How My Pet Cockatiels Helped My Depression

I have suffered from depression since I was a little girl into menopause. Unfortunately I was born with this and need to treat it medically with antidepressants on a daily basis. But there is more to treating depression than just pills. The pills can only do so much. They can put me into balance. But I needed more. I lived alone and needed some form of companionship.

I did not want to get involved with another person. I have had enough bad relationships. I always loved animals and someone suggested that I get a pet bird. I went to the pet shop quite often to look at the pet birds. There were parakeets, cockatiels, cockatoos, finches and more. I did not have alot of money, so I started with a green and yellow parakeet ,Buddy, and then got a friend for my parakeet that was a natural grey cockatiel, Baby. I did not know anything about pet birds either. I had alot to learn. So I bought a parakeet hand book and cockatiel hand book.

I fell in love with Buddy and Baby. It was like Christmas every morning (and still is like Christmas every morning), when I took the blanket off of my bird cages to greet Buddy and Baby.. They radiated something so special and made everything so bright. Whenever I felt bad, all I needed to do was go look at my birds, pet them and talk to them. They made me feel less depressed.

I did not realize how intelligent parakeets and cockatiels were. They are very emotional animals. I was a lousy at teaching birds to talk. Even though my birds could not talk, I could figure out what they wanted by watching their body language and listening to their bird sounds . I cleaned their cages on a daily basis and studied more about nutrition for my birds. It did take me years of reading Bird Talk Magazine to know about what nutrition birds need. Each species can require different foods.

After 8 years had passed, my parakeet, Buddy, passed away, and Baby and I were devastated. Baby even cried. He did not cry tears, but you could definitely tell in the tone of his cries he was missing Buddy. Buddy was like a father to Baby. Buddy use to feed him on a daily basis by regurgitating some food to Baby. Regurgitating food to a person or other bird, is a sign of love and affection. Baby and I shared the grief of missing Buddy.

A month or so later, I went to buy another cockatiel, Beenie, to keep us company. Beenie was only 4 months old. He was still a baby, but old enough to take home. He is a beautiful pied cockatiel. He has white and grey splotches of color all over him. His coloring looks kind of like a pinto horse. Beenie has more white and yellow on his head than Baby does. Baby pushed Beenie around alot, but got use to him slowly but surely. They began sharing the same cage after a while. But they both enjoy having their own cage and space, too.

I enjoy petting my birds most of all. They each have their own way of being petted. Baby likes to be petted on his head and cheeks when he is sitting on his cage or my lap. And Beenie only likes to be petted when he is on my right shoulder. I hold my hand up to his head and Beenie moves his head around to the spots he wants scratched and petted the most. My birds are so soft and warm to touch. I really love doing this alot.

Being able to share your days and feelings with someone else is so special. This really helps beat my depression. Especially with my 2 birds that give me so much unconditional love. Every morning is bright when I take off the blanket that covers their cage at night, and I gaze at my pretty birds as they chirp to me. I look forward to cleaning their cage and spending time with them on a daily basis.

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Odd Uses For Vinegar (Cleaning and Otherwise)

1. Use vinegar to kill mold and mildew. This is especially good for removing mildew marks from coloured clothes, as the other natural stain removal method for mildew (lemon juice) acts as a bleach and is best kept for whites. Use full strength vinegar.

2. Vinegar can be used in the dishwasher as a rinse aid, as it neutralises the strong alkaline powder used by most dishwashers. Don't add essential oil.

3. To deter flies from the kitchen, boil vinegar on top of the stove with the lid off. Malt vinegar works best, but if members of your household can't stand the smell of malt vinegar, it will deter them from your kitchen as well as the flies.

4. However, white vinegar with a bit of spice mixed into it and gently warmed will put a pleasant and rather refreshing scent into the air. Not sure what else to do with vinegar with spices in it once it's cooled down? Use it for making chutney or pickles.

5. Vinegar contains the sort of acid that is used in very expensive cosmetic toners but costs a mere fraction of the price. Dilute vinegar with water and apply it to your face with cotton wool or a tissue (or a soft cloth that you will wash and re-use) after cleaning your face with soap-and-water or cream, or else add a splash of vinegar to fresh cold water and splash your face with it. Very refreshing and a great way to wake yourself up, as well as getting rid of any soapy residue, but don't get it in your eyes.

6. If your washing machine is looking dull inside and the soap is building up a bit, run the machine through a rinse and spin cycle with a cup of vinegar inside it. This will clean out the filters and the hoses inside your machine. If you don't like the idea of running the washing machine empty apart from water, put a few dingy white socks inside to soak and deodorise. Then leave them in the machine and run a full load once the vinegar wash has finished.

7. Old stickers and decals attached to walls, doors, bed headboards and car bumpers can be removed when faded or unwanted by holding a cloth soaked in neat vinegar over them until the sticker goes a bit soggy. Alternatively, spray the sticker thoroughly with vinegar. This will loosen the glue and allow you to peel off the sticker. Use a soft cloth or three to rub off the rest of the residue, then sponge the vinegar off.

8. If you need to green clean stickiness off scissors (after cutting lots of sticky tape, for example), sponge the blades with vinegar and rub them well with a soft cloth. Dry very well to prevent the scissors from rusting.

9. Vinegar should be added to any hard candy or toffee recipe. Use ½ cup of vinegar to 2 cups of sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter. Boil the lot together for up to 10 minutes then pour it onto an oiled tray. When it is cool enough, you can pull and twist it (be careful not to try touching it too soon - sugar gives a nasty burn), or just let it cool before bashing it with a hammer.

10. Out of baking powder? Use baking soda and add a tablespoon of vinegar to your regular recipe.

11. To clean out a glass decanter, put about a cup of vinegar and half a cup of sand or rice inside it. Leave this mixture to sit inside the decanter, then shake very, very vigorously. Rinse well. Much safer for you than the traditional method of cleaning glass decanters used by old-fashioned butlers and maids - swirling lead shot and brandy around the inside (How To Poison Your Employer 101).

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Feeding Hermit Crabs

Feeding hermit crabs is no arduous task as these crabs are omnivores that have a wide range of food choices. They have a wide choice of foods that belong to both plant and animal origin. However, while feeding these crabs it is important to follow certain restrictions as well because these creatures have a very sensitive digestive mechanism. Any food that is laden with pesticides, artificial color, artificial sweeteners, food chemicals like copper sulfate and ethoxyquin and also too much spices should not be given to theses exotic animals. The salt concentration of the foods is also an important consideration. It is preferable that these crabs are fed more unsalted foods.

Apart from these food regulations, there are also some other important points that should be remembered while feeding hermit crabs. One such point is that, the crabs must always be given dechlorinated water to drink or take a bath (the hermit crab cage consists of two water containers, one with freshwater and the other with marine water; the freshwater is used for drinking). The hermits drink water by picking up droplets of water by its front claws and then allowing the water to roll over to the mouth and the gills. In addition, it is also worthwhile to remember that while feeding these crabs, the food must be washed thoroughly in running water (without any soap) and then preferably dried before being served to the crabs for eating. These exotic creatures prefer dried and crunchy food over soft foods and avoid giving dairy products to them.

Calcium, carotenoids and antioxidants are most required by these crabs. This nutrition aim can be attained by serving these creatures with fresh fruits and vegetables, even the citrus fruits like lemon and grapes. Fruits are considered special delicacies by the delicate crabs. They also prefer raisins, nuts and crushed grains as special food items. Especially carotenoids are very important while feeding the these crabs, as the carotenoids helps the crabs to retain their body coloration. Green vegetables are also important ingredients of hermit crab foods. The pigment supply to the hermit crab food can also be attained by adding crushed flowers like marigold in their food. However, always ensure that the flower is washed thoroughly and is free from any contaminations or pesticide.

The common calcium sources of these creatures are crushed oyster shells, coral deposits, cuttlebones, crushed egg shells and the molted exoskeleton of the these crabs. For providing the crabs with a continuous source of calcium it is a good idea to sprinkle some amount of coral dust on the sand floor of the cage. Hermit crab foods can also be obtained from pet stores. Common pet store foods for feeding hermit crabs are fish food flakes (without harmful preservatives), brine shrimp drained of the brine, freeze dried plankton, plant based iguana food, seaweed, escaragot and frozen fruit.

You can also try feeding hermit crabs with hand. Just keep the crab gently on your hand (when it is not molting of course) and place the food near its front claws. The crab will first taste the food with its antennae and if it likes the taste and trusts you enough, it will eat the food. In this relevance, it is important to remember that these creatures do not eat when they are not hungry.

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Spring Home Power Washing

Spring is finally HERE! It is time to make a checklist of items for spring clean-up. Why not start with the exterior of your home? This past winter was full of wild weather, including snow, sleet and high winds that left behind everything from dirt to actual damage for many homeowners to deal with. Although it is very tempting to go rent a power washer and "do it yourself" consider these issues that may arise

• Power washing is a trained skill and if done wrong can cause damage to all you home surfaces (roof, siding, decking etc), resulting in high repair bills.

• Power washing can be dangerous. Climbing ladders and using chemicals that you may not be used to working with can be dangerous for you, your family and your property.

• Rented equipment may not work properly or may have a learning curve. In addition, you may get the immediate results you are looking for but your mold, mildew and grime may come back faster than if you had it removed professionally. Consider a Professional Pressure Washing Company.

• A full service cleaning washing company is trained and washes houses everyday. They have been able to master the process and can get in and out quickly.

• A professional pressure washing service is fully insured. If there is a problem you and your property are covered.

• Because the washing process is done with commercial grade, customized equipment and products the results last longer. A reputable company should be able to offer a warranty of some sort, especially when it comes to roof cleaning.

• Your time is valuable, call a professional power washing company and get a free estimate and decide for yourself. To get your property looking its best, choose a home power washing company that can fulfill all your power washing needs. House washing (all types of siding and masonry), low pressure roof cleaning, gutter clean out and inspection, power washing composite and wood decks, cleaning all patios surfaces, sidewalks, driveways and general cleanup. Fences, porches, pool decks and patio furniture can also be brought back to like-new appearance. The following issues can be addressed and, in most cases, completely removed...

• Dirt & Grime

• Mold & Mildew

• Gum

• Discolorations

• Rust Stains

• Oil Stains

• Algae Growth

• Cobwebs

• Bird Droppings...and more

When it comes to caring for your home's exterior, nothing is more cost-effective than power washing. Choose a professionally trained, insured, All Clean Pressure Washing company that has the knowledge, experience and proper equipment to get the job done safely and effectively Get your property in shape today! Start with a free quote from All Clean Pressure Washing

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Important Ferret Diet Tips

Now that you have your ferret, you will want him stay fit and healthy. One of the many ways of achieving this is with the correct diet. When it comes to feeding your pet ferret, you will need to make sure that you are giving him the best ferret diet possible. After all, you will want to make sure that he stays fit and healthy, and not suffer through a poor diet.

And to achieve this, you will need to make sure that his food is rich in fat, meat-based protein, and vitamins and minerals. Below are some tips on what, and what not to feed your pet ferret.

1. Do not feed your ferret on fruits or vegetables, or anything that contains starch or sugar. Feeding your ferret with the wrong foods can lead to a number of health difficulties, including obesity. The wrong types of food can also shorten a ferrets life span.

2. Ferrets are classed as "obligate carnivores" which means that they must eat meat. Most of their nutritional needs are supplied through a meat-based diet. From a scientific standpoint, they must eat meat because they are "hyper carnivores". Ferrets over many centuries have become adapted to a very strict meat-eating diet.

3. If you intend to feed your ferret on kibble, be sure to moisten it with water first. Not only is kibble very abrasive, but your ferret will find it difficult to digest if it is not moistened. This could bring on some very uncomfortable, intestinal related problems.

4. Some people believe that dry kibble will help to wear down tartar build up on a ferrets teeth. The truth is though that dry kibble will only wear down your ferrets teeth, it can be that abrasive.

5. Always avoid feeding your ferret with products that contain corn, or that are made up of frozen fish. These are just some of things that you should be aware of if you are new to ferret keeping. To ensure that your ferret lives a long and happy life, just follow the basic guidelines for your ferrets continued good health.

For much more information on a ferrets diet.

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Tips to Make Your Home the Best Place to Live In

Keeping your home organized these days is a necessity. Having a clean and neat home prevents it from premature deterioration and makes the home pleasant to live in. No one wants to stay in a place that is filthy and messy. Here are some tips in making your home an enjoyable place to live in:

- Keep it neat and sanitized. Make sure your home is not a sanctuary for house mice and rodents. This can be done by keeping it clean. Make sure that the kitchen area is cleaned after using it. Have sealed containers that may contain sugar and other ingredients that may attract mice. Use effective mice repellents in this area. One such effective mouse repellent is eucalyptus based mice repellent, a scent which deters mice. Other effective mice repellent can be mice houses which are non lethal and meant to trap any mice. This repellent must be kept away from children though because it resembles a doll house and may attract the curiosity of your kids. The other way to keep mice away is to segregate trash properly and place them in the appropriate trash bins and trash areas. By doing so, it may keep the mice away from your home.

- Invest in proper cleaning equipment. A good vacuum cleaner is one that is water based and can suck in house mites. Most of these house mites can be found in the rugs and floors but a lot of them can also be contained in the beds and sheets. You should change bed sheets at least once every two weeks and have them washed properly. Vacuum also the pillows at least weekly so they are rid of house mites.

- Have organized bins. Organized bins are great things to have as they are stackable and transparent enough for you to see what is inside. Have things organized and placed in such bins. Some things that can be placed in the bins can be winter clothes, which are seasonal, paper records and other documents that are not a priority, and old toys and clothes as well. You can even take Polaroid shots of the contents and place the photo on the side of the bin for you to distinguish the contents of the bin.

- Have a set schedule for cleaning. You must try to do a general cleaning of the house at least once a month and have a daily maintenance schedule of cleaning the house. One day you may clean the master's bedroom, the next day the kid's room and another day, all the bathrooms. It may sound tedious but by enlisting the help of your family by teaching them to be neat, the tasks will be easy to do.

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All Things For All Ferrets

When you bring a pet into the family home, they become part of the family and you like to treat them well, keep them safe and they are loved by the whole family. It is no different when you bring a ferret or two into your home. They are great pets and love to have fun, so you will want to enjoy having them in the home.

The pet industry is obviously a huge one, more and more products are now available for us to indulge our pets in and although this was directed at dogs and cats initially, it has filtered through to other family pets. This means that there is plenty of things you can buy for your fuzzy as well as other fuzzy things you can buy for yourself and other family members, you can literally go ferret mad.

There are some essentials that you will need for your little fuzzy and those are the cage, food bowl, water bowl, soil tray, bedding, a few toys and of course their food. Now you can get a basic cage or you can invest in a two or three level deluxe cage, this will all depend on your budget. The food and water bowls are pretty standard, just make sure they are not light weight as they could tip over making quite a mess. The soil trays are also pretty standard, as for the bedding, there are many types to choose from and again this may depend on your budget, but the basics could just be an old fleece or sweatshirt that you no longer use. Toys will again depend on budget, but although there are many toys made for the fuzzy in mind, cat toys are always enjoyed by these little critters, also there are many things around the house that your fuzzy will tend to use as a play thing given half the chance, even paper bags, cardboard boxes and old boots all make for great fun for your fuzzy.

So they are the essentials to keep your fuzzy happy, but what about all the other stuff you can get for your fuzzy or yourself. There is the harness and lead to take your fuzzy for a walk, or if you just want to carry them, then there are now designer bags for these little guys to be transported around in. There are an array of bedding options, from sleep sacks to hammocks, the list of bedding options now seems to be endless.

There are a huge amount of toys you can buy now, there are tubes that your fuzzy will love running through, you can get a whole tunnel system of tubes, the the roll about ball is a great toy, it is a ball that your fuzzy can climb into and then it can be rolled around with your fuzzy in it, great fun. There are put together cardboard playhouses that come in different designs, such as a fire engine, fighter plane or even a tank, there are loads of different toy designs with a cord on that can be pulled along for your fuzzy to chase. The toy list could go on forever, just have fun seeking them out and then playing and enjoying them with your fuzzy.

So what about you and the family, what kind of things can you get for you that are ferret based, again there is a long list, but here are a few simple ideas. You can get a picture of your fuzzy put onto a plate or cup or a shirt, there are also funny fuzzy captions that you can get in shirt form. What about a fuzzy calendar, diary or address book, there of course are plenty of stickers around that can be put on your car or camper. What ever you can think of, you most probably will be able to find a fuzzy version. This means you can have plenty of fuzzy fun with all the family.

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Guinea Pig Grooming Basics

Nails

In the wild, guinea pig nails would get naturally worn down due to the constant abrasion from wood and stone. The cage environment with its soft bedding, wood, and bricks, will simply not prevent your pet's nails from growing long and painful. The additions of rough materials like rock and stone can keep nails short under ideal circumstances but this must be monitored. If your guinea pig's nails grow too long they can actually curve around and pierce the paw, which leads to pain and infection.

Unlike us, guinea pigs have blood vessels which run through parts of the nails. If you clip the nail too short you can pierce this area and cause pain. There are two solutions to this problem. The first is if your pet has clear nails, simply avoid the pink area extending from the bone. If your furry friend has opaque black nails, this area will not be visible. Instead you will want to just cut the smallest portion off the tips but you will want to do this more often as with just a little neglect the nails could grow too long.

If you do pierce the quick, a product you will find useful is "Quick Stop" which can be found at most pet stores. Quick stop will stop the bleeding immediately. If you do not have Quick Stop, use iodine instead.

Cutting your guinea pigs nails is not going to be easy, especially right at first. Expect your pet to squirm and generally be uncooperative. We recommend making the task easier on both of you by wrapping him or her in a towel leaving only the feet exposed. Have one person hold the guinea pig and the other person cut the nails.

Teeth

Guinea pigs, like other rodents, have teeth that grow continuously longer over the course of their lifetime. If the teeth grow too long your pet will not be able to eat and suffer pain and discomfort. Please do not attempt to cut your his or her teeth yourself. This is a task for a trained veterinarian. Instead, your attention should be focused on providing objects for your guinea pig to chew on which will keep his or her teeth shorter naturally. We recommend providing hard foods, toilet paper tubes, stale bread, and hay cubes. Just keep in mind that you will need to continually monitor tooth length.

In addition to monitoring tooth length, also keep an eye on tooth condition. Check for chips, breaks, etc. Anything of this nature will require a vet visit.

Brushing

To keep your guinea pig's coat shiny and healthy you will want to brush it regularly. If your pet is long haired, plan to brush every day. Short haired guinea pigs can get away with brushing every few days or so. All you need for this task is a soft bristle baby brush. Longer hair might require a metal comb (metal grey hound combs do the task well) - something that can actually comb through tangles.

Bathing

Guinea pigs do not need to be bathed on a regular basis unless they get into something. If you do need to bath him or her, please fill a dish with warm water - making sure the water level is not above your pet's head. You will need to be present and monitor the bath at all times. Lightly wash your guinea pig's fur until clean using gentle baby shampoo. Medicated shampoos may not be necessary unless recommended by your vet. After bathing, wrap your furry friend in a towel and keep warm until dry.

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Sugar Gliders: Tiny Acrobats

In the last decade or so, the popularity of sugar gliders as pets has grown considerably. The small size of these furry acrobats, their personalities, their plush fur, their large eyes, their agility and their ability to bond closely with humans have attracted legions of new sugar glider devotees.

What is a sugar glider and where did they originally come from? Sugar gliders are small marsupials and members of the possum family. They are found in Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia, and New Guinea. Their scientific name is Petaurus breviceps. Most sugar gliders these days are captive-bred and not wild-caught.

Like their larger marsupial cousins, kangaroos, sugar gliders have a pouch where their infants grow and develop. Their young are called "joeys," as are the young of kangaroos. You may come across the term OOP while researching sugar gliders on the internet. OOP means "out-of-pouch" and it indicates how long the joey has been completely out of his mother's pouch. Joeys are ready to go to a new home at approximately 8 weeks OOP.

Sugar gliders are approximately chipmunk-sized, measuring about 9 to 12 inches long (including their long tail), and they weigh about 3 to 6 ounces as adults. Their normal color is steel gray to brownish with a black stripe down the back, but selective breeding in captivity has brought out other color variations, including albinos. In captivity, they can live as long as 15 years, although 8 to 12 years is more usual.

One of the most distinguishing features of sugar gliders is a thin membrane, called a patagium, that stretches between their front and rear legs, much like the more familiar flying squirrels of North America. This is what allows them to glide from tree to tree. When they glide, the skin spreads out, making sugar gliders look like furry kites! When the sugar glider is sitting, the patagium looks like ruffled furry skin, shaped somewhat like the edge of lasagna noodles.

Their tail is not prehensile, unlike their more familiar American opossum cousins. That means that sugar gliders cannot grasp, grip and hang from their tails. Instead, the tail is used as a balancing and stabilizing tool, especially while gliding.

Sugar gliders are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. They have very large (relative to their size) eyes, which help them see at night. They also have large ears, an obvious benefit to an animal who is both preyed-upon and a predator. Those big ears allow them to hear even the smallest sound.

Sugar gliders have fixed teeth, incisors, molars, and premolars. You should not trim your sugar glider's teeth. Unlike some species, such as guinea pigs, their teeth do not continue to grow once mature. If a tooth falls out, it is not replaced. Wild gliders chew on branches and in the process, clean their teeth. Gliders in cages will also chew on branches.

Sugar gliders have 5 toes on their front feet. Each toe ends with a very sharp claw that helps them land when they glide. Those claws also make gliders very agile climbers. Their hind feet also have 5 toes, but one of them is an enlarged, clawless opposable toe. An opposable toe means that they can use that toe to grip things, much as humans' opposable thumbs allow us to do the same.

Why are they called "sugar gliders"? In the wild, sugar gliders eat, as part of their diet, manna (a crusty sugar left where sap flowed from a tree trunk or branch) and honeydew (an excess sugar produced by sap-sucking insects). In captivity, sugar gliders have a fondness for sweet foods. They will eat too many sweets if allowed, so sweet foods must be rationed.

In the wild, sugar gliders nest in holes of trees in colonies of 7 to 15 members and have been observed gliding as far as 300 feet! The ability to glide is one of the most amazing features of sugar gliders, and one of the things that makes them such special pets. Teaching your sugar glider to glide to you is very rewarding!

Sugar gliders are social animals, which means they live in groups. They get along with and love the company other sugar gliders, and many sugar glider owners choose to have more than one glider. It is their social nature that allows them to develop strong bonds with their human owners. But it is also that social nature that creates their need for attention from their owners. Sugar gliders are not the kind of pet that can be left for long periods of time without any attention from their owners. The more time you spend with your sugar glider, the more he will become bonded with you.

Many sugar glider owners bond with their new gliders by carrying them around in a bonding pouch for several hours a day while the glider sleeps. Sugar gliders are sometimes called "pocket pets" because they will often curl up in your pocket and go to sleep!

Diet and housing are perhaps the two most important factors in deciding whether a sugar glider is the right pet for you. Sugar gliders require a varied diet consisting of a protein source (meat, insects, etc.), a fruit and/or vegetable source, and a supplement of calcium. There are commercial sugar glider dry and soft-pellet foods available, but it is not recommended that you feed your sugar glider a diet consisting solely of these commercial foods. Sugar gliders require fresh food sources in addition to any commercial food. Calcium is also crucial to their diet, and there are a number of products on the market that will allow you to easily add calcium to your sugar glider's diet.

Sugar gliders require as tall a cage as possible. They feel safer up high because they are normally tree-dwellers. 30 inches tall is usually the bare minimum for a sugar glider cage, but most breeders and sugar glider experts recommend cages 4 feet tall or higher. Many sugar glider owners buy flight cages designed for finches and other small birds. The flight cages are tall enough and roomy enough for a sugar glider. It is also recommended that sugar glider owners permit their gliders supervised play time in a glider-safe room for at least several hours a day.

Although sugar gliders are loving, affectionate and adorable, it is recommended that an adult closely supervise any young children around sugar gliders.

The cost of a sugar glider is approximately $150 to $250. If the glider must be shipped to you via airplane, there will be an additional cost. Certain desirable color variations can raise the price of a sugar glider considerably.

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