If you’re serious about setting up an aquarium, you’ll find that there are many things to consider like fish compatibility, tank size, water chemistry, and tank maintenance.
In this guide to freshwater aquariums, I’ll walk you through the steps to set up your first freshwater tank.
By the end of my beginner-friendly guide, you’ll know:
To read more on this story, click here: Beginner’s Guide to Set Up a Freshwater Aquariu
Here, we’ll explore where pet ownership and the pet population stand in the U.S. and how it differs across states and demographics. (If you're interested in facisinating statistical data from pet owners who are specifically interested in pet insurance, check out our free 2019-2020 report covering breeds, pre-existing conditions, pet names, and more.)
To read more on this story, click here: Pet Ownership Statistics by State, And So Much More (Updated 2020)
Not so fast buckaroo. Live rock is typically made up of coral, just not live coral. Semantics? Fair enough. But reef tanks typically start out as FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) tanks prior to adding live corals. Also, a FOWLR saltwater aquarium is a great place to start as a beginner.
Additionally, it’s great for advanced reefers too. What’s nice about a FOWLR is you can keep saltwater fish in your aquarium that normally wouldn’t work with a reef tank. The rockscape can be quite attractive in and of itself.
To read more on this story, click here: Saltwater Aquarium – Setup and Tips for Beginners
There's something special about spotted skunks — and it's not their smell.
Known to experts as the "acrobats" of their species, these cute little critters utilize a unique defense mechanism to protect themselves from suspected predators: a handstand.
"When they're stressed, they bounce up onto their forelimbs and then kick out their hind limbs, puff their tail up, and they actually can walk towards the predator, like basically making them look bigger and scarier," Adam Ferguson, the Negaunee Collections Manager of Mammals at the Field Museum in Chicago, told CNN.
Once locked on to their target, the skunks typically return to their normal stature before releasing their foul-smelling spray.
Spotted skunks are more carnivorous than their cousins, seeking prey like bird eggs, lizards, snakes, and rodents. They are solid climbers as well.
A new study published Wednesday in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution suggests that seven spotted skunk species currently roam the Earth. The most recent agreed-upon number, however, is four.
Ferguson, who authored the study, called the opportunity to "redraw" the skunk family tree "very exciting."
"Everyone thinks we know everything about mammalian carnivore systematics," said Ferguson.
In addition to skunks trapped in Mexico by Ferguson, researchers relied on specimens in museums to conduct the study.
Fellow study author Molly McDonough, a biology professor at Chicago State University and research associate at the Field Museum, told CNN in a statement that she managed to extract DNA from museum samples from over 100 years ago.
"The study wouldn't have been possible without the museum specimens we had," Ferguson told the outlet. "The only reason we were able to get sequences from the Yucatan were museum specimens that were collected 60 or 70 years ago."
Next, researchers plan to look into spotted skunks' reproductive habits. Though they tend to breed in the fall, the mammals typically give birth in the spring.
"It just sits in suspension for a while," Ferguson said. "We want to know why some species have delayed implantation, and others don't, and figuring out how these different species of skunks evolved can help us do that."
See video below:
Now, he is celebrated for his participation in helping, as well as investing to revive the bee population. According to statistics, one in three bites of food that you put into your mouth today is the result of the hard-working, yet humble honeybee. The sad thing is that bees are dying off at a rather alarming rate.
People around the world have done what they can, from planting flowers which bees like to visit, petitioning their governments to stop the use of pesticides which kill bees, and even keeping bees themselves. Morgan Freeman is no different. His concern about the bees led him to convert his 124-acre ranch in Mississippi into a sanctuary for wild bees with bee-friendly plants such as fruit trees and clover, magnolia trees and lavender, all spanning over many acres.
He explained: There is a concerted effort for bringing bees back onto the planet…We do not realize that they are the foundation, I think, of the growth of the planet, the vegetation…I have a lot of flowering things, and I have a gardener too. As she takes care of the bees too, all she does is figure out, 'OK, what would they like to have?', so we have got acres and acres of clover, and we have some planting stuff like lavender, I have got like, maybe 140 magnolia trees, big blossoms.
Freeman said that he did not start keeping bees as of the sweet tooth, but it was a direct response to the mass bee die-offs which was threatening the survival of wild bees for the past several years. The actor also recognized the chances of making a difference through personal action, so he imported 26 hives full of bees from Arkansas and started feeding them sugar water.
It is quite difficult to measure what kind of an effect the efforts of Freeman will have on the larger bee populations in North America, but his hobby is an inspiring gesture of goodwill toward those tiny living creatures which are usually taken for granted.
He said: I have not ever used the beekeeping hat with my bees. They haven't stung me yet, as right now I am not trying to harvest honey or anything, but I just feed them…I also think that they understand, 'Hey, don't bother this guy, he's got sugar water here.
Video:
When Steve Irwin was 6 years old, he caught a common brown venomous snake. While most kids (and adults!) would shudder at the very thought of a deadly creature, it lit a spark for the young Australian. Three years later, his passion for interacting with wildlife was in full force, as he helped reign in problem crocodiles by wrestling them into a boat.
To read more on this story, click here: Steve Irwin: The Devastating Death of ‘The Crocodile Hunter’
The 44-year-old was an avid and outspoken conservationist, whose wild adventures and utterances of his down-under catchphrase, "Crikey!" onscreen captivated millions.
To read more on this story, click here: Remembering ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin 15 years after death
Kinkajous are small mammals that are native to the rainforest.
They’re intelligent, vocal and curious animals — and they’re among the latest in the growing trend of exotic pets.
Kinkajous grow to be 2–12 pounds, depending on their subspecies, and can live for roughly 20 years. In other words, this is not a short-term pet.
To read more on this story, click here: Kinkajous: Yes, They’re Cute — But How Difficult Is It to Care Them?
So you go to the zoo and see an impossibly cute little ‘wild’ animal performing some awe-inducing behavior. It’s smaller than your dog, and it looks like it would make the perfect pet. You turn to the keeper next to you and excitedly ask, “would it make a good pet?”
“Absolutely not,” the keeper replies. “They demand a lot of care. They will destroy your furniture, pee on the walls, and bite you. They are not domesticated!”
To read more on this story, click here: Exotic Pets Actually Aren’t Hard to Care For
We think it's safe to say that we all loved the Disney classic 'Bambi' as a child. (I mean, who didn't cry at some point during the movie?) Thanks to TV and movies, deer are usually seen as friendly and sweet creatures, and there's no denying that they are indeed a majestic and beautiful animal. (Baby deer, known as fawns, are seriously the cutest!) After all, there's a reason why a female's beautiful eyes can be referred to as "doe eyes." (doe = a female deer. Thank you 'The Sound of Music'!)
These days, because of 'Bambi' and the Disney's 'Frozen' franchise, more people in the United States are considering the possibility of keeping deer as pets. But, truthfully, pet deer are a really bad idea. Here is why.
To read more on this story, click here: Why Pet Deer Are a Terrible Idea, But Still Exist
Keepers at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, tweeted a video of Echo, a seven-year-old male, making the sound on Tuesday. Watch him here:
To read more on this story, click here: Video shows a bird in an Australian zoo that has learned to perfectly mimic a human baby's crying
Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. A cat is generally thought to be hypertensive when its systolic blood pressure is above 160mm Hg.
Are certain cats more likely to get high blood pressure?
In humans, hypertension is related to several factors, including a stressful lifestyle. Although not all causes of feline hypertension have been identified, stress does not appear to play a role in the development of this disorder in cats.
To read more on this story, click here: Hypertension or High Blood Pressure in Cats
To read more on this story, click here: High Blood Pressure in Dogs (Hypertension): A Brief Guide
Sir Darius Brown, 13, was born with a fine motor skill delay, so when he was eight years old his mother, Joy Brown, thought it would be useful for him to begin working with his hands.
His sister, Dazhai Shearz, was a hair stylist and at the time was making her own hair bows. Sir Darius wanted to be just like her, so his mother had the idea that he could become her “assistant,” helping her cut fabric and eventually using the sewing machine.
To read more on this story, click here: 13-year-old boy sews bow ties in adorable effort to help shelter animals get adopted