Sugar Glider Care
The sugar glider is a member of the gliding possum family, native to Australia and New Guinea. This arboreal, nocturnal creature spends its days in leaf- lined nests in tree hollows. Sugar Gliders have unique features. This small marsupial possesses a gliding membrane, called a patagium, which extends from the 5th digit on the forepaw […]
Hedgehog Care
The African Hedgehog is an insect eating nocturnal animal. It is covered in non-barbed spines that cover its back. The spines are absent on a small area on the head, on the legs and belly. The African Hedgehog rolls into a ball when threatened. It has a wide variety of vocalizations including grunts, squeals and […]
Hamster Care
Hamsters are small, easy to keep pets with endearing faces and with frequent, gentle handling, can become tame. Hamsters are nocturnal and like many of the small rodents, need to be continually moving. The most common hamster species include the Syrian or Golden Hamster, the Chinese, and the Siberian dwarf hamsters. Hamsters have unique cheek […]
Chinchilla Care
Chinchillas are rodents, belonging to the family Chinchillidae. Because of their high energy, chinchillas are not ideal pets for young children. However, chinchillas are friendly, odorless and quiet animals that learn to recognize their owners primarily by smell. Chinchillas are mostly nocturnal animals, but may be quite active during the day. Adult chinchillas may be […]
Guinea Pig Care
Guinea pigs are native to South America. Their docile nature, size and characteristic range of vocalizations make them ideal pets. Guinea pigs are creatures of routine and establish their habits early. The American Cavy Breeders Association recognizes 13 breeds of Guinea Pigs, which come in a variety of colours and hair types. DIET: Guinea pigs […]
Ferret Care
Ferrets are members of the Mustelidae family and have been domesticated since 300 B.C. Ferrets are good natured, playful and curious pets that enjoy the company of their owners and other animals. Ferrets have a tendency to ‘steal’ various items and ‘stash’ them in their special places, living up to their Latin name Mustela putorius […]
Rabbit Care
With nearly 50 breeds to choose from, rabbits make intelligent, interactive and quiet house pets with an average life span of 7 – 10 years. DIET: Rabbits are herbivores and are natural browsers of grasses and other heavy fibrous materials. It is the fiber portion of the diet that drives a rabbit’s digestive tract and […]
Feather Destructive Behaviour
Feather destructive behaviour is a common concern in pet birds and for good reason – approximately 15% of all parrots (and up to 40% of African Greys and Cockatoos) in captivity will exhibit some form of feather destructive behaviour (FDB). FDB is a condition in which the bird mutilates its own feathers by chewing, biting, […]
Hormonal Activity
Controlling Reproductive/Hormonal Activity Historically, pet owners have often considered close physical contact with their pets as ‘normal’ and even desirable. This certainly holds true for dogs and cats. However, the behavioural interactions among birds is much more complex and comparatively less understood. This lack of awareness in how behavioural cues affect birds, specifically in regards […]
Converting Birds to Pellets
It is known that birds eating a seed based diet typically have nutritional deficiencies. To aid in the nutritional wellness of pet birds, pelleted and extruded diets have been developed with the intention of providing balanced nutrition in a convenient form. Each nugget of a high quality pelleted food contains nutrients from all food groups, […]