Too much Halloween?

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Happy Halloween

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Does your cat need a scarf?

Instructions on how to make it yourself, at Sweater Babe.

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Piglets in a pumpkin

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Save your hair

Would you believe this bracelet is made of hair?

It's a Victorian snake coil bracelet with 14 karat yellow gold and garnets and a woven hair band, approximately 14" total length by 1/2" wide, snake head 2" long. For sale here.

 Hair jewelry was the height of the romanticism and sentiment that characterized the Victorian era.

 Watch chains and bracelets often show the most ingenious hair weaving techniques with more than one color of hair often used, as perhaps a chain given by three daughters to their father.

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Bird?

Animal appreciation

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NOT a mouse

Looks like a mouse: Has a mousy tail. And certainly its ears are Mickey-like. But it's no rodent.

This resident of the Riozoo in Rio de Janeiro is a Brazilian gamba (opossum), specifically the Big-Eared Opossum.

Photo: Vanderlei Almeida, AFP/Getty Images / SF

Misleading names

Are white rhinos really white?

Are Australian Shepherds from Australia and Baltimore Orioles from Baltimore?

Are Guinea Pigs really pigs from Africa?

Check the article (and photos) at the Huffington Post: 8 Creatures With Misleading Monikers

Cozy feet

Gray Felted Bunny Slippers, $95

Video: The Ultimate Dog Shaming

Maymo the beagle --- WAY too cute for shaming!

Howl-o-Ween Pet Safety Tips

 #1: Keep your Pet away from the front door.

Keeping your Pet in a separate room during the trick-or-treating hours is best. At an open door, dogs in particular, may feel the need to protect their home & humans and may bite your bizarre-looking visitors. Your Pet may also become frightened and dart out through the open door.

 #2: Be careful of Pets around candles and lit pumpkins.

Pets are attracted to bright lights in a darkened room. Candles can be easily knocked over, spilling hot wax onto furniture and carpet, and potentially causing a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting badly burned.

 #3: Keep your Pet inside.

There are plenty of stories of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, even stolen Pets that are left in their yards or allowed to roam outside on this night.

#4: Do not give your Pet candy.

Chocolate contains theobromine, a substance that can be poisonous to your Pet. Dark, semi-sweet or Baker's chocolate can be lethal if ingested. •Sticks on caramel apples can be swallowed and cause damage to internal organs or choking. •Candy can upset the stomach, resulting in diarrhea or vomiting. •Packaging can cause choking or intestinal blockage. Foil wrappers can become as dangerous as razors when swallowed.  #5: Do not take your cat or dog with you in the car while your kids go trick-or-treating. It can be very frightening to a Pet to sit in a dark car while scary creatures of every size and shape walk by. Furthermore, your normally friendly Pet can become aggressive & protective and lash out at a friendly ghost or witch. For the safety of your Pets, leave them at home, inside where they are safe.  #6: Ensure decorations cannot be pulled down. An item that is pulled off could seriously hurt your Pet if the decoration was pulled down on top of them. And with some decorations they could become entangled. Source

Baby chicken hat

This is a handmade to order chicken hat. Great for photo prop or just for fun. Made from 100% cotton and Alpaca yarn. Available at etsy.

Like cats?

Instructions at Polish You Pretty

Triplets

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Flying attempt

Would you wear this hat?

I guess it was the style once.

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Family portrait

Korsakova Anna

Can sheep be cute?

You bet they can!

Look at these cute little guys ...

I saw the photo at Content in a Cottage, but didn't believe anything that cute could really be real.

They're  Valais Blacknose,  a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Valais region. It is a coarse-wooled breed from Switzerland kept primarily for meat. Both rams and ewes are horned.

Smile!

Cute - times three

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Video: Dog wants that stick!

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Just incase you didn't know

Labelled ...

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Cammo dog

BeeBee the Chihuahua

BeeBee was born on the Fourth of July with the kind of abnormality that could have crippled a lesser dog.

With no shoulder blades, BeeBee can’t put any weight on her front legs or straighten them. Yet, BeeBee refuses to let her handicap stop her from living life to the fullest.

BeeBee has always been a beloved visitor at Alpine Living Center in Thornton, Colorado but now that she has a specialized wheelchair she roams the nursing home halls all by herself cheering up everyone she meets!

Watch BeeBee in action:

Guest Post: How to Live With Pet Allergies

Ken Stanfield is a passionate blogger who spends his time researching and writing about respiratory health, healthcare and humanitarianism. He has also been a dog lover for most of his life. He writes currently for the nebulizer systems supplier, JustNebulizers.com.

Adapting to Animals: How to Live With Pet Allergies

For most pet owners with allergies, the benefits of living with animal companions outweigh the negative impacts of their allergies. After all, pets are often just as close and valuable to people as their human family members are. Whether you’re recently diagnosed with pet allergies or have been fighting through them for many years, this article should give you some helpful advice on how to reduce the allergens in your home and create an even better relationship with your furry friend. 

The Truth

Don’t believe the marketing hype—allergen-free dogs and cats simply don’t exist. Neutered cats and short haired or hairless dogs might emit less allergens than other animals, but the allergens will still be present to some degree. In fact, one poodle might cause a greater allergic reaction in a prospective owner than another poodle from the exact same litter. It’s important to spend a little bit of time with a few prospective pets before choosing if it’s at all possible.

Eliminating Allergens

Now that we’ve established that all pets produce allergens and that there’s no avoiding them entirely, the only possible option becomes clear: you’ll have to work around allergens and reduce them when you can. If you’re dedicated to your pet, think about swapping carpets out with hardwood floors or linoleum. Also, reduce the amount of upholstered furniture in your home. Doing this will help keep your pet’s hair from getting collected. In addition to these steps, make sure that your pets are bathed and groomed regularly. If possible, have someone do this for you so that any of the fur pulled loose doesn’t irritate your allergies. Healthy pets emit less dander, so make sure that your animals are on a healthy diet and have their own designated sleeping areas as well. Whenever possible, wash your hands thoroughly after petting your animals. If you’re still having problems, you might invest in a HEPA air filter for your home.

Additional Tactics

You might have already looked into it, but it’s still worth mentioning: make sure your pet is the actual reason for your allergies. Eliminating other allergens in your home such as dust, mold and certain foods will go a long way toward your respiratory health as well. As allergens build up, your body has a harder time of fighting them individually. If it’s only dealing with a little pet dander, your life should be considerably easier.  You might also consider not allowing your pets into your bedroom to create an allergy-proof sleeping environment for yourself. Clean your home as often as possible and avoid strong scented products or any cleaning solution that contains perfume. Make sure your central heating and air units are well maintained by a professional.

There are, of course, other factors to consider when simultaneously living with a pet and living with allergies. Making small changes in the way you care for your pet and maintain your home should go a long way toward making your life easier. There’s absolutely no need to give up your furry friend or give up hope. Just explore these suggested avenues to greatly reduce the amount of pet allergens in your home.

Art by Andy Singleton

Andy Singleton is a paper artist and illustrator based in Wakefield, England.

 His work is an exploration of the natural and man made world through intricate paper cuttings, paper sculpture and hand drawn illustrations.

Andy has produced work for variety of clients, including the Crafts Council, Liberty, Hermés, Kensington Palace, Seifried and Mack, DDB Australia, The Hepworth and Lazerian, producing varied work for site specific installations, window displays, illustration, brand graphic, apparel and interiors.

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Must love cats

Photo via Macke
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Everybody loves pizza

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Crazy cat lady?

Show the world!

You can buy this proof of your cat craziness at SheInside.

Careful what you eat!

Man dies after bug-eating contest

A feast of cockroaches and worms was the last meal for the winner of a bug-eating contest.

Edward Archbold, 32, of West Palm Beach, was "the life of the party," stuffing handfuls of insects into his mouth with about 30 other contestants vying for the grand prize of an $800 python at the Ben Siegel Reptile Store, Broward Sheriff's investigators said.

Shortly after the contest was over, Archbold wasn't feeling well and began to regurgitate. He collapsed outside the store and later died at a hospital, investigators said.

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Pet Portraits by Joy Malin

Joy Malin is an artist who has created many pet portraits over the past three years and has gained recognition for her work by The New York Times.

Joy is dedicated to providing health care for dogs and donates a percentage of her income from pet portraits to animal rescue organizations.

Visit Joy's website to see some of her past animal portraits, and consider ordering a Holiday Pet Portrait if you're looking for a great holiday gift.

Cat Thursday?

It's Cat Thursday at McGuffy's Reader ...

they point out that Cats know how to sleep.

Make your own dog biscuits

If you are like most dog owners your 4-legged friend is part of the family and as such you might want to make him some treats.  The treats at the grocery store are full of preservatives that are great if you want your dog treats to last for years, but why not make some yourself that will last a couple of weeks on the counter or a few months in the freezer.  With ingredients found in your pantry and about 10 minutes of your time you can have some healthy dog treats in the oven.

The recipe is available at Summer Nanny ... 

How to Make Your Own Dog Biscuits

Thanks for the tip, Emma!

Shhhh! Nap time

It had been 23 years since a baby Gorilla was born at North Carolina Zoo when on August 4th, "Bomassa", a healthy male, was born to 12-year-old "Jamani".

 The rare births are cause for celebration not only for N.C. Zoo but also for the entire Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP®), the group responsible for the long-term sustainability of the western lowland gorilla population in North American zoos. With these births, the Gorilla SSP moves closer to its target population size of 360 individuals in 52 zoos.

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Oh, how nice - Thank you!

Just received the following, wonderful email ...

Hi Julie,
I am pleased to inform you that The Pet Blog has been recognised for excellence due to the contribution its top quality editorial offers the pet health world.

KwikMed are a leading health (care) provider and and are regularly covered in the mainstream national press for their professional, modern approach to healthcare. They are one of just two fully licensed online pharmacies in the USA. This year, our specialist panel of judges have reviewed hundreds of different sites from across the internet before hand-picking the very best for each category. The Pet Blog is among the elite selection of awardees that our judges felt made a real contribution to the pet health category and you can see your site in lights here:

http://www.kwikmed.org/36-exceptional-pet-health-sites/

Please accept my warmest congratulations, as well as our appreciation of your continued hard work and excellent quality editorial. I hope it continues for many years to come! We’re rolling the awards out fully with our members soon and hopefully it will bring some deserving attention your way.

There are some great winners on the list, including some sites that have less exposure than your site does, and were selected by our judging panel for their unique perspective and contribution. It would be great for all if you let your readers know where they can find some great resources on pet health by linking to the awards. Either way it would be great to hear from you.

Once again, I would to send you my congratulations for your well-deserved recognition.

Best regards,
Lily

Thank you - how nice to be recognized!
Julie

Video: Baby lion learns to roar

Clones?

How many did you count?

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Halloween 2012, part TWO

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via - btw,  see Rufio's Rumblings

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part one HERE

Feeling blue?

An adult male blue iguana in the Queen Elizabeth II botanic park on Grand Cayman Island. Roughly 700 blue iguanas breed and roam free in protected woodlands on the eastern side of Grand Cayman in the western Caribbean, the only place where the critically endangered animals are found in the wild.

Photograph: Will Burrard-Lucas/Cayman Islands Department of Tourism/AP
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Red squirrel populations wiped out in northern Italy

Scientists say there are no red squirrels in a 1,150 sq km area of Piedmont after invasive greys took hold in the region. On the edge of this large region, the species is also under threat from the incursions of grey squirrels.

 If the spread of the grey squirrel continues unchecked, the species could spread as far as France, the scientists fear.

 Grey squirrels were introduced into Italy relatively recently, in 1948. They were a gift from the US ambassador and kept in Turin, but escaped into the wild and rapidly colonized the surrounding area. 

 Grey squirrels are not only more aggressive than the native European red squirrel, which causes them to invade red-dominated areas and take over, but they also carry a deadly virus, the squirrel pox. While greys are largely immune to the virus, it is lethal to red squirrels, which typically die within one or two weeks of being infected.

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Relaxing after a hard day's work

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Dog Survives 11-Mile Ride Wedged in Car's Grille

This Sept. 20, 2012 photo p[rovided by the East Providence, R.I., Animal Control Center shows a female poodle mix that animal control officers removed from under a car's front grill. The dog survived an 11-mile ride from Taunton, Mass., to East Providence after darting into the street. The driver slammed on the brakes, but didn't see the dog and continued driving. Authorities are trying to locate the dog's owner.

AP Photo/East Providence Animal Control Center
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It's a porcupette!

 

 Born September 4, at Chester Zoo, this is Noko, an African Crested Porcupine. 

Porcupine babies, called porcupettes, are born without sharp quills. Instead their spikes are soft and bendable, but they gradually harden after a few days. Quills are used to protect them against predators such as coyotes, bears, dogs, foxes and even humans. Any they lose in the process, grow back!
 
Porcupines are herbivores, feeding mostly on leaves, twigs, herbs, pine needles and thin tree bark, which they remove with their sharp, strong teeth.

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eEEuuuuwwwww ......

70-year-old Oregon farmer eaten by his hogs

On Wednesday morning, Terry V. Garner, a 70-year-old Oregon farmer, went to feed his animals. Several hours later, when he hadn’t returned, a family member went to look for him and found, on the ground of the hog enclosure, his dentures.   

Further investigation of the enclosure by the family member revealed that the hogs, which each weighed about 700 pounds, had nearly completely eaten the farmer, although some body parts were strewn about the enclosure.

Now the Coos County Sheriff’s Office is investigating how Garner “ended up in a position where the hogs were able to consume him.”
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Guest Post: Tips for pet care

This guest post was provided to you by Vet Medic. Vet Medic offers identical products that you obtain from your vet and have a wide range of Frontline and Drontal products and also offers you to talk to certified veterinary pharmacists if you need any advise or help for free.

Pets are important members of the family. They require care in order to be happy and healthy.  If you are a new and proud owner of a cat or a dog, you ought to read the article. Following these tips will ensure that your pet will live a very happy life.

Drink and Food
You need to ensure that your pet is given fresh water every day. Do not feed cat food to dogs or dog food to cats. Feeding the pet twice a day is optimal for its health.  Younger kittens and puppies should be fed three or four times a day.

 Medical help
Providing your pet with a natural supplement daily will do wonders to boost its immune system. Supplements can help your pet to resist minor diseases.  Keep ticks and fleas away by using a natural health solution.

Exercise
Ideally, dogs need exercise twice a day.  If you can’t provide exercise twice a day, make sure you allow it to exercise at least once in the evening.  If you have a secured backyard, allow your pet to play in it. You can get your daily dose of exercise by playing with your dog.  Cats, too, need frequent play to keep them healthy and active.

 If you think your cat or dog is getting fat, cut down its food. If you notice a lack of appetite, call your veterinarian. You can also get online vet help.

These are some of the basic things essential for ensuring that your pet remains fit and healthy.