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You can give tips for people who are first time pet owners or to people who naturally need tips for something.

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I need help:
I need tips to take care of this goldfish i won from a fair. Its my first fish and I'm worried about it dying within a week.

winterflurry a dit :

I need tips to take care of this goldfish i won from a fair. Its my first fish and I'm worried about it dying within a week.

Goldfish need large tanks with very good filtration due to the fact they are VERY dirty. Honestly, one of the harder freshwater fish to keep. Do not keep it in a bowl.

pythonkeeper a dit :

winterflurry a dit :VoirMasquer

I need tips to take care of this goldfish i won from a fair. Its my first fish and I'm worried about it dying within a week.

Goldfish need large tanks with very good filtration due to the fact they are VERY dirty. Honestly, one of the harder freshwater fish to keep. Do not keep it in a bowl.

I kept it in a vase since it was late at night and all pet stores were closed. I plan to get it a tank, food and maybe some other things it needs.

How can i tell if my fish is REALLY dead...
The fish floating sideways means its dead right?

Hey I can help with questions about exotic birds/ parrots!

- Dogs, especially working dogs like huskies and shepherds, need consistent exercise. Keeping them in small places will make them anxious.

- Dogs learn better when they are puppies. As pups, touch their paws, face, etc in order to have them accommodate to grooming procedures later on.

- There are foods that are poisonous to dogs and cats. This includes chocolate, raisins, onions, garlic, coffee, alcohol, etc.

- Cats can carry taxoplasma gondi, a simple celled organism. Although it can infect any mammal, cats are commonly infected through eating birds and rodents. They could then shed the oocysts (eggs) in their feces, and survive for years with it. Taxoplasma gondi has been reported to cause mental health problems, and pregnant women are advised not to handle litter boxes due to it.

-Your pet must be up to date on their rabies vaccine by law.

-Dry food is better than wet/canned food for pets in terms of dental health.

-Certain breeds of animals are predispose to certain diseases.

-Keeping good parasite prevention methods (tick/flea collars, topical applicants, heartworm chewables) will keep your pet safer from harm, as well as in your own home.

-No, your dog's mouth is not cleaner than a humans. So before you let ol' fluffy lick your face, please consider that they could of just ate something weird (like their own feces) or licked their genitals before you allow them to do so.

-Getting pets neutered has its pros and cons. Pros can be like a decrease in certain cancers of genitals or mammary glands, but the cons could be increased chance of UTI (Urinary tract infection) and urinary incompetence. Then again, doing so can also help maintain pet population as thousands of animals get euthanize due to limited space in shelters.

This is sort of a question

My parents said that neutering or spaying pets shortens their lifespan and makes them age faster.. is that true? (If it is, I can see why they dont want to neuter my dog... but it annoys me that they want to spay my cat when outside cats cant even get inside the house nor can she leave to the streets)

griffincraft a dit :

This is sort of a question

My parents said that neutering or spaying pets shortens their lifespan and makes them age faster.. is that true? (If it is, I can see why they dont want to neuter my dog... but it annoys me that they want to spay my cat when outside cats cant even get inside the house nor can she leave to the streets)

Sounds like an old wive's tale or something. I'd say no

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- Cats are best kept inside or confined to the owner's property. Letting cats out to wander around the neighborhood endangers the cat, violates the property rights of neighbors, and the cats will slaughter a large number of small wild animals in their instinctual fit to kill for fun. Contrary to popular belief, house cats are neither wild animals and roaming is not required to keep them healthy. (Indoor cats should receive sufficient exercise by playing with toys and their owner) Indoor cats live longer, and for a good reason. Letting unspayed an unneutered cats outdoors has lead to cats being one of the top 3 worst invasive species on the planet which has driven over 30 species of animals into extinction. Cats are also one of the main carriers of rabies, and a human being is more likely to contract rabies from a cat than they are a bat If cats are taken outdoors, they should be on a leash, in a pet or screened in "catio," or at least supervised and redirected by someone while out.

- Do not get a pet if you cannot afford it. This includes the cost of supplies, maintenance, and vet bills. Always prepare for the latter because you can guarantee that if you keep animals, you will one day end up with a sick animal.

- Always research an animal through books or via the internet before getting one. The last thing you should do is end up getting an animal and have zero idea what to do with it or how to take care of it.

- The most common pet turtle in the world, the red eared slider, is a very difficult pet to keep despite being cheap to obtain and either needs to live in a pond or a very large aquarium comprising of 100+ gallons. Not good pets for the beginner turtle keeper at all. Anyone intent on getting a turtle should look into small tortoises or mud/musk turtles instead.

- Never release a pet into the wild. Most end up dying a cruel and brutal death, and those that do survive end up becoming invasive species. Always look for a shelter, rescue or some other avenue to dispose of your pet if you no longer want to keep it anymore. But never release it.

I kind of need help

lately i'm just sick of my dogs. they keep barking at nothing every 30 minutes and my brother forces me to take them outside, even if it's like 11 at night. i can't take naps anymore. they always fight eachother, and the boxer bites me and jumps at me for no reason. my mom stopped training the boxer because she ran out of money soon after adopted him, and now he is left untrained and a bad dog. help?

Wingedmousie a dit :

I kind of need help

lately i'm just sick of my dogs. they keep barking at nothing every 30 minutes and my brother forces me to take them outside, even if it's like 11 at night. i can't take naps anymore. they always fight each-other, and the boxer bites me and jumps at me for no reason. my mom stopped training the boxer because she ran out of money soon after adopted him, and now he is left untrained and a bad dog. help?

Dogs hear much more things than humans. And they dont like those noises that bother them. Some dogs like to guard their family and bark things away from the door/window.
You Guys better train your dogs or they might have to be put down. Also I don't think you will like that. Because its not good For your dogs to fight other dogs. They may become hurt and they will end um in the vet.

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When your Boxer jumps on you, you should scold him/her. Over and over so he/she understands no biting!!!


Thats much all I got. I don't mind if people add on to my statement.

Wingedmousie a dit :

I kind of need help

lately i'm just sick of my dogs. they keep barking at nothing every 30 minutes and my brother forces me to take them outside, even if it's like 11 at night. i can't take naps anymore. they always fight eachother, and the boxer bites me and jumps at me for no reason. my mom stopped training the boxer because she ran out of money soon after adopted him, and now he is left untrained and a bad dog. help?

Are you sure they are fighting? And not just playing?
Dogs are supposed to be trained when they're a puppy, now it's verry hard to teach them things..
If one of them is doing something bad, don't say its name in an angry tone. This will only confuse it. Say NO loud and clear. And ofcourse reward it when it's being good.

@Wingedmousie
Adding on to Boefie and Madmaddym. It is harder to train dogs after they've reached adulthood but not impossible. Sometimes it's helpful to associate certain sounds with certain actions, for example if they're barking or the boxer is trying to bite you, try bopping them on their snouts and add in a sound you can make easily. The snout thing may sound a bit mean but don't worry it isn't and it doesn't really hurt the dog but they don't like it so if you keep doing that, the plan is to eventually only have to use the sound for them to stop doing something. As Boe said make sure to give them some love when they're good too. Also it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between fighting and playing so look for signs of tail wagging from them when it happens, although even if they are playing I know it can sometimes get a bit too aggressive and they might end up getting hurt anyway, if I think of some advice about that I'll update my post.

griffincraft a dit :

This is sort of a question

My parents said that neutering or spaying pets shortens their lifespan and makes them age faster.. is that true? (If it is, I can see why they dont want to neuter my dog... but it annoys me that they want to spay my cat when outside cats cant even get inside the house nor can she leave to the streets)

As far as I know that's not true, it can help them in a lot of ways as well so unless your pet is around 5 yrs and up which actually can make it difficult and sometimes dangerous for them to have the procedure, it's a pretty good idea to get it done.

My only source is from having pets around all my life and four currently, so while I have experience with animals, it'd probably be better to ask an actual vet or other animal expert if one's available.

winterflurry a dit :

pythonkeeper a dit :VoirMasquer

winterflurry a dit :VoirMasquer

I need tips to take care of this goldfish i won from a fair. Its my first fish and I'm worried about it dying within a week.

Goldfish need large tanks with very good filtration due to the fact they are VERY dirty. Honestly, one of the harder freshwater fish to keep. Do not keep it in a bowl.

I kept it in a vase since it was late at night and all pet stores were closed. I plan to get it a tank, food and maybe some other things it needs.

How can i tell if my fish is REALLY dead...
The fish floating sideways means its dead right?

First off, when you get a tank, (I'm sure you'll probably be told this at the petshop you'll go to) you need to leave the water in there for a few days. Don't put the fish directly into the tank as soon as you've bought it because the chemicals in the water could harm it. To get rid of the chlorine in the water, you should buy some chlorine remover.
You'll probably find some chlorine remover in most pet shops, so make sure that you look for some.

And secondly, if the fish is floating, it could mean that it has indigestion (I think this is something to look out for since a lot of people just get rid of the fish if it's floating).
Be sure you don't feed it too much, but if you do and it's floating, to be sure, leave it for 2-4 days for it to digest it's food (yes it sound weird, but it's better to wait than to get rid a live fish).
You could also check by looking at it's eyes to see if their moving or it's gills to see if it's breathing
a floating goldfish could mean something else is wrong , though.
If it does happen, I highly recommend that you do some further research on it either online, or by asking someone at a pet store.

If your fish has sunk to the bottom of the tank, I'm sorry, but it's most likely dead.

As a dog owner I have some tips of what is safe to feed your dog and what is not safe. Normally, you should not feed your dog any "human food" such as meals with spices or varying ingredients.

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You SHOULD NOT feed your dog:

• chocolate (chocolate is TOXIC to dogs! this is the most important one!)
• tomatoes/tomato seeds
• apples/apple seeds
• garlic
• any form of coffee
• be very careful with any fruits/fruit seeds/pits (this goes for dried fruit as well)
• macadamia nuts
• junk food (even you shouldn't be eating this, so why should your dog be?)

You CAN feed your dog:

• yogurt (good for their stomach)
• peanut butter
• dog food and treats (obviously)
• chicken, beef, etc in small-medium amounts (make sure they are not seasoned at all!)
• Cheerios (a plain cereal, otherwise nothing with sugar)
• cheese (in small amounts)

If you're really unsure, stick to the dog treats you find at your local pet store.
ALWAYS CHECK BEFORE YOU FEED YOUR DOG SOMETHING THAT IS NOT MEANT FOR THEM.
But even then, don't worry, because most of these things will not hurt them unless they are in large quantities.

griffincraft a dit :

This is sort of a question
My parents said that neutering or spaying pets shortens their lifespan and makes them age faster.. is that true? (If it is, I can see why they dont want to neuter my dog... but it annoys me that they want to spay my cat when outside cats cant even get inside the house nor can she leave to the streets)

100% false. It actually can increase lifespan. Spaying/neutering can greatly reduce chances of problems causes by reproductive organs, such as prostate issues and testicular cancer, which can be life threatening! I would read about it
here.

In response to my replies, It is kind of hard for me because my mother keeps spoiling him. She gives the boxer ham during breakfast for no reason then later wonders why he jumps at her and claws her at dinner. I try to train him and ignore him when he is being jumpy, then give him attention when he is being a good boy, but my mom makes it all too hard by promoting bad behavior. I've been trying to tell this to her many times, but she simply doesn't seem to care. But the main problem is the barking.

pythonkeeper a dit :

griffincraft a dit :VoirMasquer

This is sort of a question

My parents said that neutering or spaying pets shortens their lifespan and makes them age faster.. is that true? (If it is, I can see why they dont want to neuter my dog... but it annoys me that they want to spay my cat when outside cats cant even get inside the house nor can she leave to the streets)

Sounds like an old wive's tale or something. I'd say no

Flutterbest a dit :

griffincraft a dit :VoirMasquer

This is sort of a question

My parents said that neutering or spaying pets shortens their lifespan and makes them age faster.. is that true? (If it is, I can see why they dont want to neuter my dog... but it annoys me that they want to spay my cat when outside cats cant even get inside the house nor can she leave to the streets)

As far as I know that's not true, it can help them in a lot of ways as well so unless your pet is around 5 yrs and up which actually can make it difficult and sometimes dangerous for them to have the procedure, it's a pretty good idea to get it done.

My only source is from having pets around all my life and four currently, so while I have experience with animals, it'd probably be better to ask an actual vet or other animal expert if one's available.

Wingedmousie a dit :

griffincraft a dit :VoirMasquer

This is sort of a question

My parents said that neutering or spaying pets shortens their lifespan and makes them age faster.. is that true? (If it is, I can see why they dont want to neuter my dog... but it annoys me that they want to spay my cat when outside cats cant even get inside the house nor can she leave to the streets)

I got my dog spayed, and If anything it helped her.

100% false. It actually can increase lifespan. Spaying/neutering can greatly reduce chances of problems causes by reproductive organs, such as prostate issues and testicular cancer, which can be life threatening! I would read about it
here.

Ohhh, ok, thanks! Too bad my dog is 7 years old now, else I wouldve demanded we take him to get neutered too (poor dog, he is so whipped around female dogs that he almost got run over by a car once). It's also relieving that it wont make my cat's life shorter

Wingedmousie a dit :

griffincraft a dit :VoirMasquer

This is sort of a question
My parents said that neutering or spaying pets shortens their lifespan and makes them age faster.. is that true? (If it is, I can see why they dont want to neuter my dog... but it annoys me that they want to spay my cat when outside cats cant even get inside the house nor can she leave to the streets)

100% false. It actually can increase lifespan. Spaying/neutering can greatly reduce chances of problems causes by reproductive organs, such as prostate issues and testicular cancer, which can be life threatening! I would read about it
here.

In response to my replies, It is kind of hard for me because my mother keeps spoiling him. She gives the boxer ham during breakfast for no reason then later wonders why he jumps at her and claws her at dinner. I try to train him and ignore him when he is being jumpy, then give him attention when he is being a good boy, but my mom makes it all too hard by promoting bad behavior. I've been trying to tell this to her many times, but she simply doesn't seem to care. But the main problem is the barking.

Gonna go cliche here, but try talking to your mom again. Tell her the reasons and suggest things to make it better. The barking.. well..
The dog probally hears things we don't, but i can understand that it's verry annoying. My dog does this too, but rarely, and when i tell her no she stops.
If it's barking for attention, ignore it. I know it sucks soooo bad, but you gotta try. And when it's quiet, reward it.
When we were on a holiday, our dog kept barking, and it was really annoying to our surroundings, and ofcourse us. We bought a dog head halter.
But this is not a solution when you are at home.
The rest that could help, is basically only for when it's barking at other people.
Maybe even try a bark collar, but thats if it's REALLY a hopeless case and you've tried everything.

Ah, my dog is currently barking at the stairs....

Thanks for tips

Kenny has a new goldfish friend
The pet smart worker suggested a bowl ( kind of big ) and other materials
Hopefully the two will live long

winterflurry a dit :

Thanks for tips

Kenny has a new goldfish friend
The pet smart worker suggested a bowl ( kind if big ) and other materials
Hopefully the two will live long

I've learned the hard way that pet store workers may or may not be idiots in regards to animals. The bowl should be temporary until you have a tank and let it develop a bacteria cycle and be dechlorinated. The tanks also needs a filter, again especially for something as dirty as goldfish. Bowls generally have a volume of no greater than 5 gallons and obviously lack a filter; a proper goldfish tank should be 40+ gallons with a strong filter. Failure to provide a proper environment will result in a goldfish dying before its time.
You generally should not also get new animals until your set up is prepared for the first one.

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Another general tip:

- If a larger snake, such as a python, boa, or anaconda bites and constricts you, the best way to get it off is to pour an alcoholic product like cheap vodka or mouthwash in its mouth, or grabbing the tail and bending it towards its back. The resulting discomfort will make it release its grip in an attempt to get away from you. Yes, fending off a snake attack is that easy.
Probably not a tip anyone here will hopefully ever have to use, but thought it was too cool to not share nonetheless. Also works on smaller snakes.

pythonkeeper a dit :

winterflurry a dit :VoirMasquer

Thanks for tips

Kenny has a new goldfish friend
The pet smart worker suggested a bowl ( kind if big ) and other materials
Hopefully the two will live long

I've learned the hard way that pet store workers may or may not be idiots in regards to animals. The bowl should be temporary until you have a tank and let it develop a bacteria cycle and be dechlorinated. The tanks also needs a filter, again especially for something as dirty as goldfish. Bowls generally have a volume of no greater than 5 gallons and obviously lack a filter; a proper goldfish tank should be 40+ gallons with a strong filter. Failure to provide a proper environment will result in a goldfish dying before its time.
You generally should not also get new animals until your set up is prepared for the first one.

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Another general tip:

- If a larger snake, such as a python, boa, or anaconda bites and constricts you, the best way to get it off is to pour an alcoholic product like cheap vodka or mouthwash in its mouth, or grabbing the tail and bending it towards its back. The resulting discomfort will make it release its grip in an attempt to get away from you. Yes, fending off a snake attack is that easy.
Probably not a tip anyone here will hopefully ever have to use, but thought it was too cool to not share nonetheless. Also works on smaller snakes.

alright. only reason i got a another goldfish so the first one doesn't plan to jump out of its bowl. Which can possibly happen if i forget to clean up the gravel.