The Facts About Your Ferret's Diet By Scott Reinheart

The main thing you need to know about your ferret's diets is simple: meat, no plants. The diet should consist of at least 30-40% protein, with 20-30% fat, less than three percent fiber, and low in carbohydrates. Ferrets simply cannot process protein from plants.

Your pet ferret's diet should ensure that food is available at all times, too. Ferrets have a very fast metabolism and a short digestive system, so they need to eat often. Often means at least every three to four hours. It is much easier, and better for your pet, to just leave food out constantly, along with fresh water. As a rule ferrets will eat only enough to meet their immediate needs, so you don't have to worry about them getting fat. If they do appear to be getting fat, take your pet to the vet to see if there is some medical problem. Lacking that, exercise is the best way to keep your ferret in tip-top shape.

The most important part is going to be your vigilance. You have to read the labels and understand what they are saying. The closer to the beginning an ingredient, the more there is of it. So if meat meal comes first, there is more of that than any other item. Beware, though, of split products, like soy flour and soy meal. You have to add the two together to get the true proportions in the food.

There are several quality ferret foods available now, but you have to read the ingredients. The better the diet, the more expensive it is. But it is worth it to see that your ferret has the best diet available to keep him happy and healthy.

Any time you want to change your ferret's diet, you must do so gradually. It's best to mix in the new food with the old and gradually increasing the new foods as a percentage of the whole meal. It is often best to begin your pups on a mixture of foods to avoid the 'new food negatives' later on. It is just good common sense to have two foods on hand that your ferret will eat, in case one of them is suddenly unavailable.

Treats should only be given in moderation, and those should be vitamin supplements and hairball remedies which ferrets love and which does them some good at the same time. Don't use them too often, but they can come in handy for training aids. Other treats that ferrets like in their diet are hard-boiled or scrambled eggs and little pieces of cooked meat. The only time you should use commercial treats is if they are meat based. You want to stay away from treats that are based on grains, vegetables, and sugars any time. Ferrets love sweets, but you have to be careful and not give sweets to them, even raisins and other fruits. Sugar is not good for ferrets, period.

If you cannot find a quality ferret diet locally, you may want to go online. Barring that, premium cat foods will suffice. But you have to make sure and use a kitten food that is high in protein. Once your ferret is four years or more, you can switch to regular adult cat food. Again, it is up to you to be vigilant and use only premium brands with the right mixtures of protein, fats, fibers, and carbohydrates. As a general rule you should avoid generic (or 'house') brands, since these are generally not up to the quality you need for your loving pet.

Scot Reinheart is a ferret enthusiast and author. He resides in Centerville, MD. He spends his time teaching others how to raise and properly care for ferrets. For more tips on ferret diet, visit his site by clicking here.

Gel Ant Farms - A Space Race Spin Off By John R Richards

Gel ant farms are just one of the hundreds of spin-off from the space program. We've always thought of space research as being a bit wacky. Ever since the Russians launched Laika the dog into space for no apparent reason (other than to get one over on the Americans) and since Alan Shepard used a six iron to hit a golf ball on the moon, we've been wondering what space research is all about.

Well, it turns out that ant farms also feature high on Nasa's list of worthwhile experiments. Since the space program began there have been dozens of experiments devised to discover how processes that rely on gravity, or are affected by gravity, operate when freed from that ubiquitous force.

From seeing how unfortunate spiders manage to spin webs to the growing of perfect crystals, they've all been tried. Some are successful and some aren't. But that's science, of course.

The mystery of underground navigation

And one of these experiments was the now famous Gel Ant Farm. Quite how ants manage to build and navigate their way through subterranean tunnels has always been something of a mystery. So, to try to discover exactly how they did it, scientists at NASA began a project to develop a transparent medium in which ants would be able to build tunnels, just as in soil but, all-importantly, through which they could also be seen actually doing it.

The gel also needed to be sufficiently stable to withstand the high G-forces associated with launch and re-entry. Any sand tunnel would collapse under these unusual forces. High G wouldn't affect the ants, of course, they are easily strong enough to take such forces in their stride.

Up it went the Gel Ant Farm on a space shuttle and the ants started tunneling in their transparent gel. As I understand it, the tunnels were a somewhat more wiggly than ones made in the same gel by the same species on earth so gravity was thought to play a part in the ants' subterranean efforts. But, as far as I know, we didn't find out much else.

Never mind though, the good thing is that we now have a fantastic selection of gel ant farms that are just great for kids to study and learn from. Some people say that non-stick frying pans are the only good thing ever to come out of the space program - not so - we now have gel ant farms as well!

Discover for yourself the fun you and your kids can have with a gel ant farm at http://www.antfarmcentral.com/gelantfarms.html

Ferret Supplies By Dave Russet

Once you are sure that you want to own a pet ferret, you will need to get yourself some ferret supplies. This is a short listing of items you will want to have to keep your ferret safe and healthy.

You will definitely need to get a quality ferret cage. Although Ferrets sleep a lot, when they are awake, they are extremely curious and will get into anything if left alone. A metal cage with an opening that can be securely latched shut is a must. You should not force your ferret to stay in cramped living conditions. The cage you purchase should have plenty of room for your pet ferret to run around and play but still have access to its food and a bathroom area. There are a variety of styles available in ferret cages. Some are single level and some are multilevel. What you purchase will be up to you, but remember if you're getting more than one ferret you will need more space. Also remember that you should set up your ferret cage in an area where it can see its new family. Don't lock it away in a separate room unless you want a stressed out pet.

Inside the cage, you will need some type of bedding that separates your ferret from the metal floor. You will want bedding that he can snuggle down into but nothing that he can manage to destroy and eat. You will also need food and water supplies as well as toys. All of these can be purchased at a pet store either online or at a retail outlet near you. Depending on where you are located, specialty ferret supplies may be easier to find on the Internet than near your home. Personally, I recommend food dishes that attach to the side of the cage and water bottles to avoid spills caused by playful ferrets.

There are many other Ferret supplies available, but these are some of the basics. You can always add more after your ferret has come home, but these few essential items should be waiting before he ever arrives.

You might also enjoy reading these articles about ferret supplies and ferret cages on my website.

Hermit Crabs Information By Shane Dolby

Ever heard of Hermit Crabs? Hermit Crab are a type of crustacean, and these may be either land or water-dwelling. These crabs are somewhat different than true crabs; they have softer vulnerable abdomens and are in the habit of looking for abandoned shells to seek protection from possible enemies. Once it finds a suitable shell, the hermit crab carries the shell everywhere till the time it finally outgrows that particular shell. After that, it would seek a larger shell. However the crab native to the South Pacific prefers a burrow to a shell.

Along the Atlantic coast of the United States and in the country of West Indies, giant and striped hermit crabs are quite common. In Florida and West Indies, these crabs are also sold as pets. In this article we try and provide information about the hermit crab to better your understanding about it.

WHY DOES A HERMIT CRAB HUNT FOR AN ABANDONED SHELL?

The hermit crab does not have a hard shell; therefore it needs the protection of a discarded snail shell against enemies. Since the body of a hermit crab is flexible, it can easily fit into the interior of the shell. Once the hermit crab outgrows the shell, it goes out looking for a larger one. Hermit crabs also carry other organisms on their shells for camouflage in order to protect themselves from predators.

HOW DO HERMIT CRABS SELECT SHELLS?

Hermit crabs are extremely picky and are always on the look-out for the perfect shell. A certain kind of hermit crab called the Dardanus; moves into a shell and also decorates it by placing sea anemones on the shell. The anemones get leftover food from the crab and a free ride at the same time.

HOW TO TELL WHEN A HERMIT CRAB IS ABOUT TO MOLT?

Some hermit crabs may not show any signs that sound the alert about them being ready to molt. Other crabs may act strange or look different; here below are some signs that can help you determine if a hermit crab is ready to molt:

" The crab may dig a lot
" The crab may eat or drink more than usual
" The eyes of the hermit crab may get cloudy

If the hermit crab shows such signs, you need to place it in a warm and humid tank. You can supply food and water dishes and it is a good idea to lightly spray it with mist, if the crab is molting above ground. After it has molted, you may let it consume the old exoskeleton for the essential nutrition it provides.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SHELL

A hermit crab consists of two pairs of antennae and round eyes on the ends of eyestalks. These crabs have ten legs but only 6 legs show. These 6 legs are known as walking legs while the rest i.e. back legs are folded inside the shell.

The world's largest land crab must be the coconut crab. An adult coconut crab can weigh as much as 9 pounds. But it can get very difficult for this particular species hermit crab to find a shell big enough to fit.

In conclusion, in all their variety, Hermit crabs are wonderful crustaceans that can make great pets. Hopefully the details mentioned above helped improve your knowledge about these amazing creatures.

Shane is a hermit crab enthusiast. For more great tips and advice on hermit crab care, visit http://www.hermitcrabsite.com.

Feeding Behavior in Ant Farm Ants By John R Richards

Ant food

The ants that you'll receive when you send off the voucher that comes with your ant farm will almost certainly be harvester ants. The name suggests that they might be vegetarians but that's not necessarily the case. They will consume pretty much anything that contains protein and carbohydrate. They will eat plant seeds in abundance however, most of these are likely to come from grasses. Some grass species will actually grow on the soil that has been excavated from the tunnels by the ants, so the ants don't have to go exploring to find their food. Harvester ants will also eat the seeds, pollen and nectar from many other plant species.

Carnivores

A large number of carnivorous behaviors is has been seen in harvester ants. These include the queen feeding unhatched eggs to her first brood of offspring and, in the case of the Florida harvester, she feeds special sterile eggs, which have been laid by the workers, to juvenile ants. These sterile eggs are called trophic eggs and this behavior has only been seen in the Florida harvester.

I am unaware of any cases of cannibalism in harvester ants so the occupants of your ant farm should be quite safe from each other... What else do harvester ants eat? Well, termites, many castes of which are soft-bodied and quite defenseless, comprise roughly sixty percent of their meat intake. Bigger insects, such as grasshoppers and crickets form the remainder* (see below), usually the ants will extract the soft tissue from the inside of the insect's exoskeleton if it is too big to be removed to the nest.

Foraging for food

By far the most common foraging strategy is called individual foraging. Using this strategy, individual workers will leave the nest to hunt on their own. This is believed to be the most basic of the hunting strategies and, because it is the least sophisticated, it is the strategy that is likely to result in the highest rate of failure and loss. An individual ant is much more likely to be eaten by another animal than is an organized group.

Ants foraging as a group is undoubtedly one of the most interesting phenomena in the insect world. Many ant species, such as the Florida, western and red harvester ants all display this behavior and this is one of the reasons for their success. Occasionally, columns of ants over a hundred feet in length and two inches wide can be seen and any small animals that stand in their way are almost certainly doomed if they do not escape in time. When a group attack takes place the insect (it's usually an insect) is cut up and taken back to the nest. Often different ants will assume different roles when dealing with prey, from attacking, to dismembering and even digging underneath large prey to make it easier to move. Although the armies of harvester ants on the move are a fearsome sight to many animals, it should be remembered that not all foraging trips are successful. They only come back with food about sixty percent of the time. So the ants in your ant farm ought to be eternally grateful that you are providing them with food without their having to move from their doorstep.

* The header picture at Ant Farm Central shows a green cricket being dismembered by ants.
Find out why ant farms are a great educational choice for kids at http://www.antfarmcentral.com

The Key to Tree Frog Care is Regularity By Andrew Williums

Tree frogs, unlike the common ground frog, are any frog that spends the majority of its life in an arboreal state. Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees.

If one is interested in caring for tree frogs they will most likely need a vivarium (Latin, literally for "place of life") is a usually enclosed area for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research. This artificially controlled area can often rather successfully mimic the natural environment of the tree frog.

Sufficient planning and care is required if one is to care for amphibians in the home environment as tree frogs are easily stressed if subjected to unnatural conditions. Therefore equipment to further enhance the quality of life of the tree frog in this artificial environment has been created. Conditions such as relative humidity levels and temperature must be kept as constant as possible to successfully care or breed tree frogs at home.

In order to achieve this some automated systems have been created to seamlessly integrate with your vivarium to make tree frog care a breeze.

If you are a first time frog keeper then to not be alarmed by the exact figures required, keeping tree frogs at home is by no means supposed to be scientific.

To give you a little story of how getting caught up with the finer details can stop you taking the plunge and getting some tree frogs as a feature for you house.

When I first attempted to brew beer at home, I thought that the temperature had to absolutely stay between about 21 to 27 degrees Centigrade. When I actually gave it a go and I found that you could in fact successfully brew great homemade beer below that temperature.

If you happen to own a frog now and are looking for ways to give your tree frog a better life try these tips.

Frogs like regularity -

Say you have the tank in which your frog lives in your bedroom. Lets say that you leave the light on and don't go to bed until three in the morning. As you can imagine, this can be very confusing for your frog. Its body is telling it that it should be dark and out hunting. However its light sensing organs are letting it know that it is still day. Maintaining regular lighting patterns will make sure that you reduce the stress that you tree frog will live a happy life.

Here is another example, Let's say your frog lives in the living area. You get cold in the winter to you put the fire or heater on. I think you know where I am going with this one. What do you think that the frogs head is thinking when it is so hot in the middle of winter?

Well it most likely does not know that season in your country but frogs like regularity and this means a regular temperature to. Keep the temperature constantly warm and humid for your tree frog to ensure a long life. Ramping the temperature right up so it's hot and dry right after a cold period will be very stressful for your pet.

I am just here to be of any assistance that I can. I have a 14 day ecourse ready for you at treefrogcenter.com to kick start your tree frog keeping.

This course is Absolutely free and will guide you along the road of taking action. As well as through the steps Required from being a complete newbie to frog care to having a full vivarium of tree frogs will full ability to feed them at very low cost, as well as have automated systems in place such that your tree frog caring becomes easy and rewarding.

All I ask is that you give this a go. I am not selling you anything here, merlely asking you to hop over to treefrogcenter for a complete Free 14 day e course on tree frog care and more great frog facts

You have absolutely no obligation to buy anything, this is just some free information I want to give you in the hope that tree frog breeding and care will further enrich your life like it has done mine.

Happy frog keeping :-)