Archive for January, 2012

Bearded Dragon Brumation

Bearded dragon brumation is a state of dormancy among reptiles that is somehow similar to hibernation. During this period, the bearded dragon sleeps majority of the time and eats very little. Bearded dragon brumation can be quite tricky especially for new owners because they are unsure of what is happening to their pet during this state. Also, the process occurs differently for each bearded dragon so there is no clear-cut formula on how to deal with it when it happens. Some bearded dragons do not even brumate at all.

Some of the symptoms of bearded dragon brumation that you need to be aware of include spending less time basking in the heated lamp while spending more in cooler areas, decreased or no appetite at all, spending a lot of time sleeping, appearing disturbed by light, and creating a nesting spot by digging. These symptoms can easily be confused for an illness so the best way to confirm that your dragon is just brumating is by having a stool exam in order to rule out any other conditions. Also, keep in mind that bearded dragons only start brumating until they are at least 1 year old.

Once you have confirmed that your bearded dragon is undergoing brumation ,there are a few things that you can do to assist you pet. One of them is by regularly giving your bearded dragon warm baths. The bath serves 2 purposes: it helps induce a bowel movement and it also hydrates them as well. A bowel movement is recommended for brumating bearded dragons as the food inside their belly can rot and produce a lot of bacteria, or even cause a blockage. Another thing that you can do is by reducing the light and heat cycle on the enclosure by turning off your heating devices 2 hours earlier than the regular time.

A bearded dragon brumation cycle can vary in duration and may last for a day, a week, or even months. Since this is a very idiosyncratic process, you have to adjust to the needs of your pet dragon accordingly. The best thing that you can do when this happens is to be informed and prepared so you?ll know what to do.

Pet Insurance Bearded Dragon Brumation

Feeding the right type of food to your dog doesn’t look hard. There are many commercially produced dog foods in the market so it’s a no-brainer to just shop around. Well, that was in the past, until findings regarding by-products and toxic ingredients in commercial dog foods came about. A lot of pet owners have switched to better options such as raw, organic and grain-free varieties. If you are one of the many pet owners who’d rather go organic, it is advisable to look for the best organic dog food for your pet.

It is important that you look at the ingredients on the packaging upon selecting. Note that the first three ingredients are the main ingredients of the entire product. So if says there free-range organic beef, organic chicken liver and meat, then you are sure that the product contains pure and organic meats. In selecting the best organic dog food, or any type of dog food for that matter, these first three ingredients are the most important. If the first three are nothing but meat by-products, meat meals and scraps of unknown meat products, then it’s best that you look elsewhere.

The goal of giving the best organic dog food to pets is simple – to feed them the best food for optimum health and development. Of course, a well-fed dog means less unnecessary trips to the vet because it is healthy and well-nourished.

Checking product reviews is another way to help you select the best organic dog food. The best organic dog food reviews on the net are not those that are found in official dog food websites. Those info are most likely found in dog food articles, personal blogs of dog owners, forums and other related sites. By visiting these sites, you’ll see real comments from dog owners who have seen the difference in their pets when they switched. You can also find recommendations from real veterinarians who believe that organic dog foods are better than anything else. It’s best to search the net for more info and to find out the best organic dog food brands that are available today.

There is so much you can do to help improve your dog’s health and well-being. By giving your pet organic dog food, you are ensuring that what goes into your pet’s body is beneficial and not junk.

Pet Insurance Best Organic Dog Food   Choosing Only The Best For Your Pet

All About Bearded Dragons

Bearded dragon is the common name of a genus of lizard that has seven species. These lizards are characterized by spiny that are located in the throat, thus the name bearded dragon. Bearded dragons have a very friendly attitude towards person and therefore they are kept as pets. This article will discuss all about bearded dragons and the basic essential information that you need to know about them.

On thing that you need to know all about bearded dragon is that its natural habitat is in rocky deserts and semi-arid woodlands of Australia. The most common specie that is kept as pet is the Pogona vitticeps or the central/inland bearded dragon. They have a life span of about 10 to 20 years and they can adults can grow into a length of 16-22 inches and a weight of 350-600 grams.

The scales which in their throat which is the distinguishing characteristic of bearded dragons can expand when threatened. They also can change their colors like a chameleon when competing with other males, or as a response to stimuli like a temperature change. Moreover, you can tell a male bearded dragon from a female one by looking at the pre-anal between the back legs. Males have more pronounced pores while females tend to have less noticeable ones.

Bearded dragons are omnivores so they eat pretty much anything from leafy greens, vegetables, crickets, worms, berries, fruits, and some can even eat small mice. However, there are some foods that are not recommended for bearded dragons when they are kept as pets. These include insects captured in the wild as they may be exposed to insecticides or viruses, avocado and rhubarb, foods that contain high amounts of oxalates like spinach, kale and cabbage as they can disrupt calcium absorption, citrus fruits, and bananas as well.

Finally, for those who are planning on getting a bearded dragon as a pet, they should prepare an enclosure that should serve as a habitat for the lizard. The enclosure should mimic the natural habitat of the bearded dragon and therefore it should be heated with a heating pad and a heating lamp. These are the basic stuff that you need to know all about bearded dragons.

Pet Insurance All About Bearded Dragons