Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Feb 15

If you want to give your rabbit or guinea pig (or other small animal) a natural treat - head outside!

There are plenty of foods that may well be growing on your garden that will make a tasty treat to your little fluffy pets!  Alongside their normal complete foods - there is no harm in offering a small amount of certain plants that may well already be growing in your back garden - and if anything, they will actually do some good!

Don’t worry if your garden isn’t overflowing with the following plants, as you could easily grow them from seed yourself.  Or read through the other relevant Quick Guides to find wild plants and fallen nuts to find other safe natural foods for your rodents and rabbits! 

However, also check the Dangerous Plants Quick Guide for things to avoid - and if in doubt about whether you should feed a certain plant, seed, berry or nut you have found - say NO and pick something else instead.  There will be plenty of nice things to pick out there so don’t risk it!

Tasty Garden Plants:
Most bunnies and piggies get the freedom of munching grasses and lawns through the summer, so will get a lot of these treats along the way, but there may be some that are on uneven ground or around the garden edges that they would love - but can’t reach!

Clovers - Commonly found on most lawns mixed in with the low grasses.  In May to October you can spot their flowers - usually white, pinky or all pink with 3-part leaves across patches of lawn.  The flower and leaves are super tasty!

Daisys - Easy to spot in the garden and flowering from May through the summer.  Common daisys are quite small and low to the ground, but the Oxeye daisy is huge and can grow up to 60cm tall on garden edges and in taller grasses.  Other daisy-looking plants (yellow centre with white leaves) may well be camomiles and are also very welcome!

Dandilion - Everyone’s favourite garden plant as they make the familiar ‘clocks’ when they disperse their seeds!  Many meticulate gardeners call this juicy flower a ‘weed’ but your rabbits and pigs - as well as hamsters and gerbils - will wolf this down given half the chance!  Both the leaves and flowers are edible - but don’t pick these from along the pavement as they may be contaminated.  Stick to those flowering in your garden over the warmer months!

Plantain - These low leaves are around all year in quite a thick group and can be picked all year too - however the tall flowers only pop up in the summer when you can notice them towering above the grass with a heavy head on top.  People usually pick them to tie in a knot and fire the ‘head’ off at a friend!  But feeding them to bunny is better use of nature!

Nettles - Obviously a tricky customer, and not found in very tidy gardens - these plants will not sting you when they are young and can be picked without gloves, but better to be safe than sore!  Your pets won’t feel the effects as much as we do - but other animals depend on flowering nettle plants (as with all other flowers) so don’t clear your garden in 1 sitting - just take a few springs at a time to allow the plant to recover!

Chickweed - These lovely white flowers spring up all over the bare patches in your flower beds and there will be plenty of them too!  However, there are a lot of similar plants, like stitchworts that won’t be as tasty - so make sure you pick the right ones.  Their leaves are large too and can fill a little pigs tummy nicely!

But remember - don’t give too much fresh food at a time.  Too much will not only upset their tummy, but it will also stop them eating their complete foods with all the vitamins and minerals in!

They only have a small tummy too, so what ever they don’t eat that same day will die overnight and will be wasted - and that could have been eaten or used by wild animals instead - or picked by you at a later date.

posted by admin on Feb 8

We all know that rabbits love dandilion leaves - but what about other plants?

There are many plants that your pet rabbit or guinea pig would just love you to bring home from a walk in the countryside - or for you to grow in the garden where their run is - but do you know which plants are actually toxic to your pet?

Yes, they grow in the wild and wild rabbits don’t get sick all the time - but they have had certain knowledge or experiences passed down to them through their parents. 

Your pet has no idea what is safe to eat - and they will give anything a try.

How you know this is true is the fact that a rabbit or guinea pig left to run free in your home would no doubt chew through your electricity cables - a very dangerous thing to do!  But they just don’t know the danger.

You have to do the thinking for them to make sure that they are safe - I mean even the common buttercup can upset their tiny tummies!

So before you let them loose on your lawn or givet hem a handful of plants as a treat - take a look at the following list of toxic plants:

Wild Plants:
Here are some wild growing plants that you may find in woodlands, footpaths and open coutryside.

Ivy: Very common throughout the year - but very toxic to nearly every living creature.
Holly: This winter fruiting evergreen will upset anyone’s tummy - unless you are a bird!
Ragwort: This plant is even an irritant if you hand pick it - so no eating…..
Yew: And most evergreen trees - highly toxic and can cause death in large doses!

Wild Flowers:
They might look pretty in the woods - but can cause you to itch or your pets to get sick.  Leave these plants where you find them!

Bluebells: Cover the woodland floor in Spring - but look and don’t touch!
Foxglove: Grow tall in the grasses - but can damage your pet’s heart muscles.
Poppies: Can cause many problems in a small pet - so leave in the fields please.
Daffodils: The flowers, leaves, or bulbs can kill a human in just hours……..

Garden Flowers:
You may be growing these in your own garden - so make sure you use a run for your pets or fence off the flower beds instead…..

Tulips:  A definate no-no for tiny tummies - and they look better in a vase anyway!
Rhodedendron:  Always a problem for pets - and will cause stomach problems too.
Lobelia: Highly toxic to small mammals and can cause your pet to salivate.
Dahlias: These pretty flowers could give you a trip to the vets if you aren’t careful!

Other Considerations:
It is also worth thinking about where you pick your plants from in the first place - as you have to think ahead.

For example, dandilion leaves picked from along the pavement would almost certainly be covered in layers of dog urine from all the dog walkers using the same route - and all the dogs scent-marking the same spot.

Leaves picked from the side of a busy road or car park could well have been exposed to all the exhaust fumes from passing traffic as well as the potential for having been sprayed with weedkiller by the council or car park owners.

Neither of which would do your bunny any good!

So, either stick to plants, treats and nibbles from a reputble pet store - or do a bit of forward thinking before you start feeding your pet unknown plants as treats.

It won’t be very much of a treat if it makes your pet poorly! 

posted by admin on Jan 16

Have you seen something unusual - or the wrong colour - and want to share it with others?

As long as you have a picture of it, then there is a new way to find out what on earth you have just seen or share something different with like-minded people.

It could be that you have just photographed a white squirrel and thought you’d share it - or you may think you are the first to see a species that isn’t usually found in your  area and you have been one of the first to identify it.

The Open University in the UK has basically set up a database of images for exactly these types of things.  Everything in the natural world can be shared here - as well as a whole bank of people who can tell you what it is and why.

Rather than just asking a few work colleagues, having a quick look through your old field guides or just keeping the photo to yourself to admire - you can now share it and let others enjoy your experiences too.

iSpot:
Not another iPhone application as its name might suggest - but a growing online nature database that can sort out your greater and lesser spotted woodpeckers, your wood and yellow necked mice or even your crimson from your scarlet waxcaps! 

You can sign up for free, then easily upload your photographs - as many as you like - to the community.  Whether you know what they are, or have no idea what they are - as long as you upload them - others can help. 

Once signed up, you can start to help with the identification of other people’s pictures. It may be that you have experience in amphibians - but have just taken a picture of an unusual plant that it was feeding on.  You can find out what the plant is in exchange for identifying some garden newts or a river tadpole!

The basic areas are divided clearly into categories including: plants, birds, insects, fish, etc so you can browse images that are already on the system.  You can then just look at some unusual images, admire colour variants of common species or just use the labels to find out where these animals were seen so you can go out and look at them yourself.

Other Information:
It’s not just identification that you can find on the site - there are also a whole load of related links for your further reading, nature surveys, plenty of tips on what to look for when identifying different species as well as links to other useful id and specialist websites.

If you are taking a wildlife course - then this website goes to show that nature is everywhere - and by working alongside the experts on iSpot, you can find out what is living in your local countryside and why - and anything you can do to keep it there or improve the number and diversity of plants and animals there will be a bonus!

So, if you have been meaning to get qualified in something ‘outdoors’ or to help brush up on your basic skills before embarking on a longer or higher level course - then maybe this website could help you keep on top of everything you find on your walks.

It’s lovely to just walk through the countryside and admire the views - but it is even better to know what animals live in it and why.

Also You Might Like To:
Obviously, volunteering with wildlife or landscape-related charities and societies in your local area will help you to experience nature first hand, give you access to great habitats that might be off-limits to the public, and to learn from local experts. 

It could even lead to a larger project or a permanent job somewhere down the line.

And get a camera with a good zoom and an even better macro - and practice observing things. Trying out the myriad of settings at home is one thing - but knowing what to look out for in the field is another. 

Say you take a wonderful photo of a brightly coloured mushroom - only to find out when you get home that there were 30 mushrooms that colour - and the only way to tell them apart was to have photographed the gills and measured the height on it. But until you make those mistakes and get annoyed with yourself - you won’t get any better at identifications.

It is fine to rely on ‘experts’ for identifying those rare species or all those ‘very similar’ lichens - but you should really start to build up your basic id skills in the field if you are planning any sort of career based in the field.

So pack your camera, field guide and sun cream - and get out there!

posted by admin on Jul 15

How many times have you watched a delightful and brightly coloured butterfly waft past you on a breeze?

Or sat in your garden watching a dainty little butterfly flutter between plants in your borders?

But what was it so you can tell people you saw it!

Well, there are several very common butterflies in the UK that you can learn without too much trouble to make your gardens a more interesting place!

And once you have learnt the few regular visitors to your garden - you will spot a new one when it arrives more easily - and know which key features to look out for.

Butterfly Identification:
Being aware of the general colouring and wing patterns of butterflies can help you to make a correct id.

For example, butterflies have 4 wings; 2 on each side with the uppermost segment on each side usually being the same size or larger than the rear.

They also have very different colourings on the undersides of their wings that can be quite unique - although not quite so obvious as the topside.

Most common species have a combination of spots, white or black patches or even stripes (of a kind) and it is these that can make all the difference.

For example, the small tortoiseshell and the painted lady can appear almost identical at first glance to a ‘learner’, but when you look at their fore-wings the difference is obvious:

Small Tortoiseshell:
Yellow and Black ’squares’ along the top edge with 1 terminal white square.

Painted Lady:
Only small patches of white amongst larger black patches - no neat squares at all!

Of course there are numerous other visual differences including blue edging all over the Tortoiseshells wings and dark spots on the Painted Lady’s rear wings - but the above is the most obvious feature to observe.

Why Learn Them?
Well, not only will knowing by name all the butterflies that visit your garden or live in your local woods be interesting in itself - but it can help the wider world too.

By knowing and reporting your species to specific charities and biological groups, you could help them to create butterfly distribution maps for your region and the country as a whole.

This will allow for a wider impact assessment of the areas and habitats involved.  As butterflies only frequent certain plants throughout their lives - they can be a great indicator of the state of the plants, their habitat and therefore the other animals that live in the same area.

This can be a really useful tool in trying to help local biodiversity in these changing times.

Also at the moment, Butterfly Conservation and Marks & Spencer are funding a ‘Big Butterfly Count’ at the end of July 2010 to take a quick stock of whats out there this year - and as a result have produced a fantastic colour butterfly identification guide for you to refer to.

Even if you end up not doing the count, you can still learn from the id guide about which species you should be expecting to see visiting your garden plants!

And if you want to do more to help these vital species - then visit the Butterfly Conservation Trust online and think about donating or becoming a member.

posted by admin on Jun 25

Have you been up to anything this week - or is this the first you have heard of it?

As part of the National Year of Biodiversity - there is hope that the creepy crawlies will get a look in too!  Not just the little furry ones and the pretty birds!

Spurred on by the ever charismatic and slightly nerdy Chris Packham, why don’t you give insects a chance?  I have started to learn a bit more about the insects around us as I know that they are an essential and amazing part of the ecosystem.

I can now identify around 10 different butterfly species, about 5 moths - as well as the plants that they feed on and those that their young eat.  And I am getting some really great photos along the way!

So now - just like you - I can learn more about other groups of insects from this fact-filled site and all the related links and events.    

Insect Fun & Facts:
This section allows you to read about the tallest, shortest, heaviest, tiniest ad all those record breakers in the insect world - as well as allowing you to make a giant dragonfly yourself!

Insect Garden:
This section is all about making your average garden more attractive the the right kind of insects - both for natural organic pest control, pollination and pure beauty!

Insect Index:
Here you can follow the descriptions and links to find out exactly what type of bug it was that you found near the pond or under a stone - with some great pictures too!

Insect Resources:
Here is the best part of the site.  It is a page totally filled with links and resources to get you started in the insect world - or to carry on from where you are.  It’s a long page!

Insect Events:
There is an extensive listing of minibeast events across the country divided into counties.  I found 2 literally just up the road from me and the WWT centre - so I’m sure you will find one near you too!

Insect Surveys:
Whether it’s the Painted Lady Butterfly Watch or the Great Stag Beetle Hunt, you can take part in these surveys to make sure that our tiny wildlife is kept on top form.  Just follow the links to get started making a difference!

Anything from this website you take on board will make a huge difference to our native wildlife - and could be the difference between extinction and population explosion!

posted by admin on May 27

If you took part in the 2010 Birdwatch earlier this year, then you may be interested in the results.

Those who registered their results should get a letter from the RSPB any-day now with the results inside, but if you didn’t, then here they are:

1) The House Sparrow - Down in overall numbers, but still number 1!

2) The Blackbird - This bird has increased in numbers, and so moved up the chart….

3) The Starling - These sociable birds seem to be dropping in numbers as this moves down from number 2 last year.

4) The Blue Tit - Taking full advantage of all the extra feeders out this winter - they increased in numbers slightly.

5) The Chaffinch - Not seen on any of my 3 counts - but must be popular in other areas.

6) The Woodpidgeon - RSPB stats show that the numbers of this bird are up by 855%!

7) The Robin - Always a popular bird, but as seen alone most of the time, this stays low in the list.

8.) The Great Tit - Numbers of this little chap are increasing - and there were loads on my counts too!

9) The Collared Dove - A quiet little bird that only arrived in the UK from Asia in 1953 - and has spread all over!

10) The Goldfinch - Attracted by the feeders we put out - and knocking the Long-Tailed Tit out of the Top 10!

Wales had similar results with virtually the same birds in the Top 10 - although in a different order: with the Dunnock and Jackdaw replacing the Greenfinch and Woodpigeon. 

In Northern Ireland, virtually the same 10 were again found with the Woodpidgeon losing out again - this time to the Coal Tit. The Starling was in 1st place here with the House Sparrow relegated to 2nd place. 

Scotland came in with the Chaffinch first, with the House Sparrow again second, but with the Dunnock and Greenfinch in 9th and 10th place.

If you want to know more about the survey, taking part in other surveys or joining the RSPB as a supporting member, then visit their website for more information and advice.

Source: The RSPB Big Garden BirdWatch Leaflet & Website.

posted by admin on May 25

This article details all you need to know as a beginner about a year in the life of a bat in the UK: 

Animal Type: Mammalia - Chiroptera

Species Info: There are 2 main Orders of bats in the world: Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera - but only the latter are found in the UK. 

UK Distribution:There are 17 species of Bat in the UK, with all these found in the South including the tiny Pipistrelle (only 5 grams) and the larger Daubenton’s and Noctule Bats, with only a few species found in the North.

Preferred Habitat: Around water (as this attracts their insect prey) and in quiet locations - although are quite happy to live in towns on canals or by lakes.  They need roosting sites nearby to where they feed - one for hibernating and another for summer roosting, so a variety of buildings, caves and holes in trees (or bat boxes) are essential.

In Spring:  Waking Up After Hibernation.
In early March, bats may still be hibernating but some will start to feed if necessary - however April is the month that you are most likely to start seeing many bats feeding at night in the UK.  By May there will be plenty of activity in the Bat world as the females are actively looking for communal nursery sites in which to have their young.

In Summer:  Giving Birth & Young Taking To The Skies.
The young are usually born in June (usually only 1 young per female per year).  These young stay in the nursery though most of July, building up strength until they start to leave the nest in August.  After the young have left, the females go off in search of males to mate with.

In Autumn:  Mating & Searching For A Hibernation Site.
The adult males and females spend most of September mating, as well as starting to build up fat reserves for the winter ahead by feasting on insects.  If the weather stays warm there could still be feeding into November, but when temperatures start to drop, the bats start to hibernate.

In Winter:  All UK Bats Are Hibernating.
You will rarely see a Bat through the cold winter as they will be be hibernating somewhere quiet and secure.  As the winter moves on they will stay in that place, gradually using up their fat reserves to stay alive.  Only when temperatures warm up nearing Spring will they naturally begin to stir and set out hunting again.

UK/World Events: 
May: UK National Moth & Bat Night
August: European Bat Weekend

Bat Groups:
UK - Bat Conservation Trust
US - Bat Conservation International
Other - South-East Asia Bat Conservation

Other Information:
Bats in the UK are protected by strict laws and you can be liable for a fine of up to £5000 and possible imprisonment per incident or ‘per bat’ if you deliberately capture, injure or kill a bat, destroy a roost - even if not in use, or intentionally block access to a bat roost.  So call an expert if in doubt!

posted by admin on May 15

Yes - that’s tonight.  It’s not too late to really help out with some local conservation work!

The Butterfly Conservation Trust has been running this event for years now (but without the bats - they are new this year: see below….) and they are always looking for new moth trappers and counters to help form a complete national distribution picture.

Moths and other insects are very susceptible to changing habitats and whole populations can rise or fall depending on how the land around them changes.  For example the building of a new road could affect their movement for many months - maybe too for too long and they stop moving altogether.   Even changing back gardens to decking, front gardens to drives, adding too many all-night light sources to distract them.

Moths & Bats:
There are a whole host of things that can prevent a moths natural behaviour, and this is where the bats come in.  Bats love eating insects - particularly moths.  Infact all 16 species of bat found in Britain eats moths as part of their diet, some more than others.

So if the moths are being affected by environmental changes or as a result of global warming, then bats will be too - so this year the Bat Conservation Trust have joined forces - and to save resources really.  If thousands of people are out at night counting and trapping moths - then why not get them to watch out for bats at the same time!

Do be aware however, that in the UK there are strict regulations about the proximity of humans to bats, and it is against the law for an unqualified person to approach bats when roosting or even to touch a bat they find on the ground or in their home.  So it is best to join a bat group to get really close and maybe to eventually become one of those qualified people!

How To Take Part:
Now, you can take part in any way you want really, whether you find a local event that is offering a nighttime bat walk with an expert, you might find an evening lecture and trapping session at a local wildlife centre or maybe you just want to trap moths at home yourself using any number of homemade or shop-brought ‘live’ traps.

You can download and pictures and all your results to the main Moth Count website up until the end of the year, giving you plenty of time to have identified everything you have found.  I mean there are an estimated 2500 species of moth found in Britain and the Channel Islands alone!

And you don’t need to be living in the countryside to take part - it is just as interesting to find out which moths and bats are living in towns and cities these days.  Migration and distribution changes through the years are a very interesting part of this study, as some species and up thriving in cities and others have to find a new place to live.  Just like people I suppose!

Something New:
Maybe you have never really been a fan of moths or bats - and you want to try something different.  Give it a go.

Your town and churchyard could look totally different at night and it could be a great adventure for the kids - I mean there is no point passing on your phobias to them is there.  They could be a budding wildlife volunteer in the making and help keep moths and bats as a vital part of our local environment in the future, for the animals.

Even if you don’t want to touch anything tonight, at least have a look at some of the creatures that use your garden at night.  There should be fox cubs around, maybe a hedgehog or badger as well.  You might hear the beautiful song of the nightingale, or an owl calling it’s mate.

And some moths aren’t that boring either - take the Elephant Hawk-moth:  A huge moth with delicate pink and lime green wings.  And you never know if you could find something new to Britain.  What if 1 of your moths is the first of it’s kind to head over from Europe - it has happened before on a Moth Night.

Happy Counting!

posted by admin on Apr 10

The weather is getting warmer - so you might as well go out and enjoy it!

So why not consider re-homing a dog or puppy over the next few weeks so that you have got a friend to take with you!

There are thousands of dogs out there that just need a loving home.  You don’t need to go to the ‘big’ rescue centres to find them, there are plenty of private or small scale re-homing centres that have a few pets out there for you to choose from.

There are a few things you need to do before they will consider you, but all their ‘adoption rules’ are there for a reason - they follow their own principals.  So some centres will want you to just be a stable home for their dogs, others will want you to prove that you are right for the dog (including no kids if the dog doesn’t like kids, no cats if it doesn’t like cats, and so on) and yet others want you to fence in your entire garden, not be too old and sometimes to never have a job again so you can be at home with it for ever!

Obviously, you need to do your research to find out which policies suit your needs - and of course to find a dog that you actually like in the first place! However - if you are re-homing a dog for the ‘good deed’ of finding a dog a home, then shouldn’t you take the one that noone else wants?

If you only want the cute pretty little ones that everyone else wants, then who is going to love the old or ugly looking ones?

Things To Consider Before Starting Out:
So, if you are considering re-homing a new pet, then just check out the following list to make sure you have everything covered:

1) If you want a specific pedigree dog breed, then be prepared to wait.  Hoping that someone wants to give up their Rhodesian Ridgeback or Japanese Akita is a long shot, so do you want a dog now, or do you just want that breed and you will wait up to 5 years or more until it arrives?

2) If you want a pretty, cute or young dog, then join the queue!  Most people want their dog to look a certain way, and for it to be young, so you will be added to a long list of people who are already waiting!  If you want to give an older or less fluffy dog a home, then you could well get your new pet a lot quicker!

3) If you want to use the ‘big charities’ then be prepared to make some changes to your home or lifestyle.  They will require proper fencing in your yard, several meetings and ‘checks’ before you even choose a dog, and there could be ongoing visits after you have taken your new dog home.

4) If you have young children, other dogs or cats, a full time job, or live in a flat - you could well not get the dog you choose anyway!  Many re-homing centers these days find the right home for the dog’s needs - not yours.  So if that cute dog you like has been deemed ‘unsuitable for families’ or that giant mastiff ‘chases cats’, then you won’t even get a look in!  They might offer you a tiny teacup dog instead!

5) If you want your dog quick - then start now!  Even with the simplest procedures, there could still be a few checks and changes to be made to your home!  The sooner you get going - the sooner you can be out there enjoying the sunshine with your new ‘Fido’!

posted by admin on Jan 31

This weekend saw the annual garden bird count get underway - and I had great fun!

I chose to help with 3 counts, as I love watching the birds - and I like to practice my identification skills!  I did my garden, which is a large lawn an orchard next to a wildlife reserve in a small village, my niece’s garden which is a huge lawned garden in suburbia, and finally my friends tiny town garden that she uses to grow vegetables in.

And surprisingly, she got the most species visiting her garden!

I couldn’t believe the numbers and the types of birds she got hopping around her garden and surrounding hedges - and I only watched out the window for and hour!  She had wrens, pied wagtails, song thrushes, starlings and house sparrows, along with blackbirds, robins, crows, collared doves, wood pigeons, magpies, blue tits and seagulls!

My countryside garden did get a great spotted woodpecker, but everything else was the expected species.  Bit unfortunate really as we have seen redwings, bullfinches, partridges, long-tailed tits and even red kites in the garden over the past few weeks - yet for the survey, they all stayed away!

My nieces garden got some standard fare, but nothing that wasn’t seen in the other 2 gardens.  However, the added bonus of doing this garden was that I was able to teach her some of the names of the species we saw!  She was very interested in the count for the whole hour, and came away knowing blackbirds, magpies and wood pigeons (and that caterpillars turn into butterflies!).  Not bad for a 3 year old!

What Else Can You Do?

This survey is only done in January every year, but there are other surveys and birds counts you can get involved in throughout the year in the UK with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) by just learning to identify the most common species native to this country.

There are no doubt surveys across other countries by their national bird-loving charities and organisations, and by joining them (usually for a few £’s or $’s a month) you may well get some books or booklets on local birds and how to identify native and migrating species.

This way - even if you don’t stand outside and count birds every year, you are helping others to do just that.  You will be funding research into common and endangered species in your country and around the world.

Now that can’t be a bad thing!