Wolf mind Human life

Getting into it! Cats are NOT assholes. Yesterday a client came into the clinic with her daughter's cat, since her daughter was away at college she was responsible for Wednesday(the cat). Wednesday came into the clinic because she was acting a bit off and her owner was nervous, having grown up with dogs and never needing to take care of a cat before she had no idea what she was doing.

My first interaction with this sweet cat was her screaming! Her owner had her on a leash that was clipped to a breakaway collar, the first red flag since the reason we recommend cats be in carriers is because small spaces help them feel more secure and relaxed. The woman's husband was also carrying a harness in his hand so I stepped in immediately and helped them get the cat in the harness, the woman seemed shocked that I was able to get her in so quickly.

The second red flag was when I went back to the counter I saw the woman pulling Wednesday out from under a chair so a small child could say hi, again I stepped in and told her she shouldn't since Wednesday was clearly stressed out and would be very likely to scratch the kid. At checkout the woman commented that I have a "wonderful demeanor" and she just "can't understand why the cat behaves the way she does." I asked her what kind of interaction she has on a normal day with Wednesday. Turns out that the level of interaction was little to none, when I asked what kind of treat Wednesday liked the woman looked at me very confused. I recommended trying to find a small treat that she really liked and sitting quietly since cats are mesopredators, meaning they sit in the middle of the food chain, they're going to be more skittish than a predator animal(dogs in this case). She seemed genuinely shocked that she could ever have hope of forming a bond with Wednesday. Another thing I told her was that cats are less domestic than dogs, having only self-domesticated about 5000 years ago(which is actually incorrect! the true timeframe being 12,000 years). I went on to tell the owners about the work I do with my own cats and how verbal praise is HUGE when it comes to bonding with a cat, verbal praise makes it very clear the cat did what you liked and it will seek out ways to display that behavior again since the linage of domestic cats can be traced back to a semi-social species of cat they try to find peaceful ways to coexist together in a shared space like a house. I told them using play is another really easy way to bond with a cat, the woman interrupted me saying Wednesday is on the older side and doesn't play anymore so I asked if she likes to watch birds in the window? The answer was a firm "yes!" So I suggested throwing her some treats while she watches the birds thus reaffirming the positive social interaction and making the experience more fun. Both the woman and her husband thanked me before they left.

Cats are not antisocial, their social cues are far more subtle than dogs and so most people miss them. It's no coinkydink that cats are in the same room as you 90% of the time, nor that they follow you to the bathroom. The biggest thing people need to remember about owning cats and bonding with them is it is 100% respect-based. And respect goes both ways, if you constantly harass your cat they will avoid you or associate you with negativity and react in kind. If you only ever interact with your cat when you're feeding it dinner it'll think that that's the social dynamic you want and comply. But if you respect their space and play with them, give them treats and pet them gently you'll have a much better chance of getting the bond you crave.

Cats self-domesticated about 10,000 years ago, in the Middle East around the fertile crescent area. Felius Familiaris still carries most of the same traits as their wild ancestors like long tails used for balance when running and jumping, keen night vision, and sleek limber bodies that move silently on padded paws. Cat’s pupils a verticle to allow for light to enter their eyes without blinding them, and at night they have reflective tissue in the back of their eyes. The pinna’s(the outer part of the ear) job is to capture sound waves and funnel them down the ear canal to the middle ear. Cats’ pinnae are mobile, and they can turn and move them independently. Their ears help them display a range of emotions from calm and relaxed to scared and stressed, based on minute movement and the angle at which they carry their ears you can usually gauge how they are feeling. Their ears paired with the position of their tail, the way they’re walking(or lack thereof), and any vocalizations they might be making. This is why it is very important to get to know your cat and ALL of their normal behavior patterns, if your cat likes to be up high try providing lots of cat trees if your cat prefers to be on the ground make sure lots of beds and tunnels are available to them is very important for their mental wellbeing. Many cats display aggression because their needs are not being met, cats are creatures of habit so it’s vital to have a routine and stick to it. If you set up a routine and then you are not consistent with it your cat will end up very stressed out and potentially lash out. Some tools that could help create that schedule are things like auto feeders and independent play toys, and offering very specific toys in specific circumstances, like if you have to work on your computer for extended hours at a time providing your cat with a puzzle toy will keep them occupied and allow them to mentally exhaust themselves while you work and once you’re done you pick up the puzzle so it retains it’s value.

Another note there: toys that are always accessible are less valuable than toys that only come out at certain times, even if your cat can’t reach it but can still see it it will lose value.

CAGES! Let's break down cages, what does a good cage look like for a conure? For one a good cage has several different types of perches-dowl perches and sand perches should be used VERY sparingly due to the problems they can cause your bird such as bumblefoot which is when your bird’s feet swell up from being positioned in the same way every single time your bird perches and sand perches can be very rough on the bottoms of your bird’s feet causing cuts and irritation. Natural perches are the safest way to go and offer them a huge variety at many different levels in their cage so they always feel comfortable and have the power of choice which will ultimately lead to a more mentally worked bird.

The size of the cage should be AT LEAST large enough to allow the birds to fly around and accommodate their long tails with a dimension of 18" wide, 24" deep, and 36" high. Then you should thoroughly pack the cage with toys that challenge your bird. Note: Toys are meant to be destroyed so if you opt for toys that are made of plastic or similar material that your bird can’t go to town on you’ll quickly find you have a very bored bird. And as I said in my last post a bored bird is an angry bird. When looking at toys for your bird try to stay away from toys with mirrors, these can cause your bird to hyper-fixate on their reflection and will cause them to be depressed once the mirror is removed, small bells that can catch and cut bird tongues in the middle. Toys made of different shreddable materials and foraging toys should be the go-to, and you should have LOTS of them.

Your bird should have food and water on multiple levels of their cage(if this isn’t possible it’s not the end of the world) and should have lots of foraging toys full of treats, or just forgo the use of food bowls and strictly feed from foraging toys but do so slowly since the birds do have to learn how to actually use the toys providing them with a small bowl of food while they learn is very important. 

They form very deep emotional connections, very similar to the bond you would experience with another human, and as such they need all of the time and attention that you can give them. They also need to be highly socialized or else they will become protective of their person and they could become aggressive towards others, they are naturally shy animals and are very cautious in new situations.

And just like a bond you would have with a human conure personalities vary bird to bird(this goes for just about all animals). If I'm talking about just Jackie I would describe him as curious and very sassy, he likes to be the center of attention and is very needy. He loves to be close to me and out and about and just involved in everything I'm doing. He understands my routine and has even figured out how to get the cats in trouble.

That Bond is not unique to us but it took us a lot of work which is another thing people need to very much understand. Conuers are not easy pets, they are not cage pets like finches or anoles these animals need to be involved in everything you're doing and they need mental stimulation more so than smaller birds because if you do not meet the mental needs of your bird they will become destructive and very antisocial, on days when I'm not able to spend as much time with Jackie as he needs he often is very nippy.

Waiting for you to walk through it

My ears once held high now lay on my head

My tail that once wagged so furiously now lays still at my side

I call for you but you don't come

Mollies, swords, guppies, and tiger barb-I covered these little fish in my last post about fish

Bettas- otherwise known as Siamese fighting fish, need at least 5 gallons with a heater and a filter. Small “betta bowls” should NEVER be used due to their size and shape(which makes it almost impossible to have a heater and filter). NEVER put two males together no matter what size the aquarium is the males will find each other and fight to the death of one or both(I speak from experience with a 125gal). Depending on your experience and comfort level you can put a single male in a community tank(a tank with multiple different kinds of fish) but monitor your new male to make sure that he’s not being aggressive but also make sure he’s not being picked on. Females are much more docile and sweet, at intermediate comfort level and above you can attempt to do a sorority tank-which is 20+ gallons with an ODD number of females all about the same size. If you attempt this remember NEVER add only one at a time.

Tetras- there are many different kinds of tetras the most common you’ll find are neon tetras, black tetras, and white tetras. These fish make very good community fish and need schools of 5 or more per species you have. If you get one white tetra, two black tetras, and two neon tetras they won’t school together. They need water temperatures between 75-80 degrees and they can be housed in a tank as small as 10 gallons (neons only). They originate in Africa and central and south America.

Plecos- DO NOT buy common plecos UNLESS you have more than 125 gallons to offer. These are pond fish and are VERY VERY dirty. They are not good cleaner fish at all and grow to be about 2ft long from the tip of the nose to the end of their tail. There are many different kinds of plecos so if you are dead set on having one in your tank PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do your research and don’t just buy the first one you see at the store because it’s small and it fits right now.

Snails- I LOVE SNAILS! There are two different kinds of freshwater snails that are common in the hobby: Nerite snails which can’t reproduce in freshwater and Mystery snails which abundantly reproduce in freshwater(this is another one that you’ll either have to have multiple tanks or you’ll need to knock down the egg cases due to there being so many stores won’t take them). Nerites have a beautiful spiral of lighter colors and darker browns. Mystery snails come in a wide range of colors from brown to blue they are all beautiful. If you have snails in your tank you need to be aware they are sensitive to most medicines marketed towards fish tanks so you’ll need to cut the dosage in half and treat less frequently.

First things first: RESEARCH!! So you know you want a fish, and you have an idea of how you want the tank set up but Holy Moly there are so many choices! So you need to decide how many hours a week do you want to spend on maintenance? If you don’t want to spend a lot of time on your tank(contrary to what you might think) get a bigger tank. There will be less fluctuations in your water parameters and levels, you also have a lot more possibilities open to you. Any tank 2gal and under SHOULD NOT HAVE FISH IN THEM!! So you’ve decided what size tank you want, a 30gal is about medium-sized and is recommended for beginners, now what do you put in it? Well you need to decide if you want a salt tank or a fresh tank(I personally only do fresh, I’ll make a separate post about salt) since fresh is so much easier that’s what a lot of greenies to the hobby go with, and have no fear there are still plenty of colorful options available to you. If you decide to get a bigger tank(75+gals) you’ve decided you’re ready for a bit more monitoring, and I’d recommend a cichlid tank. Yellow labs are very nice beginner cichlids( note: cichlids aren’t beginner fish due to their aggressive temperaments) so are angelfish but if you do angelfish you have to make sure you get solely one gender or else there will be lots of fighting as they pair off and begin to mate. A good beginner fish for a 75gal aquarium is mollies, guppies, platys, and swords; all of these fish can cohabitate together, and maybe even adding some tiger barbs would be beautiful. Mollies, guppies, and swords all like water temps of anywhere from 79-85 degrees and are pretty resilient when it comes to parameter fluctuations. Tiger barbs are also very resilient fish and enjoy similar water temps.

Make sure you have your tank set up and running for about a month before adding ANY fish, this is to allow the good bacteria that the fish need to survive to build up and grow. Make sure when you’re doing your research to look into the nitrogen cycle and take very good notes on it because knowing this will help get you off to a better start. If you add fish too early they will all die due to lack of good bacteria.

Second: WHICH FISH TO BUY? You’ve done your research and decided on a 55gal molly tank. Now...where do you go for the best and healthiest fish? My best recommendation is to go straight to the source, find a breeder or someone looking to give away their fish, or if you can’t find a breeder or private seller try to go to your nearest mom and pop shop-due to their smaller size they’re able to better maintain the health of all of their animals and fish. As previously mentioned mollies enjoy 79-85 degrees and are very peaceful, they are good with almost all other peaceful fish. Mollies need to be kept in the ratio of 1 male to 3 females. BE AWARE: MOLLIES BREED LIKE NO TOMORROW IN GOOD WATER CONDITIONS AND RATIOS, FEMALES EAT THEIR BABIES SO IF YOU WANT TO SAVE THEM JUST KNOW THAT MOST STORES WON’T TAKE THEM IN. Swords are the same basics as Mollies and the only difference with Guppies is that you only need 2 females for every 1 male. Tetras are another basic fish with a beautiful variety, however, I personally am not a fan due to their need to be in schools of 5 or more and the fact that they are very prone to Ich (which is a parasite that appears as a piece of salt on the body and fins of your fish-it can be fatal due to it’s resistance to most treatments)

Third: Introducing your fish to the water. This part is the easiest, after you’ve cycled your tank and picked out your long-awaited fish all you need to do is float their bags for 15mins to allow them to acclimate to the temperature difference then make sure you DO NOT mix the store water with your own. I usually empty the bag out in the sink and sift it through a net to make sure I don’t lose my fish and then i release them using the net in their beautiful new home.

Remember to give your cat space, when you walk in the door with your company ask them to be respectful and NOT chase or pester your cat, when your cat feels like being social allow her to be social but if she changes her mind and wants to be alone allow her that space. If your cat decides to be territorial and refuses to remove themselves when not wanting to be social then don’t raise your voice or scare your cat away this will only create a negative interaction with people and will make it harder to truly bond with your cat. Instead of loud voices and fear use treats to lure your cat away and try doing a game with them. When I was socializing my cat he liked to stand his ground against certain people(I never figured out why it was only a specific group) so I began clicker training with him, starting with basic commands I involved whatever company I had over and he eventually began to associate people with treats and positive experiences. I ALWAYS prioritized my animals’ comfort over the enjoyment of my company, if my friends came over and told me to get my cat I would call him and pick him up but then I NEVER restrained him if he wanted to leave he was allowed to and several times my friends tried to tell me that he’s just a cat. LOL my cat is still in my life and they are nowhere to be found, keep that in mind: Cats are a 20+ year commitment and friends aren’t.

Ball pythons need their enclosure temperature to be between 80-85⁰ on the cold side and they need a basking spot of 90⁰. Their humidity should be kept at 80% throughout their enclosure always and it should be raised to up to 90⁰ when they are in shed. Young ball pythons, like Val, should be fed every 5-7 days and older ball pythons like Java should be fed every 7-10 days. You shouldn't handle a ball python for 24-48 hours after it has just eaten and you shouldn't handle them while they're shedding which they will do once a month when they have a regular feeding schedule.

My eye caps are just starting to lift

My skin feels too tight

I can't see through the hazy reflection

Brushing against everything I possibly can

Trying to see clearly

And suddenly it starts to peel

Suddenly I am free

I see the world for what it is

I feel like a snake in shed sliding through my skin

Female ball python fun facts:

They reach sexual maturity at 2 years old

They can grow to be up to 6 ft long

Clutches of eggs can range from one egg to 11 eggs

They live up to 35 years

Just remember to have patience and give Grace if you adopt an animal

Does not ponytail