HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: sanderso@math.rutgers.edu (Yasmine B. Sanderson)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: spaying old bunnies
Date: 26 Jan 93 19:43:33 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.


Hi everyone! I have been following the string of postings on spaying
does and am wondering about whether I should have mine spayed. What
worries me is the fact that both of these bunnies are 6 1/2 years old
and one has already been operated on twice before (once for an
umbilical hernia and once for removing dead tissue after an episode of
maggot infestation). I don't believe that either of them have been
bred before, but I am not sure because I got them when they were a
year old. They seem to be very happy and in good health, but I am
worried about them developing ovarian tumors. What should I do?

Yaz
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui)
Subject: Re: INFO NEEDED/NEW BUNNY OWNER
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 16:10:47 GMT

In article <1993Jan19.222547.2742@vax1.mankato.msus.edu> lynn@vax1.mankato.msus.edu writes:
>Recently my wife purchased a black French Lop.  He is now 5 months old.
>I was wondering if anyone out there could please tell me when their ears 
>will lie down.  The first ear went down about 5 weeks ago.  Will we be stuck
>with 1 ear up and 1 down?

I wish the ears would never lie down. Please, think about the welfare
of the animal. Erect ears bring in far better audio quality, essential
to a rabbit who relies on an acute hearing to defend itself. They act
as wonderful cooling structures for the hot head. Check out the ear
tips' temperature with the Bun in a warm room, and check again with it
in a cool room. Also note how the ears lie down or stand up when the Bun
is resting depending on room temperature.

My 15 lbs giant rabbit has ears that stand up six inches and swivel
independently according to where the sound source is. I think he's
enjoying the use of that part of his anatomy quite a lot.
-- 
    Michael MY Hui    Ottawa Ontario Canada    ~{~}
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: jeffp@vetmed.wsu.edu (Jeff Parke)
Subject: Re: Guinea Pigs..odor or not odor?
Organization: Washington State University
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 93 02:19:15 GMT

mehrl4986@iscsvax.uni.edu wrote:
> Guinea Pigs Stink???

> My niece wants a guinea pig and her mom will let her have one if they don't
> stink.  Are guinea pigs hard to keep clean and healthy?  Is there any tips to
> keep animal smells down?  Would appreciate advice from people who own guinea
> pigs. 

>  Also is there alot of cost involved in raising a guinea pig?  This is
> not a rich family.  That means no more than $15 a month on the critter will be
> spent.

A GP shouldn't cost more than a few dollars/month, once the initial costs of
a cage, watering container and feeding container are out of the way.  A solid
bottom container, not wood, with wood shavings for bedding, makes an ideal
cage.  I buy a huge bale of pine shavings about every three to four months.
This costs about $10 and supplies one GP and two gerbils.  The GP cage is
cleaned each day or two, and only urine stained shavings are removed, with a 
similar quantity of fresh shavings added.  With this level of maintainence,
there is no odor problem.

Be sure to provide water supplimented with vitamin C, and good quality food.
Veggie treats, as well as grass and dandelions (in the summer) are always
appreciated.

--
Jeff Parke <jeffp@vcs10.vetmed.wsu.edu>
also:   jeffp@WSUVM1.bitnet    AOL: JeffParke
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine class of 1994
Pullman, WA  99164-7012
From: mlevin@husc8.harvard.edu (Michael Levin)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: anyone know about Racoons as pets?
Date: 25 Jan 93 15:32:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc3.1993Jan25.103247.19774
Distribution: usa
Organization: Harvard University Science Center


     Does anyone know about getting a racoon as a pet? I know they are
smart, but that's about all. Do they do ok as household pets? Do they
like people? Do they like to be handled, patted, etc.? Are they
trainable (like not to go to the bathroom on the kitchen table, etc.)?
Is it even possible to obtain one (short of catching one in the wild)?
If so, how much would it cost? Please reply to
mlevin@husc8.harvard.edu.

Mike Levin
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: kenny@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: a bunny toy
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 22:20:48 GMT

In article <1k1hma$9nt@agate.berkeley.edu>, annie@garnet.berkeley.edu (Anne Jessop) writes:
> 
> 
> Just now, she seems to have decided her litter box is a toy, too.  Pine
> shavings everywhere...Then she got part way out of it (hind legs on the
> floor, front legs reaching into the box) and started _dragging_ it across
> the floor!

Mine do that too.  I have two who do a tug of war with theirs.  More often
than not it gets dumped on one or the other.  My big one likes to sleep in
it - she's a big 10 lb lop, and she just oozes out over the sides when she
really gets comfy.  It looks real funny - I've got pictures.

> Enough of that...I sort of recall someone saying earlier that it's a
> better idea than not to spay females even if they have no contact with
> males, because they tend to get ovarian tumors...Is that right?  I've
> always just kind of felt that if there was no need, why have her cut up? 
> Can someone please repost or repeat the basic arguments for getting
> rabbits spayed?  Also, she's about 1 1/2.  Is that too old?  Too young?

Get it done.  The house rabbit handbook says there's something like an
80% chance of a rabbit over 5 or so getting them.  I recently had my 4
year old done, because I just found out about that fact not too long ago.
She had the beginnings of tumors growing in her uterus.  Fortunately, they
hadn't spread, so we think we did it in time.  2 spayed, 4 to go.  Sigh.

> Thanks, especially for indulging all that "cute bunny" stuff,

No problem.  I like cute bunny stuff. (I have lots of cute bunnies of my own).

> Annie

Debbie
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: afdenis@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (Stephen Dennison)
Subject: Ferrets that know their names... was Re: tavi bear (ferrets)
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Ancient Souls Inc.
Distribution: rec
Date: 23 Jan 1993 23:12 EST  

In article <urf.727166554@sw2001>, urf@icl.se (Urban F) writes...
>christin@cae.wisc.edu (Christine Haas) writes:
> 
>>Really??  I have never met a ferret who really cared or noticed what
>>you called him/ her.  The only word my ferrets recognize is the sound
>>of shaking the raison container while saying "Raisons!  Raisons!"
>>and I think that's more the tone of voice I use over the words.   


Both Bear and Sasha knew their names, at least that's how it appeared to me.
I used to hold them together and, when I was talking to one, the other one 
pretty much ignored me, but when I used a name, the *named* ferret usually 
responded with a lick to my nose. I tried not to use their names right 
after they licked their butts, though. :-)


-- Stephen

{Experimental .sig # 30245/T}

Humans -- 

	Beings stupid enough to create their own monsters, and then 
	curse their luck when they run into them. 
Xref: sparky rec.pets:4435 alt.aquaria:6801
From: ryanb@nexus6.org (Ryan Brown)
Newsgroups: rec.pets,alt.aquaria
Subject: pumps for sale
Date: 27 Jan 93 05:08:32 GMT
Organization: Nexus 6 - New Orleans Public Access Unix
X-Mailer: rnMac Buggy, I mean Beta, Test Version



                        
For Sale:


Optima (variable speed) -7.0 watts, Air Output: 500-5500 cc/min, P.S.I.-4.2
This pump is very nice and is in good condition.  

Maxima-6.0 watts, Air Output: 3500 cc/min X 2, P.S.I.-6.0
This is also a good pump, but is louder than the Optima

Whisper Second Nature 900 - 4 air outputs

Whisper Second Nature 600 - 2 air outputs

Whisper Second Nature 500 (variable speed) - I air output


Make me an offer for these pumps. 

Thanks,
 Ryan


Address: ryanb@nexus6.org
From: milligan@stein.u.washington.edu (Paula Milligan)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Salt Spool, what is this for?
Date: 27 Jan 1993 16:45:45 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
NNTP-Posting-Host: stein.u.washington.edu
Summary: All animals need a little salt--

In article <93027.032032L98CC@CUNYVM.BITNET> <L98CC@CUNYVM.BITNET> writes:
>The other day I went to pet store, and they had a boxful of something
>labeled 'salt spool--for hamsters, mices, and other rodents'.  I bought
>one because it was cheap(25c).  I have a hamster and what should I do with
>this salt spool?  Just give to him?
>-----
>Justin Bahk
>Boycott Elvis Stamps!

Usually there's enough in the pellets prepared for them, but sometimes
they need a little more.  Take a sturdy wire with no sharp points
accessible, and attach it to his cage.  He'll take licks when he 
feels the need for salt.  One salt lick will probably last the life
of your hamster.

--Paula 
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: gfink@k30b.nswc.navy.mil (k30b)
Subject: Re: best mthods for litter traiing
Keywords: spraying, pills, bunny behavior problems
Organization: NSWC, Dahlgren, VA
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 23:34:33 GMT

Stephanie Udry  writes...
> ok, now that we've got the spraying problem out the way, litter training will
> begin in earnest...
> buhub is good about uriniating in the box..but so far, we haven't had much
> result with his feces....

As a new reader of this group, I am glad to see some messages about bunnies! 
Apparently I missed the first part of this thread and I would love to know
how you got the spraying problem out of the way.  I have a giant chinchilla
rabbit that loves to spray me but hardly ever sprays my wife.

He also is litterbox trained but leaves pills all over the place, especially
when excited.  

Any suggestions for our mutual problems would be appreciated!

One suggestion already given to us that I am sure Goliath (our bun) would
hate is to put a diaper on him. 

Glenn
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: ludvig@rtsg.mot.com (Rick "The Ricker" Ludvigsen)
Subject: Re: Bunny Loves Carpeting
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 21:20:47 GMT

In article <1993Jan24.062934.17984@unislc.uucp> erc@unislc.uucp (Ed Carp) writes:
>Rick The Ricker Ludvigsen (ludvig@rtsg.mot.com) wrote:
>
>: I have recently acquired a 1 year old male dwarf rabbit.
>: He is completely litter-trained, but he is always trying
>: to dig and pull at the carpeting.  I am not quite as 
>: worried about the carpeting as I am about him digesting
>: the carpet pieces he manages to pull out.
>: 
>: Does anyone have any suggestions about how to break him
>: of this habit.
>
>Do you give him hay?  Are you sure "he" isn't a "she"?  I've seen this in
>nesting rabbits...
>-- 

According to the vet, he is definitely a he.  It seems to have
slowed down since my original posting.  Maybe he is just getting
used to his new environment...

Thanks for the reply.

Rick Ludvigsen - ludvig@maize.rtsg.mot.com
EMX 2500 Software Configuration Management Group
Motorola Inc.,  Cellular Infrastructure Group
Arlington Heights,  IL   60004
From: gremlin@camelot.bradley.edu (Stephanie Udry)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: bunny with major behavior change!
Date: 26 Jan 93 05:19:56 GMT
Organization: Bradley University

i am now convinced they gave me the wrong bunny at the vets!

up until the time he got neutred, he was still pooping on the floor in
sporadic bursts...

since the surgery, we've been lettin ghim out in the living room to run..
we were happy he was going to the litter box to urinate...but we never
saw him poop in the box or the floor...

tonight, he went over to the litter box and sat there for 5 minutes...when
he got up and i went to check, he hadn't urinated but had sat there and
done allhis pooping...

what a change surgery can have

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Stephanie Udry                tanha on IRC                        ~
~ gremlin@camelot.bradley.edu   goddess of mischief and grins       ~
~                               "I've made my own bed.              ~ 
~                                It suits me fine."  adam ant       ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:12:45 EST
From: <KAB137@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Salt Spool, what is this for?
 <1k6e7pINNarn@shelley.u.washington.edu>


In article <1k6e7pINNarn@shelley.u.washington.edu>,
milligan@stein.u.washington.edu (Paula Milligan) says:
>
>In article <93027.032032L98CC@CUNYVM.BITNET> <L98CC@CUNYVM.BITNET> writes:
>>The other day I went to pet store, and they had a boxful of something
>>labeled 'salt spool--for hamsters, mices, and other rodents'.  I bought
>>one because it was cheap(25c).  I have a hamster and what should I do with
>>this salt spool?  Just give to him?
>>-----
>>Justin Bahk
>>Boycott Elvis Stamps!
>
>Usually there's enough in the pellets prepared for them, but sometimes
>they need a little more.  Take a sturdy wire with no sharp points
>accessible, and attach it to his cage.  He'll take licks when he
>feels the need for salt.  One salt lick will probably last the life
>of your hamster.
>
>--Paula

 In addition to salt spools being a supplement to their diet, a lot of furry
friends just love the salt as a treat, and usually there is no real health
risk involved.  Our hamsters and gerbils loved it, and our rabbit even liked
it.  Not to mention the huge salt licks we buy and post in the woods every
winter for the deer--a great treat!
  -=Kymberlie=-
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: beckers@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Becki Kain)
Subject: Re: Info on the Illegality of Ferrets
Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 00:36:59 GMT

In article <93025.191300KAB137@psuvm.psu.edu> <KAB137@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>  Hello ferret owners!
>I am in desperate need of your help.  I have recently become involved in the
>unfortunate problem of anti-ferret legislation in places such as California and
>New York City, for instance.  I feel that the idea of ferrets being illegal to
>own in INSANE and I am prepared to fight it with all that I can.  Before I can
>do so, I need information from anyone who can seriously help me.  I need to
>have a current and accurate list of all of the places that ferrets are illegal.
>You may be able to help me.
>
>  Kymberlie and Shadow
>      KAB137@psuvm.psu.edu

well they are illegal in the entire state of michigan.   there was a bill 
that passed in the house but the senate sat on it so long that it became a dead
bill and we have to go all over again.  the michigan humane society has even
reveresed it's vote on ferret legalization, supporting it as long
as the ferrets sold (i believe only in pet stores) are fixed, which is
the way you get them in any other state as far as i know.

feel free to email me and i can find out more.

beckers

escher tavi tieke tigger nero sephus
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: beckers@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Becki Kain)
Subject: ferret shows
Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 19:36:14 GMT

does anyone have a ferret show schedule?  i'm especially interested in shows
in the midwest.

thanks

beckers, escher, tavi, tieke, nero, tigger, sephus
From: alyoung@kiwi.ucs.indiana.edu (amy lynn young-leith)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: a bunny toy
Keywords: old sheets
Date: 26 Jan 93 05:26:33 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1993Jan26.102642.15212
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington

In article <1k1hma$9nt@agate.berkeley.edu> annie@garnet.berkeley.edu (Anne Jessop) writes:
[...]
>my study, when she cares to share it with me :) ) and she pushes at it and
>digs in it and rearranges it and drags it around all the time.  She's
>really funny.  We have started this game where she'll be digging and I'll
>throw another piece of the sheet over her and she digs her way out and
>jumps on me.  Lots of laughs...

Dink does tihs too!  Not all the time but if there's a pillow within
reach, or sheets on the floor, he ends up digging, pulling, bunching
it up and playing with it.  I thought perhaps nesting instincts, but
he's a male!  Oh well, it's cute but he DEMOLISHED it!  He ate a big
whole right through the middle of this blanket.  It wasn't a big loss,
because it was bunched up and stuffed in the corner of the room so he
cound't get behind the waterbed from that side.  

I also had this stash of small stuffed animals, and Dink LOVED 'em.
He'd drag them around, jump on them, etc. 

>Just now, she seems to have decided her litter box is a toy, too.  Pine
>shavings everywhere...Then she got part way out of it (hind legs on the
>floor, front legs reaching into the box) and started _dragging_ it across
>the floor!

Dink's gotten this thing with the toilet bowl brush.  He drags it out
from behind the toilet DAILY.  

>Enough of that...I sort of recall someone saying earlier that it's a
>better idea than not to spay females even if they have no contact with
>males, because they tend to get ovarian tumors...Is that right?  I've
>always just kind of felt that if there was no need, why have her cut up? 
>Can someone please repost or repeat the basic arguments for getting
>rabbits spayed?  Also, she's about 1 1/2.  Is that too old?  Too young?

I've heard that it's never too late unless she's really old and the
operation might harm her more.  The reasons for doing so are because
the health dangers for females that aren't spayed are much higher than
for those that are.  If you find a good vet who has experience with
buns (try the cat vets in town, mine's great), she shouldn't be
considered in any danger.  

>Thanks, especially for indulging all that "cute bunny" stuff,
>Annie

Hey, I got in on it too!  =)

amy


-- 
alyoung@kiwi.indiana.edu	        	Occupation:  Lifetime Student
*****************************************************************************
*This post was made on personal time and has nothing to do whatsoever with  *
*              the attitudes or opinions of Indiana University.             *
*****************************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.pets,rec.pets.cats,rec.pets.dogs
From: afdenis@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov (Stephen Dennison)
Subject: Re: Ghosts
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Ancient Souls Inc.
Date: 26 Jan 1993 11:49 EST  

In article <C1CADn.L4K@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, doc@uiuc.edu writes...
>  Ghosts

[Interesting poem pretty much deleted]

>One should choose ghosts
>Like friends,
>Carefully.
> 
>	--Bob Andes
> 

I wonder how Bob deals with those of us who do not differentiate between 
Ghosts by their intellects and reasoning abilities. 

For the deity-concious, God doesn't seem to either. Methinks Mr. Andes 
presumes much.

P.S. I am *also* not haunted by the Ghosts of those who adorn their bodies 
with make up and scents and then get a rash, but test-animals suffer and 
die for *their* vanity. Do we have an appropriate poem to trivialize those 
ghosts ?  

> 
>-- 
>Jim Marco
>doc@uiuc.edu

Sorry, Jim, but I consider that poem a well-written smokescreen posted to a 
group that would find it controversial for some unknown purpose. I hope the 
purpose was to elicit rebuttal. That was its effect in any event.

-- Stephen

{Experimental .sig # 30245/T}

Humans -- 

	Beings stupid enough to create their own monsters, and then 
	curse their luck when they run into them. 
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Subject: Re: Cats & Dogs
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 93 19:55:58 GMT

In article <C12GGw.J8@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:
>
>Have any of you had any success introducing an adult cat to an adult dog?
>I have a 5 year old Siamese and my SO has a 1+ year old Shepherd/Collie
>mix, and we're trying to get them to live together in harmony. As you
>might expect, when they catch sight of each other there's a lot of
>hissing and barking, so we've been keeping the cat locked up in a
>bedroom when the dog is in the house and the dog locked either in the
>garage or in the same bedroom when the cat is running around loose. This
>has been going on for about a week, and I'm getting ready to try
>supervised introductions with the cat safely in her carrier and the dog
>on her leash.
>
>To those of you who've managed to do it: Anything else I should try? How
>long did it take? If you tried and weren't successful, how long did you
>try before giving up?
>
>Many thanks for any advice you can give.
>

I have a samoyed that I introduced a kitten to - the kitten didn't like
the dog (female) always trying to sniff him, eventually they became
tolerant of each other they would curl up beside each other - then I got 
the kitten/cat's brother (same litter) - they had a problem adjusting to 
each other (had been separated about one year) - then I picked another
samoyed from samoyed rescue - both cats would hiss and run - again, 
they learned to tolerate each other - then I got married and my husband
had a schnausser - you should have seen the cats run & hiss & jut out 
their front paws at him (especially since he's closer to their size) -
now the first samoyed (the other one went to a nice home), both my cats
and the schnausser all tolerate each other (the second cat and the schnausser
even lay by each other trying to cuddle in close to either my husband or me

bottom point is, I let them get accustomed to each other, and once they
realized that both were there for the duration, they became 'friendlier' -
once in a while, when the dog moves too fast, the first cat will strike out
at him and/or hiss, then walk away, but....

-- 
________________       __        ________________   "They that can give up
\_________      \     /_ \      /      _________/  essential liberty to 
 \_________      \_____/  \____/      _________/  obtain temporary safety
  \___________________      __________________/  deserve neither liberty 
                     /______\                   nor safety."  
ALL disclaimers apply ....                           --Benjamin Franklin
	  
Newsgroups: rec.pets,talk.bizarre,rec.food.veg
From: guycole@netcom.com (Guy Cole)
Subject: Title of my *NEXT* album.
Followup-To: misc.test
Keywords: music,animals,food
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 06:45:31 GMT

"Manatee In A Dumpster"
-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Guy Cole (KQ6J) * "Expert Plain And Fancy Bit Twiddling" * guycole@netcom.com
Check Six! (619) 789-8106 * P.O. Box 2269, Ramona, CA. 92065 * CIS:71046,1405
From: rp@llex.ll.mit.edu ( Richard Pavelle)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Chinchilla breeder location
Date: 26 Jan 93 02:04:50 GMT
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Originator: rp@llex


Can anyone tell me the names of some breeders? Our pet just
died and we want to find another. Thanks.