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!

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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

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Spirulina in Fish Food for Colored Fish 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…

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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!

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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!

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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

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

So, I went looking at glass beads, and couldn’t seem to find what I was looking for. Either they weren’t pretty, or there weren’t enough to cover the bottom of my aquarium.

I perused the craft aisle at the dollar store and found an amazing alternative!

Have you seen the plastic Ice Crystal Gems that people use for in the bottom of vases with flowers in them? They look like just that…ice crystal gems!

I bought 20-some-odd packages (they’re small – about 125 pieces/package) of sky blue and crystal clear gems. Then, I thought of getting a little bit more creative adding a beautiful turquoise, like the Carribean Seas, to the mix.

I figured I’d use these, as a cheap fix, until I found the gravel or beads that I really wanted.

I got them home, put them in a colander and scrubbed them with a brush, soap and warm water.

I had nothing in the bottom, as I set up the aquarium quickly for the fish to accommodate them.

So, I dropped them into the aquarium. I was worried that maybe they would have an air pocket inside of them and float, but I only had about 5 pieces that didn’t sink to the bottom.

In fact, a few floated around the tank for a while under water. It was really quite beautiful!

What I’ve found is that these are a much better alternative to gravel or beads!

Why Is That?
Because they are lightweight. The fish are able to stir them up to get food that dropped to the bottom, and the pleco in the tank can burrow to hide from the big fish and daylight.

Since they are easy to stir up, I am able to clean the tank easier from excess food and fish waste.

They hold the live plants in place too!

They are Awesome! I Love How Amazing They Work!

They come in amazing colors too, so you can achieve any look you like!

Try them for yourself and let me know how much you love them too!

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I hope you enjoy this Great Animal Product from Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check Out the Ultimate Guide To Gold Fish With Mind-Blowing Information Seen Nowhere Else:

Goldfish Secrets

Technorati Tags: ice crystal gems, crystal gems, gems, ice gems, ice crystals, aquarium, fish, aquarium ground cover

Awesome Ground Cover For Aquariums is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I initially had a calico telescope goldfish, named Klyde, and he was beautiful, sweet and very responsive. So, I felt he needed a friend.

Therefore, I marched myself into the pet store and chose a beautiful fish, that looked like a girl, that could be Klyde’s girlfriend.

Within 5 minutes of being in the bowl with Klyde, Kalypso started nipping his tail. Not good…She took quite a chunk, and I had to quickly remove Klyde to his own tank again.

Actually, Klyde went downhill from that point on…He got ick and cotton on him…He was very sick after he was “attacked”, so I had to treat him for his ailments. I woke up one morning, and he was gone.

Honestly, I’ve never been so upset about losing a fish. He was a real sweetheart and really enjoyed me too…

Well, I have little Ms. Diva still and she is a beautiful fish with an attitude, but is still VERY responsive to me.

Although I know she is very aggressive, I still wanted her to have a friend, so instead of a live version, I went into the dollar store and got small floaty fish made for babies in the bathtub.

They don’t float straight up, but on their side, but Kalypso doesn’t care.

I see her lounging next to her friend, and pushing it around sometimes too…

It was so funny when we first put that floaty fish in…She was a little bit leery and would come closer and closer with each pass…

Then, she started showing the “new fish” her bubbles that she loves so much. She was flipping around in them and really obviously showing off for this new friend.

Find out what happened to Kalypso when we took away her friend and bubbles temporarily…What a story:

Kalypso – My Diva Red Cap Oranda Goldfish

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I hope you enjoyed this Animal Behavior post from Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Something like this would probably work too…Just make sure the floaty fish isn’t a lot larger than your fish, as this may frighten them and make them hide:

Baby Blessings Jonah and the Fish Bath Toy $9.35

Technorati Tags: red oranda, red capped red oranda, goldfish, fish, fish behavior, animal behavior, pets

Aggressive Fish Need Friends Too… is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Colloidal silver is a supplement that I’ve been taking for years, since university in fact. I am unsure if this is what keeps me healthy, or if it’s a combination of the all the healthy things I do with my lifestyle, but I am very very rarely ever sick.

Colloidal silver touts itself to relieve spinal pain, osteoporosis, arthritis, nerves & stress, blood circulatory cleanser, eyes, conjunctivitis, ears (wash ear twice/day), canker, sinus, muscle & joints, bones & ligaments, colds, allergens, pollution, and skin problems.

It will also kill off all germs, viruses, bacteria, allergens & pathogens. By putting it in your pets water bowl, the silver ions will hunt down the invaders and deprive them of oxygen, killing them. Dose 1 teaspoon per cup of water daily for 10 days.

Colloidal silver can be administered orally, in the eyes (for eye allergies, conjunctivitis, keratitis, etc. – Spray or drop 3 times daily in affected eye. Give orally as well 3 times daily for a minimum of 3 days or longer until condition has cleared up.), in the nose (for sinusitis), sprayed on wounds, it doesn’t sting or burn, via IV, Subcue, in the ears, and nebulized into the lungs.

To nebulize, put into a nebulizer cup. Use an ultrasonic or micro air nebulizer and nebulize pet, person, or animal a minimum of 3 times daily for at least 15 to 20 minutes each time, longer if possible for active asthma, bronchial, pneumonia, or respiratory anthrax symptoms. Give orally 4 times daily as well.

Apparently, because of the physiological differences of warm blooded mammals and those of fish, amphibians and reptiles; it is necessary to create two very different formulas. One for warm blooded mammals and the other for cold blooded amphibians, reptiles and ‘water breathing’ fish with gills.

It is essential that silver is colloidal, meaning it has a particle size of .01 to .001 microns in diameter. A particle of silver larger than these specifications can lose its anti-bacterial effect.

I could not find different formulations to offer you, but I have included an option for exotic pets that are mammals below, as this product is for humans.

Of course, always do your own research, and even ask your vet what they think about supplementing your pet’s diet with silver.

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

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Try it for your exotic pets that are mammals (as this is for humans) by using this easy to use throat spray:

Ultra Colloidal Silver™ Throat Spray 10 PPM 1oz from Source Naturals Ultra Colloidal Silver Throat Spray 10 Ppm 1 Fl Oz from Source Naturals $4.89

Technorati Tags: colloidal silver, colloidial silver, minerals, silver, health, pet health, animal health, exotic pet nutrition, animal nutrition, pet supplements

Is Colloidal Silver an Option for Your Pets? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

However, I completely understand how an exotic pet owner likes to spoil their special adopted friend! My hedgehog doesn’t even really play with toys, but I have a ton of them for her anyway, just in case…LOL…

But, I know from experience that exotic birds and parrots are very playful, intelligent and need constant mental stimulation.

When you get an exotic bird for a pet, these are the things you must think about purchasing.

I “stumbled upon” a great site today, WindyCityParrot.com, that has everything you could possibly want or need for your fine, feathered friend…

Firstly, you need a great bird cage for your exotic bird. Please allow for ample space for your bird to move around in, especially if they are still capable of flying…They are birds!!!

Next on the list is a great parrot food and parrot treats…Exotic birds actually seem to have a lot of fun with their food. They play with it, hold it with their feet, sift through it to see exactly what they want…Too cute! However, a wide variety of food that they natively eat is ideal. Fruits, berries, nuts, seeds are all included…

What’s next, other than enhancements for their living space like perches and stands, etc.? Well, Parrot Toys of course!

These babies are what will keep your baby busy! They will keep them alert, interested, happy, playful and out of the business of making messes and partaking in destructive behavior around your home.

Birds see in color, so get them something lively with different textures, noises and other things to do. They like to climb on their toys…My budgies LOVED mirrors! They would sit for hours in front of the mirror wondering if the bird they saw was playing a trick on them by imitating everything they did.

If that’s not enough fun stuff to peruse, you can even check out the travel cages…These are really cool. I never thought of traveling with my bird before, but this would make it much simpler and safer than other methods I’ve seen. I suppose these cages would be ideal for moves with your parrot.

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

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Join the ExoticAnimalLover.com community @ MyBlogLog.

P.P.S. Add me as a friend on Stumble Upon.

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So Many Choices – Toys & Accessories for Exotic Parrots is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Yikes…How gross is that? Right?

Well, I was on a friend’s blog today, SunEGrl Loves To Shop, and she was talking about a rise of incidents in Hotels and on Cruise Ships since 2004.

I guess, it doesn’t matter if you’re staying at a 2-star hotel or a 5-star hotel, it is just as likely that you could be staying in an infested place!

Yuk! I bet you thought that Bed Bugs feed off filthy, dead skin or human waste, right? Wrong!

Oh, No!!! What attracts them then?

Well, they like exhaled carbon dioxide…And as we all know, we can’t change what we exhale. So, they like where we, humans, are!

Is that it? What do they eat then? Well, contrary to popular belief, they feed on our blood, not on waste, dead skin cells, or dirt.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Cimicidae

Now, bed bugs are a nocturnal insect, meaning they come “out” at night, or are more active at night-time.

Do They Carry Disease?
Although bed bugs bite, they are not known to pass the 27 known pathogens that they can carry to their hosts. That’s good news!

Not so fast! They may, however, under the right circumstances, be able to pass along Hepatitis B or Chagas disease (trypanosomiasis).

How Do I Know If I’ve Been Bitten?
Well, you’ll usually get a white welt, surrounded by a raised reddened area at the site of each bite. They will each be itchy from several hours up to several days.

What Do I Do If I’ve Been Bitten?
Try not to scratch so you don’t leave yourself scars from the bite sites, plus you don’t want them to get infected!

To treat them, you may want to start on antihistamines and corticosteroids, like hydrocortisone, topically to reduce the itching and swelling.

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I hope you found this post on Insects interesting from Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. If you are a frequent traveler, you may want to invest in some Bed Bug Spray that will prevent bed bugs from sticking around! This one is all-natural and non-toxic…Check it out:

Resources: If you travel you should know this…

Technorati Tags: bed bugs, insects, bed bug bites, bed bug infestation, bed bug remedy, nocturnal animal, animals, bed bug spray

When On Vacation, Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite! is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover