|
Just wondering if there are any threads with information on hedgehogs. Any good websites? It is something I would like to know more about as I have an interest in maybe someday having one. But before I can even think about that I would like to learn and know as much as possible first.
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2010 00:30
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 22, 2024 00:13 |
|
|
The Chins 'n Hedgies forums are a great resource. Hedgehogs can be great pets, but I think a lot of people get them wanting a quirky, ~*exotic*~ pet that's full of personality. They are all those things, but they're also high-maintenance and can be difficult to handle (like, literally). They can be difficult to socialize, so acquiring one from a good breeder who has done a lot of socializing with them as hoglets is paramount. I know you didn't ask, but if you're looking for a small caged animal that has more personality than a gerbil or whatever, consider rats. I never felt as bonded to my hedgehogs as I did to my rats, and my rats were a lot easier and cheaper to care for, while being smarter and more fun to hang out with. And I never had to powerblast a coating of poo poo off of a bucket wheel when I had rats.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2010 01:40
|
|
|
I'm almost sure this has been addressed, but I searched and couldn't find it. My Great Dane is a leaner, and a friend came over last night who has a lot of experience with dogs and said that leaning was a sign of dominance. The dog is pretty submissive in almost every way, but he is a big "pet me" whore, so I always assumed the leaning, while dominant in the sense that it's a demand for affection, wasn't really a huge behavior problem. We do try to discourage him from the behaviors he uses to demand attention. Now I'm second guessing myself and wondering if the leaning is a bigger deal than I thought. Most of the internet seems to say that the leaning can be affection or dominance depending on the associated behaviors, and with him there's definitely no signs of aggression. Still, I trust PI. What's up with this?
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2010 17:13
|
|
|
mcbs posted:I'm almost sure this has been addressed, but I searched and couldn't find it. My Great Dane is a leaner, and a friend came over last night who has a lot of experience with dogs and said that leaning was a sign of dominance. The dog is pretty submissive in almost every way, but he is a big "pet me" whore, so I always assumed the leaning, while dominant in the sense that it's a demand for affection, wasn't really a huge behavior problem. We do try to discourage him from the behaviors he uses to demand attention. Now I'm second guessing myself and wondering if the leaning is a bigger deal than I thought. Most of the internet seems to say that the leaning can be affection or dominance depending on the associated behaviors, and with him there's definitely no signs of aggression. Still, I trust PI. What's up with this? E: Since I leaned most of what I know from PI, I say this because leany dogs have been talked about before and 'dominance' was never brought up once. If I'm wrong then someone will whoosh in and set me straight though. unless he is tipping your over or something, then I'd try to get him to quitit either way v  vKerfuffle fucked around with this message at 19:39 on Jan 26, 2010 |
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2010 19:30
|
|
|
I have two female cats, about 10 months old, both friends. One grooms (grabs hold round neck with paws and then licks head or body for as long as it takes) the other, but doesn't have the favour returned. I was just wondering whether this suggests either is dominant (I would guess the one being licked) or whether it's power neutral. When they met as kittens they wrestled a lot to size each other up, but now they just take turns chasing each other and both shove each other out the way for food etc, so I can't tell if either one is officially 'in charge'.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2010 22:09
|
|
|
I've always heard that dog leaning is a friendly thing. My grey does it when she wants affection. She can't really crawl in my lap or anything so leaning is a pretty good substitute. I've also apparently taught her that rubbing her face on things means "I'm happy, I love you/this" because of the way I always pet her and rub her ears and stuff. It's pretty funny when I'm on the sofa and she comes up and jams her face into my elbow and starts snorfing and rubbing. Not so funny when she has tuna breath though. I think cat licking CAN be a dominance thing, but the other way around- the dominant cat does the licking. I think it's like marking territory? My dominant cat sometimes licks my wimpy cat, but not in a grooming way. She'll run up, deliver a few licks to the head, and then there's a small bop-fight and someone runs away. I wouldn't think that a full-body grooming would be a dominance thing though, unless they see themselves as some kind of momma cat.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2010 22:37
|
|
|
Optilux posted:I have two female cats, about 10 months old, both friends. From what I can tell the one cleaning is usually the one who is dominant.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2010 23:43
|
|
|
Eggplant Wizard posted:From what I can tell the one cleaning is usually the one who is dominant. That's kind of a shame. I mean not that I am playing favorites, but the one being licked was here first - I got her a month earlier - and I kind of feel she should call the shots. She is naturally a bit aloof (whereas the licking one is super affectionate and likes to sit on laps) and I would hate to think it's because she's 2nd in the pecking order. I guess it doesn't matter. No-one is bullying anyone, and they both kick off playfights and seem to be equally matched.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 01:01
|
|
|
skoolmunkee posted:I've always heard that dog leaning is a friendly thing. My grey does it when she wants affection. She can't really crawl in my lap or anything so leaning is a pretty good substitute. Haha, wait, why can't she crawl in your lap? Because my Great Dane is a total lap dog.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 03:19
|
|
|
mcbs posted:I'm almost sure this has been addressed, but I searched and couldn't find it. My Great Dane is a leaner, and a friend came over last night who has a lot of experience with dogs and said that leaning was a sign of dominance. The dog is pretty submissive in almost every way, but he is a big "pet me" whore, so I always assumed the leaning, while dominant in the sense that it's a demand for affection, wasn't really a huge behavior problem. We do try to discourage him from the behaviors he uses to demand attention. Now I'm second guessing myself and wondering if the leaning is a bigger deal than I thought. Most of the internet seems to say that the leaning can be affection or dominance depending on the associated behaviors, and with him there's definitely no signs of aggression. Still, I trust PI. What's up with this? Sounds like your friend has been watching to much Cesar Milan crap. Your dog isn't being dominant. Let him lean and get his lovin's. Although it might be good to either teach him to not lean or a command to make him stop leaning just so your little pony doesn't knock someone smaller over but that has nothing to do with domination or behavior problems.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 04:49
|
|
|
My eight month old dog has learned how to escape from his wire crate. I tried to solve this problem by clamping a few loops on the side down, but instead of stopping him, he still got out, but injured himself in the process (swollen snout, skin looked a little raw). I'm afraid to clamp everything down because I'm afraid he'll beat himself up even more trying to get out. I'm thinking of getting him one of those plastic travel crates instead. I'm hoping that he will be more relaxed in there than he is in his current crate (he didn't grow as large as expected, and I think being able to see all around him doesn't help), as well as not being able to escape. My only worry is him trying to chew up the plastic. Does anyone have any recommendations on crate brands/models?
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 05:11
|
|
|
What sort of dog is he and how long is he in there at a stretch? Perhaps something like a kong with frozen peanut butter or a tough chew might keep him more entertained in the crate. If he's having separation anxiety instead of boredom maybe a different crate then starting the crate training over to help? One of the dog people will probably know better.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 05:31
|
|
|
Optilux posted:That's kind of a shame. I mean not that I am playing favorites, but the one being licked was here first - I got her a month earlier - and I kind of feel she should call the shots. She is naturally a bit aloof (whereas the licking one is super affectionate and likes to sit on laps) and I would hate to think it's because she's 2nd in the pecking order. Dominance isn't a bad thing. My cat Toby is as far as I can tell a natural beta. He NEVER grooms other cats, but any new cat he meets he walks up to them and says "please to lick my head and be my mum thanks." He enjoys chasing & being chased by his BFF, my roommate's cat, who is definitely dominant. Toby could NEVER be dominant and wouldn't understand if another cat tried to submit to him. He's probably a special case (  ) but having a pecking order is totally natural to cats. Without one, they will be wary and not know how to act. If yours don't seem to be fighting in a bad way and there's no food dominance, then what's it matter? It just means they know who's Mom and who's Baby, essentially.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 05:38
|
|
|
Optilux posted:That's kind of a shame. I mean not that I am playing favorites, but the one being licked was here first - I got her a month earlier - and I kind of feel she should call the shots. She is naturally a bit aloof (whereas the licking one is super affectionate and likes to sit on laps) and I would hate to think it's because she's 2nd in the pecking order. You're projecting onto your animals. They don't care. It isn't about who came first or that they should call the shots. If they get along, what does it matter who is licking who? They sorted out their relationship just fine, there isn't any right way or wrong way about it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 06:00
|
|
|
There's something hiding behind my window blinds oh poo poo what is it oh, just an awesome 8 month old kitty! But, I've been having a problem with her lately, every single morning she poops on my carpet outside of my litter box. It's only in the morning, when I get home from work it's fine. I don't really know why though, I clean the litter box twice a day, when I leave it's clean and when I go to bed it's clean. I don't understand why she's doing her business directly outside of the box only in the mornings. Nothin' like waking up with a turd on your floor. I read somewhere that cats hate aluminum foil, maybe I could put some of that down in the areas she goes in around the litter box? I don't know if that'd work. Can anyone help me and Ziggy co-exist (without poop)?
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 14:06
|
|
|
ChairmanMeow posted:What sort of dog is he and how long is he in there at a stretch? Perhaps something like a kong with frozen peanut butter or a tough chew might keep him more entertained in the crate. If he's having separation anxiety instead of boredom maybe a different crate then starting the crate training over to help? One of the dog people will probably know better.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 15:15
|
|
|
Yeah a smaller crate might be in order. Big enough to stand up and turn around but not much else. You might want to try feeding him in there all the time also.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 15:41
|
|
|
GI_Clutch posted:He's a lab/Australian shepherd mix. He's 52lbs and stands maybe 22" tall at the shoulders. I bought the crate size recommended for labs/aussies, but the crate is a bit too large for him. I could just put the divider back in (took it out so there was a little room for toys/treats), but I'm still worried he'll just hurt himself on the crate. Plus it would be nice to get a smaller crate and reclaim a little more room if he's not getting any bigger. He spent time in a smaller sized travel crate while I was up north for the holidays and he seemed a bit more relaxed in that, so I think maybe he need something that feels a little more enclosed than just a big wirey crate if that makes sense. How much exercise is he getting everyday? Dogs with separation anxiety are far more likely to become more anxious if they aren't exercised properly; when we were getting over my dog's separation anxiety she was far less likely to freak out if she had a nice long workout before hand.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 15:52
|
|
|
amishsexpot posted:Quick question about this -- where -should- we put our pup when she has done something like tear up a jacket, or attempted to poop in the house? Usually when I'm trying to clean up, I need her out of the way or she'll attack my paper towel or the vacuum, so I put her in her exercise pen (about 2x the size of a large crate, with no top, where her bed is). Do you have a room, or even exercise pen, you can use as a "time out" area? Basically, you just want a safe neutral area that is not her crate. Also, how is her recall? Does she usually come when you say "come"? Think about what behavior you're rewarding her for. Are you rewarding her for merely coming close-ish to you, or are you rewarding her for stopping within arms reach. When we were training Josie to "come", she only got a reward after she stopped in front of us and we put a hand on her collar. So she learned that "come" means "come close so they can touch the collar".
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 17:44
|
|
|
Zeph posted:But, I've been having a problem with her lately, every single morning she poops on my carpet outside of my litter box. It's only in the morning, when I get home from work it's fine. I don't really know why though, I clean the litter box twice a day, when I leave it's clean and when I go to bed it's clean. I don't understand why she's doing her business directly outside of the box only in the mornings. My cat used to do this, then we figured out that he is semi-retarded and just wasn't walking into the box the whole way. He would have his front half in and just hang his rear end out over the edge. Maybe try something bigger or try uncovering it if it is a covered one. I would be wary about the tinfoil because I wouldn't want to drive her away from using the box.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 17:48
|
|
|
MockTurtle posted:My cat used to do this, then we figured out that he is semi-retarded and just wasn't walking into the box the whole way. He would have his front half in and just hang his rear end out over the edge. Maybe try something bigger or try uncovering it if it is a covered one. I would be wary about the tinfoil because I wouldn't want to drive her away from using the box. Yeah, if it's a covered box, try uncovering. When I first got one of my cats, he would do that sometimes when I had a covered box. I uncovered it and he didn't do it anymore. Also agreeing about trying something bigger. I would maybe get a second box as well. I've heard of cats the prefer to pee in one box and poop in another. Or even if you clean it twice a day, he may not like going in a box if there is anything in it at all, and a second box might help. Rule of thumb on cat boxes is number cats plus one. Cats can be weird sometimes.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 18:45
|
|
|
MockTurtle posted:My cat used to do this, then we figured out that he is semi-retarded and just wasn't walking into the box the whole way. He would have his front half in and just hang his rear end out over the edge. Maybe try something bigger or try uncovering it if it is a covered one. I would be wary about the tinfoil because I wouldn't want to drive her away from using the box. Seconding getting a larger box or uncovering the box. Since switching to a Sterilite bin (no lid) for our non-automated litter box, we've had zero "oops-I-shat-on-the-wall" issues like we had with the traditional box.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2010 19:57
|
|
|
Longpig posted:I would LOVE to get her an eGGe or a herding ball but I don't know where to find them - neither the chain store nor the independent in my neighbourhood have anything like them and the shipping would be insane on a big bulky item like that... Hey Longpig -- I just ordered my puppy an eGGe, but she's REALLY picky with toys. I think the chances are 50/50 of my pup liking it -- if she doesn't, would you be interested in buying mine? Paid $24.89 at bestfriendsgeneralstore.com, and I could ship it to you in any way you'd like. It's not that heavy and comes in a box. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2010 18:36
|
|
|
Question about brushing cat's teeth -- I recently had two of my cats in for dental cleanings. First, the vet said that cleanings should happen once per year. This seems like a lot to me, considering that the cats are put under anesthetic for the cleaning. Is a yearly cleaning typical? Also, they told me that I should be brushing my cats teeth every day. I had never heard this before, daily seems like a lot as well. I don't mind doing it if it's what is required for proper care, but I have owned cats for a long time and considered myself somewhat informed about it, and had never heard this in the past. If anyone has information about their own experiences or what vets have told them, that would be great!
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2010 20:31
|
|
|
amishsexpot posted:Hey Longpig -- I just ordered my puppy an eGGe, but she's REALLY picky with toys. I think the chances are 50/50 of my pup liking it -- if she doesn't, would you be interested in buying mine? Well, if she doesn't like it and you can give me a rough idea of the shipping to Canada, then sure... BFGS' website calculator didn't work for Canada and they never answered my e-mail...  Let me know how it goes with Beanie!
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2010 21:26
|
|
|
testifeye posted:Question about brushing cat's teeth -- I recently had two of my cats in for dental cleanings. First, the vet said that cleanings should happen once per year. This seems like a lot to me, considering that the cats are put under anesthetic for the cleaning. Is a yearly cleaning typical?
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2010 23:28
|
|
|
Kerfuffle posted:Personally, I've never heard of such a thing. Teeth cleaning is pretty expensive and normally done in extreme cases. I don't think I've heard of anyone in PI who brushes their cat's teeth on a daily basis (or even at all), that's ridiculous. Unless BOTH your cats have some weird dental problem going on or something. I'd ask another vet in your area for a second opinion. Thanks for the response, it didn't sound right to me either. One of my cats did legitimately have a weird dental problem that required a tooth being removed, but the other was just a standard cleaning. Unfortunately, it's the only vet in my immediate area (I live in a relatively rural town). I doubt any harm was done (except to my wallet). I was mostly concerned about the teeth brushing piece, since I try to be pretty good about my cats' health and the information about daily brushing seemed excessive. They also tried to sell me "Oravet" some sealant that is applied during the cleaning and then I am supposed to reapply relatively regularly at home using this long spongy qtip. That also seemed excessive to me for the healthy cat - the one with dental problems it didn't seem as weird.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 02:10
|
|
|
Longpig posted:Well, if she doesn't like it and you can give me a rough idea of the shipping to Canada, then sure... BFGS' website calculator didn't work for Canada and they never answered my e-mail...  Beanie is absolutely terrified of her eGGe! She sniffed, rolled it over, and when it wobbled towards her, she freaked out.She also was terrified of her talking animal noises babble ball: http://www.bestfriendsgeneralstore.com/dog_toy_products_p/PQABB2/20+ANIMAL+Sounds+Babble+Ball I looked up USPS.com and I'm pretty certain first class international will cost around $9? Priority is approx $20. What do you think?
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 02:50
|
|
|
I started using one of those automatic water fountains with a charcoal filter in it for my cat. The instructions say to rinse the filter for a bit with water to get rid of the excess charcoal dust. I did this, and then still saw a small amount of dust in the bowl afterwards. What I've read online suggests that this is normal and it will dissipate, and that the dust is harmless regardless. This might be a dumb question, but is that really true? Charcoal dust doesn't seem like the kind of thing that would be harmless.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 10:12
|
|
|
nemesis_hub posted:I started using one of those automatic water fountains with a charcoal filter in it for my cat. The instructions say to rinse the filter for a bit with water to get rid of the excess charcoal dust. I did this, and then still saw a small amount of dust in the bowl afterwards. What I've read online suggests that this is normal and it will dissipate, and that the dust is harmless regardless. This might be a dumb question, but is that really true? Charcoal dust doesn't seem like the kind of thing that would be harmless. Oh but it is. There are even charcoal capsules available in stores for nausea. And brita filters do the exact same thing and have the exact same warning. It's perfectly harmless.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 11:00
|
|
|
My big boy cat, 1 1/2 years old, neutered, a little overweight (I'm working on slimming him down) licks really strange things. He licks a patch bare on his belly, he licks the windows, he licks my face while I'm sleeping, and normally these things aren't a problem, but now he's started to lick the power outlets in the walls, my computer monitor, chair legs, power cords, all kinds of weird stuff. So far I've gotten those little plastic things you use to cover outlets so kids won't get electrocuted, and I've been tossing a towel over my computer monitors when I leave the house, but my windows are covered with streaky cat tongue prints, and bitter apple spray has no effect. He doesn't chew anything, he's got a massive cat tree with scratchy posts, I've tried a couple foods thinking maybe it was some kind of allergy. He just had a checkup and has a clean bill of health (the vet just sort of shrugged off the licking and said "It happens, some cats lick"). I don't think he's bored as he's got a billion toys, gets lots of playtime, we've got another cat (a hyperactive 8 month old girl kitten, fixed, etc) and they wear each other out racing around the house all day, and after the playtime, my boy kitty just goes up to the window, flops in front of it, and purrs while licking the carpet, the window, the kitten....  Why is my weirdo cat doing this? (He also has a game where he slides his big ceramic should-be-too-heavy-to-push water dish as far away from its home location as possible in the middle of the night, spilling water EVERYWHERE, so any help on securing water dishes without bolting it to the floor are appreciated.)
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 20:29
|
|
|
I'm sorry, but that's pretty hilarious. I have no idea about the licking, but for the water you could try getting one of the big 3 gallon automatic waterers. He probably wouldn't be able to push around 25lbs of water, and I know that since I got mine, the cats spend a little longer drinking, probably because the water comes out pretty cool compared to room temperature.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 20:44
|
|
|
Twix posted:My big boy cat, 1 1/2 years old, neutered, a little overweight (I'm working on slimming him down) licks really strange things. He licks a patch bare on his belly, he licks the windows, he licks my face while I'm sleeping, and normally these things aren't a problem, but now he's started to lick the power outlets in the walls, my computer monitor, chair legs, power cords, all kinds of weird stuff. Yeah, some cats just lick stuff. Our cat licks wool. I mean wool sweaters, wool socks, carpet with wool in it. We asked the vet about it at one point, and she was like "He's a wool licker. Some cats just are." We eventually bought a sheep pelt and set it on the cat tree, so he can make sweet love to it (er I mean lick it) in peace, and leave our stuff alone. He still gets inordinately happy when we've got clean wool items sitting in a laundry basket.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 20:53
|
|
|
Kerfuffle posted:Oh but it is. Ok cool, thanks, that's good to know. I'm pretty paranoid when it comes to my cat's health. I'd be a terrible parent!
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 22:24
|
|
|
What is the best way to tell where the quick is when trimming a black dog's nails? I'm afraid we aren't cutting them short enough for fear of hitting it, but I'm not sure at all where it is. I've read to trim back until you see the black dot inside the nail, but that seems kind of trial and error - aren't chances kind of good that you could cut that way? And how short *should* they be? My husband thinks that as long as they aren't sharp it's ok if they're a little long; I think that if they're clattering on the floors they need a trim!
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 22:29
|
|
|
Longpig posted:What is the best way to tell where the quick is when trimming a black dog's nails? I'm afraid we aren't cutting them short enough for fear of hitting it, but I'm not sure at all where it is. I've read to trim back until you see the black dot inside the nail, but that seems kind of trial and error - aren't chances kind of good that you could cut that way? The best thing would be to take your dog to an EXPERIENCED vet or groomer (one who not only does nail trims frequently, but who does them correctly) and have them show you what to look for. They'll probably be able to tell you how far on your dog to cut, too. Sometimes you can tell just by looking, other times you have to keep cutting little bits at a time until you see the end of the quick, it depends on the dog. The best thing is to have someone show you on your specific dog.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 22:58
|
|
|
Longpig posted:What is the best way to tell where the quick is when trimming a black dog's nails? I'm afraid we aren't cutting them short enough for fear of hitting it, but I'm not sure at all where it is. I've read to trim back until you see the black dot inside the nail, but that seems kind of trial and error - aren't chances kind of good that you could cut that way? My dog is a medium sized breed (~50lbs). I use dog nail clippers with a safety that keeps you from cutting off too much of the nail at once. The general rule of thumb I've worked by is that it's time to cut my dog's nails when I can hear them clacking on the linoleum, and at that point I sit him down and take two snips with the safety on from each nail. I suspect that the correct length can vary a lot, so it's a good idea to do as WolfensteinBag suggests to cut down on the trial and error process. A bleeding nail can drastically reduce your dog's enthusiasm for pedicures. a life less fucked around with this message at 23:23 on Jan 29, 2010 |
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 23:20
|
|
|
Thanks guys... we'll start looking at the groomers in our area.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2010 23:44
|
|
|
Longpig posted:Thanks guys... we'll start looking at the groomers in our area. Hey Longpig -- please let me know if you're interested in the eGGe -- if not, no worries! I just need to know so that I can return it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 30, 2010 17:10
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 22, 2024 00:13 |
|
|
amishsexpot posted:Hey Longpig -- please let me know if you're interested in the eGGe -- if not, no worries! I just need to know so that I can return it. So she didn't like it, huh... Can you give me an idea of how much shipping might be to Canada? I am interested but apprehensive about the cost of sending a bulky item internationally...
|
|
#
?
Jan 30, 2010 21:21
|
|