Pet shop Gloucester offer

Posted on February 21, 2013 by rangell

Pet shop Gloucester offer on Orijen and Acana 400g bags. We are selling 400g bags of Orijen and Acana dog and cat foods at 50% off marked price.

Champion Pet foods are stopping making 400g bags of Orijen. We still have some on the shelves in our pet shop Gloucester and would like to clear the space quickly for new stock of other products (we are always looking to increase our pet shop Gloucester range). So we are marking down the price by 50%.

This gives you and excellent chance to try out this superb food at a bargain price. I use this food myself for my staffie lurcher cross, Venus and my Cretan hound, Raki. So I can vouch for its qualities personally (well almost, they eat, it not me!). They both have superb coat, are in prime condition physically and as an added bonus produce much less waste than they would if they were being fed a food with lots of grain filler (most foods on the market).

Click the link below for a fuller explanation of the qualities of good dog food on our pet shop Gloucester You Tube channel. The “good” example used in the video is Orijen. I won’t say what the “bad” example is. Anyone who has heard me talk about it will know which food I think is the worst rubbish on the market. We only stock it in our pet shop Gloucester so I can ask people why they want to buy it!

So take this opportunity to give it a try and see what you think. If you are an existing pet shop Gloucester customer buying 2.5kg or 7kg bags it is actually cheaper at this price to get the 400g bags!

The Angell Pets Team

FREE Acana

Posted on February 12, 2013 by rangell

FREE Acana dog food for the first pet shop Gloucester custmoers that ask for it in store.

We have had a few 340g bags of Acana dog food given us by the Orijen and Acana rep. We are giving these free to the first customers to come in and ask us for one (one per customer). We only have seven bags so you will need to be quick. This is a top quality food and is very popular so I can’t see them being around for long.

Now’s your chance to give the natural diet concept a try without any risk. It really is the best way to feed your dog as it is as close as you can get to a natural diet, in a bag. Unlike most foods on the market this is not loaded with grain (a carboydrate source you dog doesn’t need) as a cheap filler. The result is you feed less, feed better and have less mess to clear up. Happy days.

See you in the shop soon and don’t forget to ask for your FREE bag of Acana.

The Angell Pets Team.

Pet shop Gloucester care sheet – goldfish

Posted on December 20, 2012 by rangell

Pet shop Gloucester advice series, how to look after goldfish

Goldfish are generally rated as one of the easiest fish to keep. However there are basic requirements for all fish that must be provided for the fish to remain healthy. Goldfish come in a wide variety of colours and shapes. Whilst most are capable of being mixed as they have similar water quality requirements, not all should be mixed. Mixing normal or comet types with fancy fantails for instance can result in the fins of the fancy fish being attacked. Fancies and fantails with thier long flowing fins and tails tend to be slower moving than the “normal” types and cannot get away from boisterous tank mates.

A fish tank is a sealed system. With the exception of perhaps oxygen and carbon dioxide, which can enter and leave the system at the surface of the water, anything you put into the tank stays in the tank and nothing can get in unless you put it in. Put food in and you have added energy and nitrogenous waste (from the protein in the food). So the fish will grow (and so may plants) and the waste will build up. In a natural system such as a river or lake, this waste is washed away and broken down (recycled and reused by other organisms). In a tank it cannot go anywhere and you have to establish and maintain the natural waste disposal mechanisms to deal with it.

Solid waste will build up in the gravel or sand and in the filter. Left alone a sludge would eventually build up and begin to rot, releasing toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To prevent this is easy. Simply stir up the gravel at each partial water change (more on that later) or better still, buy a gravel cleaner that cleans the gravel as you remove water for the water change. Every second water change rinse the filter element in the water you have taken out to remove the solids. Do not rinse under the tap. This will kill all your lovely beneficial bacteria and you don’t want that. Some filters also contain carbon. This does become saturated and will need replacing periodically. The same is true if there is a nitrate removal sponge. Leaving this in for too long will seriously effect water quality.

Dissolved nitrogenous waste is released into the water by the fish in the form of ammonia. Ammonia is highly toxic to fish so it has to be removed. Bacteria that eat the ammonia live on the surface of the gravel and in the filter medium. They break it down into nitrite, which is less toxic and then into nitrate (much less toxic). Nitrate is plant fertiliser. If you do not remove this then your tank will suffer from excessive algae growth. For this reason and those already given you should carry out a partial water change (remove some of the water and replace it with fresh, i.e. treated if using tap water) every couple of weeks as a minimum. How frequently you need do this depends on a number of factors, size of tank, size of filter, number of fish, presence of plants etc. but for an established, reasonable sized, not overstocked tank every couple of weeks should be sufficient.

Having an efficient filter (internal or external) will significantly improve the quality of the water (and reduce frequency of partial water changes to a degree) and improve oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange rates at the surface of the water (by the rippling effect of the outlet of the filter). We do not sell goldfish bowls or recommend tanks without some form of filtration. It is possible to do without but it significantly increases the amount cleaning and water changes you will need to do and with the best will in the world people let it slip. In the end the fish suffers so we choose not to sell them.

There are three main ways of adding filtration. Under gravel, using an air pump to drive water down through the gravel and up and over a tube, internal cartridge or element, probably the commonest form in small tanks and external cartridge or element, more usual in larger tanks. All work well and have their own benefits and drawbacks which we will not go into here. Any can be used with goldfish.

Before putting goldfish into a new tank it needs time to mature. A week is normally sufficient. This is to allow the natural systems to establish before being presented with waste to dispose of. The process of maturation can be accelerated by the addition of the necessary bacteria in a liquid form. Fish should then be added gradually over a period of weeks to enable the bacterial cultures to grow with the increased waste load.

Plants make an attractive addition to the tank and can also help use up nitrogenous waste but they are not essential. Fish do like to hide among them and eat some kinds but artificial plants can be used. Ornaments are at your discretion, they can provide hideaways for nervous new fish but again are not essential.

Lighting is also not essential but does bring out the colours of the fish. If using real plants then the lighting is needed to encourage plant growth. Leaving the light on for too long can stimulate algal growth on the glass, gravel and any ornaments and plants though.

We wouldn’t recommend less than a 25 litre tank for goldfish. With regard to the number of fish there is no hard and fast rule but generally it is the surface area of the tank that dictates how many fish it can hold, rather than just the volume of water (larger surface area = higher oxygen exchange rate) so a shallower wide tank will hold more than a deep narrow tank.

Goldfish are omnivores and eat a variety of food stuff. A good flake or pellet food is normally sufficient to provide all the necessary nutrients.

Goldfish are quite hardy. All goldfish are fish farm bred nowadays and can tolerate a wide range of waters. Tap water in this region is medium to medium hard and pH (a measure of the hydrogen ion content of the water) is well buffered (resistant to change)at around 7.4 – 7.6. This is suitable for all modern goldfish and further treatment for pH and hardness is not normally required. Note that if water quality is not made a priority and the tank is not regularly cleaned pH can rise to high levels and effect the health of the fish over time. As long as you do not neglect your routine water changes this will not happen. However chlorine and chloramines are present in the water to keep it safe for us to drink and these need to be remove before being used with fish. Standing tap water for 24 hours will remove the free chlorine but will not remove the chloramines. You must use a chemical (Tapsafe, Aquasafe, Safeguard etc.) to remove these toxic chemicals (toxic to the fish – not you) BEFORE using the water.

Avoid using real rocks unless purchased for the purpose from a reputable aquarist shop. Some rocks will significantly change the water quality to the detriment of the fish (limestone for example). Fake rocks are resin based and will not effect water quality.

After you have bought your tank, set it up, let it mature for at least a week, you can add your fish. Don’t add more than one or two at a time. Check the fish in the shop for any obvious signs of disease such as a swollen body, damaged eyes or fins, sores, excreta stuck to the fish in a long line etc. The shop should carry out these basic checks in front of you and tick off each element of the inspection. When you get home, put the bag with the fish in into your tank (remember to remove some water first or you will have an overspill!) and leave it for about 15 minutes. This is for the temperature in the bag to equalize with that of the tank to avoid temperature shocking the fish (which can be fatal). Then remove the fish from the bag and put it in the tank. Do not bother to try to “acclimatise” the fish to the water chemistry by making holes in the bag etc.. It takes many days for this to happen and is just not practicable.

Feed your fish daily. The food should be gone in 1 – 2 minutes maximum. Any longer and you are overfeeding your fish and this will eventually lead to problems. Check the fish daily for signs of disease. Carryout your water changes and filter cleaning and you should have a healthy fish for many years to come.

Pop into our pet shop Gloucester for more specific advice on goldfish.

Pets for Christmas? Pet shop Gloucester advice

Posted on December 16, 2012 by rangell

We are a pet shop and we sell pets. We also care about their welfare, so what is our pet shop Gloucester stance on selling pets around Christmas time?

Should you buy pets for Christmas presents? On the face of it this is a no brainer. Pets are for life – not just for Christmas is a phrase that is parroted everywhere and in principal seems obvious. However the phrase is misused these days. What is meant by it is that the pet shouldn’t be bought as you would buy say, the latest trendy toy.

A child see’s a toy that comes on the market and remarks to his/her parent that that’s the one for them, they will be sooo good if only they could have one for Christmas. By the time they open the gift on Christmas morning the fascination has already gone, their friends have moved onto another model, they use it for a couple of days and you hardly ever see it again until you find it amongst all the other rubbish under the bed. If this is your reason for buying a pet at Christmas (or at any other time of year for that matter) just don’t. The amount of times I have had parents and kids in the shop and mum has left convinced that little johnny would do all the housework for the next twenty years if only he can have a rat/rabbit/snake/spider, he’s never wanted anything so much in his life. When we say we’ll see you next week and they return and when shown his favourite ever animal, little johnny says “Yeah great, can I have a look at…” whatever has now caught his fancy; mum realises her lucky escape. At Christmas parents are just as convinced that because they have been in the shop and their child has expressed the same level of interest, on Christmas morning they will still be as interested. Pets should not be bought at Christmas for these superficial reasons.

However a pet, the housing and all the correct equipment can be expensive. If a child and parent come in repeatedly throughout the year and the child (and the same is true for us big kids too) has retained their interest all year but the parent cannot afford to buy it now, in the middle of summer and then get something else at Christmas there is nothing wrong with delaying the purchase until then.

The important thing about buying a pet is what is informing the decision, not what time of year it is. Pets should never be purchased on a whim. So buying a pet for someone because you can’t think of anything else, because someone mentioned they “like” rabbits, because you are “sure” they will like it, is definitely wrong. You can put the jumper someone bought you in a drawer and forget it, you can’t do that with a pet. The person you bought it for is going to have to clean it, feed it, provide it with exercise, enrichment etc. Are you sure they will want or be able to in a few months (or years, or decades!). That should really be their decision, made in the cold light of day with all the information in front of them, not forced on them on Christmas morning. Also children (and a lot of adults I meet) are fickle. You have to be absolutely sure that they will fulfil their commitment and responsibility to the animal. This is best ascertained over a period of time, with repeated visits.

So the basic message is don’t buy a “surprise” present of an animal on a whim at any time of year. The chances of it being not wanted are too high. If you are convinced your recipient really wants a pet and has shown consistently they have the ability and the will to look after it properly over a period of time, you have done you research and know what you and/or they are taking on then don’t let others make you feel guitly about combining a purchase they really want with Christmas. It should really be “A pet is for life – not just for any particular day of the year”

Let us help you make that informed decision by informing you of everything you need to know about your chosen pet BEFORE you buy it. Pop in and see us in our pet shop Gloucester anytime to ask us anything you need to know.

The Angell Pets Team

Pet shop Gloucester livefood advice

Posted on December 12, 2012 by rangell

Most lizards, all spiders and even some snakes (rough green snake for example) feed on livefood such as crickets, locusts, meal worms, morio worms, cockroaches, wax worms, calci worms etc. The best way to feed a reptile or spider is to vary the food as each species has a different energy, mineral and vitamin content. It is also necessary to supplement the food with vitamin and calcium powder because even with varying the species it is still more limited than the animal would be exposed to in the wild. This disadvantage can be further mitigated by “gut loading” the live food. Basically, whatever the insect eats the animal eats as well, as it is eating the gut contents with the insect.

Each type of commonly stocked live food species has its own benefits and drawbacks. There are many tables of commonly (and some not so commonly) stocked feed species with their most important properties detailed available on the net. I have included one such below. However whichever species is used gut loading is probably the most important element of feeding an insectivorous animal.

Without reproducing all those other tables (some of which require a certain level of knowledge of animal nutrition to decipher) there are some basic messages.

Crickets in general (the cheaper to produce and less hardy types in particular) have a poor calcium to phosphorous ratio and fed exclusively the lowest general nutritional value. However they readily eat a wide range of food stuffs so can act as a very effective transporter of nutrients via their guts. A very illustrative example of this occurred in the shop the other day. We feed the crickets we keep on the shelves with carrot. It has nutritional value to the crickets, they like it and it contains enough moisture to keep them alive for weeks without going mouldy in the box. With small and medium small crickets this turns the insect orange as their guts fill with carrot. We fed some of the medium small crickets (“silent”) to a griffin mantis. A small orange blob of gut contents could be seen making its way down the digestive tract of the mantis. Crickets make very effective little food packages.

Locusts are as nutritious as crickets in general and are preferred by some animals. However they tend to be a bit more selective over what they will eat and so gut loading is a little bit more limited, although still sufficient. You get fewer locust for your money though, so there is a balance. Varying between crickets and locusts is probably best (although my beardie rarely eats crickets).

Cockroaches make excellent live food from a nutritional viewpoint. They are also easy to gutload as they eat virtually anything. However there are practical problems. If you keep animals that eat crickets, no matter how careful you are some will escape. With cockroaches this is even more likely. They are also even better at hiding out inside a vivarium and for things such as tarantulas, will eat the the spider when it is moulting if you don’t find them all and get them out. Best fed in small numbers so you can be sure they have all been eaten as you put them in.

Wax worms are high fat moth larvae that are excellent for getting a poor feeder feeding again and up to weight but are so liked that they can turn your animal into a reptile equivalent of a burger stuffing Elvis. They are OK as a treat or to boost weight but would you want to eat burgers every single day. Well OK, but would it be good for you? I have seen bearded dragons that have been hand fed wax worms exclusively that now refuse any other food at all and oh boy, they were fat. Many people throw away wax worms when they pupate. Big mistake, Lizards love the pupae and the moths when they emerge, chameleons seem to prefer them.

Meal worms. I have a bias against meal worms. Their jaws and exoskeletons contain a lot of chitin and when fed exclusively can cause problems with gut impaction. Now I know this is a controversial subject. There are some very well respected leopard gecko breeders that use meal worms almost exclusively and swear by them and (I am sure quite honestly) say they have never had any problems. I am quite willing to accept this and if you want to use meal worms that’s fine. However I have had a bad experience with them. Many (many ) years ago I had two European green lizards and the only live food available locally at the time was meal worms (the Internet did not exists then – even the military fore runner, that’s how long ago!). I lost both lizards to impaction. Used as a staple I think they are OK but I always vary the diet of our animals.

Morios contain less chitin than meal worms. They are reasonably high in fat so I wouldn’t use them exclusively but again they make a good staple. They keeps for ages, everything seems to like them but they are a little too large for a lot of lizards. Our adult leopards like them but they are a bit big so we only give them when she is laying eggs and needs a boost. They are also quite difficult to dust (it doesn’t stick to them very well).

Flies make excellent live food if you can get them. Obviously some animals (like the wandering violin mantis) only really eat flying insects. Fruit flies (flightless or otherwise) make good food, due both to their small size and good nutritional content for hatchling lizards (chameleons go crazy for them) and spiderlings. Calci worms are actually fly larvae and make a nutritious change for growing lizards and again chameleons love them, especially when they have turned into flying insects. As thew name suggest they are higher in calcium.

Pachnoda (fruitbeetle larvae) are big, fat, juicy, highly nutritious grubs. they make an excellent occasional change or energy boost but are a bit more expensive.

With regard to dusting the live food this is important for a couple of reasons. FIrstly as discussed, to ensure a good balance of vitamins and minerals but this is largely mitigated by good feeding of the live food. Give them a varied diet and your animal is getting the same. We still use vitamin powder (we use Nutrobal) once a week. Calcium dusting not only boosts the calcium in the diet where the feeder insect is naturally low in calcium (crickets) but also compensates for the fact that even with the best UVB lamp on the market, it is not as good as the sun and so will not produce as much vitamin D3 in the skin as in a wild lizard. Overloading with calcium helps mitigate this and helps prevent metabolic bone disease, pyramid shell etc.

So to look after your animal, look after your live food and vary the diet as much as you can. Not only is this better for the animal but it is better for your pocket too. You will lose fewer insects in the box, so there will be more available for the animal, they will be more active so more likely to be eaten, you will have to buy fewer boxes over the life of the animal and it will stay interested and be better fed. Everyone’s a winner.

The Angell Pets Team

Pet shop Gloucester advice series – Catnip – what does it do?

Posted on October 28, 2012 by rangell

Pet shop gloucester advice series. What does cat nip do to your cat?

Catnip is a member of the mint family (Nepeta cataria). It contains an essential oil called nepetalactone which appears to mimic opiates and produces an intoxicating effect, acting on some opioid receptors in the nervous system. In the wild it grows in hedgerows and on waste grassland and foxes and cats seek it out to roll in it. It is thought that one reason for this behaviour amongst predators is to mask their scent so they can approach prey more easily.

Cat nip has varying effects in domestic cats. In 10% of cats it has no effect at all. This is believed to be a genetic trait to do with the sensitivity of the olfactory system (sense of smell). In most cats it has one of three effects. The majority of cats go into a sort of ecstasy, rolling around and exhibiting behaviour similar to female sexual behaviour. In others it seems to send them to sleep (it can do this to people too, although in others it has the reverse effect and acts as a stimulant!). In a minority of cats is can actually make them aggressive, so watch out.

Catnip is a useful tool to help reduce stress in cats by giving them a toy impregnated or filled with catnip to distract them on car journeys, in new environments etc. It can encourage the use of scratch posts and when used in conjunction with a repellent, protect a the furniture or carpet. (repellent on the furniture, cat nip on the scratch post).

So catnip stimulates a cats olfactory system to produce behaviour associated with feeding (chewing and sniffing), sex (rolling and rubbing) and hunting and play (pouncing and kicking). Outside, on wild catnip, all three types can be exhibited as prelude to a hunting mission. Inside it can be used as an artificial way of getting a cat to exhibit natural behaviours.

Register on our pet shop Gloucester email list for your 10% discount and regular advice and offer updates.

The Angell Pets Team

Pet Shop Gloucester Advice Series Hamster Care Sheet

Posted on October 10, 2012 by rangell

Pet shop Gloucester advice on caring for your Syrian hamster.

Hamsters generally make good family pets. However there are issues that you need to take into consideration.

They are nocturnal so being more active in the evening allows the busy family time to enjoy them. However in a child’s bedroom this can be a problem, unless you buy a silent wheel and a cage that does not have bars for the hamster to constantly chew on. They are small mammals ideal for families with limited space. Hamsters make a suitable pet for children providing they are taught the responsibilities of their pets daily cleaning, feeding, handling and care.

Syrian or Golden hamsters originally come from Syria. In the wild they live in burrows in the day to keep cool, so they love tubes and tunnels. They are active animals and travel great distances at night, hence the need for a wheel. They will carry food in pouches and hoard it, so check yours is eating what you put in for it or when you clean it out you will be wasting food by throwing away its food store. Syrian hamsters are solitary animals and best kept alone. You will see them together in the shop but this is because they are young, sexually immature animals. When they reach sexual maturity they will start to fight. Syrian hamsters have more than twenty colours and coat types such as smooth coat, satin and long haired. Syrian hamsters average life span is 2 -3 years.

Hamsters normally stay healthy throughout their lives. They can suffer from coughs and sneezes and their nose and eyes may run, so keep them warm and away from any draughts. If the signs persist seek veterinary advice. Hamsters can suffer acute diarrhoea known as wet tail . If this occurs take your pet to the vets immediately. There is normally no problem with hamsters’ teeth. However if they do not meet properly they will grow too long and eating will be impossible. If this occurs the teeth must be clipped regularly. It is therefor essential the teeth are checked BEFORE you buy. Also make sure your hamster has something to gnaw on to keep its teeth worn down.

Syrian hamsters do not need to hibernate but will appear to do so if there is a sudden drop in temperature below 5°C. They will go torpid and their breathing will be so shallow they appear dead. Sadly hamsters have been disposed of in the past because the owners thought they had died. Hamsters will also exhibit this behaviour if the temperature becomes too high (35C)

If your hamster escapes from its cage try putting a box (its nest box) or bowl in the corner of the room. He may well be in it the next morning. If you are concerned about your hamster’s health speak to your pet shop Gloucester or your vet.

Feeding

Use a good proprietary brand of hamster food. This will have the correct balance of nutrients. Hamsters in the wild eat a mixture of seeds, plants and insects. Make sure you feed yours a similar balanced diet. If your mix does not contain insects (many do not) then supplement with meal worms. We use live but if you are squeamish you can used dried (both available at your pet shop Gloucester). You can also feed some fruit and millet etc. or hamster fruity treats but you will not need too many of these. Be aware that hamster store food. They will cram as much into their cheek pouches as possible and store it in a “larder” (designated part of their burrow) for later. Just because the bowl is empty does not mean it has no food. Check the cage for the store and monitor that.

Sexing

Sexing hamsters is very easy. The testes in the male are clearly visible under the base of the short tail from a very early age. Also the distance between the anus and the genitals is much greater in the male. In our pet shop Gloucester we tend to keep males as they will tolerate each other for a lot longer than the females. Females need to be separated earlier but males will eventually fight. In the wild the fights will result in one hamster losing and running away. In the confines of a cage there is nowhere to go and so the fights will result in the death of one (at least) of the hamsters.

Housing

A good sized cage is required. You can use either a wire cage with a plastic bottom, or a plastic covered cage. Both have disadvantages and advantages. Whilst hamsters love tunnels, I would avoid cages with horizontal tubes as part of the construction. Hamsters naturally use a latrine (another designated part of their burrow) and you can almost guarantee it will select the most inaccessible part of the tubing system and the wee will leak out of the tiny air holes in the plastic (this is from experience!). Buy tubes to go inside a normal cage, they are easier to clean. Due to this habit of using a latrine it is possible to litter train a hamster. Buy a hamster toilet and put some of the soiled bedding in it and soon the hamster will be using this as its latrine, saving on cleaning out the whole cage. Definitely get a hamster wheel or saucer. Hamsters love to exercise. Not having one is really unfair on the animal.

When cleaning cages and accessories make sure you use a small animal disinfectant not household which are toxic. A very useful piece of equipment is the hamster ball. Not only is this excellent for exercising the hamster but it is useful to use it whilst you clean out the cage.Two birds with one stone.

If you need further advice on hamsters call into our pet shop Gloucester and have a chat.

The Angell Pets Team

Is your dog/cat fat? You’re not the only one.

Posted on October 5, 2012 by rangell

There is growing evidence that the behavioural patterns of our pets are changing alongside the behaviour of the owners. Human obesity is rising and so is obesity in dogs and cats. Why is this?

Research is showing that in dogs, behaviour is reflecting that of people in general. We and our dogs are becoming less active. 10 years ago the majority of dogs were ranked as active. Now the majority are ranked as inactive. However there is more to it than that. Cats are also becoming generally larger. It has been shown that the daily energy requirements of both have fallen yet the energy intake is rising. A lot of this is down to a change in attitude toward pets. Not that long ago pets were considered as an adjunct to the family, lots of people had them but they were always a seperate entity. Nowadays more and more of us consider and treat our pets as members of the family. Just look at Christmas time. Years ago it would be considered normal to buy a gift for your children but a bit odd to buy one for your dog. Now most people would consider it the norm and in my house I would be in a lot of trouble if I didn’t get the dogs something. We are tending to treat the pet as we would treat our kids and this is not always good for the animal.

One of the commonest mistakes people make with their pet is assuming the pet will regulate its own intake of food. They will not. We are sadly familiar with documentaries from the USA about super-sized people that can no longer even get out of bed. Often the parents of these individuals are seen making statements such as “He just can’t lose weight, I hate seeing him like this!”. Well he can no longer get out of bed so he is entirely dependant on you for his food intake. If you don’t give him the food he can’t eat it. The same is true for our dogs and cats. If they are overweight it is because we have fed them too much.

Unfortunately most people are unaware of the feeding guidelines for their animal even though they are there on the reverse of the bag. Also many people like to give their pet treats. This is fine, as long as the equivalent amount of food is removed from their normal meals but this rarely happens. Many of the cheaper treats are very high in fats and sugars. Most of us would consciously monitor how many sweets our kids were eating but not even think about what we were giving to the pet.

On top of the “human error” factors there are other changes in pet care that are also contributing to obesity.

Neutering increases the risk of obesity in cats and dogs; they slow down and their bodies change (hormone reduction). 54% of dogs and 92% of cats are neutered in the UK.

Age plays a part. As a dog or cat gets older they are no longer growing and their activity naturally reduces so their energy requirements go down and so should their calorie intake.

Indoor cats are far less active than outdoor ones so should be fed on lower calorie food or just fed less.

Medication can increase the risk of obesity by increasing the appetite (steroids) or slowing the metabolism.

Other animals in the house can actually reduce the risk. One or two cats have an increased risk of obesity, three to six in a house reduces risk as does sharing a house with a dog. I wonder why? Any cat sharing a house with my dog would have the physique of an Olympic athlete!

If you answer yes to too many questions in the first list below and no to too many in the second list you probably have an overweight pet. The good news is that doing something about it is easy. You just have to change your ways. Less energy in, more energy out reduces weight. More energy in, less out increases weight and you are the arbiter. Fortunately it is all our fault, as this means we can do something about it.

Do you put off walking the dog when you are tired/the weather’s not the best/ you’ve got too much on?
Do you just fill the dogs bowl with food a couple of times a day without reference to the feeding guidelines or without measuring the feed quantity?
Do you keep refilling the cats bowl whenever it’s empty (free feeding) ?
Do you treat your pet to “a bit off my plate, he likes to eat what I am having”?
Is your pet neutered?
Is your pet being treated with medication such as steroids?
Is your pet getting older but you are still feeding the same amount of the same food?
Do you give your dog/cat a treat when you go out/ come in/ go to bed/ get up in the morning/ are eating your meal/ as a reward for good behaviour/when you notice him looking puppy/kittie eyed at you etc. but you forget to reduce his food intake to compensate?
Does your cat hunt the local wildlife and then come home to be fed?
Is someone else feeding your cat as well? (Don’t you stop or reduce feeding but ask them to stop, or you will lose your cat to them)

Do you exercise your dog for at least an hour a day (vigorous walk as a minimum)
Do you stick rigorously to the feeding guidelines on the pet food packaging?
Does your cat get outside much?
Do you have plenty of activities for your indoor cat?
Is you dog/cat still in a growing stage and if not have you reduced its food intake?
Do you have a dog as well as a cat or have a few animals?
Do you have a busy, active house?
Do you use low calorie treats for you pet and avoid the cheap supermarket types?
Do you use a food with low GI index fillers (potatoes or oats instead of wheat etc.)
Have you checked the feeding guidelines lately to see if they have changed? (Some have reduced to fit the changes in pet behaviour)

Don’t worry if you have answered yes to one or two you know you shouldn’t have or no to some you should have said yes to. We all do it a bit. Just make sure you don’t give too many wrong answers or your pet will suffer. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, liver problems, joint problems, urinary and bladder problems, diabetes and a reduction in overall lifespan and as the pet owners we are totally responsible. Of course obesity also increases the vets bill!

Obesity is a growing problem, my vet is so sick of seeing overweight dogs she says she greets 80% of owners in the consulting room with a “Before we go on, your dog is fat – read this” and hands them a leaflet on obesity before even asking what is wrong. She says it’s like a breath of fresh air when someone comes in with a dog that is in good condition and she doesn’t have to give the “fat” talk.

How do you tell if your dog is getting overweight? It is harder than you think. When the majority of dogs are overweight, comparing yours to others is just not that helpful. I even look trim next to some people. There are some things you can easily check though.

A dog/cat should have a definable waist.

You should be able to see (or feel in very bushy haired dogs) about three vertebrae above the hips.

You should see or feel (on longer haired dogs) the faint outline of the ribs (obviously they shouldn’t be standing proud).

From the side, the belly line should tuck up behind the chest, not continue straight or worse hang down.

From above, the side lines should tuck in behind the chest before flaring out around the hips, not continue straight or be round like a barrel.
If your animal is barrel shaped it is definitely overweight.

For any advice on gauging your dog or cats overall condition or on helping to lose weight please do not hesitate to call in and speak to us.

The Angell Pets Team

Pet shop Gloucester pet foods

Posted on September 24, 2012 by rangell

We are pleased to announce the launch of our own range of pet shop Gloucester pet foods.

Initially the range includes dog food (puppy, adult and senior), cat food (kitten, adult), ferret food and pond food. We hope to increase this range in the very near future. At present the price list is as follows:-

Puppy 2.5kg £6.49, 7.5kg £18.99, 12kg £28.99
Adult lamb and rice 2.5kg £6.49, 7.5kg £18.99, 12kg £28.99
Adult chicken and rice 2.5kg £6.49, 7.5kg £18.99, 12kg £28.99
Senior 2.5kg £6.49, 7.5kg £18.99, 12kg £28.99
Kitten 2kg £6.49
Adult cat chicken 2kg £5.99
Adult cat salmon 2kg £5.99
Ferret 2kg £7.49
Pond food 4kg tub £12.99

These prices compare very favourably with Burns and Wellbeloved. Price per kilo, the comparison is as follows:-

APL lamb and rice £2.41/kg (12kg bag)
Burns lamb and rice £3.14/kg (15kg bag)
James Wellbeloved lamb and rice £3.33/kg (15kg bag)

APL chicken cat £2.99/kg (2kg bag)
Burns chicken cat £4.24/kg (2kg bag)
James Wellbeloved turkey cat £7.39/kg (currently on offer at £9.99 a bag so £5/kg) (2kg bag)

APL ferret £3.75/kg (2kg bag)
James Wellbeloved ferret £4.50/kg (2kg bag)

APL staple pond food £3.24/kg (4kg tub)
King British £11.42 (1.75kg bag)
Tetra pond sticks £17.20/kg (5kg tub)

Prices even compare well with lower quality foods too.

APL lamb and rice £2.41/kg (12kg bag)
Skinners turkey and rice £2.22/kg (15kg bag)

A difference of only 19p/kg for a superior quality food.

We have samples of our pet shop Gloucester foods for you to try for free if you like, just ask at the counter.

The Angell Pets Team

Pet shop Gloucester care series – Ferret

Posted on September 13, 2012 by rangell

Pet shop Gloucester pet care series – ferret care.

Ferret basics

Ferrets are members of the mustelidae family (weasels, stoat, mink, otter, badger, and their wild ancestor the polecat). A ferret is basically a domesticated polecat. They have been traditionally bred to hunt rabbits and rats and generally make very good workers. Due to an imfamous TV appearance in the 1970s and ill informed owners of working ferrets, they have had a bad press with regard to biting.

Ferrets can be hand tamed from three weeks and if this is done properly, do not bite. Unfortunately some people believed they needed a big, aggressive male ferret as a worker and so stories of vicious animals that lock on and don’t let go abound. Actually it is relatively easy to get a ferret to let go if it does bite but because the idiot on the TV show didn’t know how to do it the myth grew. Actually an aggressive male ferret is the last thing you want for working. This animal would be big enough to kill a rabbit in the warren and would then stay there. The owner would have to dig down and reach in to get the ferret back. You can imagine the mess this type of animal could make of the owners arm. What you want (and this is why the polecat was originally domesticated) is a nice docile little female who will chase the rabbits out but is too small to kill one and will come out to show you what she’s done. My son’s fellow breeder has one (Chilly) like this. She is his best worker and yet we have taken her to kids parties.

In the end the ferret’s temperament is going to be decided by the breeder, handler and eventually owner. This is why we breed and tame our own ferrets for our pet shop Gloucester.

Male ferrets (hobs) are larger than females (jills) and generally a bit lazier as well. Both make good pets. However both have their own peculiarities that need to be taken into account. The breeding cycle of the ferret throws up a couple of issues.

Firstly and most seriously, a female will come into season a couple of times a year. She must be mated to bring her out of season. If left to stay in season she will become seriously ill and could (probably would) eventually die.

Secondly the male exudes a waxy substance onto the skin during the breeding season. This gives the male a very strong odour. In both case neutering the ferret will prevent any problems. A neutered female will obviously not come into season and a neutered male will not smell. Ferrets can musk when threatened but a suitably tame and happy ferret will not. At our pet shop Gloucester we do not agree with descenting ferrets (removal of the musk glands).

Feeding

Ferrets are carnivores. They eat meat and get their energy from protein and fat. A good quality complete food will provide all their nutritional requirements. Our pet shop Gloucester workers are fed mainly raw food as they are used for pest control and have a plentiful supply. Our pet shop Gloucester pets are fed complete food. Both do equally well. Ferrets drink quite a lot. They should always have access to a plentiful supply of water, preferably via a gravity fed drinker (bunny bottle).

Housing

Ferrets can be kept indoors or outdoors. Our pet shop Gloucester breeders are kept together outdoors as they have not been neutered. If you are considering keeping a male ferret indoors we would strongly suggest you have him neutered for your own sanity! If you are keeping them out doors then obviously you need to take into account the temperature as too hot or too cold is not conducive to good health. If the temperature drops too low you will need somewhere to bring them in or insulate their enclosure.

Wherever you keep them they require a large living/play area. They are very active animals and love to play. they are also quite sociable and are best kept together. If you can only keep one then you are will need to realise you will have to be the other ferrets and will need to give yours lots of attention (in much the same way as you do a dog, another social animal). A large run/pen should be provided for them to play in, big enough for you to put in plenty of toys/equipment. Ferrets love ramps, tunnels etc. If left in an outdoor enclosure they must have refuge from the sun as they can suffer from sun stroke.

Dust free shavings are good as a floor substrate, or paper pellets etc. Ferrets can be litter trained and a corner litter tray is probably the best investment you can make. Clean the cage once a week and the litter tray daily. Make sure you use a pet disinfectant, not household. Also provide some nesting material for them to curl up in their nest box. Hammocks and shelves are a good idea for them to lounge around on.

Some ferrets like to swim in water and a cat litter tray used as a pool in their run is often appreciated but not essential.

Handling

The first thing you will notice when handling a ferret is that they are very bendy. They can completely turn around in a tunnel the same width as their own body. Holding onto one that does not want to be held can be a challenge. The most secure way to hold a ferret is to place you thumb across the shoulders so the ferret’s forelegs are between your first two fingers. You can support the rear of the body with your other hand. Holding this way prevents the ferret twisting and turning and is quite comfortable for the animal. They have been known to fall asleep in this position but then again there is probably not a position a ferret won’t fall asleep in! They like to sleep and can be quite difficult to wake up if they are in a deep slumber.

Health

Ferrets can catch canine distemper. We recommend you get your ferret vaccinated. We have already discussed the need for neutering (alternatives are jill jabs but these hormone injections can be expensive over the life of the animal). Female ferrets will get ill if consistently allowed to come into season without being mated. Diseases such as septicemia, leucemia etc. are very serious and often fatal. A healthy ferret will live on average 8 – 10 years (remember this is an average, some will be less, some more). Obviously ferrets can suffer with other diseases, some of which can be contracted by humans, so hygiene remains important.

Ferrets and other animals.

Ferrets are carnivores, so they do not mix with prey animals. They will kill and eat rabbits, rats etc. They can mix with other, bigger carnivores, such as dogs or cats. This however depends entirely on the cat or dog. I have customers who’s ferrets play with their dogs, the ferrets being in charge. However my dog would certainly kill a ferret, straight away on introduction. You have been warned, it is better not to take a chance and to keep them separate.

A few do’s an don’ts to round off.

Do seriously consider getting your ferret neutered.
Do provide plenty of space and activities.
Do encourage play (the ferret “war dance” is great to watch)
Do get your ferret vaccinated.
Do take it our for a walk on a harness and lead. You’ll make lots of friends and the ferret will keep it’s claws worn down.
Do come and ask us if you have any queries at all.

Don’t allow a female ferret to repeatedly come into season, this is cruel and ultimately fatal.
Don’t allow a ferret near you face. They play by nipping “gently” at each others ears, noses etc. and pulling on their loose skin. Gentle to a stiff fur covered ferret is not going to feel gentle to your nose or lip, or the tighter skin of your face.
Don’t allow your ferret near young children. The ferret is probably fine, it’s the child you have to worry about. Sticking a finger up the nose or in the eye of a normally docile ferret may well induce it to bite. The same is true for all animals of course.
Don’t feed milk to a ferret. Like other mammals, once weaned they do not drink milk ever again and can be very intolerant of lactose.
Don’t listen to the fools who say things like “Oh, we used to have ferrets, yeah if they bite just stub a cigarette out on their nose, that’s how you stop them”. No it isn’t you idiot, apart from being cruel it is also illegal.

Ferrets do make good pets but you do need to do your research first. Call into our pet shop Gloucester for advice.

The Angell Pets Team

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