THE WORLD'S LARGEST SNAIL

Ghana's snails in the spotlight


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The giant African land snail (Achatina achatina), also known as the giant Ghana snail or giant tiger land snail, is the largest snail specie in the world. You would not want to catch one of these slimy creatures in your garden, they reach up to 30 cm in length with their shells measuring up to 18 cm and can produce up to 1200 eggs per year. However, the chances are very slim for one of these slippery fellows to end up in your garden, since they are only native to Ghana.

In Ghana’s tropical forests were they live, they have no natural enemies. These pest consumes about 500 plant species, they also cause damage to the homes of people –the snails are found to eat the paint of the walls of the local people’s homes.

In the Western world they are kept as pets, where people admire them for their large size, distinctive markings and exoticism. Unfortunately, they are also considered a tasty delicacy in many countries.


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Sources:
www.petsnails.co.uk
planetoddity.com

THE CUTEST PET EVER

As sweet as sugar


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The Sugar Glider – a small gliding marsupial, found most commonly in Australia but also in New Guineau, Tasmania and the Bismarck Archipelago – is becoming a popular pet in the US since they were made legal in March 2009.

Besides having an incredible cute appearance, the Sugar Glider bonds well to its human companions – if you have the time to devote to it. They are known as pocket pets because of their tininess and because once they are used to humans they become very sociable.

The Sugar Glider is not an endangered specie although it has lost a great deal of its natural habitat, fortunately it is highly adaptable and can live in almost any area.

via The Real Owner

For more interesting stories about unusual pets see:

UNBEARABLE PET



THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE PET



ALTERNATIVE PET


MAN'S BEST FRIEND...A GIANT CROC

AFRICAN RATS TO THE RESCUE

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Africa's Rescue Rangers

Bart Weegens, from Belgium has turned to his childhood interest in Giant pouched rats, when he was searching for a possible solution to the global issue of unexploded mines. When one considers that these rats are easy to train, have an excellent sense of smell and, unlike dogs, are too light to deploy a mine themselves – the idea might not seem so far fetch after all.

Weegens is the founded of APOPO, a non-profit organization, that trains African Giant pouched rats to deploy mines in the field. The rats are trained according to the Pavlovian method that associates the smell of explosives with a treat (such as a banana or peanut). Training takes part in a cage and last up to one year. In the field each rat is connected to a search string and to two trainers. When the rats locate a mine they usually sit still and scratch themselves, whereafter the mines are then deployed by their human helpers. To ensure that all mines have been detected two or three rats will each search the same area. It is important that the rat gets rewarded teach time they perform their function.


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Another method called REST (Remote Explosive Scent Tracing) does not involve visiting a minefield at all, the scent is brought from the mines to the rats. The rats can find explosives present in these samples and it helps to determine the actual boundaries of the minefields. These ‘HeroRATS’ as they are called are currently deployed in Mozambique where they have enabled over one thousand families to reclaim their land. They have also helped to bring electricity to remote regions by with clearing areas so that power lines can be passed through, which would not otherwise have been possible.


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The Giant pouched rat is a distant relative of the common rat. The female of the species produces up to ten litters a year, although only one to five arrive with each litter, despite the mother having eight nipples. In many African countries they are kept as pets but are also used as a food source. Clearly the rats serve a much greater purpose in the field that on a plate. Plans are being made to deploy the rats in Zambia, Congo and Angola. AGOPO is currently based in Tanzania at the Sokoine University of Agriculture, it is also here that Weegens made his latest discovery that showed that the rats could also detect tuberculosis in human sputum. APOPO is actively looking for partnerships globally, not just in Africa. For more information visit their website at www.apopo.org.

socyberty.com

UNBEARABLE PET

A real teddy bear

I recieved a very interesting email the other day, however, there was little information describing these awesome pics. The only info I can share with you is that the photos depicts the relationship between a man and his pet grizzly bear in Alaska. While stroling, the man came across two bear cubs alongside their dead mother. Only one cub survived the ordeal and the man managed to raise the fierce animal to maturity.

In the photo's you can see how the family interacts with the bear which is obviously very tame (it prabably does not know that it is a bear). Look at the size he has grown to. Notice the honored guest at Thanksgiving dinner – it is clear clear that he is part of the family. He's housebroken, very gentle and comes and goes as he desires. Enjoy the pics!

SUPER COOL SURFING DOGS

Nearly 4,000 spectators turned out to watch San Diego's pets hit the beach for 'the world's largest dog surfing event'. The event was held in September this year. These pics are worth a thousand barks!











Dozer (pictured above), a 75-pound, 3-year-old bulldog, took first place in the second heat of the extra-large category. He has been surfing for only a year.

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MAN'S BEST FRIEND...A GIANT CROC

The Real Crocodile Dundee

Chito made friends with the croc after finding him with a gunshot wound on the banks of the Central American state's Parismina river 20 years ago. He had been shot in the left eye by a cattle farmer and was close to death. But Chito enlisted the help of several pals to load the massive reptile into his boat.

He says: "When I found Pocho in the river he was dying, so I brought him into my house". "He was very skinny, weighing only around 150lb I gave him chicken and fish and medicine for six months to help him recover. "I stayed by Pocho's side while he was ill, sleeping next to him at night. I just wanted him to feel that somebody loved him, that not all humans are bad. It meant a lot of sacrifice. I had to be there every day. I love all animals - especially ones that have suffered."

It took years before Chito felt that Pocho had bonded with him enough to get closer to the animal. He says: "After a decade I started to work with him. At first it was slow, slow. I played with him a bit, slowly doing more. "Then I found out that when I called his name he would come over to me."

At one point during his recovery, Chito left the croc in a lake near his house. But as he turned to walk away, to his amazement Pocho got out of the water and began to follow him home. Chito recalls: "That convinced me the crocodile could be tame." But when he first fearlessly waded into the water with the giant reptile his family was so horrified they couldn't bear to watch. So instead, he took to splashing around with Pocho when they were asleep.

Four years ago Chito showed some of his tricks to friends, including getting the animal to close his eyes on command, and they convinced him to go public with a show. Now he swims and plays with Pocho as well as feeding him at the lake near his home in the lowland tropical town of Sarapiqui. The odd couple have now become a major tourist attraction, with several tour operators, including Crocodile Adventures, taking visitors on touring cruises to see the pair.

On the Crocodile Adventures website it describes the spectacle as: "One of the most amazing things that no cruise ship passenger will want to miss, the adventure show between the man and the crocodile."

www.dailymail.co.uk
chitoandpochotour.

THAILAND'S PANDA ELEPHANTS

Is that a panda with a trunk?

Elephants were painted as pandas at the Royal Elephant Kraal in Ayutthaya province, Bangkok. Zoo staff arranged this event to remind the Thais, who are fans of yarymi pandas that the elephant, a symbol of their country, as well as the pandas, need attention and care.

funster.us

THR WORLD'S MOST UNIQUE PIG

A pig with a perm

This is actual photos of a rare specie of pig. The Austrian Mangalitza Gilt is one of only a handful to thrive in Brittain.

www.dailymail.co.uk

HAMSTER REAL ESTATE: 8 High-Class Hamster Homes

Since I am on the topic of doghouses and fish tanks, its only logical that the next step is cages. However, to make it a bit more interesting I decided to post 8 of the most remarkable hamster cages that I found.

1. Gucci and Prada’s online home




I found this little diamond while surfing the web as usual. It is a Mac turned into a quite unique and modern hamster home. The creators of the MacHome, has a blog documenting everything from the making of the home, to the daily activities of their hamsters, Gucci and Prada that lives in this unique 'online' home. Throughout the months, the creators has changed and arranged their living space to keep it interesting for their little furry friends and their fans.

Visit their blog at:
gucciandprada.blogspot.com

2. Ferplast Tube Line Flipper



This home looks a bit like a pin ball machine to me. Besides the usual home furnishings, such as the wheel, drinker and feeder, this fancy house comes with different exchangable double-sided backgrounds. It may look like a fun home for your hamster, but beware, their are some concerns that really hits home. By the looks of things, it cannot be easy to clean and some people claim that because of the different levels, hamsters might become territorial and fight.

Official Site:
www.ferplast.com

3. FOP Hamsterland Cage



A hamster's home is its castle even if its made out of plastic. There is not much information about this home, however I think the picture says it all. With all the twist, tubes, hide-outs and space, any hammie will feel right at home.

Official Site:
www.fop.it

4. Rotastak Creepy Castle Hamster Cage

There's no place like home. The creepy castle is the ideal home for your energetic furball. The glow in the dark feature will allow you to watch your pet even in the dead of night (I'm sure everyone likes to stay up and watch their hamsters). A 'home & away' unit is attached to the cage that is perfect to contain your pet while you clean their home or for visits to the vet. The home comes with a main living area, upstairs living area and 2 lofts, o yes, it also includes the boring stuff like the wheel and water bottle. One can decorate the house with the free glow-in-the-dark stickers that is also included.

via: www.seapets.co.uk

5. Rotastak Themed Hamster Cages

Other quite unique themed hamster cages, also from Rotastak, are the jungle and pirate themed hamster homes. Both are a bit quirky but they stay equally appealing and I'm sure they guarantee lots of fun for your hamsters.

via: www.seapets.co.uk

6. Rotastak Pink Hamster Maze

This home is perfect if pink is your hamster's favourite colour. It's not just the colour that makes this cage stand out. It looks very Futurama-like with all the tunnels and the streamlined shapes. An ideal name for this cage could be "Space Crawl". I must admit I get a little bit jealous on my little friends, how cool will it be if my house looked like that? However you know what they say about hamsters who live in glass (or plastic) homes?

via: www.seapets.co.uk

7. Super Pet CritterTrail Off 2 School

The perfect home away from home. This multi-purpose hamster travel bus has real rolling wheels for playtime after a long day of class. When parked, the bus connects directly to any CritterTrail home (sold separately) providing critters with extra living space.

via: www.superpetusa.com

7. Hamster Powered Paper Shredder

This eco and environmental effiecient hamster cage is a unique concept from the artist Tom Ballhatchet.

8. Harrisons Furry Friends Westminster Hamster Cage



This is two-homes-in-one it has three floors on both sides. This hamster mansion is the ideal home that enables your hamster to indulge in rich and sumptuous living .

via: www.dabners.co.uk