A nice idea is to make a sugar glider cage that sits inside a tray that is a few inches larger than floor space of the cage, so that any wastes that fall are caught outside of the cage. Make the latch on the cage to be secure, as gliders will sometimes learn how to open latches and let themselves out. A layer of shavings in the bottom of the cage will help absorb wastes, and make sure it is cleaned every two days in a week.

The cage should be placed in an open and accessible spot in the home, far from direct sunlight and area free of drafts. A sugar glider needs a nest box, which can be bought or home made. Many people prefer nest boxes made from porous materials, which absorb moisture. Toys placed high on the cage are most appreciated as gliders like to spend their time high in the cage.

Photo ©  Arnold T. Schwartzenglider

Skunks are omnivore and can eat everything that smells “good” to them. In the wild they mainly eat insects, worms, fruits, berries, nuts and some plants. But if you keep a skunk at home, proper pet diet should be exercised from the very first years.

If your skunk is too small to eat hard food, bottle feed it. Give him milk (especially goat milk mixed with water) or baby dry cereal. This should be done up to two months. Then slowly introduce him to vegetables, cooked chicken, cheese and different kinds of grains. Remember that skunks need protein. However, the great amount of them can have damaging effects on your skunk’s health. Feed the small ones four-five times a day and the older ones two times a day.

Skunks’ digestive system cannot properly digest most processed and prepared foods. Dried and canned fruits can also be harmful for your skunk. Don’t feed your skunk with cat food, as it usually contains great amount of fat and protein, which is too much for skunks.

A very interesting thing to mention about skunk pet diet is that they usually get tired of smelling and eating the same food. That’s why change their wellness diet regularly, so that your naughty skunk doesn’t get bored.

Surprisingly, skunks also don’t drink much water, however, there should always be fresh water available. Skunks get most of the water they need from the food they eat. If your skunk starts to drink too much water, it’ll mean something’s wrong with him, and you need to see a vet.

Skunk’s behavior before and after eating. Skunks are usually very active when they are hungry. If your skunk starts making a mass around, that is a sign that it is very hungry, and you should feed it as soon as possible.

Does your skunk go around looking for food though you have already feed him? Don’t worry, it simply shows that he’s still hungry. So raise the amount of food you give him. But if your skunk goes to bed immediately after eating, and sleeps very long, it can mean you gave him too much food. He’ll get fat and all the time do nothing, but sleep. Instead awake your skunk, and play with him.

Hope it will be easier for you to take care of your skunk pet diet and nutrition now.

Photos © voxtheory, rebl1231, JBColorado

Skunks are mammals. The unusual thing about them is that they can spray a liquid with a strong unpleasant odor. There are about 10 species of skunks and their stripes and color varies from species to species. They can grow up to 12 pounds. They live up to five or six years in wild life, but they can live longer if taken care of properly. They also have long claws that are used for digging up insects. The striped, black and white skunk is best known in the U.S.

However, if you want to keep a skunk at home, the only problem to worry about is the legality of keeping it. In some places keeping skunks is considered illegal. If you live in a state where skunk keeping is legal, the next thing you should do is to get a skunk kit. It costs about $150-$500 dollars. Remove your skunk’s spray glands at an early age, and vaccinate it.

Once you have settled these problems, the next thing you should do is to make your home escape proof. Unlike dogs and other domestic animals, skunks will not think of coming back home when they appear in the street. Besides, they can be very persistent in finding food.

Hide the food in such places where your intelligent and very naughty four legged pet won’t be able to get. Feed them about five times a day. Pet diet, especially low fat diet, is of great importance for skunks. Besides, well fed skunk will not look for food in the most improper places.

Unlike other animals, skunks like pet washing and most of them will even play in the water. But, of course, pet washing should be done occasionally.

Another interesting thing to mention about skunks is that they usually are active late at night and early in the morning. But it is very easy to teach them to sleep at nights, and play and do other activities during daytime.

If they are kept from very early ages, then you won’t have any problem with teaching them. Most importantly, don’t beat them. They will remember it for a long time. Besides, they are so clever that if you simply say “no” to them angrily and put them aside in a corner, they will understand that they are punished.

Despite their bad reputation, skunks are very friendly, playful and funny pets, and, if treated properly, they can be your best friends just like dogs or cats.

Photos © joanna8555, Teosaurio

In this last post I am not going to tell you how to train your puppy, cat or parrot birds. Take your dog toys and go to the park with your four legged friend and run, play until you get tired. Believe this is the tiredness you and your pet have dreamed about. Just be crazy, let the animal instinct wake inside you, as New Year is the time when you can do everything.

Begin this New Year in a very special way with your friends, family and, of course, four legged friends!

Photo © faith goble

So not only humans but dogs are also prone to automatic or instinctive imitation. Moreover, dogs are learning people by imitating and it’s a form of flattery. Dogs even imitate the yawns which is simply striking. And the most surprising is that even if they don’t intend to copy, they automatically do so without any special pets training.

The recent studies of Austrian researcher Dr. Friederike Range and her team discovered amazing truth with a door-opening test. She and her colleagues built a box with sliding door which could be easily opened with a knob.

Then they divided the dogs into two groups. The owners showed how to open the door both with the help of hand and the mouth. When they opened it with hand, the dog did the same with the paw and got the reward, when they opened the door with mouth, the dog followed their example and got the reward again.

The second group of the dogs had to do vice versa, in other words when the owner opened the door with hand he should have done the same with mouth. This supposed some dog pet training.

But the dogs in the second group followed humans again. It means that dogs learned the second task harder and this shows that dogs have predisposition to imitate movement of humans automatically, so you basically don’t need to get dog training DVDs to develop your pet obedience. Although it is a fact that  dogs develop more when being trained.

Dogs’ imitation of humans is really great but as the animal develops he learns more of human behavior, which according to Dr. Range carries some risks as well.

Still, it should be very interesting and funny to watch your pet dog performing the same tasks. Enjoy the company of your smart dog and remember that if your pets imitate you, it means that they refer to you as their best pet trainers.

Photo © Kelly West Mars

Don’t these qualities indicate that cats do have rather interesting personalities? The cat is one of the most paradoxical creatures combining human and jungle instincts. Maybe nowadays it is regarded as a simple mouse-hunter but in Ancient Egypt it was a sacred symbol.

The cat was a central figure in Egyptian culture and was a religious symbol of life, protection and fertility. It enjoyed great significance and fame in Indian, Chinese and Muslim cultures, too. Of course, there are controversial views regarding the cat: some consider it a symbol of good, others of evil, some as a symbol of virtue, others of vice.

Of course all cats are alike but at the same time they are different as they have individual characteristics. One common characteristic of cats is self-reliance. They aren’t dependent on human beings and don’t require attention all the time. They enjoy their freedom, but that doesn’t prevent them from being extremely devoted to their owners. They will never ignore your attention and care. Be sure it will be mutual.

If your cat has a personality then it cannot do without a name. A cat name represents the importance you place on your cat. Below is a list of names to consider for cats that used by different cultures:

African names: Amma, Shango, Mungo
Egyptian names: Anubis, Geb, Osiris
Greek names: Adonis, Apollo, Artemis, Eros
Indian names: Bali, Brahma, Kali

As Sigmund Freud once said, “Time spent with cats is never wasted.” So discover for yourself what cat personality is.

Photo:© penpusher