The Omlet Blog Category Archives: Pets

Why chickens make the best pets for kids

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Omlet’s Guide to Keeping Happy, Healthy Hens!

As we head into summer and the weather begins to warm up, you might be wondering how you can help your chickens keep cool in the hotter months. Get prepared now and catch up with our previous blog posts on keeping happy and healthy hens during summer below…

7 Ways to Help Your Chickens Stay Cool This Summer

10 Things Not to Do in Summer if You’re a Chicken Keeper

How to Protect Your Chickens from Red Mite

How the Eglu Keeps Chickens Cool

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Five Ways to Encourage Positive Behaviour in Your Dog

A dog who has been taught positive behaviour will be your best friend – fun, affectionate and reliable. It’s straightforward teaching your dog this canine version of positive thinking, but it won’t happen unless you lead the way.

There are many ways of teaching a dog the rights and wrongs of living in the human world, and that extends to how they interact with other dogs and the world around them. In this article, we reveal the five rules of thumb for all dog owners – whether you’re training an adult dog or a puppy.

Encouraging Positive Behaviour in Puppies

Puppies recognise when we’re pleased or displeased. It’s all part of their instincts, and in the wild this instinct helped their wolf ancestors find their place in the pack very quickly. Learning their place in the big wide world is all about positive reinforcement.

1. Puppy Treats. Dogs of all ages love food and will put lots of effort into doing what you want them to do as long a there’s a yummy treat at the end of it! This means treat-based training can be used for everything from toilet training to basic obedience training and that all-important early socialisation. The message here is simple and timeless – do this right, and you’ll get a treat!

2. Affection. This is arguably even better than a food treat! Bonding with a puppy involves physical contact in the form of belly-rubs, back stroking and lots of gentle words of affection and encouragement.

3. Fun and games. Tug-of-war, fetch and simply running around the garden with you are games that puppies love. What’s more, they strengthen the bond and love between you and your pet, and that’s the perfect groundwork for training and encouraging positive behaviour.

4. A trip to a favourite place. This is a great treat for dogs, and can be as simple as a trip to the park, or perhaps to a favourite street for an on-lead walk, or maybe a shop that sells some of those yummy treats! If this is being done as a reward for good behaviour, make sure your puppy knows it by telling them what a good boy/girl they are as you put the lead on or get into the car!

5. Puppy playdates. Starting these early is a great way to socialise your puppy, and that provides the basis for all the positive behaviour training. Young dogs love meeting each other – it’s not going to be a quiet morning out with your furry friend, but it’s one that will give him or her essential social skills.

Encouraging Positive Behaviour in Adult Dogs

The basics are simple. Positive reinforcement rewards a dog for good behaviour and ignores, rather than punishes, undesirable behaviour. Punishment will only lead to confusion and fear in your dog, reducing your chances of achieving the full benefits of positive-behaviour training.

Here are the five ways to make everything go smoothly, no matter which dog breed you have.

1. Keep it simple. One-word commands are better than complex ones. We’re talking here about sit, come, sat, etc. Save the long-winded exchanges for praise and affection! A training session based on simple commands and treats is a great start for encouraging positive behaviour. Which brings us to…

2. Treats. Just like puppies, adult dogs will be well and truly ‘reinforced’ if treats are involved. Some breeds are more food-obsessed than others, but all types of dog will quickly learn that good behaviour results – at least in the early days of training – in a yummy treat.

3. Quality time. Dogs are social animals by instinct, and they will thrive in human company. Once you and your pet are the best of friends, the positive behaviour training will be much easier. If there’s any nervousness or standoffishness in your dog, they will be less able to take on board the things you’re trying to teach them. So, keep up the contact, and play with them every day.

4. Make it fun. A long session of ‘sit, lie down, stay, come’, etc. will soon become boring for a dog. A short session of command-based training followed by a bit of fun, however, will make your dog look forward to the sessions every time. After five or ten minutes (depending on your dog’s stamina), round off the proceedings with a game or a walk. The dog will soon realise that “If I do this tricky bit, I get that fun bit afterwards!” It’s a trick that works just as well with young children – “Finish your homework, and then we’ll go out on the bikes!”, that kind of thing.

5. Get everyone involved. Once your dog has grasped some of the basics, other members of the family, or friends, can reinforce the good behaviour by running through some of the training with your dog. Your pet will then learn that positive behaviour is part of their general lives and applies in all situations with all people.

This latter point is the ‘quantum leap’ for a dog – the idea that positive behaviour extends beyond their immediate owner to the big wide world around them. Getting them to this point takes time, there’s no doubt about that, and some breeds are a lot easier to train than others. However, once the work has paid off, you’ll have a doggy best friend you can be truly proud of!

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Pride of Omlet: Ten Amazing Stories

Pride of Omlet series is a collection of amazing stories which shine the spotlight on extraordinary pets and share their selflessness, bravery, talent and compassion with the world.

We have been lucky enough to collect some wonderful stories of your extraordinary pets and share them with you for 10 weeks! Here is a summary of the stories that you can read again and find directly on our Blog.

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10 Ways to Bond With Your Rabbit

Rabbits that bond with their owners live longer, happier lives. Learning how to build a bond with your bunnies helps you enjoy their company even more, and forges a friendship that’ll span their entire lives. Since rabbits are prey animals, they have an innate nervous nature – and as a result, don’t give their trust as easily as dogs or cats may. But, with some patience, you and your rabbits will be able to understand each other better, deepening the bond between you. Whether you’re a first-time rabbit owner or a seasoned bunny keeper, here are 10 ways to bond with your rabbits.  

1. Learn their personalities 

Like humans, rabbits have their own distinct personalities and characteristics that set them apart from each other. Some rabbits are very shy when they’re first brought home, while others are outgoing and social from the start. Learning to read your rabbits’ body language is the first step in figuring out their unique personalities. Rabbits make different sounds and change their posture to reflect how they’re feeling. You may also find that you have two rabbits with completely different personalities toward humans – but having an outgoing rabbit can be helpful in gaining the trust of a more timid bunny. 

2. Create a shared space

It’s natural for your rabbits to feel nervous or even defensive if you interact with them by reaching into their hutch – after all, this space is their home, and all of their instincts tell them to protect it from potential predators. If you want to spend time bonding with your rabbits, try setting up a play area or run large enough for you to sit inside with your pets. This way, you can start interacting with them on neutral ground. Rabbits feel comfortable when they have something over their heads, so don’t feel bad if the first few times they hide under any covered area you have set up. 

While all bunnies should have a comfortable rabbit hutch, your first few interactions shouldn’t be inside of it. Rabbits seek shelter in the form of burrows or dens, which is how they see their hutch. Reaching into the hutch to pick up or pet your new rabbits can startle them, and can eventually create unease inside their safe space. 

Instead of infiltrating their hutch, create a shared space in the form of a rabbit playpen. This will enable you to sit inside of an open area to let your rabbits come to you. Don’t be discouraged if your bunnies dart to the nearest cover during your first few attempts to pet them – this is their natural instinct shining through. 

3. Offer healthy treats

While sitting in your shared space, offer your rabbits healthy treats by hand. There are plenty of fresh foods that you can feed your rabbits that will go a long way in winning their trust. Leafy greens in particular are both nutritious and easy to offer by hand – their length can be adjusted, gradually luring your rabbits toward you. 

Once your rabbits are taking treats by hand, slowly encourage them to hop onto your extended legs or lap. While sitting on the ground, place the treats on your leg or hold them just over your lap. Before long, your bunnies will be bounding into your lap for food and attention. 

4. Fill the playpen with toys 

Placing more than just yourself inside of the shared space with your bunnies will help them adjust even faster to your presence. Bunnies love burrows, hideaways, and differing heights to gain a new vantage point. Adding Zippi Rabbit Tunnels, Zippi Rabbit Platforms, or Zippi Rabbit Shelters and Play Tunnels are all great accessories to help your bunnies feel more at ease and encourage play. It’s a good sign when your rabbits play while you’re in a shared space – it means they trust you enough to venture out of safety and exhibit their natural behaviours. 

5. Give your rabbit new experiences

Rabbits are creatures of habit, but it’s good to change things up from time to time. New foods, toys, or run accessories are fresh and fun ways to break up monotony. And, over time, your rabbits will learn to associate you with these fun additions or changes to their routines. Try rearranging their run, re-routing or adding onto their Zippi Tunnel System,  or offering homemade toys like empty paper towel rolls to brighten your bunnies’ day. 

6. Petting your rabbit

Once your rabbits are comfortable sharing a space and taking treats from you, it’s time to introduce petting. Physical contact builds a stronger bond between you and your bunnies, but they may not take to it at first. The first time you stroke your rabbits, they may become startled and dart for cover. This too is a natural behavior– one that can be minimized over time. It can take several weeks to be able to pet your rabbits without this reaction. 

The best way to introduce petting to your rabbits is to hold your hand low, just to the side of their heads. This way, they’ll be able to see exactly who and what is coming toward them. If you come straight from above their heads and backs, they can’t see what’s coming and will react just like their cousins in the wild running from a bird of prey or other predator. Also, avoid approaching your rabbit directly in front of their heads – they have a “blind spot” due to the location of their eyes, and are unable to see things coming toward their foreheads. 

7. Teach your rabbits tricks 

After your rabbits have adjusted to being petted, you can start incorporating some intellectual stimulation. Teaching your rabbits tricks will build their confidence, your bond with them, and foster their natural curiosity and behaviours. Start with simple tricks that come naturally to them, like walking through a tunnel or up a ramp with a treat waiting for them at the end. You can slowly build up to more advanced tricks like spinning in a cycle or rolling over. Rabbits can even be taught to play fetch like a dog. 

8. Copying your rabbit

This method may seem unusual, but the goal is to behave in ways that your bunnies would expect from others of their own species. This could be you pretending to clean your “paws”, or leaning over to pretend to nibble at some of their food. Make sure you have your rabbits’ rapt attention, otherwise, you’ll be playing bunny charades by yourself. This method is particularly fun for children, especially those who aren’t old enough to have an abundance of patience to wait for their bunnies to come to them. 

9. Choose the right time to play with your rabbit

As you observe your rabbits, you’ll see a pattern in their daily routine. There will be times of the day when they’re most active, when they prefer to nap, and when they seek out food or water. Learning their routine will help you determine the best time to play and socialize with them. Choose a time of day when they are most active – this will be the time when rabbits will be most receptive to play and training endeavours. 

10. Learning to hold your rabbit safely

The last step in bonding with your rabbits is holding them. It may be tempting to push this step toward the top of the list, but it’s important not to rush them. Being held is the ultimate submission to humans – the truest expression of trust for a rabbit. 

Always hold your rabbits in a way that’s most comfortable for them. This may be in a football hold, with your rabbit’s head tucked under your arm, or supported snugly against your body. Some rabbits even prefer being held on their backs – similar to how we hold human babies. Always be sure to support their hindquarters to help them feel secure. 

Omlet and your rabbits 

Rabbits are gentle animals, and need gentleness in return. Being respectful of your rabbits’ space, personalities, and insecurities will help them see you as a friend instead of a foe. Starting them out in an Eglu Go Rabbit Hutch will begin building the bond between you and your bunnies with confidence and security. And, when you add a Zippi Rabbit Playpen, you’ll be able to cultivate a lasting relationship in a shared space that you can customize and tailor to your rabbits’ needs throughout your lasting relationship. 

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5 Ways to Figure Out What Dog Breed Is for You

David is a long time lover of dogs since he was young. He loves most dogs but his favorite are golden retrievers. He also runs his own blog at dogdesires.co.uk where he helps other dog owners with advice and dog product reviews. In this article David gives 5 considerations for finding the right dog breed for you.

There are several things you need to consider in order to choose the right dog breed for you. Depending on your lifestyle, certain breeds are more suited for you because of their size, maintenance, activity level, and more.

Read on for more detail and by the end of this article, you will have the insight needed in order to choose the ideal dog breed for you.

Size

Some people already have their hearts set on whether they would like a huge dog or a tiny one. Those who aren’t sure or that bothered about it tend to go for medium-sized dogs.

One thing that is an important deciding factor regarding what size breed is best for you is your living conditions. Naturally, large dogs need a lot of space so if you’re living in a relatively small and cozy apartment you would not want to get a Great Dane. They especially need more room because of their tails, so that they can wag without injuring anyone or damaging anything.

That being said, living in an apartment does not automatically mean you must get a toy dog. Some dog breeds are known for being adaptable to living in apartments, such as the Sheepadoodle. If you’d like to read more about this breed, you should check out this breed guide here – Sheepadoodle.

Keep in mind that small dogs are more vulnerable, in the sense that you need to get used to always looking down to not step on them. Smaller dogs also tend to be more sensitive to the cold so they need a little help staying warm.

Maintenance

With maintenance comes many things. Firstly, some breeds have fur that needs a lot of maintenance to stay healthy. Dogs with short fur are easy to take care of, such as Springadors, as they just need brushing every now and then. But dogs with longer fur, curly or otherwise, need to be brushed more frequently as well as trimmed and more. So, you will need to dedicate more time to these dogs.

Another factor is the expense. The larger the dog, the more food you need to buy and larger dog beds, etc.

Lastly, there’s training. This is very important, as some dog breeds are known for being more well-behaved and thus easier to train. Smaller dogs tend to have something that is referred to as ‘small dog syndrome’, which is when a small dog thinks that they are bigger than they actually are and therefore have more of an attitude. This can cause them to be more stubborn when it comes to training. For example, pugs are known for being naughty and for being stubborn.

Another good thing to remember is that if you let a large dog breed behave as a lap dog from a young age, they will continue to try and walk all over you when they become adults – and I mean that literally, not figuratively.

Also, dogs with long and floppy ears need frequent and thorough cleaning as they are more prone to ear infections. Moreover, certain dogs are more likely to drool than others such as Bloodhounds and Mastiffs.

Activity Level

If you get a hunting dog breed, such as a Labrador, Beagle, Foxhound, etc., then you can expect this dog to have a high activity level. Even crossbreeds with a hunting dog parent tend to inherit the genes and have a lot of energy.

Most dogs do not destroy things and dig up holes in your yard without a reason; energetic dogs, in particular, need much more exercise and become bored and destructive without it. Mental exercise, as well as physical, is a must too.

No matter the breed or size though, all dogs need routine exercise. You will need to commit to going for walks twice a day and if you’re looking for a dog that you can jog with then a Weimaraner or German Shepherd are great choices.

Personality

This one goes without saying for some people, but seeing as certain breeds are known for having certain personalities, we can use this to our advantage. For those of you who are looking for a cuddly and loving dog, Retrievers, Greyhounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Old English Sheepdogs, Pitbull Terrier, and King Charles Spaniels are known to be some of the most affectionate dog breeds.

Restrictions

Unfortunately, depending on the country and state you’re in, some breeds may be banned.

To give an example I would like to name Pit Bulls and Rottweilers. Both of these dog breeds are sadly banned in many states, the reason being that they face stigmas as ‘dangerous’ and ‘aggressive’.

Personally, I would like to note that I have had several dogs of both of these breeds and none of them ever showed any signs of being aggressive or dangerous in any way. They were sweet, kind, and several of the Rottweilers were protective over me.

I do not believe for a second that aggression can be inherited in genes, but rather it comes about when a dog is being raised wrongly.

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Pride of Omlet: Brave Bunnies

This article is a part of our Pride of Omlet series, a collection of amazing stories which shine the spotlight on extraordinary pets and share their selflessness, bravery, talent and compassion with the world.

-Written by Anneliese Paul

It’s hard to describe how frightened Pixie the rabbit was when the RSPCA rehomed her with an experienced rabbit owner. Eighteen months on, cheeky little Pixie lives in the lap of luxury and is learning to be loved by her adoring human, Wendy.

Wendy had two beautiful rabbits, which she adored. A jet black male Rex rabbit called Jensen and his chocolate brown partner, Havana. But in 2019, Havana died suddenly of pneumonia, and Jensen grieved so severely that he wouldn’t leave his bed. He was the most miserable, unhappy rabbit.

Wendy wanted him to bond with another rabbit, so she went to the RSPCA Canterbury and found Pixie, who had been severely neglected. Pixie was rescued with her partner, but sadly, this rabbit didn’t survive. Pixie was close to starvation, she was skin and bones and had to be fattened up before she was ready to be rehomed. Wendy wanted to give her the loving home she deserved.

Thinking she would be a perfect match for Jensen, Wendy took Pixie home. She had divided the rabbit house so that she could slowly introduce them. After about a month, they were lying next to each other, separated only by the wire, so Wendy decided it was time. But Pixie was traumatised and her fear presented in aggressive behaviour. She couldn’t handle it and bit Jensen. She was agitated and frightened of everything. For a while, even putting food down for her was tricky. She would lunge at the hands that fed her. It was a terribly sad time for Wendy to see Pixie so distressed.

Wendy kept Pixie on her own, and slowly slowly, Pixie began to trust her. Now, 18 months on, she puts her nose up to be stroked, and she’ll hop alongside Jensen. Their Omlet runs, run parallel, so she’s got her space, and he’s got his. They also have a shed divided in two with three levels, windows, balconies, and a flap to their outside Omlet runs, which are connected with tunnels to the conservatory. The gate system on the Omlet runs means Wendy can let them both have time in the house. What was once Wendy’s dining room is now a rabbit playroom with a box, some steps and tunnels so they can just mess around and do bunny stuff. They take turns to come in, and Wendy leaves the door open, so they don’t get too warm.

Before she starts work in the morning, she makes the rabbits a little salad. Kale, Cavalo Nero or Spring Greens are the staples, mixed with herbs like parsley, mint and basil. And in the summer, she’ll pick fresh leaves and rose petals. They have 3 or 4 different kinds of hay to choose from in their runs, and for a treat, Wendy likes to give them bunny biscuits, or strawberries which they absolutely love.

From her sad beginnings, Pixie has blossomed with a loving owner who understands her past, builds up her confidence and feeds her a delicious diet. And Jensen has a new partner, Tinkerbell, a blue-eyed white mini Rex. Wendy simply adores all three of her beautiful rabbits, but especially Pixie. She’s a survivor.

“Almost every day, she could reduce me to tears. She’s so loving and responsive. I’m just absolutely amazed that this little rabbit found it in her heart to actually forgive humans.”

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Happy National Rescue Dog Day!

Happy National Rescue Dog Day!

20.05. – National Rescue Dog Day! We would like to use this special date to address animal welfare, shelters, the hard work they have to face every day and of course everything about the topic of adoption.

Every year, approximately 3.3 million dogs enter animal shelters nationwide in the US and are in dire need of being adopted. With this warning number, it’s important we consider our local pet shelters when welcoming a new family member. We’ve interviewed an animal shelter which has a tough job to do. Let’s find out more about this work and the process!

The “Einfach Tierschutz e.V.” is a German non-profit animal welfare association founded in 2016 with the aim of helping street dogs where the need is greatest. This is particularly the case in Eastern and Southern European countries, where street dogs have no rights and face harsh times. Einfach Tierschutz stands up for those animals in need, in areas such as Romania.

“Everyone has a purpose in its life, a reason for being in the world. My purpose is to save dogs.”

Jens Waldinger, Head of Einfach Tierschutz

1. Omlet: Can you please tell us a bit about the company: how many pets do you care for? What does the work at an animal shelter involve and what does a typical day at your shelter look like?

Einfach Tierschutz: Einfach Tierschutz e.V. is the owner and operator of two animal shelters in Braila, Romania. In our “Phoenix Shelter”, where we take care of about 400 street dogs, just recently also cats, and try to find them a new home. They get medically treated and socialized every day in our spacious sanctuary.

Since spring 2020, we have been running our second shelter specifically for puppies, the “Phoenix Puppy Shelter”, where up to 50 puppies and young dogs are fostered, cared for and prepared for placement in a family on an area of 2,000 m≤. In addition, we were able to move forward with a long-time wish in 2020 with the construction of the cat house on our premises. With the completion of this product, we can also provide our cats with safe and species-appropriate accommodations.

We have employed an average of 6 staff members in the shelters of Romania, who work in shifts so that someone is present at all times. Additionally, we have a driver and an office worker as well as the shelter manager on site. The tasks of the staff are mainly the support and maintenance of the dogs as well as night watch and administrative activities.

Our team consists of trained and certified dog trainers, professionals, and experienced fosters. We are also in contact with vets/veterinary assistants. In addition, we work closely with the local veterinary office, registering both our transports and our foster homes at this office, and can provide proof of the correct written documentation on transports, dogs and adopters at any time.

Our office is located in Germany, from where we coordinate all of the association’s activities. Various volunteer teams work under our guidance in the areas of social media, pre- and post-inspections, placements, adoptions, flea market and planning of the shelter travels.

                            Jens Waldinger                                                     Sarah Goetschel                                            Carmen Salcedo

                   Head and Manager of the shelter                                     Head and Manager in DE of the placement                           Dog Management in Braila

A primary goal of our work is to relocate and find new homes for as many dogs as possible and place them into loving and safe families. We also provide a licensed transporter in order to transport our dogs and cats in our own equipped vehicles from Romania to their future families in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

Lutz (top model, top dog)

We provide dogs, which are not suitable for a life as a family dog or for any other owner, a permanent safe refuge in our shelter. Here, they will have a better life without hunger and diseases, and are not exposed to the bad and cold weather conditions in Romania, especially during the winter season – just a stable and stress-free life.

Another goal for us is to make an important contribution by helping to control the reproduction of street dogs and cats through regular spay/neutering campaigns at our expense, and to bring about a change in the way the local population thinks about handling this issue. Due to the uncontrolled multiplication of street as well as house and yard dogs of the inhabitants, thousands of unwanted puppies end up on the streets or in the municipal animal shelters every year, which are allowed to euthanize these dogs after a period of two weeks if they are overcrowded. We also intervene here and are happy if we can take some of these dogs with us.

Spay/Neutering Marathon in Baraila, Romania

2. Omlet: What differs Einfach Tierschutz from other animal rescue organizations?

Einfach Tierschutz: First of all, the Einfach Tierschutz is a German association which is not only active abroad, but also runs its own animal shelter abroad. We do not solely relocate our dogs in Germany, but also in Switzerland and Austria. Mostly, we stand out because of our size: since we have started this organization, we now have over 8,000 members who support us. We have succeeded in convincing many people of our projects and know-how in just a few years, and with their support through donations, memberships, sponsorships, etc. we have been able to invest wisely.

We also offer our members the experience of traveling to our Phoenix Shelter in Romania. Our members then get to see first-hand what our team’s workload is on a daily basis. They also get to see what we have achieved in this short period of time with all the donations and membership fees we receive from them.

“There is a before and an after in my life: Before the trip to the Phoenix Shelter and after the trip, because since then I know what it is worth living and fighting for every day: “my” dogs there in the shelter. I may be back in Germany, but my heart has stayed there with the dogs.”

– Association member a few weeks after returning from a shelter trip

We offer our members the opportunity to follow our work on a daily basis via our Facebook members’ group. We provide pictures and video material from our shelter and thus allow every member to participate in current events. We also offer the opportunity to network with other members at more than 40 regulars’ tables and to plan joint activities such as information booths or fundraising campaigns.

We recently had our first big fundraiser where our members purchased lots from us in order to have the chance to win many great prizes from generous donors. The proceeds went directly to the shelter.

We are constantly working to improve our standards and ourselves professionally, in line with our ideas of good, sustainable animal welfare so that we can continue to grow and help as many animals as possible. In this way, we are always trying to maintain a balance between possible improvements and new projects or extension of our activities. We are very motivated and hungry to go further, to achieve even more.

3. Omlet: What do you like about your work? What is most rewarding?

Einfach Tierschutz: Every little success reminds us why we do all this. For example, the rescued dogs that we are able to bring into the safety of our shelter or animals that are brought back to life by our team after serious illness or injury make the work that much more rewarding! Also, seeing fearful and shy dogs that we have been able to socialize to such an extent that they can now enjoy their lives in a family makes the work worthwhile for us. All of these animals that are given a chance for a better life through our work is what makes the work priceless for us!

4. Omlet: Adoption vs. Purchase: what is the biggest challenge?

Einfach Tierschutz: From our point of view, the biggest problems are the mass breeding of pedigree dogs, while thousands of dogs are waiting for a loving home in the animal shelters. In particular, the illegal breeding and illegal transfer of puppies from abroad, which are then sold cheaply via various online portals by professional traffickers posing as private individuals, is a thorn in the flesh. As humans, we have a responsibility towards our fellow creatures and as long as the streets are full of unwanted animals that reproduce uncontrollably, suffering from hunger and diseases, we believe it is irresponsible to continue with breeding dogs.

Unfortunately, many people lack a sense of responsibility and foresight. Many hardly think about what it means to give an animal a home for the next 10 to 20 years and also give up far too quickly when the animal becomes “uncomfortable” for whatever reason. The decision to give up an animal is taken ever more quickly and lightly these days…

Floki (left) has also found a new best friend for life through his new home

5. Omlet: Speaking of adoption: What is important to you when looking for the right adopters, what expectations should a potential adopter fulfill ? What challenges or difficulties can you face when a shelter dog moves into its new home?

Einfach Tierschutz: It is very important to us that the family and the dog are well matched, which is why we work with the dogs on site to get to know them better and assess them as well as possible. Our employees in Romania also help with socializing the dogs when we are not around. Nevertheless, though we try our best here, we cannot predict what the dogs’ behavior will be like when they arrive at their new homes. Several factors will play a role. With the new environment, new people and maybe other companions it is hard to make a binding statement about it but so far, we mostly received positive feedback from the adopters.

Annett has finally found her family after waiting for such a long time

A dog from another country is always a bit of a “surprise package”. They are not familiar with our everyday lives and need time to get used to it. Through plenty of interaction with volunteers, outdoor runs and play sessions as well as walks, we try to keep the dogs as busy as possible and introduce them to new things. However, there is no comparison with the life they will experience with their future families. Some of them have never seen a leash or worn a collar or harness before, they are often unfamiliar with stairs, cars, bicycles, pedestrians etc. Some dogs are already house-trained when they move in, others need days, weeks or even months to train. Domestic or human smells and noises are often unfamiliar to them, and while one dog may be happy and react inquisitively, another may still feel anxious and need more time to realize that all of these changes are leading to a better quality of life.

Hamlet not only found his forever home but also his favorite meadow where he can play and relax

The sensory overload, especially while settling in, can lead to dogs initially acting differently – often more timidly – than in the familiar environment of our shelter. This is why it is very important to us that we educate and prepare our adopters well before receiving the dog. We offer them thorough advice about dogs that are suited to their circumstances and lifestyle. We carry out pre-checks (and post-checks) and we discuss general aspects of adopting a dog from another country with the prospective adopters.

We have useful tips for them on how to deal with newly arrived dogs, with common behavior patterns during the settling in period and safeguarding during walks. Also, we talk about illnesses that cannot be ruled out based on incubation times. This information is constantly updated and further refined.

However, in those cases where, for whatever reason, things do not work out in the new home, we take care of finding a new place for the dog, and even provide emergency foster homes. Under no circumstances will we allow a dog that was placed by us to end up in another shelter.

Up to now, we have been able to offer a swift solution in each of the few individual cases, where contrary to expectations, the adopters had to return a dog. Thus, we have been able to make the best of the situation in the interest of the dog.

In case of problems, we assist our adopters with help and advice and we are always available after an adoption and happy to help! On our Facebook page you can find some great stories and photos of “happy endings” posted by the families and owners that have adopted these dogs .

6. Omlet: As an NGO, how do you raise money for your animals, shelters, sterilization projects, etc.? How are you compensated?

Einfach Tierschutz: In order to be able to cover the high project costs, we had to invest a lot of time in advertising and generating new supporting members to bring in enough donations. As an association that is mainly active via the fast-moving social media channels and also promotes the dogs through them, we depend on a well-functioning technical infrastructure.

The commitment of our local board is particularly important too, as it generates a lot of attention. Our local experts also have to regularly assess the socialization of the dogs, as we place them very responsibly to ensure that dog and family get on well together later on. We invest in our social media presence, promotion via billboards, newspaper advertisements, flyers, info sheets, stickers. As a result, we have been able to maintain our high level of popularity and success, – which of course goes hand in hand with a further increase in administrative expenses.

7. Omlet: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Einfach Tierschutz: We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the interview and the interest in our association and invite everyone to get an idea of our work and visit our homepage or follow our social media activities. We – and especially the animals – would be very happy about a small donation, which we would like to invest in food, vet visits/surgeries/medications, spaying/neutering or in the shelter itself, e.g. for the expansion or the cat enclosure.

We would also more than welcome new fellow members who would like to get involved in our activities (e.g. shelter travels), gladly from anywhere. You can find all information on our homepage: www.einfachtierschutz.de

Phoenix-Shelter: https://phoenix-shelter.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/einfachtierschutzvermittlungen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/einfachtierschutz/

(You can also set up the pages in your desired language.)

Yours,

Omlet would like to thank Einfach Tierschutz e.V. for the interview and wishes them all the best for the future and that all dogs will find a great and safe new home.

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This entry was posted in Dogs

Pride of Omlet: Buster’s Beard

This article is a part of our Pride of Omlet series, a collection of amazing stories which shine the spotlight on extraordinary pets and share their selflessness, bravery, talent and compassion with the world.

-Written by Anneliese Paul

Buster was destined to chase balls on the beaches of Barry Island. He’s a lovable labradoodle with big brown eyes and a long beard. A thinker with a playful nature, he’s co-authored a children’s book with his human Natalie to bring Autism Awareness to all.

Ethan, Natalie’s son, was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD aged four. Natalie gave up her job as a teacher to become Ethan’s full-time carer. She always had dogs as a child and, naturally, wanted Ethan to experience the same positive companionship. They went to a local farm and had the pick of three puppies. One was fast and furious, one was quiet and sleepy, and one was in-between. They picked the inbetweener and called him Buster.

After a few weeks at home, it was clear that Ethan wasn’t taking to Buster. He just wasn’t interested in him. So he became Natalie’s companion instead, being a full-time carer isn’t easy and Buster’s a great source of comfort on difficult days. He motivates Natalie to keep going and gives her much-needed respite, with long walks on the beach.

A couple of years after Ethan’s diagnosis, baby Isobelle was born. Isobelle’s afraid of the dark, so Buster sleeps in her room and helps her feel safe. And in the daytime, Buster is Isobelle’s playmate. They love playing dress-up together, and at the end of the day, she’ll read him a story and brush his hair.

As Buster grew, the hair on his chin got longer and longer and longer! Until he developed a fully grown, 7-inch beard. It’s not a thing you see every day, a dog with a beard. People started staring. Natalie’s used to people staring, sadly many people don’t understand Autism, and when Ethan has meltdowns, Natalie and her family have experienced staring and unkind remarks, which have been devastating.

She realised that staring at Buster was something different. When walking on the beach, Natalie was approached by people asking, “Is it real? Have you stuck it on?!” It was curious and fun and got people talking in a good way. So what does a positive ex-primary school teacher do with that? She writes a children’s book, of course! Natalie wrote a story starring Buster called ‘That Dog Has Got a Beard’.

It’s a story about being special and unique. Natalie and Buster have toured schools and libraries all over Wales and even appeared on ITV Wales, opening conversations that celebrate differences and spreading Autism Awareness through the story of Buster’s Beard.

“A lot of children don’t see disabled children, and there’s a lot of negativity around it. You want people to be accepting, and a lovable labradoodle is an excellent way to open a conversation. He looks different. He’s got a beard. But that’s wonderful, you know? “

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This entry was posted in Dogs

Can you feed pets a vegan diet?

Some animals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, are herbivores. Others, like hamsters, are omnivorous. Finally, there are also carnivores like cats that cannot survive without meat.

All animals need to have their nutritional needs satisfied. However, this does not mean you can’t have a vegan dog. Vegan cats, though, are a lot trickier.

Can my dog have a vegan diet?

If you were to meet a species of animal for the first time and had to make an accurate guess about its diet, you would get lots of clues by looking at its teeth. The teeth of a dog, like the teeth of a bear, proclaim loud and clear that this animal is an omnivore – that is, one that eats both meat and vegetables. If you think of your dog as a domesticated wolf, you get a good idea of its natural diet.

However, as the panda proves, a supposed meat-eater can sometimes get by perfectly well on a vegan diet. A panda’s teeth are similar to any other bear’s – long canines for meat-eating and molars for grinding vegetation. And yet pandas don’t eat anything other than bamboo. So, if a bear can be vegan, does that mean you can have a vegan dog?

The answer is yes – but it’s a yes with lots of small print! A dog requires a diet that contains the fats and proteins it would get from meat. It is dangerous to ignore this basic need and simply feed your pet with whatever you please. Some dogs have delicate stomachs at the best of times, and a low-fat, high-fibre diet can cause potentially life-threatening problems. A diet that excludes meat should never be fed to a dog without the advice of a professional pet dietician.

The collagen, elastin and keratin found in meat diets are not easily replaced by vegi equivalents. Your dog will also need the ‘long chain’ omega-3 fats found in animal products such as egg, fish and some meats. Vegan omega-3 fats are not the same as animal-derived ones.

All of which presents a headache for the vegan dog owner. There are, however, products available that claim to let your dog live a healthy, meat-free life. Before you take the plunge, it is essential to seek professional, scientific advice and guidance. Compromise is usually the best choice here – a vegan diet supplemented by some of the animal-derived essentials. Crickets, for example, can provide lots of the amino acids and keratin a vegan diet lacks, and they’re 65% protein.

Can my cat have a vegan diet?

The compromise approach is even more important for cats. These are amongst the planet’s true carnivores, obtaining all their dietary requirements from other animals.

The main challenge with minimising the meat in a cat’s diet is that, unlike many mammals (including dogs), cats cannot produce certain proteins. They have to absorb these from the meat and fish in their diet. Amino acids are another issue – cats deficient in the animal-derived amino acid taurine, for example, usually succumb to a specific type of heart problem.

Even a fortified vegan cat food cannot be confidently recommended. Turn the situation on its head, and try to imagine weaning a rabbit onto a meat-only diet, and you get some idea of the challenge – and the ethics – involved.

There are some lab-grown ‘meat’ products in development, with vegan and vegetarian cat owners in mind. However, whether these will arrive – and remain – on the market any time soon is hard to guess.

For many vegan pet owners, there is a huge ethical issue involved in feeding the animals they share a space with. Ethics, however, include the animal’s needs too, and it’s an almost impossible issue to resolve when it comes to cats. If you are able to reduce but not eliminate the meat in your cat’s diet, that’s the safer option.

Top 10 pets for vegan households

There are, of course, plenty of other pets that don’t eat meat, or that eat some meat but can still thrive on a meat-free diet. Here are our ten favourites.

1. Rabbits. No problems here – rabbits are happy vegans, with diets based on hay and vegetables. You could argue that the soft pellets they eject and then eat are animal products of a sort, but they are simply semi-digested vegetation.

2. Guinea pigs. Like rabbits, these wonderful little characters thrive on a 100% vegan diet.

3. Hamsters. Most hamster owners give them store food, you don’t always know what’s in it. However, hamsters, like rats and mice, can do without meat.

4. Gerbils. Like hamsters, gerbils are omnivorous. They have sensitive stomachs and need a quality pellet mixture. Food that is too fresh can harm them.

5. Mice. Although they will eat pretty much anything in the wild, mice can thrive on vegan diets; but it is still best to use a food mix prepared specifically for them. This ensures that they will not be deficient in any of the vitamins and minerals they need.

6. Rats. These are the most omnivorous of rodents, but as long as you feed them a vegan mix that has been fortified with all the nutrients they need, they will thrive. Indeed, rats who eat too much animal fat tend to become fat and die prematurely.

7. Chickens. If you watch a free-range hen, it soon becomes clear that she will eat anything – grass, beetles, worms, and everything in your veg patch if you’re not careful! Most chicken feed emulates this mix of plant and animal products. However, it is possible to buy vegan chicken feed, and circumstantial evidence suggests that hens can thrive on it. However, they are likely to produce fewer eggs, and you will not be able to stop them scratching for worms and bugs, no matter how vegan the layers pellets are!

8. Budgies and parrots. Vegans will have no obstacles to face with budgies and parrots, unless the birds are being bred. Egg-brooding female birds need a protein boost, normally delivered via an egg-based food or cooked meat. Vegan alternatives are available, though.

9. Finches. Many finch species enjoy bugs and mealworms as treats, but these are not an essential part of an adult finch’s diet. These birds thrive on a mixture of seeds and fresh vegetables.

10. One for reptile fans. When you think of pet snakes and lizards, you probably have an image of dead mice or doomed crickets. However, there are a few commonly kept pet reptiles that eat a 100% vegan diet, the most popular being the Green iguana. Getting the balance of vegetables just right is very important for the animal’s health, but meat is certainly something you won’t have to worry about.

There is no shortage of choice when it comes to vegan pets. Keeping a vegan cat or dog is a much trickier proposition, though. And with all these animals, a balanced diet that matches the pet’s nutritional requirements should be your primary goal.

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This entry was posted in Budgies

How To Prevent Dog Theft & What To Do if Your Dog Is Stolen

Dogtor Adem, founder and owner of Dog-Ease, is a dog behaviourist and trainer with over 15 years experience working with dog owners and their canine best friends. In this blog post, Adem provides us with helpful tips on preventing dog theft, and what to do if you experience dog theft yourself.

With dog theft on the rise, it’s only natural that we might feel worried about taking our furry family members out and about at the moment. I think most of us can agree that if anything should happen to them, we would feel devastated. So, I have put together my top tips for keeping your dog safe from theft when both at home and out and about. Following on from this, I’ve also put together some tips on what to do should you find yourself in the awful position of your dog having been stolen. I hope you never have to refer to them, but they might just help you be reunited should you find yourself in this unfortunate position.

MY TOP TIPS FOR PREVENTING YOUR DOG THEFT

START AT HOME

By this I mean you should review your current security measures at home. Start by ensuring gates and fences are secure and avoid leaving your dog in the garden unattended. You may also want to ensure your dog cannot be seen by people passing by when you are out of the home. You can do this by making them a base in a room away from any windows that can be easily looked into or even by closing the curtains on these windows when you are out.

MAKE SURE YOUR DOG IS MICROCHIPPED

It is not only law to have your dog microchipped, but it is also best practice. If your dog is ever separated from you a simple scan of their chip in their neck area should reunite you pretty quickly. Keep your dog’s microchip details up to date. It’s usually really easy to do this over the phone or online.

ADD AN ID TAG TO YOUR DOG’S COLLAR AND CONSIDER A GPS TAG ALSO

By law, your dog should have an identification tag attached to their collar when outside of your home. This makes it really easy for you both to be reunited without needing your dog’s microchip to be scanned. You could also consider attaching a trackable GPS tag to your dog’s collar. There are many on the market to choose from and these can be purchased online, if not from your local pet shop. Some also have fun features to use on a daily basis such as tracking your dog’s activity levels.

TEACH YOUR DOG THE RECALL COMMAND

Teach your dog the recall command and make coming back to you a fun game that you can play throughout your walks together. Offer a tasty treat or engagement in a game such as fetch each time they return to you. This makes them more likely to want to return to you, seeing the recall as a fun part of your walk. Head over to the Blog page of my website www.dog-ease.co.uk/blog/ to watch a tutorial on how to begin this training if you haven’t already had a chance to.

KEEP YOUR DOG’S ATTENTION

Make it fun for your dog to stay close to you on your walk if you are letting them off lead. For example, you could practise off lead heel work as you walk, offering a tasty treat as a reward for their focus, or play recall games. Taking a special toy such as a ball can also help to keep your dog’s attention and focus with them chasing and retrieving during your walk.

KEEP YOUR DOG IN SIGHT

Following on from keeping your dog’s attention, avoid letting your dog go out of your sight on a walk or leaving them unattended outside a shop, school, or even in your car. The less opportunity for them to come into contact with strangers without you also present, the better.

WALK WITH OTHERS

If possible, walk with a family member or socially distanced with a friend. You could also try to walk in public areas where other people are walking and present too. Pick times of the day where other people are likely to be around and walk in daylight if possible. If this is not possible, try to walk in well-lit areas. Safety is often found in numbers and the more people that are around the less likely you may be to be targeted.

CONSIDER TAKING ANTI THEFT DEVICES WITH YOU

Consider taking an anti-theft alarm or another similar device on your walk with you, even a whistle is better than nothing to be able to attract attention with. You could also try to keep your mobile phone handy to use if necessary, although it’s best to not allow your mobile phone to distract you from what is going on around you as you walk. See the next tip!

STAY ALERT

Following on from the tip above, stay alert and be vigilant on your walks. Watch out for any unusual activity or people in the areas you might typically walk. It is best to limit your use of any electronic devices such as your mobile, even to listen to music. The more aware of your surroundings you are, the more likely you will be to spot anything not quite right.

AVOID CLOSE CONTACT WITH STRANGERS

Avoid letting people you don’t know pet your dog or telling people you don’t know any details about you and your dog. It’s nice to be friendly but be vigilant about the information you share.

BE LESS PREDICTABLE

If you’re particularly concerned, change up your routine frequently. This makes it harder for anyone ‘watching and waiting’ to predict and plan to ‘bump into you’ on a walk.

PREP OTHERS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WALKING YOUR DOG

If you use a dog walker, ensure you ask them what steps they are taking to avoid your dog from being stolen. You can also ask that they remain vigilant in securing your property when returning your dog to your home and ask that they look out for and alert you to any unusual activity.

USE SOCIAL MEDIA AND LOCAL NEWS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Check local social media pages and local news for up-to-date information on what is going on in your area. Often any worrying incidents are reported by residents with details of suspicious people and even sometimes vehicles too look out for.

BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU SHARE ONLINE

Sharing your location and details of your pet on non-private forums such as on non-private social media pages can alert potential thieves to your where abouts. Make sure you are mindful of what you share and where you ‘check in’, with or without your dog.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOUR DOG IS STOLEN?

In the awful event that your dog is stolen, here are some tips to help you find and be reunited with them.

REPORT THE THEFT IMMEDIATELY

Report the theft immediately to the police and ensure it is recorded as a crime rather than as a lost pet. You should receive a crime reference number for your records.

CHECK CCTV

Check all available CCTV footage in the area your dog was stolen from to gain evidence of any people needing to be identified or vehicles that may have been involved. You might also want to check in with neighbours and those in the local area to see if anyone has any footage from their own security systems – from Ring Doorbell footage to Dash Cam footage. Anything is worth a shot and could lead to identifying something or someone.

CONTACT YOUR MICROCHIP COMPANY

Contact the company your dog’s microchip is recorded with and register your dog as stolen. If your dog is scanned by a vet elsewhere, they should then be alerted to this and your dog returned to you.

CONTACT LOCAL VETS

Contact all vets in the local area to let them know of the theft. Provide a photo of your dog if possible and include details of any markings or particular features that they have so they can identify them more easily.

MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE

Make other people aware of the theft by putting up posters stating your dog has been stolen, with your contact details on them. You should also post a copy of such posters, or an equivalent, on social media sites. If you ensure that the settings of your post are set to ‘public’ you can ask others to share your post and reach a much wider community. The further your dog’s details are shared, the more chance you have of your dog being identified and returned to you!

DON’T GIVE UP

Don’t give up hope! Keep sharing your dog’s details far and wide. Someone somewhere might know something and help you to be reunited.

I hope you found the above tips useful. Stay alert and keep safe!

Dogtor(tm) Adem

Owner of Dog-ease Training & Behaviour

www.dog-ease.co.uk

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This entry was posted in Dogs

How To Train Your Cat To Walk on a Lead

Bhim Solomon is Omlet’s junior guest writer, currently exploring fun activities to try with her two kittens Moonpie and Shadow Weaver, and introducing easy tricks you can try with your feline friends! In this article, Bhim talks through the simple steps to training a kitten to walk on a lead and the benefits of safe outdoor adventures for cats.

My kittens are 11 weeks old. They are Scottish Folds and their names are Moonpie and Shadow-Weaver. Moonpie is a girl and Shadow is a boy, they are brother and sister. They live indoors because they are quite small still but we want them to know what the outside world is like so we decided to buy a harness and lead for them so we could take them for walks.

Not many people know that you can take your cat for a walk, just like a dog, but one day I was in London in the Conran Shop and I spotted a beautiful, big soft grey cat on a lead! I asked the lady on the other end of the lead if I could stroke it. She was very friendly and said of course, she told me his name was Moonpie. Then she said would you like to see a trick? She got some treats out and said “paw” Moonpie lifted his paw into her hand, it was so cool. Then, the owner said “Hi Five” and Moonpie did a Hi Five! I’d wanted a kitten since I was 4 and now I knew I wanted a Scottish Fold and I decided to call my kitten Moonpie too.

I couldn’t get the kittens straight away but little did I know that as a surprise for my 10th birthday my parents gave me two little Scottish folds. When I first got them they were eight weeks old, my brother wanted to call the boy Shadow-Weaver because half his face is grey and the other is a kind of apricot colour. At the beginning they both slept a lot and we kept them in one room so that they could get used to us little by little. Then one day we let them adventure around the house, then the next day they wanted to go outside. I asked my Papi if we could get a lead and harness for them. He agreed and we got two for the kittens. I thought it would be good to get them used to being on a lead when they are young. I thought I would write a description about how to put it on, and use the harness to take your cat\kitten for walks to help other people who would like to take their indoor cats outside safely.

How to Fit a Harness

1. First, you adjust your strap so it fits your kitten.

2. After you have adjusted your strap, you do up one of the side clips. Slip the front over their head, put one foot in the gap that’s shown in the photo and do up the other clip.

3. Check that the harness isn’t too tight and all the clips are done up, you might have to adjust the size a bit now, you should be able to get a finger under comfortably but if it’s too loose your cat might slip out by accident. If your kitten is still too small for the harness to adjust small enough then you can get them used to wearing it in the house as if they slip out it won’t matter too much.
4. Once you are satisfied that the harness fits securely and your cat is happy then all that is left is to clip the lead on the hook and take them for a walk.
5. Your kitten is now ready!

First, to make sure Moonpie was happy with walking and running in her new lead I took her for a walk around the house which she was used to, with the back door shut. I did this for three days in a row before we went outside.

I chose a nice sunny day for taking her outside on the lead. As I took her outside she was a little bit unsure and stayed still for a moment. Suddenly she went to some catmint that we have close to the door and put her whiskers in it.

Then she ran across the lawn at maximum speed, I had to sprint to keep up! She wanted to explore an old small tree. Moonpie can run really fast! Moonpie climbed up onto the tree and stayed still so she could balance. She was having lots and lots of fun exploring!

Next she started to explore the concrete part of the garden and looked behind the metal bucket, she inspected the wheelbarrow wheel and legs (she hadn’t seen one before).

Then I think she knew where the house was as she ran back towards it.

We had stayed outside for about ten minutes and as she ran towards the house I guessed she was tired, she went straight to the back door and as I let her into the house she went to the ‘Kitten Room’ as I looked she got into her bed and after she had licked herself clean she went straight to sleep, a little fluffy ball.

I really like taking the kittens for walks because you get your exercise and have lots of fun seeing what the kittens like best in the garden. I think the kittens really like it because they get to smell fresh air and see the wildlife including our chickens. I try to take them into the garden when it is nice weather, so about twice a week after school and on the weekends. After school every day I try to put them on the harness so they can get really used to it.

As they get bigger and bigger we will take the kittens on longer walks. It’s a really safe and fun way for them to explore the world around them. If you live in the city and you want your cat to have fresh air, exercise and to stimulate their senses but are worried about your cat then you can take them out on a lead and they can safely explore outside with your supervision, they can even learn to take the bus or the tube!

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This entry was posted in Cats

Pride of Omlet: Saving Sophia’s Life

This article is a part of our Pride of Omlet series, a collection of amazing stories which shine the spotlight on extraordinary pets and share their selflessness, bravery, talent and compassion with the world.

-Written by Anneliese Paul

When you’ve grown up with animals, a home isn’t a home without a pet. Bringing Harry home was life-changing for both him and his humans, Sarah and daughter Sophia. Harry has a special gift. Harry has a unique epilepsy monitor, and he’s saved Sophia’s life countless times.

In March 2017, Harry, a beautiful black kitten, was only a few months old and was trapped in a cupboard, clinging to life. He wasn’t allowed out. He was overfed, caked in dirt, attacked by a dog and discarded as ‘the runt of the litter’.

Sarah heard about the cat in the cupboard through a colleague at work and couldn’t let a kitten suffer. She approached his owner via Facebook and asked, “Can I have him, please.” Harry’s neglectful owner gladly gave him up, and Harry began his recovery.

At first, he would cower in corners. The sound of footsteps petrified him. However, within a week, he was a different cat, running to greet his humans at the door. “The first time he purred with us, he looked around in a panic, thinking, What’s this? but he blossomed from there.”

It’s four years later, 3 pm on a Monday and Harry’s sitting on the window sill of his loving home waiting for his human, Sophia.

Sophia has autism and epilepsy, and Harry’s unique talent has saved her life more times than Sarah, her mom, can tell me.

Before getting Harry, every aspect of Sophia’s life was about cats. She loved going to the shops and looking at things for cats, researching about them online and looking at pictures of cats. So when Harry came into her life, Sophia was overjoyed. Harry became Sophia’s shadow instantly. He follows her wherever she goes in the house. When she eats, he sits next to her. If she’s in bed, he’s sleeping with her. When Sophia gets home from school, Harrys always there, watching, waiting on the windowsill for her. He never wants to be separated from her for too long.

As the bond between Harry and Sophia grew, so did Harry’s voice. Generally a calm cat, he became quite vocal, meowing to be let in or out. Bizarrely he also started to meow at the loft hatch. It can go on for 20 minutes or more. Sarah’s taken him up to have a look, but it’s still something that spooks him. Harry’s sensitive nature and vocal talents became the gift that saved Sophia’s life.

Six months after Harry came to live with them, Sophia started having epileptic seizures. They became more and more severe and frequent. At the same time, Harry began screaming in the night. Sarah went running and found that Sophia was having a seizure in her sleep.

There’s no monitor for the kind of epilepsy Sophia has, nothing you can put on your wrist or bed to sound an alert when a seizure happens. For Sophia, SUDEP (sudden unexpected death of someone with epilepsy) is a real threat. For her parent, Sarah, it’s the worst nightmare she has to live with twenty fours hours a day.

Harry began calling the alert, not just at night but in the daytime too. It’s different from a normal caterwaul, Sarah says. It’s a panicked alert call – a scream mixed with a howl. Whenever Sophia’s up in her room and starts having a seizure, Harry howls and screams until Sarah gets there, he sits, often on her chest, nudging her, rubbing his face on her, trying to get her to wake up.

Before Harry came into their lives, Sophia couldn’t have any independence. She needed to be with Sarah all the time, in case a seizure happened. But now Sophia and Sarah can have more time for themselves, knowing that if somethings wrong, Harry will call.

Harry was the missing member of Sarah and Sophia’s family. With Harry at home, Sophia and Sarah feel safe. “He’s a sweetheart. A lifesaver. A sense of security that very few people can appreciate,” says Sarah. “He means the world to me. I love him,” says Sophia.

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This entry was posted in Cats

Dos and Don’ts of Owning Guinea Pigs

Welcome to guinea pig parenthood! Whilst your new furr baby will be relatively low-maintenance, as with any type of pet ownership, it’s your responsibility to keep your cavy safe and to ensure they live a happy and fulfilled life. But what exactly do you need to do to make sure that your guinea pig is a grinny pig, and is there anything you definitely should not do?

Guinea pigs bedding dos and don’ts

Do use a guinea pig bedding with good absorbency. This will reduce odours, and create a more hygienic and comfortable environment for your guinea pigs. 

Don’t use dusty or sandy bedding. As guinea pigs have delicate lungs, breathing in wood or sand dust can be harmful. In their natural habitat, guinea pigs create their homes from larger pieces of wood and debris. Your pets will enjoy constructing complicated nests using larger bedding materials. 

Do choose kiln-dried wood shavings – the drying process removes any toxins and oils from the wood. 

Don’t choose colour over comfort! If you want to use a multi-coloured paper-based bedding, consider mixing it in with a more natural tone that replicates the wood-and-grass colours of the guinea pig’s natural habitat. 

Do use an aubiose-based bedding if possible, as this is naturally less dusty, more absorbent and made from a natural, sustainable material. 

Guinea pigs food dos and don’ts

Do give your guinea pigs natural treats such as spinach or broccoli, as this is an essential source of vitamin C in their diets! If your cavies refuse to eat leafy greens, it may be necessary to purchase a vitamin C solution that can be added to your pet’s water. 

Don’t overfeed your guinea pigs. If they are leaving bits of food in their bowl each day, feed them a little less.

Do regularly clean out your guinea pigs’ food bowl, as their bedding, fur and general mess will quickly soil the bowl. It’s a good idea to clean your pets’ bowls after each feeding with a wipe or spray. 

Don’t give your guinea pig any type of meat or fish. This could lead to illness, and if your guinea pig has accidentally eaten meat, take them to the vet immediately. 

Do change your guinea pigs’ water every few days, not only once the bowl is empty. This ensures a clean water supply. 

Don’t give your guinea pigs too many treats when attempting to train them. The treats will go further in training if your pet sees them as something really special!

Guinea pig toys dos and don’ts

Do regularly change the toys in your guinea pigs’ run. Your guinea pig’s play will remain stimulating if you often swap the toys around. Your guinea pig may let you know if it’s bored of a toy by chewing or even eating it! 

Don’t give your guinea pigs your leftover loo roll cards as a treat, as the chemicals used to treat them could be bad for your pets’ health. Instead, invest in a small tunnel system such as Zippi tunnels, which not only last longer but are safer too.

Do provide plenty of chew toys for your guinea pigs. Your pets will naturally nibble and bite any objects in their cage to maintain the length of their teeth. This can be dangerous if all they have to bite on is the metal cage, so having plenty of different things to chew on is essential.

Don’t put your guinea pig into a wheel or ball toy. Although these are great for our smaller furry friends, the guinea pig’s body is not designed to fit into such a small space. Your guinea pigs will be much happier getting their exercise in a large guinea pig run or enclosure. 

Do change the layout of any tunnels or playground you have for your guinea pigs. Many of the play sets available are modular and can be changed to keep the experience fresh for your pets.

Guinea pig cohabitation dos and don’ts

Do make sure that your guinea pigs have plenty of space in their enclosure. If you are keeping a small family of guinea pigs, then it’s important that they have enough room to play and establish their own space within the cage or hutch. 

Don’t punish your guinea pigs by putting them into isolation. Separating them from the others will only create further problems and is widely thought to be unhealthy and distressing for them. 

Do keep your guinea pigs in pairs of sisters or neutered brothers. This will reduce aggression between the animals, as it lessens their mating urges. It is also possible to keep a neutered male with females, but you will need to wait six weeks after the neutering before introducing them, as males can still successfully mate in those early weeks. 

Don’t keep just one guinea pig. Your guinea pig will get lonely when left alone for long periods, and such loneliness can actually shorten their lifespan. Your guinea pig will live a longer and happier life with a friend, so it’s a great idea to get a pair if you are considering becoming a guinea pig owner. Did you know that it’s actually illegal to own just one guinea pig in Switzerland? 

Following these tips will make keeping guinea pigs simple and incredibly rewarding. By providing them with a stimulating environment and healthy diet and observing these few dos and don’ts, your pets will have long and happy lives.

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This entry was posted in Guinea Pigs

Pride of Omlet: Perfect Peaky

This article is a part of our Pride of Omlet series, a collection of amazing stories which shine the spotlight on extraordinary pets and share their selflessness, bravery, talent and compassion with the world.

-Written by Anneliese Paul

At the tender age of one, Peaky is already a retired filmstar. He had lived in a cage his whole life, released only to perform. When Joana and Fergus took him home, he was a fluffy, yellow bundle of nerves. But they are determined to help Peaky, their cute little canary companion, to come out of his shell.

When Joana met Fergus, she didn’t know she was falling in love with a human and his pet cockatiel. It had been his companion for 22 years. Together they grew the flock with a cheeky budgie. “He was like a dog; he wanted to sleep with us. You could hold him and kiss him!” But tragically, within a short space of time, the cockatiel died of old age, and then the budgie became terminally ill. The house fell silent.

Lockdown 1 without birds was quiet and sad for Joana and Fergus. To cheer themselves up, they decided to get their home ready for another bird and after plenty of research, they agreed on the Omlet Geo as the beautiful new bird home. All they needed now was a bird to live with them.

Fergus works in TV, and if anyone offered an animal, Fergus was known to take it. One day a ray of sunshine arrived on set-a bright little canary owned by a person who supplies animals for TV shows. Fergus struck up a conversation with the owner and learned that this little bird had a feisty character and had to be separated from the other birds, which meant he lived alone, probably in a smaller cage. Seeing Fergus’s enthusiasm, the owner asked, “Do you want this one?”

Ecstatic, Fergus called Joana, “We can get a canary!” When the clapper board shut, Fergus drove Peaky home to Edinburgh. But they got stranded en route in a massive snow blizzard and were stuck in the car for hours before being rescued by locals who took them in for the night. The next day, Peaky and Fergus continued their journey home, and when they finally arrived, the house instantly came alive.

Peaky sings beautifully and chirps up when he hears a running tap, the kettle, the hairdryer, and he even provides backing vocals to Joana’s zoom calls. However, unlike their previous birds, he’s a scared soul that feels safer inside his Omlet Geo.

He doesn’t want to come out. Joana understood it would take time to get to know him.

She has a deep empathy with birds and is slowly, patiently, gently, working with Peaky to get him to trust his new human family. When she was younger, she made magazines written from a birds point of view called The Birds Club. And Joana is now a professional writer, currently working on a series of children’s novels where birds play the main characters. Peaky even has a little cameo.

He’s getting braver, occasionally eating treats from Joana’s hand, enjoying honey seeds, millet and spinach. Joana makes sure he has space to escape if he’s not comfortable. She doesn’t want him to perform, she just wants to prove to Peaky that he can trust her.

“I’m doing a lot of research to work on rewriting his ideas about us. He came into our lives after being birdless for a year. He has no idea how happy he makes me.”

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This entry was posted in Budgies

The seven fascinating senses of cats

Have you ever wondered if your cat can see in color? Or if they could balance on a beam better than you? While we know our cats have the traditional five senses of hearing, taste, smell, touch and sight, we wanted to explore any other curiously sensing abilities they may have. Let’s discover what cats are really capable of with their seven fascinating senses.

Sense of hearing

It has long been debated that dogs have the best hearing of all domesticated pets. But is that true? We hate to burst your puppy bubble, but this fact is actually false. In a room full of noises undetected by humans, cats can actually detect higher frequencies than dogs. Most cat breeds have upright ears, making responding to sound easy.

A cat’s extremely wide bandwidth coupled with its high sensitivity to sounds allows it to listen from a much greater distance than both humans and dogs. There are 27 muscles that connect the outer ear of a cat allowing for 180 degree rotation of their ears to scan the environment and determine the precise location of a sound. They can even rotate their ears independently from one another – kind of like mini satellites on their head.

Although a cat’s sense of hearing is an important part of their lives, as a cat owner, it can sometimes be difficult to tell if your cat is deaf. A cat that is partially, or even completely deaf, can actually live a life very similar to a cat with full hearing, simply relying on its other senses.

Sense of taste

While almost all of a cat’s senses are extremely fine-tuned, their sense of taste is actually the weakest in comparison to all the other senses. In fact, a cat’s ability to taste is far less strong than that of both humans and dogs.

For example, humans have approximately 9,000 taste buds with which to experience the tasty flavours of food. Cats, however, only have about 480 taste buds with which to distinguish between flavours. Every flavour except sweet, that is! Yes, it’s true – cats are the only mammals that do not have taste receptors for sweetness.

But don’t feel bad for your carnivorous cat – it’s actually been revealed that cats have taste receptors that can detect chemicals and bacteria in meat. This means cats have a built-in ability to protect themselves from potential food poisoning. So the next time you fill up your cat’s food bowl, make sure it is with something savoury, not sweet.

Sense of smell

In a cat’s world, smell is perhaps the most crucial sense of all. It’s through the almost 200 million odour senses in their nostrils that they identify the people, things and objects in their life. In fact, cats can even use their sense of smell to identify the emotional state of other animals as well as the chemicals produced by human sweat.

Have you ever wondered why your cat was rubbing its face or tail on scratching posts or toys? It’s not because they have an itch. Cats actually have seven scent glands across their body and they use these unique points to mark their territories of things and humans.

Scientists believe that cats have a smell sense capability of up to 150 feet, which means they could literally smell their food across a football field! But that amazing sense of smell is not just for dinner time – it also helps protect them. For indoor cats, gaining access to the outside world, exploring new scents other than in the home, is an important part of their brain/body development. Consider adding a safe cat enclosure outside, such as the Catio designed by Omlet. 

Sense of touch

One of a cat’s many superpowers is its ability to feel something without touching it. How can they do that? The power is in their whiskers. While whiskers are no doubt the signature feature of any cat, they are undoubtedly the secret weapon that gives them a highly enhanced sense of touch.

Located on not just their face but their nose and ears too, cat whiskers allow a cat to explore objects and understand texture without the danger of having to touch it with their skin. In essence, you could say whiskers are a cat’s safeguard against life’s obstacles.

In addition to their whiskers, cats can also feel and touch with the pads of their paws. These pads contain multiple receptors that allow them to feel pressure and vibrations of their environment, which explains why cats are such good hunters.

Sense of sight

To truly understand a cat’s sense of sight, look no further than their wild animal cousins, lions and tigers. Big cats in the wild do the majority of their hunting of prey at night in low light conditions, like moonlight. Why? The most significant reason is simply because cats have fantastic night vision. Compared to humans, cats can see six to eight times better in the dark.

So does that mean my domesticated pet cat can only see well at night? Not at all! Cats still have good vision during the day. But their slightly wider field of vision means they can keep an eye on their territory from one spot. That’s why they can see the subtle and quick movements of a cat toy and pounce so quickly.

As for colours, cats are not completely colour-blind. They have fewer cones in their eyes which means colours like green and red appear to look grey to them. Brighter colours, such as blue and yellow, are far more appealing to cats as they can see those hues better!

Sixth sense of balance

Have you ever watched your cat jump off a shelf onto the ground? They make it look so graceful and easy, don’t they? There’s a reason felines can fall with such style. Because of the extra vertebrae in their bodies (more than humans!), cats have extremely flexible backbones and a fine-tuned sense of balance.

In fact, their ability to twist and contort their bodies mid-air to right themselves around, allowing a soft landing on their feet has a scientific name. It’s called the “righting reflex”. A cat’s balance, fast reflexes and unique physiology combine harmoniously as early as four weeks old, giving them the ability to innately protect themselves from a fall.

But this balancing act isn’t just for protection. Cats instinctively love to jump because of it. So if you have a cat, make sure you also have many options for them to jump on and from so they can let their inner balance sense shine. The Freestyle Cat Tree designed by Omlet is a perfect option to allow your cat the freedom to explore and be happy!

Seventh sense of time

If you’ve ever been woken up by a cat paw to the face right before the alarm goes off, it’s not because your cat is a genius and can suddenly read time. Just like humans, cats have a highly intuitive internal clock that ensures they know when it’s time to nap in a cosy bed, play with toys or hunt their favourite smells.

The same way your body gives you signals and clues that it’s time for lunch or close to bedtime, your cat feels this sense too. Studies have shown that cats start producing digestive chemicals shortly before mealtime, signaling to their brain that it’s time to eat. Or maybe they really are furry little geniuses who have figured out how to make you adhere to their every need!

When it comes to senses, cats have them all and more. Not only are the seven senses they possess fascinating, but they are the tools by which cats navigate the people, places and things around them. So next time you are with your cat, use your own sense of sight to view how your cat senses the world around them.

At Omlet, we are always asking how we can get closer to the curious cats we all love. Understanding their needs and senses allows us to create essential products like the Catio, Maya Donut Bed, and Freestyle Cat Tree. After all, our fascinating feline friends deserve these fascinating creations.

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This entry was posted in Cats

Pride of Omlet: Mipit Makes Sense

This article is a part of our Pride of Omlet series, a collection of amazing stories which shine the spotlight on extraordinary pets and share their selflessness, bravery, talent and compassion with the world.

-Written by Anneliese Paul

Mipit is a Mental Health Assistance Dog for his human, Henley. Mipit keeps Henly alive and independent. Who wouldn’t love a dog that can put out your recycling, answer your phone, and be your best friend, come rain or shine?

Six years ago, homeless and experiencing mental health crisis, Henley was given a glimmer of hope when she was offered a flat. She reconnected with her mum and dad, and slowly, life started to improve with their help. But something was missing. Henley needed a companion.

Henley’s autistic and always wanted an autism assistance dog, but by now, Henley was too old to apply. One day, Henley and her mum went to get their hair cut. The hairdresser suggested they go to the nearby pet shop to ask if they knew of any puppies; the pet shop gave her two phone numbers. As Henley was leaving the shop, she spotted a leaflet on the window about Mental Health Assistance Dog training.

Henley rang the breeder’s numbers and soon after brought home her first puppy. A jug (Jack Russel cross Pug) she named Lottie. First, she began training with the Kennel Club good citizen dog scheme and then assistance dog training with Darwin Dogs. But at six months old, Lottie was attacked by a pack of six dogs, and Henley decided to stop her training to give her time to recover. With Lottie better, Henley felt it would be good for her to have a friend. So she called Lottie’s breeder to see if any more pups were on the way. Luckily Lottie’s grandmother was pregnant, and when the puppies were born, Henley went to visit and brought home Mipit.

Mipit’s a Jug like Lottie, who Henley chose for his rebellious nature, but despite wayward first appearances, he’s proven to be intelligent, loving and loyal. Within a few weeks, Mipit was doing things that Lottie had taken months to learn, and Henley decided to focus her assistance dog training with Mipit.

He flew through both bronze and silver Kennel Club assessments by the age of one. He was too young to start gold, so Henley started assistance dog training. In under two years, he’d completed all three levels. Lottie had taken the same time to complete only one. Mipit’s instinctive with training. “He can see into the future,” says Henley. “It’s like he already knows before you’ve trained him.”

Henley uses a wheelchair and Mipit is always beside her, ready to help. He opens doors, picks up the phone and takes out the recycling. He does things to make Henley laugh, like playing hide and seek under the duvet. He never turns off. Mipit’s training with Darwin Dogs is unlike any other assistance dog training. Henley has developed a partnership with him to train him in three special skills that are unique to her needs.

Mipits first special skill is to lay flat on Henley’s knee, giving deep pressure therapy to help with the pain she has in her legs. Secondly, he’ll fetch and retrieve anything up to his own body weight. His third skill is a showstopper. If Henley’s been upset anywhere, Mippit will sing to her to help her recover. He often sings Henley out of Sainsbury’s to get her ready for the journey home, and Mipit has become known for his singing in their home town. Sometimes Henley is stopped by people asking, “Are you the one with the singing dog”, and Mipit will gladly give a little performance.

Last year Henley lost her mum. This was devastating for Henley’s mental health. Both Henley and her Dad, Chris, credit Mipit with keeping them a team, working through difficult times and keeping their bond strong. “He forces us to be together in a lovely way. He’ll cuddle Dad and bring him to me. He dives up and gives me kisses when he knows I’m poorly.”

Mipits unconditional and constant devotion to putting a smile on Henley’s face gets her ready for the day, every day. With the help of Mipit and Lottie, Henley hasn’t self-harmed in six years and now lives in a bungalow with a garden with six chickens for company. Soon two rabbits will be joining their extra special support bubble.

Henley’s dad Chris says, “I watch Mipit because he picks up on Henley’s mood. When she’s not feeling good, he moves closer. It gives me comfort to know Mipit is looking after her. He’s a cracking little chap.”

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This entry was posted in Dogs

Guinea Pig Activities – How to Keep Your Cavies Entertained

Guinea pigs are highly social animals that thrive on companionship and stimulation. And since a happy guinea pig is a healthy guinea pig, they need plenty of mental and physical enrichment. Toys, treats, and a playmate are just some of the key elements to enriching piggy-play.

Playtime is best spent with pals! If possible, consider adopting guinea pigs in same-sex pairs or trios. Guinea pigs thrive on social interaction, and do best when they have friends that speak their own language! If more than one guinea pig is not an option for you, be sure to engage yourself in piggy-playtime every day. Take note of what your guinea pig likes to do – are they curious and outgoing, or laid-back and shy? Do rolling balls catch their attention? Or do they prefer to chew rather than chase their toys? Knowing each guinea pig’s personality will help create the most enriching environment possible. 

Serve food interestingly

Were you ever told not to play with your food? Well, the same rule does not apply to cavies! Mealtimes are a great opportunity to sneak in play and bonding time. Our Caddi Treat Holder is a fun and unique way of serving up your guinea pig’s meals and treats. Making food challenging to reach means more mental and physical reps before reward, and has the added bonus of keeping treats up off the floor. You can also hide food to encourage natural scavenging behaviours in your guinea pig. Place treats in paper tubes, or a hay rack for rummaging fun! Be sure to surround treats with nutritious hay to ensure meals are eaten before dessert! 

Guinea pigs can also be fed by hand, but be sure to only offer treats long enough to keep your fingers out of accidental-biting range! Hold treats loosely between your fingertips and release as soon as your piggy has a hold of it.

Another interesting and engaging way to serve food to your cavies is by threading fruits, veggies, or herbs on a rope or skewer stick fastened with knots or clothespins. Be sure that the twine or rope is thick enough to avoid getting knotted around your piggy, and not so long that they can get themselves entangled. A blunt, metal grilling skewer secured to the side of your guinea pig’s enclosure is both chew and tangle-proof. 

Guinea pigs are very food motivated, which makes exercising much easier! To give your piggy some extra steps for the day, tie some of their favourite food or toys to the end of a string and drag it along the floor for them to chase! Keep it just out of reach to encourage them to keep after it. Just be sure to let them catch their prize within a reasonable timeframe!

Changing up the menu from time to time helps alleviate boredom while enhancing your guinea pig’s health. Choose seasonal, piggy-friendly fruits and veggies such as melons, apples (without seeds!), or summer squash to add variety to their diets. Guinea pigs are also excellent lawnmowers, and would love time outside to help with the grass! Place them in a secure guinea pig run to move around each day and you’ll be amazed at how much less you’ll need to mow! 

‎Obstacles, tunnels and tubes‎

Did you know that wild guinea pigs utilize the burrows and tunnels of other animals? They aren’t known for digging themselves, but they love to spend time in the safety of pre-dug tunnels! As prey animals, they have excellent eyesight – especially toward the sky, scanning for owls and hawks. Guinea pigs thrive in areas with lots of cover supplied by tubes and hideouts. Our Zippi Guinea Pig Tunnel System and Zippi Guinea Pig Play Tunnels allow for hours of play for your piggy and viewing enjoyment for you! Watch your piggy zoom through tunnels (or maybe even take a nap!) and weave their way through a course of your own design. Change the configuration routinely to further challenge your guinea pig. Bonus tip: hide some treats along the way, and you’ll have one happy cavy! 

Make use of those shipping boxes! Guinea pigs love a good challenge, so create an obstacle course using a combination of tunnels, tubes, and cardboard boxes. Just be sure to discourage the nibbling of the cardboard obstacles! 

Vantage points‎

While they feel most comfortable in the safety of tubes and tunnels, guinea pigs enjoy a good climb! They’ll routinely scout their surroundings looking for dangers, so giving them an elevated space will help them feel more comfortable. This is another place to get creative! Build platforms from cardboard tubes, boxes, or add our Zippi Guinea Pig Run Platforms to your piggy’s space to add levels of fun. 

Toys

Some guinea pigs enjoy carrying or pushing small toys around. Guinea pig toy ideas include: small plastic balls, untreated willow or dried grass weaved-orbs, and small stuffed toys. Specially made guinea pig toys can be found at most pet stores, or choose small balls and stuffed toys from a selection of cat toys. Ensure that any small, glued-on accents are removed to prevent your guinea pig from ingesting something they’re not supposed to! And make sure each piggy has their own toy- they may be sociable, but not every piggy wants to share their favourite toy! 

You can also leave toys in their cage for them to entertain themselves while you’re away. Bird toys, or toys made for rabbits and guinea pigs can be hung from the top or sides of your piggy’s cage to provide hours of fun! Be sure to remove any bells from bird toys that are small enough to swallow. Chewing sticks made from applewood are another must-have for cage enrichment. Guinea pigs have teeth that continuously grow, and need to gnaw on wood to keep them trimmed to an appropriate length. Applewood sticks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, most of which are perfect for your cavy to carry around and gnaw on at their leisure! 

Shapeable log bridges are another great cage improvement for your guinea pigs. They can be formed into hides to run under, walkways to run across, ramps, dividers…your imagination is the limit! Untreated garden edging works too – just be sure to purchase a material that won’t harm your piggy should they taste it. 

Toilet paper or paper towel rolls are great for creating treat-stuffing toys, or cut them down to create pillars for homemade platforms. Wrapping paper tubes are extra-sturdy for cavy construction projects! If your guinea pig is young or on the small side, be sure they can’t get their heads stuck inside any tubes they have access to. 

Moving furniture

Guinea pigs need to be kept on their toes for optimal health. Another simple way to create a new and exciting environment for them is to rearrange their furnishings every time you clean their cage or enclosure. Move around their guinea pig shelters, playgrounds and guinea pig viewing platforms, and they’ll set off re-exploring their territory with gusto! 

After all of this exhausting play, your guinea pig will probably want to take a well-earned nap. Popular snooze-space options among guinea pigs are fleece hammocks or blankets. These cosy bed options will be a fast favourite with your cavy! Make sure to wash your piggy’s bed of choice in the washing machine or by hand to keep it fresh! 

Accessories to avoid

Toys: Watch out for toys with sharp edges, small attached accessories that could pose a choking hazard, or harmful materials such as treated wood. Also be wary of materials such as soft rubber or plastic that pieces can be bitten off of and swallowed. 

Exercise balls and wheels: While guinea pigs may look like large hamsters, their anatomy is quite different. Guinea pigs are not comfortable in an exercise ball or wheel, and can seriously injure their backs or feet if placed in one. Ventilation is also important for guinea pigs, and exercise balls in particular do not allow for enough airflow to keep your piggy cool.

Bridges: Guinea pigs are adorable, but not graceful! Make sure all provided bridges either have rails to prevent accidental falls, or are low enough to the ground or level below them to provide a safe place to land. 

Leash/harness: A walk may sound nice, but even the most friendly and trusting guinea pigs can panic on the end of a leash. Cavies are “flight” animals by nature, and will harm themselves struggling against a harness or leash if pulled on. A better option would be playing the string-drag game mentioned earlier, or a snuggle session on the couch with their favourite human-friend!

Creating fun games and environments for your guinea pig is rewarding for both of you! Playing with your piggy builds trust, and there’s no faster way to their hearts than through food! By treating them often, playing even more often, and giving them ways to entertain themselves while alone, you’ll ensure they’re living their best life! 

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This entry was posted in Guinea Pigs

5 Ways to Keep Your Budgie Happy and Healthy

Budgies are extremely affectionate pets that love to thrive in a family environment. You don’t need to be a bird expert to keep a small budgie under your roof. However, if you want it to thrive and be happy and healthy, there are a few things to consider.

Omlet offers you a list of 5 things to keep in mind when raising a budgie.

1- Consider investing in a cage that respects your pet and its needs

If you decide to adopt a budgie, this should be a priority. Make sure you have a cage that suits your budgie’s needs and allows it to be happy. A bird needs enough space to stretch its wings and have fun. Make sure the cage is large enough and that it gets enough sunlight. Your budgie will need to see light to be able to thrive.

Budgies fly horizontally and do not fly high, so make sure the cage is wide enough.

It is important to choose a cage that is easy to clean, as you will need to spend time keeping your bird’s area clean. This is essential for your bird’s health (and yours). Budgies need to relieve themselves regularly, approximately every 15 minutes, so you need to have easy access to all areas of the cage so that you can clean the entire cage and avoid unpleasant odours and a dirty environment for your little budgie.

You should also consider a cage that can accommodate several budgies. Although budgies can be kept alone, they do prefer the company of their own kind.

The Omlet solution: The Geo Cage

The Omlet Geo Cage for Budgies, Finches and Canaries complies with current regulations to provide your pet with the space it needs. Its innovative design provides a safe and airy living space for your budgies. This cage is the result of many years of research to provide your birds with an optimal environment to keep them happy.

This cage not only meets the needs of your budgies but is also functional and can be cleaned quickly and easily. The inside of the cage will be as good as new after your visit. In addition, The Omlet Geo Cage for Budgies, Finches and Canaries offers an exceptional design that allows it to be integrated into any interior decoration.

The cage is extremely important, as is its location. Remember to place the cage in a room with stable temperatures: not too hot, not too cold. Also, avoid rooms that are too noisy with too much traffic and activity. Your birds need peace and quiet. A bright room will make your little budgie happy. However, avoid placing the cage too close to windows, as the sun through the glass and the intense heat can be dangerous, or even fatal to your pet.

2- Don’t skimp on accessories

Taking care of your budgie is not only about giving it a place to sleep, it is also about allowing it to have fun and discover many things through a variety of accessories. The bathtub is not a trivial accessory: budgies love to stay clean. There are many plastic tubs available that allow your budgie to clean itself and feel clean all the time. Choose a bathtub that fits your cage and can easily be installed in it. It should be easy to fill from the outside.

At Omlet, we offer a Geo Bird Bath that fits our Geo cage and its sloping sides perfectly.

Technique for the bathtub: do not fill it to the brim, as you will find water everywhere. The tub should not be too small to allow your bird to enjoy it fully, but it should not be too large either so that it does not take up all the space in the cage. If the bathtub you have chosen fits easily into your budgie’s cage, you may want to consider adding it for a few hours while your bird takes a bath and removing it the rest of the time.

You should also consider quality drinkers and feeders that will allow you to feed your beloved animals properly and without hindrance.

If your budgie can clean itself and stretch its wings, it is likely to thrive and feel happy. However, it is necessary to keep it occupied with toys.

So think about furnishing its space with useful accessories that entertain your budgie. Vary the shapes, sizes and aspects to offer your pet new experiences.

Perches for budgies are extremely important for your birds and play a significant part in ensuring a better lifestyle. Choose perches with a wooden base, such as pine, as plastic fails to offer the proper grip that your bird needs, and can be bad for their feet.

Bird toys have their place in your pet’s cage, but avoid taking up the whole space. It is important to have several types of toys that you can mix up weekly to give them more variety and keep your bird entertained.

Toys stimulate your pet and prevent your budgie from getting bored.

3- A happy budgie is a well-fed budgie

There are several ways to take care of your budgie and the first way is to feed it sufficiently with quality food. What does a budgie eat? Your budgies’ favourite bird foods are seeds, vegetables and fruit. Just like other animals, dogs, cats (etc), never give your budgies chocolate and caffeine.

It is essential to ensure that the drinker is always full of water to keep your animals properly hydrated. Your birds will know how much water they need but it must be available to them. If the water is not drunk, you must change it regularly to prevent the growth of bacteria.

4- Budgies need quality sleep!

Sleep is essential for your bird. It allows your pet to rest its body and recharge its batteries. Just like human beings, sleep helps reduce stress and promotes your pet’s learning and memory. It is estimated that a budgie can sleep between 10 and 12 hours a day. A happy budgie is one that benefits from this rest time in the best conditions.

It usually prepares for bed half an hour before going to sleep. You can improve the sleeping conditions of your budgie by providing an opaque blanket, which does not let light in and ensures that your bird gets the rest it deserves. This solution also allows you to soundproof the cage a little if there is regular activity in the room. It is sufficient to keep the room dark and to let a little light through so that your budgies are not injured if they hear a noise that wakes them up. The Omlet Geo Bird Cage Cover offers your birds an ideal solution for a full and restful night’s sleep. It can be placed on any cage and allows your birds to sleep safely.

Establish a routine each night so that your budgies feel comfortable and understand when it is time to go to bed. They will feel confident that there is nothing to worry about and will fall asleep peacefully.

However, if you notice that your budgie(s) panic when you put the blanket on the cage, don’t persist. Some birds have their own habits and there is no point in insisting on certain accessories. If your budgie is happy and can sleep perfectly and peacefully without a cover, that is the main thing.

5- Give your budgie lots of love and get it used to its environment

For a budgie to be happy and healthy, nothing is more important than the love you give them in a healthy environment adapted to their needs. Never rush your budgie and give it time to adapt to any situation, new environment, new toys or accessories…

Don’t hesitate to talk to your budgie and make it feel your presence without smothering it. Repeat its name to get it used to the sound and to assimilate it. If there are several of you in the family environment, introduce the members of your family little by little without rushing your pet. No loud noises or big movements. Your friends or family can enjoy your budgie, but calmly and respectfully.

Treats and time with your pet will make your budgie happy. Make sure you spend time with your budgie. This will strengthen the bond between you. Gaining your pet’s trust is a long-term process. You can use your fingers to tame your pet little by little, for example by moistening them and placing seeds on them. Intrigued and curious, your budgie will surely come to you.

Do not hesitate to open the cage from time to time to let your bird fly in the open air in a room. Just remember to avoid bright lights that may attract your bird and end up hurting it (sunlight through a window, for example). If you decide to let your bird fly in your home, be careful with objects that could either break or hurt your pet. The room should be secure enough to prevent your budgie from ending up in the vet’s office.

An unhappy bird may become aggressive or develop health problems. This can manifest itself in regular pecking or screaming. Your budgie, if unhappy, may be more agitated than usual. If you are sure that you have done all you can to keep him happy and his aggressive behaviour persists or you detect abnormal problems, it is time to make an appointment with the vet. One visit per year to the vet is recommended to check that everything is going well with your pet.

With all these tips and tricks, your budgie can be happy and thrive by your side. All you need is patience and the right equipment and accessories for your pet’s needs.

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This entry was posted in Budgies

Pride of Omlet: Teachers Pet

This article is a part of our Pride of Omlet series, a collection of amazing stories which shine the spotlight on extraordinary pets and share their selflessness, bravery, talent and compassion with the world.

-Written by Anneliese Paul

Henni Hen is a teaching assistant by trade. A cute and cuddly chicken who loves children. She follows in the footsteps of her bubbly humans, Hamish and Verity.

Verity hatches chicks in an incubator every year at the primary school in Kent, where she works as a reception teacher. It’s a highlight for the children in spring, with lots of learning opportunities and fluffy little chicks make Easter even more special.

It was natural for Henni to become a teaching assistant at an early age. She was, after all, born in a school. Henni helped the children with topic work and became the subject of many good literacy and science lessons.

But Henni’s talent lies in her ability to help children read. Henni can’t read herself, but children who wouldn’t usually read to an adult began taking Henni to beanbag in a quiet corner where they could get cosy. Henni cuddles up and listens patiently to her young reader, giving the odd encouraging cluck.

When Henni and her sisters became too big for the classroom’s hutch, Verity and Hamish moved into a house with a garden. Instead of rehoming the chicks with local farmers (like they usually did), they decided to take Henni and her sisters home. They’d been talking about getting a dog, but both working full-time, the chickens seemed like a good option.

Most of the time, Henni is outside, like an ordinary chicken, scratching in the garden or getting up as high as she can. But Verity and Hamish potty trained her because she loves coming into the house for a cuddle, and of course, she needs to work.

During the lockdown, the children missed holding Henni. So, Henni sprang into action and delivered both live and recorded lessons from the study that she shares with Verity. Verity read children stories, and Henni sat on her shoulder, making sure the children were listening. The deputy head called Verity regularly to make sure Henni’s doing ok.

Being a caring soul, Henni also gave to the community over lockdown. Together, Henni and her sisters lay six eggs a day, so Henni and Verity decided to do a doorstep delivery service for their neighbours. At 10 am, Henni would lay an egg and make a lot of noise about it, so all the neighbours knew when their eggs are ready. Then, Henni would hop onto Verity’s shoulder, and together they delivered eggs to all the houses on their close.

When she returned home, she’d often hop onto her favourite perch (the top of the garage), and the children from the neighbourhood would come over to Verity and Hamish’s to see “the one on the roof!”

Henni and her sisters Megg, Gertie, Margot, Ginger, Rona and Nora used to live in a wooden coop in the garden and come into the garage in winter when it was cold, but Verity and Hamish wanted the best for them. So last year, they got a new home, an Omlet Eglu Cube, and now they’re cosy outside all year round.

But Henni still likes to come inside for a cuddle and can often be found sitting on the sofa between Verity and Hamish for a family film night after a hard week at work.

She’s just an ordinary brown chicken, and she’s low in the pecking order, but she’s got high hopes for the world. She’s very special to the children she teaches and the community she lives in, and of course, to her humans Verity and Hamish. She’s worthy of a gold star for an outstanding effort.

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