Is a house rabbit the right pet for you?

Rabbits can make excellent pets, but they take a lot of work. For the rabbit lover it doesn't seem like a lot of work, but for those more familiar with dogs or cats or even fish as pets, rabbits can be a bit daunting.

Handling

The first thing you need to know about rabbits is that they are fragile, much more fragile than a puppy or kitty. Rabbits can't be roughhoused. They can't be tossed around or petted too harshly. They can't be plucked and prodded and treated rough. Not that you should treat any animal this way, but dogs and cats sometimes enjoy wrestling and some rough love. Rabbit's don't, won't and can't. Physically they are quite fragile critters, and need to be treated that way. You can pick up a rabbit, but you need to know how to do it, by scooping them up from below and preferably from behind.

Housing

Some people don't like rabbits as pets because they think rabbits are boring. Rabbits just sit in their tiny little cage and stare. Well, what else could you do if you were stuffed in a cage all the time? Like anyone, rabbits like to get out and run and stretch their legs. You'll only discover the true personality of a pet rabbit by allowing it some moving and growing space. Rabbits, like all animals, were not made to live in cages, nor on cage floors. If you have to use a cage because of living conditions, make sure it is a very big cage. Or, better yet, get one or two of those large puppy pens from a local pet store, and give your rabbit its own little area of the house. A trained house rabbit can have free roam of a house, but many precautions need to be taken first, such as all electric cords need to be removed or squarely covered with something the rabbit can't move or chew; rabbits will chew electric cords, which can be dangerous if not out-and-out deadly for the rabbit. Generally, even house rabbits should no be allowed to roam a house unsupervised, but very experienced house rabbit owners are known to make exceptions. Also, I strongly suggest you not keep your pet rabbit outdoors, even in a cage; rabbits housed indoors are more safe and have a much longer life expectancy than those outside. One last thing: You should never take your house rabbit outdoors and leave it unsupervised even for a moment; too many things can go wrong.

Other Animals

Rabbits can get along with dogs and cats, but it's not a given. Maybe the dogs and cats won't get along with the rabbit. I have a beagle and three house rabbits, and they all get along very well, but I would never leave my beagle alone with the rabbits for any length of time. Rabbits are prey animals. They're small and they hop around with swift movements. Even a dog that is familiar with rabbits and would never, ever hurt one normally, might accidentally harm a rabbit. Cats can harm rabbits, too, as they are predators naturally, but being closer to the same size, cats are usually not as much of a threat to a rabbit. To be honest, a lot depends upon the personality of your rabbit(s) and the personality of your other pets. In general, it would not be best to leave rabbits alone with other pets for extended periods of time. And if your rabbits are going to share living quarters with another animal, even if it's through a cage or some other separation wall, you need to be there to slowly introduce the critters to one another.

Children

Yes, rabbits are small and fuzzy, but despite what might seem to be a natural, rabbits really aren't great pets for children. Young children especially can be rough on an animal, tugging and pulling and the like, and rabbits are too fragile for that kind of handling. It can harm a rabbit. It possibly could even kill a rabbit. A child, especially a young child, should not be the primary caregiver for a pet rabbit, and like other animals in the house, probably should be left alone with a rabbit for any time.

Spaying and Neutering

Rabbits should be spayed and neutering for three main reasons. First, adult rabbits will mark their territory by spaying, and spaying and neutering will eliminate nearly all those tendencies. Second, if you don't spay and neuter your rabbits, you're going to end up with a lot more rabbits. Third, it's for the rabbit's best health. Spayed and neutered rabbits live a lot longer.

Litter Training

Yes, believe it or not, rabbits can be litter trained. But you should never use kitty litter for rabbits because it is full of clay and/or crystals harmful to rabbits. Use a wood or paper-based litter. My preferences is aspen wood because it is healthier in the long run for rabbits, though it is somewhat difficult to find. Cedar and pine litters are much more common, though there is some evidence they are not as healthy for bunnies. Also, keep in mind litter training takes some time; your best bet is to keep the rabbit confined to a small room and to give them options with several different litter basics, maybe one in each corner. You'll notice over a few days that eventually the rabbit will prefer one litter box over the others, and soon after you can eliminate the other boxes.

Diet

Rabbits needs lots of hay for their digestive systems, which can be quite touchy. Rabbits can pretty much have as much hay as they want. The best easy-to-find hay for rabbits is Timothy hay. Alfalfa hay is also easy to find, and can be used, but Timothy hay is better for rabbit digestion. Rabbit pellets, those little green rolls, can be used, but they aren't as good for a rabbit as hay and plenty of vegetables. If possible, try to give your rabbit at least a cup of vegetables a day. And mix it up with a variety of vegetables. Don't always give carrots or green lettuce or spinach. Give something different each day, or give a mixture each day. Keep in mind head lettuce is not good for rabbits, though it's not deadly, and stay away from cabbage because it can be deadly to some rabbits. Talk to a veterinarian who specializes in small animals to help you decide what diet is best for your new, fuzzy critter. And remember that when you give fresh vegetable, always make sure to clean them beforehand.

Toys

Yes, rabbits love toys! They especially like toys they can chew. So wooden toys are great for rabbits, especially since rabbits need something to chew to help their teeth from growing forever and ever and ever (yes, it's true!). Make sure the wood is natural and not treated with anything, but don't just pick up a twig out in the yard because who knows what could be on it. Most pet stores will have wood toys and other chew toys appropriate for rabbits. Straw balls are also fun for the rabbit, not only because they can chew the straw but also because they can roll it around.

Health Concerns

Like any pet, rabbits do sometimes suffer from disease or one disorder or another. Teeth and digestive ailments are not uncommon. Check with your veterinarian, and the House Rabbit Society, to learn more.

The End?

Only for this article. Covered here were just the basics. There's still a lot to learn about rabbits. But if you love these little creatures, they can give you a lot of love in return. They really do have a lot of personality, and each of them is different from the other.

10 ways to reduce garbage in the house

1. Compost: That's right. Buy or make a compost bin in your back yard, a place where you can put all your food leftovers and leaves and other degradable natural materials. If you don't have a back yard, see if a friend does. Maybe they would be interested in starting a compost bin, and you could add to theirs. Or perhaps there's a composting group in your area that allows members to bring their stuff to one area? And what does a compost bin accomplish? Put a bunch of earthworms in it and in about a year you'll have a fantastic natural fertilizer for any kind of plants.
2. Recycle: If your area doesn't already have a recycling ordinance, you can still recycle yourself. At the very least you can save up your aluminum cans and sell them at a recycling center. The price for aluminum often varies, but you should get at least a few bucks for a garbage bag full of the cans. Call your recycling center first to make sure you follow their rules.
3. Fresh produce: There's usually not much left over after you cook and/or eat fresh produce, so stick with the fresh stuff instead of the canned, jarred or frozen. Think of all the bags and cans and jars you won't have to throw out.
4. Old clothes: Don't just toss them out. Sell them to a thrift store, or give them away to a shelter or anyplace else that might accept them. Call first, however, because some places won't accept certain types of clothes or clothes that are too worn. The same can go for shoes, too.
5. Buy in bulk: Yes, buying in bulk would still leave you with containers to throw away, but over time it would mean fewer containers to throw away. You'd not only be helping Mother Earth, but you'd have fewer trips to the outside garbage can.
6. Stop the junk mail: If you can get off those junk mailing lists, this alone could save you tons of garbage every year. And who knows? Maybe if more and more people did this, eventually they might just stop making and mailing the annoying stuff altogether.
7. Repairs: This can save on garbage, too. How? Have an old pair of shoes you want to throw out? Take them to a shoe repair shop instead. The same can be said for many electronics. There are always computer and television repair shops in any city and most towns.
8. Eat leftovers: Lots of people throw out food they intended to eat but just got bored with. Stop that. Start eating those leftovers for lunch the next day. Or if there's enough for a dinner, freeze the leftovers until next week.
9. Use reusables: Instead of using paper towels, use rags and towels. You can always wash the rags and towels. Also, a lot of foods come in plastic containers that could easily be cleaned and used for storage or even as bowls to eat out of. Remember those big butter or margarine bowls at the grocery store? That's what I'm talking about.
10. Buy less: Sounds hard, right? Maybe not. Do you really need to buy the latest DVD or book? Why not borrow them from your library? That's less garbage, at least down the road if not immediately.

Beagles make great pets

One of the best things about beagles are their temperaments. They get along well with pretty much everyone, and they tend to especially enjoy children. Pulling the ears. Tugging on the tail. None of this usually bothers a beagle unless things go to far, and then the beagle will let you know with a yelp. Beagles also tend to be very gentle and seem to know the personal boundaries of any human they are dealing with; this makes beagles especially good for senior citizens and children. Beagles can be stubborn at times, making some members of the breed a bit difficult to house train, but this can be overcome with training and with treats. Beagles will do just about anything for a treat!

Beagles are easily made happy. They love to sleep, but they also love to get a good, long walk. Food and treats are especially a favorite of this breed, though their strongest sense is smell. One reason beagles love to walk so much is they enjoy keeping that nose to the ground and taking in all the wonderful smells that come to them. Keep in mind their sense of smell is quite stronger than that of humans, and sometimes that can get them into trouble. For example, a good scent can easily lead a beagle off in a wild direction, so make sure to keep your beagle on a leash at all times when it is not indoors or in a fenced area. Also, keep in mind that since beagles love food so much, it is easy for them to become overweight which leads to health risks and a shorter lifespan; make sure not to feed your beagle too much and too often.

Size is another good thing about beagles. They're not to small and they're not too big. Most beagles are a little taller than a U.S. foot, about 14 or so inches, and they usually weight from about 20 to 38 pounds. They're size makes them good indoor pets, but also means they are sturdy enough to get by in the back yard if that is where you have to keep your furry friend.

Also, beagles are generally one of the healthier breeds of dogs. As a breed, they are not prone to inherited diseases or other problems. Still, it's always good to get your beagle checked by a veterinarian at least once a year.

Now, in an effort to be fair, there is one downside to having a beagle pal. It's the howl. Yep, beagles can be quite loud. Strangers, other dogs, doorbells, just about anything can set a beagle off, and the noise they make is intense. It can take some getting used to for those with their first beagle. Not all beagles howl all the time. Some are quiet most of the time, while others will let out a yelp at just about anything. A lot depends upon the individual beagle's personality.

It's possible to survive heart disease: One story

For my 36th birthday, I was in the hospital. The outlook was not good. I could barely breath. The cardiologist told me my heart was at 15 percent of working capacity. He was frankly surprised I was conscious, let alone walk. He also told me that he had 27 years of experience, and in all that time, I had the largest human heart he had ever seen; he described it as the size of a wild boar's heart. Before any major tests were even done on me, before any medication had been prescribed, I was placed on the national list for seeking a donor's heart. I was told if I didn't have a heart replacement within two years, I would probably only live another 5 to 10 years.

I was 36 years old. Still pretty young.

How did I get there?

At the age of 21, I ran four miles every day. I lifted weights three times a week. I weighed 200 pounds, all of it solid muscle. By the time I was 36, I weighed 300 pounds, and practically none of it was muscle. How did it happen? Laziness? My wife said just the opposite. I worked too much. I had a middle-management position and worked 50 hours a week on my slow weeks, and usually more like 60 to 80 hours. I hadn't had a vacation in a decade. I was too busy to eat properly. I ate on the run all the time, often at my desk at work.

How it began

The first change I really noticed in my body was my breathing. I was having a hard time catching my breath. Not in a million years did I think this could be because of heart problems. I actually thought it was allergies because it had been a warm summer and we had been doing some renovations on our house, which had put up lots of chalkdust and wood dust into the air. I just figured it was my allergies acting up. I'd get over it. My breathing would get better once we finished working on the house and the summer was over.

Then my wife had to leave me for three months. Her mother had had surgery and needed someone to take care of her. I was on my own for most of the next three months, seeing my wife on weekends when I'd drive the four hours to her mother's. All the while, my breathing was getting worse.

Finally, my wife came home. She had been home only two days when, on another hot summer day, I took the kitchen garbage outside. By the time I came back inside, a time span of perhaps two minutes at most, my ankles had swollen up to twice their size. It was scary. I had never seen anything like it. My wife wanted to take me to the hospital immediately.

But I said no. I had to work that night. I told her if my ankles had not gone down by the morning, then I would go to the hospital.

I went to work. Nothing horrible happened to me. But the swelling in my feet did not diminish.

The next morning we were in the hospital. I was declared an emergency case and placed immediately admitted to the hospital. The next several days were filled with tests and more tests.

The scariest part

First, they had to find out what was wrong with me. Then once they did find out, they had to do even more tests to discover how bad my situation was. It was bad.

To be able to fully tell how dire my situation was, the cardiologist said he would have to perform a cardiac catheterization. In layman's terms, they were going to make a small incision in my leg, then feed a tube up a vein or artery until the end of the tube reached my heart. At the end of the tube was a miniature camera; it would allow the doctor to actually look inside my heart to see what was going on.

And, get this, I would be awake during the whole ordeal and would be able to see what the doctor saw on a video next to my bed.

Sounds scary, right? It was. The doctor let me go home for one day before performing the cardiac catheterization (also called a heart cath), and my 80-year-old neighbor just laughed at me when I told him. "I've had 7 or 8 heart caths," he said. "No big deal."

But it seemed like a big deal to me then.

The day of the heart cath

The actual cardiac catheterization took about 40 minutes. I spent much more time than that waiting in the prep area and afterward in the waiting bedroom.

They drugged me up pretty good during the actual cath, but not so much I didn't know what was going on. I felt groggy and my vision was a little blurry around the edges, but I was fully conscious. And yes, there was a video screen right next to my bed where I could watch that tiny camera travel around through my body and into my heart. The inside of my heart looked like a bunch of gigantic caves with rounded edges, all in black and white.

During my heart cath, the nurses would chat with me a little, and every once in a while the cardiologist would say something like, "That's interesting," or "That's surprising." And, of course, he didn't take the time during the moment to explain to me what he meant by his words. That made it a little more scary.

But overall, while by no means a pleasant process, the heart cath wasn't nearly as bad as it had sounded. The closest I can compare it to, physically, would be like going to the dentist for some semi-major work, maybe getting a tooth filled.

I was a little sore afterwards, and it hurt to walk for a few days because of the incision in my leg, but overall, yeah, the heart cath wasn't as bad as I had though.

The outcome

I had to go on lots of pills. Still take some of them almost five years later. I had to go on disability from work for four months, and even when I went back full time it was under conditions I'd not work more than 40 hours a week. I had to walk everyday, and I still do (my beagle loves her daily walks). I had to watch what I ate, as can be expected. And, of course, I had to lose weight.

A year later, I was taken off the list for a donated heart. The doctor said my recovery was one of the best he had ever seen. He didn't think I'd be able to keep my heart, but I did.

The surprises

There were, however, some surprises in all this. While my situation had been dire, it was a bit different from most cardiac patients.

For one, and most surprising, I had no blockages in my heart. "You have some of the cleanest arteries I've ever seen in a patient," were the doctor's words. Sound weird? It did to me, but the more I learned about the heart and my specific problems, the more I learned that blockages (what commonly cause heart attacks) are not the only major problems that can be associated with the heart.

I suffered from an enlarged heart. Part of that was heredity, my father has an enlarged heart also, but some of it was the bad treatment I had given my heart over the years.

Another surprise was the changes in my diet. It wasn't what I'd expected, though as I said above, my heart problems were not the more common ones. Yes, I had to severely restrict my diet for a long time (and still do, though to a lesser extent), but it wasn't the calories and fat grams that I really had to watch for. It was the sodium. Salt. Another big surprise here was that I never considered myself a salt person. I don't add salt to anything, not even french fries. But at the time I wasn't as aware that sodium in large quantities was added to fast foods and to pre-prepared meals, mainly the stuff I'd been eating for years. So, I had to watch my sodium.

And I had to watch how much fluid I drink every day. You always hear that a person is supposed to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Not me. At least not when I was right out of the hospital. The real problem withmy heart, and what had caused my breathing problems, was that so much fluid was building around my heart that is was putting pressure on my lungs and making it hard for me to breath.

You live and learn. The opposite option isn't very attractive.

Now

So, it's about 5 years later. I'm still alive. Still have my original heart. I've an a couple of episodes, mostly due to hot weather I'm not supposed to be out in if I can help it, but overall I'm doing pretty good. I still watch what I eat, though not as drastically as a few years ago. I walk every day. I try to get exercise without hurting myself. I've lost a good bit of weight, about 70 pounds, though there's still more I'd like to lose.

I'm alive, and I'm relatively healthy. That's all I can ask for right now.

10 natural skin care tips

1. Lemon: Slice some lemon, then rub the lemon over your face and let the juice sit on your face for about a half hour. The rinse with cold water. This helps to refresh the face, but a word of warning: lemon juice can dry out the face some, especially if you have dry skin.
2. Honey: Add a cup of slightly warmed honey to your bath water. This helps the skin to be soft and smooth. If you are just wanting to wash your face, add a quarter of a cup of warm honey into a bowl or sink of warm water. You can heat the honey on the stove or in a microwave, but be careful, don't let the honey get too hot because it will burn.
3. Peanut Oil: Many have found peanut oil to be great for fighting those wrinkles. Apply a little in those troublesome spots, including around the eyes and on the throat. Let sit for 15 minutes, then wipe away.
4. Apples: For combating oily skin, try this out. Cut an apple into very thin slices. Then rub the slices onto the oily areas. Let sit for a few minutes. Wipe clean. Repeat this every few days if you feel it's necessary.
5. Cauliflower juice: This product might be difficult to find, but call around to some of your local specialty grocery stores or health food stores. What does it do? It removes warts. That's right. Just apply regularly to your warts, and they should be taken care of in a week or maybe less.
6. Carrot juice: Worried about those blemishes? Worry no longer. Apply some carrot juice at least once a day and you should see those blemishes begin to fade in a week or two, though sometimes it can take longer if it is a dark or deep blemish.
7. Shallots: Onions in general are good for getting rid of acne. The best way to use the shallots is first to skin and clean them. Then mince the shallots in a blender while mixing in cold water; stop adding the water once a thick paste has been formed. Now use a muslin cloth to squeeze out the shallot's juice. Save the juice in your refrigerator, at least for a couple of hours before using. Then apply it to your face and leave it on for about ten minutes at least once a day. You should be able to see improvements in at least a couple of weeks.
8. Cucumber: Cucumbers have lots of water in them, thus they are great for reducing swelling around eyes and for helping with dry skin. Cut a couple of slices of cucumber and lay back with the slices on your eyes for a half hour to help fight those wrinkles and swelling. Or smear the slices on an area of dry skin, let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes, then wipe away.
9. Eggs: Crack a couple of eggs into a bowl. Mix until the yellows and white are mixed together. Then massage the raw eggs onto your face and let sit for 15 minutes. It sounds like a mess, but it does wonders for fighting aging and tired skin by adding protein.
10. Olive oil: Olive oil is great for dry skin on your hands, and it's good for your nails, too. Rub in all those little crevices around the fingers, including in and around the cuticles. Then wipe dry. Especially helpful after you've been cooking over a hot stove, which can dry the hands out.