Starting March 14th we have a special offer on Frontline, Advantix, and Advantage products.  Save 10% on selected flea and tick products through March 31st.  With the warmer weather arriving, keep your pets free from fleas and the itching it brings!

We are offering free shipping via USPS first class mail on orders of Frontline, Advantix, and Advantage valid from July 15th until August 15th.  Orders are shipped out in bulk, so it may take a week to receive your order of flea medicine.  Offer applies only to orders meeting the $25 minimum requirement and applies only to shipping flea medication.  Offer is valid only within the US - not to APO/FPO addresses or international buyers.

1. Clamped Fins
   The fish clamps its fins close against the its body. Experienced aquarists use this to quickly spot problems with their fish.
   If you see that some of your fish have clamped fins and treat your fish immediately, you can usually cure them and avoid more serious stress and disease.
2. Shimmy
   Looks like the fish is swimming fast but staying in the same place. Shimmy is easy to spot, and if the fish is treated immediately, you can usually cure it and avoid more serious stress and disease.
3. Ich Spots
   Ich looks like tiny white spots on the body and fins of the fish. This is a common disease of fish, and if the fish are treated immediately, you can usually cure ich and avoid more serious stress and disease.
4. Red or White Sores
   Many things can cause sores on fish such as fights with other fish, scraping on sharp rocks, and small wounds that get infected and grow bigger. A new small sore can usually be cured. Older or larger sores are more difficult to treat, but sometimes you can succeed, and treating your fish will make it less likely that other fish will be infected by the fish with the sore.  Quite often these sores are flat or cause a depression in the surface of the fish. Less often a sore may be a bump that is raised above the surface of the fish.
5. Gasping at the Surface
   A fish that is gasping at the surface of the water is usually suffering from a lack of oxygen, that could be due to a lack of oxygen in the water or the fish's inability to absorb the oxygen from the water. If there is just one or only a few fish gasping at the surface, but the other fish are normal, then the water probably has plenty of oxygen and you should immediately treat the gasping fish. 

    

   On the other hand, if almost all the fish are gasping, then there is probably a lack of oxygen in the water, and you should immediately do all of the following:
   Check the Filter to be sure it's working properly. If it's not working properly, immediately fix it.    Check the Temperature of the water on the thermometer, if this aquarium has a heater. If the temperature is out of the correct range, then adjust the aquarium heater.     Check the water surface, if there is oil or scum then carefully scoop water off the surface until you've removed two inches of water. Replace the water with fresh safe water.    Add Aquarium Salt until the water has a total of 1 Tablespoon of aquarium salt for each 5 gallons of water.   Add Water Conditioner, which is available in stores that sell pet fish. The correct dose is on the bottle.

• For you future hamster owners, if you're going to buy a hamster, go in the evening time rather then the afternoon. They are more likely to be awake and active.
• Be cautious to keep your hamster away from houseplants. Most are poisonous and if the hamster nibbles on them, it could be severly sick.
• Picking up a hamster by the scruff of its neck is a wrong way to handle a hamster. Hamster babies were picked up this way only by their mothers. Adult hamsters usually protest being handled like that and could indeed squirt some urine. Instead, support the hamster by cupping your hands together (making sure it can't squirm its way out) or if your hands are big enough you can hold it with one hand but make sure you have the right touch and also support the bottom by the other hand.
• If you decide to put your hamster in a room with the door closed, they may still be able to crawl under the door. Put an old towel down by the bottom of the door so they can't get out.
• If your hamster is able to roam around a closed room, make sure it can't reach wires or even clothing material for gnawing on. Also watch out so it can't be squished either by your foot, or by a door.
• If a hamster bites, it is strongly urged that you place the hamster down gently as possible. You do not want a reaction (by you) that could seriously hurt the hamster. Perhaps there was a good reason why it nipped you. Either it was being held improperly, or the smell of food on your hands could of caused the bite or nip. If the bite is severe and starts to bleed, disinfect it with some iodine or some other disinfecting medication. If it still swells up, consult a doctor.
• If your hamster escapes, be sure to trap it by closing all doors carefully. Than grab some sunflower seeds and place them in the center of each room (Remember to know the amount of sunflower seeds placed). Within a hour there could be some seeds missing or eaten in a room. Now you know where your target is and finding it shouldn't be as hard.

• Remember to reinforce good behaviour with attention & praise – don’t fall into the trap of ignoring your dog when its behaving well, and telling it off (ie. giving it attention) when it is not.
• Avoid the use of harsh training techniques. Your dog will respond much better to kind treatment.
• Obtain your puppy from the right environment – where it will have had lots of interaction with the world and people around it – such as a puppy raised in a busy family home with children, other pets etc.
• Systematically socialise your puppy early and get it used to its new environment - different noises and types of people as well as cars, bikes etc. Attend puppy socialisation classes – they are good fun for you as well as your dog.
• Keep young children under control – a dog can only put up with being pestered for so long – it hasn’t got the ability to say “You’re stressing me, please leave me alone!”
• Attend reputable training classes and remember to practice at home.
• Encourage your dog to play games. Different breeds respond to different games - find out what your dog enjoys the best.
• Dogs should be exercised daily. Two reasonable walks a day are better than just one 3 hour walk at the weekend!
• Periodically call your dog back to you when out walking. Place it on a lead and reward it with a brief game or a tasty bit of food and then let it off lead again. Your dog will then learn that coming back to you is good news and being placed on the lead does not mean the end of the walk!

• Give your dog something to do when it is left at home on its own. An activity toy stuffed with some tasty food will help to keep it occupied.

• Bathing strips the skin and fur of natural oils and over-bathing may make the ferret smell stronger than usual.
• Ferrets like baths about as much as cats. Be ready.
• Only use gentle shampoos labeled for ferrets, although most cat shampoos are ok. Avoid dog shampoos.
• The best place to bathe a ferret is in a bath tub.
• The kitchen sink is ok provided it does not have a garbage disposal.
• Never, never, never attempt to bathe a ferret in a shower. A naked human is a vulnerable human.
• Sheppard & Greene Shampoos such as Silver Sheen and Sable Sheen were developed specifically for ferrets and contain no harsh chemicals.

Tip of the week (HAMSTERS) - Visitor tips on handling and taming new hamsters;

*    Keep hand sanitizer near cage and wash hands before handling to remove any food, animal or human smells that may cause your new hamster to bite.

*    Rest hand in cage for about 15 minutes daily for first two days...add favorite treat to palm of hand for next two days...pet but do not pick up for another two days.  After a week your hamster should be ready for handling.

*    If bitten do not give up...this is what the hamster wants.  It can take up to a month to tame a hamster.

*    Only handle your hamster in the evening after it has awakened for foraging.  They are nocturnal animals and may be more prone to bite if awakened from sleep during the day.

We recently added a few items from the post Jasper and Lenore line to the clearance section.  Select size collars and coats can be found by clicking on CLEARANCE on the home page.  Get them while supplies last!  Product choice and supply are limited.