Article: Always pick up the snake gently from the mid-body area, rather than the head or tail. Support its body as you hold it so that it feels safe and secure. Let it curl around your hands to explore. Some garter snakes will be afraid of being handled at first. This means that it may thrash in your hands. In this scenario, keep a firm hold of it so that it doesn't fall. Other scared snakes may produce a foul-smelling liquid called musk. This isn't harmful and you can simply wash it off. Practice handling the snake regularly and helping it to feel safe and secure so that it feels more comfortable being handled. If your snake is new, give it a few days to settle in first and make sure that it eats its first meal. Handle the snake regularly so that it can get used to you and learn to trust you. Over time, the snake will become more comfortable with being handled. Regular handling also provides a good opportunity for checking the snake's health. Make sure that there aren't small lumps over its body or a hollow popping sound when it breathes, as this could indicate a problem with internal parasites. Check the snake's body for puffy, white sores which can indicate a blister disease that is caused by living in conditions that are too moist. Also, make sure that the snake sheds properly and doesn't retain old skin around its eyes and tail. Take your snake to a veterinarian for treatment if it shows any of these symptoms.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Handle the snake by letting it climb through your hands. Take the snake out of the enclosure at least once per week. Check the snake regularly to make sure it is healthy.
Article: Choose a flower pot or container that's at least 18 inches (45.7cm) wide and 8 to 10 inches (20.3 to 25.4cm) deep. Cilantro does not take kindly to being moved, so the pot needs to be big enough to contain the full grown plant. Fill the pot with some fast-draining soil. You can mix in some fertilizer too, if you like. Moisten the soil with a little water until it's just damp, not soggy. Sprinkle the seeds lightly over the soil to disperse evenly. Cover with another 14 inch (0.6cm) of soil. Cilantro needs full sun to grow, so place it in a sunny window-sill or conservatory. South-facing windows offer the most light and best growing conditions for cilantro. The seeds should germinate within 7 to 10 days. Keep the soil moist using a spray bottle to lightly mist the soil. If you pour water onto the soil, it might displace the seeds. Once the stems of the cilantro reach 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2cm) in length, it is ready to be harvested. Cut up to 2/3 of the leaves each week, as this will encourage the plant to keep growing. This way, it is possible to harvest four crops of cilantro from a single pot.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Select an appropriate pot. Plant the seeds. Place the pot in a sunny spot. Keep moist. Harvest the cilantro.
Article: Plaque is practically invisible, so it can be very difficult to know how much is on your teeth. To overcome this, you can purchase "disclosing tablets" in the grocery or drugstore. Once chewed, these tablets will stain the plaque on your teeth bright red, making it easy for you to examine your teeth for plaque and identify the areas you need to target with a toothbrush. Green food coloring applied to your teeth with a q-tip will have the same effect, staining your teeth green for easy plaque identification. To effectively brush your teeth and ensure that you are getting rid of as much plaque as possible, it is important that you have the right tools. Although there are many fancy toothbrushes on the market, the American Dental Association states that any "soft nylon brush with rounded-end, polished bristles" will do the trick. Hard bristled toothbrushes can be too abrasive and wear away tooth enamel and hurt your gums. Even if you are not using the correct brushing technique, soft bristles will still be better. You will also need a good fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride strengthens teeth and protects them from decay and from the formation of cavities. Electric toothbrushes are not any more effective at cleaning teeth than regular manually-operated ones. However, some people find that they are inclined to brush their teeth more regularly and for longer when they own an electric toothbrush, so investing in one may not be a bad idea. Dentists recommend that you should replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months, as they become less effective at cleaning over time. When brushing your teeth, hold the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle against the gum line and sweep the brush away from the gums, in a short vertical, back-and-forth, or circular motions. Try not too scrub too hard, as this can actually damage the enamel on your teeth and cause high sensitivity to any type of stimulus. Pay attention to each tooth as you brush, making sure that you don't miss any. Remember to brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces and the chewing surfaces, and pay some special attention to those hard to reach teeth at the back. Brushing your teeth properly should take about two minutes -- try using a stopwatch to get a feel it, and hum a song to yourself to pass the time. Plaque can easily build up on the surface of the tongue due to food residues, so make sure to give it a little gentle scrub too. This will also help to freshen your breath. When you brush your tongue, go from the back to the front of your mouth and repeating the gentle brushing motion 4 or 5 times.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Locate plaque using a stain. Use the right kind of toothbrush and toothpaste. Use the correct brushing technique. Focus on each tooth individually. Remember to brush your tongue.