Library
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This handout provides basic guidelines for feeding a pet chinchilla a healthy and balanced diet tailored to the specific needs of chinchillas.
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Chinchillas can make fun, enjoyable pets. They can live 15-20 years, so the family must plan for a long-term commitment. They require a cage with a wheel to run in to help them maintain their health and strength. Yearly veterinary examinations are highly advised as they are very good at hiding symptoms of illness.
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Chinchillas are generally hardy animals but can have several unique problems; understanding them will help you care for your pet and manage potential health problems.
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The cage should allow the chinchilla to move around a lot, as they are very active, agile, and acrobatic animals. Multilevel cages, similar to those designed for ferrets, work well, as long as there are no areas where a chinchilla could get its limbs or feet caught. Most owners house one or two pets in a cage; often the two pets are mates. Chinchillas require a dust bath for normal grooming. Cages should be emptied and cleaned at least weekly with soap and water.
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One of the most unique and striking-looking dogs, Chinese Cresteds resemble pint-sized stallions. Lively and friendly, they keep faces washed with kissing. Like all Toy breeds, they were bred for loving companionship, and they carry out their job well.
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The Chinese Shar-Pei tends to present one face to his family and another to the world at large. To the latter, the dog behaves in a calm, dignified and aloof manner; with his family, the dog will lighten up and tap into his inner clown.
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Playful, dedicated and eager to please, they'd make lousy guard dogs. They are calm, non-aggressive, and would rather hang out with their owners than run too far away in open areas.
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Chocolate is toxic to dogs. While rarely fatal, chocolate ingestion often results in significant illness. Chocolate is toxic because it contains the alkaloid theobromine. Theobromine is like caffeine and is used medicinally as a diuretic, heart stimulant, blood vessel dilator, and muscle relaxant.
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Choke is a relatively common condition that occurs when food or a foreign body blocks the horse's esophagus (gullet), which is the tube that takes food from the back of the mouth (pharynx) to the stomach.
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Before getting a reptile, research all aspects of reptile ownership, including the appropriate reptile for your lifestyle, how to provide it with a proper diet, suitable housing, and a healthy, stimulating environment. All reptiles need to be examined by a reptile-savvy veterinarian immediately after purchase or adoption , and then at least annually after that. These pets usually do not act sick until they are very sick and need immediate veterinary attention. Regular veterinary care, plus an informed, knowledgeable pet owner, greatly reduces the likelihood of illness and death in these pets.
