The African Pygmy hedgehog is the most popular hedgehog being kept as pets. If you are planning on having one, you should read up on the species so you will gain more information about their distinct characteristics, care, and management.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal and it is natural for them to sleep the day away, becoming more active as the evening rolls in. If you are a light sleeper, you will surely be bothered by their vocalization that include snuffles, grunts, and even screams. 

They are omnivores thus their diet should be composed of both meat and plant components. They derive all essential nutrients from a nutritionally balanced diet. Their dietary requirement make it difficult for most pet owners to formulate a ration that will satisfy the nutritional needs of hedgehogs, thus it is best to get a commercially available ration.

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Newborn kittens require special care and attention. Most cat owners don’t have to undertake this important responsibility because the mother cat is able to meet her litter’s needs adequately. Kittens are also brought to their new homes when they are around 8 weeks of age, the typical age when they are weaned from their mothers.

However, there are cases when helpless newborn kittens need to be hand-reared. Having a good understanding of what these neonates need is very important to ensure their proper growth and development.

Orphaned kittens or those that were abandoned by their mother benefit from being hand-reared. The runt of a litter may also need special care since the mother will usually favor the healthier kittens. The runt is usually forgotten or ignored; there are even instances when the mother cat harms the runt. Removing a kitten that is not being cared for fr ... Read more »

The outer skin of hermit crabs does not grow with them, so as they grow in size, they shed off their skin in a process called ‘molting’.

The crab’s outer skin is also called the ‘exoskeleton’. It is tough and inflexible because it functions like a protective shield. It assumes several important functions to protect the body of the hermit crab and ensure its survival.

Some hermit crabs molt without showing any prior signs. Thus their owners are unable to know when their pets are about to molt. Knowing the signs that your hermit crab is about to molt is very important so you can separate it from the rest of the hermit crabs and protect it from cannibalism. Some of the prominent signs displayed by hermit crabs which are about to molt includes the following:

Digging

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Being predators, aggression in cats is a completely natural behavior.  Their ancestors have also used aggression to help them survive the wild. Animal behaviorists have identified several types of aggression among cats, but the most common types include aggression in response to petting, fear or as a defensive act, offensive or status aggression, and redirected aggression.

Defensive Aggression

A cat can attack when he is frightened. When backed into a corner by another dominant cat or dog, a cat sees no way out. This may cause him to lash out as a defensive gesture.  

Status Aggression

Cats also have a social hierarchy and the only way to move up the ladder is to use force or intimidation to claim his position.

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