Patrick Kuklinski
Stories (8/0)
Is It Fair To Your Dog and Cat To Go Meatless?
There are many vegan and vegetarian pet owners whose diets don't agree with the natural diets of their pets. Until recently, there have been few options for those who wanted to have their pets also go vegan or vegetarian, unless they wanted to design and make a diet by themselves. But now, there are many name-brand options for meat-free pet foods, even for primarily carnivorous animals like dogs and cats, including options by well-known brands like Ellen DeGeneres's HALO and Nature's Recipe. But is accessibility of meat-free pet food really a good thing?
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
What To Expect at a Reptile Convention
Reptiles and amphibians are a common part of life, but not often a beloved one. Snakes are representative of deceit and evil in the media, and have been for years; they rank somewhere close to rats in terms of ‘Animals the Public Really Likes’. Crocodiles are notorious for...not coexisting well with people (of no fault of their own). Frogs and turtles are possibly the exception; while your mother may have screamed and/or attempted to throw your frog-in-the-pocket ‘gifts’ from childhood, they don’t typically strike fear into people in quite the same manner as snakes. Overall - Reptiles and amphibians don’t usually come to mind when people think of their beloved family pets. But for some people, reptiles are even more than that; keeping and breeding reptiles is their life.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
Recognizing Leucism In Our Furry Friends
We all get excited about animals with abnormal colorations. The all-yellow cardinal spotted in Alabama created headlines and attracted hopeful birdwatchers, and after many admired an unusual all-white buffalo calf, controversy ensued when it was tragically killed. But many of us don't know the causes or names of these conditions. Oftentimes, abnormally-colored animals are simply grouped under 'albino' by casual observers. Much of the time, this is incorrect. Truly albino animals have a complete loss of melanin, the pigment that gives fur, skin, and other parts of the body its color. It leads to lack of pigment in the eyes, oftentimes presenting as red or pink eyes. However, more common in the wild is leucism - a partial, but not complete, loss of pigmentation.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
Nine Mountain Dog Breeds + Their Differences
It can be hard to select a dog breed that’s right for your household, but you can make it easier by first narrowing it down to a grouping of breeds. Mountain dogs are not all the same, but they are a group of breeds that share many characteristics. Mountain dogs tend to be large, athletic, and family-oriented; so if these are traits that align well with your lifestyle, one of these breeds may turn out to be a good fit. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these amazing dogs.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
Collecting Feathers - the Legal Way
Collecting feathers is, for many, a fun pastime we’ve held onto since childhood. A bright bluejay feather or elegant woodpecker primary makes an interesting ornament that catches the eye. But unfortunately, what many aren’t aware of is that it isn’t that simple. Simply taking home a pretty feather can be highly illegal - but not in all cases. So what feathers can you keep, and which are best to leave be?
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
Raising Your Own Mealworm Colony
Mealworms are well known in the reptile-keeping world for being a convenient feeder insect to offer pet lizards, and though it’s very convenient to purchase mealworms at local pet stores or order them online, some reptile keepers, especially breeders who maintain many animals, like to try raising their own. This article will outline the basics of raising mealworms yourself, including how to load them with nutritional value, keep their environment clean, and breed your mealworms fast enough to keep up with the demand of your herps.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
Why Pigeons, Not Parrots, Are The Ideal Avian Companions
As a society, we don’t appreciate pigeons much. They’re known for being dirty, annoying, and covering everything from sidewalks to national monuments with their feces. Pigeons haven’t had a great public image — to most, they are dumb and disease ridden birds. But in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. References to domestic pigeons are found both in Egyptian hieroglyphs and Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets. Pigeons have been bred for thousands of years to work at our sides — many giving their lives to aid us as messengers of war. And yet, they are far from most people’s preferred avian pet — a parrot of various species, despite how little captivity suits them.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife