The Smartest Way to Buy a Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs make fantastic pets - extremely cute, sociable little animals who love to run about whenever they have the chance to. On the flip side of the coin, if you are a very busy person, or have little space to spare, this is not the pet for you. They do need regular care - teeth, nails, coats, weight, eyes, ears, noses, breathing, droppings and urine and even their rear ends all need monitoring and attention. Having enough space is vitally important - they must come out of their cage or house every single day to be able to run around. Although there are some who say one guinea pig needs four square feet or housing space, dedicated guinea pig welfare organisations often argue the absolute minimum should be 7.5 square feet instead.

On average, their lifespan lasts between 5 and 7 years. They'll need adequate housing, exercise space outside their house, specialist food, treats, toys, some grooming and of course, you need to think if you can always afford vets bills. They're a popular pet bought for children - however, their care needs are sophisticated enough to need an adult in charge at all times.

One Guinea Pig Or Two?

Guinea pigs are sociable creatures- two, three or even more guinea pigs can happily co-exist. Male guinea pigs will not necessarily fight other male guinea pigs. Be careful to determine their sex, as they will breed quite prolifically if you leave any male and female in together, even if they're related.

Where To Buy A Guinea Pig - Or Two

You can buy them obviously in pet stores or through classified adverts. However, if you can't inspect the facilities where they were bred, you have no guarantee that they are sold by someone who took care of them properly. This could mean a sick guinea pig- which can obviously be distressing not to mention costly for its new family.

Although people may associate it with purely altruistic ideas of saving needy animals, adopting a rescue centre pet can represent a real advantage for the new owners. Good rescue centres are able to afford vets to assess and monitor their animals. This decreases the likelihood of buying an animal that becomes sick. Of course this can never be guaranteed, no matter where the guinea pig comes from, but at least the health history of the animal is known during its time in the better quality rescue centres, cared for by expert staff. You can also get free ongoing advice on how to care for your pet- an after-sales service not every regular breeder will offer.

Will There Be A Surge In Abandoned Guinea Pigs?

Sadly, the time may never be better to re-home a rescue guinea pig rather than buy one from a regular trader. Animal charities have expressed concern that more guinea pigs will be abandoned in the wake of the Disney film 'G-Force' which features animated guinea pig heroes. This comes following incidents of impulse buying of dalmatian dogs after the release of Disney's '101 Dalmatians', only to dramatically increase the numbers seen at rescue centres a short time later.

IMPORTANT: This article is a general introduction only - if you have any concerns about any guinea pig's health or welfare, consult a knowledgeable vet professional advice. Thank you.

Adopt a Pet - Animals Make Us More Human

Imagine the following scene if you will. You have three children, the normal energetic kind who are always underfoot, always screaming and always full of life. The moment you set out a meal, they're pushing and shoving to get the bigger share, to get there first, or just pushing for fun. And then, you get a nice fluffy puppy for the children. And you notice the difference immediately. Each time a meal gets set out, each time you give a child candy or something, the children think not of themselves, but of whether Barkley the puppy has had his share. Parents don't often realize this; but when your kids ask to adopt a pet, it isn't just additional responsibilities you need to concern yourself with. Pets can make children learn a thing or two about being kind, being selfless, about caring for another. And they can do this even if they are completely irresponsible when it comes to taking care of the pet's everyday needs.

There are more pet owning families in America than families that don't have a pet (and it's almost an even way split between dog and cat households). Certainly, if you look at it in terms of how much a pet costs and all the hassles that go along with having a pet, it can be enough to dissuade anyone. But the soothing, humanizing influence that pets can be for everyone in the family, whatever time and money you spend when you adopt a pet will be spectacularly repaid.

There are other more tangible benefits that come by you too. Children who grow up in a home with pets grow accustomed (and unallergic) to everything that goes with pets - animal hair, mites, grass (that the animal rolls about in). Animals don't just make you feel good. They make the whole family physically healthier. And of course, a well-adjusted pet makes for better blood pressure and just more Prozac-free happiness. Children, especially, find that a bond with a pet is a particularly valuable one. It's the friend they get to have at home who always understands.

Going out to adopt a pet, make sure you go with a reputable breeder so that your pet is healthy and free of genetic disorders. And try to go with dogs that are known to be friendly with children. Dalmatians and Jack Russell terriers may look really cute; but they aren't really friendly as far as children are concerned. And make sure that you don't go with some kind of fad animal.

Different Type of Guinea Pig Breeds and Colors

Guinea pigs, also known as cavy, are species of rodents originated in Andes, a mountain Range in South America. How it ends up being called a Guinea pig when it's not even a pig nor is it from Guinea, is still a big question.

"Cavies" are docile in nature; they are a social animal and they rarely bite even when they are tense. Their receptiveness to handling and feeding, and the relative ease of caring for them, makes them a popular pet.

Domesticated cavies come in various breeds, which have been developed since their introduction to Europe and North America. Since their introduction to the United States and Europe, developing new guinea pig breeds gears toward development of attractive and appealing pet.

Here are some common breeds:

The American or formerly known as English cavy is the most popular, they are also the oldest breed of Guinea Pig. The good thing about this Cavy because of its short and glossy coat its low maintenance. It's also easy to handle because of its tame personality.

The Abyssinian cavy has a very distinctive appearance. Its coat is multiple swirls of hair referred to as cow licked rosettes. The ideal Abyssinian has 10 rosettes, one on each shoulder, four across its back, one on each of the animal's hips, and two on the rump.

The Peruvian breed has a smooth and straight coat that grows to several inches in length. These type of guinea pig breeds requires a lot of grooming because of its long hair, which makes it harder to take care of. The Himalayan cavy originates in Southeast Asia and is similar to the Siamese cat in coat. Himalayans' coat darkens depending on the temperature.

A Silkie or Sheltie has a silky and very long coat that smoothly flows back over its body and never forward over the face (as in the Peruvian). Compared to the well-known Peruvian, the Silkie's soft coat fails to part, at least naturally, along the back. The hair continues to grow backwards from the head. The Sheltie is normally expected to have a fairly longer sweep of hair in the back. The Teddy is a short-haired cavy characterized by a short dense coat with bent (kinked) hair streak that makes the coat stand on end, giving a very fuzzy look.

There are also a range of color varieties of cavies, aside from the typical guinea pig breeds. The familiar colors are the following:

Self: This cavy only has one color, so it can be completely black or white or any other color. This is one of the most common colors for cavies. An all-black color guinea pig is called self-black.

Agouti: Alternate dark and light bands of color on each hair; the hair roots color is different from the tip. Usually, this type of color is found in short-coated guinea pigs.

Solid: This is almost like the Agoutis, but its belly is marked as well.

Tortoiseshell: This guinea pig is a mixture of black and red; just like the Dalmatian, it comes with patches.

Brindle: Black series and red series hair colors are evenly mixed throughout their coats.

Albino: This is one of the most common colors for guinea pig. It is white with pink eyes.

Dalmatian: Just like its dog counterpart, this "pig" has a white body with black patches or spots.

Himalayan: The color of the Himalayan's body is white, while brown or black is the color of its nose and feet. The color of the eyes is either black or pink.

If you're interested in owning a cavy as a pet, there are lots of other breeds you can choose from.

Can I Use This Stone for Healing? 7 Criteria for Therapeutic Gemstones

When deciding if a crystal can be used for energy healing, 7 criteria must be considered. These are: type, shape, color, clarity, size, authenticity, and brightness.

Type

First let's talk about type. Not all herbs are medicinal, and not all fruit is edible. Likewise, not all stones have healing properties. New therapeutic mineral species can be hard to verify. Just because a gemstone's beauty may soothe the soul, doesn't necessarily mean it has significant and identifiable healing benefits.

Shape

Shape is an extremely important therapeutic parameter. In gemstone therapy, we prefer spheres or rondels, cut from the purest portion of the original crystal. The more expensive healing gems such as Ruby, Emerald, and Blue Sapphire, are typically cut into a rondel shape, which looks like a flattened donut. This shape conserves the raw material, so it can be utilized most economically. Rounded gemstones are best, because their healing energies can radiate in all directions and access your entire body and aura.

Chips are often used therapeutically, but can be inferior to spheres and rondels because the chip shape can hide imperfections in the gemstones. Also, the energies that radiate from a chip project in random directions, which can be discomforting to highly sensitive people. In certain situations, faceted gemstones can be used therapeutically. Their energies tend to project into the aura in concentrated beams, sent out through each facet.

Color

At the same time that you notice a gemstone's shape, you also see its color. Every gemstone has unique color characteristics and parameters. Therapeutic-quality gemstones have a rich, well-saturated color that is even throughout, and that has a nice tone--not too dark or washed out. But this criterion also varies among stones. Blue Topaz is naturally a pale ice-blue. Darker specimens are clearly irradiated. Therapeutic Amethyst is a rich purple color that is consistent throughout.

Clarity

Clarity is a critical for determining therapeutic quality. Clarity is a measure of the flaws, or inclusions, inside a gemstone. It also refers to the gem's opaqueness, translucency, or transparency. Flaws can be on the surface or internal. As with color, every gemstone has its unique clarity parameters. There are many types of inclusions and some are okay in certain gemstones but must be avoided in others. For example, black spots are an integral part of Dalmatian Jasper and Black Rhodonite, and often occur in Riverstone and Marble. But Blue Sapphire must be free of them. In most cases colorless cracks or inclusions are okay if minimal, and are often appreciated as evidence that the gemstone was not irradiated or otherwise tampered with--activities that can erase such blemishes.

Clarity also determines a healing stone's purity. When you fashion a crystal into a sphere meant for gemstone energy medicine, you extract only the purest portion of that crystal. Likewise, in herbal medicine, you take the phytochemicals and leave the fibrous, nonessential portions of the plant behind. Healing gemstone spheres give you the true essence of the crystal. They allow you to work at a high vibrational level with gems of exceptional, therapeutic quality.

Size

Size usually matters in the gemstone world-although size is relative! Ruby, Emerald, and Blue Sapphire that are under 3.5mm may be sufficient for self therapy, but gemstone therapy practitioners should not use them because they are simply too small. These tiny gems do not have enough mass to support the broadcasting of their healing energies very far into the aura, or significantly deep into the body. It is far better to have fewer, but larger rondels of these precious gemstones in a necklace, than an entire necklace of tiny rondels. A perfect solution is to combine Ruby, Emerald, or Blue Sapphire with the far less expensive White Beryl in a necklace. This will make the necklace far more affordable, and you get the benefit of larger-size gemstones.

Authenticity

A gemstone is authentic if it is natural and not treated in any way. Most therapeutic-quality gemstones are natural. However, some require heat-treatment to bring out their therapeutic qualities. Heating Tanzanite is essential to bring out this gemstone's unique bluish-purple color. Carnelian is also typically heat-treated and dyed to make its color even throughout.

Brightness

A gem's brightness relates to how it plays with light. If the stone is opaque, then it should have a good polish. Translucent and transparent gems usually have excellent brightness if they are free of cloudy inclusions. Some gems, like Citrine and Topaz, have a natural candescence, and are particularly shiny. Therapeutic-quality gemstones will display the proper brightness for their type.

Therapeutic-quality gemstones are indeed special and rare. Only one percent or less of any particular type of gemstone has therapeutic potential. To own one is a blessing, and if properly cared for it can continue to benefit your family for generations.

Choosing Your Best Dog Friend

Canines are companions, confidantes, friends, and more. Selecting a pet for yourself and your family is easy. However, making the effort to analyze your needs will make it much easier to find the ideal dog for you and your children.

Some rules to selecting are:

Do you want a lot of work looking after your pet? Some pets need a great deal more care than others. Poodles will require extra grooming. Other breeds have health problems such as Dalmatians with dysplasia, which may make care awkward over time.

What are your local requirements? In an apartment or condo there might even be requirements regarding sizes and breeds you can own while living there. This can limit your choices.

Is the dog for somebody or yourself? If you are selecting a dog for your family, for young people, you will have to get a dog that has a good temperament with people, especially kids. Some dogs do not get along well with kids, and some dogs are too aggressive for families.

Retrievers are friendly pets, considered loyal, protective, and loving, good features in a family pet. However, being larger dogs, they benefit from being outside, and are good for families who are outdoors a lot.

Likewise, collies are good with children. They are known as intelligent dogs, patient, and obedient, ideal around younger kids.

Do you need your dog to be assertive? Some breeds are naturally loud, while some are passive. While barking constantly can cause problems, a bark when needed for an intruder is very welcome!

What will your dog and you do? For instance, if you're avid hunter, you will want an animal that shares your interest. Dogs that are bred for hunting include pointers, retrievers, hounds, and trackers. So whether you stay at home, go outdoors a lot, this will help decide the kind of dog you may wish to bring into your house.

How affectionate do you wish the pet to be? Some breeds are normally quite affectionate, while other breeds are more self-absorbed. Depending on your emotional needs or the time you have to attend to them, you may want a pet that is more independent, or more needy or loyal to you.

How free is the dog to move around and live comfortably in your place? If you have a smaller house or apartment, you will likely need to find a smaller dog. Additionally, large dogs require more room for running, which makes them a problem to keep in a smaller place.

No matter how you choose your pet, you can expect the care and love you provide them will be returned by them, and expect a long and fruitful relationship!

Want To Buy A Boxer Dog?

If you are thinking of getting a pet, then you may have a tough time, trying to make the right choice. Before you finally decide, ask yourself why you need a pet. Irrespective of whether, you need a pet merely for fun, companionship or for some specific purpose, your reason will up to a large extent determine the specie and breed of your new pet. Amongst the vast variety of different species of animals, ranging from fishes, birds, reptiles, felines and canines, dogs are a favorite option. Although, breeds of dogs like Pomerians, Labradors, Chihuahuas, German shepherds, Dalmatians are common as pets, the Boxer dog is amongst the most popular ones. They make ideal pets, owing to their friendly nature and good temperament. The name of the breed is said to have been derived from their inclination towards boxing with its front paws, while standing on its hind legs.

The Boxer dog is a cross-breed between the English Bulldog and the Bullenbeisser, of which the latter breed is now extinct. It belongs to the Molosser group and was developed in Germany, during the late 1800's. As a descendant of these two breeds, the Boxer dog possesses traits like intelligence, faithfulness, playful and energetic behavior, that make it perfect as a utility dog. And hence, you will find them being reared for versatile job purposes, like that of a guard dog, guide dog, services dog, police dog and even a therapy dog. They were exhibited for the first time in Munich in 1985 and the first club for Boxer dogs was founded, a year later. The first Boxer dog was registered in 1904 by the American Kennel Club.

A very distinctive feature of this breed is its head. The head is in perfect proportion to the rest of the body, and the same applies to the proportion between his skull and muscles. Just like the Bulldog, the Boxer dog too, has a short face with muscles hanging in loose but dense folds, from both the sides. Initially, the ears were cropped and their tails were docked, but since some countries prohibited it, the inhumane tradition of cropping and docking is hardly in use anymore. While the height at the shoulder may vary from 21 to 25 inches, their weight may fall within the range of 50 to 70 pounds. Boxer dogs have short but smooth and shiny coats, in shades of brown like brindle of fawn. Many of them may sometimes have a white underbelly and white markings on their face and legs as well.

You can find numerous advertisements in daily classifieds and local newspapers for puppies. You can even buy them through the Internet. Just be careful of approaching the right source. You can be assured of buying a good breed, if you get them from a reputed breeder. It would be a good idea to check the background and experience of the breeder. Cross check for references. It would be all the more better, if the breeder belongs to an obedience club or a breeding club. Ensure that the breeding stocks are screened before the breeding, so that you can be guaranteed of a pure bred Boxer dog.

How to Choose Halloween Costumes For Your Own Pets

Having a pet to dress up for a Halloween costume could be exciting and sometimes an extra attention is required from his or her caring owner. Understanding your pet's mood and its lifestyle might help to choose appropriate pet Halloween costumes. To begin with your pick theme for this year, you could team up with your pet to go together for a fun filled evening for you and the guests that would come knocking on the door for the trick or treats.

If your pet is a female, there are hundreds of girly and funny costumes that would put smiles and giggles from people around you. You could pick a theme such as a French Maid Pet costume which includes a black dress with white lace trim and a matching hat. This outfit will make your canine cutie look very adorable with your matching costume. All you need is to measure the size of its chest and neck to fit with the dress perfectly. Sometimes, you might find that the standard pet sizes are based according to the dog breeds and the size of their necks. For example, an extra small will fit 7" to 10" neck or breeds that are similar in size to Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Poodle dogs while a large size would normally fit 18" to 24" neck or breeds that are similar in size to Retriever, Boxer, Labrador, Dalmatian and Rottweiler.

If your pet is considered as an energetic, you are advised not to choose pet costumes that come with a veil, a wig or eyeglasses. This kind of adds on would usually make your pet not comfortable to wear the costume for too long. Another Halloween interesting costumes to choose are based from famous TV and movie characters such as Shrek, Superman, Batman, The Cat in The Hat, Zelda and the Star Wars Yoda.

To avoid your pets from overheating, you should consider the material made for a pet costume. Normally, you will find that it is made from 100% Polyester. For a fun and cool style, your pet could wear such an Aloha Hawaiian shirt and a floral lei. This outfit does look stunning for a male pet and would definitely receive many complements from the guests in the party or the people around you when you are strolling with your pet.

Although to dress up your pet for this coming Halloween might seem odd for the first time, the owner and the pet should learn to adjust to this temporary new look. Some pets will get on with an outfit immediately but others will never take to it. Therefore, the owner needs to study and understand his or her pet's body language in order to enjoy the fun and excitement of celebrating Halloween. Not to forget to capture the moment you have by taking some photos or videos that soon you could share with your friends and relatives.