Tegus are some of the most mobile reptiles among the lizards family. They are large unlike most of the other lizards in their class thus they always need a larger space than the rest of the lizards. Larger spaces keep the tegus healthy since they are assured of mobility. In order to keep them healthy, the best tegu enclosure should be provided. An enclosure with the correct dimensions and the right space is the best place that the tegus can live in since it mimics a more natural environment. In this article, we have compiled a number of enclosures that you can use for the good health and happiness of your tegus.

Adult Tegu Enclosure

The adulthood of this fascinating reptile allows it to achieve its maximum body size. Once this happens, it is very relevant to upgrade its enclosure. An upgrade of around 3’ by 4’ by 8’ is the most ideal. This size should, however, refer to the size of the front opening. The adult tegu should then be allowed to freely roam in this enclosure and in some others outside the usual one to ensure maximum growth and health. Such a size is beneficial for your back as well as the tegu’s wellbeing. Nonetheless, this size of an enclosure is big hence not easily available in the pet stores. This means that you should build an enclosure for your adult tegu. Therefore, you should look for a professional who can build it perfectly to ensure that the actual measurements are reached and that it is good enough to house a tegu.

If you are willing to build your own tegu, you should try 3’ by 5’ by 8’ measurements. This provides you with a space that is large enough for your tegu. This kind of enclosure can easily be adjusted if need be to serve the required purpose. In any of these cages, however, you should know that tegus are perfectly fine when staying alone. This means that you do not have to put more than one tegu in the enclosure. Nonetheless, these animals have exceptional socialization skills which mean that even if you put them together, there will be no incidences arising. If all of them are males or females, they can stay in the same enclosure. However, males and females can never stay together since they are gender sensitive. If you need to put them together, you should ensure that each one of them has a private space. You should also not house juvenile tegus with adults since the juveniles can easily be consumed by the adults. (more…)

When you have a tortoise for a pet, you will need a number of items and products to keep it comfy and healthy. Lighting and heating systems are essential but substrates are needed the most. Some of these substrates, however, are fit but others fatal to the health of the pet that you so much adore. To ensure that you don’t purchase lethal products for your tortoise, we have reviewed a few tortoise substrates. We have got you covered since here, we provide the best-undoubted information regarding the best tortoise substrate to acquire.

Zoo Med Forest Bedding

This product ensures that the tortoise is provided with the closest to a natural ecology as anyone can ever fathom. Made of a mulch of cypress, the manufacturers ensure that this product is 100% natural. It ensures that your pet is safe and comfy all the time. This bedding is a multipurpose product that does not only work on tortoise but also on other pets like salamanders, tarantulas, snakes and lizards among others. The bedding is more of a forest floor hence providing your pet with an adorable natural environment.

Zoo Med Eco Earth Coconut Fiber Substrate

Zoo med eco earth is one of the most ideal ways to set up a natural looking environment that suits your pet. In addition to having it for the tortoise, you can use it on other types of pets like amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. More so, this substrate is very exceptional in its making in that you can soak it in water and still have it working as expected. This is needed when you have a baby tortoise since such young tortoises are often in need of hydration. Soaking in water ensures that the substrate remains dump hence serving the expected purpose. Made from the coconut husks, the product is viable for tinned plants and as a replacement for gardens. (more…)

Saturday, June 25, 2011, was a dog-gone great day for all who came to A Bark at the Park, 2011. Though we don’t have an actual paw count, dogs tiny, small medium, large, and extra-large attended with their owners.

About 25 Doggie IQ Tests were done, and while the dogs were scored as genius, smart, or cute, in their guardian’s eyes, each was the brightest dog in attendance.

The Tennis Ball Bucket Bash was a hit for several dogs who loved tennis balls, and it didn’t matter that they were in water.

An agility demonstration by Pat Kauffman’s two dogs, was a huge hit with the crowd. Officer Jeremiah Fears brought in Corning’s canine unit. Canine Officer Oso did a search demonstration. Officer Oso loved the petting from the kids that were there with their dogs and parents.

Brainy Dog was there to answer dog-related training questions. They have helped us with some shelter dog related issues.

Volunteers were the backbone of our event. Kelly, Taylor, Debbie and daughter Michelle were there to lend a hand. Todd, Rita, Pat, Mari Ann, Willie and the founder of Second Chance, Debbie, did a great job. Doug and Marina who manned the BBQ were awesome. Diane who does our newsletter and granddaughter Alexis, were there to help too. Tina, our super foster mom, stayed as long as she could. Thanks to the US Bank employees, Essie, Edna and Skylar who gave up their day off to help. Pat, who has been coming to the shelter for 6 years, coordinated booths, announced different events, and answered questions about Second Chance Pet Rescue.

Added at the last minute, the silent auction of wonderful art by award winning and nationally recognized artists, was a big success. It was a nice bonus of fundraising for us and those who participated took home some awesome art!

Thank you artists Marji Raymond, Jane Birch, Sylvia Meents, Pat Panko, Genee Kluga, and Phylis Wathen and Peggy Jessop.

A Bark at the Bark 2011, would not have been possible without the initial sponsorship of these fine people and business. Please let them know that you appreciate their support of us if you see them.

Major supporters:
Allergy Associates, Animal Blood Bank, Bell Carter Olive Company, Holiday Inn Express, Molly & Tupper Mahoney, Rabobank, Rita’s Tax Service, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Skyline Pets, US Bank, Walker Street Veterinary, Wild Cat Haven, and Matt and Ann Koball.

Without the support of our local business and individuals who were so gracious in donating raffle items, our event would not have been as much fun. These businesses are the backbone of our community and support us wholeheartedly.

We hope that you will support them so they can continue to support us.

Raffle Donators:
Theresa Bales, Bell Carter Olive Company, Rabobank, O’Reilly Auto, Corning Olive Oil, Lucero Olive Oil, House Of Brews, Round Table Pizza, Interland Business, Red Truck Rock Yard, Holiday Inn Express, Walker St. Veterinary, Coffee Club Bistro, Chris’ Egg Farm, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Dot Linnet and Family, Millie Williams, Mari Ann Hascher, Kelly Privitte, Lindee Ross, Marji Raymond. Sylvia Clark, Ron Northrup.

At our ‘A Bark at the Park’ we saw some dear old friends, made some new dear friends, and had a whole lot of fun!

Second Chance Pet Rescue is pawsitivily grateful to everyone who came and participated, sponsored, donated and volunteered at A Bark at the Park, 2011.

Grand prize 24-inch Viore Flat Screen TV went to Suzanne Hildebrandt. Suzanne has been a local long-time supporter of Second Chance. She is pictured with the TV and her other raffle winnings. Congratulations Suzanne!

With a reported ONE in 600 pit bulls getting adopted out of shelters — With most shelters having between a 25% and 75% pit bull population — With pit bulls having the stigma of “bad dog” (“I want a family dog — anything but a pit bull…”) — With many pit bulls being killed in shelters nationwide, simply because of the name “pit bull” we decided to get some education and training on the breed.

What we have found is a fabulous dog with fabulous breed qualities. A pit bull isn’t for everyone. But for those people who know the breed and know the qualities of a pit bull we developed our pit bull ambassador program “Pit Bull Promenade Showcase.”

All pit bulls in our Showcase are trained in obedience. All are prepared for their AKC Canine Good Citizen test. All of our pit bulls are spayed/neutered, microchipped, fully vaccinated, heartworm tested and on prevention. All are ambassadors of the breed. Because they are ambassadors, only ambassador homes are selected. We pre-screen potential adopters via an on-line application at Pit Bull Rescue Central. A home visit is performed in every case.

Due to the time invested in each of our pit bulls, the adoption fee is $150.

If you are interested in any of our pit bulls, please give us a call at 530-824-1985 or contact us via Email. We will be delighted to talk with you about our great dogs.

Training and literature provided, in part, by a grant from Animal Farm Foundation, Inc.
www.animalfarmfoundation.org

Before you adopt an animal please ask yourself if you are prepared for a new family member. Be honest with yourself about how much time and resources you have for an animal. You will need time to feed, exercise, clean up after potty breaks, train and provide relaxed hanging out time together. Depending on a dog’s age, breed and personality, you will need a minimum of 15-60 minutes a day to train. A puppy will need several short sessions throughout the day to accommodate their puppy attention span and potty training. Try to arrange to have at least two days off, a week if possible, to be able to hang out at home to bond and show what the new routine is. Have an appropriate size crate ready or arrange to borrow a Second Chance crate if available. Have the whole house agree on what types of training will be done, what the commands will be and who is responsible for the dog’s daily care.

In addition to your adoption fee you will need to provide food, shelter, grooming and medical care for you pet. Grooming consists of nail trimming, washing your dog when needed and keeping their fur clean of parasites like tics & fleas, as well as thistles, foxtails, and other dangerous stickers. Regular medical care consists of keeping current on vaccinations, a yearly veterinarian check up, giving regular heart worm treatments and for other problems and “as needed” emergency care.

You will need to have proof that you have a safe fenced yard and that you own your home or have permission from your landlord to keep a pet. Dogs may not be left like slaves on chains EVER. By adopting, you agree to allow a Second Chance Representative to home visit to verify your conditions. The whole family should meet your new friend a have a good understanding of their responsibilities before adoption. Small children should NEVER be left alone unsupervised with ANY pet. Remember, you are morally and financially responsible for all of your pet’s actions, both good and bad. You must train your dog to be obedient and under control. Training is your responsibility and your dog’s ‘job’. With a job, your dog will be healthier physically and mentally and get in trouble less. Also, you will re-affirm your leadership position in the pack relationship. The more time your dog is under your control the less worries you will have. In addition, the better under control your dog is, the more they are able to go places, do things and live harmoniously in the house with you. It’s a proven fact that people with pets are happier and healthier. And you may change attitudes of those who are dog-negative or dog-neutral!!!

Our adoption fee is $75 for all breeds except Pit Bulls (see our Pit Bull Program page for details). This fee includes spaying or neutering and rabies vaccination. Your adoption agreement includes a complimentary phone consultation or private lesson with our Obedience Trainer, and possible home visits.

When you think you have found your special friend, you will need to visit with a volunteer staff member to talk about your pet, fill out an application and pay the current adoption fee. If you are able to make an additional tax deductible donation to Second Chance Pet Rescue, we will gratefully accept that to continue our work.

Top 10 reasons to train your dog

In order to be sound and stable, every dog must have a ‘job’.
People who are neutral or dog negative may change their attitudes when they see your control.
Your dog will not run away, be hurt, experimented on, poisoned, stolen, killed, impregnated or taken to a shelter.
You are confident and feel safer when you are with your dog at home or in public.
People and other creatures are safe from problems with YOUR dog.
With better control, you’re welcome in more places, enriching lives.
The more time you spend with your dog, the longer you will live.
Yours and other people’s things are not being destroyed.
It’s stimulating for mind, body, and creativity.
It’s FUN!!!! – and a trained dog is a pleasure.
You can teach a dog in one or both of two different ways. First is “compulsion”, which means that you make the dog do what you want by forcing them. Some types of compulsion could be pushing on the dog’s butt to make them it, yelling, or pulling on dog’s leash or using prong/pincher collars and e-collars, which actually shock a dog with electric current. We try to use the least amount of compulsion as possible and avoid working with electric or prong collars. We like to use “motivational” training techniques like using praise, treats and toys to encourage the dogs.

An example of motivational training is teaching your dog to sit by putting a small tasty treat under your dog’s nose and slowly lift it over their head while you say “sit”. When their butt comes down into sit position , give them the treat and say “good sit!” in a happy voice. Repeat many times! It can take a dog 1,000 repetitions to learn/KNOW a command, so be patient.

If your dog does not do what you want, you must first ask yourself if they understand the command, if they are challenging your authority or if YOU are doing something wrong. For example, if you say “sit” one time and “sit down” another time and THEN “go sit”, a dog may not understand. They can only understand the sound, not the words, and these differences in word sounds will only confuse them.

Some Useful Dog Commands

Sit – butt on ground/ head up
Down – lying down – ALL legs on the ground
Stand – for grooming, teeth, & vet visits
Off – do not jump up – on me, on furniture, etc
Come – to be by your side within a yard distance
Let’s go – with or without leash, for informal walking
Easy – for when the dog pulls on the leash
Heel – dog is walking by your side evenly

Once your dog KNOWS a command, then you must say it once. If the dog does not “sit” then you must give another command AND a correction. A correction could be a strong look, a harsh voice, pulling on the leash and so forth. Use the minimum amount to get the dog to obey on your FIRST correction. The right amount is seen when you get results and have a dog who obeys you on the FIRST command.

Stopping a dog from jumping

Jumping is a normal behavior in dogs, but many people want to see a dog with better manners. So, the dog must be taught to not jump. This can easily be accomplished by pushing the dog away with your foot or knee while AT THE SAME TIME giving the “off” command. OR you can have someone hold the leash and when the dog jumps when another person approaches the dog, the handler can give a “jerk” correction with the leash while AT THE SAME TIME giving the “off” command. Remember that you want a special “off” command that is different from the “down” ( lay down ) command, so as to not confuse the dog..

Second Chance Pet Rescue is offering the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Award (CGC). The CGC evaluation is offered to all mixed and pure breeds as well as neuter/spayed or intact dogs. See CGC Testing for more info.

A separate bank account has been opened by Second Chance Pet Rescue specifically for the Friends of Felines program.  Second Chance Pet Rescue is the custodian of the donations for the program.  The committee chairman of the Friends of Felines program is responsible for all decisions regarding how the donations will be used.  All donations are tax deductible.

We at Second Chance Pet Rescue wholeheartedly believe this program is necessary and warranted and encourage you to specify “Friends of Felines” if your donations are designated for this program.

Although we work specifically with dogs, it is written inside our shelter:
“The greatness of a nation and it’s moral progress may be judged by the way it’s animals are treated”  M. Gandi

The Friends of Felines Program
The Friends of Felines is a grassroots alliance of individuals sharing resources and working together to compassionately serve the feline population of Northern California through education and Trap / Spay / Neuter / Release, Support and Grants when funds are available. Under the conservatorship of Second Chance Pet Rescue, all tax deductible donations go directly to spay/neuter and a rabies vaccine for each cat that is trapped and altered. Trapping, transportation, caretaker support, data gathering, educational presentation, and some vet tech labor is donated in kind from concerned community members and colony caretakers, as well as some local veterinarians giving price breaks. While there is no official “count” it is estimated that there are thousands to tens of thousands of feral and abandoned cats county wide. These cats face an average lifespan of two years that often comes with disease, complications and wear from numerous pregnancies, fight wound infections from un-altered males, death from natural predators, and routine poisoning and shooting by humans. Any financial support is appreciated and will be guaranteed to be used for spay/neuter & vaccinations of the cats.  This will alleviate much suffering of these forsaken felines.
Think of a cat lover you know, and make a donation thru PayPal in their honor! Think on the future and make a donation to help slow down this cat epidemic and improve the quality of their life!!
If you know of a colony, and would like to get on our list for assistance with TNR, contact Sharon via EMAIL.  Your information will be kept private and will only be used as anonymous data to apply for funding. If you are feeding a colony of any un-altered cats, PLEASE consider finding a way to spay the females at minimum. Even if you think you can’t afford it, think about, the health stress of multiple litters, infant mortality and suffering and how your cat food costs will increase, and in reality, spay/neuter is a good economic investment. If you are honest UP FRONT, many local vets will work with you to set up a payment plan. While there is a waiting list for financial aid, we CAN offer to lend traps and coaching on trapping. Trapper hints – Best trapping is at night – make sure in any case to check traps every two hours or so to see that cats are not getting too hot, wet, cold, etc. For a few days, feed cats in traps with two or three layers of newspaper in the bottom until they are comfortable about the traps. Don’t feed cats for one or two days (Don’t worry -cats can live up to 17 days without eating!) Set traps and use some yummy food like wet canned cat food or tuna. Take the cats to the vet in the traps, as they are preferable for their handling needs. If possible, keep the females who may have had a hard time with their spays in a kitty condo or kenneled, so they can recover with less stress. For more info contact Sharon via EMAIL. If you don’t hear back within a week or so, try again – you and your cat situation are important to us! THANK YOU for caring!!!!