause urine alkalinity leading to urinary problems such as crystals, blockages and UTI’s.

Brief into to dog anatomy/physiology:

- Stomach PH: Their highly acidic stomach is designed for eliminating harmful bacteria and breaking down bone into a gel-like substance. Humans have a much more alkaline stomach acid which is why we would struggle to digest raw bone.

-Digestive Enzymes: Higher level of proteases to break down animal protein. High bile load to help push through bacteria.

-Dental Anatomy: Sharp pointed teeth designed for ripping and tearing flesh and bones.Dogs do not chew their food as we do, they are wired to swallow chunks quickly as a basic survival instinct.

-Jaws: Dogs also have strong jaws that physically cannot move sideways (like your own can). This sideways grinding action is a feature that allows pre-digestion of plant material. Again, dogs rip off chunks and swallow them whole.

-Lack of Salivary Amylase: Omnivores have this for pre-digestion of carbohydrates. Dogs and cats do not. The canine pancreas secretes amylase as a backup, however this does not mean they should be fed a high carbohydrate diet every day for a lifetime. Processed food (incl vegan) is 40-70% carbohydrate.

-Lysozyme: Instead of amylase, dogs have lysozyme in their saliva which is an antibacterial. This may be useful for destroying any harmful bacteria in carrion/rotten food/feces, as well as wound cleaning.

-Gut length: The canine gut is short in length which is because flesh must be pushed through quickly. It does not need to sit and ferment, as this could allow bacteria to multiply to harmful levels. Note that plant eating animals have a long digestive tract and even multiple stomach chambers in order for plant material to be slowly broken down by the necessary enzymes.

-Nutrient profiles. Dogs have 0% biological requirement for carbohydrates. They gain every single essential nutrient from a prey based diet such as Whole Prey/Prey Model. Vegan diets are full of processed lab-made vitamins and minerals. Many vitamin pre-mixes are made in china and shipped to the country of manufacture.

All in all, dogs will survive on a high carbohydrate diet but it will cause systemic effects eventually. Similar to smoking, a junk food diet affects every dog differently and some may be affected more severely than others, and in different time spans. You can also expect high vet fees in the form of dental cleanings, dental surgeries and various health problem later on in life.

It is not recommended that you feed your pet the equivalent of a big mac for the entirety of its life. This is essentially what kibble and vegan diets are. Evolution has changed the appearance and even the behaviour of your dog, but their digestive system is still geared towards meat. Basically, you are paying money to have a company slowly kill your pet from the inside out.

0/10, Not Recommended.

bogleech

Hard science here for anyone who needs to shut down a “vegan pet owner.” It’s abuse. Feed your animal the substances they evolved to eat or do not own an animal, it’s as simple as that.

koryos

If you love Scottish fold cats, I’m going to tell you something you don’t want to hear. Please, please read on anyway. If you are considering adopting a Scottish fold, PLEASE continue reading. This information needs to be more widely known.

In 2008, the Journal of Small Animal practice released a short report on disorders associated with breeds of cats. In this report, the authors mentioned the Scottish fold:

People who own them may be “charmed” by their round faces and open expression (and they may not realise that the reason the cats do not move around too much is because they are variably crippled with arthritis).1

The gene that causes the cute fold in the Scottish fold’s ear also leads to the development of a degenerative disorder called osteochondrodysplasia. ALL Scottish folds have this disorder, whether they show symptoms or not- the fold in their ears is caused by a cartilage deformity that also affects their joints.

Osteochondrodysplasia leads to crippling osteoarthritis, which affects Scottish folds at much younger ages than other breeds of cats. In cats heterozygous for the gene, the disease’s progression can be seen in cats as young as six months. In homozygous cats, it can be seen as early as seven weeks old.

Affected cats may be grossly deformed, with short wide limbs and a short, inflexible tail. They show lameness, swollen wrist (carpal) and ankle (tarsal) joints, have an abnormal gait, and are reluctant to move and jump. Severely affected individuals become crippled and unable to walk.

…Many affected cats are euthanased earlier in life due to the profound effects of this disease.2

The breed is often described as “placid” and “calm.” This is due to the fact that they are constantly in pain due to this disorder. Even in mild, ‘asymptomatic’ cases which can occur in heterozygous cats, they may still be experiencing pain due to cats’ tendency to hide their suffering.

Many breeders of Scottish folds claim that not all heterozygous cats have the disorder, because the studies that examined the cats (which were all, heterozygous or not, shown to have it) had small sample sizes.

In 2003, Lorraine Shelton, a specialist in genetic diseases, offered to pay for 300 x-rays of healthy adult Scottish folds to prove that the disorder was not present in some heterozygous cats.

…She has asked a list of 300 Scottish Fold breeders from around the world to go to their vet to get X-rays done. She had offered to pay for these X-rays but not a single breeder had taken up that offer. You could not know whether this problem existed unless an X-ray was taken. If somebody would send her an X-ray of a healthy hind leg of a folded eared cat, she would be grateful as she wanted to see the very first one.3

To date, no one has taken her up on the offer. The breeders’ unwillingness to have their cats examined speaks volumes. The authors of all studies on these cats agree: it ethically wrong to continue breeding these cats.

It disturbs me that any breeder would knowingly continue to create animals that will be in pain throughout their lives. As a cat lover myself, I am begging you, please do not buy Scottish folds. Do not support these unethical breeding practices, or the concept that it is acceptable to intentionally breed unhealthy animals for the sake of how they look.

Citations

1 Breed-related disorders of cats (discusses issues with other breeds as well)

2 Genetic welfare problems of companion animals: osteochondrodysplasia (a thorough description of the disease and its prevalence)

3 FIFe meeting notes (leading to a decision not to recognize Scottish folds as an offical breed due to the disorder)

There was also a follow-up email about Shelton’s offer which can be read here.

Studies on osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Folds

Osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Fold cats

Incomplete dominant osteochondrodysplasia in heterozygous Scottish Fold cats (this is the source of the above x-ray pictures)

Before you buy ANY animal, please do your research. If a breed suffers from high incidences of genetic disorders, don’t use your money to support the creation of more animal suffering.

purplekecleon

This is important enough to be posted to my main blog. I know I reblogged this months and months ago, but not enough people know about this.

There is absolutely no way to “cure” the Scottish folds of this. The gene that causes the ear to look so cute and floppy is because of the cartilage not forming properly, which is what causes the health problems — even in cats that are bred Fold x Non Fold.

What’s fucking worse is that they’re cross breeding Scottish folds with other cats. As soon as I saw them crossed with Sphynxes (anyone who follows me is probably aware of the three Sphynxes we have and how much I love them), my heart sank. This is called a “Skinderlop”

Breeding is supposed to be about breeding healthy cats/animals free of defects, and about examining mutations to see what the health risks are, if there are any. It is not supposed to be about creating more cats who are doomed to horrible health problems from birth. That is so cruel it’s unbelievable - and people still defend this breed’s continued existence…

If you know anyone who is looking into getting a kitten from a breeder, PLEASE let them know about the health problems associated with Scottish folds and cross breeds so that they don’t continue to support this sort of thing. It is needlessly cruel.

meofsharick

Rant time. The longer I keep bettas, the angrier I get when I see things like this.

These are not homes.

Bettas are not decorations, they are living animals. At the very, very least they should have a gallon of water, and even that isn’t really suitable unless you have minimal decor to give them maximum swimming room. 

I don’t really understand why people buy small glasses like this, because it’s not like it’s any more difficult to care for if you put it in a larger bowl. You can easily make larger containers just as visually beautiful, if not more so! 

"But I’ve kept my betta in this vase for a long time now and he’s survived." 

Yes, but what if I stuck you in a closet for years and brought you food and water everyday? You’d survive. Not comfortably or happily, but you’d survive. You wouldn’t keep your dog pent up in a kennel his whole life would you? No, that’s something that we call animal police on.

That’s exactly how it is for these fish. They can “survive” in these conditions but it’s a very cruel and sad form of life. Nitrates and ammonia build up in the water from their own waste, which can make it hard for them to breath and can even poison them if not changed constantly. 

"But my fish doesn’t even do anything, he lays around on the top/bottom all day."

That’s called depression. Any adequate betta owner can tell you that most of these fish are actually quite active if they actually have the swimming room to be so. In a small glass like one of these, what else is there to do but sit around and do nothing? There isn’t space to do anything else. And his poor fins! Wouldn’t you like to see how beautiful they truly are? Too bad he has no room to spread them out in that little cup of his, he can only keep them cramped together.

I can guarantee that there is a remarkable difference when you transfer one of these creatures from a small glass to an actual bowl (Ideally 2.5 gal and up). Make sure the water is either tap water if you have a well, or treated tap water if you live off a town water system. It should also be between 70-80 degrees (all fish’s preferences will vary); if your house is already pretty toasty, that’s fine, but if not they have tiny little betta heaters you can purchase for very little cost. Put in some decorations or toys, and feed him more than just pellets. Dried brine shrimp can easily be found in the fish food section. Now give him a week or so, and watch his personality change. Given adequate living space/temp, good food, and even some interaction from you, he will become much happier and healthier - and prettier!

"But those small containers are just so lovely."

Trust me, I know, I love interior design. As a suggestion, I’d say you could get one of these and put him in it for a night if you were having a dinner party and used it as a center piece. But only a night! In the morning he should go back to his real home. And what’s so hard about having a decorative large environment anyway? There are a million different colors of plants, statues, and gravel for you to choose from! Why not pick some out that have a theme or compliment his colors? It really wouldn’t be any more trouble for you to clean every week or two, it only takes about ten minutes. Put him in a holding cup, take out his decor and rinse them off with your hands (no soap!) and then shift his stones around in the water to loosen the waste so you can just strain it out. Fill it back up, put decor back, and put him in (remember, you may need to give the water a bit of time to adjust to room temperature, don’t dump him back in right away or the temperature change will send him into shock). Those things are all really simple to attend to, no more effort than keeping him in a tiny little bowl. Except now, both you and him will benefit from it.

These fish can be extremely personable if you let them. Stop betta abuse. 

They are not decorations, they are living creatures.

juggalo-prince

reblogging this to my main blog cause bettas are one of the few fish you can actually interact with and
(at least in my opinion) have some of the biggest personality differences between fish. I love my two boys to death and would do anything for them, and some people would throw their fish in a cup and call it a home.

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