in other news
March 31, 2008 l 4 Comments
So I was killing a little time this afternoon (read: procrastinating on my schoolwork) and I decided to check out Google Analytics’ stats for The Domestic Zoo.
In the past month, we’ve had almost 100 visitors. Most were from the United States, but we’ve also had visits from Canada, Australia, Ireland, Great Britain, India, Germany, Romania, Lithuania (Hi, Kayla!), Malta, the Bahamas, Israel and Sweden. Wow! And thanks for stopping by.
It’s also interesting to look at the keyword searches that led people to our internet abode:
“homemade mouse food”
Check out Suebee’s Rat Diet, which can be easily modified for mousey-sized portions.
animals slave
Well, welcome to the club…
bedding for disabled rabbits
I’ve posted about it here, and Zooh Corner Rabbit Rescue also has a nice article on their site.
raw food beginning tutorial
If you’re a feline owner, catnutrition.org and catinfo.org are really great resources for raw feeding; both provide recipes and tutorials with photos. I’m afraid I’m not familiar with resources for other raw-fed pets such as dogs or ferrets.
note: I’m hoping to build onto this site over the next few months, adding pages for both Raw Feeding and Peanut: Caring for Disabled Bunnies. Stay tuned!
burmese cat eating plastic
Yeah, we have a PICA-kitty too: When Cats Eat Weird Things
can fresh fruit and veggies harm my kitten or cat
That depends. Here’s a brief list of foods that are toxic to cats: Human Foods for Cats?
do cats need annual shots?
In short, no. The new Feline Vaccination Guidelines recommend boosters every three years for indoor cats, though outdoor cats may need more frequent boosters, and you’ll need to check with your state requirements to see how often the rabies vaccine is required.
head tilt disabled rabbit + safe enclosure
This is an excellent site for information, including directions and photos for making head tilt-safe enclosures: Housing & Care for Critically Ill Rabbits
~ ~ ~
And there were no less than a dozen inquiries about the dangers of pine and cedar bedding for small pets and/or pine litter for cats. We use Woody Pet as a litter for the cats and for Rex; it’s a soft-wood bedding without any additives and free from the aromatic hydrocarbons that can be so problematic for animals. It’s also a much better deal than any of the other non-clay litters and I couldn’t recommend it more highly!
Softwood bedding (pine and/or cedar) can be really dangerous for small animals, and should definitely be avoided: The Problem With Pine. I haven’t yet found any information that says pine litters are bad for cats, but if you find something, feel free to send it along.
Rex’s lab results
March 29, 2008 l 2 Comments
Dr. Fulton was off Friday and Saturday, so she left a note for Dr. G (the very busy head exotics vet) and he called today with Rex’s lab results:
> A slightly elevated white blood cell count. May be lymphomatic, and Dr. G thinks it could be due to a stress response at the time of the visit. He’s not too concerned.
> Rex was a little dehydrated (also due to the visit? We’d been out for almost an hour at that point)
> A slight increase in liver function, though still within range of normal.
Dr. G thinks we probably won’t need to change anything, but he’s going to be discussing the results with Dr. Fulton and she’ll call back sometime early this week.
Operation: Rex update
March 28, 2008 l 3 Comments
It’s been just 24 hours and the difference in his coat is amazing. His fur is already starting to grow back. I guess those mites just needed a harder kick in the patootie.
In order to help Rex put on some healthy weight, I’ve started giving him a tiny bit of Nutrical each day (for the extra calories), 2-3 black oil sunflower seeds (for the good fats), and a show-quality rabbit food (‘extruded’ to maximize nutrient absorption). It turns out that Scully LOVES the show food and has tried moseying up to Rex in order to share his dinner. I’ll be keeping a close eye on her…
Haven’t heard from the vet with the blood panel results, so we’re just waiting and hoping that no news is good news.
The Bald Bunny: Part Deux
March 27, 2008 l 1 Comment
After growing it all back last month, Rex has once again been losing fur, and had a visit today with Dr. Fulton. A good bunny vet is hard to find, and we’ve been lucky to have two at the same clinic. Dr. Fulton is new, but she is an extremely knowledgeable rabbit vet, is up to date on her information, and I really do trust her judgment.
She put Rex on Revolution for the mites, which she believes – based on the condition of his skin, and the fact that the Ivermectin seemed to work – are still the cause of his fur loss. Rex also had blood drawn for a full panel, and the results should be back tomorrow or Saturday. While the mites are the direct cause, it’s possible that an underlying condition could be behind their recurrence.
In addition, Rex has cataracts and he is down to 4.75 pounds. The weight loss is a bit more concerning than his eyes, because he’s been at 5 pounds for years, and now has lost 1/4 pound in under six months. It could be that he has a harder time keeping weight on in his old age, but it means reevaluating his diet for Operation: Fattening Rex Up.
Catcam Fritz
March 26, 2008 l 1 Comment
A cool site about a handsome cat named Fritz who lives in Germany. Fritz likes to take strolls around the neighborhood while wearing the Catcam, a camera that takes a photo every few minutes. Fritz’s human then uploads the photos onto his website, a daily travelogue of sorts. The text on the site is translate (thanks to Google), so the grammar is a bit imperfect, but the pictures are definitely worth a look around and there’s a neat video that shows Fritz on the prowl.
saving face
March 24, 2008 l 5 Comments
If there’s one thing I thought I’d never use, it’s a muzzle. On my cat.
But PJ hates having his nails clipped with a passion equal to how much vampires hate the sunlight. It’s that bad. And it’s something that’s been present from the very beginning; of the four kittens, he was the only one to violently scream while having his nails clipped.
We’ve tried everything. Talking to him softly only made him more anxious. Not talking at all wasn’t much better. Treats couldn’t coax him and scruffing his neck turned him into a raging beast. Clipping his nails became a four person job and transformed my normally sweet and affectionate boy into a hell cat.
Last week, I barely managed to finish one foot before he not-so-subtly attempted to take my nose off. That was it- all other options exhausted, it was time for Plan Z.
I bought a muzzle.
We waited until he was sleeping and too groggy to put up an immediate fight. Mom held him, I strapped the muzzle on, and clipped his nails. It was all over in less than a minute. He didn’t make a peep.
In fact once we took the muzzle off, he stretched, gave us a slow blink, and sauntered away.
And to think I actually felt guilty.
sisters
March 23, 2008 l 2 Comments
Miko and Stephanie.
They have never been apart for more than a day in their entire lives. And they are so very different, that it’s hard to believe they came from the same litter. Stephanie is tiny, demanding and loud. She ‘talks’ constantly. She hates being held.
Miko is large and incredibly docile. We call her our Bhudda Baby. She rarely makes noise. She loves to be cradled in our arms.
Miko is always first to eat. Stephanie eats last.
Miko can be timid. Stephanie rushes into every situation.
They like to snuggle with their mom and pick on their brother. They love and annoy each other as only sisters can. And I’m so happy that they’re my girls.
kitty love
March 22, 2008 l 2 Comments
This was PJ and Stephanie the other night. She was grooming him and he was basking in the affection. I mean, don’t you just love the look of pure and utter bliss on his face?
And I kid you not, less than two seconds later she had attacked him and stolen his spot.
*sigh*
Siblings.
my little old man
March 14, 2008 l 3 Comments
(x-posted)
Yesterday, Rex Robert Harrison turned 9 years old. That’s a ripe old age for a rabbit, and while I know that good genes have played their part, I can’t help but feel a twinge of accomplishment: I managed not to kill my rabbit for nine whole years.
I realize that may seem a tad macabre, but rabbits are notoriously delicate creatures and despite all of my best efforts, we still lost Peanut almost six months ago. I’ve made a lot of mistakes with Rex and somehow he’s still here, as active and affectionate and ornery as ever. And I know that, still, another year with him may not happen.
So here’s to nine years, Rex. You still tolerate my kisses and snuggling and I manage to overlook my chewed baseboards. I think we’re doing pretty good.
what do you mean, mom?
March 5, 2008 l 3 Comments
Schoolwork couldn’t possibly be more important than petting me.
