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Gulls in Pittsburgh?
We recently admitted a juvenile Herring Gull that was wandering the streets of Pittsburgh, dazed and unable to fly. During his exam, we determined him to be sick with a bacterial infection and extremely emaciated. He was so skinny that he no longer had the strength to lift himself into the air.
Gulls have an incredibly varied diet and can eat almost anything. They prefer to eat fish, mollusks and other invertebrates; however, they will not think twice about eating carrion or from a garbage can. This sometimes leads to conflicts with humans who live near gulls. Often, gulls will gather where they know there will be plenty of leftovers, such as at a stadium. This led to one notorious event in 2009 in Cleveland when a pack of gulls gathered in the infield of a Cleveland stadium toward the end of a baseball game that had gone into extra innings. A hit ball struck one of the birds. While the bird was unharmed, it deflected the ball away from the outfielder, allowing the home team to score the winning run.
We do not expect our patient to be playing for the Pirates anytime soon; however, we do expect him to make a full recovery. Just two weeks after his admit, his infection has cleared up and he is quickly gaining weight. He is currently preparing for his release in our flight cage, practicing his flights from one side to the other and building up his muscles. When it is time for his release, we will transport him to an area with other Herring Gulls so he can rejoin a flock and live the wild life he was meant to live.
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center | 6000 Verona Road | Pittsburgh | PA | 15147 |
Your August 2011 Internest Explorer Volume B
Muslim apocalyptic movements; 'Yiddishkeit' comics anthology; Israelis in Peru
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Holistic Pet Inc. | 16927 W. 71st Place | Arvada | CO | 80007 |
Animal-World Newsletter 6 new articles in "Dr. Jungle's Pets and Animal Speak"
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Hiya omsstravel.33333@blogger.com! Dr. Jungle says... "They could be too cute to be true, stunninginly beautiful,
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6 new articles in "Dr. Jungle's Pets and Animal Speak" How to Choose a Companion Bird for Your Home
Companion birds – including canaries, cockatiels, parakeets, lovebirds, cockatoos and African Grey parrots – are very popular pets. For the right pet owner, these birds can provide daily enjoyment, as well as companionship for many years. If you've ever thought about getting a companion bird for your household, how do you know which type is the best for you? There are a number of different factors to consider. 1. What size pet can your household comfortably handle? Parakeets and canaries are small birds, and can be kept in relatively small homes and apartments. On the other hand, some types of cockatoos can be up to two feet tall and need significantly more space. 2. How much of an issue is noise? Some companion birds are more talkative than others. African Greys, for example, are a very popular parrot species and can develop vocabularies of hundreds of words or more – and they like to talk. Cockatiels, on the other hand, tend to be whistlers. If you live in an apartment building you may wish to consider a quieter type of bird. 3. How much "cuddling" do you want to do with your bird? Although much of this depends on each individual bird, there are some general differences between bird types. For example, cockatoos generally tend to be more "hands on" than African Greys. 4. Is this your first bird? If this is going to be your first time keeping a companion bird as a pet, consider a smaller and lower-maintenance breed such as a parakeet. 5. How much time are you going to be able to spend with your new bird on a regular basis? The more intelligent types of companion birds require more stimulation and direct interaction with you, so be honest about your lifestyle. If you're rarely home, or travel often, then perhaps this isn't the best type of pet for you. 6. What is your budget for your pet? Parakeets are inexpensive and can be found in many pet stores, while cockatoos are harder to find and may cost a thousand dollars or more. In addition, when you buy a companion bird you'll be responsible not only for the cost of the bird, but also the cost of a cage, toys, and food for years to come – don't forget to take these other costs into account. 7. How long are you willing to have the pet? Canaries generally live for up to ten years, while African Greys can sometimes live for 70 years. 8. How concerned are you with keeping control over your surroundings? Put another way, are you a "neat freak?" Companion birds can sometimes make a mess of their cage, and can sometimes be destructive when they are out of their cage, particularly the larger birds. Consider all of these factors, and you might find the type of companion bird that will be a satisfying pet for years to come. To see more on how to choose the right bird for you, see the Choosing a Pet Bird page!  Featured Pet of the Week – Mini Lop Rabbits
The Featured Pet for this week is: The Mini Lop Rabbit! I personally really love rabbits as pets – with lops being my favorite! Mini Lops are quite cute with their long floppy ears, and in my experience, if they are handled regularly they tend to be very affectionate and sweet. I had several types of rabbits growing up, including mini lops, and I bred them for some time as well. They are smaller than a typical regular rabbit which makes them a little less awkward to pick up, and due to their gentle nature they can be good kid pets.  Some other perks to the mini lop rabbit are that once they are adapted to their owners and families, they become quite playful and are sometimes considered to being akin to a pet dog. They also can be litter-box trained if enough time and dedication is spent working with them! The Mini Lop is related to the regular Lop-eared Rabbit and was bred to be a miniaturized version of it. They were originally derived from the German lops, however the Mini Lop that is in the United States is believed to have been developed from several varieties of lops. They were first recognized in the United States as a their own breed in 1982, however they are still not recognized in England. Mini Lops are a breed that is fairly popular for rabbit shows because they are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. (ARBA) and the Mini Lop Rabbit Club of America. They come in a range of colors, with the following color and pattern groups being officially recognized at shows: Agouti (chinchilla, chestnut, opal); Broken (white with colored spots); Ticked (steel gene and ticking); Self group, white pointed (solid color with no ticking); Shaded (shaded markings with colors); and Wide Band (cream, orange, red, and fawn). Here I will include some general guidelines on how to select and keep a healthy mini lop! When first purchasing your rabbit, try to get a younger one – between 2 to 3 months old – because that is an ideal age to start the training and handling process to get your rabbit used to you. Look for healthy signs – such as an alert rabbit with no matted fur, healthy eyes with no drainage, and hard and dry stools. If you want to get more than one rabbit, you will most likely want to choose 2 females because 2 males will have have a tendency to fight. Your Mini Lop will be it’s healthiest and live the longest if provided with the correct foods and nutrients, as well as fresh water daily (through a water bottle ideally). Their basic diet should consist of grass hay and green foods. You can buy commercially prepared rabbit pellets which should contain the correct nutrients, however you will want to offer them fresh green foods daily as well. This includes romaine lettuce, cabbage, celery, broccoli, and most other greens. Mini Lops need lots of exercise, so you will want to make sure they have an enclosure that is big enough for them to run around in or make sure they get enough time outside of their cage each day. If you choose to house your rabbit outdoors, make sure that they have shelter from the elements and/or are allowed indoors during extreme temperatures (80′s and above and very cold temperatures). Make sure to clean out their cage or hutch at least twice a week. This will ensure that your Mini Lop is happy, healthy, and a joy to be around! If you would like to learn more about Mini Lops in general check out the Mini Lop Rabbits page! Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups. The Irish Wolfhound
The Irish Wolfhound is huge – with some growing as large as small ponies!Irish Wolfhounds are giant dogs, however they usually have gentle tempers. They are generally friendly, although may be reserved around people they don’t know. They are loyal, affectionate and sociable with their families and children and are easy enough to train. Due to their size and their need of space and room to run and play, they are not apartment dogs. They also have a tendency towards several hereditary health problems, including heart problems, bone cancer, and liver shunts. This would be something to look out for when selecting an Irish Wolfhound… Read More
Class Pet Showcase: Hamster
Hamsters are among the most popular rodents kept as pets. Their small size makes them ideal for small spaces, and they are reasonably easy to care for. Each one has a unique personality, and they are lots of fun to watch and interact with. These attributes make them good candidates for classroom pets. The breeding of hamsters is a fairly recent achievement. They weren't successfully bred and domesticated until 1930. But today there are numerous hamster breeds available, including dwarf hamsters, striped hamsters, long-haired Angora hamsters and golden hamsters. Depending on the breed, adult hamsters may measure anywhere from 2 to 13 inches in length. Most, however, grow to approximately 5 to 7 inches long. The life span is generally 2 to 5 years. Hamsters are omnivores, and they will eat everything from insects to nuts to fruits and vegetables. Captive hamsters do well on a diet of commercial hamster food, but they may also be given treats. They hoard food, and can often be seen carrying food in the large pouches located in their cheeks. They also do a lot of gnawing to wear down their front teeth, which never stop growing. Hamsters are nocturnal animals. That means they will spend most of the school day sleeping. However, most do not mind being awoken for play and lessons. This is also good because they rarely cause a disruption during class. However, it is important to make sure that the hamster receives attention during its regular waking hours, and that may mean taking it home with you at night or allowing students to keep it over the weekend. A class hamster may be kept in a wire or plastic cage or a 10-gallon or larger tank. Solid habitats provide the advantage of keeping substrate inside, making for much less mess. The bottom of the cage should be covered with pine or cedar chips. The hamster will also need a wheel, a water bottle, and a sturdy food dish and some toys to chew on. The cage should be cleaned and disinfected once a week. The biggest issue with hamsters as class pets is biting. Some hamsters bite frequently, others occasionally, and others rarely. It may be a good idea to keep a hamster at home to see how tolerant it is to handling before bringing it to the classroom, but be prepared to keep it as your own pet if you find that you're not willing to expose it to your students. It's also wise to keep only one hamster and purchase it while still young due to the risk of having a litter of baby hamsters to contend with. Hamsters are educational pets that generally do well with children. Hamster allergies are rare, and they're lots of fun for kids to play with. If you're looking for a classroom pet that's easy to care for and doesn't take up a lot of space, a hamster is a fine choice. If you would like to learn more about hamster care in general, check out the Hamster page! The Cabbage Leather Coral – Sinularia dura
This Cabbage Leather Coral is great for beginners because it is so hardy!The Cabbage Leather Coral has several perks, a couple being that it is both durable and attractive. It’s colors include everything from yellow, gray, pink, and purple to cream, brown and tan. Sometimes it can even be green! Its appearance resembles lettuce or cabbage and has broad “leaves”. The projections are lobed and have radial striations that are very delicate and that fold along the fringe… Read More
Pugs as Pets
The Pug is a great house dog, being stocky and short and a wonderful companion!Being generally happy little dogs, pugs are loyal and affectionate to their owners and families. They get along well with visitors and children and are quite smart. They also usually get along well with other dogs and pets, which is a bonus. Pugs are, however, prone to eye problems and breathing problems, so make sure to research the background of your dog before selecting him… Read More
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Irish Wolfhound 
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