News, Advice and Resources for Thoughtful Pet People
Looking for the perfect Spring/Easter gift for that bunny lover who has everything? How about this super cute rabbit dish rack designed by Chris Koens. (via SwissMiss) I didn’t find it for sale in the US, but you can pick one up from DutchbyDesign or the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The Ticked Off tick remover is a simple, but clever tool for getting ticks off your animals. There is a notch in the spoon-like part that you use to slide the tick out of the skin. The instructions are careful to note that you slide the tool. You don’t use it to lift or pry the tick out.
I’ve written about tick removal before. By sure to check out the video in the previous post on how to get the whole tick out with just one finger (wear gloves). And you can read up on twelve of the diseases ticks can transmit.
(Note to subscribers: There was a technical glitch after an upgrade and not everyone was getting email notices of new posts. The previous attempt to fix the problem didn’t work. Hopefully it’s fixed this time! Sorry for any inconvenience.)
We picked up a copy of The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health for $13.99 at Costco last night. I don’t know if all Costcos have it, but it’s worth checking out. The regular price is $22.95 and Amazon charges $21.95 with shipping.
The book is a very comprehensive guide written by the people who wrote The Merk Veterinary Manual which is the most used vet manual. The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health covers dogs, cats, horses, and, to a lesser degree, birds. There are also sections on exotic pets including:
According to the New York Times review, owners of exotic pets also need a book dedicated to the species they own. The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health would give you a good idea of what it takes to keep those exotic animals though.
This is a smart purchase. The book also includes sections on diagnostic tests–what they are and what they’re for, drugs and vaccines, pain management, and has the longest list of zoonoses I’ve ever seen.
Check out these ball shaped toys for your rabbit—-they’re great for enriching your bunnies’ environment and providing appropriate things to play with. These balls are for chewing and are made from willow, grass, hay, loofah, bamboo, and other rabbit friendly materials.
It seems like it’s easier to find rabbit chew toys in the UK than in the US, but there are places out there carrying these enrichment toys. Try some of these out and make your rabbit a happy bunny.
House rabbits need mental stimulation like most pets in order to avoid boredom and destructive behavior. (Dogs have lots of options for treat dispensing toys, like the Tricky Treat Ball, the Twist ‘N Treat, and the Buster Cube.)
The Treat Tumbler is a rabbit sized treat dispensing toy you fill with treats or food pellets. Adjust the opening to let treats fall out and let your rabbit roll it round and fling it to get the treats out. At first, you may need to put something they especially love in it so they don’t lose interest before they figure out how it works.
Check out Ivor the Dutch Rabbit showing how the Treat Tumbler works.