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History Temperament Speech and Vocalizations Colors and Markings Care Health Problems Diet and Nutrition Exercise Where to Adopt or Buy Further Research Hahn’s macaws are the smallest and the most popular among the miniature macaws. These compact and playful parrots make excellent pets that form solid bonds with their owners. Capable of learning many tricks and behaviors, they can become good talkers with practice. This species is an excellent option for a bird lover who wants a macaw but does not have enough space for one of the big guys....

Clicker training is a method of positive reinforcement dog training. A small handheld device that makes a clicking sound is used to mark a desirable behavior such as “sit” or “stay.” So when you tell your dog “sit,” you click the clicker when its rear end hits the floor, followed by a treat. Although most dogs catch on to clicker training pretty easily, sometimes it can take a bit longer, or, your dog may need to be retrained if you get out of the habit....

Characteristics Breed History Training and Care Health Problems Diet and Nutrition Where to Adopt or Buy Breed Overview Further Research The Norfolk terrier is a small terrier dog breed from the United Kingdom with a short, wiry coat that sheds minimally. Norfolks are sturdy and athletic little dogs, as they were originally bred to exterminate rodents in barns. They have a well-balanced body with dark, oval eyes and small, drop ears....

You bring your dog to the vet for a routine visit or mild illness. You are there for 30-60 minutes and leave with medication. When you go to check out, you are shocked at the total of your bill. How can it possibly cost so much?! Do you think your veterinarian charges too much? Sorry to break it to you, but you might be wrong. Dogs can be expensive. We all know that veterinary services can add up, especially when our pets are sick....

Thinking of taking your dog boating? Lots of dogs enjoy fun in the sun just as much as their humans do and are glad to hop on board for a boat ride. But to make sure that it’s a safe experience, it’s important to follow a few essential safety tips both before and during the trip, keeping in mind that the better you plan in advance, the better off you’ll both be....

History and Origins Size Breeding and Uses Colors and Markings Characteristics Diet and Nutrition Health and Behavior Grooming Notable Horses Black Forest Horse for You How to Adopt or Buy More Horse Breeds With its long, flowing mane and elegant way of moving, the Black Forest Horse is a very unique draft breed. These horses are known for their great temperaments, and you might see them pulling a carriage, working farmland, or competing under saddle....

Sometimes, when people set up a terrarium they wish to create a “mini-ecosystem” and add a mix of species that will cohabitate in the terrarium. While in theory, this sounds like a good idea, it is a situation fraught with difficulties and can only be achieved with a great deal of research and work. For the average keeper of reptiles and amphibians, it is not something that is recommended. Keep these challenges in mind when deciding whether to mix species in your terrarium....

Nori is seaweed that is roasted or dried and is used in Asian cooking. In particular, the roasted type is most often used as wrappers for making rolled sushi, while the dried type is used for sushi, seaweed soup, and rice balls. Sold under many different names, the package usually says roasted or dried seaweed. When marine aquarists discovered the nutritional value of nori, being high in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and especially minerals, they began using it to feed their saltwater herbivores....

If your dog has a scrape, scratch, or other external wound that you’d like to treat, you may be wondering if a product like Neosporin would do the job. Since it works so well on humans, would it work on your pup? Find out if this common cream or gel is okay to use on your dog. What is Neosporin? Neosporin is the brand name for a common topical antibacterial ointment that consists of neomycin, polymyxin b, and bacitracin which are different types of antibiotics....

It is a cold reality that aquariums (particularly marine aquariums) can’t operate without electricity. The items used to keep your tank critters happy and healthy include electrically-powered air pumps, powerheads, protein skimmers, automatic feeders, and lights. For the most part, aquarium equipment runs on alternating current (AC) electricity, the same as almost all of the lights and appliances in your home do. In a power outage, your aquarium stops functioning....

Does your can enjoy laying on your chest? You’re not alone. Many cats seem drawn to lie on humans, and their chests seem to be especially appealing. Many humans love to snuggle with their cats this way. Of course, there may be times when you don’t want your cat on top of you. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your cat off of you at times. Why Do Cats Lay on People?...

Cats aren’t usually as noisy as dogs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t vocalize. Cats will meow, scream, yowl, cry, and make other noises. Sometimes these noises are during the day in response to various stimuli, but many times they are at night when you are trying to sleep. Why Won’t Your Cat Sleep at Night? Cats are naturally active and awake at night while you are trying to sleep. They might want to play, explore, eat, scratch, or get your attention and sometimes these actions are quite noisy and we wake up....

A healthy saltwater aquarium requires a clean water, which means you’ll need to choose a filtration system. Biological filtration is a requirement for breaking down ammonia and nitrite, but many people will also want to also add on other types of filters, like mechanical filters that can remove particulate matter from the water before if decomposes. The Penn Plax Cascade 700 Canister Filter is our top pick for a canister filter....

Arguably the most commonly seen illness in hamsters, wet tail can be a serious and fatal condition if not treated immediately. What Is Wet Tail? The term “wet tail” refers to just that—a wet tail, on your pet hamster. This wet tail is basically diarrhea, or loose stools, and is known as proliferative ileitis or regional enteritis. The diarrhea is thought to be caused by an overgrowth of intestinal bacteria....

The possibilities are endless when it comes to picking out a name for a male dog. You can go for a macho name, play up their skills (hunting dog or agility star), choose something goofy, or just be plain cute. Families with younger children tend to go for names on the adorable side. Take a look at some of the best cute male names that will work with any breed....

Ants can be annoying pests and keeping them out of your home can be difficult, especially in the spring and summer. From getting into food to crawling into the bathroom, having bugs around is unpleasant enough to send most people running for ant-killer. But, if you have a cat, it is important to note that some methods of ant-control could be dangerous and even toxic to your pet. The Problem With Ant-Control Products Many insect traps, such as those used to kill ants, contain attractants like butter or peanut butter, which cats may also be attracted to....

What Is Canine Influenza? Symptoms Causes Diagnosing Treatment Prognosis Prevention Is Canine Influenza Contagious to Other Animals? Is It Contagious to Humans? Flu viruses occur in many species of animals, and dogs are no exception. Canine influenza, or dog flu, is a contagious virus that causes respiratory illness in dogs. Any dog can become infected with the canine influenza virus, and dogs who are in close contact with other dogs, like at daycare, boarding, and in shelters, are particularly at risk....

Seizures in dogs can be caused by many different illnesses. As a result, if your dog has a seizure, your veterinarian will need to perform some diagnostic tests before a proper course of treatment can be determined. Seizures vs. Epilepsy If your dog has more than one isolated seizure, your veterinarian may call the illness epilepsy. Primary, or idiopathic epilepsy is epilepsy that is not caused by any underlying brain lesion or other illness....

All dogs are good dogs, but not all dogs are good service dogs. Some service dogs-in-training fail to make it through the process—usually because they’re just not fit for the different roles a service dog has to play. This is great news for the rest of us because those who “fail” service dog training almost always go up for adoption. Adopting a dog that doesn’t quite make it all the way through training is just one other way that you can go about providing a home for an animal in need....

Cleaning out your horse’s hooves is an essential part of horse care and it needs to be done frequently. It’s important for several reasons. The concave shape of a horse’s hooves and the two clefts beside the frog can easily pick up debris that could injure the horse’s hoof. It’s not unusual to pick rocks, pine cones, and twigs out of a horse’s hooves, and although a pine cone probably won’t cause damage, rocks and twigs certainly can....