With fall just around the corner, there are a few pet maintenance projects that should be addressed:
1.) Groom groom groom! Even if it's just a good thorough bath. Make
sure your pet's skin is clean
and healthy, and their coat is free of
mats. A dog with mats in it's fur cannot get warm; it's like getting a
nice winter coat then wadding it up.. It just can't insulate properly!
Also, mats hold water and encourage fungal/bacterial growth. Nothing
like wet dog AND creepy smell!
2.)
For those of us with exotics and older houses, the change in seasons can
mean rearranging tanks and habitats. Birds are very sensitive to cold
drafts, so make sure your feathered friends are away from leaky windows
and doors. A bit of weatherstripping can literally be a lifesaver!
3.) If you are the energy conserving kind (like me) you will let the
house be a bit cooler during the winter months. Make sure your small
animals have plenty of bedding! If you have smalls like guinea pigs on
the floor; be sure they have a vapor barrier, so there is some
insulation between the bottom of their crate and the floor. Pick up a
spare sun/heat bulb for your basking reptiles. Also, check the tank
heaters for reptile and fish, and make sure everything is in working
order. YES, you have probably been using them all summer, but a quick
going over to check for frayed wires and cracked glass can mean the
difference between living and dying for reptiles and fish.
4.)
Lastly, Please remember the wildlife and the poor abandoned darlings
that share our neighborhoods. Make sure feeders are kept clean and
filled, and the clean water supply is plentiful. If you have stray/feral
cats in your area; now is the time to start getting the stray boxes
ready to set out.I know I know.. No one wants a bunch of stray cats
stinking up their yards, etc.. But for me, setting up feral housing is a
great way to get a TNR program going. TNR means Trap Neuter(or spay)
Release. I work hard to tame them down enough I can re-home them; but in
the mean time I don't want them breeding. I also have a limited number
of animals I am allowed to actually have in house; so openings are few
and far between.
5.) GET OUTSIDE. Fall is a great time to bird watch!
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