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Bird Basics: Cockatiels

As promised, I’m reviving the Pets Blog’s series on Bird Basics. Previous bloggers have already covered lovebirds, African Gray parrots, sun conures, and parakeets, so today I’m going to look at one of the other most popular bird breeds: cockatiels. Originally from the Australian Outback, the cockatiel is a smaller bird reaching about 12 to 14 inches in length. It’s actually in the parrot family, though it’s obviously a tiny variety. Cockatiels live on average for 15 to 20 years, though there have been reports of some members of the breed living for up to 30 years. As with most … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for Jun 18-24

Another week has passed, summer arrived, and there was no Moose, Lally, Murphy, Kitty or Tabby chaos to report. (Phew!) Which means it was a quiet, yet productive, week here in the Pets Blog. Here’s what Aimee and I covered on: Monday, June 18 Were you curious how Murphy, Tabby, and Kitty did for Father’s Day? If so, you’ll be happy to know all went well. Tuesday, June 19 Did you know the Queen of England is a royal dog lover? I didn’t, but of all the things to learn about her after watching the movie “The Queen” that was … Continue reading →

Reptile Basics: Heat and Light

Reptiles are ectothermic — that means cold-blooded! Cold-blooded doesn’t mean that reptiles like cold weather. It means that reptiles rely on external temperature to regulate body temperature. If you’ve ever seen reptiles in the wild, you may have seen them sunning themselves on a rock for warmth, then moving into the shade to cool off. You need to provide your pet reptile with a temperature gradient in their living space. This will allow the reptile (be it a snake, lizard, or turtle) to choose the appropriate temperature. Temperatures that are too high can overheat your reptile; temperatures that are too … Continue reading →

Reptile Basics

Before you make a decision about adding a reptile to your family, be sure you know whether or not reptiles are allowed where you live! Many areas have laws pertaining to dangerous reptiles, including constricting snakes and venomous snakes. Pick a captive bred reptile whenever possible. Wild reptiles that have been tamed are not as used to human handling as captive bred reptiles are. At the pet store or breeder, be sure you pick out a healthy reptile. Look for a reptile with clear, alert eyes and no visible sores or lesions. Make sure your reptile seems to be generally … Continue reading →

Feeding Pre-Killed Prey To Your Snake

Ball pythons are notorious for being fussy eaters. But they may not be the only type of pet snake to refuse a meal once in a while! The most common feeding problem happens when a captive snake isn’t interested in pre-killed prey. So how do you get your fussy friend to dine? A warm meal always seems to taste better! If you’re serving frozen prey, be sure to thaw it in the fridge or in cold water. Place the pre-killed prey in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes just before serving to heat it up to a … Continue reading →

Koshik the Talking Elephant

Could our next best friend be an elephant?  Maybe not for most of us here stateside, where we’re not exactly equipped to properly look after pachyderms.  But the news out of a zoo in South Korea, reported by BBC News, shows that an elephant has entered the next stage of the human-animal bond: talking. Before now, the only animals we could conceive of really being able to replicate our speech were parrots.  Now elephants are joining the list.  Koshik is a 12-year-old Asian elephant that lives at a zoo in South Korea.  When he started making sounds that his keepers thought … Continue reading →

Rare Pets: Geckos

Geckos are great pets for both reptile lovers and for those just starting to think of keeping cold-blooded animals as pets. One caveat: if you’re thinking of obtaining a gecko because the animated one in the Geico commercials is cute, think again. Pet purchases should never be made on the basis of media representations, especially not for less common animals. If you are seriously interested in having reptiles for pets, however, geckos are a great start. They’re easy to care for and rather social, for reptiles anyway. In fact, geckos are so social that it’s best to keep at least … Continue reading →

Giant Tegu

Also known as the Argentinean tegu, the big headed tegu, or the black and white tegu, the giant tegu is a gentle giant lizard. Don’t confuse an Argentinean tegu with a Columbian tegu — the Columbian is somewhat smaller and less docile than the Argentinean variety. These lizards truly are gigantic — an adult black and white tegu can reach four feet or longer (including the tail). The whole body sports a pattern of white and black dots and stripes, making the giant tegu a distinctive pet. Despite the intimidating size of the giant tegus, these lizards can be very … Continue reading →

Blue Tongued Skink

There are several species of blue tongued skinks that are available in the pet trade. The most popular is the eastern blue tongued skink. Blue tongued skinks are on the large side for a beginner’s lizard. When fully mature, a blue tongued skink can reach twenty inches in length — around eight inches of that is tail. These lizards have a flattened, elongated body and can look somewhat snakelike. These lizards are ground dwellers, so you don’t need to worry about branches for climbing. That doesn’t mean you can skimp on tank size! Give your blue tongued skink a large … Continue reading →

Does Dong Quai Help With Hot Flashes?

Seems like I’ve heard a lot of talk about dong quai lately. This traditional Chinese herb is popular for treating menstrual and menopause problems… but does it work? Doctors suspect that hot flashes are related to changes in circulation. Blood vessels near the skin’s surface dilate in an attempt to cool the body — that can create a flushed look in the face. Your body may turn on the sweat to help you cool down. Hot flashes may be triggered by caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, and spicy foods. Stress can also be a trigger for hot flashes. A recent study in … Continue reading →