Frequently Asked Questions
How To Stop Dog From Chewing Up His Bed?
I Rescued A 1-3 Year Old Lab Mixed Dog From A Neglectful Home. The Family That Had Him Gave Him Little To No Attention As He Outgrew Their Young Child (You Know The Type). He Was Eventually Moved To The Opposite Side Of The House From Where They Came And Went Everyday - And Interactions, Even Visual Site Of Him/Them, Became Even Less. This Dog Was Not Provided Shelter From The Weather As A Puppy. He Was Left Chained To A Tree. His Family Would Run In And Out To The Car In Rain, Sleet Or Snow While He Stood Shivering In The Weather. I Finally Got Them To Accept An Igloo Dog House From Me But... They Had Ruined The Chance Of Him Wanting To Go In It Because They Had Stupidly Put A Trashcan On It'S Side For His Shelter (After I Called Animal Control And They Suggested It). They Did Not Secure It So That It Would Not Roll When He Attempted To Get In It!! And Now After 4 Years Of Having Been Rescued, He May Or May Not Get In His House When It Rains. Another Thing I Noticed When I Got Him Was His Digging!! He Currently Has A Hole Dug That Is 5X7 Feet Wide And 1 Feet Deep; Then Various Other Holes Dug As Well. I Have Provided All Types Of Chews And Toys To Occupy Him But He Prefers To Dig. But The Thing Most Disturbing Is His Endless Chewing! Again, Regardless Of The Toys And Chews That I'Ve Provided... He Still Chews. This Includes A Very Nice Coat That I Put On Him When It Was 18 Degrees One Day. He Chewed It Off!! Then It Was Any And Every Type Of Indoor Dog Bedding That I Have Given Him To Sleep On - Even With Toys And Chews Present!!! It'S So Disheartening. Just Last Night I Gave Them Each (I Have 2 Rescued Dogs) A New Stuffed Pillow Bed To Sleep On In The House. I Got Up This Morning And He Has Chewed Up His! It'S Completely Destroyed! And Tonight He Will Chew Up The Other One; Leaving Both Dogs Without Bedding! Any Advice? Should I Consider A Soft Cage Muzzle On Him When I Go To Bed? That Way He Is Ensured A Nice Warm Bed When He Comes In From The Kennel At Night? Please Advise... Thanks!
Do not muzzle this dog you saw the suffering so why add to it, what does he know about material things he lived tied to a tree for years. You have rescued him from cruelty so retrain him and if he chews the bed does it really matter as you can always buy cheap blankets from a charity shop for him to lie on. He digs so what does that tell you you, it tells me he dug to ease the boredom from his life on a chain.
Live your life around the dog it has suffered enough, it doesn't bite you he's not aggressive just work out what's best for him, he is a dog who needs to get over his trauma this can take years. No way would I have allowed this to happen if I had been that horrible persons neighbour.
Life is hard at times but you are making it worse for yourself, he's a dog not a teenager stop fretting over him.
I ended up with 12 dogs (2 were mine) because they couldn't be sent to live with people who cared more about the new rules rather than listen to what the dogs had suffered.
What I wouldn't like my dogs will not suffer it, I would hate a muzzle on my nose and mouth, so would my pets.
p.s Try Crib Dry on the fabrics it's used to stop horses nibbling at the wood in their stables but it can be sprayed anywhere.
Extremely Important! My Guinea Pig'S Cage Has Wire Floor, What Should I Do? Thanks 
?
Pet Experts Said, Guinea Pigs And Other Pets Should Not Be Kept On Cages With Floors Made Of Wire Mesh Or Wire Bars. Guinea Pig'S Feet Are Extremely Sensitive And Delicate And The Wire Floors Will Just Irritate Their Little Feet, Causing A Foot Disease Known As Pododermatitis, Which Is Sometimes But Inappropriately Called &Quot;Bumblefoot&Quot;. Pododermatitis Is Extremely Dangerous And Painful For Guinea Pigs. Guinea Pigs Should Be Kept On A Cage With Solid Floor. Unfortunately, The Pet Stores In Our Place Only Sell Cages With Wire Floor. At First, I Didn'T Know That Cavies (Guinea Pig) Can'T Be Kept On Wires. But Now I Learned About This, So What Should I Do? I Searched About This On The Internet, And I Found Ways. But They Are Not Really Useful! I Covered The Floor With Newspapers. But Soon The Newspapers &Quot;Melted&Quot; And Got Soggy And Soaky Wet And Got Ripped And Torn. So... No Newspapers! So I Replaced The Newspaper With A Towel. But The Towel Soon Got Extremely Dirty! It Was Covered With Layers Of Guinea Pig Feces (Poo), Urine, Plus Fruit And Veggie Toppings, And Bug Civilization Began! So The Cavies Stepped And Slept On The Dirty Stuff All The Time! There'S A Plastic Floor Pan Just Below The Wire Floor. So I Placed The Floor Pan Above The Wire Floor To See If This Is A Good Idea. But Just Like The Towel, The Floor Pan Got Dirty In Just A Few Seconds Because The Feces Have No Where To Go, They Just &Quot;Hang&Quot; Around In There. I Thought Of Buying Bedding, Which Everyone Suggested Me To Do. But Guinea Pigs Should *Only* Use Either Paper Or Hay As Bedding, And Never Wood Shavings Or Sawdust. But Sadly, The Pet Store Only Sells Wood Shavings And They Never Sell Paper Or Hay. What Should I Do? I Really Care About My Guinea Pigs! I Will Be Very Sad If They'Re Not Healthy! Is There Still Hope? 
Most wire-bottomed cages have a removable mesh grid. If yours hasn't, could you not get your hands on a wire cutter? Your guinea pigs are NOT safe - as you say, they will get Bumblefoot if you do not get rid of this wire mesh.
I hate to say this, but without hay your guinea pigs are going to rack up huge vet bills, and possibly die. An unlimited amount of hay MUST be fed everyday, so they have 24/7 access to it. Hay makes up about 70% of their diet and CANNOT be substituted with anything else.
Hay:
-Keeps their digestive system moving. Hay is long strand and keeps everything moving as it should do.
-Keeps their teeth ground down. My guinea pig got ill and stopped eating hay so his molars overgrew making eating painful and difficult - I ended up paying the vet £75 for his teeth to be clipped under anaesthetic.
-Gives them that extra bit of vitamin C.
Since you are using a pet store cage, I can bet that it is too small as well. Unless it is 60x110cm (7.5sq ft), then you need to upgrade anyway, rather than worry about the wire grid. If it is large enough, and you cannot remove the grid, try lining it with a sheet or coroplast, lino or something like that to make a smooth surface ready for the bedding.
Why not build a C&C cage? These are attractive, fun and easy to build, practical and easily modified and personalized to suit the room. They are MUCH cheaper than the tiny cages you can get from the pet stores. You construct them from: Coroplast (correx in the UK) which is corrugated plastic, often sold in sign shops. You will also need Cubes - wire shelving grids that can be connected and changed with connectors or cable ties.
Do some more C&C research here: http://www.guineapigcages.com/ and http://www.guineatastic.com/cccages.htm and http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum
Where did you get the idea that guinea pigs can ONLY have paper based beddings and hay? Sure, most wood shavings and other beddings are dangerous, but not all.
Does this pet store sell ASPEN wood shavings that have been dust extracted? If they are pine or cedar, or have not been dust-extracted they are no good. Straw is also a no-no.
Here is a list of great beddings. You may have to drive a little further to obtain these beddings since you refuse to buy online (I really don't see the problem as long as the sites have good ratings).
Carefresh
Megazorb
Yesterday's News
Box-o
Back-2-nature
Vet Bed
Fleece - I would see if you can buy some fleece. It's a great bedding. Line the cage with towels, puppy pads or U-haul pads and follow the instructions on this page: http://www.guineatastic.com/fleecebedding.htm
Auboise
Cell-Sorb
Wood Pellets
If you cannot provide daily fresh hay, quality pellets (NOT mixes) and veggies and a suitable cage and bedding for your guinea pigs, I would really look into re-homing them to someone who can as they'd be much healthier and happier and live much longer lives with someone who can provide those things.
EDIT:
About the Corn Cob bedding, I found some information.
From http://www.guineapigcages.com/bedding.htm
" This bedding is generally not recommended as suitable for guinea pigs.
It molds fairly quickly.
Guinea pigs have been know to eat it. Particles can get stuck on food.
If ingested and the guinea pig drinks water, it swells up and does not break down, creating a potentially serious blockage.
Pieces can get lodged in the genital/anal area causing medical problems. "
How To Make Wood-Chip Mulch?
Every Year My Wife And I Spend A Ton Of Money On That Dark Wood-Chip Mulch. I Would Like To Make My Own. What Are The Ingredients? Do You Shred Newly Cut Wood Or Is Decaying Wood Ok?
Whatever you use make sure its deciduous and not coniferous wood. Conifers (evergreens) do not decompose quickly and make the soil very acidic which can be hard on your garden. Just think of there being NO grass growing under a pine tree where the ground is covered with needles.
For all the work that's involved in getting wood and renting a chipper you're better off buying the mulch.
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.co...
I Have A New Kitten!!!?
Well I Have A New Kitten And I Want Him To Have The Best Life Lolz Xd And He Is Sooo Cute! He Chews On Its Paw And Stuff Lol But Anyways What Should I Buy Him To Have A Good Life And I Dont Have Alot Of Money So Yea But Like Cheap Toys And Stuff Plezz Thanks Lotsss ***[email protected]@B3***
Congratulations on getting a new kitten!
Well, I am going to list a lot of stuffs here, some you already know but maybe not enough and some you might not know.
New Kitten Checklist:-
Food
(find out what she is eating prior to coming home to you, keep the same food if it is a high quality brand. If you need to change, transition slowly by mixing the old and new food together)
Water
(filtered water would be the best, you can also invest in a water fountain if you like. Petmate and Drinkwell are popular ones)
Food/Water Dish
(Kittens and cat like to eat and drink from shallow bowl. Dog bowls are not suitable because they are deeper and cats do not like to get their whiskers wet or soggy. Stainless steel and ceramic are the best. Avoid double serving dishes - keep a separate dish for food and water)
Grooming Tools
(short haired cats require less grooming than long haired. Invest in good quality clippers, brush, flea comb, wet wipes, and I like to use a chamois cloth to give my kitty's coat a high sheen and glow after grooming. The furminator is also a good tool to help with controlling excessive shedding. Kitten do not need to be bathed unless they get very dirty/messy)
Litter and Litterbox
(She will need at least one litterbox for your kitten. To begin with, choose a smaller one where the sides are lower so she is able to climb in and out easily. Remember, not all cats like a covered litterbox. It is only convenient for the owner.
There are many kinds of litter to choose from and I personally prefer clumping litter made from natural biodegradable ingredients like corn, wheat and pine)
Scratching Post and Play Structures
(This is very important to get for your kitty because you do not want her to learn to scratch your furniture. Scratching is a natural habit and you shouldn't punish er. When you buy a scratching post, make sure it's one that is sturdy and will not tip off easily. All cats love to climb and getting her a nice cat tree of playhouse will allow her to exercise her natural talent without ransacking your house)
Stain and Odor Remover
(Accidents happen so be prepare to clean up after your kitten. You must remove all traces of urine from carpeting because a kitten will urinate on the same spot again if she scent it.)
Carrier
(When you bring your kitten to visit the vet, you will need a carrier. It is important that you choose one that fits the kitten comfortably and she can stand and turn around easily. You can choose hard sided or soft sided carriers and they come is all shapes and design)
Collar and ID Tag
I hope your cat stays indoor. If she is outdoor, a collar and ID Tag is a must. I am not a huge fan of collar for indoor cat because of the possible risk of strangulation and getting stuck in structures. But it is up to you to make that decision. Choose a breakaway collar if you must.
Toys
(Kitten loves to play and make sure you always supervise her playtime. Favorites are jingle bells, mylar balls, feathered toys, dangling toys, lure toys, and I recommend you try Da Bird and Cat Dancer. They go absolutely crazy for them. Some toys you can make at home. Milk Jug Ring is a hit in all cat household, drinking straws, a wad of paper, etc)
Bed
(Just to remind you, you cannot place a kitten on a bed and expect her to sleep there quietly like a newborn baby. Kittens will choose wherever they want to snooze and the place changes all the time. Just make a simple comfortable bedding for her should she choose to sleep in a bed)
This site is very useful in learning more about taking good care of your kitten. Hope you'll visit and get more information from there.
http://cats.about.com/od/kittencare/Kitt...
I hope I've covered it all for you. Good Luck and Best Wishes to you and your kitty!
Can A Dogwood Tree Tolerate The South Texas Elements?
If So, When Is The Best Time To Plant? Thanks!
Dogwoods are picky little trees that can be hard to get established when transplanting. They are native to my part of Texas (East) and they are all over the woods, but I have never had any luck getting a bought one to grow in my yard. They say they like acidic soil (same as azaleas), so they should be heavily mulched with pine bark or pine straw (that's acidic). They are understory trees, which means they typically grow under other larger trees to block out some of the hottest sun. The perfect situation is to put them under pine trees--that way they get the acid soil and the shade. If you don't have any larger trees around your planting site, and it gets no shade from the house or other structures, the tree may not tolerate it.
Look around the area....do you see other ones growing, either native or planted? Do you see any for sale at the nurseries? If you have a hard time finding any, or if they don't seem to be thriving, then your answer is probably no.
If you see some, or if you are determined to try it, get a tree from a nursery or retailer that offers a guarantee, and follow all the instructions for planting. It's best to wait until fall when they go dormant, for South Texas that may be well into Dec. You can go ahead and dig the hole now and be conditioning the soil before the ground gets hard after a freeze. If you can't find a tree locally, be sure to check the growing zone of the one you order to make sure it is rated for your area.
If there is a college or university near you with a horticulture dept., you could also consult them, or talk to someone at your county extension office. They usually have tip sheets on everything or can answer questions over the phone or e-mail.
Do Strawberries Grow In Acidic Soil?
Visit Our Local Pine Straw Location for information on delivery and installation
Goose Creekfrom
http://pinestrawlandscaping.com/do-strawberries-grow-in-acidic-soil/
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