Weird Pets, Good Times!
Have you ever wanted to see some weird pets. Look no further, this site is dedicated to the weirdest pets you can imagine. Ranging from spiders to ox, and even rats. You won't believe the strange creatures people choose to keep as pets. Think your dog is cool? Not, check out our strange pets.
This spider is not friendly.
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Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae, from the Greek word “λύκος” meaning “wolf”. They are robust and agile hunters with good eyesight. They live mostly solitary lives and hunt alone. Some are opportunistic hunters pouncing upon prey as they find it or even chasing it over short distances. Some will even wait for passing prey in or near the mouth of a burrow.
Wolf spiders resemble Nursery web spiders (family Pisauridae), but they carry their egg sacs by attaching them to their spinnerets (Pisauridae carry their egg sacs with their chelicerae and pedipalps). Wolf spiders have two eyes out of eight that are large and prominent, distinguishing them from the Nursery web spiders, whose eyes are all of approximately equal size.
Description
There are many genera of wolf spider, ranging in body size from less than 1 to 30 millimetres (0.04 to 1.18 in).[1] They have eight eyes arranged in three rows. The bottom row consists of four small eyes, the middle row has two very large eyes (which distinguishes them from the Pisauridae), and the top row has two medium-sized eyes. They depend on their excellent eyesight to hunt. They also possess an acute sense of touch.
Their eyes reflect light well, allowing someone with a flashlight to easily hunt for them at night. Flashing a beam of light over the spider will produce eyeshine. The light from the flashlight has been reflected from the spider’s eyes directly back toward its source, producing a “glow” that is easily noticed. This is also especially helpful because the wolf spiders are nocturnal and will be out hunting for food, making it easier to find them.
Wolf spiders are unique in the way that they carry their eggs. The egg sac, a round silken globe, is attached to the spinnerets at the end of the abdomen, allowing the spider to carry her unborn young with her. The abdomen must be held in a raised position to keep the egg case from dragging on the ground, however despite this handicap they are still capable of hunting. Another aspect unique to wolf spiders is their method of infant care. Immediately after the spiderlings emerge from their protective silken case, they clamber up their mother’s legs and crowd onto her abdomen.
Because they depend on camouflage for protection, they do not have the flashy appearance of some other kinds of spiders. In general their coloration is appropriate to their favorite habitat.
Hogna is the genus with the largest of the wolf spiders. Among the Hogna species in the U.S., the nearly solid dark brown H. carolinensis (Carolina wolf spider) is the largest, with a body that can be more than one inch long. It is sometimes confused with H. helluo, which is somewhat smaller and entirely different in coloration.
Some members of the Lycosidae, such as H. carolinensis, make deep tubular burrows in which they lurk much of the time. Others, such as H. helluo, seek shelter under rocks and other shelters as nature may provide. They may wander from place to place, and are therefore more likely to be the ones attracted into human habitation when the weather starts to turn colder in autumn.
There are many smaller wolf spiders. They live on pastures and fields and are an important natural control on harmful insects.
Toxicity
Wolf spiders are capable of defensive bites, and some South American species may give bites that are medically significant. However, in general their presence works very much in favor of humans wherever they are found.[citation needed]
Wolf spiders will inject venom freely if continually provoked. Symptoms of their venomous bite include swelling, mild pain and itching. Though usually considered harmless to humans, the bite of some species may be painful. In the past, necrotic bites have been attributed to some South American species, but further investigation has indicated that those problems that did occur were probably actually due to bites by members of other genera.[2] Australian wolf spiders have also been associated with necrotic wounds, but careful study has likewise shown them not to produce such results.
Habitats
Wolf spiders can be found in a wide range of habitats both coastal and inland. These include shrublands, woodland, wet coastal forest, alpine meadows, and suburban gardens. Spiderlings disperse aerially and consequently wolf spiders have wide distributions. Although some species have very specific microhabitat needs (such as stream-side gravel beds or montane herb-fields) most are wanderers without permanent homes. Some build burrows which can be opened or have a trapdoor. Arid zone species construct turrets or plug their holes with leaves and pebbles during the rainy season to protect themselves from flood waters.
Scientists working on the forensic entomology team based at London’s Natural History Museum collect and analyse flies, beetles and their larvae collected from corpses and crime scenes. To learn more about forensic entomology and how it is being used to solve crimes.
A few years ago, Starbucks changed its Frappuccino so it would be dairy-free, but no one said anything about being bug-free. It turns out the strawberry sauce used in strawberries-and-cream Frappuccinos contains cochineal extract, which is made from the bodies of ground-up insects indigenous to Latin America. Now, vegetarian advocacy groups are offended because they have been unknowingly consuming animal products.
The base also is used in Starbucks’ strawberry smoothies and in some other foods and drinks the chain sells, including its red velvet whoopie pies. Cochineal extract and a similar ingredient called carmine, also made from the insects, are bright red and can be found in fruit juices, gelatins and other foods, as well as many makeup products. They were used for red dye in Mexico before the Spaniards arrived, and the Italian liqueur Campari originally contained carmine dye.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, an activist group, said the colorants should be banned altogether or at least required that the labels explain that they come from insects. Cochineal extract and carmine cause allergic reactions in a small segment of the population, he said, and are off-limits for most Jews who keep kosher and vegans and vegetarians, who do not eat animals.
“Nine-year-old Jesse Stump didn`t choose his newest pet rats – they chose him. He said the rats, sisters named Thelma and Daphne, immediately took a liking to him during the Michigan Humane Society rat adoption event Saturday.
`They started biting me,` he said. `They started crawling up.`”
Detroit News
I`m an animal lover, there has never been a time in my adult life when I didn`t have at least two pets in my home. Indeed I`m more than just an animal lover, I advocate for the rights of animals.
But when my home was infested with rats I didn`t make a call to the SPCA to come rescue the rats, I immediately called an exterminator.
But different strokes for different folks I always say, and if someone wants to adopt a rat — more power to them. Little Jesse knew that the rats Thelma and Daphne liked him because they bit him. Call me a bit eccentric, but I like pets who express their love by purring and rubbing their warm noses against me.
The rat adoption event wasn`t exactly a tremendous success, at the end of the day the Michigan Humane Society managed to find homes for only five rats.
I would never adopt a rat, but I commend the humane society for holding the rat adoption event: It teaches children to love all animals.
WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg woman claims a trip to a pet store turned into a nightmare when she was bitten by a domesticated rat she had hoped to buy.
Trisha Fulawka is suing Petland, alleging she is suffering from post-traumatic stress, nightmares, lingering injuries and continued pain after she was repeatedly bitten by a rat last year at the company’s store on Regent Avenue West in Winnipeg.
“It was active and playful and looked kind of friendly,” Fulawka, 25, said of her trip to the pet store on Feb. 14, 2011.
But friendly it wasn’t, she said.
In a statement of claim filed at Queen’s Bench, Fulawka alleges that when, at the instruction of the store’s staff, she reached in and attempted to pick up the rat, the creature “immediately bit her on both her hands numerous times.”
In the court documents, she alleged that in a matter of seconds, the rat bit her a minimum of six times, to her right and left index fingers, right thumb and left palm.
“There was lots of really, really deep puncture wounds,” Fulawka told the Free Press. “I was bleeding all over the place. It was a pretty traumatic experience. I’ve never been attacked by any kind of animal like that.”
The allegations have not been proven in court. A statement of defence by the company has not been filed.
Petland district manager Lori Anderson said the domestic rat that bit Fulawka was a baby, adding it was being kept at the rear of the store for more socializing because it was skittish and would bite when handled.
Anderson said Fulawka picked up the animal against the advice of the store’s staff, adding she was insistent she wanted to handle it.
“This lady was very insistent, that she had 14 pet rats and she was very, very experienced and she didn’t believe that she would be having a problem with them.”
Anderson said there was, indeed, a lot of blood and it took a while to stop the bleeding.
Anderson said after the incident, more time was spent with the baby rat to socialize it and it was later sold to another person, who reported no issues with the pet.
“Rats actually make very great pets,” Anderson said. “They’re super intelligent, very, very sociable, they usually love to be handled, they’re very affectionate.
“Of course, once in a while you can get, like any animal, a rogue one that isn’t quite as social — you just need to work with them a little bit more.”
The court documents state Fulawka sought medical treatment and was given antibiotics. There has been a buildup of scar tissue at the injury sites and she was warned by medical specialists and her attending physician that there is a potential for long-lasting nerve damage in the index finger of her right hand.
She had to undergo a series of medical appointments, tests, procedures and therapies, causing her to miss work, the statement of claim states.
Fulawka alleges that as a result of the attack, she has been diagnosed with a post-traumatic stress disorder, suffers recurring nightmares and has developed a fear of small animals. She alleges that she has had to cut back on her employable hours due to the pain and discomfort in her right index finger, and the attack aggravated an existing medical condition.
YOUNGSTERS at a local nursery welcomed some s-s-special visitors as part of a new parent and child scheme celebrating life at home.
Two snakes and rats, a giant snail and a bearded dragon made their way into the group at Buckets and Spades nursery, brought in by a parent who works with animals.
Pre-school supervisor Dave Bevan said the children had enjoyed the visit and showed a braver face than some of the adults.
He said: “We’re doing Parent Friday where parents and children come in and talk about their job or read a story to the children. They choose whether they want to spend half-an-hour or an hour, it’s to promote links to home. They very much enjoyed it, especially the snake, I think they were charmed by it. I think some of the staff were more scared than the children.”
This is the first Parent Friday session held at the nursery, and the expected arrival of the bearded dragon had set young minds racing.
Mr Bevan added: “Some of the children thought they would see something come flying into the room, but it’s just a lizard. They loved it.”
As I’ve described in an earlier post, my job for the Montana Stockgrowers Association is to visit our member ranches and take photos/videos to promote the cattle industry. My first…and second stop (loved it so much that I had to go back the next day)…was at Ehlke Herefords in Townsend, MT. Day One, which is posted below, I talked about how lively calves are and how ranching families care about the animals, their families, and the safety of the end product. Day Two, I spent with the Ehlke’s hired help, Ryan Hamilton, who took me around in the tractor to feed. Boy, when those cows see that big, round bale coming, it’s a race to see who can start chomping first. Ryan talked about how he likes doing things on the ranch “the cowboy way.” He would much rather be on horseback or on foot while in the herd as to keep the cows’ stress down. When he started talking about his job, I could really tell this is something he is passionate about. Keeping the cattle safe and calm is his number one priority – and he loves it. Ryan also said that he hopes to have his own ranch someday.
The days of spiral or pocket notebooks to keep your cattle records are giving way to a variety of improve record keeping solutions, including computer software programs designed specifically for cattle records. As time has passed and more ranchers have adopted the use of cattle software, programs such as the CattleMax herd software have become a cornerstone to producers making better and more informed decisions.
Why keep cattle records?
Some producers, for years, have not kept records on their cattle at all and instead decide to keep all heifer calves and sell all male calves. While this may continue working for you, the current conditions have more ranchers making deeper culling decisions.
An often used phrase ”You can’t manage what you don’t measure” comes to mind, and is so true. With culling and herd reductions become more common, it’s critical to be culling the lowest performing cattle based on their actual numbers and history, rather than relying solely on visual appraisal.
Learn which cattle are truly productive. With good records, it is easy to determine which cows are your top producers and are worthy of maintaining and promoting.
Track sales and purchases for financial records. View your sales and purchases to learn where you are more profitable, and which breeders may be better for your herd. Come tax time, simply click a few buttons to have a list of expenses from last year, a list of cattle you purchased and sold in a nicely formatted report. This is much better (and easier on your accountant/tax preparer) than bringing in piles of receipts and hand-written notes for them to sort through.
Benefits to your record keeping investment
By committing to and using a cattle software program, you’ll realize a variety of returns that pay back your money and time investments over and over. A few of the many returns on your investment include:
Save time – It does take time to get setup with any new program, but you’ll realize time savings as you enter new records and update existing ones. Many of us would rather be outside and working with our cattle, so CattleMax is designed to help you make the changes/additions you need, print reports, etc, with minimal time and effort.
Quality and accuracy – Which would you rather work with at your pens or in the pasture – a printed list of cattle that you will be working, or multiple pieces of notebook paper that have a handwritten list of ear tags? Plus, CattleMax helps you be aware of possible data entry problems, therefore helping to keep your records accurate.
Improved decision making – This is a core benefit to keeping better cattle records and can be overlooked.
Understood by others – Your accountant, consultant, veterinarian and others helping with your ranch will appreciate nice, organized reports, plus they will have more information and details to work with thus providing you with even better recommendations.
What records to maintain
While the specific cattle details that are kept may vary by ranch, there are core records that most producers should plan to maintain.
Recommended records: Current herd inventory, herd bulls and breeding cows individually and uniquely identified. Start with gathering as much information about your current herd as you can and enter those details into the software. Later on (as you have the time and interest), you can enter historical records such as previous calving records, sales, treatments, etc.
Nice to have records: Pasture locations for cattle, current cow palpation results, calves individually identified, individual weaning weights for calves. Individual calf records are effective for most cattle ranches, but may be a limited option for others due to herd size, acreage, etc.
Investing in a management system
Wondering what’s involved to get started with an identification system for your herd?
There’s the setup time, which involves tagging cattle (such as with ear tags), entering their information into a cattle software program, and learning your way around your new record keeping solution.
To ensure your records stay current, you’ll want to enter details about your cattle as often as possible, such as the day you gave medical treatments, when a new calf is born, etc. Ideally, you get into a habit or schedule so your records are at least updated once a week.
Also keep in mind the up-front costs, such as the purchase of a software program, identification needs (tags, applicator, etc) and possibly other hardware such as a weigh scale setup and/or Electronic ID reader.
Here it is December and all the talk is about Christmas – Christmas shopping, putting up Christmas decorations, family gatherings, etc.
My thoughts have been, for quite awhile now, how do I get the few cows I have left through the winter? In my area of Texas, we have been in a severe drought and had extremely high temperatures beginning back in April. Now it’s turning cold and all my cows have to eat is what I am feeding them every day.
Since January 1, 2011, rainfall on my place has totaled 10.65 inches through today, December 2011. There was no hay made in this area, so, to date, to have hay to feed cows, two truckloads of round bales have been bought, brought in from out of state – at an extremely high price, I might add. My cattle herd has been culled, culled deeper, then culled deeper, so that my cow numbers are as low as they have been in 15 years. Many of my neighbors have sold completely out. I am lucky, in that I have not had to worry about water for the cows – I have two wells and a spring-fed creek running through my place.
My hope, in buying hay and feeding my cows, is that I can hang on and be in the cattle business when the drought ends. Then, I can be in a position to sell cattle to those who are restocking. But, the winter presents many problems for “hanging on.” Normally, through the winter, I am grazing wheat and feeding some hay. Even though my normal wheat acreage is planted, some has emerged, but because it is dry, not grown to the point where it can be grazed. My hope is that there will be enough rain coming my way to grow that wheat to minimal grazing stage. Pastures were “grazed out” long ago.
Here’s what I have done to prepare for the winter:
1. Weaned and sold all calves, even though they had to be weaned and sold early.
2. Pregnancy checked all the cows, sold all determined to be “open.”
3. Evaluated and assigned Body Condition Scores to all the cows left after the pregnancy check culling. Any with a BCS of 4 or less were culled and sold.
4. Looked at weaning weights and ratios of the offspring, culled the cows left after the two prior cullings with offspring on the lower end. My record keeping software (CattleMax) helped a lot in this step.
5. Located and purchased what I hope is enough hay to get through the winter with the cows I have left.
6. Determined to keep protein tubs provided for the cows through the winter. Feed cubes as needed, probably every third day.
7. Prayed for rain enough to at least provide some grazing of wheat.
Prospects for that last item on the list do not look good, as meteorologists are predicting the winter to be a dry one in this area.
So, I’m looking for this winter in the cattle business to be the toughest I’ve ever faced in my more than 30 years in the business!
What has been your way of coping with the drought conditions? What are your plans going forward?
We here at strange pets blog love these weird critters. We are dedicated to finding the weirdest things possible and sharing them with our loving fans. Stay tuned for more epic weirdness. Rats, cows, bugs, you name it we'll blog about it.
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Cows are animals too. Just because I love steak doesn't mean that I don't love my bovine! Check out these guys in action.
Spiders that crawl in weird places can scare the crap out of you. Be careful around these guys.
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Rats are a personal love of mine. I do everything with mine. Have you ever taken a rat for a walk? People might look at you funny but that little guy is getting some great excercise.
