Toys for Guinea Pigs

A very common question is "What kind of toys do guinea pigs like to play with?" All piggies like different types of toys, but some successful ideas have been:


1) A balled up piece of blank computer paper. (Anything colored may contain harmful dyes).
2) Empty toilet paper rolls or paper towel tubes. Many pigs love to gnaw on these, carry them around the cage, etc.
3) Same as number 2, but with a slit up the side and stuffed with hay.
4) Bird toys. Some like them to hang from their cages in various spots. Other guinea pigs prefer them laying on the floor of the cage so that they can pick them up and shake them all about.
5) Ping Pong balls, tennis balls, ferret balls (or cat balls that don't have small parts that can be chewed through and swallowed). Some piggies enjoy nudging these around their cages.
6) Ferret hammocks and ferret sleeping bags. You can buy these any pet store that sells ferret supplies, or you can make your own.
7) Stuffed animals.
8) Empty old sock. Some cavies like to drag one around the cage with them.
9) Old sock stuffed with hay.
10) Large Chubes are fun for them to run through and chew.
11) Hidey Houses are great to run through and climb upon.
12) Pieces of PVC pipe for them to climb through, hide in, climb on, etc.
13) Large piles of hay to hide in, sleep in, and of course EAT!
14) Cinder blocks make great hiding places AND keep them cooler in the summer.
15) The largest size plastic Igloo ("Pigloos," if you will) sold by pet stores.
16) Large "Fiddle Sticks" sold by pet stores make great hiding places.
17) Empty brown paper bags make great hiding places as well as something fun to chew on.
18) Empty cardboard boxes. Larger ones make great "houses," and smaller ones filled with a few food pellets make great "rattles" for your piggie to toss about.
19) Cuddle Cups can be found at most pet stores and make great "beds" for your guinea pigs.
20) Mirrors. Some guinea pigs like to look at their own reflections.
21) Towels/blankets draped strategically around the cage can create fun "caverns" for them to hide/play in.
22) Wooden toys such as alphabet blocks, wooden spoons, etc.
NEVER buy a wheel or exercise ball for your guinea pig. They can result in spinal problems for your cavy.

Hamster help for broken bones

Here is our hamster, who is known as Pot Noodle, (named after the UK snack food, due to his tendency to eat and eat and eat!), or Noodle for short. He is a year old now and is a very curious and energetic long haired syrian with plenty of character as can be seen from the picture. Noodle has a multi-level cage and recently had a fall during the night. Unfortunately, because of this he managed to break his front left arm and so is feeling sorry for himself at the moment.
We took him to the Vets and they gave us the following advice (just in case anyone else has the same problem):
1. Take away any exercise activities from his cage (i.e. wheels, etc)2. Take away any extra multi-levels so that his cage is all on one level and try to find a balance between minimising the size of the cage and not making him too bored3. Make sure he has extra bedding to make him comfortable when sleeping4.Try adding more calcium to his diet by adding pieces of milk soaked bread and/or pieces of high calcium dog biscuits to his food. This will help his bones heal quicker due to the extra calcium in his diet.
We have done these things and Noodle does not seem to be in any distress or excess pain, however, he can only hobble around at the minute, trying to keep the weight off his front left paw. The Vet said that the break will heal itself in around 6 weeks time, however, depending on how straight the bone heals itself, he may always suffer from a slight limp. During his recovery period we are trying to keep him happy and make up for his lack of exercise and climbing activities by giving him some extra treats and paying him lots of attention.
I hope that this information is useful to anyone in the unfortunate event that their own hamster has a similar accident. It seems that although multi-level style cages (i.e. RotoStak, etc) are fun and entertaining for the hamster to live in, there are some safety issues to consider also.
For anyone concerned about Noodle's health at the moment, he is not in any real pain, and is quite his normal character. In fact, the main problem is turning down his frequent requests to come out of the cage and play, as it is much better at the moment for him to rest and keep off his leg.

Housing Your Hamster

No doubt when your purchase your hamster he/she will need a cage. There are many types of cages that will provide your hamster with a good habitat. There are countless attachments sold to make your hamster's cage more interesting including: plastic tubing, hamster wheels, separate tiers, ladders, bridges, sleeping areas, ceramic houses and shoes containing holes, mazes, and lots more! But the most important part is the cage to put your hamster in here are some possiblities...

Aquariums
Both glass and plastic aquariums can be used as hamster housing. An advantage that plastic has over glass is that it is lighter and therefore easier to clean, but plastic scratches more easily. Both glass and plastic aquariums have the advantage of being draft-proof; therefore, shavings and bedding remain inside (and not all over your floor!). However, they are cumbersome to clean. In addition, unless you add a specially designed top that takes add-ons such as standard clip-on water bottles and/or food dishes they are not a good choice. Aquariums are not suitable for a clip-on exercise wheel, although a freestanding wheel can be substituted. You must keep in mind that a freestanding wheel will take up more space in your hamster's home than a clip-on wheel. Wheels are a very important part of your hamsters cage as they provide an outlet for the hamsters nearly endless energy.
If you decide to use an aquarium as your hamster's home, you must cover it securely so that he cannot escape. Ventilated plastic tops designed specifically for these purposes are available. You should ALWAYS use them for your "hamster aquarium". The ventilated plastic tops often have modifications to take add-ons such as hanging water bottles. Don't use covers with large holes or easy to open lids as your hamster may escape; screen lids are not a smart choice ether as your hamster may chew a hole in the lid and get away! Remember that hamsters originate from a desert environment and yours does not like damp conditions so avoide solid lids as these do not all proper venilation and will cause condensation in the aquarium.
Most aquariums range in $5-$100 in price.
Hamster Cages
Traditionally hamsters were kept in cages and a cage is always the best choice for your hamster. Traditional hamster cages are normaly wire, square, structures with a metal or plastic litter pan, with a wire door that hooks over a ridged strip of metal. A variety of wire cages are sold today and these cages are the best thing you can put your hamster in. They are normally about 1-3 feet tall and many have two or more stories connected with ramps or ladders, giving your hamster a few dimensions to explore. They have a metal or plastic bottom that should be filled with cage litter and a wheel, water bottle, and many other fun toys are easy to attach to the metal wire sides. The best ones have doors on both the top and side of your cage making it easier to remove your hamster.
Cages range from $10-$300 in price.
Tube Cages
Some cages are designed as compartments connected via a series of plastic tubes, but you should avoid the ones with round components because hamsters may become disoriented without corners. Tube cages can be more difficult to clean than the traditional hamster cage. You must also ensure that the connecting tunnels will be large enough for your hamster to pass through when he is grown to full size.
Tube Cages range from $15-$500 in price.
Hamster Habitats
These speciality cages usally have a theme (desert, space, theme park etc). Most are designed to appeal to children since they are most often large bulky and brightly colored. Most are also decorated with cartoon hamsters, there is even a version featuring Hamtaro! They are large clear (or tinted) plastic filled with a tubing maze that offten extends outside the cage and they usally have all of the toys and food bowls/water bottles attached. Many also contain a "sky box" a tube that comes out of the cage conected to a clear plastic box. They are offten expensive and hard to clean.
They range in price from $20-$1000!
SIZE OF HOUSING
Your hamsters cage should be large enough that he/she can run without bumping into a wall or decoration. He/she should have at least 2 feet of clear running space. If your container has attached tubing, wheels, etc then make sure your hamster will fit in them when they are full grown!
SAFETY
The door must close firmly or your hamster may be able to push it open and escape. The doors should open outward rather than inward. If you use an aquarium with a plastic top, make sure that the top fits snugly over the sides and that the hamster cannot squeeze out. Your hamster's cage must not have sharp edges or broken wires that may cause injury.
If the cage is plastic, make sure there are no exposed edges through which the hamster could chew and make an escape.
All cages should be pet proof to ensure that if you have any animals with free run of the house they are not able to gain access to your hamster within it's cage.

Litter Types

Meadow hay/straw: This is one of the cheapest and most readily available litter, but you must line the bottom of the tray with a thick layer of newspaper. It can be used to encourage rabbits to eat more hay and straw, which is essential for a healthy digestive system. It is easy to clean as when the litter is soiled you can simply roll up the paper and throw it away. This type of litter tends to be a bit messy so should be used with a high sided litter box or a plastic dog bed/storage box to keep it contained. The sharp seed husks of barley straw can cause injury to the rabbit’s paws, so you need to shake them out before putting it in the litter box. Make sure the hay and straw are dust extracted so they do not contain mites or mould.

Dried grass: This can be used as a litter, it is more nutritious than straw and hay but it is also quite expensive.

Paper pulp bedding: This is a natural litter made from reclaimed wood fibres that are too short to be used in paper production. This litter is very absorbent and has good odour control. It is light weight and easy to carry. It does not contaminate wounds, therefore is ideal for post operative care, rabbits suffering from sore hocks, sensitive skin, etc. It is sanitised to kill bacteria, mould and fungus so it will not harm your rabbit if ingested. Its has no added inks, dyes or chemicals, unlike recycled paper litters. The paper wont scratch floors, it can be vacuumed up, flushed, composted and is biodegradable.

Softwood litters: Studies from as far back as 1967 have shown that softwood beddings (for example pine shavings) can cause liver disease in small animals. When you open a bag of soft wood shavings you can immediately smell their fragrance, and this is where the problem lies. The smell is from natural volatile chemicals in the wood called phenols. Phenols are caustic, poisonous, acidic compounds which are routinely diluted for use in disinfectants, such as Jeyes Fluid. Inhaling phenols over time can irritate the mucous membranes of the nose and respiratory tract, which in turn, predisposes the rabbit to bacterial infection. The risk of damage to the liver and kidneys however is more serious. As the principal organs for filtering blood and urine and eliminating toxins from them, the liver and kidneys are designed to process only a certain amount of toxic material. The most obvious consequence of regular exposure to large amounts of toxins such as phenols is that the body is working to its limit already and cannot cope with the added burden of anaesthetic. At lower levels however, however, there may still be damage to the liver which is not fatal in itself but which is sufficient to depress the immune system, leaving the rabbit vulnerable to infections, particularly of the respiratory tract. Fortunately this type of liver disease can be avoided by removing the soft wood bedding from the environment. For a safer use of soft wood litter, keep in a large, open, well-ventilated areas only and have your rabbits blood checked every few months. Finally the dust contained in soft wood litter (particularly sawdust and shavings) can irritate the bunnies eyes.

All About Silkworms

Background

Silkworms are the larva of a moth (Bombyx mori) native to Asia that spins a cocoon of fine, strong, lustrous fiber that is the source of commercial silk. The culture of silkworms is called sericulture. The various species of silkworms raised today are distinguished by the quality of the silk they produce. Silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberries (genus Morus) and sometimes on the Osage orange (Maclura pomifera).Bombyx Mori will not bite, making an ideal worm for feeding most reptiles, amphibians and other animals, and they offer great nutritional value. Newborn are small enough for most baby reptiles to eat and young silkworms can even be fed so they will grow to a desired size. Silkworms are soft-bodied, slow moving and can grow to 3 inches in length. They are also relatively fast growing, reaching about 3 inches in length and ready to cocoon in as little as 25 - 28 days.Silkworms go through four stages of development, as do most insects: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The adult (imago) stage is the silkworm moth. The larva is the silkworm caterpillar. The pupa is what the silkworm changes into after spinning its cocoon before emerging as a moth. Since the silkworm grows so much, it must shed its skin four times while it is growing. These stages-within-a-stage are called instars.Today, the silkworm moth lives only in captivity. Silkworms have been domesticated so that they can no longer survive independently in nature, particularly since they have lost the ability to fly. All wild populations are extinct. Also contributing to their extinction is the extraordinary fact that they only eat mulberry leaves. Silkworms have been used by researchers to study pheromones or sexual attractant substances. The pheromones are released by female moths and the males detect the chemicals with olfactory hairs on their antennae. This allows the male to find the female for mating. The male antennae are made of many small hairs to increase the chances of picking up small amounts of the pheromones over long distances.

How to Grow Your Worms to the Perfect Size

The great thing about silkworms is that they only grow as much as you feed them, and they can go for a week or two without food. Say you have a couple hundred small silkworms, but you have a big bull frog or iguana. All you have to do is feed the worms as much as they'll eat, keep them warm and dry, and in a few days, you'll have some good sized worms. Have too many silkworms? Not a problem, feed them once or twice a week and they'll stay alive until you need them without growing much larger. Wash hands thoroughly before handling the worms or the food or they may develop bacterial problems. Using a cheese grater, grate a small amount of food onto the worms and repeat until the worms reach the desired size. For best results, maintain temperatures between 78° and 88° F.Excessive condensation forming in the container after feeding is the leading cause of failure. If this condensation does form, take the lid off your container and allow the container and old food to completely dry out. In the future, make sure the previous food is dry before feeding again. Old damp food is a breeding ground for mold and other problems, dry food is not. As the silkworms grow, you may need to transfer your worms to a larger plastic container. The lid needs to have ventilation holes. If not, you need to vent the lid so the silkworms won't suffocate and to allow condensation to dissipate. You can also use a shoebox. The old food and waste matter can be removed, but does not have to be if it remains thoroughly dry. Under ideal conditions (78° to 88° F and allowed to feed nearly continuously) silkworms can go from egg to 1 inch in length in about 12 days, and 3 inches in under 30 days. The worms will begin to spin cocoons at about 28 - 30 days old or when they are between 2 1/2 and 3 inches long.

From Cocoon to Moth

Silkworm moths emerge from their cocoons after spending about two to three weeks metamorphosing. As moths, they do not eat or fly. They will usually mate, lay eggs and die within a week. Fertile eggs turn from yellow to gray or purple in a week or so. If the eggs don't hatch within 3 weeks, they usually will not hatch until the following year (see above—from egg to larva).

Proper Handling Procedures

Again, in order for your worms to stay healthy for many weeks, you'll need to keep the silkworms as dry as possible. If condensation builds up during feeding, vent the container lid to prevent excess humidity.Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling the worms or their food. Silkworms can be susceptible to bacteria if you don't properly handle them. As long as the container environment remains dry, your worms will be fine.Mold develops from high temperatures and high humidity. If the worms are covered with droppings, silk and old food for too long, mold may develop and kill the worms. If mold does develop, grate about 1/4 inch of food (sold separately) all over the worms with a cheese grater. As the worms crawl to the top of the new food pile you can transfer them off the moldy food and place them into a new container. Silkworms are susceptible to bruising and dying if not handled with care, especially as they grow larger. When handling and transferring the worms, be very gentle.