SB Pets Archives - SB Magazine

SB PETS: Taking Care of Your Adorable Pet Rabbit

SB Magazine — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 22:45:02 +0000

Rabbits make wonderful house pets and offer endless joy to their owners. However, many new rabbit owners are not aware of the requirements for properly caring for their pets. This lack of knowledge often leads to preventable health issues in pet rabbits. It’s important to understand that, like any other pet, rabbits have specific needs that must be met to ensure they live a long, happy, and healthy life. If you’re a proud owner of a cute and furry pet rabbit or are considering adopting one, read on for helpful tips to get you started and ensure that your long-eared friend is always in top condition.

Tips for

Bunny-Proofing

Your Home

Domestic rabbits are happiest when kept indoors where they are protected and warm. House rabbits can move freely in a bunny-proofed room or rooms, or they can be kept in a puppy pen, bunny condo, or a large rabbit cage. It’s important to ensure that they have enough space to hop around and should be given time to exercise daily. Moreover, keeping your rabbit’s home in an area where it can interact with your family is recommended. The family or living room is an ideal location for their habitat.

Rabbits are natural chewers and love to explore their surroundings. Giving them ample space to run around is crucial, but it’s important to take precautionary measures to ensure their safety. Keep your rabbit away from electric cords, household chemicals, and houseplants that could be harmful. Bunny-proofing your home is the best way to protect your belongings and create a safe space for your bunny. You can cover electrical cords with flexible plastic tubing or lift them out of reach. Use plastic guards to safeguard your furniture and baseboards from being chewed on. Keep in mind that your rabbit will try to chew on just about anything within their reach.

Taking Care of Your

Rabbit’s Diet and Bathroom Needs

When it comes to a rabbit’s diet, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. A rabbit’s diet should mainly consist of hay and vegetables, with a few fruit treats every now and then. Make sure you do your research to determine which vegetables and fruits are safe for your rabbit. It is never a good idea to give a rabbit human processed food. Additionally, rabbit pellets are an option but should be supplemented with hay and fresh vegetables. Your bunny must always have access to fresh hay and water.

Rabbits generally have a natural inclination to pee and poop in one area. Be sure to set up a medium-sized cat litter box near their food and water bowls. Use a rabbit-safe, recycled newspaper pellet litter on the bottom of the litter box. Do not use cat litter or wood shavings; these are not safe for rabbits. To encourage good litter box habits, place a layer of hay on top of the litter. Rabbits like to eat hay and poop at the same time.

Tips for

Proper Rabbit Grooming and Care

Rabbits are naturally hygienic animals and clean themselves frequently, but they still require regular grooming. It’s essential to brush your bunny every day to remove excess fur, as it can cause severe digestive problems if ingested. Unlike cats, rabbits cannot cough up hairballs. Additionally, trimming your rabbit’s nails regularly is crucial to prevent them from curling and growing into their paws or getting caught on something.

Regular veterinary checkups are essential for keeping your bunny healthy. During these checkups, your vet will examine your rabbit’s ears, eyes, teeth, and gut to ensure that everything is in order. This will help keep your pet in the best possible condition and identify any early signs of illness. Additionally, consider having your rabbit spayed or neutered. This procedure can reduce aggressive behavior and improve litter box habits.

Rabbits are naturally social creatures that enjoy spending time with their human companions. Their lively and energetic nature is both infectious and entertaining. As caretakers, it’s our responsibility to ensure that our furry friends are content. By understanding how rabbits perceive the world around them, we can maintain their happiness and overall well-being.

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Including your Furry Friend on Your Wedding Day

SB Magazine — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:40:29 +0000

By Hailey Lawson

We’ve all heard the traditional wedding day phrase, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue,” but what about something furry? Your wedding is an exhilarating day for family and friends to celebrate, and we all know that weddings can be very stressful, especially if you want to include your pet. For those pet owners who want to include their four-legged companion on their special day, here are some tips to make it a stress-free experience for all.

Add a Personal Touch: Including your pets in engagement photos and engagement announcements can make the big day that much more personal and special. However, the difficult part will be keeping your pet from stealing the limelight. Many pets are used to posing for the camera, but make sure that the indoor or outdoor setting for the photo shoot is safe for you and your pet.

Determine Your Pet’s Role: Before the big day, decide what role your pet will play. Is your pet going to play a large role in the wedding, such as best canine or best feline? Or maybe they’re going to be the ring bearer or walk the bride down the aisle. Dress them to impress and make sure their attire is comfortable and fits correctly. Have their collar or leash match the colors of your wedding. Maybe a simple color-coordinated satin bow tie or dazzling tux for your furry friend will add the right touch.

Check with the Venue: Always check with the wedding venue beforehand to ensure that pets are allowed on the property. Also, don’t forget to have some treats and water available, and take your pet to the venue before the ceremony to familiarize them with the surroundings. While you are there, take a minute to determine a quick exit in case they get upset, too excited during the wedding, or require an emergency potty break.

Be Prepared for the Unexpected: Tell your photographer that you want to include your pet in some of the wedding photos. This allows the photographer to plan photo ideas involving your pet and also allows them to prepare for unpredictable pet behavior. Even with well-behaved pets, there’s always a chance that they’ll misbehave or become stressed during the day. The day’s commotion can be increasingly stressful for your pet, so make sure they can handle the excitement.

Inform Guests: If you plan to have your pet at the wedding, it’s essential to inform your guests in advance. Include this information on your save-the-date cards and invitations to allow people with allergies to plan accordingly.

Plan Ahead: To ensure that both you and your pet can enjoy the event, consider hiring a pet sitter to take care of them during the ceremony and reception, and take them home so that way you don’t worry about their comfort and safety or if they’ve accidentally ruined your cake. It’s great fun to have your beloved pet around on this special day, but you don’t want to worry about them the whole time.

Incorporating your pet into your wedding celebration can make it even more memorable and heartwarming. However, it’s essential to consider your pet’s well-being and comfort throughout the process. With careful planning, you can create a paw-some wedding that will be cherished by both you and your furry friend for a lifetime.

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Are Bearded Dragons Good Pets?

SB Magazine — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:15:42 +0000

When thinking about getting a bearded dragon, the first thing people usually ask is, “Do bearded dragons make good pets?”. The short answer is yes, bearded dragons make GREAT pets! Affectionately called “beardies” by their owners, these exotic lizards from Australia are known to be very friendly and curious little creatures. Because of their good temperament, bearded dragons have become one of the most popular reptile pets. Beardies are active, inquisitive, and fun to watch and play with; however, they require a bit of a learning curve for the beginner reptile pet owner.

Here are a few reasons why a bearded dragon may be the right pet for you.

Behavior

Bearded dragons definitely have the best behavior of any pet lizard. If you handle them gently, beardies are generally easygoing and non-aggressive. They have great personalities and dispositions. Bearded dragons often display amusing behaviors like arm waving, head bobbing, and beard billowing. They will run around their aquarium for attention and stare you down if dinner is late! Beardies enjoy daily interactions with their owners and want to be taken out of their cages and explore your home — under careful supervision, of course.

Sleeping

Bearded dragons are diurnal, which means they are active during the day and sleep at night — just like us humans. So fortunately, bearded dragons won’t keep you up at night scratching around or planning a big nighttime escape like nocturnal pets. Beardies generally wake up around sunrise, however, the time they wake up is affected by environmental factors. They are cold-blooded, which means the temperature affects their daily activities and waking time.

Handling

Smaller animals are usually harder to handle and easier to injure than larger animals, but bearded dragons are generally easy to handle because they’re calm and hardy. Also, the size and temperament of bearded dragons make routine care simple. Beardies are the perfect size to handle and enjoy being handled. The Proper handling of your bearded dragon is crucial to building a solid and trusting bond. Additionally, they are large enough to be taken safely by younger children with little risk to them or the child.

Lifespan

In the wild bearded dragons typically live about five years, but they often live 8-15 years in captivity with proper care and nutrition. Bearded dragons are very robust animals and generally don’t suffer from disease or serious health complications. With adequate housing, a nutritional and balanced diet, and veterinarian check-ups, your bearded dragon will live a long and healthy life, making them great long-term companions. Raising a beardie from a juvenile can be a rewarding and joyful experience.

Cleaning

Fortunately, bearded dragons are one of the easiest pet lizards to maintain. Beardies like keeping themselves clean and don’t smell. However, your bearded dragon’s home will need daily spot cleaning to keep it healthy and happy. You’ll need to spend a few minutes cleaning up any unwanted food and cleaning up droppings each day. With daily care, your bearded dragon’s home will only need a full cleaning once or twice a month.

Feeding

Bearded dragons are omnivores, meaning they eat plant and animal-based foods. Therefore, you’ll need to provide your bearded dragon with a proper diet and plenty of clean water each day. Young bearded dragons are fed once or twice a day, while adult beardies are fed once a day. Luckily, beardies are not fussy eaters. They enjoy a wide variety of insects, vegetables, and fruits. So, finding inexpensive food they like is not too difficult.

Final Thoughts

Bearded dragons are great pets for many people. They are suitable pets for adults and older children. Beardies are friendly, animated, curious, easy to care for, fun to watch and play with, and capable of bonding with their owners. They are hardy and robust animals when cared for properly, but remember, always do your homework about this type of pet or any pet before adding them to your family.

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Visiting Shreveport’s Dog Park

SB Magazine — Mon, 23 May 2022 14:57:48 +0000

VISITING SHREVEPORT’S

DOG PARK

BY E. Elise Spoor

Tails are wagging and water is splashing at the Shreveport Dog Park! The park boasts two areas for canine friends to explore: a small dog area and a large dog area.

The large dog area has a gate that leads into a smaller fenced-in containment and then another gate for entrance into the main area of the park. This type of entrance means you can easily enter the park without worry that your furry friend or someone else’s will get loose on the outside in the shuffle of coming or going.

Here are some things to keep in mind when visiting the dog park:

Plan ahead. Bring water, a drinking dish, and a towel. There are water fountains at the dog park that should be in service soon, but it helps to be prepared with your own. There is a pond on location so you will need a towel if your dog likes to get wet! The towel can also be used at the dog wash area to prepare your dog for leaving the park clean and for getting back into the vehicle.

Enter slowly. As a respect for others in the park, take care to wait a bit before releasing your dog at the gate. Allow them to greet other dogs slowly, with your keen guidance and observation, while in close proximity to your dog. For the most part things should go smoothly but keep in mind that all dogs are different and, depending on the situation, have the potential to display territorial or aggressive behaviors at any time. This is especially so with intact males and certain breeds, so always watch the body language of your dog to prevent issues.

Let other dog owners know if your dog is a rescue. No two dogs are the same and no two days have the same dogs at the park. If your canine friend is a rescue, let others know. Many rescue dog owners are working on socialization with people and other dogs to strengthen trust in their dog. It’s always a good thing to advocate for your dog. A growing puppy experiences changes which may warrant some future preventative training action on your part.

The Shreveport Dog Park is a great way for dogs to get out, explore, exercise, and have a little fun meeting new friends!

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