HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tedybear@ravel.udel.edu (Heather A Rothwell)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Bunny vs. Shag Carpet
Summary: BUNNY of course
Date: 7 Jan 93 23:57:53 GMT
Organization: University of Delaware

I have a very simple solution to the rug problem that worked well with
Spice.  We went to a carpet store and bought, for less than $5, a bunch of
old carpet samples, the things that let you see what the carpet looks
like.  These were placed in strategic places all around the apartment,
making our home very colorful.  These "places" were of course those spots
that he dug most often.  (If you have a really strong bun you may have
to nail one or two down as we had to.  Not premanent damage was caused by
this, though).  After shooing him off of them once or twice (just
enough to make him think he was naughty, but not enough to stop him) he
has come to love these rugs.  The one under our Christmas tree has a 7
inch diameter bare spot from all his digging and chewing.  The only
problem we have had is that the little rug fuzzies as we call them are
everywhere!!!  He is very good at shredding carpet, but not good at all
about cleaning up after himself.  But I would suggest you try this.  Spice
loves it because he thinks he is getting away with something.  (Every now
and then I will crawl under the tree and say in my most "motherly" tone
"Spice, did you do this.  Were you a bad bunny?"  and he will look at me
sort of side ways like as if to say "THIS BUNNY???? Not this bunny.  I
would not do that."  It's fun and gives us quite a laugh.
Let me know if this works for you.

Heather Rothwell
From: mjohnson@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Marget Johnson)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Pygmy Goat Information Wanted
Date: 5 Jan 93 16:01:34 GMT
Reply-To: mjohnson@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Marget Johnson)
Distribution: world
Organization: Stakeholder Relations, NCR Corp in Dayton,OH

I'd like to get one or more pygmy goats as companions to my Newfoundland dogs
(I'm a breeder/exhibitor & currently own 9 adults). We have 6 acres, with
a 3-acre fenced (field wire) meadow with grass, tall trees, small bushes
and a year-around stream. The dogs are housed in an indoor-outdoor kennel with
gravel-surfaced (outside) runs. Two outdoor (only) pens are gravel-surfaced
with tall pines & poplars, and VERY LARGE dog houses with covered porches.

Can a pygmy be raised as a puppy? Must I have at least 2 to form a herd, or
can the pygmy bond with a Newf puppy or adult? Can I house-train it? I've
friends who have crate-trained their pygmies, but have not been successful in
house-breaking. 

What sort of diseases - congenital & acquired - might a pygmy have? What is
the desired conformation? Are they easy keepers? What do you feed a pygmy
goat? goat chow? hay? What routine innoculations are required? Is a
"pure-bred" more desireable (assuming there are such things)? Any reference
books? 

Thanks for the help!

Marget Johnson, Windwagon Newfoundlands, Tipp City OH
marget.johnson@daytonOH.NCR.COM
-- 



-- 
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: dove@leland.Stanford.EDU (The White Blackbird)
Subject: Fun With Rats
Organization: Absolute Zero
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 93 06:32:21 GMT

Hi all,

I've had my rat Skipy for about 4 months now, and I want him to have
the best life possible for me to give him.  So I was wondering if any
of you have any ideas for rat treats (both food and otherwise.)

Plus if you experienced rat owners have any tips and hints for a new
owner, I'd appreciate it.

Thanx,
-=dav

Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: marty@world.std.com (Marty M HaleEvans)
Subject: Re: rodentia, new Bunny newsgroup
Organization: Cicely Public Access UNIX, Cicely, AK
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 04:00:30 GMT

Yay!!!

I'd LOVE a bunnies group! These are really the only pets notes I have time to
read, so it would be great to have them separated out. How do we go about
opening a new group?

Marty


=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
"Seems like there ought to be a way we could look each other in the eye
To see we're all in this together, and put all thoughts of victory aside.
Seems like there ought to be a way we could turn this fear into trust;
No matter what you say, there has to be a way --
Every living thing is counting on us."      

Marty Hale-Evans                                 M   @   *   O   %   8   U
89 Mass. Ave., Ste. 199, Boston, MA 02115       \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/
From: almanb@sr.hp.com (Bob Alman)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: rodentia
Date: 7 Jan 93 22:55:06 GMT
Organization: HP Sonoma County (SRSD/MWTD/MID)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]

Bryan Siegfried (bcs33424@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu) wrote:
: twallace@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Todd Wallace) writes:
: 
: >Is there a rec.pets.rodents?   If not, there should be!  We
: >rodent owners know how fascinating and fun they can be, but we
: >might be boring other pet owners.
: 
: 	I'd be interested in seeing a rec.pets.rodents.  
: However, there'd have to be a bit more discussion of them
: to warrant there own newsgroup.  There's almost more 
: ferret posts than rodent posts. (Maybe there actually are
: more.)  Remember rabbits aren't rodents.
: 
: 	Actually, a rec.pets.rabbits or rec.pets.bunnies
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
		    YES!
		    Bob...........

: seems more appropriate.  There seem to be a lot of rabbit
: postsing, enough to probably warrant there own group.
: This would make both rabbit owners and rodent owners happy,
: and is probably more feasible than a rec.pets.rodents.
: 
: 	What do other people think?
: 
: 
: -- 
: Bryan Siegfried							zig@uiuc.edu
: Solvet saeclum in favilla

--
Bob Alman  1-707-577-4148 almanb@sr.hp.com
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: spirkov@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Lilly Spirkovska)
Subject: Bunny nails
Organization: NASA/ARC Information Sciences Division
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 18:38:37 GMT


Hi bunny parents,

We have a question about our bunny, Valentine, that we hope you can 
help with.  She's about 13 months old and has never had her nails
clipped.  She's a carpet loving bun who doesn't get much of a chance
to wear her nails out on her own.  Recently (past month?), we've noticed 
that her nails are just falling off by themselves.  3 so far!  Is this okay?
Is she missing some nutrient?  She seems pretty healthy & happy otherwise.
It doesn't seem to phase her when she loses a nail either.  But we
figured we'd better be safe & ask about it...

Thanks.

					Lilly, Dave & Valentine

ps:  We've been talking about clipping her nails but haven't had the 
	heart to "torture" her.  She really doesn't like being on her
	back (about the only time we get to see her tummy is when she's
	standing up)...
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: twallace@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Todd Wallace)
Subject: Re: New African Grey!!
Organization: George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 20:40:30 GMT

Regarding a neutral name: How about PAT!
From: au500@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Linda Zinn)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Help!!! My parrot bites/squawks!
Date: 4 Jan 1993 07:31:54 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: au500@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Linda Zinn)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc10.ins.cwru.edu


Zack, my yellow-naped Amazon is delightful, except for these two bad
habits. I've read everything I could find, and the biting advice ranges
from "give up...once a biter always a biter" to "just let him go ahead
and bite you...he'll stop eventually"; I don't want to believe those are
the only possibilities. Does anyone have experience with training parrots
not to bite who has lived to tell about it? 

I'd love to get Zack to the point someday (I know it takes time) where he
could sit on my shoulder, or at least where I could consistently pet him
and interact with him without losing an appendage (Once he bit all the way
through my fingernail into my finger!)

The only thing that seems to deter him from loud, relentless squawking is
one squirt with a water bottle on the fine stream. It ticks him off, but
he does stop the ear-piercing shrieks. 

I'm really a novice at all this...inherited Zack when my son moved out of
town. Any pointers anyone could e-mail me would be GREATLY appreciated.

BTW, Zack has a pretty good vocabulary and does very convincing puppy,
crying baby, human laughing, and cat yowling imitations, plus he can
whistle most of the Andy Griffith them. I hear his breed is known for
good talking ability...perhaps the squawking just goes hand-in-hand
with that? (Say it isn't so!)

Oh, one more question: I'm a little reluctant to bathe this guy too often
in the winter, because I'm afraid he'll get chilled. Am I doing him more
harm than good by being too cautious? He loves when I mist him with
water...dances all around making his happy sounds and spreading his wings so
I don't miss any hidden spots. I don't want to deprive him of that
pleasure, but I sure don't want to make him vulnerable to colds (or
whatever the birdie equivalent is).

Thanks!

Linda Zinn
au500@cleveland.freenet.edu
--
From: ammg2052@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Aaron M. Moy)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: RE; Umbrella Price
Date: 4 Jan 93 20:20:04 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

Regarding the price inquiry for an Umbrella Cockatoo:

	$2400...NOT!  A good hand-fed Umbrella (which I doubt the one at Pass
	Pets is) should cost from $900 to $1200.  I once went "undercover" to
	our local Pass Pets and was easily convinced of their lack of care and
	knowledge of birds.  They had a grossly overpriced Umbrella in a cage
	way too small, with a single round dowel perch and a diet of mostly
	sunflower seeds.  The salesperson also told me, in a condescending tone,
	that the Umbrellas were native to Austrailia.  They're not.

	Currently, I think they have a lesser sulpher crested for more than
	$2000, and they have a grey tiel for $120.  I hope people are smart
	enough to refrain from buying animals there, and hopefully Pass Pets
	and other equally guilty stores will go out of business.

Aaron Moy
ammg2052@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu			Was that the phone...
"The Baby's Nest" Hand-Fed Birds		or the bird???
Urbana, Illinois
(217) 328-1838
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: bgt@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (barbara.tongue)
Subject: Birdie Meets Pencils (was: Re: Bird Snacks Summary)
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:01:19 GMT
Summary: <chomp!>

In article <1993Jan11.175600.1452@rsg1.er.usgs.gov> dboldt@dsdbqvarsa (David Boldt (x5679)) writes:
->clay filler, pretty harmless stuff.  My cockatiel also seems fascinated 
->by pens and pencils in use;  though if I put the writing implement 
->down she carries it to the edge of the tables and watches it fall.  
->No chewing at all.

well now, angus, the yellow-collared macaw, is always seized by a 
desire to perform open-graphite surgery whenever spying a helpless
pencil laying exposed on the desk.  and chopsticks!  ever try using
chopsticks while a macaw is whittling away at the other end?
-- 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%   The Speaking Tongue, AT&T   %%  C Code.  C Code Run.  Run, Code, RUN! %%
%%       bgt@hogpf.att.com       %%           PLEASE!!!!                   %%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
From: lind@ll.mit.edu (Tom Lind)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Birdie Interaction
Date: 6 Jan 93 14:53:55 GMT
Followup-To: rec.pets.birds
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Hi,  We have a question for the net about our red-shouldered macaw (18 mo)
and our blue-fronted amazon (6 mo.)  They seem fine together as long as
they can't get to each other, but last night they were on top of their
respective cages which are about 12 inches apart and they both went down
the sides and started to beak fight and, before we could get to them, the
macaw (half the size of the amazon) grabbed the amazon's beak and threw her
to the floor.  We were a little upset that we let this happen (normally
only the amazon plays on her cage top play area) and about the quickness of
the situation (about 10 seconds.)  Neither bird seemed hurt and we played
with them for about 30 minutes to be as certain of this as we could.

What we would like to know is this: will they ever be able to be out on a
play area together or will they have to be kept apart and observed when
they are both out?

e-mail is preferred, but I do read this group every day.  Thanks much...

Tom...

Thomas A. Lind  < lind@ll.mit.edu >   |   Work Hard, tell everyone every-
Electrooptical Devices Group          |   thing you know, close a deal
MIT Lincoln Lab                       |   with a handshake, and HAVE FUN.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: hbb@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (harlan.b.braude)
Subject: Birds alone during the day?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 14:45:18 GMT

How well do birds handle being alone during the day? Specifically,
I'm referring to a single bird as opposed to birds bought as pairs,
etc.
-- 
Harlan B. Braude
hbb@karin.att.com
From: jberry@brutus.ct.gmr.com (John Berry CT/90)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Crows and Ravens
Date: 12 Jan 93 12:36:59 GMT
Reply-To: jberry@brutus.ct.gmr.com (John Berry CT/90)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

Why, they're not endangered are they? 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: wiegand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert Wiegand)
Subject: Re: New African Grey!!
Reply-To: motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 15:10:03 GMT

bavenell@next.com (Bette Avenell) writes:

>Saturday I brought home a 5 month old Congo African Grey.  I'm pretty excited  
>about this, I've wanted one for a long time.  If anyone has any info they'd  
>like to impart, I'd appreciate it.  

Congratulations.
Greys are really nifty birds, you should have lots of fun with him.
I've had one for two years now.
I'm not an expert, but here's some general info:

Don't worry if it takes a long time for him to talk. Greys can be slow
starters, but they do usually learn to talk. Mine was almost 1 year
old before he started, but he talks all the time now.

They are very smart, so always keep an eye on him when he's out.
He will get into *everything* if you don't watch him, and he doesn't
understand what things are dangerous for a parrot to play with.

Make sure you provide good toys for him to play with. Try out lots of
different types to see what he likes. Sometimes it takes a while for
mine to start playing with a new toy, so give it some time before
removing it. Mine also gets bored with toys after a while.
I do have a problem with my bird in that any toy held together with
knotted rope or leather will quickly be taken apart. He's very good
at untieing knots, so I have to avoid these toys.

It would be good if you can have a few other people play with the bird
once in a while so it is used to being handled by other people.

Feed a wide variety of foods. Now is the time to teach good eating
habits. It can sometimes take a while to get them to try something new,
but its worth it.

Good Luck.

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Wiegand - Motorola Inc.
motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net            uunet!motcid!wiegand
Disclamer: I didn't do it - I was somewhere else at the time.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: rxb@vax  (Rachel Banko)
Subject: Beyond Newpapers: Cage bedding
Nntp-Software: PC/TCP NNTP
Organization: FTP Software, Inc., Wakefield, MA
Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1993 10:44:39

Are there any objections to using fine corncob bedding
for small birds, like canaries? I have seen it used
in a large flight cage. Perhaps it has some absorbent
properties? As it is, my birds sometimes drag their
tails in stuff.
I currently use black and white speckled vinyl placements
(notebook pattern) which I wash every night. The advantage
of the placements is that I can wipe them easily during
the day. When someone else takes care of my birds I leave
a stack of glossy circulars (no newsprint ink). I have also

Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: qala@netcom.com (Stephen Semegran)
Subject: Re: RE; Umbrella Price
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 01:19:49 GMT

ammg2052@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Aaron M. Moy) writes:

>Regarding the price inquiry for an Umbrella Cockatoo:

>	$2400...NOT!  A good hand-fed Umbrella (which I doubt the one at Pass
>	Pets is) should cost from $900 to $1200.  I once went "undercover" to
      [ stuff deleted ]

I called the breeder I deal with today after reading the question and
response.  She let out a loud whistle and said  $800 - 850  was the going
price.  I know that she is in contact with other breeders in other parts
of the country, and they seem to follow a general price pattern that depends
on the demand.  She indicated that Umbrellas are in no short supply.

Steve Semegran
qala@netecom.com
From: davec@Autodesk.COM (Dave Cooper)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Parakeet Questions
Date: 8 Jan 93 01:26:20 GMT
Organization: Autodesk Inc., Sausalito CA, USA

Jackie,

First of all, having a single Budgie is, in my opinion, a very
sad and cruel thing. Budgiregars are flocking birds that live
in vast flocks. They interact intensely with their fellow flock
members.

Some Budgies will literally pine or waste away if left alone in
a small cage. Imagine these little birds in their natural habitat
in Australia: a vast open landscape and in the company of hundreds
of their kind; then in the caged environment, a lone single bird
in a tiny space!

From my experience with these birds --- some 30 years now --- it's
best to start with young birds; preferably birds that you've
handled and fed from the time they were nestlings. This can be
arranged with a breeder or pet shop. Participate in the feeding
of the birds, and handle them frequently. They will bond with you
and become very acquainted and relaxed in your company. In fact,
the birds will probably consider you a flock member.

By the way, all my Budgies love noise, and the sound of hoovers
(vacuum cleaners in 'Merkin) cause them to become very talkative
and happy! The only sounds that cause alarm are sharp sudden sounds
like hand clapping or metal banging. Don't do this---they can fly
very fast and they panic.

You tell males from females by the colour of their cere. The males
have blue ceres, the females non-blue (ivory, brown, beige, white,
etc.) When young, both males and females have a lavender-blue cere.
Males are more prone to being tame. Females can be more difficult.

Cheers

DAVE
From: afong@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Krell Kraver)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Parakeet with Weird Habits
Date: 9 Jan 93 20:07:27 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <7JAN199310410250@watson.bms.com> gibson@watson.bms.com (Minde Gibson) writes:
>I have a two year old male parakeet that exhibits what I believe is a
>strange behavior.  When I call his name he will come running over to me
>and jump off his perch onto the side of his cage and hang upside down.
>Does anyone else have a parakeet that displays this batlike behavior ?
>

I've never seen this one, but then again my guys pretty much hate my
guts :)

>Also, every night before I cover his cage he flaps his wings and makes
>cute little cooing type sounds - Is this also a typical Parakeet behavior?

One of my pair goes through phases.  He sometimes has a flap attack
before settling down.  This is probably just to get things in order
and to stretch out a bit.

As for bed time noises, they range from content beak-grinding sounds
(yet another annoying habit!) to the current favorite which is load
complaining as the bully of the pair pecks the hell out of his
supposed best friend!


>
>He is very friendly and enjoys sitting on my shoulder, eating popcorn,
>tapioca pudding, bananas,etc.. Really an extremely personable bird.
>
>                                         Minde 


Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: bgt@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (barbara.tongue)
Subject: Re: Birdie Interaction
Organization: AT&T
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 11:48:13 GMT
Summary: ho ho ho

In article <1993Jan7.092149.7239@solaris.rz.tu-clausthal.de> ubhjp@sun.rz.tu-clausthal.de (H.-J. Pfeffer) writes:
->Hi Tom !
->I think no prediction can be made in your case. We have the same problem
->with our two parrots (Blue-fronted amazon, Timneh-grey parrot). Both live
->in our family since more than 8 years. They are living in one room but kept
->in different cages. They don't like each other very much, but cannot live
->without the other one. 

birdies which like one another, even as a distance????  oh what nirvana
of which you speak!!

angus, my yellow-collared macaw, sees darry (the maroon-bellied conure
of my SO) as beak target practice.  darry, on the other hand (he's 1/2
the size of angus) sees angus as The Borg, and would love to assimilate
him forever.  (darry takes perverse delight on flying to my other shoulder and
letting angus chase him around my neck).

my mom's african grey, bartina, reverts to the age old African Congo
jungle traits of becoming The Karate Bird, and does her best to step
on my sweet wittle bittle birdie.  said birdie,  idealistic as he is,
tries to hang behind the sofa and attack bartina's feet.

birdie harmony, indeed!

-- 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%   The Speaking Tongue, AT&T   %%  C Code.  C Code Run.  Run, Code, RUN! %%
%%       bgt@hogpf.att.com       %%           PLEASE!!!!                   %%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: bmartino@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Bob Martino)
Subject: Re: Birdie Meets Garlic
Keywords: <sniff><sniff><sniffffffffff>
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 18:22:03 GMT

In article <1993Jan9.144804.3663@cbnewsh.cb.att.com> bgt@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (ba
rbara.tongue) writes:
>folks,
>
>well, there i was yesterday, cooking dinner, with angus (yellow
>collared macaw) wandering around the kitchen counter.  His alert
>eyes caught sight of this teeny tiny light bulb with the most
>intriguing odor!  testing it gently with his beak, he discovered
>it quite to his taste (meanwhile, i was unaware this was happening),
>and happily munched it down.  noticing that his human was ignoring him,
>he demanded to be picked up and proceeded to show his affection via
>a big birdie kiss.
>
>the rest of this story is left as an exercise for the reader....
>--
>%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
>%%   The Speaking Tongue, AT&T   %%  C Code.  C Code Run.  Run, Code, RUN! %%
>%%       bgt@hogpf.att.com       %%           PLEASE!!!!                   %%
>%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Barbra, this stuff is great!
Someone should compile a "best of" listing of the antics at the
Tongue household for the benefit of future generations.

_________________________________________________________________________
                                    | "...for since the creation of the
      - that Bob Martino guy -      |  world His invisible attributes,
 bmartino@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu |  His eternal power and divine
                                    |  nature, have been clearly seen,
   God invented science.  so there. |  being understood through what
       ^^^^^^^^                     |  has been made        -Romans 1:20
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 "That's the whole problem with science.  You've got a bunch of
  empiricists trying to describe things of unimaginable wonder."
                                                  -Calvin
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds