Essential Elements for Proper Koi Fish Care

Koi fish is one of the most popular preferences for pet fish these days. That is because Koi fish is a dazzling and colorful ornamental type of pet fish. This much sought after types of pet fish are mostly adorned on garden ponds (landscaped mostly) and aquariums.

Koi fish is a type of fish that belongs to the domesticated and ornamental variant of the "carp" family. These types of ornamental pet fish are widely domesticated and available to almost all parts of the world (except Antarctica). So if you are thinking of having Koi fish as you pet, it is important that you must know all the essential information regarding on how to properly take care of the Koi fish. Also, it is very important that you must know everything there is to know in taking care of the Koi fish.

One of the most essential factors in taking care of the Koi fish is that you must know what are required in order for the Koi fish to be health and of course, alive. Negligence may and can cause the lives of the Koi fish, not to mention the wasted effort and money that you have invested on the pet fish.

Proper care for the Koi fish also means that you must know the seasonal care of your pet fish. That is because Koi fish have different caring needs in every season. For example, during spring season, you must give extra attention on the water temperature of the garden pond or aquarium of the Koi fish. That is because the temperature of the water during this season is irregular meaning it can either rise or fall in an instant (which is not good for the pet fish).

Also, you must always provide your Koi fish not just with adequate source of food but also with the appropriate food. It is essential that you feed your Koi fish the right kind and the right amount of food. When it comes to feeding, you must consider several issues such as the size of the garden pond or aquarium and the type of filter that is used. Always take extra effort in taking care of the garden pond or aquarium such as cleaning the filters. Remember the top most essential elements in taking proper care of the Koi fish are, the number of Koi fishes in the pond or aquarium, the season and appropriate food and proper feeding.

These are just some of the few essential elements that you must know before taking the Koi fish from the pet store. Do not hesitate to ask questions and advice from Koi fish experts or the pet shop owner for the essential information that you must know in order for your ornamental pet fish to be with you longer. Because not only these dazzling and vibrant ornamental pet fish are fun to look at (especially when feeding), some Koi fish keepers say that Koi fish are lucky.

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How to Read and Understand the Label on Wellness Pet Food

The recent pet food recall has caused many pet lovers to start examining the labels on pet food more closely. For years, many people assumed that the food they were giving their pets was formulated by veterinarians, contained high quality ingredients, and had all the nutrition necessary for health and longevity. All we needed to add was the love, and some daily exercise. Now, we know better.

Now that we are reading the labels, it is important to know what the various terms really mean. You might think you are buying top quality wellness pet food, only to discover that there are unidentified meat by products, or chemical preservatives that are unsafe and unhealthy for your dog or cat.

To clear up some of the common misunderstandings, and to help keep your pets healthy, here is an explanation of some of the common terms used on pet food labels.

If a food is called Beef Dog Food, 95% of the product must be beef. If a food is called Beef Dinner, then only 25% of the product must be beef. This also applies to the terms formula, nuggets, entrée and platter. Therefore, if you are feeding your dog Lamb and Rice formula, the amount of lamb and rice must add up to 25% of the ingredients. Another interesting labeling method is to state Dog Food with Chicken. If your pet food is labeled this way, only 3% of the ingredients are probably from chicken. Although it sounds like word play, you could be feeding your pets minimal protein and maximum fillers is you give them food with chicken rather than chicken pet food.

When by-products are listed on the label, it is important to look for the origin of the by-product, such as beef by products, or chicken by products. This will ensure that all the by products come from a cow or a chicken. If it states meat by products, then you have unidentified meat in the food, which is not a good thing if you are concerned about pet wellness.

Reading the labels on pet food can seem overwhelming at first. It can feel like a foreign language. However, once you know what terms to avoid, and what ingredients you are looking for, it becomes much easier. There are still a few good pet foods on the shelf. Once you've done the research, you can be confident that you are feeding your pet the best ingredients for health and wellness. You pet deserves to be one of the lucky ones that stays healthy and lives as long as possible.

Watching Birds Eases Isolation

The opportunity to set up a backyard bird watching station is ideal for many elderly and shut-ins who enjoy watching birds. Locating a feeding station in a place where it is visible from a large window creates a natural theater for nature lovers to observe, take notes on, and participate in the lives of the birds who come to depend on them for food. There are many benefits to be derived from setting up a bird watching station for the elderly and shut-ins.

Watching birds in the backyard is an excelent way to pass the time. For a shut-in, time can begin to creep. When one is unable to be active, seconds can turn into minutes and minutes can turn into hours. Since their bodies will not allow them to be out, they struggle to keep their minds busy. An activity like bird watching helps the ticking of those minutes and seconds and gives shut-ins a chance to enjoy a full day.

Another feature of watching birds that can be useful to shut-ins is the fact that it can, if they so desire, involve research. This research can help them to keep their minds sharp as they read, memorize, and track which birds are coming to their feeder. They may take a great deal of joy in keeping a notebook and beginning to understand the traffic patterns and behaviors of certain birds. Watching birds through a bird watching picture window with a pair of binoculars is much more mentally stimulating than staring at the television set all day.

Since many birds return to the same places to winter each year, and conversely, to the same spring and summer locations to nest, shut-ins may take a great deal of delight as they learn to identify the same birds that return seasonally year after year. By keeping a notebook documenting physical descriptions and behaviors, they will be able to track each bird's comings and goings and look forward to that bird's yearly return.

A problem that can plague some shut-ins is an over-riding feeling of uselessness. Setting up a bird feeder and building a community of birds that comes to count on it for food can eliminate this feeling. If a shut-in knows that the birds are counting on them, then the shut-in may feel as though this project is suddenly bigger than just watching birds. It has suddenly become a responsibility. Typically, that is a good thing.

If you are serious about creating a backyard space that is devoted to bird watching, do not be afraid to look to your local clubs and societies for advice. You will find that most bird watching enthusiasts are eager and willing to share their information if it will be helpful to others.

"If You Want to Draw a Bird, You Must Become The Bird."

There is a wise saying "If you want to draw a bird, you must become the bird." It meant to really understand one thing fully, we must be that thing.

Everyday, we have hurdles. We find ourselves panting jumping over obstacles, only to realize there is another mountain to conquer. We are almost short of breathes and dying and wanting to give up.

Everyday, when our spouse comes back home and they having gon through through an unimaginable day of tossing in and out (or to be exact, being tossed around by others)

There is so much inner voices going on inside them and they just can't wait to go back home to release the pent-up emotion to someone who s/he really trusts.They are only seeking for a listening ear, only to forget the other party also went through a hellish day and is not prepared to hear what his or her partner is pouring out.

There are many times we thought we really understand our love ones, only to realise at the end of the day we knew nothing.

Whatever we thought we knew was just an illusion…

There are alot of times we thought we knew how much hurdles our partner went through and we thought we understand. We so carelessly and simply push away the feelings our partners are trying to explain when s/he shares about the problems s/he is facing.

What are some of the common replies when someone pours his or her heart out?

1. "It is okay"


2. "Don't think so much, ok?"


3. "Things will be okay."


4. "Don't think so much."


5. "Why are you thinking so much?"

And there are many more other examples that you can give.

What happen next? How do we react? Do we share more or shut off?

I believe we could never understand how torturous or uncomfortable when our partner said so. we have different definition of the same word and we understand different extent of discomfort.

Imagine yourself confiding with someone who you usually confide in. How often do that person can 100% understand what you are feeling or experiencing?

It is tough to fully experience what the other person had experienced. Anyway whatever had happened is already over. We couldn't go back in time.

So what we could hear is from the story-teller who is the person sharing his or her own version of the story. So why don't we really listen with both our ears and our heart?

Bird Houses and Accessories

To bring home the nice little birdie you just bought, you need a bird house. Remember: even birds that get out of their houses to socialize still spend a large amount of time inside. It is best to buy a larger bird house because at first the bird might try to get out and a small one would hurt it.

There are different bird houses for different birds because not all of them have the same lifestyle and they all react differently in certain situations. A canary moves a lot so you need to buy a bird house which is a little larger than usual to assure that your bird has enough room to fly; parrots will also need a similar cage as their behavior is similar.

Rectangular bird houses are the best choice because they are cleaned easier and safer for the bird. Make sure they are made from a resistant material which is also easy to clean and disinfect. Put pieces of paper in the bird house or other similar materials but never use wood or plastic because the bird might swallow it and irritate their throat.

The bird house should be placed at the chest level. If you place it lower the bird will be irritated and will feel vulnerable but on the other hand, if you place it higher the new little member of the family will feel superior (in the wilderness, superior birds stay on the higher branches). Make sure you place the bird house in a sunny spot; also, if the bird is not sociable don't place it in a spot with a lot of activity. You also need to make sure that after you added the swings, toys and feeders your bird will still have a lot of place to move.

If you add ladders and swings your bird will be very happy as it needs a lot of places to stay and relax. Also you can place natural branches inside the bird house because it will create a more natural environment for your bird; the best materials you should use are ash tree, elm tree, magnolia, etc. Don't use plastic or other chemical products, only use natural things because the bird will chew almost everything.

The dishes which are placed inside must measure the appropriate size, easy to replace and easy to clean because these things must be done every day. Make sure that your bird knows how to use them and they are easy to fill and wash.

Every kind of bird has its own needs and each bird has its own likes and dislikes and what a bird owner should do is to make sure that the bird has all the comfort it needs and nothing can harm it. Also the bird will need all the love and care it can get; you shouldn't treat it like a decorative object but more like a friend which brightens the place.

How to Use Platform Bird Feeders

Amongst the many types of bird feeders that you can choose the most common, and easiest to make, are the platform bird feeders. This type of feeder has a flat tray like base with short sides that are only tall enough to keep the bird food from falling out. It should also have a roof to it to keep the food dry in case of rain or snow. It also needs to have some holes for drainage in case it does get wet. You do not want puddles to appear in the seed you are feeding to the birds. One way to avoid this is to use a wire screen bottom instead of having to put holes in a wooden or metal base. This takes care of any water problem.

If you are trying to attract a lot of birds then the placement of these feeders is very important. You will have more luck if they are not out in the open with no cover. The kinds of birds that will be attracted to platform bird feeders will be happier if the feeders are in a more secluded spot. Putting them in amongst the bushes, trees and shrubs will be much smarter. Evergreens are a good choice to offer this security as they are also great for protection from windy weather. But, despite the need to put the bird feeders in an area with lots of trees for protection, they cannot be too close or the birds could become easy prey for cats. As well, the bird food might become a treat for animals like squirrels that can jump from the trees to the feeders. Therefore, you should try to put them in a treed area but at least ten to twelve feet away from the trees themselves. Remember, this type of bird feeder is more likely to attract other creatures since there are no sides to protect the seeds or other foods against squirrels, chipmunks or other rodents.

Having a platform bird feeder can prove to be a very rewarding experience as you watch your feathered visitors take a break when they stop in for a meal. They attract more variety of birds than the other types of feeders so depending on where you live you may see jays, doves, blackbirds, finches, sparrows to name only a few.

African Grey Parrot – Einstein Talking Up A Storm

African Grey parrots are not the most colorful among parrots of the world, as the name indicates. Whether your African Grey is of the Congo or Timneh subspecies, the bird will be predominantly grey in color. The Congo African Grey will have a bright, cherry red tail, while the Timneh African Grey's tail will be maroon.

African Grey parrots are very intelligent. It has been said that they have an intellect similar to that of dolphins and chimpanzees. African Grey parrots have the ability to mimic up to 2,000 different sounds. They can understand the use of many words they learn, and are known to be the best talking parrots.

Einstein, a talking African Grey, is living proof of this. Einstein has been talking up a storm in a Knoxville, Tennessee zoo. Einstein's trainer, Stephanie White, says that it is natural for African Grey parrots to enjoy mimicking sounds. Einstein, though, seems exceptionally good at mimicking. White believes Einstein can make more than 200 different sounds, many of which are English words.

"If she hears a sound that she likes, she'll start to repeat it over and over. Then we'll put it on cue," says White.

Is Einstein Male or Female?

African Grey parrots of both sexes look the same, so no one knows whether Einstein is male or female. The zoo's veterinarians could tell with a blood test, but the zoo has decided not to do it. Einstein lives happily with the name of a great male scientist, and a feminine pronoun.

Einstein – a Talking African Grey's Bio

Einstein, the talking African Grey parrot, hatched in California in 1987. He did not live in a zoo at first. He lived with a California couple. Not for sale, the Congo African Grey was donated to the Zoo in 1992 at age 5.

When Einstein arrived at the Knoxville Zoo, she soared from unknown African Grey parrot to star status. Einstein was an immediate hit in the zoo's new Bird Show. Visitors loved the show, which features free-flight, natural behaviors of about 14 birds and a few other animals. However, the African Grey quickly became the star.

Einstein does not stay at the zoo every day. Nor does she limit her vocabulary to words and sounds her trainers want her to learn. One day, the African Grey was riding in a car on the way to a school show-and-tell. Suddenly, she began to sing "Happy Birthday" to her shocked trainers. No one knew when and how she learned the song, but she knew it.

Einstein is not only the star of Knoxville Zoo's Bird Show. She is also a popular "spokesbird" for the zoo and for Knoxville tourism.

Although Einstein is about 22 years old as I write this (early 2007), she will never behave or understand as a 22-year old human. African Grey parrots have the intellectual capacity of a 5-year old child. Emotionally, they are more like a 2-year old human. Those who live with African Grey parrots are constantly reminded of this.

African Grey – the Right Pet for You?

Einstein, the talking African Grey is amazing. You should be aware, however, that not all African Greys are like Einstein. The Knoxville Zoo has another African Grey parrot named Allie. Allie has learned only a handful of words. Perhaps Allie is shy of talking because Einstein is so good. Perhaps Allie is just not motivated.

Certainly many African Grey parrots do learn to talk. A privately-owned, 10-year old African Grey in Texas – also named Einstein - is credited with knowing 122 words, 94 phrases, and 21 sounds.

If you purchase an African Grey parrot, and patiently work with it, you will probably be able to teach it to talk.