The Importance of Flea Baths in the Life of Your Cat

Spending your precious time at home next to a flea infested cat is one of the most undesirable situations for families everywhere. Some pet owners are usually disgusted merely by the fact that their cat is constantly licking and scratching himself, sometimes even biting off big chunks of hair. The bad news is that there is nothing available that will prevent the fleas from jumping in your cat's coat like a magnet. Furthermore if they are not kept under control, it is likely they will jump on humans as well. Pet owners could easily find themselves scratching their skin as often as the pet house cat.

If you keep a cat at home, it should be a high priority to stop fleas before they take over your home. Preventive medication could be the only way to stay a step ahead of a flea infestation. A few topic solutions are currently available in the retail market to help keep fleas away from your cat. Most of these products have proven to be successful, provided that pet owners follow the application instructions.

For quite some time, flea collars have remained a personal favorite of pet owners in the war against fleas. These also work well provided that your pet can resist the sensation of the chemicals around his neck and does not rip off the collar all together. If a flea collar is your method of choice, be mindful of how tight you strap the collar around the cat's neck, so as not to choke him or prevent him from eating. Also, it should not be too loose, at the point where he could get caught with something or take the collar off on his own.

In the event that your cat has already been infested with fleas, a flea bath is the best way to go. The use of a mild flea shampoo that won't cause irritation to cat's skin or eyes is preferable. If you are unable to locate a mild shampoo that you are comfortable with, you could give an infant's shampoo a try. The ideal place to give your pet a flea bath would be the kitchen sink; it is deep enough to hold your cat inside while you work standing up.

During the bathing activity, make sure to keep enough towels at hand to dry your pet, as well as to clean up the mess in the surrounding area. Some pet cats will require that you protect yourself before getting him in touch with water. Products such as falcon gloves can be very useful at protecting your hands during bathing. In case of an accident, such as a bite, you should get medical attention immediately. Regardless of the size of the bite or the healthy condition of your pet, you should see your doctor in order to receive all proper vaccinations.

Once you have finished bathing your pet, and have properly dried him off and brushed his hair, remember to show some tender loving care. Let your pet know you did not mean to torture him and that life goes on, perhaps engaging in a few pet games will help make it all better again.

Guide to Cat Window Perch and Sill

Do you have cats as pets in your house? If you do, for sure you have noticed that cats love to rest and look out of the windows. Cats love to stay off the ground for security and stay at window sills and warm themselves.

There are different parts that put up a window. There is the head, or the top horizontal part of the frame. And then there is the sill, the lower horizontal part of the window where cats love to hang out. Because every house has windows, through time, cats have learned to utilize the comfort windows can give to them since the purpose of the windows is to let air and light in.

Cat window sills are no other than window seats for the world's most pampered feline. The market today is full of special accessories for cats such as soaps, shampoos, bows and ties and window seats.

There are window pane seats that can be fitted to the windows with sills or can be adjusted to be fixed with the window sills too. This cat's accessory also comes in different shades and materials. This article will enumerate some models of cat window seats for you.

a. Nothing is more comforting than hammock, people knew that, thus, they have learned to let their cat feel the comfort of a hammock. The hammock model is actually a window perch/ sleeping hammock. This provides security to your cats. This is always movable and can be relocated to any window or positioned over other warm ducts.

b. There is also a window sill that is designed specifically to pamper your cat with thick orthopedic pad, it is called the Thermo kitty sill. The thermostat elements that provides the warm feeling for the cat is buried deep within the orthopedic foam. It has a heater within it that is disposable for year round use.

c. Last but not the least, is the heated window sill cat bed. This bed for your cat is removable and easy to assemble to any type and size of windowsill. It can support up to 45 pounds of weight. The bed is 12 degrees to 15 degrees above ambient temperature and can get warm for up to 102 degrees when in use. This is recommended for year-round use.

By remembering that in pets such as dogs or cats, you can always mold their bed for them. Buy a windowsill that is machine washable without removing the cover and can be fitted with windows that already has window sills or without window sills.

Where Does Your Cat Sleep?

It didn't take us long to learn a lesson in futility: there's an "unspoken rule at bedtime" for cats; they sleep wherever they want. No matter how hard you try to encourage them otherwise.

After years of trying to get a handle on the sleep habits of any cat in my care, I conclude that unless you "fence your cat in" or somehow otherwise make the entire inside of your house off-limits to your cat, he or she will sleep pretty much where he wants when he wants.

Some sleeping places might include the following:

1. On the bed

With a house currently full with four cats that have earned their way to wander about the house, it's not unusual to find a sleeping fur ball on the bed at any given time.

2. In the bed
On occasion, when you're ready to get into bed at night you'll find your cat already in "his spot," stretched out by your pillow or at the foot of your bed; maybe in the middle, even; patiently waiting for you to join him.

3. Under the covers
As with "# 2" above, when he's "in the bed" waiting for you to join him, before you get into the bed, be sure to turn on the light and check for any lumps in the covers. You just may find him peeking back at you.

4. Under the bed
Often, one of the cats at your house will get under the bed and curl into a ball...or he thinks he's under the bed...to sleep. Usually, though, he's only crawled under the bed far enough to get his front half under; his tail end sticks out in plain sight.

5. On you
Needless to say, "sleeping on you" is of particular interest to a cat. Perhaps it's your warmth or the extra softness of your stomach or chest that attracts him.

6. In "his" bed
If you've got a bed for your cat, good for you. If you can keep him in the bed, so much the better! But be prepared; there may be nights when you have "musical beds," as yours seem to take turns sleeping around your house in some of the sleeping spots already identified.

7. In his brother's bed
Much like kids, cats can sometimes "argue" or have a bit of a "discussion" if one of them is in the other one's spot. Put him in one bed, he'll want the other. So they change places after a time-and sometimes, quite regularly during the night.

8. Wherever his brother is
Invariably, your kitty will sleep where one of his brothers is, taking over that brother's spot. Bed or not!

9. In the closet
Some days, you may look and look for one of your kitties; especially when it's time to eat. And he is "so gone" you can't find him. Until he's ready...and then he meanders from the direction of the closet! Leaving you to wonder where in that closet he was.

10. On the couch and other "soft" or "hard" furniture
...including chairs, footstools, computer table, keyboard, and the like. In fact, it's most important that you "look before you sit" to assure you are not going to be "crunching" on your kitty.

11. In the window
South windows with sun are particularly enticing to a cat. In fact, he'll have "numerous debates" with the others about who will be sleeping there and when.

12. Anywhere he shouldn't
In short, he'll sleep where you don't want him to sleep.

And you can't do anything about it!
Check this out!

• Guide to cat window perch and sill.

The Uniqueness of Cliff Swallows

The Cliff Swallow has an orange rump and throat. The head and upperparts are blue. The belly and forehead are white. The bill is tiny and the tail is squared. Swallows are the size of sparrows and belong to the Purple Martin family.

Together male and female swallows build their nests, incubate the eggs and take turns to feed their babies. The nests are built close to buildings, bridges and other structures. The nets are gourd-shaped and are made to be used for several years. They use mud, hair, grass and feathers to build their nests. Sometimes they lay their eggs in another swallow's nests. They spend most of their time flying high to catch insects, and when they are not catching insects they are collecting mud for their nests.

Their breeding season is between March and June. They lay 1 to 6 eggs that are pink or white in color and have dark brown marks. Their eggs hatch in 15 or 16 days. If their nest is destroyed or their eggs are damaged the Cliff Swallows will rebuild their nests. They spend most of their time flying looking for food. They eat small insects such as flies, beetles, mosquitoes, spiders, midges and leafhoppers.

Cliff Swallows are migratory birds, traveling to places where there are insects in abundance. During winter time they migrate to South America to countries such as Chile, Argentina and Brazil. In the spring and summer they migrate back to North America. They can be seen traveling from Mexico to Canada.

An interesting thing that I found out about Cliff Swallows that impressed me was that the male and female stay together in every moment of their lives. The male and the female swallows build their nest, incubate their eggs, feed their babies and raise them together. They are different from other birds because most birds such as the American Robin do everything separate from each other. The female builds the nests and incubate the eggs while the male flies around. The only thing that they do together is take turns to feed their babies. Cliff Swallows are unique birds and they are good companions. They stay side by side even when one of them is dying.

Plucking Parrots

Daily Diet

Lots of raw and well washed vegetables and fruits which are full of vitamins (for example: broccoli, carrots, red peppers, papaya), reinforced by additional purposed vitamins which can be added to the bird clean water such as 'Feather up', 'Calcivet' and 'Spark' (spark is a very gentle anti-stress type medicine).

You can also give your bird meat such as well cooked steak, it is good for them!

Psychological problems

Do you know what type of disturbance your bird's life has suffered from, may be the lost or sickness of its partner, change of home, location of the cage, jealousy, lack of 'things to do', left alone all day every day would most certainly trigger this type of behaviour.

I have found that reading a book to your bird for one hour each day helps in gaining back the trust.

If you have no time for your bird then it is obvious you should try to find somebody who has, the alternative, if accepted by your bird, would be to get your bird a special partner, one of its own type and opposite sex, however this does not always work especially if your bird is a cockatoo. Parrots are very much like children and you would not leave your child all day by itself would you?

There are, of course, other types of trauma such as a parrot used to fly free in an aviary then confined into a cage having to share a room with people it fears so much, in this latest case the bird would be better in an aviary with a mate.

Illness

A parrot feeling unwell might pluck itself. It could also pluck when its mate is unwell.

Some of the illness might be due to breathing difficulties due to a dusty, smoky, perfumed, damp, very hot or very cold environment.

Though the signs might not be obvious an un-well parrot would look sad, not to confuse with the ups and downs of the breeding seasons.

If your parrot is not subjected to any of the above then it might be time to consult an avian vet. Do you know you can collect the poop of your bird for analysis; it is less stressful for the parrot than been seen by a vet.

Parrot Toys

Before purchasing a toy for your bird you need to consider the use of the toy, the size of the toy, the place/cage where the toy will be, the material/safety of the toy, the preferences and/or any fear it would cause to your bird.

The use of the toy (what am I buying the toy for?)

There are so many different types of parrot toys on the market today it is difficult to choose which one would be the right one for your bird.

Your bird needs at least one toy to trim its beak with, though a budgie would prefer a beak conditioner mineral type block than a wooden toy. A single budgie or a cockatiel probably also needs a mirror, it is not advisable to put a mirror into the cage of a large parrot.

an over preened parrot might needs a good shred able toy so it spends more time preening the toy than itself.

In your bird cage there should be, at least, a toy to chew (wood) and a toy to preen.

The size of the toy versus the size of your bird

You need to choose a toy your bird can play with.

It is just common sense not to purchase a budgie toy for a large parrot and not to choose a large wooden toy for a budgie as he would not be able to shred or play with that toy, though he could use it to perch and attack it occasionally, what great fun for a little budgie!

The size of the place/cage where the toy will be

Some owner put too many toys in their parrot cage, the bird cannot move anymore for fear of bumping into one of its toys. Your bird cage is not a toys store.

The material and safety of the toy

Any wooden toy should only be fruit or vegetable painted. You can test this by passing a wet finger on the wood; if the color is printed on your finger then it is surely fruit or vegetable painted.

Zinc is poisonous, however all metal have trace of zinc, to be poisonous a high level of zinc would have to be present.

Most parrot toys have a chain attached to them to be able to hang the toy in the cage. The chains with welded links are safe for your pet, while those with closed links are not safe. The parrot can open up the (un-welded) closed links where its beak could get stuck. While attempting to free itself, the parrot may get hurt. So, you must carefully examine the chains attached to the parrot toys.

There are also some toys with 'soft bells' which are dangerous to large parrots, you need to remove those bells as your bird might shred them and swallow bits of metal.

Rope type toys are good fun, however if the rope is for your bird to perch then make sure it is not too soft so your bird does not tangle itself in loose bits.

Personally I would not purchase rope type nets (cargo nets), they look nice and probably fun but they are very dangerous as your bird's neck can become trap.

The preferences and the fear of your birdLike children some parrots prefer playing with wood, some other with cotton type material. Birds are also extremely sensitive to colours.

You need to observe your bird to see what its preferences are; else the toy will stay in the corner of the cage untouched.

Many birds are fearful of large objects and certain colours, they are birds after all and live in fear of been caught by predators, and it surely is no fun to see your mum or dad accepting a predator into your home. If this is the case then you might need to place the toy at a distance for the bird to see it for few days until he knows there is no danger. It might also help if you play with that toy yourself to prove to your bird it is ok, that is if you do have a close relationship with your bird.

Personally I think one of the best toys, is one you can both, your bird and yourself play with. Remember when you were a baby how much fun it was to play puzzle with your mum and dad.

It is no good getting paranoid about parrot toys though; the best way is to observe your bird while it is playing with the toy for few days to make sure it is safe.

Cat Toys

As a cat owner, you have probably spent a lot of money on a new toy for your cat only to discover that your feline friend is not interested. Cats are notoriously difficult to please, which, coupled with their intelligence, means that it can be difficult to find cat toys that will be enjoyed for longer than five minutes. If you are looking for toys to stimulate your cat, here are some that you may like to consider.
Wand and Fishing Toys

They may seem quite simple and unappealing to a human eye, but cats do not seem to tire of swiping things with their paws and hunting small pieces of fur. Of course, a cat's natural instinct is to stalk and hunt. Therefore, if your cat is spending all day indoors he, or she, has no outlet for these tendencies.

Wand or fishing toys consist of a simple stick with a small piece of fur or some feathers attached to the end of a piece of string. The best kind of wand toy is one that is lightweight, as your cat will find this more enjoyable. This type of toy is certainly worth investing in, as not only will your cat derive huge amounts of pleasure from it, but it also allows you to spend some quality playtime with your pet.

Balls

Another relatively inexpensive option is balls, which is probably just as well as they can easily become lost. However, like the wand toy, a ball allows a cat to exercise its hunting and pouncing instincts. Typically, most cats prefer a ball that jingles or makes another type of noise. Playing with a ball is a simple game that can be played alone, which means that your cat can be kept stimulated while you are out. Alternatively, of course, when you are at home, you can join in, too.

Cloth Toys

Although I am an advocate of simple toys, a cloth toy that does nothing, will not entertain a cat for very long. Generally, a cat prefers a toy that moves. However, if you would like to purchase small cloth toys, ones containing catnip are highly recommended. When looking for catnip toys, you may like to consider ones that are refillable, as the scent will not last long. However, typically these types of toy can be bought very cheaply, so you may find it less time consuming to buy new toys rather than find fresh catnip.

Other Small Toys

More small toys that I would recommend are ones that are set on coiled spring, as this is wonderful for batting and swiping. You are likely to find some scratching posts that have these kinds of toys attached; this is especially attractive to the cat and will encourage him, or her, to use the scratching post as well as the springy toys.
Laser Pointers

Laser pointers are some of the latest cat toys to immerge, but whether they will appeal to your cat depends upon the individual temperament of your pet. Those who do enjoy laser pointer toys really love them. On the other hand, there are cats that could not be less interested. The good news is that a laser pointer can be bought relatively cheaply, so it need not cost a fortune to discover whether or not it seems like fun to your cat.

Owners should never point lasers directly at the cat. Make sure that the laser is directed onto the floor. If your cat is interested he, or she, will chase the laser around in an attempt to catch it.

Of course, these are just some of the toys that you may like to consider for your cat. There are many more options available, so it is easy to ensure that your pet is never bored.

How to Grow Your Own Catnip

Almost all types of cat, from lions to your household kitty, love catnip. They are not fussy about the form in which it comes; they will take it fresh, dried or inside felt toys. Interestingly, however, not all cats are attracted to catnip. In fact, it is thought that approximately 1/3 of cats are not responsive to it at all. Nevertheless, this means that the vast majority of cats love it and the good news is that it is relatively simple to grow your own.

What is Catnip?

Catnip, or catmint as it's sometimes called, is a herb and belongs to the mint family. So, why do cats love it? Well, catnip contains an active chemical called Nepatalactone, which is very similar to a chemical that is found in female cat urine and it is this which drives cats crazy. No, it wouldn't do anything for me either, but can 2/3 of cats possibly be wrong?

Using Dried Catnip in Toys

Although they love it fresh, it is impossible to have a supply of fresh catnip all year round. So, a great way to preserve it is to dry it and place it inside toys. Like growing it, drying catnip is very simple. Just spread out the flowers and leaves that you have harvested in a well-ventilated area. After the catnip has dried out, it is advisable to place it into airtight containers, as this will help to keep it fresh throughout the autumn and winter months.

Making simple catnip toys could not be easier. Just sew a small piece of fabric to form a pillow or pouch, which you can then fill with your freshly dried catnip. The scent will not last long, so may need refilling from time to time.

Is it Possible to Give Too Much?

Yes, according to some experts it is possible to give your cat too much catnip. It is thought that regular and repeated exposure means that a cat becomes immune to the effects. Therefore, it is advisable to only offer your cat catnip once a week. It is also wise to keep a close eye on your catnip plants; if your cat is killing the plant, it may be necessary to construct some sort of protection to prevent any further damage.

If you would like to be able to give your cat a little treat now and then, growing your own catnip couldn't be easier.

How to Grow Your Own Catnip:

Catnip seeds can be purchased from most garden stores, alternatively you may prefer to buy from an online store. Catnip is easy to cultivate and thrives in sun or slight shade. It is a perennial plant, which means it will return each year. Catnip does not need much care, as it can thrive well on its own. However, this means that it can take over a garden, so it essential to leave room for the plant to grow and spread. A small tip for catnip growth is that removing the shoots of the plant prompts thicker and bushier growth.

If you plant catnip in the spring, it should flower by early summer. While the plant is in bloom, cat owners may wish to harvest the flower, top leaves and stems, these can then be placed into a toy or stuffed into a small pillow case. According to some gardeners, three good harvests of catnip can be produced in one year. Because cats are particularly partial to fresh catnip, you may just wish to leave your cat with access to the plants. However, a cat is likely to chew the leaves, rub against and roll in the catnip, which can kill the plant.

Why Ignoring a Whining Dog is Wrong

If you've currently got a whining dog, and you're reading information on the Internet about how to deal with it, you might have come across sources that tell you to simply ignore it. In the following article, I'll demonstrate that ignoring your dog when it's whining is only of secondary importance.

Ignoring dog behaviour is in fact contingent upon a previous action. This action is observation. What you should do before you decide whether to act on a dog whining is observe the dog. Responsible ownership of a dog always explicitly recognises the time it takes to understand the nature of him/her, and taking action by ignoring them may simply let underlying problems fester.

Whining is a form of communication by the dog. Since they don't speak a human language, there's not many forms of communication available to them. And those that are may well be misconstrued by human owners with little patience as immature annoyances. The underlying reasons for whining differ on a case-by-case scenario though, and therefore it's hard to make sweeping generalisations of how to react to a whining dog.

There may be many causes, or no cause at all. Dogs might simply whine for the attention it brings them, or they might be whining as a result of illness or pain. Whichever way it is, at the end of the day you are able to make a better-valued judgment by observing and then acting as opposed to blindly taking advice off the Internet about your dog. If it is the case that you might think your dog's whines are the result of an illness of some sort, they will be easily rectified and remedied by taking your dog to the vet.

But if it turns out that the dog's whines are indeed unjustified, that they are attention seeking techniques, then the best course of action is to ignore them.

See how the decision process works? Ignoring your dog doesn't come first, observing does. You can then make conclusions based your observations and act upon them for more worthwhile and effective results.

Is Obedience Training Working With Your Dog? The Fault May Be With You

You might fail to see any tangible results from obedience training with your dog, even after a while of doing so. Whilst it's important to keep in mind that the particular breed of your dog might have some impact on this (some dog breeds are less receptive to obedience training than others, for example), one of the reasons might be down to mixed signals you're giving off. In the following article, I'll run through some of the main faults that occur in obedience training and strategies you can enact to resolve these.

Consistency

The fundamental rule of obedience training is consistency. A consistent message will eventually get through to the dog, but inconsistency just leads to confusion and frustration. Always make sure you're sending the message you want to. So avoid giving treats for things not praiseworthy, reserve them only for things your dog does right. This way, they remain an effective reward for good behaviour and hence promote it.

Conflicting Signals

Related to being consistent, giving out conflicting signals will leave your dog as unaware as to what you really want than when you first started dog training. Always use the same gestures and verbal commands, and don't interchange between them. Similarly, if you're training your dog to walk by your side, ensure that they are always kept to one side and that they don't deviate away from it.

Patience

If you're particularly stressed or tired after coming back from a day at the office, trying to perform obedience training might well not be the best decision. It might be best to reserve obedience training therefore to the weekends, or at least to nights where you are able to impart with the patience and understanding that your dog deserves and the training demands.


In conclusion then, I hope I've shed light on issues with obedience training that might have affected you. From my own experience with my Westie, it takes a long time to get right if you are a first time Dog owner, but the results at the end of it are more than worth it. The loyalty and bond created with your dog will last a lifetime, so it's important to get it right in the early stages.

Terriers and Obedience Training

If you've got a terrier, you'll know how stubborn they are. Westie (a West Highland White Terrier), and despite being the most lovable little soul, he's incredibly stubborn. Which made the process of obedience training that little bit harder and longer. In the following article, I'll give an overview of obedience training the Terrier breeds of dogs, and the various nuances it holds when compared with other breed types.

Why is it different?

Terriers largely have stubbornness in their blood. For centuries, they were bred to act with the confidence of their owners away and out of sight from them. So they naturally hold a greater sense of initiative, and a more individualistic will. After all, it's what makes them so great and gives them such a distinctive personality. But when it comes to training them, it can often test your patience and push it to it's limits.

A lot of terriers were bred to tackle pests such as rats, being able to reach all the nooks and crannys and having the speed that humans don't have. Whilst it's hard to generalize an entire breed, there's some characteristics that have obvious influences on the actions of your Terrier. Because they were bred to go out and kill pests, there's a certain element of fearlessness. This makes disciplining them or attempts to intimidate or overpower them a lot less effective in training them than other breeds. At best they'll be indifferent over the long term to training by indifference.

More so than a lot of other breeds, Terriers see themselves as equals. To them, their time is valuable, and so repeating tasks over and over again will make them bored - their concentration will wane and so will their capacity to learn. Obedience training therefore has to ensure that there is always a lot of variation with the tasks and practices you do, and ensure that there is positive praise to account for their feeling of equality.

One helpful tip from my experience of going through obedience training with my Westie is to observe, over time, the average time it takes for your dog to get bored doing a certain task. It's obvious when they are; their concentration will go and they'll be more unresponsive to treats and praise. For more effective obedience training, you should try to stop any form of exercise just before they get bored.

Centropyge Bicolor

Centropyge bicolor is quite a common offering in the marine aquarium trade. They are a very striking fish that are colored a bright yellow on the front half of the fish while its back half is a deep blue. They come from throughout the Indo-Pacific where they are usually collected in large numbers to satisfy demand from the marine aquarium industry. As such, they are a relatively inexpensive fish.

One of the bigger members of the genus centropyge, they can attain lengths of up to a whopping seven inches, which is gigantic considering most centropyge top out at four to five inches. Unfortunately they do not fare all that well in captivity. They simply don't accept prepared foods well enough. And even if they do, there have been reports of mysterious sudden deaths. Perhaps this has something to do with the way they were collected from the wild.

When choosing centropyge bicolor specimens, you should always purchase smaller ones as they are easier to feed since most mature specimens are very set in their ways and rarely go for any new prepared foods. Due to their size, they require a larger tank such as a 75 gallon to do well. As usual, if you can afford it, go bigger with a 100 gallon or larger aquarium.

The key to keeping this species alive is in having an established aquarium with a lot of live rock. That way, even if they are not feeding, they can graze on detritus, algae and tiny crustaceans throughout the aquarium live rock. Try a variety of foods and see which ones it takes. Generally speaking, they do not take to well to pellets which is a shame because they are some of the most balanced diets as well as being very convenient to use.

Offer a mixed variety of frozen meaty foods such as formula one, formula two, mysis shrimp, krill and prime reef. Try to target feed it around its territory. Vegetable matter should also be offered such as Julian Sprungs sea veggies or your regular market nori sheets. Buy the unflavoured types.

While this fish may be striking and cheap even, if you do not have a large established aquarium for it you may be better off passing on centropyge bicolor.

Gray Angelfish

The gray angelfish is a very large member of the family Pomacathidae that hails from the waters of the Caribbean and South America and can be found as far up as Florida. It is very closely related to the French angelfish which also comes from the same habitats. Its scientific name is pomacanthus arcuatus.

In the wild they have been known to reach lengths of up to 24 inches. That is a massive size for an angelfish. As such, only the largest aquariums should be used to house this species. Nothing less than a 150 gallon is needed. But they really do better with something like a 250 gallon or even a 300 gallon aquarium.

Because they are very similar in appearance to the french angelfish, there may be some confusion to the casual onlooker when it comes to differentiating the two species. As juveniles, it is very hard to tell them apart. The one area you should look at is their tail. French angelfish have rounded tails while gray angels have a much straighter tail. As adults, the differences are evident as only the french angelfish has golden flecks across its main body.

They have hearty appetites and need to be well feed in captivity. Feed them a variety to ensure they are given a varied diet. Frozen meaty foods along with seaweed sheets should be offered. Some great pellets brands to offer are those by Ocean Nutrition and New Life Spectrum. There are a variety of pellet formulas so choose something with a good mix of foods.

Overall, this fish can be a hardy addition to the aquarium once acclimated. Also, they are not reef safe and will go to town on your corals.

Get Rid of Those Bad Snails in Your Fish Tank

It may be nice to put in a snail or two in your tank. Problem is, they can easily multiply overtime and take over your tank. Just one snail is capable of producing an army.

The best and safest way to remove snails in your tank is to remove them manually. Many aquarist have tried (and have been successful) in baiting snails with food such as lettuce, zucchini or cucumber. The lettuce can be pinned at the side of the aquarium, near the top. Zucchini or cucumber is best placed inside a clean bottle. Place it there during the night, and you will find a swarm of snails you have not seen in the morning. You can also spend some time maintaining your tank daily. Carefully look for any movement in the leaves or the gravel surface. Sure enough, you will find snails that are just hiding or munching away. Another way of removing snails is by introducing fish types that eat them. Loaches and Cichlids are perfect for eating away snails and snail eggs. Some loach types are ravenous eaters of snails and can even suck them from their shells even if they are beneath the substrate.

Introduction of chemicals such as copper can be used, but it is highly risky. Although it can eradicate much of the snail population in a short amount of time, this method must be done carefully and with extreme caution. Not only will it eradicate your snails, it will also produce some damage in your plants and fish.

Carefully consider each method of clearing up snails in your tank. If all else fails, you can totally clean your tank, flush out the substrate, and treat your plants. It is best to always treat new plants and remove the water in which your fish came in with to prevent any other unwanted snails from getting into your tank.

The Best Birdhouses For Attracting Purple Martins

North American purple martins are fascinating little birds that can be a challenge to attract, but with a little research you can establish your own purple martin colony that will visit your backyard every year. Investing in a purple martin birdhouse is a fun project that with a little effort can reap great rewards.

Purple martins differentiate from other birds in that they need to roost in man-made birdhouses to produce off-spring. In addition, they are very particular in where they nest and have several deadly predators such as sparrows and starlings. These issues make starting and maintaining a martin colony pretty challenging. However, if you take a few extra steps in placing your birdhouse, your efforts can be greeted with success.

Martins migrate during the year, so the first step is to have a birdhouse available as soon as martins enter your particular climate zone. Do a little research to find out when martins generally enter your area. Adult martins typically nest in the same place every year, so if you are trying to start a new colony, it is last year's hatchlings that you will want to attract. Newly adult martins usually arrive a few weeks after their adult counterparts migrate to your area.

Birdhouse location is important when attracting and maintaining a purple martin colony. Martins prefer their birdhouse in a wide open space, away from your home, trees, or power lines that can aid natural predators from preying on your martins. However, be sure to keep your birdhouse in a visible location so you can enjoy watching your martins from your home.

Once you have found the perfect location, you can concentrate on finding the perfect birdhouse. Martin houses should have multiple compartments for nesting. Martins prefer birdhouses light in color and well ventilated. You can even go the extra mile and put clean straw in each compartment. Once you're martin house is up, you can provide nesting material such as pine needles, straw, and twigs to aid your martins in building their nests. A platform feeder in a nearby area will also help make for an inviting purple martin home.

Racing Pigeon Nesting

I have experimented over the years with different types of nesting material and I have finally settled on simple twigs which can be purchased from local pigeon racing suppliers.

I like to put the twigs in a clean area in the loft or outside as long as it's dry, and to let the birds collect their own and build their own nests. This way the birds make a full contribution and feel happier that they have built their nest in their way.

Some people simply place the twigs into the nest bowl but I don't think the birds are entirely happy unless they have worked and achieved the results they want. If you don't buy the twigs and put them in the loft, you will find that the pigeons will try to gather and collect their own nesting material from outside.

That's great except you will find that both the young and old pigeons will end up with lice which is easily treatable but not really what you want, plus you don't know what other insects/parasites are being brought in with this outside debris, so play it safe, buy it yourself and then you know it is clean material and the young will be reared in a healthy environment.

There are other nesting materials which you can use but it's best not to use anything that may be absorbent and therefore may introduce dampness into your loft.

Don't clean the nest bowls until the young have been weaned because the build up of twigs and droppings makes for excellent insulation providing warmth and comfort for the young squabs.

Pigeon Tea

What ingredients do I need for pigeon tea?

Many pigeon fanciers add a tea recipe to the birds drinking water. Generally the view is that it improves the look and feel of the birds and promotes good health.

Personally I have experimented with a couple of recipes including elderberries and other fruit but I think that probably the best is to use nettles. Chop the tops of the nettles off and heat gently in hot, not boiling water. Boiling it kills certain vitamins, so allow it to heat up for a while to the point where the water discolours. Allow it to cool and add it to the drinking water.

I don't tend to give this daily, maybe 3 times per week, but you will find that the pigeons don't like the bitter taste so persevere and a good tip is to remove all water after the morning feed, so that when they come to the evening feed they are thirsty and they will take the nettle tea mix.

Nettles are a natural ingredient and are packed with vitamins and nutrients so whilst it's not scientifically proven to improve performance it can't do any harm. If you buy additives and vitamins for the water, they are expensive and most of it gets chucked down the drain because you should be changing the water at least once per day.

Whether or not giving your racing pigeons tea increases your chances of winning that all important pigeon race is debatable but it is all about small degrees and it's certainly worth experimenting with.