Snakes as Pets- Choosing the Best Snake for Beginners

This is a great article I found on about.com:

Snakes are fascinating, and with regular handling can be quite tame. However, snakes are obviously not the right pets for everyone. They have unique requirements and should only be kept by those with the commitment to understand and meet their needs. If you are new to pet snakes, find out what you should consider before deciding on a pet snake, and what species are the best snakes for beginners.

Choosing a Snake as a Pet - First Things First

• When choosing a snake, you are making a long term commitment - many can be expected to live longer than 20 years.
• You must be willing to feed prey animals to your snake (though frozen, pre-killed prey is the best choice), and you will probably have to devote some freezer space to frozen prey items (i.e. rodents).
• Snakes are very adept escape artists, so make sure you have an escape-proof tank, keeping in mind that http://barleyslist.org
• Snakes are persistent about finding and squeezing through any small gaps.
• Finally, as beautiful as they are, I strongly recommend against anyone keeping large constricting snakes or venomous snakes.

About Choosing Your Snake
Get a captive bred snake from a reputable breeder, if at all possible. Wild caught snakes tend to be more stressed and prone to parasites and disease, and more difficult to tame. For more about the advantages of captive bred reptiles, see Should I Get a Wild Caught or Captive Bred Reptile on About.com.

You will also want to do a cursory exam of your snake to check for any signs of illness: see Choosing a Healthy Reptile for areas and signs to look at on About.com.

It also doesn't hurt to ask for a feeding demonstration, to make sure your new snake is readily taking pre-killed prey and feeding well. Ball pythons are somewhat notorious for having feeding problems, so this is especially a good idea with ball pythons (though if you get a captive breed ball python it seems less likely that feeding problems will crop up).

Recommended Beginner Snakes
These are all reasonably sized, fairly easy to care for, and tend to be quite docile:

• Corn Snakes
• King and Milk Snakes
• Ball Pythons

Snakes to Avoid
Beginners should avoid large constricting snakes, venomous snakes, and snakes with more difficult care requirements, including such snakes as:

• Boa constrictors / red-tailed boas (not as large as some constricting snakes, but still a handful, especially for beginners)
• Burmese pythons
• Tree boas or pythons
• Water snakes
• Green snakes

Snakes Not Recommended as Pets at All Snakes that are potentially very dangerous (to their owners or others around them) are best avoided as pets, including:

• Reticulated pythons
• Anacondas
• Any venomous snakes

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use! BarleysList.org is Where People Go For Pet Info

Divine Canine

It gives me pleasure to present another story from Lisa Sellman, Top Dog at
Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training. She writes "Here is another one along with a poem":

Lessons from the Universe are always present and finding the stillness within us can allow those lessons to be comprehended. As we all have found, the lessons come quietly but at times the lessons are as loud as a rushing waterfall.

My first lesson from the Universe came to me at the age of 6. My Shetland pony, Trixie was enjoying her oats. I decided to get on her back and enjoy that moment with her. I had no bridle or halter but I easily stepped on the fence and sat on her back as I had done so many times. I can still feel that stillness with Trixie and that sense of love and harmony, if only for a moment, it felt so familiar like I had been at that place before. Then a thought rushed over my mind of her running with me to the end of the pasture and of me screaming for her to stop but she wouldn’t. I could get hurt and I could not stop her. At that moment, she took off at a full gallop. The other horses were at the end of the 60 acre pasture and I felt her little legs running for them. I held on to her mane, crying in fear. We finally reached the horses and I slid off. Why oh why had she done that to me? Although I rode horses until I left for college and still ride horses when given the chance, I have never forgot that fear that I felt that day when my trust and innocence was lost.

While in college and my first 10 years of married life after college, animals especially horses and dogs were not of my realm. I was a business person, utilizing my mind in a capitalist society. My dear husband and I went backpacking and camping every chance we had but our little peaceful home life was not to be disrupted by the chores and mundane demands of animals neither horse nor dog was to be a part of our clan.

At our 10 year anniversary, that utopian world ended when intuition and a desire beyond our control brought Jasmine into our life. A wiry haired mixed breed pup with unknown lineage but eyes that melted my soul consumed our very existence. We both had this need to make sure everything was done right. She was in training and on the best food. I took classes, decided to start an apprentice program under a dog trainer because taking a class once a week was not enough. Jasmine needed her education in being a good dog constantly and I needed the reassurance I was doing everything right. Oh those insecurities were to ruin me. If only she could learn to roll over, why oh why her little tail was tucked all of the time, what is wrong with her?

Then one day I looked at her and she looked at me and we recognized ourselves in each other. My mind was quiet on this day for in the stillness her thoughts became my own. She told me not to try to dominate her and control her every move for she is here to teach me to let go and trust nature again. Trixie had not forsaken me; she had only done my bidding when that vision of her taking me to the end of the pasture as I screamed in terror came in to my mind. Trixie and you were so connected in that time of quiet she could only do as your mind had asked.

A revelation came over me in that stillness, Jasmine was here to teach me as all dogs are and all living creatures and nature itself. I looked at her and her eyes softened and her tail raised from its tucked position. Love poured out from me and Jasmine said to me embrace that love as that is what the Universe wants you to experience. That stillness abounds within us all if we can only listen.

A Poem From The Canine

My dog has issues that need to disappear
She is naughty, defiant and cavalier.

I have taken her to trainers and behaviorists, galore.
She will listen for a day or two but sadly no more.

I am frustrated and my mood is always black.
I am tired and the breeder won’t take her back.

With screams of anger, I yelled at the ceiling,
“Why is my life so hard? I hate this feeling!”

Just then a soft muzzle licked at my hand,
She was the teacher and I listened for her command.

Embody the essence you seek in me
And we shall live in harmony.

When I am afraid be present and strong.
Loose your sense of right and wrong.

As I jump up on you and scratch your arm,
Give love to everyone and wish me no harm.

When I am distracted and hard to reach,
Caress me gently with hands that teach.

I am your dog but I will lead the way.
I will teach you peace without delay.

Breathe and let your troubles disappear,
Resistance may come, but we shall persevere.

All the answers of the universe are near,
All we have to do is choose love and not fear.

I knew my dog was special you see,
For she laid back down and winked at me.

Our future is glorious, for this woman and her canine.
Inner peace and stillness is now mine.

Lisa Sellman, Top Dog
Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training
www.alohapetcare.us ~ website
(763) 503-4797 ~ home or (763) 228-6862 ~ cell
"Delivering the Aloha spirit to Minnesota dog owners one tail wag at a time."

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use! BarleysList.org is Where People Go For Pet Info

How To Care For Goldfish

Believe it or not, a goldfish could live for 10-25 years or longer if it's given proper care. However, with normal care it should live about 6 years. The Guinness Book of World Records cites a goldfish named Tish that lived 43 years after being won at a fair in England in 1890! Here's how to help your scaly companion survive into the "golden years."

1- Purchase a largest possible tank for your goldfish. While using a 10 liter (L) tank instead of a small bowl will increase longevity, albeit not by much, 40 liters/fish or more is necessary for quality of life. Choose a tank with large surface area to increase amount of oxygen in contact with the surface of the water (i.e., wider is better than taller), or set up a pond for your goldfish.

2- Provide mental and physical stimulation for the fish. Decorate tank with gravel, bridges, plants, etc. However, don't make the substrate too deep as harmful bacteria can build up in there. A thin layer across the bottom of the tank is enough. Also, be sure that any decorations you choose aren't hollow (again, harmful bacteria can grow inside) and that they don't have sharp edges, which can tear your fish's fins. Rearrange the bridges and plants on a monthly basis to offer the goldfish "new" areas to explore. You can also train your fish to stimulate them. If you feed them at the same time every day, they will soon be waiting for you at that time. You can also use a fish net with the netting taken out as a 'hoop' and train your fish to swim through it.

3- Set up the tank prior to the purchase of fish. Getting it ready may take two or more weeks. It is necessary to build up enough good bacteria to break down the fish' wastes. To do this, do a "Fishless Cycle". Once completed, your goldfish aquarium will have more than enough bacteria to break down fish waste. Failure to cycle a tank will result in ammonia poisoning and death.

4-Add a filter. You can use either a large internal or an external filter. An external is usually the best, as goldfish are very messy creatures. When you clean the filter, don't throw the inserts and filter media away as this is where the beneficial bacteria live. Instead,rinse them in dechlorinated water. Without a filter, smaller tanks will foul and become deadly in just a day or two. Keep in mind that having a filter doesn't mean you can avoid cleaning the tank. Even with a filter, change 20% to 30% of the water about once every week.

5- Add some equipment to increase oxygen diffusion into the water. A small air pump and air stone can be sufficient. You can also have the current from a 'waterfall' type filter help agitate the water's surface.

6- Clean the tank at least once every two weeks, but more frequently is preferable due to the large amount of waste goldfish produce. This is essential. How often you do this will depend on the size of your tank, the number of fish, and the effectiveness of the filter. Also, if you have real plants they will help absorb some of the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. So if you have real plants, you don't need to clean as often.

7- *When you add/change water, use a dechlorinator that also removes chloramine and heavy metals as per instructions on the back of the bottle.

8- *Frequently test for ammonia and nitrite (you want both to measure zero). A pH test is also handy to ensure your goldfish's water is not too alkaline or acidic. This can be purchased at any pet store. Do not modify the fish's water, however, unless it is significantly different from neutral. Goldfish can tolerate a wide pH range, and pH modifying chemicals are not a lasting solution without more consistent monitoring than most people will do. A range of pH 6.5-8.25 is fine. Many municipal water supplies buffer their water up to around 7.5, and goldfish will live very happily in this range.

9- *Do not remove the goldfish during a water change. Using a gravel vacuum to suck debris out of the gravel can be done with the fish in the tank. Frequent partial water changes are better than full (and stressful) water changes.

10- *If you do need to catch your fish, consider using a plastic container rather than a net, as the fish can injure its fins and scales while thrashing around. This also increases stress! If a net is the only option, soak it prior to use. Dry nets are much more likely to cause injury than wet ones.

11- Allow the water temperature to change as the seasons change. While goldfish don't like temperatures over 75°F (24°C), they do seem to like seasonal variations where the temperature falls to the high 50s or 60s (15-20°c) in the winter. Fancier goldfish are an exception and cannot easily tolerate temperatures below about 60°F (16°c). Be aware that goldfish will not eat below 50-55°F (10-14°c).

12- Feed the goldfish one to three times daily with food specifically designed for goldfish. If you choose to feed them more often, then reduce the size of the meals so you don't overfeed. Give them only as much as they can eat in a few minutes, and clean any leftovers immediately. If a floating food is used, soak it in water for a few seconds before feeding so that it will sink. This reduces the amount of air the fish swallows while eating, which in turn reduces the risk of buoyancy problems.

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use! BarleysList.org is Where People Go For Pet Info