PetLvr.com - [The Blog]

There was a Tornado Watch in effect for my county for most of the afternoon today. While most people know what to do to protect themselves if a tornado occurs, what about pets? While many disaster safety experts would advise families to forget about the pets and protect themselves if a tornado is coming, that’s just not realistic for pet parents who’d no sooner leave their pets in harm’s way than their human family members. So, let’s look at the best ways to protect pets in the event of a tornado.

Be Prepared

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There’s nothing like the bright red dot of a laser pointer racing across the floor or wall to get a cat’s attention. Many dogs also are fascinated  with and will chase laser pointer toys. Even fish often follow the red dot, at least until they get bored or something startles them. Some birds and small pets also show interest. But are laser pointer toys safe for your pets? Stories of retinal damage due to looking directly into a laser abound on the web and in “My cousin told me that her grandmother’s college roommate’s aunt’s dog’s sire was blinded by a laser pointer,” form.

The Real Risks of Using Laser Pointer Toys

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Regular readers know that I tend to avoid political topics in this blog. They’re too contentious, and there are many sides to every issue. However, there is a bill currently being considered by the United States House of Representatives which I feel is too important to my readers for me not to mention it. H.R. 699, also known as the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, would prohibit ownership of many species of exotic pets throughout the United States. The reason given by supporters of this drastic measure is the danger of introduced species becoming established in the United  States and harming native flora and fauna.

What HR 699 Would Do

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As Earth Week ends, tree-planting events and free seed offers die down, CFL bulbs return to regular price, and most people go right back to the lifestyle they’re accustomed to during the other 51 weeks of the year. If you’d like to be one of the minority who continue living more sustainably all year, not just during Earth Week, here are some tips to be a greener pet owner year-round.

Buy Sustainably

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I think most pet lovers, especially those who read this blog, know why it’s a bad idea to buy a cat or dog at a pet store. Even Oprah has taken up the cause of raising puppymill awareness. But did you know that if you buy a pair of rats or even fish for your aquarium at a pet store, you could be contributing to animal cruelty, unbalanced ecosystems, and the proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria, among other social woes?

Large pet stores acquire live animals from a variety of sources, including local mill-style breeders, huge warehouses where pets are bred, and importers who capture wild animals and sell them. All of these options are socially irresponsible and, in most cases, highly inhumane. Unfortunately, to keep up with demand, pet stores must make use of suppliers who can provide a continuous supply of large quantities of live pets. This means that more responsible means of animal breeding, like hobby breeding, aren’t compatible with pet stores’ needs — and besides, reputable, responsible hobby breeders wouldn’t dream of selling to retail stores.

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Last week, I was able to visit London Aquarium and I thought that I would take some photos so that I share my experience and write a short guide about what you can expect from the largest display of aquatic life in Europe. London Aquarium has three floors split into 14 zones and there are up to 400 species on show throughout the 50 display tanks. Each zone represents a different underwater habitat from small rivers and lakes to tropical rainforests and oceans from around world.

Zone 1: Freshwater Stream

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One of the first things that you will think about when planning to keep pet fish is where you are going to position the aquarium in your home. The most obvious concern will be to find available space where your chosen aquarium will fit. When you have chosen a potential site, it is important to check for any potential problems that may arise in the future and you should take the following aspects into consideration:

Space around the tank
Is there sufficient space above and around the tank? You will need plenty of room to access the tank for maintenance tasks. You may also need additional space to accommodate equipment such as lighting or external filtration.

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You have probably seen hundreds of them sitting in small plastic cups in various pet stores and you may have had a few Betas of your own, each one swimming gently in a little tank that never seems big enough. I know i have had a few betas, mostly as a mom taking care of my kid’s beta.

One beta, a very feisty one that would flatten its face whenever I entered the room and try to fight with me, was the epitome of what I believed a beta or Siamese Fighting Fish should be. He was tough, bright red and with a little blue and a great fish with a lot of personality. Unfortunately for him, he had too much fight and his short life ended with a horrible accident during cleaning that involved a net, a garbage disposal and a hysterical woman calling her husband at work because the fish had jumped into the garbage disposal. Needless to say, it took me a little while to get over being a fish murderer.

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Fish tanks are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and materials. Before you purchase your first aquarium it is important to consider how different designs will affect your fish.

Aquarium size
In terms of the overall water capacity a larger tank will often be better. A bigger tank is normally recommended to beginners as it is much easier to maintain good water quality. The larger water volume enables more stability in the aquarium due to the dilution effect. In smaller aquariums waste products will be more concentrated and have a greater negative effect on water parameters.

When choosing an aquarium you should find out the number of fishes it can support before making your purchase. Overstocking a tank will cause problems for your fish and may result in death so if in doubt buy a bigger tank or keep less fishes. One common way that is often used to determine how many fish can be housed in an aquarium is the ‘one inch per gallon’ of water rule. This is calculated as the length of the fully grown adult fishes compared to the volume of water after displacement. Although this is ok to use as a general guide, it does not take into account many other factors such as gaseous exchange and filtration.

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Wouldn’t a goldfish in a fish bowl be a cute gift for your six-year-old? It’ll teach her responsibility and be a source of constant entertainment. It’s a classic, seen in movies, comic strips, and children’s books for centuries. Right?

Wrong.

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