Archive for the ‘Exotic’ Category

Getting a tattoo artist who can not only create a tattoo from beginning but someone who you will connect with and preferably enjoy the whole process with. What is right for one customer may not be right for another customer. Many people prefer to sit or lie in silence while the tattoo artist works on them while others want to speak with the artist and fully get into the experience. If you are not lucky enough to already know a tattoo artist well then you can expect to spend a fair amount of time locating a tattoo artist that is BEST for you. Going on-line and doing a search will turn up a fair amount of tattoo parlors and studios but choosing the right artist is a completely different matter.

many people who are heavily tattooed won’t let anyone but their chosen artist work on them yet others seem to be on some kind of quest to be tattooed by as many tattoo artists as they can squeeze into their lifetimes. These types of folks can sometimes be found lurking around tattoo shows where well known tattoo artists are in attendance. They will reserve well in advance if they know a top tattoo artist is going to be there and can be seen running about showing their tats to anyone who is interested in hearing the all too familiar.

And this tattoo was done by (So and So) at the New York Tattoo Convention two years ago while this one was done by (insert top tattoo artists name here) last year in Australia

If you are the kind of person that doesn’t get to go to many Ink shows or simply prefer to have a more low key tattoo session without throngs of onlookers then it is all the more important to find a ink artist that you like even if you have to travel to have them work on you.

Traveling to see a Ink artist really is not all that bad since you can make a mini vacation out of it.

Here are a few tips to help you choose the right ink artist.

* If possible try meet artists in person before you consider getting ink done. You can usually see within the first ten minutes if you want that artist to work on you. If they are overly grumpy it could either be the fact that its Monday morning or they may just be a nasty person..not really the kinda artist you want to have to try make conversation with for four hours.

* Check out the portfolio of customized work. You can tell much from a tattoo artists custom work. If their work resonates with you thats a start.

* Listen to others who have gone before you to the artist. If they talk about the artist like they are some kind of God or Goddess you may be onto something. There are also a lot of artist who think they are gods so its up to you to find out who is telling the truth.

* Check out any reviews online about the shop and artist. If you see them all over the INTERNET you can bet your hard earned money they are most likely very popular.

* Only listen to advice of people who have actually gotten work by the tattoo artist in question.

* Seek out a tattoo artist who specializes in the style of tattoo you are about to have done. If you are looking for some Indian style work and know a particular artist that specializes in this style you should go to them.

There are many more things to keep in mind not lest the standard of professionalism and cleanliness they portray in their parlor. All tattoo artists have a legal obligation to maintain a high standard of practice by using sterile autoclaves and needles. Always check their credentials and if they are a member of any professional associations. If you are in any doubt at all DO NOT get tattooed there. Not only will you risk the transmission of blood borne pathogens from amateurs but ultimately you WILL end up with a really bad tattoo.

It takes many years to become a professional tattoo artist. Don’t think that by going to some back street shop you will be saving money having one done by some biker straight out of jail rather than paying more to a seasoned artist. Chances are she/he will screw it up, leave you with scars or nightmare of nightmares some blood borne disease such as hepatitis.

It is worthwhile to spend a bit of time choosing the right tattoo artist. Not only will you come away with a tattoo which will hopefully last you a lifetime but you will experience an ancient form of art and one which is practiced by every culture under the sun.

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Tags: art, artist, body art, culture, Exotic, inkmen, lifestyle, piercing, primitive, tattoo, tattoos, tribal, woman

Normally hamsters do not have parasites but sometimes they can catch mites and become carriers.Mites are miniscule black parasites that cause hamsters a great deal of discomfort.  They live in the hair follicles in your pet’s fur. If the mites are not treated, other hamsters will be infested and it can also lead to mange.(The symptoms of mange are redness, intense itching and loss of hair).

Hamsters can get mites from several sources.  The most common is when they are in contact with an infested hamster.It is also possible for them to get mites from bedding.  Hay (which is used for food) can also be infested.Check any new bedding or food package for mites before using it.

Symptoms include scratching/itching, sore spots, loss of fur.  Mites can be nearly impossible to see, but it is sometimes helpful to check for them by using a flashlight in a darkened room.  Rubbing a white paper towel on your pet can also produce results.  Look for tiny black specks that move when  you disturb the fur with your finger or a paper towel.(Fleas on hamsters also cause the same symptoms, but they are much bigger and far easier to see than mites).  If you simply cannot be certain, contact your veterinarian and have him examine your pet for confirmation.

Treatment consists of an anti-mite spray that is designed for birds and small animals.This is non-perscription product that can be found in most pet stores.when you are treating the hamster with the spray make sure you cover his eyes.  You must also remove all bedding from your hamster’s cage and wash the cage well.Follow the directions on the packaging and spray your hamster’s cage throughly with the anti-mite spray.

As soon as you see any mites put your hamster in quarantine to stop them spreading to the others.Isolate him in a separate cage and put it in a different room.  Do not reintroduce him back into the general population until after you are completely sure the hamster is free of mites.(if the hamster is separated from the others for a long time you will have to be careful when you reintroduce him to them)).

It is important to find the source of the contamination.  Check any unused bedding for mites, and if in doubt, dispose of it and purchase a new bag of bedding material.  Check food sources and other hamsters.If you have only just purchased your hamster, let the shop you bought him from know about the problem.Should you find that your bedding is infested with mites, let the retailer you got it from know.  This will help them control the outbreak.

Finally, do not be concerned about “catching” mites from your hamster.Hamster mites are not zoonotic, which means they can’t be passed on to humans, but wash your hands anyway.

You can get more information and tips about looking after your pet hamster at http://www.hamstersaspets.co.uk

Tags: hamster mites, hamster parasites, hamsters and mites, hamsters and parasites

 

Hundreds of millions of legally and illegally imported exotic pets are flooding into the USA and Europe every year. An animal can be happily living in a jungle in Asia, South America or Africa one day, and find itself in a cage in some little girl’s bedroom in less than a week. Many of these future pets are not subject to quarantine requirements and often only minimal health checks are carried out before we bring them into our homes. Many owners are unaware that their exotic pet may be hazardous for the healt of their families.

Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonotic diseases are those that can jump from animals to humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA says that zoonotic diseases account for around three-quarters of all emerging infectious diseases today.

This article is about some of the diseases your pet hedgehog may be carrying.

A recent CDC report lists a scary number of confirmed and potential zoonotic diseases that pet and wild hedgehogs can carry. The confirmed diseases include Salmonella, Yersina, pseudotubercolosis, Mycobacterium marinum, Herpesvirus including human herpes simplex and Rabies. The potential diseases they can carry include Yersina pestis (also responsible for Bubonic plague) and hemorrhagic fever.

Salmonella

Salmonella is normally contracted from contaminated food. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 1 in 20 of all infections are passed to people by exotic pets. For example they estimate that nearly eighty thousand Americans contract Salmonella from their pet reptiles every year.

In 1994 African Pygmy Hedgehogs were responsible for passing on a rare form of Salmonella (S. tilene), to a 10 month old girl who became the first ever confirmed case of this serotype in a human in the USA. Her family bred hedgehogs and had a herd of 80 hedgehogs. Of particular importance is that the girl had never had any contact with the hedgehogs herself. She was infected by a family member who had handled the hedgehogs. The same type of Salmonella has since been confirmed in many other cases.

Ringworm

Despite its name ringworm or Tinea is not a worm but is actually a fungal skin infection. One source of ringworm is known to be pet and wild hedgehogs. Over the past few months HedgehogsAsPets.com has been covering a story where three people were infected with ringworm by two hoglets bought from the same breeder.

This tale is all the more intriguing as the breeder concerned managed to avoid Britain’s severe quarantine rules and brought a number of pet hedgehogs into the country from Germany. Normally, in the UK, imported hedgehogs would be subject to six months quarantine in a government recognised establishment.

In this story the breeder claims that the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) put aside their normal procedures and permitted her to quarantine her new pets in her house, (which incidentally was already a veritable zoo containing snakes, lizards, rats, other hedgehogs and sugar gliders). Subsequently before it was learned that the German breeder’s herd was infected with ringworm, she had managed to spread the disease to the parents of the two hoglets that she later sold and infected three other people.

This case also illustrates some of the dangers of buying pets from dishonest dealers and breeders. Despite many promises to refund the owners part of their vet’s fees after six months they have yet to see a penny.

Reducing the risk of infection

To reduce the risk of infection simply go to this site and follow the advice they give there: http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/browse_by_animal.htm.

Purchasing your pet from a reputable breeder instead of a pet store, should provide you with more guarantees about the origins of the animal.

The actual risk of getting infected with some nasty disease by your pet is rather small, but owners should be made aware that the risk is a real one. If you follow the advice given on the CDC web site that risk is greatly reduced.

Tags: diseases, hedgehog diseases, hedgehogs, RingWorm, Salmonella