Bats: Not for Pets

In all of the animal world there exists one mammal that is capable of flight: the bat. These nocturnal creatures are surprisingly social and stay in large groups preying on insects.

These animals have plenty of people fascinated. However, they are best enjoyed in their natural habitat. Nobody should attempt to domesticate a bat. The twenty-five year lifespan of the bat will be cut down to less than one year if a person attempts to domesticate a bat. A pet bat would be in a state of perpetual fear and would remain stressed. Finally, it would become unable to reproduce and then it would die. It is also illegal to keep a bat for a pet.

Although domesticating a bat is a bad idea, you can still interact with them by providing a bat box for them to roost in. Various kits exist and include direction for assembling such a box. It is important, though, to know where to put such a box.

The box should be somewhere no more than 1500 feet away from a permanent supply of running water, such as a river or stream. It will need seven hours of direct sunlight but still be no more than 30 yards from trees that can be used for the animal's protection. It is also useful to find a place where bats are already found near dusk.

Bats will mostly use the box during summer. It should not be altered in any way during this time as this may disturb the bats and they may choose not to come back. However, if the bats roost there, they will probably come back year after year.

These structures were first put together in Pennsylvania. They can be used for many different reasons from pest control to keeping bats from being pests in other places. They can also be used as an outlet for bat enthusiasts to observe the bats. However, unlike trying to domesticate a bat, providing a bat house will not harm the animals. More important than the above reasons is the preservation of the bat, which has been decreasing in number due to destruction of habitat.

Tips that will help you in washing your pet

A major consideration while you want to give your pet a bath is choosing an appropriate environment. When giving your pet a bath, always ensure the environment is secure for the pet and well fenced to avoid the pet getting hurt by running into traffic in case they escape from your grip. When you are bathing your pet in a sink or a bathtub, always ensure that you have tight grip on them to avoid chance where they would escape. The best way to make the pet feel secure while you are bathing them is by placing door rubber mats the sink or tub. The rubbers mats are cheap and they are effective in preventing the pet from running during bath sessions.

The best shampoos for washing your pets are those that are made specifically for the particular breed. This is because they do not destroy the coat of the pet by scraping off the oils on the coats that ensure the pet’s skin is healthy. If you opt to bath the pet with human shampoo, it is advisable to use shampoo made for children since it has a mild effect on the sensitive skin of the pet. When you use shampoo that has perfume on your pet, it could dry the pet’s skin which is sensitive and this will make the pet scratch and have hot spots which will in turn need treatment.

Before bathing your pet, brush its coat. This makes the pet relax and it also removes the loose and dead hairs. This avoids the loose hair blocking the drainage system.

Water that is luke warm is the best for a pet bath. Hot water burns the pet’s sensitive skin and cold water chills the pet and makes the bath a torture. Avoid filing the tub with water to avoid excess spillage when the pet is nervous during the bath. Always give your house pet a bath with minimum water.

While the pet bathing involves a sprayer or a hose, always take care not to spray the mouth, eyes and nose. When water enters these parts of the pet, the bath will not be memorable and enjoyable.

The correct way to bath a pet is by starting to rub the shampoo from the area behind the ears headed to the tail. Rub the shampoo on the coat in circular motion and when you rinse the coat ensure all the soap is removed to avoid irritation of the pet’s skin which in turn makes the pet to scratch and rub. An irritation could make you treat your pet for hot spots.

Playing with the pet after the bath is good ways of showing it that you still love it.