What is a hermit crab? Well, hermit crabs are unusual pets for unusual people, maybe like you. Seriously, according to Wikipedia, these crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. Actually, they are not that closely related to crabs. Sort of, in human terms, in-laws or far kins but they walk funny, too, sideways. They are commonly seen in the intertidal zone, for example, in tide pools. These crabs have the habit of abandoning their own shell overtime and will find a larger shell. This is why they are called “hermit crabs” and can you imagine that a lot of people have considered hermit crabs as pets. What’s more, because of this new found love in these animals, there are even sites out there that offer some Hermit Crab care and other valuable information vital for owning a crustacean. It is also important to note that some of these crabs can live among humans for 20 years or so. If you’re searching for a pet and you like to have a marine life in your living room, an aquarium, for example, why not try to have some hermit crabs on it?

For those who want to have a refreshing scenery inside his living room, an aquarium is one of the strongly recommended item that you can put on top of your TV set or in just one corner of your living room. You can complete your collection of marine life by having your own Hermit Crab pet. They can also provide some “cleaning” services for other occupants of your tank. You know crustaceans are, don’t you? They are also considered as “janitors” of the sea and they eat all kinds of small animals and bacteria on the ocean floor which makes the whole area clean and free from parasites. Who knows, with a Hermit Crabs pet, you might have the cleanest tank among your friends and you don’t even need to invest on cleaners for your aquarium. So, how you doing?

No Comments » Posted by SportsDude / Exotic

Having hamsters can be an enriching part of any homeschooling family’s curriculum.  Hamsters are appealing as pets, plus they are easy to maintain and require very little living space.  They can not only be used as a part of your science curriculum, but can be used for any subject – math, language arts, social studies, etc. Learn more about the history of hamsters.

Before deciding whether or not you want to incorporate hamsters into your curriculum, consider the fact that you will be making a commitment of at least 2 to 3 years.  You cannot simply have them for a few weeks and them turn them loose – chances are they will end up being eaten by a predator or dying of starvation in the wild.  Setting hamsters free is not a humane or generous gesture, and simply giving them to a pet shop might have them end up being dinner for a hungry snake.Think about your choice carefully.

Writing and photos are a great way to document your homeschooling activities., and keep this for your records.

After you have made the commitment to getting a hamster, be sure to determine how you will use them.  You can choose to simply have one hamster and use him for observation and entertainment, or you could have more than one and use him and her to study things such as genetics, mating rituals, social order and other subjects.There are countless possibilities.

For language arts, you can use one or more hamsters to inspire fiction or to exercise writing skills in nonfiction topics.  Children can describe the characteristics of the hamster, day-to-day activities, how the hamster came to live in the family, and a host of other topics.Assignments can be given on the growth and development of the hamster, and the observation of any signs of illness.  A daily or weekly journal is also a good activity.

To teach math you can calculate food consumption, water usage, and the cost of supplies.  You can also calculate things such as how long a bag of bedding material will last if x is used per day, per week, etc.  If you breed hamsters, you can calculate population projections and more complicated usage projections.  Budgeting is another subject you can use, and you can give the children the responsibility of staying within a certain budget each month for your hamster.If you sell any of the baby hamsters, children can learn to calculate the profit.

Science is the subject most suited for this type of project.  Children can learn about genetics, breeding, animal husbandry, and a host of other scientific topics.  It is even possible for children to attempt to do selective breeding and create new, desirable traits in their hamsters.  If your hamster becomes ill, this is a good lesson in veterinary techniques and treatment.How to tame a hamster is also a good lesson for children to learn (with adult supervision, of course).

The joy of being responsible for another living creature and being able to nurture a small life is one of the best lessons for children.Empathy, compassion, respect, patience, and responsibility are some of the things they can learn.Children can also mature in a loving way.

Remeber to stop by our online pet store for all your hamster’s needs.

No Comments » Posted by SportsDude / Exotic

Pet Insurance

The purpose of exotic pet insurance is to be sure that the health needs of an exotic animal will be met, without placing financial stress on the owner. In many instances, exotic pets tend to be more susceptible to illness and some breeds are considered to be more fragile, health-wise, as opposed to the more typical types of household pets.

The care for exotic pets is also more expensive, as some of these animals require a veterinarian with specialized knowledge and skills in order to properly care for the them. This is one reason why many owners of such animals seek out insurance. Some have even declared that they would never again be without such coverage because of the amount of money that they have saved due to unexpected veterinary pet bills.

More recent studies have shown that roughly 40% of all owners of reptiles have needed to bring thier pets in for a an unplaned veterinarian visit at some juncture in the past two years. The study went on to show that in excess of one third of these types of cases ended up needing three or more veterinary visits to the office during the same time frame. This is just one example of how pet insurance for exotic creatures is very beneficial, because for some people, such a level of care would not be affordable.

One of the common misconceptions about exotic pet insurance is that it only covers health related costs, such as veterinarian fees and prescriptions. However, most of the insurance policies for exotic pet coverage will provide for many additional benefits as well. Much of what is covered will depend on the type of coverage you choose and the cost of such coverage and how it fits within your own budget constraints.

Of course, the primary benefit of all pet insurance is the pet health insurance aspect. This is the section of the coverage that will end up paying for veterinary pet visits, yearly checkups, health screenings, vaccinations as well as booster shots as required. Some of the policies will completely cover all of these costs. Other types of policies will only cover emergency types of care, such as surgery due to an accident. There are various policies that need you to make a minimum copayment for every visit to the vet, while there are others that totally cover these types of costs. Each of these variations, in addition to an annual deductible, will affect the cost of the insurance premium that you’ll pay.

In addition to covering veterinary expenses, insurance policies for an exotic creature can also cover thievery, in case it is stolen. If you own a very valuable exotic pet, it is strongly advised by experts that you carry this type of insurance in addition to the pet health insurance coverage. You will want to be sure that the policy you choose provides for sufficient replacement coverage in the event of a theft.

Insurance can also provide coverage in the event of death of the exotic animals because of fire, natural disaster, accident, injury or illness. For the various people who have put a lot of money into obtaining an exotic type of pet, this kind of pet plan can help to offset the cost of replacement. Most policies will cover the value of the purchase price of the pet and some will even cover the needed vaccinations that were required. Of course, such coverage cannot compensate for the value of the relationship that has been developed with the beloved exotic creature, but it can minimize the financial impact of such a loss.

In general, exotic pet insurance policies are available to purchase either as a yearly premium or as a lifetime policy. Typically, the one year policies carry lower limits for claims and can be a risky option since the issuing pet insurance company may choose not to continue coverage when the animal reaches a certain age or develops health conditions.

To learn extra informative information click here: Pet Insurance Quote also head on over to Home Owner Pet Insurance with more helpful material at Pet Insurance Ratings

No Comments » Posted by SportsDude / Exotic