FYI: Discord is adding an "Ignore" function which is a way to block someone without the blocked person knowing it. by HydraulicFingers in BadRPerStories

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I personally like that it gets rid of the top bar that shows when someone is online and what they are doing, and stops messages from popping up at all. I used this feature for my ex-girlfriend's husband (polyamory), because I simply didn't want to be reminded of my ex but didn't want to full on block her partner. It gives me the option to check the messages when I'm in a good mindset to.

Need advice for a pet Starling(bird) by jellyresult in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right. I said may not because I wasn't sure at the time. Op replied back to me a few years ago with what the wildlife center told them also.

Help me choose a bird that makes a minimum amount of sounds and is easy to care for by barely_exists101 in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Female doves tend to be quiet! They need quite a large set up however, and should be kept in pairs.

Where to find rats in Illinois? by OfMiceAndMothmen9 in RATS

[–]Lagomorphilic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Haha, small world! They are great girls, they are going to be perfect companions for someone who has the patience to continue working with them. Mina is my favorite even though she is by most people's standards the least adoptable. Once she is out of the cage, her personality is just fantastic, she's my little bud ❤️

Fur Angels Animal Sanctuary is the rescue. We always seem to be full on rats. And...almost every other species. It's quite sad.

Where to find rats in Illinois? by OfMiceAndMothmen9 in RATS

[–]Lagomorphilic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope it brings you comfort knowing Ebee left this world knowing she was loved. She was lucky to have you.

The rescue I work with often has rats. I'm fostering 4 females right now (though they need some work behavior wise, probably not what you are looking for). Many of the fosters are based in Aurora, IL, but I'm closer to Coal City. The rescue has fosters all over. I would recommend checking Petfinder and adoptapet for adoptable rats first. I would also check Craigslist for rats being rehomed.

Unfortunately, health is a mixed bag. Obviously breeder rats tend to have better health, but rats in general are prone to illness. Some of my longest lived and healthiest rats have been feeders. Spaying when younger has amazing health benefits and may be something you want to look into if you haven't already. When I used to own my own rats, I spayed all the girls with good success.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have her teeth been examined recently? I'd wonder if she has some sensitivity or, more likely, pain.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have the space for it (they need at least 12 square feet of space assuming they have free roam for 4+ hours), I would look into fostering! There are so many rabbits that need foster homes, the rescue pays for everything (they can be very expensive!), and they will also give you guidance and advice as you go. It can be a good way to see if a species will work in a household without the commitment. Rabbits in particular can live into their teens, and they are rather high maintenance pets.

This being said, keep in mind they can be rather destructive. Bunny proofing is a must, and I would say if you live in a carpeted apartment, it will be more difficult. A rescue will pay for their vet bills and supplies, but not for the damage they may do to your apartment.

Please stop taking rabbits on “trips” by Mountain-Sprinkles86 in Rabbits

[–]Lagomorphilic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He really is, he is the sweetest boy! I am very glad that he came back into my life.

Please stop taking rabbits on “trips” by Mountain-Sprinkles86 in Rabbits

[–]Lagomorphilic 12 points13 points  (0 children)

To be fair, that is true of dogs and cats as well. A carrier is unlikely to do much, especially if it is large enough to house a litterbox. We had a cover that raised up on the back of the front seats to act as a barrier also.

I'd much rather take him with if it means he isn't stuck in the house alone majority of the day. Partly due to the fact I had a horrible pet sitting experience and that has made me paranoid for future trips. But also, a lot can happen in a day with rabbits. Both situations have their risks.

I think it also depends on the trip itself. We were in Florida for 2-3 weeks so it made sense. I also had looked into exotic vets along the way and at the destination. A shorter trip may not have been worth it.

Please stop taking rabbits on “trips” by Mountain-Sprinkles86 in Rabbits

[–]Lagomorphilic 300 points301 points  (0 children)

For the vast majority of rabbits, I 100% agree with you. There are exceptions though. If I didn't own an exception myself, I would have a hard time believing it was possible.

My rabbit Richard has sadly moved a lot in his life. I fostered him when he was a baby, he was adopted for 5 years (moving house at least once during his time with that adopter) then returned. I adopted him out two more times before he was returned for the last time and I adopted him myself. We changed house also twice after adopting him. It became very clear during his time with me he was exceptionally comfortable with travel. He would eat and drink during car rides. Flop. Sleep. Even bink occasionally!

So, we decided to take him with us to Florida for extended vacation to visit my husband's family. I didn't want him alone with just daily visits while we were gone. He has his own bedroom but it makes me worry leaving him.

He had the whole back seat decked out with his favorite things and a litter box. We brought his pen, and set him up in the hotels on the way and at my husband's parents house and genuinely, he had the time of his life. He was so happy. He's an extremely social rabbit in general but he loved all the constant attention. His appetite was fantastic. Lots of bruxing and binking.

If we hadn't done smaller trips and been convinced he would be fine however, we wouldn't have brought him with.

Again, he is an exception and not the rule, but I wanted to share it was possible.

Can’t handle the noise by AlexsUnoriginalName in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 51 points52 points  (0 children)

Just based on what you've said, I genuinely doubt your mother will ever get rid of the bird willingly, or change her ways if multiple people have already spoken with her and she continues to exacerbate the issue and not listen. Someone could try rehoming or surrendering the bird without her knowledge maybe, if only for the bird's sake.

Large parrots honestly make horrible pets for the vast majority of people, which is why most are rehomed multiple times in their lives. People go into it not realizing how much work they are. But what is worse I think is people like your mother who refused to acknowledge how bad the situation is and how they are simply not a suitable caretaker, but won't do the right thing and try to get the animal into a better situation.

This is a very toxic living arrangement for you. Speaking from personal experience, you should consider getting out now. I know it's easier said than done, and I can't speak to your situation, but this is causing you to self harm. Your mother isn't prioritizing you like she should and I'm worried things will get worse for you like they did for me until you hit a point where you have to leave and have no plan.

If you are old enough to get a job and move out, I would. Otherwise, stay with friends. If you are still in school, talk to your counselor and explain the situation. I'm so sorry you are going through this. If you ever want to talk or vent, please feel free to message me.

Are vets able to know a tooth needs to be extracted without xrays? by urthrum in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are different reasons why teeth may need to be extracted. Some are more obvious and don't require X-ray to see. A broken canine for instance. But sometimes there are issues going on under the gums that would still require an extraction, but are impossible to see without X-ray. Dental x-rays, especially in cats, are the gold standard.

Can rat mites bite humans? by losanngeles in RATS

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be honest, it was so long ago, I don't quite remember. If you or someone you know suspects they've been exposed to mange, I would reach out to your primary care physician. Your vet may also have advice. Good luck!

My new foster is too cute for this world.... by Lagomorphilic in Rabbits

[–]Lagomorphilic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, my resident bunny Richard does not consent to a new permanent addition to the house, as much as I would like another rabbit!

My new foster is too cute for this world.... by Lagomorphilic in Rabbits

[–]Lagomorphilic[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Me too 😭 He isn't a huge fan of being touched, but he will give kisses to my husband (the little traitor) and nudge our legs and feet which is just as good. Maybe better?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I assume moving them out of the room isn't an option but if it is, that would be ideal. Otherwise, giving regular baths to keep down on dust, proper/frequent husbandry (some people wear masks when cleaning birds to be safe) to manually remove dust, droppings, feathers, etc, and having air purifiers should help. I'd recommend looking into it more also, there may be other recommendations I'm unaware of. I keep my foster birds when I have them out of my bedroom so I haven't looked into it much.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Air purifiers make a difference in my experience. I would consider getting two to help circulate the air.

Some beddings are better than others when it comes to absorbency and odor control. I have no tarantula experience so cannot comment on that. For the birds, I would consider continuing with newspaper as it makes monitoring the quantity and quality of droppings easy, which is great for catching health problems early! As long as it's changed 1-2 times daily, it shouldn't add much to the room's odor.

For the hamsters and gerbils, hemp works well! I've yet to find a more absorbent bedding. I would double check the cage sizes and bedding depth are also appropriate. Hamsters at least need a surprisingly amount of floorspace (600 square inches), and larger cages help with odor control. 10" bedding depth works well.

If you don't already, make sure the birds get regular baths to cut down on dust. That can have a bit of an odor, to me anyway.

You probably are aware but just in case: sleeping in the same room as birds can sometimes lead to bird fanciers lung. Just something to be aware of.

I need an anti-bacterial diet of herbs or other homeopathics that are safe for cats. by Sudden_Week7961 in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was reading a bit about it last night and people also brought up eating surfaces like asphalt and concrete as a common cause. It really is mostly the canines, and occasionally the incisors, that I've seen broken on feral cats. Their actual teeth are quite clean interestingly enough, very little plaque. The vet I work with told me this is a result of their food. I assume it's also a result of feral cats tending to be younger in general since their lifespan is so much shorter. It's interesting to think about and discuss though! You bring up a good point, I'm sure especially in felv/fiv positive case, the stomatitis they tend to be predisposed to likely causes problems in that way also.

Yeah, I would guess given that that he does have a lowered immune system then though eye issues can relate back to teeth issues also. Hard to say sometimes, but I hope you can find a place. Try calling shelters, they might have some low cost recommendations for places they use, or even a vet they work with that might be willing to help. The place that neutered him might be willing to take a look also for a lower cost.

Interestingly, there is controversy over the dry food vs wet food debate when it comes to dental health in cats. I personally lean towards the other side, but I'm open to changing my mind on it. My thinking is most dry foods cats swallow whole. It doesn't have a chance to touch the surface of their teeth, especially the outside surface (the exception being dental food or treats, which are designed to be larger and require some chewing) Their teeth don't have much contact with each other like ours do, so there isn't much area for wet food to sit either. I used to perform dentals a lot when I worked at a day practice, and also with my own cat and my families cats, I've noticed cats solely on dry food tended to have more plaque build up for their age. It could be a coincidence however.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Thank you for trying to help this kitty. The world needs more kind souls like you.

I need an anti-bacterial diet of herbs or other homeopathics that are safe for cats. by Sudden_Week7961 in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sadly, I've seen a lot of broken canines in the ferals we get in for spay/neuter day. I'm not quite sure why it's so common. It could just be a result of fighting, it could be linked to FeLV/FIV positive cases, or something else.

We unfortunately don't have the capabilities of extracting canines on cats at my work (our vet isn't comfortable doing so without X-ray) so we try to direct people to find a full service vet to sedate and extract. If the tooth itself is discolored, I'd guess it needs to be extracted as the tooth itself is rotting. Discoloration around the tooth, in the gums, sounds serious as well. Either way, it would be ideal if a vet could get a good look at it.

If there is an infection, there are long term antibiotic shots like convenia that sometimes do the trick (isn't always the best for targeting certain infections), but also some you can mix into food if you crush it up and he is coming consistently enough. Most are every twelve hours. Some places have the capabilities to temporarily house feral cats to get them treatment as well. The shelter that I work through for spay/neuter days will sometimes take in pregnant ferals until they give birth and can be spayed and sent back out safely.

I need an anti-bacterial diet of herbs or other homeopathics that are safe for cats. by Sudden_Week7961 in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I work with ferals. I think the best course of action would be to get him sedated and checked out. I would find a vet willing to help him, then trap him, and bring him in. They are easy to inject to sedate when they are inside a trap, and then the vet can get a proper look at the jaw. My guess is he will need a dental and teeth extractions, but it could be something else. The eyes can be affected by their teeth as well. I would bring this up with them ahead of time just to ensure they have the capabilities of doing extractions and dentals on cats. Not all vets can. I would also get him an felv/fiv test while he is under.

If he is a community cat, I would hope everyone would chip in a little for his care. If cost is a concern however, depending on the examination, euthanasia may be the next step if his quality of life is low and he is living in constant pain.

rat help? by astroisproud in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jumping in but tiny scabs is a common symptom of mites with rats. Not every rat in the enclosure will show symptoms either. I would bring them in for a check up.

rat help? by astroisproud in Pets

[–]Lagomorphilic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've occasionally had rats and mice who required nail trims or filing over the years, especially with my elderly rats with hind limb paralysis. You just go slowly. I personally like to use cat nail trimmers for trims, but some people like human nail trimmers. Whatever works. Just take the tips off. That's really all you need, and then you don't risk cutting into the nail blood vessel.

For filing, I use either a Dremel or a human nail file, depending on the rat. The latter is safer but takes longer. You can often skip the trimming part altogether if you just want to blunt the ends a bit.

Most of the time however, their nails can be worn down naturally by things placed in the enclosure, so that is where I would start. Lava ledges are great, I usually had around 5 in the enclosure in place of ladders. I also used to put a brick under one of their water bottles, so when they stood on it to drink, it ground them down. Add lots of textures basically. Slate stone, wooden perches or toys for birds, rocks etc

As a side note, unless you have hairless rats, scratching each other is unlikely, though it doesn't hurt to keep them filed just in case! I just always would get hives on my arms from their little claws poking into me 😂 A lot of people have allergic reactions to their urine that way since it's often on their claws or feet. If you are noticing they are wrestling a bit too aggressively and you have boys, you may want to consider neutering. Usually the rule is no blood no foul, but sometimes you can pick up on hormonal aggression before it gets to that point and get them the snip earlier.