This Is What a 550lb Giant Tortoise Looks Like Compared to a Human

People are in shock after realizing just how big giant tortoises really are, after seeing a 550-pound reptile compared to a human.

A clip of the supersized creature heading to lunch has caused a stir online, after it was shared to Twitter on Wednesday.

The caption reveals the pair are Aldabra tortoises, officially the Aldabrachelys gigantea, with the bigger of the two aptly named Tank.

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Grieving Man Goes to the Shelter and Adopts All the Dogs Nobody Else Wanted

Some people love animals so much that they can’t seem to get enough of them, adopting dogs and other animals until they are surrounded by a virtual farm. One such person, Steve Grieg, has taken it upon himself to provide a forever home to senior dogs unwanted by others. But Grieg didn’t always think this way.

To read more on this story, click here: Grieving Man Goes to the Shelter and Adopts All the Dogs Nobody Else Wanted

Veteran Honors Beloved Service Dog by Making Him the Best Man at His Wedding

Service dogs play an important part in the lives of the people they serve. Whether they are acting in the capacity as a comfort or support animals, these dedicated animals are indispensable to their owners. In many cases, a service dog’s owner views them as more than just a helper, but as a best friend as well. This is the case with Justin Lansford and his service dog Gabe.

To read more on this story, click here: Veteran Honors Beloved Service Dog by Making Him the Best Man at His Wedding

Jerboas as Pets: Feeding, Housing, and Personality

Jerboas are small rodents with a rather bizarre-looking appearance that are rarely kept as pets. They are distinctive in appearance and highly sought after because they are one of the few mammals that are bipedal, maneuvering with a hopping motion in a similar fashion to kangaroos, as well as sprinting like a road runner. Their particularly thin legs and tiny size make this mode of locomotion appear even stranger; therefore jerboas are fascinating to observe in captivity.

Unfortunately, they aren’t readily available due to two important factors: they are extremely hard to breed in captivity and there is a restriction on the importation of African rodents (in the United States).

To read more on this story, click here: Jerboas as Pets: Feeding, Housing, and Personality

This Tiny Animal Looks Like A Mix Between A Mouse, A Rabbit, A Pig, And A Kangaroo And It’s Absolutely Adorable

Our Mother Nature is often quite weird and the little long-eared jerboa is the perfect example of that. I mean, just look at this tiny creature. This adorable animal has a mouse-like body, rabbit-like ears, a pig’s snout, and back legs that look like a miniature model of a kangaroo’s. Seriously, what kind of Pokemon is it? Never heard of it.

The long-eared jerboa is so mysterious, so weird, and so cute that people on the interwebs seem to be absolutely in love with this little creature.

The long-eared jerboa looks like a cross between a mouse, a rabbit, a pig, and a kangaroo

To read more on this story, click here: This Tiny Animal Looks Like A Mix Between A Mouse, A Rabbit, A Pig, And A Kangaroo And It’s Absolutely Adorable

Keeping and Caring for Pet Rats

Rats are intelligent and social animals that can make wonderful pets. They are also easily tamed, making rats especially great for someone who likes to handle their pets.

To learn how to care for them, click here: Keeping and Caring for Pet Rats

Never Keep Livestock as Pets … Except When You Do

When raising livestock for meat, farmers must follow one hard and fast rule: You can’t care about the animals you care for. Which isn’t to say you can’t respect and honor the creatures you’re tasked with raising. I believe you should, in fact, play and talk with your feeder hogs to make their life as good as possible. But you can’t love them, or else you’ll depart the processor in tears every time.

It’s simple pragmatism, but to the outsider looking in, this attitude can seem callous, especially when coupled with the livestock farmer’s other rule against keeping animals who don’t pull their weight. When budgets get tight—and farm budgets are, by nature, very tight—it doesn’t make dollars and sense to keep an old animal around just because.

Which is exactly what we’re doing with George Clooney, the 700-plus-pound Berkshire boar.

To read more on this story, click here: Never Keep Livestock as Pets … Except When You Do

 

Scientists Discover 400-Year-Old Greenland Shark Likely Born Around 1620

Greenland sharks are now the longest-living vertebrates known on Earth, according to scientists.

Researchers used radiocarbon dating of eye proteins to determine the ages of 28 Greenland sharks, and estimated that one female was about 400 years old. The former vertebrate record-holder was a bowhead whale estimated to be 211 years old.

To read more on this story, click here: Scientists Discover 400-Year-Old Greenland Shark Likely Born Around 1620

Ticks on Dogs: Know What to Look For

We all know that spring and summer are seasons to be on high alert for ticks. Dogs are particularly susceptible to tick bites and can also carry them into the house. Tick-borne diseases, including Lyme Disease, Canine Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Canine Anaplasmosis, and several others affect both humans and dogs.

And although ticks are common throughout the country, people in some states are more at risk than others. For example, Pennsylvania and Virginia are among the 14 states with the highest rate of confirmed Lyme Disease cases in the country. If you live in either of these states, you should be extra vigilant, take preventative measure and check your dog for ticks frequently.

To read more on this story, click here: Ticks on Dogs: Know What to Look For

19 Cats That Should Be Supermodels

These beautiful cats are the reason fashion shows call it a catwalk. Nobody struts their stuff like a cat.

To see these beautiful cats, click here: 19 Cats That Should Be Supermodels

The Blanket Octopus Looks Like a Rainbow Ghost Alien

Honestly, how are any of us supposed to get anything done when there are animals like this cruising above in the ocean like it’s no big deal?

WE’VE GOT technicolour ghosts down there doing… whatever technicolour ghosts do, and we’re just out here living our lives. Blast that thing into space so it can finally be with its people.

Okay, fine, it can stay, but let’s take a moment to truly appreciate how bonkers this creature is.

Meet the blanket octopus (Tremoctopus violaceus), a bizarre, impressive, gorgeous feat of evolution that might actually be even weirder than it looks.

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Senior Cat Problems: What You Should Know About Aging Cats

You and your kitty have been together through thick and thin. As the years stretch into a decade, it can be easy to forget that your faithful companion isn't the spry kitten she once was. She may not show any obvious signs of slowing down, but perhaps her last health check has you facing the fact that you love an aging cat that needs to be handled with extra care. Senior cat problems aren't always easy to spot if you don't know what to look for. Read on to learn how to recognize aging cat issues and how to best care for your senior cat.

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6 Most Common Eye Problems in Dogs

It’s never easy when your dog starts having health problems, but recognizing signs early can significantly reduce the chances of it advancing to something serious. It’s not just older dogs that experience eye problems - a number of conditions that can occur at all ages across all breeds. Here are the most common eye problems to look out for in your dog.

1. Pink Eye

Many dog owners don’t know that their furry friends can get pink eye or conjunctivitis. Similar to humans, symptoms include:

• Eye redness

• Inflammation

• Gooey discharge

If your dog has pink eye caused by a bacterial infection, he will need to see a vet and receive an antibiotic eye drop solution. In some occasions, pink eye can be brought on by an allergic reaction to pollen or cigarette smoke and will require a solution to flush the irritants out of your dog’s eyes.

To read more on this story, click here: 6 Most Common Eye Problems in Dogs

Cat Grooming Basics

Cats are neat freaks. In fact, if you’re a cat owner, you know firsthand that your cat is a fastidious groomer. After all, it seems to spend most of its life either sleeping or grooming!

But as gung-ho as your cat is about keeping itself groomed and clean, the truth is that it could still use a bit of help from you.

Grooming is about more than just keeping your cat looking good. Grooming your cat on a regular basis will also help you to keep an eye on its health. And grooming your cat can even help to prevent feline health issues such as digestive problems caused by hairballs. Regular grooming can also help to improve the health of your cat’s skin and coat.

To read more on this story, click here: Cat Grooming Basics