INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Try to wait until the snake isn't shedding and has gone to the bathroom before feeding it, as it's more likely to want to eat. Many snakes are more active at twilight, so you should feed them in the late afternoon.Some snakes are nocturnal and won't be comfortable eating during the day. Use tongs to hold the rodent by its tail. As you lower into the cage, move the head of the mouse towards the head of the snake in range of its tongue. With a garter snake, you will need to move it around a bit, as they're more attracted to movement than other snakes. Always use tongs, as snakes use heat and smell to guide them. They may strike at your hand if you don't! You can also feed your snake in a separate feeding enclosure, so that the snake doesn't associate you putting your hand in their cage with eating. The snake will use its tongue to check out the rodent. Once it does, it will typically strike the rodent and take it from your tongs. Be sure to drop the rodent when it does! Once your snake gets used to the bait, you may be able just to place the rodent in the cage for the snake to take.

SUMMARY: Feed at a comfortable time for your snake. Lower the rodent into the cage by its tail. Wait for the snake to inspect and take the rodent.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Natural sources of calcium are a good foundation to ensure you're getting enough of this crucial mineral. Various foods contain different forms of calcium, and combine it with other minerals and vitamins. Eating a variety of foods helps ensure that your body is absorbing enough of it. Good sources include: Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese) Leafy green vegetables (kale, broccoli, Chinese cabbage) Fish with soft, edible bones (sardines and salmon, for example) Fortified breads and cereals Certain fortified juices, soy and rice milks, and tofu These other nutrients, especially vitamin D, help your body absorb calcium adequately. So while you're shopping for foods that are high in calcium, make sure to check the labels for these other nutrients as well. Milk is an excellent source of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, and is usually fortified with vitamin D, which is why it is so recommended as a calcium source. If you are lactose intolerant, you can choose lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk. Yogurt and cheese are also low in lactose, so those foods can be sources of easily absorbable calcium. Your body can actually produce its own vitamin D from sunlight, so getting enough natural light also ultimately helps your body absorb calcium. Getting enough vitamin D from sunlight alone is difficult, however, so make sure you're getting enough from food or supplements. Vegans or others who avoid dairy products can still eat good sources of calcium, like leafy greens. However, it is harder for your body to absorb calcium from these foods than from dairy products. Fortified juices usually contain calcium citrate malate, which is an easily absorbed form, so make sure to drink some of those as part of your regular diet. or saute vegetables instead of boiling them. Calcium can leach out of foods into cooking water, reducing the amount you consume and ultimately absorb. Cook calcium-rich vegetables briefly in a small amount of water to retain as much calcium as possible. This makes steaming or sauteing a preferred cooking method for vegetables, rather than boiling. Some foods contain compounds that can reduce or alter the way your body absorbs calcium, when consumed in large amounts. For example, something called oxalic acid is found in some vegetables (like spinach) and beans. Another compound called phytic acid is found in whole grains. Too much of these compounds reduces your body's absorption of calcium. If you eat a wide variety of foods, you probably don't need to worry about eating too much of these compounds. If you aren't sure if your diet is balanced enough, talk to a doctor or nutritionist. Even though calcium absorption from spinach is decreased, calcium absorption from milk is not affected when milk and spinach are eaten together. If your doctor hasn't specifically advised you about absorbing calcium, talk to them before making any major changes to your diet. A physician can help you determine if you're not getting enough calcium, and the best way to help your body absorb more. Your doctor can also help you determine if it's safe for you to increase your calcium intake. Too much calcium, for some individuals, is linked to other health issues.

SUMMARY: Get most of your calcium from a variety of foods, if possible. Stock up on vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium. Grab some fortified juices if you are vegan or avoid dairy products. Steam Be mindful of the foods you eat together with calcium sources. Consult a doctor if you think you're having trouble absorbing calcium.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Insert the needle through the wrong (back) side of the canvas. Choose a space at the top left of your canvas or at the top left of a block of color. Bring the needle through a space on the right (front) side of the canvas that is diagonally-adjacent to the stitch on the right side. Then, repeat the same stitch to create a stitch alongside your first stitch. Work from left to right in a row across the canvas, and then work the stitch back along the row in the opposite direction. As you sew the second row, the second diagonal stitch should go through a space that already has thread going through it. This will help to reduce the visible canvas behind the thread. Insert the needle into the space where you want to begin working the continental stitch. Then, bring the needle up diagonally and down through the stitch adjacent and to the right of that stitch. Then, come up through the next space in the row beside where you started the stitch. Continue to work across the row going from right to left. Then, work back along the next row going from left to right. Make sure to insert the needle through spaces that already have 1 stitch in them on your second row. Work this stitch diagonally starting at the top right hand corner of the area. Bring the needle down through the space that is diagonal to this space. Then, bring the needle back up through the space that is diagonally adjacent to this stitch, and repeat the stitch. This stitch creates a pyramid like stitch design. It allows good coverage of the canvas with the least distortion and should be used in large areas. Insert your needle through the canvas where you want to begin the stitch. Bring the thread all the way through the canvas and pull it taut. Then, insert the needle into the second stitch up from where you brought the needle out. Bring the needle back through the canvas next to where you started the first stitch. Use a thick thread, yarn, or multi-strand piece of embroidery floss to create the brick stitch. You can also try the Bargello or long point stitch for a more advanced vertical stitch.

SUMMARY:
Do a half-cross stitch for a simple stitch that covers a small area. Use the continental stitch to provide more coverage over an area. Try basketweave stitch to provide full coverage over large areas. Do the brick stitch for a vertical stitch with good coverage.