Ferrets: Did You Know?

When it comes to these enjoyable pets, did you know that:

• Male ferrets are called "Hobs"
• Neutered male ferrets are called "Gibs"
• Vasectomised males are "Hoblets"

• Female ferrets are called "Jills"
• Spayed females are "Sprites"

• Ferrets less than one year old are called "Kits"
• A family group of ferrets is a "Business"

Animal Prosthetics – Giving Pets a Whole New Life

When our pets are injured and lose a limb, their worlds no longer come to a crashing end like they did only a few short years ago. These days, technological advancements and the kindness of man have made it possible for our pets to live long, productive lives despite serious injury.

These sites will attest to man’s love for animals and the courage of our pets.


World's Most Incredible Animal Prosthetics
http://www.oddee.com/item_96482.aspx

Uzonka the Stork
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1655711,00.html

Fake Fins, Beaks and Paws
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1655147,00.html

Animal Prosthetics: A Leg Up on a Bad Break
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/14968

oandp.com - Orthotics and Prosthetics Info
http://www.oandp.com/articles/2005-06_05.asp

Prosthetic Body Parts for Animals
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health_medicine/4274626.html

Ortho Pets
http://www.orthopets.com/

You Tube – Animal Orthocare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y346xbWEIOE

YouTube - World Report : Animal Prostheticshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FRJ1fSHJLk


See the article "Ya Gotta Meet Molly!" for how a prosthesis helped this pony with her life.

Ya Gotta Meet Molly!

It’s always great when you can open up your email and find a story that makes you smile – this is one of those that will warm your heart.

Molly’s a grey speckled pony who was abandoned when Hurricane Katrina hit southern Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to Louisiana State University for help.

Unfortunately, LSU was overwhelmed and since Molly was a welfare case there didn’t appear to be a happy ending to this story – until surgeon Rustin Moore met her. He saw that the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't get sores and how she allowed people to handle her. Molly protected the injured leg and constantly shifted her weight so the good limb wasn’t overworked. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built – but it’s when Molly walked out of the clinic that her story really began.

According to Moore, Molly was a one-in-a-million patient. “She’s tough as nails, but sweet … and she was willing to cope with the pain”, he said. Molly made it obvious that she understood she was in trouble. And Moore says she’s lucky to have a devoted owner who’s committed to provide the daily care over her lifetime.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana. The little pony gained weight and her mane finally felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg. “The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life”, says Allison Barca, Molly's regular vet.

And Molly asks for it. She will put her little limb out and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off as well. And at times Molly will get away from Barca. “It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse”, she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly goes, she inspires people and has a good time doing it.

“'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life”, Moore said. She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she’s giving hope to others”.

Barca concluded, “She’s not back to normal, but she's going to be better. To me, Molly could be a symbol for New Orleans itself”.

One picture shows Molly wearing her most recent prosthesis. The other shows the ground surface she stands on which has a smiley face embossed in it. Now Molly leaves behind a smiley hoof-print wherever she goes.

See the article "Animal Prosthetics - Giving Pets a Whole New Life" for more stories and video clips on animals and their fantastic new lives with artificial limbs.

Ferrets & Flea Collars – a Bad Combination

Never use a flea collar on your pet ferret. Poisons contained in a flea collar are far too strong for these pets. In addition, your ferret could get out of its collar and chew on it – and digesting the collar’s poison could very well be fatal.

If your pet ferret comes down with a case of the fleas, a good suggestion would be to use a remedy like Advantage. With this product, you only need to use a couple of small drops applied between the ferret’s shoulder blades every month. It will kill the fleas that are on your pet as well as those in its habitat. A monthly repeat is all you need to safely keep your ferret rid of fleas.

Homemade Toys for Your Pet Rat

I came across this website for rats and found some very interesting material. In particular, there are sections for making your own homemade rat toys. The articles are done with detailed plans and pictures that you can follow. This makes an economy based alternative to buying toys from the pet store.

Site: Rat-Info.com

Rat Houses:
-- Layered House
-- Plastic House
-- Wood House

Bridges & Tunnels:
-- Tunnel – Bridge
-- Hanging Fabric Bridge

Other Accessories:
-- Climbing Ropes
-- Digging Box
-- Hammock
-- Maze



Source: Rat-Info
http://rat-info.com/Homemade_Rat_Toys.html

Degu Website References and Links

For some more information on the charismatic little Degu, I'd suggest the following sites which contain nice material and pictures of the Degu.

Degutopia
http://www.degutopia.co.uk/

This is an excellent site for any Degu lover to visit. They have fun stuff to do, interesting and useful info on Degus, plus a forum. Highly recommended.

Degu World
http://www.myhomezone.co.uk/degus

Nice site, easy to use and has good info.

Degu Rock
http://www.degurock.moonfruit.com/#

A small site, but has good information and reading.

Petite Paws Exotics
http://www.members.shaw.ca/petitepaws/degu.html

Site caters to a lot of different small pets and has a good section on the Degu.

The Degu Habitat

As adorable as our sweet little Degus can be, there are two things that you have to know about them – and they probably don’t tell you this at the pet store: they’re destructive and they’re messy.

Be forewarned and construct your new pet’s habitat accordingly.

The Degu Home:

Your pets love to climb, so the enclosure should have at least 2 levels with ladders. If the home is a cage, then it should be metal and not plastic (including the base), or they’ll have it chewed up before morning.

Wire cages, such as those used for chinchillas, work well and provide good ventilation. Make sure the floor is solid and not wire meshed. Prolonged contact with wire flooring may cause a problem know as “Bumblefoot”. (See more on this ailment under “Proper Care & Handling of Your Degu”)


Bedding & Nests:

Cardboard and wooden boxes make good nests which your pet Degu will enjoy lining with shredded newspaper.

Any bedding used for pet rats will work well for the Degu. Most of this bedding purchased from pet stores is made to keep odors down. You can also use an absorbent like Carefresh (much like sawdust) to minimize smells.

Dust Baths:

Rolling in the dust is a way Degus clean themselves. These can be messy, so place the dust bath in a room that’s easily cleaned, like the bathroom. Sand works great for these baths and it keeps their coat clean.

If you want to have the dust bath inside their enclosure, then you could try getting a ceramic bowl with a roof on it from a garden shop. These work well and keep the mess down.

Toys and Accessories:

Chew Toys:
Your Degu’s teeth will continue to grow all their lives, so you have to provide some chew toys that will keep their front teeth trimmed.

Whatever toys you give your pet Degu to chew on must be non-toxic. These toys don’t have to be expensive and could be something as simple as wooden clothes pegs attached to the bars of their pen.

Try using something called “Bog Wood” which is available from most garden centers that have an aquatic section. It’s a very dense, hard wood which works well for keeping your pets teeth short.

Tunnels:
Degus like to find places to hide, so tunnels are just the thing. Large plastic pieces of drainage pipe work well except that they’ll probably have it destroyed in no time. Try a hard wood like bamboo that you can hang inside their cage. They can run through it, hide inside, or chew it. Yes, this provides a dual purpose – tunnel and chew stick.

Exercise Wheels:
Your pet will enjoy playing on these wheels. When you do get one, make sure that it’s a type where they can’t get feet and tails caught in the bars. Again, if it’s plastic, they will have it destroyed in no time.

Pictures courtesy of: Sofia Högberg
Website: http://estrellados.webs.com/index.htm