Birds You Can Attract into Your Garden

The American Robin is the largest thrush. Robins prefer to build their nest in the crotch of a tree. You can offer a nesting platform if you don’t have an appropriate tree. You should pick a spot that is, at least, six feet above the ground on a shaded tree trunk or under the overhang of a shed or porch. A created mud puddle in the vicinity, also, offers additional enticement, as robins use mud to hold their nests together.

Bluebirds can be attracted by putting up a bluebird house near an old field, golf course, cemetery, park or orchard. Bluebirds prefer nest boxes on a wooden fence post between three or five feet high or on a tree stump. Bluebirds, also, enjoy nesting in abandoned woodpecker nest holes.

The most consideration must be given to the hole diameter. A hole that is an inch and a half in diameter is small enough to deter starlings, which along with house sparrows, are known to kill bluebirds while sitting on the nest. Other animals are problematic to bluebirds, also. Cats, snakes, chipmunks and raccoons can be discouraged from bluebird nests by mounting the bluebird home on a metal pole or by using a metal predator guard on a wood post.

Purple Martins are a welcomed bird in many a yard because they are known to eat, nearly 2,000 mosquitoes a day. While it is true purple martins eat flying insects, don’t expect them to eliminate all the mosquitoes in your yard. The martins prefer dragonflies which prey on the larvae of mosquitoes. If you want to rid your yard of mosquitoes, you would have better luck if you put up a bat roosting box. One bat can eat thousands of mosquitoes in one night.

Martins, however, are entertaining birds. You will enjoy watching their antics in your yard. The best way of attracting martins is if you put a house on the edge of a river or pond, surrounded by a lawn or field. A nearby telephone wire gives them a place to congregate, as martins are sociable birds.

Purple martins, being sociable birds, nest in groups, also. Therefore, you will need a house with a minimum of four large rooms, six or more inches on all sides, with a 2 ½ inch entrance hole about 1 ½ inches above the floor. Drainage and ventilation are major factors in the design of a martin house. Porches with porch dividers, railings and supplemental roof perches like a TV antenna make any house more appealing.

Houses can, also, be constructed from gourds by fashioning an entrance hole and small holes at the bottom to permit drainage. If you make homes from gourds, it is not necessary to add railings and perches because adult martins will perch on the wire used to hang the house. Before you choose a house, you must think about what kind of pole you are going to put it on. Martins like their houses to be ten to twenty feet off the ground. Some poles are less cumbersome than others.

Wrens are not very choosy about their nesting place. Nest boxes with a 1 inch X 2 inch horizontal slot are enticing to the wrens. The Carolina wren requires a slot a little larger, 1 ½ in X 2 ½ inches. However, the large the opening, the better the chances that house sparrows will occupy the box. Wrens are known to fill the nest cavity with twigs, regardless of the fact they use the home to raise their young or not. Since male wrens build several houses so that the female can have her choice of a home, you should hang several nest boxes at eye level on tree limbs that are partly sunlit. Wrens are sociable. Consequently, they will not shy away from a nest close to your house.

Brown creepers and Prothonotary warblers like nesting behind the curved bark of tree trunks. Slab bark houses appeal to creepers in heavily wooded yards. Prothonotary warblers, also, prefer slab bark houses or bluebird boxes attached to a tree trunk. But their houses must be place over water such as a like, swamp or river with a good canopy of trees overhead.

Chickadees, Nuthatches and Titmice share the same habitat—feeders and food. If you put a properly designed nest box in a wooded yard, at least one of these species is bound to check it out. Chickadee houses should be placed at eye level. They can be secured to tree trunks or hung from tree limbs. The entrance h ole should be 1 1/8 inches in order to attract chickadees and exclude house sparrows. Nuthatch houses should be anchored five to six feet off the ground.

Barn Swallows and Phoebes are easy to attract if you have the right habitat like an old shed or open barn. Their nesting behavior, not their song or plumage, which at will catch your attention. But they tend to nest where you rather not have them — on a ledge directly over your front door. You can offer them a nesting shelf near the front door to prevent a mess right at the door.

Violet green and Tree Swallows prefer nest boxes attached to dead trees. You should place the boxes about seven feet apart for these birds with white bellies and iridescent blue-green backs and wings. These insect-eating birds like to be on the edge of a large field that has a river or lake nearby.

Violet-green swallows, generally, nest in the forested mountains of the West. Boxes placed on large trees in a semi-open woodland will tend to attract them.

Woodpeckers of all types can be attracted with a suet feeder. But, only, the flicker is likely to use a bird house. They prefer a box with a roughened interior and a floor covered with two inches of layered wood chips or sawdust. Flickers are, especially, fond of nest boxes filled with sawdust because they pile it up to suit themselves. The box should be placed high up on a tree trunk, exposed to direct sunlight for best results.

Flycatchers—the great crested and its western cousin, the ash-throated flycatcher, are commonly, found in rural areas that have wooded lots and in wooded suburbs. They use abandoned woodpecker holes for nesting sites. Flycatchers tend to nest in a bird house if it is placed ten feet high in a tree in an orchard or at the edge of a field with a stream.

Owls very rarely build their own nests. Great-horned and long-eared owls like abandoned crow and hawk nests. Most other species nest in tree cavities and bird houses. Barn owls like selecting nesting sites near farms. These birds will nest in barns, silos and church steeples where trees are sparse. You can try fastening a nest box for owls about fifteen feet up on a tree trunk if you live near a golf course or farm.

Screech owls prefer abandoned woodpecker holes at the edge of a neglected orchard or field. They will love boxes lined with an inch or two of wood shavings. You may attract a second tenant in one season—a kestrel, if you clean out the box in late spring after the young owls have fledged.

You need to provide drainage, ventilation and easy access for monitoring and maintenance for the boxes. A mixture of concrete and sawdust offers protection other houses cannot provide—squirrels cannot chew their way in.

Making Your Pooch Fashionable With A Rhinestone Dog Collar By Lee Dobbins

In the past, chic pet accessories such as the rhinestone dog collar were so hot, however some people thought they were too gaudy for animals and thus their popularity declined. However, with the renaissance of flash and bling, rhinestone dog collars are becoming a hot item once more. People are now recognizing that their pooches also deserve to be stylish in their own right.

Dog lovers treasure their pets very much, and one way of showing high regard for their pet is by giving them something that makes them stand out and look so special. Most dog owners express their pet’s individuality through their collars. There is a wide variety of dog collars to choose from each one catering to different preferences. But the most special among them all is the rhinestone dog collar, which truly makes any pooch look like a million dollars.

Rhinestone dog collars are usually made of leather, cloth, nylon, and even metal with rhinestones embedded on the leash. These tiny, sparkling stones make any color shine, complementing the dog’s eyes and coat. The materials used for rhinestone dog collars are usually very flexible, following the contour of the dog’s neck. It can be a colorful band that is similar to the dog’s owner’s tennis bracelet.

Some rhinestone dog collars can be specially designed to spell out your pet’s name in flashy gems. This is definitely a prettier alternative to the usual dog tag that just has your pet’s name engraved on a small sheet of metal.

Before, rhinestone dog collars are only worn by female pets, but with the emergence of metrosexuality, even male dogs can wear rhinestone collars without much problem. For those who still prefer their dogs to maintain a butch image, there are also rhinestone collars that come in rugged designs that complement their pooch’s macho impression. Examples of these are those black leather collars with a few big rhinestone studs that are well-spaced.

Rhinestone dog collars may come with buckle or snap-on closures. Whatever kind of rhinestone collar you choose, you must make sure that it closes securely so that it would not fall off easily. Snap-on closures are usually convenient, especially for small toy dogs. However larger dogs usually need more security which only buckled collars can provide. It is thus important to test whether the kind of lock the collar you are buying would withstand the strength and size of your pet.

When you are considering to get your pet dog a new rhinestone dog collar, it is important to make sure that the collar fits well and the gems are properly secured. You would not want Fido to be able to remove the collar easily and then chew or choke on the sharp little stones. You should check the collar regularly to see that there is no damage with the material and all the stones are in place. Always watch out if a stone falls off so that you can quickly keep it away from your dog’s reach.

An easy way of measuring the fit of your dog’s rhinestone collar would be the finger test. If you have a small dog, one finger should fit snugly between the dog’s neck and collar. For medium dogs you would need two fingers. Large dogs would need three fingers. If the rhinestone collar is too tight, it can choke your dog and kill it, but if it is too loose, it can easily fall off and get lost.

Other than these reminders, rhinestone dog collars are not really that difficult to maintain. You just need to clean the collar once in a while to maintain the brilliance of the tiny gems. You would probably just need water, with a little mild detergent to remove stubborn grime and stains. Missing pieces might not be inevitable so it is wise to keep some spare gems to replace those that would eventually fall off.

In these times when being fashionable is already considered an asset, dogs can keep up with their owners with the accessories that they wear. Perhaps the best way to glamorize your dog is to have it wear a rhinestone collar. It serves the purpose of regular collars but adds style and flair to your most beloved pet.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=117702&ca=Pets

Your Dog's Psychology By Dan Stevens

Dear Daniel Stevens:

Please tell me I’m not going crazy. One of my co-workers was telling me that if I want to train my dog that I need to understand his mind. Is that possible - I mean I know my dog is smart and inquisitive but if I want him to behave better, come when I call, and start listening so do I need to understand to explore the psychological depths of his mind?

I really love my dog. He’s my buddy, a medium-size dog I obtained from the local shelter. He’s great but sometimes I wonder if we’re on the same page. He will come sometimes and he does mind most of the time but I want to trust him to behave appropriately all the time. It’s not that he’s a bad dog, just not a well-trained one. Can you provide me with any information dog psychology to making training more effective?

A loving dog owner
- Jonathan R

Dear Jonathan:

Well, your co-worker was actually right. For training dogs, one of the key elements to being successful is to learn about dog psychology. You already know that dogs have very interesting minds, which change depending on age. Behaviors of dogs will vary dramatically as well from one breed to another. By understanding your dog, you will be able to build a trusting bond, which leads to better training.

Okay, look at a two-year-old child. He or she is inquisitive and just starting to learn about exploration and independence. The same is true for a puppy or dog. At certain ages, psychological aspects change, at which each stage, your dog will learn new things. Typically, working with a young dog offers a little bit of an advantage in the training department but an older dog taught with patience can also be effectively trained.

Consider a mother dog with puppies. At first, all the puppies do is sleep, eat, and poop. In fact, puppies up to around two to three weeks of age will spend about 35 percent of the life doing nothing but nursing, which is then followed up with a lot of sleep. At this stage of life, the puppy is in survival mode while the body develops. The puppies are taking in things around them such as people handling and noise but their make focus remains on mom and her milk.

Now, once the puppies reach the three-week mark, they’ll begin to show much more interest in their surroundings. Although the puppies are still using smell and feel more than sight, they start to move about while interacting with each other. Typically, puppies at this age have a real interest in independence, as long as they do not venture too far away from mom and food. While little puppies are adorable, their psychology develops noticeably between four and ten weeks of age.

It is especially important at this phase of life for the puppies to be socialized with humans and preferably other dogs and/or household pets. The type and amount of socialization provided to the puppy will have a direct and dramatic impact on how well he trains when a little older. The goal here is to make the puppies feel secure, comfortable, and loved. The result will be a strong trust with the master, making training fun and successful.

You then see another psychological change once the puppies reach the ten-week mark. With bright eyes, sharp hearing, teeth, and powerful motor skills, their interest and ability to explore has multiplied. During this time, you can begin to work with the puppy on learning the ranking of master, potty training, and even basic commands such as “sit,” “lie down,” and “stay.” Although the puppy may not grasp onto everything immediately, be consistent. Spend time with him in training every day and you will soon notice he responding favorably inside and outside the home.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=117282&ca=Pets

Disadvantages Of Having Parrots For A Pet By Low Jeremy

Parrots can be pretty hard to take care of. Unlike other pets that can be left alone in their cages, parrots are restless creatures who you have to check up on a couple of times every day. Here are just some things that parrots can do to your home.

Parrots can be pretty messy

If you are the type that would like the house to be spotless, try to reconsider getting a parrot or any pet for that matter. Parrots can be really messy, even a small parakeet.

Their food can be flung everywhere even when they are inside the cage. Your floor can be filled up by pellets, seed, and nutshells. Sticky foods may also be plastered on the walls, on the bars of the cage and even at the ceilings. Foods will literally be everywhere.

Another problem that you may have are their poop, which you really have to clean everyday. And they are not that disciplined to only poop in one place. They actually poop everywhere, in bars, in their food dish and even with the toys that you give them. They may even poop in between bars, which may end up on the floor and sometimes even on you.

If you have a cockatiel variety or the grey breed, you will also have to contend with the powder that they have on their feathers. The feathers will stick everywhere. So, you really have to dust everyday.

Because of this, you have to scrub the cage, their dish and the whole of the area at least once a day to prevent bacteria from settling in and of course the bad smell.

2. Parrots chew on everything

Parrots love chewing wood. In fact, owners of parrots often give them wooden toys to play and chew with inside their cages. Parrots however are not satisfied with just these toys. When they get the opportunity, they will chew on everything that they get their hands on. They will puncture your clothes, your furniture, even your books.

This can be really frustrating especially if you are the type of person who wants a clean house. Parrots are not recommended in homes that have dainty and fragile furniture. They should also not be placed in areas where they can break things and chew on antiques.

Be careful with wearing jewelry because they will sure to grab it or chew it. Parrots love shiny things. They can claw the stone right out of your favorite jewelry.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=117744&ca=Pets