Coming soon are basic husbandry and feeding information for your unusual pets. The greatest challenge that owners say that they face is getting the RIGHT information on how to feed and look after their pet. Unfortunately, urban myths abound!

Some urban myths that we encounter regularly include:

1. Birds cannot eat lettuce. This one was started by the seed companies. Birds can be fed lettuce as part of the fruit and veges that they are offered daily. Feed lettuce that you would eat yourself and wash it before serving

2. Parrots should be fed sunflower seed as a main part of the diet. NO! This high fat diet will lead to obesity, fat tumors, liver failure, egg binding... A balanced diet of pellets, small seeds with daily serves of fruit and vegetables is recommended. 

3. Dusting crickets with gut load just before you feed them to reptiles is a suitable way to provide calcium. No time to get into the gut if you dust prior. Crickets are fastidious and groom off the calcium. It is preferable to feed crickets green leafy vegetables daily. Take a leaf out of zoos and feed your crickets Insect booster to improve their nutritional value. 

4. Rabbit and guinea pig mixes - made of seed, chaff and pellets are suitable for these species. As vets of these species, all I can say is that this food leads to dental disease and gut stasis. A PhD done in the UK three years ago proved that this food was causing dental disease within six months of beginning to eat it. it is better to offer your rabbit or guinea pig pellets formulated for their specific requirements, not sweepings off the floor of the factory!