Their curious nature and friendly disposition generally make rats relatively easy to handle and their intelligence makes them easy to train. You should only use positive reinforcement (reward-based training using food treats and other things they value) to train them and they must never be punished. Rats should be given…
Mice may find handling very stressful if they not used to positive, predictable human interactions and gentle handling. They have a curious nature and can be habituated to human interactions and handling using positive reinforcement (reward-based training using food treats and other things they value). They must always be treated…
It is not uncommon for mice to be affected by infestations of external parasites such as fur mites. Clinical signs of infestation include bald patches, thinning of hair (especially in areas which they find hard to reach and groom like the head and trunk), a greasy appearance to their hair/coat,…
A dog’s body language can be subtle, so it’s not always easy to accurately read how they’re feeling. It is important to keep an eye on your dog’s behaviour and be on the lookout for any changes, as these can be a sign that something is wrong. Use this guide…
Often, people who keep backyard chickens need to make a decision about acquiring a new bird. Usually all works out well; both parties (buyer and seller) are happy, and the chicken does well in their new home. But this is not always the case. You may be able to obtain…
Council restrictions The rules and regulations for keeping chickens vary depending on your local council. Many city councils allow you to keep a certain number of chickens (often five) without a permit, while rural councils are often more lenient. City councils often impose other restrictions; e.g., to minimise noise (no…
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicine Authority (APVMA) has defined food-producing animal species as any animal used to produce food for human consumption, or which is used as food for human beings, and includes any buffalo, cattle, deer, fish (other than ornamental fish), goat, kangaroo, pig, poultry, rabbit, sheep, bee,…
Even though they have been domesticated for thousands of years, different breeds of chicken have been developed under the influence of geographical isolation and selection for desired characteristics (e.g., egg laying, show quality, etc.) creating regional types (breeds) with distinct physical and behavioural traits passed on to their offspring. There…
Types of housing for chickens Chicken enclosures generally consist of a coop (a solid structure that houses the chickens at night) and an external run. The coops for night time housing of the chickens can be: Permanent, with the chickens housed on deep litter – usually on a concrete slab…
Although chickens are very social animals, the structure of their flock is based on their ability to communicate, a dominance hierarchy known as their ‘pecking order’ (in fact, it’s where the term ‘pecking order’ comes from!), and their ability to recognise other members of their flock. In these flocks, hens…