Meet Calliope

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I uploaded a post, but I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you to my rabbit. He was 6 weeks old when I adopted him (Which was around two months ago), and he is a mini lop male rabbit. His name is Calliope; He was named after the musical instrument that played on most old Carousels. 

Here are a few pictures I got of Calliope while I was cleaning his cage, and he was looking down on me the way a King looks down on a Peasant. 

Simple Bacon and Cheddar Dog Muffins

  Hello Everyone! Today I'm going to be telling you how to make easy and safe muffins for your dog. Please keep in mind your dogs own specific health before making these for your furry friend.
  Anyway, for these recipe, you will need:
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheese
- 2 Eggs
-1 Cup Flour
-1 Cup Milk
- 3 slices of Bacon
- 1 tbsp of Bacon grease
- Salt and Baking Poweder

  Directions- (Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees F )
1. Cook the bacon until crispy, then dice it.
2. In a medium bowl; combine flour, salt, and baking Powder
3. Then add milk and eggs
4. Mix well with a whisk, until all ingredients are thoroughly combined
5.  Add the cheddar Cheese and mix well
6.  Now add the bacon and mix well
7. Add the bacon grease and mix well with your whisk
8.  Pour the batter into your muffin pan
9.  Place your muffin pans in the oven and allow them to bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
10. Transfer your muffins from the pan to a cooling rack; allow them to cool fully before giving them to your dog.
  Here is a link to the video where I show the step by step process of making these treats -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1racoXPBr4 -


Remember to feed the treats sparingly (no more than one every other day) If kept in a sealed container in the fridge, these treats keep for about three weeks.

  I hope your dogs enjoy the treats, I know both of my boys did!

The Dangers of Cotton Nesting Material

  Today we're going to be discussing the dangers of fluffy cotton nesting material for Hamsters. This nesting material is often offered inside tunnels and other toys, or on it's own by most chain Pet Stores. Words used by the Pet Stores to describe it are "Comfy! Safe! Fluffy! Soft!".
   It doesn't matter how many times if says "safe" on the packaging, cotton nesting material can be deadly to your hamster. Hamsters tend to ingest small amounts of their bedding, which is completely fine if you are using a safe nesting material. But cotton nesting material can cause blocks in your hamsters digestive system and cause problems in their intestines; which can kill your hamster. Cotton Nesting Material can also get wrapped tightly around one of your hamsters limbs, and there are cases of a hamster actually chewing off one of their legs in order to get free. In infant hamster, the material can get wrapped around their necks and choke them to death.
  Cotton Nesting Material can come in all sorts of colors, but that doesn't change the fact that it's absolutely essential that you keep it out of your hamsters nest. If you purchase a toy that has cotton nesting material in it, simply remove the cotton before giving the toy to your hamster. You can google "the dangers of cotton nesting material" and hundreds of results will show up in your search.
  Some safe nesting material choices include; Shredded Toilet paper, aspen, and paper based bedding.
 This is cotton nesting material:It's incredibly dangerous to your hamster, so make sure you remove nesting material from any toys and don't give it to your hamster.

Everything You Need For A Hamster- The Basics

 Hey guys! Today I'm going to be going over the bare essential supplies for a hamster. First, let's talk cages. There are plenty of commercial cages out on the market today; the problem is they are often overpriced and not nearly large enough for your hamster. The minimum cage size for a Syrian Hamster in the US is 360 square inches, and for dwarves it's 288 square inches. Most of the commercial cages do NOT meet those requirements. You have two choices, to find a commercial cage that is large enough, or to make your own. I prefer the second choice; there are a lot of great options for DIY cages. Bin cages are incredibly popular, as are cages made from Ikea products. You can simply google DIY hamster cages, and you will find hundreds of results. Bin cages are inexpensive and easy to make, you can have quite a large bin cage for half the price of a tiny commercial cage.
 You will also need a safe bedding or substrate. Beddings to avoid are pine and cedar bedding, which can cause respiratory problems in your hamsters. Safe beddings are aspen and paper based beddings. Common brands are kaytee and carefresh. You will want to have a minimum of three inches of substrate at the bottom of your cage, since hamsters are burrowing animals.
 A wheel is another essential you cannot leave out, and there are a few types of wheels you can buy. The first is a comfort wheel, which is shaped like a traditional wheel and tends to be on the inexpensive side. Another wheel is the silent spinner, which tends to be more expensive. The flying saucer wheel is tilted at an angel instead of standing upright like most wheels. It's important for your wheel to have a smooth running surface, avoid wire or mesh wheels, as these can lead to broken legs and other injuries. I personally find that my dwarf hamsters prefer flying saucer wheels, and my syrians tend to like comfort wheels or silent spinners. Make sure that your wheel is large enough that your hamsters back doesn't bend while it's running.
 Proper diet is essential for your hamster, I won't go into serious detail here, but there will be another post explaining it. You will need to purchase a mix for your hamster that was a 15% protein minimum. Your hamster should also be provided with fresh vegetables (once again, I have a separate post detailing safe vegetables for your hamster.)
 Your hamster should also always have access to fresh water, whether from a bowl or a bottle. You should change the water at least every other day, if not every day. Finally, hideouts and toys are important to have in your hamsters cage. Hamsters should be provided with at least one hideout, if not more. Toys will help relieve boredom in your hamster, and provide mental stimulation; otherwise your hamster may become moody and destructive. Chews are also essential, unlike a humans, a hamsters teeth are constantly growing. You must provide something for your hamster to gnaw on, so it can wear it's teeth down.
 These are just the bare essentials you must provide for your hamster, there are a ton of other fun products out on the market that are safe and fun for your hamster.  Hamster make great pets, but you must provide them with a suitable environment for them to live long and happy lives.

Using Thyme to Treat Respiratory Infections in Hamsters

  Respiratory Infections in Hamsters can be fatal, but they don't have to be; treating them can be simple and easy. I always recommend asking a vet if you have any questions, so don't rely in this as a substitute for the advice of a vet.
 First, you'll need to determine if your hamster does in fact have a Respiratory Infection. Here are some of the signs you may see in your hamster:
-Sneezing
-Wheezing or Shortness of breath
-Mucus discharge from the nose or eyes
-lethargy or inactivity
-Shaking or Shivering
-Extreme loss of weight
 These are just a few of the most common signs of a respiratory infection in hamsters. I have used Thyme in the past to treat respiratory infections in my hamsters, this is how I prepared it.
 -- You will need some fresh sprigs of Thyme (Dried thyme can be used), two mugs, a coffee filter, and a pan to boil water.
-Step 1- Pour boiling water into the mug
-Step 2- Add Thyme
-Step 3- Allow it to steep for about 15 minutes minimum
-Step 4- Place the coffee filter over your second mug, and then pour the liquid from the first mug into the second. The coffee filter will allow the liquid to pass through, but the thyme pieces will be caught in the filter.
-Step 5- Use a dropper or syringe to feed the liquid to your hamster. You may have to force feed your hamster since a sick hamster may be unwilling to drink on it's own.
  Please Note; You may need to give the thyme infused water to your hamster more than once in order to clear up the respiratory infection. Always make sure your hamster has access to dry bedding and fresh water. If your hamsters conditions becomes worse, contact a vet for further treatment.

-------I have a video showing you exactly how to make the thyme-water. Here's the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S22SJnbzp5o   ----------

Hello!

 Hey everyone! My name is Haven and I love animals! This is a pet care blog, where you will find lot's of fun and easy DIY's, as well as reliable pet care information.
 The animals that I cover are:
-Dogs
-Fish (including Bettas)
-Hamsters
-Rabbits

 I currently own a standard dachshund named Torpedo; he's my best friend and I can't imagine life without him. My other pets are two hamsters (Nutmeg and Trinket), three bettas, and a tank full of goldfish. I am in the process of adopting a rabbit, so you will see lot's of photos of it once it's adopted.
 If you like the content you see here, check out my Youtube channel, HAVENSANIMALS.