HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jtm48888@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (John T Monkman)
Subject: Ferrets and Wind
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 04:46:35 GMT

I've noticed that my ferret, Gus,  acts funny  if I blow on her  face ( what
doesn't make a ferret act funny? :-)  ).  She starts licking at the air, and
tries to climb in my mouth.  I've also  noticed that whenever she is exposed
to any  kind of breeze,  she trys to  go towards it.  If she's in a car, she
tries to climb out the window, not just stick her head out, like a dog does.
The other day  I was trying to see  if she would stay on my shoulder while I
ride my bicycle ( she'll stay  on my shoulder when I walk around ),  but she
kept  trying  to walk  off the edge  of my shoulder.  She's  normally pretty 
relaxed  when she's  on my  shoulder.  I had  to hold  her to  keep her from
falling. The only way she would calm down was if I rode at a walking pace. I
was  just wondering if  all ferrets  do this.  Also,  does  anybody have any
suggestions  for carrying her on my bike or motorcycle?  I can put her in my
backpack,  but she doesn't like being stuck in there,  so I don't want to do
that.

Jay Monkman
j-monkman@uiuc.edu


Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: nmarsh@indyvax.iupui.edu (The Doctor)
Subject: Re: stinky bunny rabbit
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 04:35:55 GMT

In article <1992Aug10.142803.4567@hubcap.clemson.edu>, jlysagh@hubcap.clemson.edu (james joseph lysaght) writes:

> [stuff about stinky rabbits deleted]

Try using borax or baking soda in the pan.

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Neil P. Marsh           E-MAIL:          nmarsh@indyvax.iupui.edu
1925 High Eagle Trail                   <* The Whoosier Network *>
Apt. #850                         <* America's DOCTOR WHO Connection *>
Speedway, IN 46241                          (1-317-241-6385)
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: cldavies@nyx.cs.du.edu (cindy davies)
Subject: Re: Bitter Apple
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 92 02:41:44 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.141647.28457@linus.mitre.org> pdsmith.mitre.org (Pat Smith) writes:
>In article <jensen.715461494@graphite10>, jensen@rtsg.mot.com (James D. Jensen) writes:
>> 
>> Does Bitter Apple smell to humans? and if so how strong is it? 
>> 
>> I'd like to find something that stops them from chewing when 
>> they are out of their cages, without smelling up the whole place.
>> 
>I don't recall it having an odor but it did stain a maple kitchen set.  It 
Bitter Apple has a noticable odor, which I found unpleasant.  My dogs thought
it was the best thing since eau de dead carp.  They spent all their time rolling
in it.  They continued to chew on every thing in reach [:-(



--
Life among academics has taught me that a well-expressed opinion is
usually better than a badly expressed fact, so far as professional
advancement goes.  --Gabaldon, Outlander.
cldavies@silver.sdsmt.edu        cldavies@nyx.cs.du.edu
From: larry@angel.UUCP (Larry Tenbush)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Ball Pythons (Python Regius)
Date: 4 Sep 92 05:42:54 GMT
Organization: Angel's Retreat - San Antonio, Texas

From article <1831jgINNer8@network.ucsd.edu>, by philipm@papillon.ucsd.edu (The Philster):
> 
> Hi! I recently purchased a ball python (about a year old, if not younger), male
> and very healthy. He hasn't been having any problems eating on a weekly basis, and his main diet consists of adult mice. I also sprinkle his live mice with
> a special vitamin/mineral supplement called Reptical (TM).
> 
> I read a lot of little quirks and info on pythons in a special book focused
> on taking care of ball pythons (cannot remember the author right now).
> However, I still have some questions left unanswered.                 
> 
> First, the lighting...Right now I am using a heating pad under my 10-gallon glass (versus acrylic) vivarium. During the day I use a 50 watt "grow" bulb suspended from the top of the vivarium cover. This is located on the right side of the vivarium, so the light and heat is focused in one main area.  I do have a problem, however, because the temperature can climb up to 95 degrees. Yet the heating pad, alone, cannot provide the desired 80-85 temperature. What should I do?
> I tried using a regular 40 watt bulb, but this is a little bigger (and hence, my snake can injure himself) and still reaches temperatures of around 90-95. Plus, it is too bright.  I read somewhere about using red bulbs? What would be the
> best system?
> 
> Thanks (Monty will thank you too),
> 
> Philip Misiowiec
> UCSD student
> La Jolla, CA


I also have ball pythons. I've found a book by Philippe de Vosjoli, called
The General Care and Maintenance of Ball Pythons.  It's a small book with
not every many pictures as in the regular books.  It is packed with info.
about ball pythons.

He says a daytime temp between 80-85 degrees the basking area can go as high
as 90 degrees.  Night temps between 70-75. For a juvy snake 10 gal. and for
small adults a 20 long and for a large adult a 30 gal. (standard).

Anyway you get the hint the book is packed with info, and it costs less than
10.00.

Hope this helped.
Larry


-- 
WHOAMI: Larry "Bear" Tenbush 
  CITY: San Antonio, Texas  78230
 SMART: larry@angel.ucm.org
  BANG: ....!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!dptspd!ephsa.ucm.org!angel.ucm.org!larry
From: fritz@ben.dev.upenn.edu (Katie Fritz)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: ferret bitting
Date: 1 Sep 92 17:36:38 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <la5ejhINNli6@aludra.usc.edu> bkowal@aludra.usc.edu (Brian A. Kowal) writes:
>If a ferrit is 7-8 weeks old, what is the advice on training it.
>Right now the ferrit has just come home from the pet store and is
>brand new to the familly.  He is bitting a fair amount, which concerns
>me.  I`ve seen others talk something about using an apple??

Bitter Apple is a commercial product, a spray, that smells and tastes
bad to animals, including ferrets, but will not harm them.  It can be
a useful training aid in teaching ferrets to leave things like phone
cords and electrical cords alone.  We used it on our feet to discourage
our ferrets from biting our toes.  The smell does not last very long,
so its usefulness is limited.

To discourage your ferret from biting, you can also try picking him
up immediately and yelling "NO!" in his face.  Ferrets hate loud noises.
We have had varying success with ours by smacking them on the rear end
or thumping them on the nose, while yelling "NO!"  You have to be very
firm about this if you do it, though, otherwise the ferret might think
you are playing, too, and might bite again.  Ferrets have very tough
skin and play very roughly with each other, and they don't know that
our skin isn't as tough until we teach them.

Just remember that when your baby ferret bites, it is because it wants
to entice you to play, not because it is mean or vicious.  Just be 
patient; it will learn.  We've found that our ferrets have calmed
down a lot as they've gotten older.

>Also, the ferrit is in a new cage with new bedding.  He is sneezing an
>aweful lot.  I do not know if he has a cold, or if it is the dust from
>the cage bedding.

What kind of bedding are you using?  If you are using wood chips or
cedar shavings, your ferret is probably sneezing from the dust.  You'd
be better off giving your ferret some old towels or T-shirts to sleep
in, rather than using shavings.  Ferrets *do* catch colds, though;
is yours showing any symptoms other than sneezing?

I would highly recommend that you get yourself a good book on ferrets.
One of the best is "Ferrets," by Chuck and Fox Morton, published by
Barron's.  There's also the Ferret Mailing List, which is another great
resource (to subscribe, send mail to ferret-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca)
GEnie has an active ferret forum, and Compuserve has the Small Mammals
section of the Pet/Animal Forum.  And, of course, there's this news 
group!

Good luck! 
-- 
   Katie Fritz --Internet: fritz@ben.dev.upenn.edu -- CompuServe: 71257,3153
"From what I hear Earth is a podunk little place but they make great pastrami."
         -- Graetwist, "Roadways" #1, Comic Zone Publishing
              --Penn is not Penn State and I am neither--
From: philipm@papillon.ucsd.edu (The Philster)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Ball Pythons (Python Regius)
Keywords: Pythons, Proper Care, Lighting
Date: 2 Sep 92 18:36:32 GMT
Article-I.D.: network.1831jgINNer8
Organization: DIP Laboratory, UCSD/SIO, La Jolla CA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: papillon.ucsd.edu


Hi! I recently purchased a ball python (about a year old, if not younger), male
and very healthy. He hasn't been having any problems eating on a weekly basis, and his main diet consists of adult mice. I also sprinkle his live mice with
a special vitamin/mineral supplement called Reptical (TM).

I read a lot of little quirks and info on pythons in a special book focused
on taking care of ball pythons (cannot remember the author right now).
However, I still have some questions left unanswered.                 

First, the lighting...Right now I am using a heating pad under my 10-gallon glass (versus acrylic) vivarium. During the day I use a 50 watt "grow" bulb suspended from the top of the vivarium cover. This is located on the right side of the vivarium, so the light and heat is focused in one main area.  I do have a problem, however, because the temperature can climb up to 95 degrees. Yet the heating pad, alone, cannot provide the desired 80-85 temperature. What should I do?
I tried using a regular 40 watt bulb, but this is a little bigger (and hence, my snake can injure himself) and still reaches temperatures of around 90-95. Plus, it is too bright.  I read somewhere about using red bulbs? What would be the
best system?

Thanks (Monty will thank you too),

Philip Misiowiec
UCSD student
La Jolla, CA
Xref: sparky rec.pets:2918 rec.pets.cats:10426
From: isc40041@nusunix2.nus.sg (LOO KOK HOE)
Newsgroups: rec.pets,rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Friskies cat food
Date: 30 Aug 92 02:25:28 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: National University of Singapore



I will post the warning in our local bbs ...
hope weon't have the same problem ....



george from Singapore

btw how much does a can of Friskies over there ?
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: dunne@rtsg.mot.com (Jim Dunne)
Subject: Re: Milk on bird's diet ...
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 19:08:39 GMT

    It was the funniest thing to watch my bird chase the last few
    floating Cheerios around the cereal bowl with his tongue!

    jed
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: excited@med.unc.edu (Wally German)
Subject: Re: Sad Story
Organization: UNC Office of Information Technology
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 07:25:18 GMT


This is excellent advice.  I purchased my bird from a private
aviary.  The operator allowed me to visit "my" baby blue and
gold every weekend to get acquainted.  I learned LOTS during
those weeks of waiting and visiting.  Pet stores are usually
staffed by teenaged individuals who aren't really "into" the
taking care aspects of the animals.  

Another area for concern regarding pet stores is that of
bringing home a disease to your bird(s). I am always concerned 
after visiting any area where there are other psitticines of 
bringing home to my macaw some dread disease.  I make it a 
practice of not touching him until I have changed clothes and 
washed my hands.

An ounce of prevention.......

Wally



Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: ajd@itl.itd.umich.edu (Arthur Delano)
Subject: Re: handling finches
Organization: pblk
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 17:07:14 GMT

In article <1992Aug26.204921.2374@news.weeg.uiowa.edu> jcarey@news.weeg.uiowa.edu (John Carey) writes:
>I just got for a wedding present a pair of zebra finches.  
Congratulations.
>I don't think I will clip the wings, since I think they will be 
>cage-birds and they like to fly in place.  How do I go about handling
>them?  It won't be very often, but for trimming toenails and doing
>basic examinations I will have to.  I could just stick my hand in there
>and try to grab one.  Is that what I should do or are there more "subtle"
>ways to do it?

I wave my hand around, chasing them about the cage until they get tired.
As they get more tired, they spend more time at the bottom of the cage,
and try to hop around to avoid you rather than flying away.
   What i may do is buy a largish fish net. It seems to work well at
the pet shops i've visited.
   The size of the cage also matters, in that you might not fit a net
into a smaller cage.
   When holding a finch, ideally the head sticks out of a ring you make
with your first finger around the base of your thumb, the legs stick
out between your ring and pinky fingers, and the tail out past the
thumb.  However, in practice i usually end up grabbing the birds any
way i can, quickly check them for injury, and shuttle them to another
cage, all as fast as possible so that they can't work out of my grip.
>
>Do finches require any trimming of the beak?  What kind of things should
>I feed them in addition to seed mix?

I don't believe they need beak trimming.  Since they are soft bills, they
can do a good job on their own with seed and a cuttlefish bone.
   Mine seem to thrive on Kaytee Forti-Finch; the difference between that
and regular finch seed seems to be the addition of some dried vegetables,
but i've noticed that my birds eat less of the dried veggies when i'm
providing them with fresh stuff.  I try to add a leaf or two of spinach
to their diets each day.  Of lettuce, cabbage, carrots and spinach, they
like spinach best.
   Forti-Finch is kinda expensive.  I've been able to get it in bulk, and
stocked up heavily when the pet shop had a sale.
>
>I have a male and female pair.  I don't particularly want to breed babies.
>Will not giving them a nest prevent them from breeding?  Or will this
>cause problems, like egg-binding? 

Mine didn't breed until three months after they received a nest, and
only after the society finches sharing the cage laid eggs.  Now the
zebra finches have abandoned their eggs and are building a nest over them.
>
>I have been thinking about getting a bird for a while so now I have
>a start!

Good luck.
AjD
From: rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: How BirdieIzed Are You?
Keywords: every other conversation topic starts with b
Date: 26 Aug 92 21:04:59 GMT
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

I bring birds into conversations with new people usually in this fasion:
[stranger] You are married?
[me]Yes.
[stranger] For how long?
[me] Six years.
[stranger] How many kids?
[me] Three lovebirds.  (used to be 4, sob.)

This provokes either laughter or strange looks--it's best delivered in
very straight face.  I get a kick out of both reactions, but especially the
strange looks.  You would not believe (or maybe you would!) the number of
nosy people who think everyone married more than 2 yrs should have [human]
kids!

Ruth
From: dougnews@access.digex.com (Doug Humphrey)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Importing Parrots
Date: 27 Aug 92 23:40:37 GMT
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, Maryland USA


>International, there is also the question of "importing"
>the bird.  I would worry that if I ever took one OUT of
>the US getting it back in would be a problem, but that is
>clearly the issue here...                     ^^^^^^^^^^^
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Opps.  Meant to say, clearly NOT the issue here.....


-- 
Doug Humphrey              doug@access.digex.com               +1 301 220 2020
Digital Express Group, 6006 Greenbelt Road #228, Greenbelt, Maryland 20770 USA
Express Access Online Communications for Washington/Baltimore:  info@digex.com
       Login as "new": Washington 301-220-0462, Baltimore 410-766-1855
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: cartwright@tgv.com (Denise V. Cartwright)
Subject: How Birdieized are you
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords: the bird goes everywhere
Organization: TGV, Incorporated (Santa Cruz, CA, USA)
X-Lunar-Date: 5 days, 6 hours, 40 minutes since the last quarter of the moon
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 00:32:00 GMT


How Birdie-ized am I?  Well, I have been known to bring Perry -the Blue 
Lovebird who lives at our house, grocery shopping and to the Farmer's Market on
Wednesdays. And last March he travelled with us when we brought my Mom down to
Palm Springs to see my brother. He also goes for walks with me and just about
any place that isn't too noisy.  He pretty much likes most folks so he'll just
wander over to them from my shoulder or arm and cause ooh's and ahh's of
delight. When he feels shy he just hides in my hair and peeks out until he
thinks it's safe.   

Last year I brought Pixel, another Blue Lovebird, to DECUS, which was held in
Anaheim.  He loved travelling around looking at everything and was particularly
fond of all the things people tried to feed him at the welcoming reception.  
He was also a welcome break from all those sessions I managed to attend each
day!

Houdini, our cinnamon blue is going to be attending our wedding, because at
that point, he gets adopted by my Mom and taken home to Connecticut. So, he
gets to fly with me when I go back to DC next month. That's going to be a fun
trip for a change.  

Can't get him to wear a little top hat though!  

===========================================================================
I don't work for this company. I couldn't tell you a thing about their
products- however, I can tell you about cheesecakes!        Denise@tgv.com
===========================================================================



Organization: Doctoral student, Psychology, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Date: Tue,  1 Sep 1992 13:22:17 -0400 
From: Kathryn Brennan <kb3i+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Sad Story

>Last Thursday, I bought a baby yellow parakeet. He was
>very friendly, and I suspected that perhaps he had been
>hand fed or something since he would get on my finger
>instantly, and once on it, never wanted to get off.

>This morning I uncovered his cage, and he was chipper
>as usual. I gave him some millet sprays which he loved,
>and then went to take a shower. When I came back in
>the room to get dressed, he was lying on the bottom
>on the cage dead. I couldn't believe it. I quickly
>picked him up and his body was still warm. 
> 
>I can't understand what happened to him. All I can figure
>is that maybe he was hopping from perch to perch and
>missed and fell and broke his neck or back. He seemed
>totally healthy and happy. 


Sorry about your bird.  It sounds as if the bird was sick when you
bought it.  You only had it for a week!!!  Don't feel guilty, because it
sounds as if you gave the bird much care and love for the short time you
had it.

When birds are sick, they get very 'clingy' and tend to be more friendly
(and less afraid of humans) than healthy birds.  If this bird was
immediately comfortable with getting on your finger, etc. from the first
day you brought it home, I really think you bought a sick bird...  You
should see about either getting reimbursed by the pet store, or about
getting another bird for free (although, the fact that the pet store
sold you one sick bird doesn't give me much confidence in the quality of
the pet store...)  

[A note on pet stores:  there are MANY pet stores that really do not
care for their animals well.  I always stop in pet stores to visit the
birds -- and 4 out of 5 times, the birds look unhappy and ill...  I find
it really depressing.  Anyone who is interested in buying a bird should
be very cautious about the pet store they buy it from.  --  Pet stores
in Malls are the WORST!!!  -- private breeders are usually the best way
to go]

Kate Brennan




Xref: sparky rec.pets.birds:2080 alt.folklore.science:3178
From: cwheeler@alsvid.une.edu.au (Christopher Wheeler)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds,alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Bird with oral fixation
Date: 26 Aug 92 23:34:47 GMT
Organization: University of New England - Northern Rivers (Lismore)

From article <BtL51H.220@alsvid.une.edu.au>, by dmiller@alsvid.une.edu.au (David Miller):
> I have a pet budgie (parakeet) that's been exhibiting some rather
> intriguing behavior for some time now.  The bird grinds it's beak
> against a mineral block for a few seconds, and then proceeds to spend 
> 10-20 minutes with it's face up a bell, licking furiously.
> 
> It also does the same thing to the mirror quite often.  The other bird
> in the cage doesn't seem to do any of this at all. 
> Just curious.  If no-one comes up with a reasonable explanation,
> I'll just assume the bird is retarded :).

If the bell is chrome plated it  could be suffering from heavy metal
poisioning.
 
-- 
CWheeler@alsvid.une.edu.au |Paradise is where I am now....... 
			   |Only much much WORSE.
			   |
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: jcarey@news.weeg.uiowa.edu (John Carey)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: handling finches
Date: 26 Aug 92 20:49:21 GMT
Organization: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

I just got for a wedding present a pair of zebra finches.  
I don't think I will clip the wings, since I think they will be 
cage-birds and they like to fly in place.  How do I go about handling
them?  It won't be very often, but for trimming toenails and doing
basic examinations I will have to.  I could just stick my hand in there
and try to grab one.  Is that what I should do or are there more "subtle"
ways to do it?

Do finches require any trimming of the beak?  What kind of things should
I feed them in addition to seed mix?

I have a male and female pair.  I don't particularly want to breed babies.
Will not giving them a nest prevent them from breeding?  Or will this
cause problems, like egg-binding? 

I have been thinking about getting a bird for a while so now I have
a start!
From: melton@skat.usc.edu (Mike Melton)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Familiars (Was: Telepathic Bird Owners)
Followup-To: melton@usc.edu
Date: 25 Aug 1992 17:55:47 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: skat.usc.edu
Summary: Can your bird be possessed?
Keywords: satanism, witchcraft, serial killers, psychopaths, bad birdies


Ms. Dr. Doolittle II sounds like she's got a good routine.

I often imagine that Jupiter, my severe macaw, is really a demon 
sent by Satan. He supposed to instruct me so that I might do Satan's bidding.
His task, as with other familiars, is to sit on my shoulder and whisper
his dark secrets into my ear.

But poor Jupiter gets confused. He mutters to himself, then chuckles. Anyone
who would see him--hanging right-side-up by both legs from the roof of his
cage (quite a contortionist, he is), his little bellie shaking as he laughs
his little demonic laugh--would truly be convinced that he is not of Heaven
nor Earth. Then he says: "C'mere. C'mere!"

No way. Well..okay...but just for a little while... (More demonic laughter.)

Xref: sparky rec.pets.birds:2062 alt.folklore.science:3166