Pets Information |
Need a Low-Maintenance Pet? Try a Tarantula!
If you're like me, then you don't really have the luxury of keeping a high-maintenance pet such as a dog. Even a less demanding pet such as a cat might be beyond your time constraints. Fish tanks can be difficult too, since it's easy to under-estimate the time and effort involved in keeping them clean. So what options do you have? Well, you could try a snake or one of the hardier lizard varieties. My personal favorites, however, are tarantulas. That's right-those big, hairy, eight-legged freaks. Contrary to popular belief, tarantulas are really not deadly; in fact, there are no known instances of anyone dying from a tarantula bite. In addition, most of the pet store specimens that you'll encounter are exceedingly docile, and will generally not bite unless they are severely provoked. The most common variety available is the Chilean rose hair tarantula (Grammastola rosea), which is notoriously gentle and easy to handle. It is also known to have fairly mild venom, and almost never bites. Other docile and readily available species include the Honduran curly hair tarantula (Brachypelma albopilosum) and the Guyana pinktoe tarantula (Avicularia avicularia). Unlike a dog or a cat, these animals do not require much care. They can go for weeks without food or water, although regular care is still recommended. They do not generate much waste either, and so cleaning their cages is easy as well. Some species do have rather specific humidity requirements, but the most common pet store varieties are not so demanding. They also require very little space, and most of them can be kept in plastic shoebox-sized containers. Make sure that their lids fit tightly though, since these animals can be quite good at escaping. I do recommend reading up on tarantula care, so as to learn the proper care requirements for the specimen that you choose. Be aware that some species can be quite aggressive, and are not recommended for beginners. These species are less commonly available though, and are generally obtained via mail order. If in doubt, start with a Chilean rose hair, as this is an excellent beginner species. Owners should be aware that even within docile species, there can be some individuals that are more aggressive than others. In addition, there is always the possibility of an allergic reaction if you are bitten. In theory, this could result in a potentially fatal anaphylactic shock, although I am not aware of any circumstances in which this has actually happened. For these reasons, new owners should learn how to read a tarantula's body language, and should stay away from species that have a reputation for biting without provocation. Also, do remember that you never have to actually hold the tarantulas-just as you never have to actually hold your aquarium fish. I recommend reading up on handling techniques, so that you can move the animals around without having to touch them. This can be helpful for those who are squeamish, or who simply wish to be cautious. When in doubt, err on the side of safety. If you're not intimidated by the prospect of keeping one of these wondrous creatures, then I recommend them highly. They can be quite addictive, and they never fail to entertain. About The Author V. Berba Velasco Jr., Ph.D. is a senior electrical and software engineer at Cellular Technology Ltd (http://www.immunospot.com, http://www.elispot-analyzers.de, http://www.elispot.cn). The neighborhood children have referred to him as the "Crocodile Hunter" though, due to his impressive menagerie of magnificent arachnids.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Too Many Cats? Cats are becoming increasingly popular as pets these days, and a big question is, how many cats should a family have? For some people, one is more than enough, others have half a dozen or more. Here are some sure- fire ways to know when you've reached your limit. Our Pets Having a pet is an experiance that I think everyone should have. Itreaches us on a level that few other experiances can. Top Five Dog Breeds for Homes with Children Top five dog breeds for homes with children* Beagle* Bernese Mountain Dog* Bichon Frise* Bloodhound* Boston Terrier* Boxer* Brittany Spaniel* Bulldog* Coonhound* English Setter* Foxhound* Gordon Setter* Irish Setter* Keeshond* Labrador Retriever* Mastiff* Newfoundland* Pugs* Samoyed* Siberian Husky* Springer Spaniel* Standard Poodles* VizslaWith proper training of both the children and the dog, any one of the above breeds should be able to adapt without many problems. Of course, there are some individuals, both human and canine, that simply refuse to get along. Dog Training - How To Win Your Dogs Confidence Settling a puppy into a new home successful is often easier than an older dog because a young dog will adapt more willingly to joining what is, in effect, a new pack.Even so, it's usually possible to win the confidence of older dogs so that they will adapt well to their new environment, although this will require more patience. Canine Diabetes - Does Your Dog Have it? Canine Diabetes: A Serious Dog Disease That is Completely ManageableCanine diabetes is a serious disease that causes there to be too much glucose in the blood. If your pet has any of the signs, a dog health exam will help you find out with certainty. Canine Eclampsia, or Milk Fever In Dogs Eclampsia, or milk fever, is an acute, life-threatening condition which attacks a brood bitch about 3 to 4 weeks after whelping puppies. It is more common in the small breeds of dogs that have had large litters. Seeing Past Cuteness When Selecting the Best Dog Breed For You: Part 1 of 3 Are there so many great dog breeds out there that you just can't decide where to begin? If so, let's break it down and sort through all the options. Over a series of 3 unscientific articles, we'll begin by looking at the seven Groups of dogs that are acknowledged by the American Kennel Club. The Beauty of Boxer Dogs Boxer dogs are an all around great breed, especially skilled in hunting and police work, and are always alert and vigilant, making for a very instinctive guard dog. Boxer dogs can bring you years of joyful companionship with a life expectantcy of about 9 to 11 years, but they could possibly live as long as 15 years!The Boxer dogs most developed sense is his sense of hearing. What You Should Never Feed Your Dog Unfortunately, there are a number of household items which we tend to take for granted that are potentially very dangerous to your dog's health. It is especially important to be aware of this because as you know, dogs are essentially scavengers and will often eat just about anything they can sink their fangs into. How to Crate Train Your Puppy One of the most difficult hurdles that any new puppy owner faces is housebreaking or as it is sometimes also referred to; potty training or doing business. Although there is no tactic that comes with a 100% guarantee, one of the most successful methods is crate training. Pet Bird Home Hazards - Keep Your Feathered Friend Safe Interacting with a pet bird outside of it's cage is one of the joys of living with a bird, but the home that is safe for us, may not be so safe for our feathered friends. The little day to day things that we take for granted can injure or kill a bird in the blink of an eye. Keeping Your Cat Healthy Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and water and they will be quite healthy most of the time. Like any other living thing, however, they can get sick and can come down with anything from a minor cold to a major ailment. Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water? You know that cats should always have a supply of water, especially if you are feeding them dried food. There on your nice clean kitchen floor is a bowl of nice clean fresh water, in a nice clean bowl. Pet Ear Infections Is your dog or cat tormented by ear infections? Do you spend time and money at the veterinarian's office trying to bring relief to your beloved pet, only to find that another infection appears over time? If so, you may want to try some more natural approaches to preventing and treating your pet's ear infections.Dogs and cats have an incredible sense of hearing. Using Electrolytes to Avoid Equine Dehydration For heat dissipation and body cooling, a horse trotting at 11.2 mph loses about 3. How To Keep Your Cat Healthy - Cat Feeding Explained Cats have a reputation for being finicky eaters, but that is usually a distortion of the truth. Cats have a very keen sense of taste and smell, and they know what they like. A Dog Day Care Business Can Be A Lot of Fun! If you love dogs and you enjoy making money then a dog day care business may be a very good fit for you!Let me ask you a question, "Can you imagine starting your very own dog day care business?" If you asked yourself that question and still aren't sure, let me give you a bit of dog day care business advice.. Worms in Your Dog... Gross! Of all the parasites a dog can catch, worms take home first prize for Most Disgusting. Nobody wants to imagine little worms crawling around in their dog's digestive system, but it's a fairly common ailment that's easily passed from dog to dog. 3 Tips For Dealing With Dog Emergencies Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog - or another dog - ever suffer a serious, life-threatening injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or a bee sting? It's great to know your vet's phone number, but what if something happens during off hours? What if you don't know where the closest emergency animal clinic is located?Augh! Enough with the questions already, right? Any emergency is stressful and scary, and one involving that furry little four-legged member of your family is no exception. The toughest of owners can be instantly reduced to helpless balls of mush if something's wrong with their dogs and they can't figure out what to do. Pet Friendly Vacations - 10 Tips for Hassle-Free Travel with Your Pet Pet friendly vacations and travel planning make sense -- after all, pets are family members too! In the United States alone, over 60 million households have one or more pets. Pet owners in 15 million of those households travel with their pet, and the majority stay in pet friendly lodging. |
home | site map | contact us |