Animal Questions

[CDM]

Terriers are definitely good, but can be super stubborn (Terrier instincts, lol,) and some have very particular grooming needs.

 

For training ability, since you are looking for an easy to train dog, I would say to look at the working/sporting or herding breeds. BUT, what makes them so trainable also usually makes them not suitable for apartments. Their intelligence. A smart dog is often a bored dog, unless you plan on lots of interaction, lol.

 

Breeds that I would say NOT to get would be: Dobes, German Shepherds, Labs (unless it's from the calmer non-sporting lines,) Border Collies, Australian Cattle Dogs, Rotties, Aussie Shepherds, Airedales, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Bouviers, Rough Collies, Smooth Collies, Weimeraners, Vizlas, Boxers, Mastiffs, most of the Husky breeds etc.

 

Of course, every dog is an individual, and some may really take to apartment life while another of the same breed would go completely bonkers if stuck in an apartment.

 

Is there a local adoption shelter around you? You could always take a look at the dogs they have looking for new homes. An older dog (a year in age and older,) would be a great option. Some may have already had some experience of living in apartments.

 

[TikindiDragon]

What would be a good guard dog for an apartment?

 

My boyfriend and I are going to be moving into an apartment together later this year, and have agreed that getting a guard dog is a good idea. I've already looked into a place, but haven't had the time to actually look at one of their open appts.

 

Our main concern is size; he's worried he might step or sit on it if it's too small, and I'm worried about if it'll be too big to live comfortably with us. Excessive grooming is something I want to avoid, and I want to be able to train it relatively quickly. Energy level isn't much an issue, since I'll be giving it frequent walks and exercise once we get it.

The level of activity you are talking would be the base level for a *calm* breed in an apartment. A large, active breed is going to require a minimum of two hours walking Every. Single. Day. No exceptions. If you get a dog like that in an apartment and *don't* give it the kind of excercise it needs then you are going to end up with a massive ball of issues.

 

To be honest I'm also highly scepticle about why you want a dog in the first place. Guard dogs are not apartment dogs. End of story. And, I'm afraid, I always get twitchy about people saying they want a 'guard' dog, because 9 times out of 10 they make the dog a danger to the people around it by failing to train it properly. Not to mention the fact that any dog with guarding instincts will bark whenever someone is near the door - and a barking dog is a *very* bad thing in an apartment block.

 

I'm not being harsh, but please do seriously consider why you want to get a dog. If you want it as some sort of burgler alarm/theft deterrant then please do not get a dog.

 

Edit:

Okay, so some slightly less harsh advice now I've had time to get over the combination of 'guard dog' and 'apartment'.

 

For the vast majority of people (certainly all those living in towns & cities) dogs are not working creatures. We don't get dogs to do a job. But we *do* need to consider what 'job' certain breeds were developed for, how that impacts the dog itself, and how that will fit with out life-styles. Getting a dog, to a certain extent, is like taking on a toddler - and they're going to stay like that for most of their lives. *you* have to want to care for the dog. *You* have to be interested in giving the dog what *it* needs. Dogs develop problems because their needs are not being met - and that normally happens because people do not know what that particular dogs needs are.

 

Think first of the dog, then of yourself.

 

You may think that a daily walk of an hour is something you're up for. Great, that means you could have a slightly more active breed. But will you be up for that walk every day in bad weather? Once it's going dark? And remember that the dog will also need to be taken outside to use the bathroom - not once, but multiple times a day. First thing in the morning, last thing at night, and at least a couple of times in between. What floor are you going to be living on? Are you up for that amount of stair climbing in a day as well as an hour long walk? Do you jog daily? If you want a jogging companion, and can take that as well as toileting into account, then, again, you can look at a dog that has more energy.

 

Are you both going to be out at work for long periods? High energy and/or intelligent dogs will be prone to getting destructive if left for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. They're not bad, they get bored. A long walk *before* you go to work, and another one when you get home can help them burn off the energy, interactive toys while you're out can help keep them interested - but you have to know you're going to be up for that level of commitment.

 

Also - is it your first dog? If neither of you have owned a dog before, then there's a load of breeds that you really shouldn't consider. And, yes, dobies and GSDs are both on that list. They're not easy first-time dogs, and they require experience to handle and train properly. I would also say that any type of collie should be a total no-no. You have no idea the number of collies I've seen in rescue centers because the people that bought them had busy lives, lived in towns and simply couldn't provide what that kind of breed needs. Do a lot of research first, and talk to people that already own those breeds.

 

The question should never be "Is the dog suitable for me?", the question should always be "Am I suitable for the dog?".

 

For first time owners that are very active and/or have large gardens I'd recommend a Labrador. They're a very easy breed. But they *do* require a lot of excercise. (We have one - he gets a minimum of an hours walk on a daily basis. It's not unknown for my partner to take the dog out with his bike and go for 7 or 8 miles.). A labrador will also require a fair bit of stimulation in his life, so it's often good to get them an interactive toy for when you are out. (They also are one of the worse breeds for chewing when they're teething, so don't leave them alone with wooden furniture when they're young.)

For people with lower energy levels and no small furry creatures around it's hard to go wrong with a greyhound. They may look like sleek athletes, but when it comes down to it they're sprinters. Short burst of high intensity activity. A greyhound will actually be perfectly happy with a couple of 10-20 minute walks a day, and they're not very active in the house.

The final one of my suggestions is actually a Staffie - Staffordhire Bull Terrier. Staffies are absolutely great with people, and you are unlikely to have temprement issues. They're also much smaller and shorter-legged than the other two breeds I mentioned, and are likely to do better in an apartment. Like all dogs they do need a good amount of walking, but they will still do well on less than a lab. (Note - this is another breed that's prone to chewing - strong toys recommended). I've known a *lot* of people keep Staffies in apartments, and the vast majority I've met have been lovely dogs.

 

Do check out this website when you are doing your research. As well as having great information on individual breeds it also has a load of very useful articles on helping you understand dog behaviour.

Edited January 11, 2013 by TikindiDragon

[Agent-of-Truth]

Thanks everyone for your input. I only just found out my topic got moved, lol...

 

To be honest I'm also highly skeptical about why you want a dog in the first place.

Mostly because it'll be the first time I'll be living with someone who isn't directly related to me, and I'll be home 'alone' for most of the day... I want someone who can keep me company... And honestly I'd probably not have the guts/courage to shoot a home-invader.

 

Not to mention the fact that any dog with guarding instincts will bark whenever someone is near the door - and a barking dog is a *very* bad thing in an apartment block.

I want them to bark when someone knocks at the door or windows or rattles the doorknob. However, I also want them able to be trained to stop barking when told.

 

If you want it as some sort of burglar alarm/theft deterrent then please do not get a dog.

So even if they would also be a jogging partner and companion as well, no dog at all would be advised?

 

Getting a dog, to a certain extent, is like taking on a toddler - and they're going to stay like that for most of their lives. *you* have to want to care for the dog. *You* have to be interested in giving the dog what *it* needs. ... Think first of the dog, then of yourself.

I'm well aware of all of that. That's exactly why I'm not rushing out and getting a dog right now. Consider that I'm actually taking the time to try figuring this out... I've cared for and worked with all types of dogs nearly all of my life, so I'm not a clueless kid.

 

You may think that a daily walk of an hour is something you're up for. Great, that means you could have a slightly more active breed. But will you be up for that walk every day in bad weather? Once it's going dark? And remember that the dog will also need to be taken outside to use the bathroom - not once, but multiple times a day. First thing in the morning, last thing at night, and at least a couple of times in between.

Bad weather isn't an issue unless it's something like a hurricane. Nighttime might be an issue because of the neighborhood near to us, but I'd be more confident having the dog with me so it's probably gonna happen a few times. And yes I'm aware of the potty thing. I became accustomed to going out with our previous dogs, so going out with one on a leash shouldn't be too different.

 

What floor are you going to be living on? Are you up for that amount of stair climbing in a day as well as an hour long walk? Do you jog daily? If you want a jogging companion, and can take that as well as toileting into account, then, again, you can look at a dog that has more energy.

I'm aiming for first floor, but second is possible. Stairs are hard for me going down, because I have bad depth perception. It gets better though the more times I have to climb up and down. Yes, I want a jogging companion- though I'm aiming to get back into rollerblading.

 

Are you both going to be out at work for long periods?

He is. I'll be home the majority of the day, and when I go out the dog is very likely coming with me unless it's to get groceries or somewhere I'll need to take the bus to like my doctor.

 

Also - is it your first dog?

Yes and No. Yes because it'll be the first dog I take care of that's actually mine. No because as I've said before I've grown up caring for and working with my family's dogs.

 

We -have- looked into Greyhounds and other sighthound breeds. I myself am enthralled by Borzoi. There's a dog track near to where I am that adopts out retired racers, so it's definitely possible. We're also looking into Shibas, Staffies, and either Standard or Giant Schnauzers as well as other breeds. My mom persists on a poodle...

[schmupti]

We -have- looked into Greyhounds and other sighthound breeds. I myself am enthralled by Borzoi. There's a dog track near to where I am that adopts out retired racers, so it's definitely possible. We're also looking into Shibas, Staffies, and either Standard or Giant Schnauzers as well as other breeds. My mom persists on a poodle...

My understanding is that Shibas are high maintenance--very intelligent and very independent, so they take longer to train, are more prone to boredom and mischief, and require way more exercise and socialization than other breeds. Probably not a good idea for your first on-your-own dog.

 

Regarding Staffies, bully or bully-looking breeds can often make landlords nervous about renting to you. Worse, if you're in a bad neighborhood, your dog's more likely to end up the target of thieves than a deterrent for them. I'm more familiar with pits, but I've heard Staffies have the same pigheaded temperament, so training's also an issue.

 

A dog that barks when someone's at the door is poorly trained, and undesirable in an apartment, because that dog will always be defending its space against the sights and sounds and smells of other people in the building--meaning a lot of barking when your neighbors get up and head out for work, when they have company come over, when they're answering their own door, etc. You'll constantly be telling the dog to can it.

 

The dog itself is the deterrent, and if you're walking it regularly then it's doing its job as a deterrent by being visible to anyone eyeballing your place. A barking dog, on the other hand, is just going to annoy you and your neighbors both.

[MessengerDragon]

Question. We found a young (about 10cm long) blue-tongue lizard (eastern I think. Stripy, not blotched) in our backyard. It's breathing fine as far as I can see, but it isn't moving much, apart from opening its mouth like it is yawning. You can touch it, pat it, whatever, it doesn't respond apart from sometimes moving a bit. We tried warming it up in the sunlight, so I don't think being cold is the issue, though I don't know how to check. I found somewhere that a blue-tongue may have just over-eaten, but I don't know how to check this.

 

So basically, it isn't responding to the outside world much, and it's opening its mouth a lot.

 

Does anyone know what might be wrong or how to help it?

 

Please help! I'm really worried abut it. I like blue-tongues and this one doesn't seem to be acting normally. (I have observed adult blue-tongues in our backyard, and none of them acted like this)

Edited September 27, 2014 by MessengerDragon

[DangerDragon]

Can guinea pigs eat dark/black rye bread? My guinea pigs loves rye bread and now we only have dark/black rye bread, is it okay for guinea pigs?

[MessengerDragon]

As far as I know, they shouldn't eat any bread, but I've never tried.

However, if your guinea pig is OK with rye bread, I think it will probably be just as OK with dark rye.

(Although they ARE herbivores.)

Edited September 27, 2014 by MessengerDragon

[Tiga]

Question. We found a young (about 10cm long) blue-tongue lizard (eastern I think. Stripy, not blotched) in our backyard. It's breathing fine as far as I can see, but it isn't moving much, apart from opening its mouth like it is yawning. You can touch it, pat it, whatever, it doesn't respond apart from sometimes moving a bit. We tried warming it up in the sunlight, so I don't think being cold is the issue, though I don't know how to check. I found somewhere that a blue-tongue may have just over-eaten, but I don't know how to check this.

 

So basically, it isn't responding to the outside world much, and it's opening its mouth a lot.

 

Does anyone know what might be wrong or how to help it?

 

Please help! I'm really worried abut it. I like blue-tongues and this one doesn't seem to be acting normally. (I have observed adult blue-tongues in our backyard, and none of them acted like this)

Although i'm not an expert in lizards, I do think your lizard may of overeaten. Is it bigger than normal? Does it sleep a lot? How long has it been like this? Blue tongue lizards eat anything put in front of them. If it has overeaten it just needs time to digest the food. Keep it hydrated. Hopefully it will get better. If it is getting worse, always see a vet.

 

Edit: typos D:<

Edited September 27, 2014 by Tiga

[MessengerDragon]

We got a sort of expert in, they said it looked dehydrated and they're looking after it at their place. And in response to the other questions, I don't know. This is the first time I've seen a baby one, so I don't know what's normal for it.

 

It is a wild one, so I don't know how much or what it normally eats.

 

But we got the problem solved now I think.

[Tiga]

We got a sort of expert in, they said it looked dehydrated and they're looking after it at their place. And in response to the other questions, I don't know. This is the first time I've seen a baby one, so I don't know what's normal for it.

 

It is a wild one, so I don't know how much or what it normally eats.

 

But we got the problem solved now I think.

That's good. An expert is always good in situations like this. Hope it gets better! :3

[DangerDragon]

As far as I know, they shouldn't eat any bread, but I've never tried.

However, if your guinea pig is OK with rye bread, I think it will probably be just as OK with dark rye.

(Although they ARE herbivores.)

Guinea pigs can eat bread, but not the white bread(they can choke on it and its not as good for them as rye bread). I KNOW they are herbivores. Bread is okay for them as a treat. But idk about dark rye bread, maybe i'll just buy rye bread.

[sparkle10184]

They can eat bread as long as it's free of seed.

[Omen]

Question. We found a young (about 10cm long) blue-tongue lizard (eastern I think. Stripy, not blotched) in our backyard. It's breathing fine as far as I can see, but it isn't moving much, apart from opening its mouth like it is yawning. You can touch it, pat it, whatever, it doesn't respond apart from sometimes moving a bit. We tried warming it up in the sunlight, so I don't think being cold is the issue, though I don't know how to check. I found somewhere that a blue-tongue may have just over-eaten, but I don't know how to check this.

 

So basically, it isn't responding to the outside world much, and it's opening its mouth a lot.

 

Does anyone know what might be wrong or how to help it?

 

Please help! I'm really worried abut it. I like blue-tongues and this one doesn't seem to be acting normally. (I have observed adult blue-tongues in our backyard, and none of them acted like this)

I know your question's been answered and that the little tucker is being cared for, but we get wild blueys through our backyard fairly often and I have three Easterns as pets myself. I don't have experience with blueys younger than four months old and I have only been keeping them for 18 months, so take what I say with a grain of salt. If you'd like to learn more about blueys, even if you don't want one as a pet, there's a great Bluey forum here: http://www.bluetongueskinks.org/forum/index.php it's an international forum for new and experienced keepers (or just fans of blueys), there's quite a few experienced keepers on it, even some who are Australian based.

 

Were the markings stripes or bands? Stripes are longways down the body while bands are across the width of the body. If the little tucker was striped, you might not have a Bluey (or even a Pink tongue as my next suggestion explains). It could be a Pink Tongued Skink, as the juveniles have blueish-purple tongues. They're also smaller in size, so it could be possible. However, since you've seen adult blueys and you've had someone take care of the little tucker, I'm going to say that it probably was a Blue tongue, Pink tongues look different in that their more towards the brown shades as opposed to the blueys silvers and grays and they tend to like more humid climates. Here's a comparison: Pink tongue juvenile - Blue tongue juvenile. Wild blueys aren't usually this vibrant, and if you're south of Brisbane, they will look different. The pic of the juvie bluey is a south east Queensland locale, and also a captive bred bluey - his name is Gizmo. Here's some wild blueys for comparison, all of these are Sydney locale animals. Wild bluey - Wild bluey -Wild bluey. The last one with the strange looking jaw is the one I reference further down in my post. The injury is healed and he gets around well despite missing three digits on one toe. I saw him today, soaking up some sunshine on the brick retaining wall featured in the other wild bluey pics.

 

A 10cm long bluey at this time of year seems strange. Most Eastern blueys are born December-January, and should've gained a bit of size during this time (average adult size is 45-60cm). It's possible this bluey was born later than usual, especially if it warmed up later in the year. Anyway, it sounds like the little tucker hasn't eaten much and probably bruminated through Winter. Brumination is sorta like hibernation, only the animal comes out for a drink or a bask every now and then. Basically, they slow right down to preserve energy, since they're cold blooded and need to bask to digest foods, they go off food for a period before Winter. During Winter, if they have food in their stomach this can rot and cause problems. If the bluey has decent amount of fat build up (typically stored in the tail), they can get through brumination without much worry. It's about the right time for wild Blueys to come out of brumination, in the Sydney area at least, the one that lives in our back yard came out of brumination last week.

 

Now the open mouth can be one of two things, a threat display or a sign of a respiratory infection. The first isn't bad, it's instinctual to be scared of anything larger as these guys are predated upon by large birds, cats, dogs and even other reptiles like snakes. If the bluey huffed and hissed when you picked it up, that's another threat display and a good sign for a healthy bluey. They're basically saying: "Don't touch me, I'm aggressive and I will bite." If they flare their tongue out in a display, it's a louder claim "I'm poison, don't eat me!" as the bright blue of their tongues stands out from their markings and even better, their surroundings. Usually blueys are all huff and no bite, I've yet to be bitten by any wild blueys and I pick them up every now and then to check for ticks. On the other hand, I have been bitten by my blueys and it hurts, so I wouldn't advise being bitten by one. If you're holding it when it bites, try not to drop it. They will let go eventually, and if it's a bigger bluey be prepared for bruising, broken skin and maybe a little blood. Their jaws can crack snail shells in one bite, so when they're going for food or acting very defensive, you better watch your fingers.

 

On the other hand, a respiratory infection can be fatal if left untreated. If the bluey had mucus around it's nostrils, made strange sounds when breathing and was overall quite lethagic, it's very possible that it has or had a respiratory infection. Since the little tucker is wild, hearing how it breathes would be more difficult as the proximity of a predator (you or another person), would have it acting defensively. I haven't experienced a bluey with a respiratory infection, so those signs are the symptoms listed on websites and in the care book I have. I hope it wasn't a respiratory infection, it might be a fancy name for a cold but it's a long road of recovery for the animal.

 

In regards to what they eat, wild blueys are scavengers. They'll eat anything from dog food to roadkill and are probably unlikely to take any food you give them unless they're hungry and/or used to human interaction. If you've got snails in your garden and you have blueys around, please try to avoid baiting the snails as baited snails will kill blueys. My lot absolutely love snails, but I have to purge the snails in our yard for two weeks before feeding them to my blueys in case someone in another house has laid snail bait around. They are omnivores, some just don't like their greens and vegetables. As for how much they eat, a baby will eat a portion as big as it's head. In captivity, this portion size is fed daily. As they grow, the time between feeds become larger, as does the portion size. I feed mine every five days to once a week, but mine aren't eating much since they bruminated through Winter. As two are boys, they're more interested in girls right now than eating.

 

Be careful with relocating them as they are a protected species, I know you did it in the blueys best interests, and good on you for seeking help from someone who has more experience with them. If you can and if the little tucker is okay, have it released in an area close to where you found it (if dogs aren't in the immediate vicinity). Also be aware that native animals in Australia are covered for free vet care if they're wild. This goes for Queensland and New South Wales, I'm not sure about other states and territories. Just make sure to ring the vet beforehand to double check. Also if you're in NSW, an organisation called WIRES takes care of injured wildlife so the wild animal will be rehabilitated by them if possible.

 

Sorry about the wall of text! I'm glad you're the type to enjoy seeing blueys in their back yard, they keep the snail population down and if you've got blueys, you probably don't have snakes nearby. That doesn't mean snakes aren't in the area - but it's a sign that they don't usually handg around as a hungry snake (especially the elapids/venomous species) will go for another reptile if given the opportunity.

Edited September 27, 2014 by VampiricOmen

[kitsune93]

We got a sort of expert in, they said it looked dehydrated and they're looking after it at their place. And in response to the other questions, I don't know. This is the first time I've seen a baby one, so I don't know what's normal for it.

 

It is a wild one, so I don't know how much or what it normally eats.

 

But we got the problem solved now I think.

You should do some research on the lizard. The most important part about owning reptiles is knowing what temp and humidity to keep them at.

 

Take a look at these:

http://www.amazingamazon.com.au/blue-tongue-lizard-care

http://www.exoticsvet.com.au/bluetongue_dvella.pdf

 

Also, it could have a parasite or illness. There's no real way of knowing unless it's taken to a vet.

[EnchantingMiracle]

^^i agree with kitsune93

The best possible solution would be to take the lizard to the vet as soon as possible. It could have serious problems, and there is no way to know unless you take it the the vet.

[Tiga]

I was recently cleaning out my budgies' cage and feeding them. Once I finished I took the rare chance to stand to the side and watch them. We have three seed pots and one very small one in the cage. I hang vegetables in the cage but all five scramble to eat from the three main pots of seed.

 

I think that's normal, but that isn't my real question. I saw my newest budgie, Joey, a yellow with same white colorings English budgie grab ahold of a one of my budgie's wings and bite down. The green budgie victim started screeching and squealing so I called out to stop them. I'm worried because previously I have had budgies with cuts. I don't know what's wrong, he isn't even the biggest budgie in our cage.

 

Is it just him being the dominate budgie in the cage? He is male and I have read stuff like that. He goes around to the budgies who are feeding and scare them away.

[Trinketguu]

I was recently cleaning out my budgies' cage and feeding them. Once I finished I took the rare chance to stand to the side and watch them. We have three seed pots and one very small one in the cage. I hang vegetables in the cage but all five scramble to eat from the three main pots of seed.

 

I think that's normal, but that isn't my real question. I saw my newest budgie, Joey, a yellow with same white colorings English budgie grab ahold of a one of my budgie's wings and bite down. The green budgie victim started screeching and squealing so I called out to stop them. I'm worried because previously I have had budgies with cuts. I don't know what's wrong, he isn't even the biggest budgie in our cage.

 

Is it just him being the dominate budgie in the cage? He is male and I have read stuff like that. He goes around to the budgies who are feeding and scare them away.

It could be fear, it could be dominance, female budgies could do this for hormonal reasons, though you said it was young. Could you maybe move it to another cage for awhile tell it got adjusted to the new environment then move the cage closer to the main cage slowly over a few days before adding the new budgie back into the main cage? Not sure what else to try, I have never had any real problems with budgies though I have heard of them being aggressive.