Catopoly Game

If you’re a cat owner, no doubt you are always on the lookout for great pet cat supplies. Right?

I know it – If you’re anything like me, I’m constantly checking to see if I can’t find a great deal on pet food, cute clothes, games that involve my pets or treats!

What I did find for you cat lovers out there is the neatest cat furniture at Outdora.com in their pet cat supplies section.

Cat Bed from Outdora

Check out one of their adorable beds (left)…too cute – and you could hide some of their toys in the drawer below or treats…

What I didn’t expect to find there, though, were cat safety kits for first aid. Great idea…We often don’t think about how important our pet’s safety is or if you’re prepared for an emergency or disaster with your pet.

Also, something unique I found in their pet cat supplies that I have never seen before were cat memorials. Our pets are so very important to us, don’t you want to make a statement about remembering them? I know our pets are very important members of our family and we honor them with dignity and love…

Cat House

We were at a friend’s house the other day and noticed a piece of furniture with a door in it that their cat kept going in and out of. It matched all of their furnishings in their home and we thought it was just the neatest thing! It is called a cat house.

Now, I’ve seen these before, but they were all “open air”. This one was perfect for their cat that thinks it’s royalty to go into privately and have a siesta or get some “quiet time”! LOL   This site has these sorts of cat houses too.

Cat Tunnel

Whether you’re looking for cat furniture, cat toys, or anything else “cat”, Outdora is a great place to check out that you may not have even thought of.

Plus, ground shipping is free with every order from their website! That’s awesome!

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I hope you enjoyed this Pet Cat post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Exotic Animal Lover Updates are 1 click away!

Technorati Tags: pet cat, exotic cats, cats, pet cat supplies, exotic pets, cat beds, cat toys, cat furniture, cat safety, pets, cat house, cat games

Looking for Pet Cat Supplies? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

When you read the ingredients on the back of food packages, it’s often we all get “lost”…to say the least.

Well, multiply that by 10 when you’re talking about pet food…pets eat things we don’t…

So, how often do you actually look on the back of your turtle food container and question the ingredients…Not often, I suspect.

Same goes for gerbil food or bird food.

Well, I have information on one ingredient in some fish foods you might want to include in their diet.

If you have fish that aren’t white (and supposed to be white), then Spirulina is a great supplement in some fish foods that will enhance color.

For instance, if you have fancy goldfish, like we do, who are brightly colored oranges, browns, reds, apricot or yellow, feeding them food with Spirulina in it will make them more brightly colored.

We had a white goldfish in the group with a red cap and it started tainting or discoloring the white scales, but made their red cap more brightly colored. So, we stopped feeding her food with spirulina in it and her white scales became white again.

So, depending upon what your goal is with your fish, be aware if there is Spirulina in the food.

In our colored fish tank, they get a healthy portion of spirulina in their food.

Read your labels…

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I hope you enjoyed this Exotic Pet post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Brighten up your fish by feeding them Spirulina Food:

H.b.h Enterprises Super Soft Spirulina 6.5 oz Super Soft Spirulina 6.5Oz

Technorati Tags: fish food, spirulina in fish food, spirulina, make fish brighter, colorful fish, fish colors, enhance fish color, food for fish color, colored fish, goldfish, fancy goldfish, goldfish food

Spirulina in Fish Food for Colored Fish is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

…but you can go on all the adventure rides too.

The Manta is a roller coaster that opens on May 22nd, 2009!

Now, I don’t know about you, but I LOVE roller coasters and adventure rides…

Not only is this a roller coaster, but it’s an exhibit in it’s own right! All the while you’re waiting in line, you get to see marvelous manta rays, a giant octopus, sea dragons, seahorses and other exotic fish.

There are 10 uniquely configured aquariums around and above you! There will be about 3,000 fish and rays swimming around being amazing to entertain you the entire way through the queue!

Out of the 400 species of rays found throughout the world, 8 of these species will be showcased on the Manta – there will be 300 rays in their year-round aquarium…How cool is that?

Did you know a school of rays is actually called a “fever”?

Anyway, check it out at RideManta.com and check out more awesome info about Manta and enter the contest and you could win a “Front of the Line” pass to Manta when it opens.

Also, if you take part in the “participate and win” portion, you can even get a complimentary electronic photograph of your Manta experience when you come visit the park!

***

I hope you enjoyed this Great Animal Find on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Exotic Animal Lover Updates are 1 click away!

Technorati Tags: Manta, Manta Sea World, Sea World, Sea World Orlando, Orlando, rollercoasters, roller coasters, rides, manta ray

Manta Roller Coaster Opens May 22 at SeaWorld is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Looking for brand name grooming supplies? Here’s your answer as they carry such names as Furminator, Kim Laube or Metro Dryer.

How about nutritional supplements from Animal Naturals or dehydrated raw foods from Honest Kitchen? That’s a big checkmark! Yes, they have that too!

They’ve got equine and large animal supplies for horses and the like.

Got an aquarium or a pond? No problem…They’ve got your filters, chemicals, cleaning products, filters, lighting systems, heaters and accessories…

…It seems every time I go to a pet store, they don’t something I need in stock, or they don’t always have the same product again.

They’ve even got bird feeders and bird bath de-icers for your outdoor feathered friends!

Plus, they also carry alot of books for information on how to care for your best pet friends!

Are you in need of dog toys all the time like us? They’ve got ‘em!

Our dogs go through toys like crazy – I know they’re only miniature schnauzers, but they are seriously strong chewers and kill every toy I get them!

Flea season has started, so be sure to check out their high-tech electronic flea traps and rid your home of those pesky bugs!

Check them out – they have great prices and deliver anywhere in the world and they’ll ship it the next business day.

Not only do they accept all major credit cards, they also accept payments via PayPal! That’s awesome!

***

I hope you enjoyed this Animals of the World post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Stay Informed with Exotic Animal Lover Updates.

Technorati Tags: North Coast Pets, pet supplies, pet products, dog supplies, fish supplies, horse supplies, pet store

NorthCoastPets.com – A Full Service Online Pet Store is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I’m not really sure how I feel about this product/service.

If you haven’t heard about this before, as I hadn’t, you must listen…

This place I stumbled upon today called Ashes2Gems.com, turns just that – ashes to gems.

However, they use the cremated remains of your pet or relative to do it.

Each set of remains is used to create a man-made diamond (not CZ) from your loved one’s ashes, nails or hair.

Basically, they extract the carbon content of the “cremains” and use it in a secret, patented process to create these beautiful stones.

It is an expensive service, but the stone is unique and well, made of your loved one.

The cost for this is:

Conversion of ashes, nails or hair, into a real 1 carat cut and polished yellow diamond costs around £3950 (fully inclusive).

A 1-carat Pink or Blue diamond costs up to £6250. These prices include personal collection of the material, uniquely identifying the source, sending to the laboratory, intermediary depositing of funds and the release and delivery to your door.

It is possible for them to create different colors of diamonds in this way, that are very rare and expensive when found in nature, but are much more inexpensive, but equally as beautiful and have the exact same molecular composition as the rare, natural diamonds do.

In this process, it is possible to create gems that are yellow to amber, pink to peachy and blue to aqua.

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I hope you enjoyed this Animal Tip on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Exotic Animal Lover Updates are Only 1 Click Away!

Technorati Tags: Ashes2Gems, lab gems, diamonds, cremains, cremation ashes, ashes, man made diamond

Ashes to Gems – Have You Heard of This? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

…I wanted to cry that these animals may not be here when my children go to see them on their adventures…

…They may never get to see them in their wildest state – in nature!

For many of you who have been an ExoticAnimalLover.com fan for some time, you’ll remember this photo, as it was the photo used in the header for the last theme we used for the site.

This is actually one of our own photos…but it sparked me…

“This is Why I Want To Save Exotic Animals!”

Today, I was looking around Vista Print to get some car magnets for some business stuff, and I was compelled to create this photo magnet:

This will go on my refrigerator door so it will remind me over and over of the reason I want to save animals…

…For the next generations of this world to experience the beauty and splendor – just knowing they are there making our planet extraordinary!

Imagine: If there were no more gorillas like this one on our planet! What a tragedy that would be!

Anyway, Vista Print also has a lot of other amazing ways to remind you of animals…

They have templates you can use with animals or you can upload your own photos, as I’ve done here!

You can even make save the date magnets – which are calendars you can create on a large magnet!

They’re really cool, and I think I could use one of those while I’m at it…

***

I hope you enjoyed this Animals of the World post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Be sure to check out the Donate to Refuge Tab at the top of any page on this site!

Technorati Tags: exotic animals, save animals, animal welfare, gorilla, animals of the world, animal conservation, Vista Print

This is Why I Want to Save Exotic Animals! is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Half of the gifts were for their animals…LOL

With us, that’s the truth, no exception to that rule, and we LOVE IT!

If you think about people’s hobbies and get them a great gift for that…it’s just that…A GREAT GIFT!

Now, our pets are so much more than a hobby…They are a lifestyle, so to speak…

They are our life and they are a part of our family just like any person is.  They are important and an ever present joy!

So, as you can guess we received presents that included our animals too!

Our family gave us gift certificates to the pet store, lots of gourmet doggy treats, various dog toys, even a schnauzer key-chain.

I thought they were such thoughtful gifts and we very much appreciated having our animals as a part of the festivities! Thank you so much everyone!

On Christmas Day, including our visitors’ animals, we had 6 dogs in the house, 2 hedgehogs, and 3 fish…LOL

Everyone behaved and had a lot of fun!

I hope you had an Animal Lover Christmas too!

***

I hope you enjoyed this Great Animal Products post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Subscribe to this Blog!

Technorati Tags: animal products, animal gifts, Christmas gifts, animal lovers

An Animal Lover Christmas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Check it out here:

“I’d like to comment about my “service” today at the N*&^%$# F@#$% [my city] location of Petcetera, of which I am a very loyal customer, that was inexcusable. (I have 5 dogs, 1 hedgehog (from a competitor’s store), 4 goldfish and 1 pleco – which I purchased at this Petcetera, and the aquarium). Honestly, I’m in the store a few times per week and almost always make a purchase upon visiting the store.

Last night, I went into the store to look at the new shipment of fish they receive every Thursday to decide upon any that I liked, and to return 1 item.

I was helped by an EXTREMELY helpful and sweet cashier and a Fabulous on-duty manager (I believe), but am unsure of their names. The manager assisted me in the fish area and we got to talking about the pets I have at home, one of which is a hedgehog.

She was excited to hear that I am a hedgehog enthusiast and have had them over the past 10 yrs. She was excited because at that location, they’ve had a hedgehog for over 2 months, who no one ever wants to look at.

I was happy to hear about it because it is difficult to find them, and I usually give up even looking because I’m stuck looking at gerbils & mice all the time.

So, she took me over to see the animal and in fact, I assisted her and the other employee and taught them about how to handle hedgehogs…They didn’t know how to pick it up.

She was happy I liked the hog, so she asked if I would like to take him home since he’s been at the store for so long (over 2 months), and no one has been interested in looking at him or taking him home.

I said that I would, except not for $130.00. She asked if I would tell her what I paid for my other hedgehogs, and the first one I had was $50, but that was about 12 yrs ago now. My newest one, I just bought this year and she was only $80.00 at a competing pet store chain in the city. Usually, the females are more expensive than the males are.

She asked for my name and phone number, because she had contacted another manager last night to tell her to contact head office to see if there could be a price change, just so they could adopt the animal out and find it a home, plus they didn’t really know how to handle it.

The hedgie is an African pygmy albino with red eyes. (I think this may be another reason as to why people may not be interested in it, as albinos are often misunderstood and “scary” to others). The hedgehog I have at home is an albino female African pygmy hedgehog, and I was happy to find another albino.

I tried to sex the animal last night, but was uncertain, as it is very shy and scared from not being handled.

So, this morning, I was leaving the house for an appointment and called the manager on duty at Petcetera, S*&%$ was her name, to leave my cell number in case she got any information about the hedgehog today.

She sounded, on the phone, as though she didn’t really want to help me or even try, and told me she didn’t know about it in the first place. Reluctantly, she told me she would email head office, but was very unhappy to even have to do that.

After my mother’s doctor’s appt, I took her in to also see the hedgehog, as well as the other animals, and to hopefully buy some treats and toys for her 2 dogs in the meantime.

When I entered the fish section of the store, browsing, I overheard the independent fish caretaker say S&%$#’s name, the manager, so I introduced myself officially, as I had spoken on the phone to her earlier.

I asked her if her name was S&%$#, to be sure, and she reluctantly said she was. I introduced myself and asked her if she minded that I took a look at the hedgehog. She asked another employee to assist us.

This employee, with short, dark hair and female in her early 20s, was Super helpful and was doing whatever she could to assist us. I am unsure of her name.

The big question was to find out if it was a boy or a girl, as no one had any clue last night or today, and didn’t offer to look it up, so as he has not been handled much, he’s scared and curls up in a ball. When I lifted him in the air, he didn’t want to cooperate so someone could see what I was describing to sex it.

So, we needed something clear/see-thru to allow him to open up and we could observe from the bottom. The employee found something and the 3 of us, my mother included, proceeded to sex the animal, which is a male, by the way.

The manager came over, S&%$#, very upset that we had the animal out of the cage and I was handling it, although she was not interested in assisting us in the first place and was not even friendly in the least bit.

About 1 minute later, the manager, S&%$#, sends the independent fish caretaker (who I think is an independent contractor at that), to come over and ask if I was the one she was supposed to send the email to head office for. I said yes I was, shocked that she would ask that, as I introduced myself and explained the entire situation when I entered.

The fish lady proceeded to tell me, 1 min after the manager gave us heck for viewing the animal, that head office replied to the email, that couldn’t have been sent but 30 minutes prior, and that they wouldn’t budge on the price of the animal…Strange, as S&%$# was 1 aisle over in the fish area…???

Now, that may be the case, but I have a suspicion that she just didn’t want to assist us. In fact, I even doubt that she sent an email to head office, let alone already received a reply regarding the situation.

I don’t understand why she couldn’t come and assist in adopting the animal out, that has been in the store for over 2 months, and no one knows what to do with or handle…They’re scared of it.

Clearly, I am a loyal customer, going out of my way to get the necessary information I need to make an informed decision about purchasing an animal.

I have never had a problem here or anywhere else at a Petcetera, and every employee has always been very helpful and kind…I am a very friendly person to boot.

Nonetheless, as a manager, it is necessary to be helpful, welcoming and friendly. I am a business woman, owning and running over 65 websites [now about 68]. I know about business and how to treat customers. Not only that, I’ve run my own mystery shopping company in the past.

This was not good customer service on S&%$#’s part today. Not only that, it was a poor example to her employees. It is not okay to speak to people in that manner.

S&%$# was very ignorant, unhelpful and very unwelcoming. I also thought it was rude that she sent someone else over to explain the situation that I explicitly spoke to her about, as she is the manager and in charge, nor was she even busy.

My mother was so put off by the whole experience that she refused to purchase several products she was going to buy there, and wanted to leave the store.

I thanked the sales associate that helped us, as she went above and beyond the call of duty to help us, as did the SAs last night. I have a sneaking suspicion that she will get in trouble for assisting us in viewing the hedgehog today, which is unwarranted.

I did not appreciate how I was treated today by S&%$#, the manager, and still hope to adopt the hedgehog, as he is friendly and sweet when handled correctly.

From now on, I will be telephoning the store prior to visiting to ensure that S&%$# is not on duty, as I don’t want to deal with her again.

Perhaps, she could use some specialized training.

I would appreciate a response to this matter,

Kimberly Edwards
Owner, Founder & Author of http://ExoticAnimalLover.com
& http://TerrierLover.com”

* Note: The sales associate’s name was scrambled, for purposes of being kind.

***

I usually really dislike it when people complain, but I really don’t ever complain like that…I’m super easy to get along with and I just don’t understand this.

I still wouldn’t have shared this letter and made you privy to it; however, it has been 1.5 months now with not even an automated response that they received my letter or anything!

So What Happened?
Nothing on their end, as you know.

Also, the day before I purchased the hedgie, I asked another sales associate if they could check how old he was for me in the back. That sales associate said they have no such records and that she could not.

When I went in to purchase the hedgie, the super helpful manager at Petcetera from the night before assisted me, and I asked her if she could find that information.

Guess what happened…She called me later on the next day with all the information I needed…Go figure! She rocks and should get a promotion for her stellar customer service.

As for me, I’ve only been back once, and that was to adopt the hedgehog. I waited 2 days for a response, and since I didn’t get one, I felt it was more important to bring him home and give him a happy place to live, than to stay at Petcetera, where they were making no real effort to show him to people or sell him.

His name is now Krinkle, because when they hiss, they sort of krinkle their noses up!

He LOVES Kokonut Kreampuff and they’re hitting it off, just as a great couple would!

What About Shopping at Petcetera?
I haven’t shopped there since I went back to purchase the male hedgehog, and DO NOT intend to again either.

* NOTE: Petcetera should not be confused with Petco or PetSmart, as I have never had ANY bad experiences at the latter 2 stores…

*** What Do You Think About All of This? Please Leave a Comment Below in the Comment Box.

***

I hope you found this on Pet Store Review on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Subscribe to this Blog!

Technorati Tags: Petcetera, hedgehog, African pygmy hedgehog, pet store, pet store service, pet store service rant, animal rants, customer complaints, Petcetera complaints

No Response to My Petcetera Complaint Letter is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

When you are choosing bedding for your little critters, you need to keep a few things in mind:

* Comfort
* Smell
* Dryness
* Safety
* Price

I use corn cob bedding, after trying so many different kinds over the years.

I found that cedar and pine shavings start to smell awful quickly! Also, they just hold the water and can harbor mold a lot easier. Plus, I didn’t feel that it was very comfortable to sleep in.

Why Do I Use That?
* Our hedgehog can move them around easily, since they enjoy burrowing. It moves to her body shape due to the small size of the pieces. It’s almost like lying down in small beads.

* It fights smell of hedgie waste longer than any other type of bedding I’ve used.

* It is organic and safe to use, even if it happens to get into their food or water.

* It is super absorbent and keeps the area dry.

* It is really cheap too! Only about $15.00 for a huge, 40 lb bag!

It Rocks!

Is That All I Use?
Actually, until just recently, this is all I used. However, I recently discovered a neat product that keeps the bedding from smelling.

It’s called Critter Litter, and it’s typically used to potty train your small animals. However, my hedgie hasn’t responded to this idea.

No worries because these little “pearls” are super absorbent. It keeps the cage smelling fresher longer!

How? Well, it “absorbs moisture on contact and inhibits the bacteria that cause pet waste odors.”

Supposedly, if your small animal responds to this “potty training”, it “reduces cage cleaning by 30% or more”.

This product is all-natural and non-toxic, made of bentonite, an inert clay material found in many areas around the world.

I give this product a thumbs up too!

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I hope you find this to be a Great Animal Products on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. I use this exact brand of corn cob bedding – Pestell Corn Cob Bedding! It’s only $16.49 for a 40 lb bag! Check it out for yourself and you’ll never use another product again:

Pestell Corn Cob Bedding (40-lb bag) All natural, clean, absorbent and biodegradable; the perfect bedding for small animals. $16.49

P.P.S. I found you an Amazing Deal on Critter Litter…In fact, it’s less than I pay in the stores:

Critter Litter – 4 lb. Did you know you can potty train your small pet? This is a specially formulated potty litter for small animal pets. It absorbs moisture on contact and inhibits the bacteria that cause pet waste odors. It is made from non-toxic all natural minerals in a special pearl shaped pellet that reduces the production of dust. This litter, in combination with a potty training program, will reduce cage cleaning by 30% or more. This is the sanitary solution for spot training ferrets, rabbits, pet rats and other small animals. Size: 4 lb. $4.29

Technorati Tags: hedgehog bedding, animal bedding, small animal bedding, corn cob bedding, animal litter, African pygmy hedgehog, African animal, unusual pets

What Bedding Is Best for Hedgehogs? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Check out 123rf Search and Win for some fantastic photography of every kind, even for those of us who are animal lovers.

Photo left: Spotted lizard c/o 123rf.com

Isn’t that lizard a beauty?

It is difficult to find public domain photos readily online, ones that you have full use to, but with the images on 123rf, they have a huge collection of free images to use, as well as paid images, if you so desire to use them.

Plus, you could win 1 of 10 packages of 20 123RF Credits worth $20 or 1 Wacom Bamboo given away DAILY!

Have you ever seen one of these babies? It’s too cool! It’s like a “virtual secretary”…

You can hand write notes, scribble on documents, even sign your name on contracts, etc.  Really, really neat! I want one!!!

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I hope you find this Great Animal Find to be a great resource on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Photo left: 5 beautiful flamingos c/o 123rf.com

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. If you sign up with my referral banner below, and you win one of the prizes, I win the same prize too! Click on the banner below to sign up for free!

Technorati Tags: animal photos, free photos, free images, Wacom Bamboo, 123rf, stock photos

Amazing & Free Animal Photos is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover