ParasitesSeveral types of parasites are commonly associated with dogs: Intestinal worms cause varying degrees of discomfort. Heartworm is a dog parasitoid. It is hard to eliminate and can be fatal; prevention, however, is easily achieved using medication. Fleas and ticks are common parasites for which there are many effective preventive measures.Various mites cause skin problems such as mange Dangerous foods Some foods commonly enjoyed by humans are dangerous to dogs: Dogs like the flavour of chocolate, but chocolate in sufficient doses is lethally toxic to dogs (and horses and possibly cats). Chocolate contains the obromine, a chemical stimulant that, together with caffeine and theophylline, belongs to the group of methylxanthine alkaloids. Dogs are unable to metabolize theobromine effectively. If they eat chocolate, the the obromine can remain in their bloodstreams for up to 20 hours, and these animals may experience racing heartbeats, hallucinations, severe diarrhea, epileptic seizures, heart attacks, internal bleeding, and eventually death. A chocolate bar can be sufficient to make a small dog extremely ill or even kill it. In case of accidental intake of chocolate by a dog, contact a veterinarian or animal poison control immediat ely; it is commonly recommended to induce vomiting within two hours of ingestion. | |
Note: Carob treats are often available as dog treats; these are unrelated to chocolate and are safe.Grapes and raisins can cause acute renal failure in dogs. The exact mechanism is not known. As little as one raisin can be fatal to a ten pound dog and other dogs have eaten as much as a pound of grapes or raisins without ill effects. The dog usually vomits a few hours after consumption and begins showing signs of renal failure three to five days later. Onions and to a significantly lesser extent garlic contain thiosulfate which causes hemolytic anemia in dogs (and cats). Thiosulfate levels are not affected by cooking or processing. Small puppies have died of hemolytic anemia after being fed baby food containing onion powder. Occasional exposure to small amounts is usually not a problem, but continuous exposure to even small amounts can be a serious threat. Macadamia nuts can cause stiffness, tremors, hyperthermia, and abdominal pain. The exact mechanism is not known. Most dogs recover with supportive care when the source of exposure is removed. Common unsafe consumption Some dogs have a fondness for feline feces, and will raid a cat litter box for "treats". This can be unsafe for the dog's health. Feeding table scraps to a dog is sometimes not recommended. Dogs get ample correct nutrition from prepared dogfood. Otherwise, just as in humans, their diet must consist of the appropriate mix of vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins, with the appropriate mix to provide all of the minerals and vitamins that they need. A human diet is not ideal for a dog; in addition, table scraps often consist of fatty scraps rather than meat, which is no better for dogs than it is for humans. Lastly, many people overfeed their dogs by giving them all the table scraps that the dogs will eat—which is usually all the table scraps they are fed, which is often too much food. Common household chemicals Some common household chemicals are particularly dangerous to dogs: Antifreeze, due to its sweet taste, poses an extreme danger of poisoning to a dog that either drinks from a spill or licks it off its fur. It can cause seizures and death. Dogs should not be allowed access to any place in which an antifreeze leak or spill has happened until the spill is completely cleaned out. Some brands of antifreeze are marketed as being less harmful or less attractive to animals. Treats Many dogs consider anything given them directly by hand to be a treat, even the food they are accustomed to at meal time. Special dog treats are not necessary for such animals. Care should also be taken to avoid dropping small but inedible objects (such as marbles, coins, rings, etc.) around such dogs. | |
Monday, January 31, 2011
Dog health
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Herbal Treatment as altenative treatment for pets
It is the most reliable way to cure health problems of your pet. Your pet may suffer from various health problems such as itching, hair loss, abscess, infection, gastrointestinal problems, worms, dehydration, ulcers, kidney problems and respiratory problems. Such health problems can be treated with herbs.
Before you start a herbal treatment for your pet, you should keep in mind that pets like dogs and cats have short digestive systems. As a result, they can’t digest herbs in a saturated or raw form. Therefore, a tincture form of herbs is used to treat your pet. Herbal tea is an acceptable alternative for your pet. While preparing a herbal tea, boiling water is poured over the herbs and allowed to steep for few minutes. However, before starting any kind of herbal treatment, it is better to consult with the veterinarian.
Herbs that are commonly used
Herbs have antiseptic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and stimulant properties. They also strengthen the immune system of your pet. By understanding the beneficial properties of each plant, you may use it for relieving your pet off various illnesses. Some commonly used herbs are lavender, basil, aloe vera, garlic, nettle, seaweed, tea tree, licorice, rosemary and dandelion. Basil possesses antiseptic properties. Garlic is also antiseptic and expectorant and it is used to treat the problems related to respiratory system of your pet. Seaweed is a rich source of nutrients. Lavender has relaxation properties. Nettles are used as a stimulant, astringent and diuretic. Dandelion is effective for kidney and liver disorders. Aloe vera has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.
Herbal Treatment for pets
Before you start a herbal treatment for your pet, you should keep in mind that pets like dogs and cats have short digestive systems. As a result, they can’t digest herbs in a saturated or raw form. Therefore, a tincture form of herbs is used to treat your pet. Herbal tea is an acceptable alternative for your pet. While preparing a herbal tea, boiling water is poured over the herbs and allowed to steep for few minutes. However, before starting any kind of herbal treatment, it is better to consult with the veterinarian.
Herbs that are commonly used
Herbs have antiseptic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and stimulant properties. They also strengthen the immune system of your pet. By understanding the beneficial properties of each plant, you may use it for relieving your pet off various illnesses. Some commonly used herbs are lavender, basil, aloe vera, garlic, nettle, seaweed, tea tree, licorice, rosemary and dandelion. Basil possesses antiseptic properties. Garlic is also antiseptic and expectorant and it is used to treat the problems related to respiratory system of your pet. Seaweed is a rich source of nutrients. Lavender has relaxation properties. Nettles are used as a stimulant, astringent and diuretic. Dandelion is effective for kidney and liver disorders. Aloe vera has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.
Herbal Treatment for pets
Itching: Flea bite is the common cause of itching in pets. Some animals are allergic to fleabites. Garlic tincture is used to repel fleas. Use natural shampoo containing aloe vera to bathe your pet. You can also make a herbal dip using fresh peppermint, rosemary or pennyroyal. If itching persists and fleas are not responsible, a mixture of Cat’s Claw, dandelion root and licorice roots in equal amount for about two weeks can be beneficial for your pet.
Abscess: Chamomile used in the abscess prevents infection. Peppermint tea is recommended to irrigate an open abscess. However, if the abscess is deep, then it’s better to consult the veterinarian.
Parasites: Cider vinegar repels some insects. Goldenseal and powdered garlic mixed in olive oil are applied on the skin infested with demodectic mange. Large amount of vegetable oil is rubbed on the skin in order to starve the demodex mites off oxygen.
Ulcers: If your pet is suffering from ulcers, then you may give it nettle, calendula, knotgrass and comfrey, two drops of each twice a day.
Anxiety and stress: When your pet suffers from anxiety or stress, a combination of extracts of valerian, oats and chamomile is helpful.
Urinary system: Herbs like horsetail and stone root prevent the formation of urinary stones in your pet. Bacterial cystitis is treated with juniper berry and bearberry leaf. Fennel seed, peppermint herb and marshmallow root help to soothe the urinary tract.
Digestive health: Herbs also offer an effective treatment for digestive problems in your pet. Most digestive problems in pets are caused by intestinal parasites like Coccidia and tapeworm. Herb of Grace protects your pet from intestinal parasites. Cloves are detoxifying agents, used to cleanse the digestive system. Wormwood supports blood and digestive tract cleansing.
So, we can say that herbal treatment is the alternative way to treat your pets, safely and relaibly for their good health.
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Monday, January 17, 2011
How to Identify a Spider
Spiders are highly diverse arthropods, and identifying a spider species is challenging even for arachnologists. This article tells you how to identify a spider with simple tips on identifying it.
Many people are confused as to whether spiders are insects or not. Well, they are not insects, but animal species classified under the phylum Arthropoda. Except for extremely cold regions, spider habitats are found all over the world. So, you can imagine the diversity in these arthropods. As of date, about 40,000 spider species are described scientifically. If you have a keen interest on how to identify a spider, take simple steps for distinguishing spiders from the remaining arachnids.
Basic Spider Identification Guide
The subbranch of zoology that deals with in-depth study of spiders is referred to as Arachnology. Though different types of spiders have specific features unique to them, they all share some common attributes. These animal species are air-breathing arthropods and bear special appendages (called chelicerae) near the mouth. These mouth parts are modified for grasping their prey and injecting venom. The body is divided into two main parts, the cephalothorax and abdomen. Unlike common insects, spiders have four pairs of legs.
A reliable key concerning how to identify a spider is its ability of spinning webs, which vary in shape, size and pattern according to species. In fact, it is possible to identify a spider by its web. Say for example, the Australian garden orb weaver spider, and black and yellow garden spider make large orb webs; while the comb-footed spiders spin tangled webs. Likewise, there are tubular webs, funnel webs, tent webs and sheet ways amongst others. Some spider species are known for their decorative webs having intricate designs.
How to Identify Poisonous House Spiders?
Of all the animals, spiders are listed seventh for their highly diverse species. With great diversity amongst spiders, it is not so easy to identify them individually. For identification, you need to have a watchful eye and magnifying hand lens to examine the color, body shape and various body parts. And while trying to identify a spider, do not handle it directly with hands. Some of the species are poisonous and spider bites can be dangerous. Here's how to identify a spider from its external characteristic features.
Black Widow Spider
The black widow spider is a very easy to identify house spider. If you notice one with distinctive red markings on the underside of its body, it is probably the female black widow spider. Background color is shiny black, and abdomen is bulbous. In simple words, its body shape looks like an hourglass. The female spider is larger and more venomous than the male black widow spider.
Funnel-Web Spider
There are about 40 species of funnel web spiders, and they are known to be some of the world's most poisonous spiders. They are larger types of spiders, measuring about 1.5-5 cm in body length. Having a glossy black head, the body portion may be brown or black in color. The eyes are abnormally small with reference to the body size, and are positioned closely. The female funnel-web spider is bigger than the male counterpart.
Brown Recluse Spider
Speaking more about how to identify a spider, let's take a look at brown recluse spider. As the name goes, the body color of this small spider (body length 0.7.1.2 mm) is uniform brown, and devoid of markings. The legs are covered with fine tuffs of hair, but lack spines. The identifying attribute of brown recluse is the presence of 3 pairs of eyes, while other spiders have 4 pairs.
Hobo Spider
Included in the poisoning spiders list, it is responsible for several cases of envenomation in Europe and North America. The adult hobo spider is 1.2-1.8 cm in length, brown in color and lacks the typical abdominal markings. Rather, hobo spider has several chevron like markings in the abdomen, and its whole body is covered by fine short hair. The male hobo spider can be identified from its two distinct palps.
Though general tips for identifying spiders are understandable, you will need reference pictures and specimens for how to identify species of a spider. Once you are thorough with the basic keys for how to identify a spider, you can proceed to describing spider species that you find interesting. What you can do is jot down the external characters, and compare them with the description of similar spider species. With reliable spider information and pictures (labeled), identifying these creatures becomes easy.
Basic Spider Identification Guide
The subbranch of zoology that deals with in-depth study of spiders is referred to as Arachnology. Though different types of spiders have specific features unique to them, they all share some common attributes. These animal species are air-breathing arthropods and bear special appendages (called chelicerae) near the mouth. These mouth parts are modified for grasping their prey and injecting venom. The body is divided into two main parts, the cephalothorax and abdomen. Unlike common insects, spiders have four pairs of legs.
A reliable key concerning how to identify a spider is its ability of spinning webs, which vary in shape, size and pattern according to species. In fact, it is possible to identify a spider by its web. Say for example, the Australian garden orb weaver spider, and black and yellow garden spider make large orb webs; while the comb-footed spiders spin tangled webs. Likewise, there are tubular webs, funnel webs, tent webs and sheet ways amongst others. Some spider species are known for their decorative webs having intricate designs.
How to Identify Poisonous House Spiders?
Of all the animals, spiders are listed seventh for their highly diverse species. With great diversity amongst spiders, it is not so easy to identify them individually. For identification, you need to have a watchful eye and magnifying hand lens to examine the color, body shape and various body parts. And while trying to identify a spider, do not handle it directly with hands. Some of the species are poisonous and spider bites can be dangerous. Here's how to identify a spider from its external characteristic features.
Black Widow Spider
The black widow spider is a very easy to identify house spider. If you notice one with distinctive red markings on the underside of its body, it is probably the female black widow spider. Background color is shiny black, and abdomen is bulbous. In simple words, its body shape looks like an hourglass. The female spider is larger and more venomous than the male black widow spider.
Funnel-Web Spider
There are about 40 species of funnel web spiders, and they are known to be some of the world's most poisonous spiders. They are larger types of spiders, measuring about 1.5-5 cm in body length. Having a glossy black head, the body portion may be brown or black in color. The eyes are abnormally small with reference to the body size, and are positioned closely. The female funnel-web spider is bigger than the male counterpart.
Brown Recluse Spider
Speaking more about how to identify a spider, let's take a look at brown recluse spider. As the name goes, the body color of this small spider (body length 0.7.1.2 mm) is uniform brown, and devoid of markings. The legs are covered with fine tuffs of hair, but lack spines. The identifying attribute of brown recluse is the presence of 3 pairs of eyes, while other spiders have 4 pairs.
Hobo Spider
Included in the poisoning spiders list, it is responsible for several cases of envenomation in Europe and North America. The adult hobo spider is 1.2-1.8 cm in length, brown in color and lacks the typical abdominal markings. Rather, hobo spider has several chevron like markings in the abdomen, and its whole body is covered by fine short hair. The male hobo spider can be identified from its two distinct palps.
Though general tips for identifying spiders are understandable, you will need reference pictures and specimens for how to identify species of a spider. Once you are thorough with the basic keys for how to identify a spider, you can proceed to describing spider species that you find interesting. What you can do is jot down the external characters, and compare them with the description of similar spider species. With reliable spider information and pictures (labeled), identifying these creatures becomes easy.
Baby Goat
Want to know how to care for a baby goat, or what to name them if you decide to keep one as a pet? This article will give you all the information that you need about a kid. Read on and learn more...
Baby Goat Care
Just like any other animal or human kid, the baby goat needs to be left alone with it's mother the first few weeks, especially the first 24 hours. Want to know why? Well this is because the lining of the goat's digestive system changes 24 hours after they are born and within this 24 hours, the lining is able to take in the colostrum. Wondering what a colostrum is? It is the first milk that is produced by the mother goat after giving birth and this milk is rich in various nutrients, proteins, antibodies which helps in protecting the kid from various diseases, and also carbs. This milk is important for the baby goat and they can be absorbed only within the first 24 hours after it's birth. Hence it's important that the kid is kept with it's mother as soon as it's born.
The next thing that you have to make sure is that you have a place ready where the kid can sleep. The place should be warm and dry and should be protected from the rain and the sun. Also make sure that the place is not drafty. Pile up some hay for the kid to sleep on. If it's winter, then make sure that you have a heat lamp placed in the shed or in the barn in order to keep the place warm.
Next comes the most important part of feeding these baby goats. These kids have to be fed regularly and since they have a small stomach, you might need to feed them at least 4 to 5 times a day. This is again another reason why it's best that you keep the baby goat with it's mother the first few days. Now what to feed the young goats? You can feed them goat milk. Goat milk benefits are huge not only for humans but for baby goats too. You can feed these kids with the help of a feeding bottle. Increase the size of the point on the nipple and then hold it near the mouth of the kid. The kid will refuse at first, but you have to be patient.
In order to prevent your baby goat from suffering from any kind of health issues, you have to take special care of them. De worm them regularly, trim their hooves so that they do not suffer from any problems related to the hooves. Give them the proper required vaccination when they are three weeks of age. For this you can contact your vet who will tell you all about the vaccinations as well as when to take the booster dose. With a warm and damp cloth, clean the ears, the legs, the hooves and the face of the baby goat regularly. If you follow these tips, your baby goats will grow up to be healthy and strong.
Tortoises as Pets
Tortoises as pets are excellent for people who want low maintenance pets and who have a smaller moving space. This article talks about the various breeds of tortoises which can be taken as pets.
Almost all of us love having pets at our house. They are great to care of and require less space to live. However, many people are scared of dogs and cats but no one is scared of tortoises. So it's a great pet for adults and kids. The only challenge that you face when you take tortoises as pets are their dietary habits. These diets depend on which type of tortoises you have taken as pets. Various species of tortoises have various dietary needs, many of them have large appetites and need a decent amount of food daily. It's also necessary that they are kept in their preferred climate, so that they grow and mature well.
Tortoises as pets for children are a great option because tortoises live for a very long time if proper care and nutrition is given to them. So it's very necessary to make sure that their small needs are fulfilled. Remember with proper care and diet, these amazing reptiles can outlive you and your children. They make wonderful companions for kids and before picking up one of them, it's recommended that you have a correct knowledge about their behavior and different breeds.
Types of Tortoises as Pets
Now that you've decided that you want a tortoise as a pet, it's time you know the most popular breeds of tortoises which are being kept as pets.
Box Tortoise
They are one of the most loved species of tortoises but they have very specific needs which need to be taken care off before purchasing them. They are basically from North America and Mexico and are mainly found in thick forests and deserts. Although they are not good swimmers, they will never be far from water and they require it especially in hot seasons for cooling. They eat meat but in their later years they prefer eating fruits and vegetables. As pets, they require a very large space to move. If you're giving it a turtle pen make sure there are some plants in it. Including some large rocks is also a good option as they like their hiding space.
Red Eared Slider
Red eared slider is a favorite among kids and has been popular since many decades. They are from Alabama, western Texas and New Mexico. They are herbivores and like feeding on various kinds of plants. A basic glass aquarium is the best for red eared slider. They are fairly easy to keep and do well in ample room. If you are keeping them in a water tank it's advised that the size is at least 25 gallons. Cover the tank with a top just in case. These tortoises should be kept warm at all times and should be given ample early morning sunlight to survive.
Desert Tortoises
They'll live long for 50 or 60 years. For housing they need a large aquarium and make sure the floor is filled paper towels or garden dirt. They can be given both vegetables and meat but make sure you five small pieces of meat and bones for them to nibble. Outdoor housing is preferred than indoor captivity. Outside keepers like to put their desert tortoises as pets in burrows so that their natural environment can be imitated.
Russian Tortoises
The Russian tortoise is an active breed and is a favorite among kids. If they are cared well enough, they will probably live for more than 50 years. Russian tortoises as pets prefer a diet which is rich in calcium, their favorite are strawberries, spinach lettuce and kale. You can also include different types of berries and vegetables in their daily diet. They need a large tank and make sure it has large walls and deep digging space. Also keep a hiding space for your tortoise to hide.
Tortoises as Pets: UK
The British have been keeping tortoises as pets for many years now. They are one of the most common pets in the common British household. Now due to many wildlife preservation acts, there's a ban on having tortoises as pets in households. However, there are few pets which still can be taken as pets, they are
Tortoises as pets for children are a great option because tortoises live for a very long time if proper care and nutrition is given to them. So it's very necessary to make sure that their small needs are fulfilled. Remember with proper care and diet, these amazing reptiles can outlive you and your children. They make wonderful companions for kids and before picking up one of them, it's recommended that you have a correct knowledge about their behavior and different breeds.
Types of Tortoises as Pets
Now that you've decided that you want a tortoise as a pet, it's time you know the most popular breeds of tortoises which are being kept as pets.
Box Tortoise
They are one of the most loved species of tortoises but they have very specific needs which need to be taken care off before purchasing them. They are basically from North America and Mexico and are mainly found in thick forests and deserts. Although they are not good swimmers, they will never be far from water and they require it especially in hot seasons for cooling. They eat meat but in their later years they prefer eating fruits and vegetables. As pets, they require a very large space to move. If you're giving it a turtle pen make sure there are some plants in it. Including some large rocks is also a good option as they like their hiding space.
Red Eared Slider
Red eared slider is a favorite among kids and has been popular since many decades. They are from Alabama, western Texas and New Mexico. They are herbivores and like feeding on various kinds of plants. A basic glass aquarium is the best for red eared slider. They are fairly easy to keep and do well in ample room. If you are keeping them in a water tank it's advised that the size is at least 25 gallons. Cover the tank with a top just in case. These tortoises should be kept warm at all times and should be given ample early morning sunlight to survive.
Desert Tortoises
They'll live long for 50 or 60 years. For housing they need a large aquarium and make sure the floor is filled paper towels or garden dirt. They can be given both vegetables and meat but make sure you five small pieces of meat and bones for them to nibble. Outdoor housing is preferred than indoor captivity. Outside keepers like to put their desert tortoises as pets in burrows so that their natural environment can be imitated.
Russian Tortoises
The Russian tortoise is an active breed and is a favorite among kids. If they are cared well enough, they will probably live for more than 50 years. Russian tortoises as pets prefer a diet which is rich in calcium, their favorite are strawberries, spinach lettuce and kale. You can also include different types of berries and vegetables in their daily diet. They need a large tank and make sure it has large walls and deep digging space. Also keep a hiding space for your tortoise to hide.
Tortoises as Pets: UK
The British have been keeping tortoises as pets for many years now. They are one of the most common pets in the common British household. Now due to many wildlife preservation acts, there's a ban on having tortoises as pets in households. However, there are few pets which still can be taken as pets, they are
· Greek or Spur-Thighed Tortoise
· Hermann’s Tortoise
· Marginated Tortoise
· Horsfield’s Tortoise
· Bell’s Hinge-Back Tortoise
Hope this article on tortoises as pets was useful to you. Before selecting on any one of the breeds, it's important that you take note of the animal laws in your state and then proceed with acquiring them
How Do Parrots Talk?
You must have heard parrots talking funny. You must have seen parrots mimicking you? How do parrots talk? How at all do they manage to reproduce human speech? We have the answers.
Have you tried training a parrot to talk? Now don't look like that. There are parrots which talk. Well, this does not mean all parrots talk. But some definitely do. Now, do they understand words like we do, is another question. But some types of parrots do produce sounds that can be interpreted as words and some of them can actually be trained to talk. Do all parrots talk? What parrots talk the best? That's something we will try to answer in this article. We will also see how difficult or easy it is to train parrots to talk and what it is that differentiates a parrot's talk from that of other birds. Don't tell me, you didn't know birds talk!
Birds That Talk
Parrots are birds; they are some of those which can actually talk. So, before moving to how do parrots talk, let's find out why and how birds talk. Birds are intelligent creatures and most of them, social by nature. It's in their nature to want to communicate and try to interact with those around. So, it's obvious for birds kept as pets to be able to communicate with the people in the house. When brought home, birds look at you as a part of their social circle and try to communicate with you in their way. In this effort, these birds acquire your language, to at least a small extent and try to talk like you do. Intelligent that they mostly are, birds can mimic you. They can even produce sounds resembling those of other birds. Apart from their urge to communicate, they also find the human sound interesting. Pet birds master the art to reproduce human-like speech, primarily because of their urge to communicate with people and also because our speech catches their attention. How do birds talk? They have a small structure called syrinx located in their throat. The medial tympaniform membranes on the syrinx bring about air flow in the throat, leading to production of sound. Birds have multiple air sacs which play a part in causing vibrations of the tympaniform membranes thus producing sounds.
Similar to how children learn to talk from their parents and people around them, birds too, acquire the ability to speak from their parents or other birds they come in contact with. Studies have shown that birds novice to speech, if kept in the company of talking birds learn to talk easily. In fact, the company of a bird which knows how to talk is perhaps the best way to train a bird to talk. Here we are trying to answer how parrots talk, but it's not just parrots, even birds like the crow and budgerigars can talk. European starlings can mimic sounds while others like macaws and hill mynas can also talk. And among parrots, the most prominent ones are the Amazon parrots and the African Greys. The first answer you would get to 'which parrots are the best talkers' is perhaps 'African Grey Parrots'.
How Do Parrots Talk
Like we saw earlier, it's the syrinx of these birds that causes the production of sound. Parrots do not have vocal cords like we do. The expulsion of air from the trachea leads to production of sound. Parrots change the shape and depth of their trachea to produce different sounds. We call it 'talking' but it is nothing very different from the normal chirping or cooing. The bodily mechanism with which the sound is produced is the same. We call a particular sound as 'talking' because of its distinct quality, ie texture, frequency and tone. It somewhat resembles human speech, which is why we refer to it as the parrot talking. The talking of parrots can be compared to that of kids, who have just begun to speak. Like kids want to mimic what the elders say, even parrots do. They produce sounds similar to human speech in trying to mimic humans and also gain their attention. They are attention seekers like kids are!
How do parrots talk so clearly? And how do they learn to? It will not be an exaggeration to say that parrots talk almost instinctively. A need to communicate is in their nature. They want to interact, they take interest in trying to reproduce the sounds they are exposed to, they want to mimic everything they hear. And that makes parrots talk. Moreover they are intelligent birds, which is why near-perfect reproduction of sound is not very difficult for them. They have mastered the art of mimicry and that's how parrots talk! Also go through some of the other interesting facts about parrots.
If you have a parrot as your pet, it's up to you to encourage it to talk. (If at all you want to!) You can be the proud owner of a talking parrot if you give it the right training. True, a parrot will begin mimicking you without you telling it to. But it will also expect you to respond positively. Your parrot will want you to teach it different sounds and train it to talk. Basically, it will seek your attention and for that, it will start imitating your words and even your voice! How can parrots talk while other animals cannot? It's in their nature, as I said earlier, and it's also because they are intelligent and social in nature.
Why do parrots talk? Gathering attention is one reason why parrots talk. The second reason, is their urge to communicate. Parrots talk to satisfy their social need. And the most important reason is their ability to mimic sounds. Simply put, parrots talk because they can. But, do parrots understand what they say? They remember what they hear and reproduce it, without actually meaning what they say. It's like the kids; they just imitate the words and actions of the elders in the house, without understanding their meaning or context.
How to Teach a Parrot to Talk?
Parrots, being clever can associate their words with actions. These feathered friends can be trained to correlate words/sounds and actions. For example, if your parrot has heard you say "Hello" whenever a guest enters, it will also learn to greet your guests with a hello-like sound. Or if it observes that it is being offered food when it makes a certain kind of sound, it is intelligent enough to make that sound, its cry for food! Similarly, you can also train your parrot to say certain things in certain situations. For example, a 'welcome' when someone enters your house, or a 'goodbye' when someone's about to leave. You can even teach your parrot a song! The tune will go for a toss, but it will get the lyrics right! You can teach your parrot to talk by repeating words and phrases you want it to learn and by offering it treats whenever it mimics you. Keeping it in the company of an already talkative bird is also a good way to teach your parrot to talk. Learn more on teaching a parrot how to talk.
Which Parrots Talk?
What parrots talk the best? African Grey Parrots, Amazon parrots and the Macaws, as we saw, are the most talkative of the lot. African Greys have excellent cognitive abilities. Alex, an African Grey parrot had a vocabulary of 100 words, and according to the World Science report of 2005, understood the concept of zero. Now isn't that amazing? Prudle had a record vocabulary of 800 words. N'kisi, another African Grey even has a sense of humor. (How does it laugh?) Arielle, a Macaw parrot uses a vocabulary of 4000 expressions, Moreover, she uses correct English. (Now would you say, parrots don't understand what they say?)
Birds That Talk
Parrots are birds; they are some of those which can actually talk. So, before moving to how do parrots talk, let's find out why and how birds talk. Birds are intelligent creatures and most of them, social by nature. It's in their nature to want to communicate and try to interact with those around. So, it's obvious for birds kept as pets to be able to communicate with the people in the house. When brought home, birds look at you as a part of their social circle and try to communicate with you in their way. In this effort, these birds acquire your language, to at least a small extent and try to talk like you do. Intelligent that they mostly are, birds can mimic you. They can even produce sounds resembling those of other birds. Apart from their urge to communicate, they also find the human sound interesting. Pet birds master the art to reproduce human-like speech, primarily because of their urge to communicate with people and also because our speech catches their attention. How do birds talk? They have a small structure called syrinx located in their throat. The medial tympaniform membranes on the syrinx bring about air flow in the throat, leading to production of sound. Birds have multiple air sacs which play a part in causing vibrations of the tympaniform membranes thus producing sounds.
Similar to how children learn to talk from their parents and people around them, birds too, acquire the ability to speak from their parents or other birds they come in contact with. Studies have shown that birds novice to speech, if kept in the company of talking birds learn to talk easily. In fact, the company of a bird which knows how to talk is perhaps the best way to train a bird to talk. Here we are trying to answer how parrots talk, but it's not just parrots, even birds like the crow and budgerigars can talk. European starlings can mimic sounds while others like macaws and hill mynas can also talk. And among parrots, the most prominent ones are the Amazon parrots and the African Greys. The first answer you would get to 'which parrots are the best talkers' is perhaps 'African Grey Parrots'.
How Do Parrots Talk
Like we saw earlier, it's the syrinx of these birds that causes the production of sound. Parrots do not have vocal cords like we do. The expulsion of air from the trachea leads to production of sound. Parrots change the shape and depth of their trachea to produce different sounds. We call it 'talking' but it is nothing very different from the normal chirping or cooing. The bodily mechanism with which the sound is produced is the same. We call a particular sound as 'talking' because of its distinct quality, ie texture, frequency and tone. It somewhat resembles human speech, which is why we refer to it as the parrot talking. The talking of parrots can be compared to that of kids, who have just begun to speak. Like kids want to mimic what the elders say, even parrots do. They produce sounds similar to human speech in trying to mimic humans and also gain their attention. They are attention seekers like kids are!
How do parrots talk so clearly? And how do they learn to? It will not be an exaggeration to say that parrots talk almost instinctively. A need to communicate is in their nature. They want to interact, they take interest in trying to reproduce the sounds they are exposed to, they want to mimic everything they hear. And that makes parrots talk. Moreover they are intelligent birds, which is why near-perfect reproduction of sound is not very difficult for them. They have mastered the art of mimicry and that's how parrots talk! Also go through some of the other interesting facts about parrots.
If you have a parrot as your pet, it's up to you to encourage it to talk. (If at all you want to!) You can be the proud owner of a talking parrot if you give it the right training. True, a parrot will begin mimicking you without you telling it to. But it will also expect you to respond positively. Your parrot will want you to teach it different sounds and train it to talk. Basically, it will seek your attention and for that, it will start imitating your words and even your voice! How can parrots talk while other animals cannot? It's in their nature, as I said earlier, and it's also because they are intelligent and social in nature.
Why do parrots talk? Gathering attention is one reason why parrots talk. The second reason, is their urge to communicate. Parrots talk to satisfy their social need. And the most important reason is their ability to mimic sounds. Simply put, parrots talk because they can. But, do parrots understand what they say? They remember what they hear and reproduce it, without actually meaning what they say. It's like the kids; they just imitate the words and actions of the elders in the house, without understanding their meaning or context.
How to Teach a Parrot to Talk?
Parrots, being clever can associate their words with actions. These feathered friends can be trained to correlate words/sounds and actions. For example, if your parrot has heard you say "Hello" whenever a guest enters, it will also learn to greet your guests with a hello-like sound. Or if it observes that it is being offered food when it makes a certain kind of sound, it is intelligent enough to make that sound, its cry for food! Similarly, you can also train your parrot to say certain things in certain situations. For example, a 'welcome' when someone enters your house, or a 'goodbye' when someone's about to leave. You can even teach your parrot a song! The tune will go for a toss, but it will get the lyrics right! You can teach your parrot to talk by repeating words and phrases you want it to learn and by offering it treats whenever it mimics you. Keeping it in the company of an already talkative bird is also a good way to teach your parrot to talk. Learn more on teaching a parrot how to talk.
Which Parrots Talk?
What parrots talk the best? African Grey Parrots, Amazon parrots and the Macaws, as we saw, are the most talkative of the lot. African Greys have excellent cognitive abilities. Alex, an African Grey parrot had a vocabulary of 100 words, and according to the World Science report of 2005, understood the concept of zero. Now isn't that amazing? Prudle had a record vocabulary of 800 words. N'kisi, another African Grey even has a sense of humor. (How does it laugh?) Arielle, a Macaw parrot uses a vocabulary of 4000 expressions, Moreover, she uses correct English. (Now would you say, parrots don't understand what they say?)
Weaning Puppies
Weaning puppies is an important process of helping puppies learn to take up food other than their mother's milk or formula milk. Let us learn about how to wean puppies by going through the following article...
It is a matter of hard work when raising a puppy litter. Not only is the mother all drained, but also the owner is totally fatigued. Just like human babies, it is important to understand the right way to wean puppies. This is because you have to start feeding them real food and not just survive on momma's milk. Weaning puppies is an important step in puppy development and care. Many people often wonder how to wean puppies, especially, if they are caring for a litter for the first time. Let us go through the following guide to weaning puppies and understand the right way of weaning puppies from their mother. Get into the details of developmental stages of a puppy.
When to Start Weaning Puppies
Puppies tend to start nursing immediately after birth. A few tend to nurse after 2 to 3 hours of birth. This first nursing is very important for all puppies as they get the required antibodies from their mothers colostrum. These antibodies help keep their bodies away from many dog illnesses. You will observe that the puppies tend to feel hungry and want to nurse every two hours during their first week of life. Gradually, they tend to nurse every 3 hours by the end of second week and then after every four hours by the third week. The mother will lick the puppies around their genitals and anus after they have nursed. This process helps stimulate urination and bowel movements in puppies. You can read about stages of puppy's growth in detail.
However, most of the breeders need to give away the puppies for adoption. This is the reason why they are interested in learning when to start weaning puppies. Weaning puppies is a process where the puppies are gradually taught to start eating solid food and stop drinking their mothers milk as their primary food. Many breeders argue weaning puppies at 4 weeks is a better idea and some feel weaning puppies at 6 weeks will prove to be a better choice health wise.
Weaning puppies too early tends to have a negative impact on their health. Their digestive system is not yet fully developed to handle solid food. This is why the right time of weaning puppies from their mother is three weeks. Weaning puppies at 4 weeks or even sooner at 3 weeks requires a lot of planning. This is because they do not get the required amounts of nutrients from their mother's milk. This makes them vulnerable to infections like parvo virus infection. Let us have a look at how to wean puppies the right way. Read about puppy potty training.
How to Wean Puppies
Once you know the right age of weaning puppies, you need to understand how to wean puppies. When weaning puppies at 4 weeks or 3 weeks, you should begin to keep them away from their mother. Keep them away from their mother about 1 hour before its time for them to feed. This will make them hungry and they will try to eat the semi solid food you place near them. Start with with semi-solid food as it will be easier to swallow and then digest. Place very little of the food in a shallow dish and you will find most of them hungrily gobble it up. If a few are still apprehensive or averse to eating, then try and encourage them to eat lovingly. Place a bit of the food near their noses or on the tip of the tongue. Soon, they too will catch up with their brothers and sisters. Get information on puppy teething.
After the puppies have eaten, bring them near their mother. She will clean them up and finish the left over food. Your puppies may make a mess around them while eating dog food. Therefore, make sure you place old newspapers on the floor. This is because they will try to suckle the food like they did when drinking milk. They still don't know the concept of eating and will take time to understand the right way of eating solid food. You can read more about the best dog food for puppies.
Gradually, begin to decrease the amount of water in the food. So, by the end of 6 weeks, your puppies will happily be munching upon solid kibbles. Go slow is the 'mantra' here. Do not try to hasten the process, or you will end up with a few puppies with upset tummies. The right way to wean puppies is to gradually decrease the amount of food given to the mother and increase the amount of food given to the puppies. This will make the mother produce less milk and make the puppies eat more solid food than milk. This is all about weaning puppies. Make sure you ask the breeder about how to wean puppies and help your puppies dig their teeth into solid food.
When to Start Weaning Puppies
Puppies tend to start nursing immediately after birth. A few tend to nurse after 2 to 3 hours of birth. This first nursing is very important for all puppies as they get the required antibodies from their mothers colostrum. These antibodies help keep their bodies away from many dog illnesses. You will observe that the puppies tend to feel hungry and want to nurse every two hours during their first week of life. Gradually, they tend to nurse every 3 hours by the end of second week and then after every four hours by the third week. The mother will lick the puppies around their genitals and anus after they have nursed. This process helps stimulate urination and bowel movements in puppies. You can read about stages of puppy's growth in detail.
However, most of the breeders need to give away the puppies for adoption. This is the reason why they are interested in learning when to start weaning puppies. Weaning puppies is a process where the puppies are gradually taught to start eating solid food and stop drinking their mothers milk as their primary food. Many breeders argue weaning puppies at 4 weeks is a better idea and some feel weaning puppies at 6 weeks will prove to be a better choice health wise.
Weaning puppies too early tends to have a negative impact on their health. Their digestive system is not yet fully developed to handle solid food. This is why the right time of weaning puppies from their mother is three weeks. Weaning puppies at 4 weeks or even sooner at 3 weeks requires a lot of planning. This is because they do not get the required amounts of nutrients from their mother's milk. This makes them vulnerable to infections like parvo virus infection. Let us have a look at how to wean puppies the right way. Read about puppy potty training.
How to Wean Puppies
Once you know the right age of weaning puppies, you need to understand how to wean puppies. When weaning puppies at 4 weeks or 3 weeks, you should begin to keep them away from their mother. Keep them away from their mother about 1 hour before its time for them to feed. This will make them hungry and they will try to eat the semi solid food you place near them. Start with with semi-solid food as it will be easier to swallow and then digest. Place very little of the food in a shallow dish and you will find most of them hungrily gobble it up. If a few are still apprehensive or averse to eating, then try and encourage them to eat lovingly. Place a bit of the food near their noses or on the tip of the tongue. Soon, they too will catch up with their brothers and sisters. Get information on puppy teething.
After the puppies have eaten, bring them near their mother. She will clean them up and finish the left over food. Your puppies may make a mess around them while eating dog food. Therefore, make sure you place old newspapers on the floor. This is because they will try to suckle the food like they did when drinking milk. They still don't know the concept of eating and will take time to understand the right way of eating solid food. You can read more about the best dog food for puppies.
Gradually, begin to decrease the amount of water in the food. So, by the end of 6 weeks, your puppies will happily be munching upon solid kibbles. Go slow is the 'mantra' here. Do not try to hasten the process, or you will end up with a few puppies with upset tummies. The right way to wean puppies is to gradually decrease the amount of food given to the mother and increase the amount of food given to the puppies. This will make the mother produce less milk and make the puppies eat more solid food than milk. This is all about weaning puppies. Make sure you ask the breeder about how to wean puppies and help your puppies dig their teeth into solid food.
Weaning Kittens
There are many proud feline owners who ask the question when to start weaning kittens from their mother. If you too are wondering about age for weaning kittens, then you can get all the information you need by going through the following article...
Cats, wonderful creatures with distinctive personalities. Those who are cat owners will agree, their feline pets are masters of their own self. A female cat can give birth to about 1 to 8 kittens at a time. If you have not spayed your cat, you can expect about 25 kittens born in a year. When kittens are born they are deaf, blind and weak. All they can do is crawl a few inches. They recognize their mother by her smell and are in constant need of her body's warmth. Mother cats or 'queens' as they are called produce milk for about 12 weeks. Cats may continue to nurse their kittens after 12 weeks. As a cat owner, you should begin weaning kittens at the right time. This will help you in putting up the kittens for adoption. Let us have a look at some information on weaning kittens from their mother in the following paragraphs. Learn more about taking care of newborn kittens.
Age for Weaning Kittens
Weaning kittens is a process that helps kittens wean away from their mother's milk and get ready to eat more of solid food. When you begin to wean a kitten, it will become more and more independent of its mother. Therefore, it is important that you handle the process of weaning kittens well. The right age for weaning kittens is around 4 weeks. Early weaning kittens should be avoided as it may harm the sensitive, underdeveloped digestive system of the kitten. You should wait till the kitten has opened its eyes and is able to focus. The little one should be able to stand on this feet steady, before you introduce any kind of solid food. Get more information on stages of kitten development.
How to Begin Weaning Kittens from their Mother
You should not abruptly pull away a kitten from its mother. A kitten learns a lot from the mother like how to use a litter box, hunt prey and even play. So, you should begin slowly when the kitten is about 4 weeks old. Place the kitten in a separate room away from its mother. Keep them here for a few hours about 3 to 4 hours. Then, when they look sufficiently hungry and thirsty, serve them with a bowl of cat food and water. Gradually, the kittens will begin to accept the solid food and become less and less dependent on the mother for food. Do you know how to train a kitten?
Weaning Kittens from Bottle or Their Mother
You need to begin holding a piece of kitten food near their lips. Allow the kitten to smell the food. Then slowly, very slowly push the kitten food into their mouths. Allow the kitten to take its time and swallow the food. Then repeat the process, till it begins to learn accept the solid food. Do not keep the kitten totally away from milk. Begin by feeding it just half a teaspoon of kitten food. Then, allow it to continue feeding milk from its mother or bottle. Do not feed a kitten cow's milk, in case you are bottle feeding kittens. It may cause diarrhea or stomach upset. Feed them half a teaspoon of food up to one week. Then serve food in a plate, not a bowl. The kitten will begin to eat from the plate and then leave some food in the plate. This will help the kitten eat it up, when ever it feels hungry. Gradually, it will begin to avoid nursing from the mother or drinking milk from bottle and will eat only solid food. You can know more about how to litter train a kitten.
A few kittens are very stubborn and will not eat anything, but want mother's milk. The best way to make them eat is place food on your finger and bring it over to their lips to eat. This finger feeding method will work as they will think they are sucking on their mother's nipple. So do not mind if your fingers get a nip or two. If you have an exceptionally stubborn kitten, then you need to begin feeding them semi-solid food. You need to mix some soft meaty foods with water. This will make the consistency of the food similar to mother's milk. Once it tastes meat, it will gradually forget milk.
A growing kitten needs specially formulated foods that are rich in proteins, vitamins and calories. Make sure you bring home cat food that is specially made for kittens and not for senior cats. Taking care of kittens will help them grow into healthy, happy cats. The process of weaning kittens will take about 4 to 6 weeks and most of the kittens will be weaned by the age of 8 to 10 weeks old. This is all about weaning kittens that you should try to take your little fur balls of mother's milk.
Age for Weaning Kittens
Weaning kittens is a process that helps kittens wean away from their mother's milk and get ready to eat more of solid food. When you begin to wean a kitten, it will become more and more independent of its mother. Therefore, it is important that you handle the process of weaning kittens well. The right age for weaning kittens is around 4 weeks. Early weaning kittens should be avoided as it may harm the sensitive, underdeveloped digestive system of the kitten. You should wait till the kitten has opened its eyes and is able to focus. The little one should be able to stand on this feet steady, before you introduce any kind of solid food. Get more information on stages of kitten development.
How to Begin Weaning Kittens from their Mother
You should not abruptly pull away a kitten from its mother. A kitten learns a lot from the mother like how to use a litter box, hunt prey and even play. So, you should begin slowly when the kitten is about 4 weeks old. Place the kitten in a separate room away from its mother. Keep them here for a few hours about 3 to 4 hours. Then, when they look sufficiently hungry and thirsty, serve them with a bowl of cat food and water. Gradually, the kittens will begin to accept the solid food and become less and less dependent on the mother for food. Do you know how to train a kitten?
Weaning Kittens from Bottle or Their Mother
You need to begin holding a piece of kitten food near their lips. Allow the kitten to smell the food. Then slowly, very slowly push the kitten food into their mouths. Allow the kitten to take its time and swallow the food. Then repeat the process, till it begins to learn accept the solid food. Do not keep the kitten totally away from milk. Begin by feeding it just half a teaspoon of kitten food. Then, allow it to continue feeding milk from its mother or bottle. Do not feed a kitten cow's milk, in case you are bottle feeding kittens. It may cause diarrhea or stomach upset. Feed them half a teaspoon of food up to one week. Then serve food in a plate, not a bowl. The kitten will begin to eat from the plate and then leave some food in the plate. This will help the kitten eat it up, when ever it feels hungry. Gradually, it will begin to avoid nursing from the mother or drinking milk from bottle and will eat only solid food. You can know more about how to litter train a kitten.
A few kittens are very stubborn and will not eat anything, but want mother's milk. The best way to make them eat is place food on your finger and bring it over to their lips to eat. This finger feeding method will work as they will think they are sucking on their mother's nipple. So do not mind if your fingers get a nip or two. If you have an exceptionally stubborn kitten, then you need to begin feeding them semi-solid food. You need to mix some soft meaty foods with water. This will make the consistency of the food similar to mother's milk. Once it tastes meat, it will gradually forget milk.
A growing kitten needs specially formulated foods that are rich in proteins, vitamins and calories. Make sure you bring home cat food that is specially made for kittens and not for senior cats. Taking care of kittens will help them grow into healthy, happy cats. The process of weaning kittens will take about 4 to 6 weeks and most of the kittens will be weaned by the age of 8 to 10 weeks old. This is all about weaning kittens that you should try to take your little fur balls of mother's milk.
Do Ants Sleep?
Ants are always associated with relentless work. They appear to be busy all the time and it seems they never rest. But is that true? Do ants really never take rest? Or do ants sleep just like we do? Come, let's find out.
A long chain of ants trailing up a wall... hundreds of ants walking in a line carrying food or walking in search of it... quite a common sight, isn't it? There's a certain rhythm, some sort of regularity in their walk. Whatever be their destination, none of the ants leaves their line and they walk tandem following a set pattern, I wonder who sets it for them... the queen ant? I often stare at this long line of ants and wonder whether they are always going somewhere... I wonder if they know where they are going and I wonder why they are always on the go! I often think as to whether ants sleep and when. Do ants sleep? What do you think?
Some say ants never really sleep. On first thought, the answer seems right, as it is quite uncommon to find an ant resting or even standing still. Ants are always on their toes (both literally and figuratively) so it's really easy to believe that ants never rest or sleep. But then, isn't it true that every living being needs some rest, every active being for that matter does need some amount of rest. And if it is someone as active as an ant, isn't it strange for ants to never sleep? So, do ants sleep? Yes they do.
Now here's the answer to that most intriguing question, do ants go to sleep at all? You know what I found out? Ants seem to be working 24x7 because there are always some ants working at any point in time and all working ants look the same! So, even if you see ants walking continually for hours, it's not the same group of ants you are seeing all the time. Some ants sleep for a while, when others take their place. Taking turns in their sleep, these clever ants actually fool us into believing that they are working all day.
Some say ants never really sleep. On first thought, the answer seems right, as it is quite uncommon to find an ant resting or even standing still. Ants are always on their toes (both literally and figuratively) so it's really easy to believe that ants never rest or sleep. But then, isn't it true that every living being needs some rest, every active being for that matter does need some amount of rest. And if it is someone as active as an ant, isn't it strange for ants to never sleep? So, do ants sleep? Yes they do.
Now here's the answer to that most intriguing question, do ants go to sleep at all? You know what I found out? Ants seem to be working 24x7 because there are always some ants working at any point in time and all working ants look the same! So, even if you see ants walking continually for hours, it's not the same group of ants you are seeing all the time. Some ants sleep for a while, when others take their place. Taking turns in their sleep, these clever ants actually fool us into believing that they are working all day.
How do ants sleep and wake up?
Have you seen some ants walking sluggishly while some others look active? Have you observed this minute difference in their activity at different times? If you have, let me tell you, the sluggish-looking ants are the ones which have just woken up! They are the ones who are getting back into action and taking some time to gain their usual speed. Now isn't that interesting? Research says, ants show sleep like behavior so as to reduce their need for food. Their sleep results in reduced biological activity, in turn reducing their food needs... what an amazing solution to scarcity of food!
When do ants sleep?
One answer to this question is that they take turns to sleep. Another answer is that there is a specific period of the year when ants go to sleep. Do you see ants in winter? Where do these ants go when it gets cold? Isn't it puzzling to find lesser, rather almost no ants during the cold months of the year? Well then, they must be going to sleep. Studies show that ants hibernate during the winters. Their metabolism slows down during this period. They thrive on the food collected during the summer months and are less active during the cold.
How long do ants sleep?
According to the article, Polyphasic Wake/Sleep Episodes in the Fire Ant, Solenopsis Invicta by Deby L. Cassill, Skye Brown, Devon Swick and George Yanev in the July 2009 edition of the Journal of Insect Behaviour, the duration for which ants sleep varies with the type of the ants. The article states that fire ants, for sure, sleep, and that worker ants have 253, 1 minute-long episodes of sleep per day. Queen ants have 6 minute-long sleep episodes, and 92 such, in a day. Thus, worker ants' sleep amounts to around 4 hours of sleep everyday while 92, 6-minute sleep episodes of the queen ants amounts to approximately 9 hours of sleep each day.
If you look at it, queen ants sleep for around the same amount of time as us (considering that we take 8 hours of sleep per day) and the worker ants seem to be needing very less sleep compared to the lazy us! The article revealed some really interesting phenomena about the fire ants' sleep. It said that their sleep is affected by light and dark and that queen ants had episodes of rapid antenna movement sleep. Sounds close of rapid eye movement sleep? Right, the RAM sleep in ants is in fact similar to the human REM sleep cycle.
According to the BBC news report on 'do ants sleep', queen fire ants sleep for a longer duration while worker ants take short power naps. That means, ants sleep for only about ten minutes, not even ten, it's just a six-minute nap, with many such naps in a day. The number of times they sleep is more but the duration of each sleep episode - is just 5-6 minutes. Now, this seconds what is stated in the article by Deby L. Cassill, Skye Brown, Devon Swick and George Yanev. The report also states that the longer duration of sleep in queen ants, is the secret to their longer life span. The BBC report explains in detail, the research conducted by Deby Cassil and her colleagues. They bred a colony of fire ants in an artificial chamber. The colony they raised consisted of 3 queen ants, 30 worker ants and 30 larvae. The ants were kept under constant observation, which led the researchers to the final answer to how long do ants sleep. The research also showed that 4/5th of the ants were awake at any given point in time and that some of the other worker ants were always awake and available for work. This is probably why ants seem to be awake always.
An interesting observation was that queen ants synchronized their sleep patterns. (rhythm is probably intrinsic to ants). Interestingly, the three queen ants slept during the same time, and for the same duration. And you know how they slept? Casill observed that they slept on one another and that they woke each other up or were awakened by the worker ants. She also observed that sometimes, the queens slept with their antennae partially raised and mouth open, while at other times, they slept with erect antennae and closed mouths. That was the time of their deep sleep. Cassill's research team also observed that queen ants dream. It's unbelievable yet true because there's evidence saying so. On that note, take a look at these interesting facts about ants.
Do ants sleep like humans do?
Well, no and yes. As we have already seen, ants both queen and worker, sleep in episodes, unlike human beings who take one long sleep. Yes, in the sense that even ants are believed to experience some kind of REM sleep and they are believed to have dreams, which resembles our sleep behavior. Secondly, worker ants sleep for a smaller duration as compared to queen ants as their main purpose is to protect the queen and her eggs and to ensure a sound sleep and peaceful life for the queen. We saw that the duration of sleep depends of the type of ant. Now, this was mainly about the sleeping patterns of fire ants. Harvester ants are another kind of ants, which are found to experience periods of less activity. In their case too, the sleep episodes are greater in number while the time period for which each episode lasts is only of about 1 minute. This can be called rest. But researchers are still in doubt as to whether this can be referred to as the harvester ants sleeping. Some studies claim that ants sleep for about 7-8 hours each day. Research hasn't quite been conducted on the sleep patterns of all types of ants. So even after reading all about ants, you may not find an answer to 'exactly when and where do ants sleep' and whether all kinds of ants do.
But wasn't it interesting to know that ants do sleep? At least some of them do. And even more interesting it was to find that they even have dreams like we do. So, the next time you see a long line of ants, think before you appreciate their ceaseless walk... the ones you saw just some time ago, might have already dozed off!
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