Critters Anonymous

Santa's Magic Mushrooms and a Meat Free Christmas

2011-12-22T00:29:00.008Z

Some Shaman tribes used to feed their reindeer fly agaric mushrooms (magic mushrooms) then drink the reindeer's wee! Many reindeer herders of Lapland and Siberia would actually use fly agaric magic mushrooms instead of alcohol. More about this on our Critters Anonymous Blog Talk Radio Show below.

Going on to this article I found in a newspaper, which is self explanatory and certainly is food for thought. However plants are life too, so being a vegetarian is not an excuse as it is still eating life. As animals are raised for slaughter, trees are chopped down for wood and arable/cereal crops are grown to be cut down for food.
To be really fair, food would contain no animal or plant substances at all.

Listen to internet radio with Critters Anonymous on Blog Talk Radio

Tweeky the Killer Cat and We Save The Hedgehogs

2011-09-05T03:54:00.003Z

Click post title to ensure correct video plays

Tweeky is a ginger and white cat that its owner, Tracey, is not particularly interested in. The creature is left out in all weathers, even in deep snow and is fed on a whim. Consequently, neighbours feed the beast, though for little reward for all Tweeky is interested in is killing poor defenceless birds and the local wildlife.

We hope the poor bird in this picture was helped in to the afterlife by Lord Cernunnos, Pagan Lord of the Wildwood.

We re-homed several hedgehogs to a safer area because of the murderous Tweeky. Cat owners please take responsibility for the behaviour of your pets, otherwise other creatures suffer for negligent and neglectful owners irresponsibility.

Critters Anonymous Shipley Library Exhibition

2011-05-13T22:22:00.007Z

Board One

Board Two

Board Three

Critters Anonymous are featured in an Animal Liberation Organisation in Shipley Library, Wellcroft, Shipley, West Yorkshire.
Also featured are RACE - Rallying Against Cruelty to Equines, as well as a feature on
badly treated zoo and circus elephants and Rabbits Rights, which is a blog about how rabbits should have the same rights as domestic pets and not be classed as food animals.
The exhibition also features a number of photographs, some of animals from Knaresborough and Boston Spa, North Yorkshire, in a more peaceful habitat.

Cat's Eyes 'Brighting' Pedestrians

2010-11-07T05:40:00.002Z

It is easy to see where Percy Shaw of Boothtown, Halifax, got his ideas for 'cat's eyes' from. This spectacular cat was out hunting, late on a September night when the photo was taken.

The Great Bear of the Clouds

2010-10-12T16:05:00.008Z

Some people believe that it is possible to tell fortunes from pictures in the clouds. Whether that is true or not will depend largely on the observer's personal perceptions of life. However this recent photo really does look like a large bear looming up in the sky as the Autumn day turns to dusk.

Read 'Elephanto Tribute'

Critters Anonymous Pet Investigator can now help find your missing pet...

Hedgehog in a Night Garden

2010-07-06T02:37:00.009Z

The film shows a hedgehog at night in the garden. We have many urban creatures including a fox which we leave food out for. The hedgehog in the clip walked right past the door and seemed unconcerned about being filmed...

Critters Anonymous Pet Investigator can now help find your missing pet...

The Ghostly White Persian Cat

2010-06-04T01:55:00.006Z

My sister-in-law once told me the story of a ghostly white Persian cat that haunted the bedroom of a house where she used to live in with her family, in Westfield Grove, Idle, Bradford. Herself and sister shared the back bedroom of this semi-detached house and on numerous occasions, when the girls had settled for bed, a large white fluffy cat would appear and walk round the room staring at them. My sister-in-law said that the cat appeared to have no eyes, just hollow dark eye sockets and often her sister would wake up in the morning covered in what appeared to be the scratches of an angry cat...

Critters Anonymous Pet Investigator can now help find your missing pet...

Super Nature

2010-02-12T01:40:00.008Z

Happy birds chatter in the trees. We fed these birds regularly during the recent terrible snow storms in Arctic Britain.

Critters Anonymous Pet Investigator can now help find your missing pet...

Listen to Critters Anonymous on Blog Talk Radio

The World's Smallest Animals

2010-01-17T19:35:00.005Z

I came across a very interesting set of photos on the Pravda newspaper website, showing some of the world's smallest animals. See link below to view for yourself.

World's smallest animals

Critters Anonymous Pet Investigator can now help find your missing pet...

Listen to Critters Anonymous on Blog Talk Radio

The Strangest Critters in The Critters Anonymous World

2010-01-17T02:05:00.012Z

I have to admit I love reading Russian newspaper 'Pravda' online. It is really interesting and they always get the latest news about strange animals or cryptids etc. See the link for amazing pictures and be shocked!

World's weirdest animals

Critters Anonymous Pet Investigator can now help find your missing pet...

Listen to Critters Anonymous on Blog Talk Radio

The Stange Death of Rumpus the Pokerface Dog

2009-12-28T16:49:00.004Z

I came across various articles about the death of a harlequin Great Dane show dog called Rumpus who apparently died in October 2009, aged five. Rumpus was apparently a prize winning show dog in his own right, but what made him recently newsworthy was that he appeared, along with his eight year old mother Lava, in four of pop singer Lady GaGa's music videos, including the most famous 'Pokerface' video that went with this popular song. According to sources on the internet, the news of the death of Rumpus was broken around October 21, 2009. Apparently an autopsy report was pending, but there was no further news of this on the internet.

I began to wonder what had happened to the dog, had he had some kind of heart attack? This is because animals that are shown on stage and screen appear to be driven very hard. I have to say that I once worked at a film studio so I am talking from experience.

In June 2009, Rumpus appeared in a TV advertisement for dog food and was also due to be in lady GaGa's 'Bad Romance' video but died before this could take place.

What really caught my attention was the fact that Rumpus's former owner, Suzanne Kellher-Ducket claimed that he was taken on hikes everyday ranging between two and five miles. Rumpus died shortly after returning from such a hike in Los Angeles.

I checked various sources of information on the internet on how much exercise Great Danes require and I found out that in spite of their size they don't need as much exercise as Dalmatians, Dobermans, German Shepherds or other dogs of this sort. In fact Great Danes apparently don't need that much exercise at all, 15 minutes to half an hour once or twice a day was recommended by one website.

It would appear from the facts freely available on the internet, that it is possible Rumpus was over worked and over exercised constantly and I wondered if his heart had given out because of this, or that it was a contributing factor to his untimely death. The dogs do look incredibly thin in some YouTube videos and the rib cage can clearly be seen. Certainly the results of the autopsy have not been made public.

The director of the Pokerface video, a Mr Ray Kay, apparently stated that two dog handlers were on hand at either side of the shoot, as Rumpus and Lava would not keep still. Dog handlers can be seen with Rumpus in the June 2009 dog food commercial shoot.

Lady GaGa was actually caught out lying to a German radio presenter in an interview on a German radio station which was put on YouTube. Lady GaGa falsely claimed that she owned the dogs that appeared in her videos and that they were called Alice and Abbey Road. The interview is on the links. This was a complete fabrication as the dogs,Rumpus and Lava, were owned by Mrs Kellher-Ducket and why Lady GaGa felt the need to lie about this fact is unclear.

Perhaps there should be more protection around, worldwide for dogs appearing in media productions, or owners should know when to stop pushing their animals too hard in to the limelight.

Great Dane FAQ

Great Dane FAQ 2

Lady Gaga Interview - Stuttgart, Germany (April 2009)

Lady Gaga Video Great Dane Rumpus found dead!

Pacific Coast Harlequins

Listen to Critters Anonymous on Blog Talk Radio

Critters Anonymous - The Horses That Don't Volunteer to Run Races

2009-12-18T05:30:00.004Z

I was browsing on the web and came across an article that was published in 'Psychic News' on May 2, 2009. As I think the piece is very relevant, I am mentioning it here for the sake of those horses. My Irish, Great Grandmother bought 'Psychic News' from its very beginning, in the early 1930's. She was a natural medium and psychic, who often saw spirit animals, on one occasion (and I may have mentioned this somewhere else on Critters Anonymous), she actually saw spirit mice running up the curtains.

The Celts believed that any animal with a personality, had a soul and that obviously includes mice too. Modern day followers of the Celtic religion often communicate with animal spirits. It was also believed that trees could sometimes be reincarnated as humans or animals.

Epona is the Celtic Goddess of Horses and so people who disagree with horse racing should call on the energies of Epona to help these lovely creatures in their plight.

Psychic News (May 2, 2009) - scroll down to page 12

Rallying Against Cruelty to Equines - R.A.C.E.

Rabbit's Rights and The Rabbit's Codex

2009-10-06T02:02:00.002Z

Below are a couple of other sites that may be of interest to readers of our Critters Anonymous blog.

Rabbits' Rights

Rabbits' Codex

Listen to Critters Anonymous on Blog Talk Radio

Goat Internet Media - Golden Goat

2009-08-03T00:14:00.003Z

Readers of Criiters Anonymous blog may be interested in Golden Goat Radio, where we discuss many issues including Cryptozoology and Sea Monsters.

Lost Budgie Filmed on Ledge in Middle of City

2009-07-10T22:03:00.008Z

A lost budgerigar was filmed sqwarking on a high up ledge in Bradford City Centre, West Yorkshire on Friday afternoon. The budgie seemed frightened by the noise and traffic. When calls were made to Bradford Council asking them to help the bird they refused point blank. Despite the fact that the budgie would have been seen on CCTV, no Bradford council official would even inform the RSPCA. We say shame on you, Bradford Council. As it was, we informed the RSPCA about the green and yellow budgie, which was obviously an escaped pet.

Pets Have Souls Too

2009-06-05T00:20:00.005Z

My Great Grandmother was a psychic medium who once saw spirit mice running up the curtains. In her book, out May 2009, author Jenny Smedley actually mentions the spirit of a lion. I would say, technically speaking, that it is very likely all animals and birds have some sort of shade, the animus, that shadows the physical animated part of themselves. (Animus = animated, animal.)

If you'd like to be featured on the show, maybe as part of a pre-recorded telephone interview or have anything you'd like us to include please email petwebsite@aol.co.uk

Listen to Critters Anonymous on Blog Talk Radio

Elvis The Parrot, Bullied out of Bradford

2009-05-25T00:50:00.004Z

Elvis the Parrot a well known local hero in Wilsden, near Bradford West Yorkshire. Wilsden is a small village on the way to Haworth, (Bronte land) not much good if you don't have a car as the bus service is about one an hour and that is only at peak times.

However, one household in Wilsden had a parrot, who can be seen on YouTube and who was much loved by many members of the local community. However, as we all know it only takes one match to start a fire and in this case, it was an overzealous off duty policeman, pulling rank with Bradford Council, who threatened the owners with an ASBO -(Anti-Social Behaviour Order). There have been many complaints about the trigger happy ASBO team in Bradford who threaten and bully genuine citizens whilst letting the real nuisances get away with trouble causing activities all the time.

Apparently, Elvis the parrot dive bombed the policeman's father and three year old grandson. The cop said it gave the child nightmares. We think this is utter rubbish. There is enough scary stuff on the TV in the UK for children like Dr Who and Robin Hood, to name but a few. We frequently visit the local pet shops and all we see is children running amok, tormenting the small animals in glass tanks and pens. There is a talking parrot in one of the pet shops and the kids love him.

Poor Elvis has now been sent to Shropshire. We would have advised the family to move out of the Bradford area, or to get a petition of Elvis the parrot supporters to counter claim against the complaints and to make as many complaints as possible about unfair treatment by Bradford council and if necessary the police in this matter. It probably would have been better if they had kept Elvis in a large aviary. In our opinion, they gave in far too easily.

Watch Elvis in action and read the comments!

The Shaman, Animals and Leechcraft

2009-05-17T03:03:00.003Z

In the Dreamtime, the Old English 'Laech' or Shaman, would go outside quotidian timeand guided by animal spirits, would go on an Astral quest, meeting Ancestors along the way. As disease or attack first manifests in the Otherworld, the Shaman or Laech must be ready and must learn and understand.

I have recently been reading a book called 'Pets have souls too' by Jenny Smedley. I would class this book as a 'kind' book and a good read. However it focuses mainly on dogs, so if you have a pet rodent that you want to contact in the 'Otherworld' then you may feel that this book is not entirely for you.

Many of the ancient magi informed us that insects and the like have group souls, which ultimately have a purpose.

Then unfortunately there are the sick types, who, inadequate themselves in life, attack animals. Many of these creatures are featured here on the Critters Anonymous blog.

Take a Break, a UK magazine, this week features an article called 'The Kitten Killer of Talacre', (Flintshire, Scotland). Now its OK if they are sincere, but many magazines these days feature either celebrities or gore and not much else in between. Apparently some lunatic killed a lot of kittens with antifreeze and their mother, Bubbles, disappeared and was never found. A little autistic boy loved these animals, but some lunatic killed them. Scottish law is not the same as law in England and Wales, but the police should obviously have investigated this incident a lot more thoroughly. We ask readers of this blog, wherever they are in the world, who believe in an animal afterlife to send all the creatures mentioned in various previous posts good wishes.

Not all out posts are sad. Some are factual, some thoughtful and some are jokey. But perhaps a collection of good thoughts and wishes could save other animals from a similar fate.

Listen to Dusk And Twilight on Blog Talk Radio

Lady GaGa Bunny For Mona Lisa

2009-04-13T04:09:00.003Z

The chocolate bunny starring as Lady GaGa's Pokerface was put outside for Mona Lisa Rabbit in the early hours of Easter Monday.

Mona Lisa Rabbit

Rabbit Gods and Goddesses

2009-04-13T03:14:00.005Z

Pokerface: Lady GaGa inspires Easter bunny.

Rabbits and hares are a symbol of spring, the 'Mad as a March hare' saying comes from rabbits and hares fighting in spring. People automatically assume that rabbits are meek, timid animals. That is not always the case. Mona Lisa Rabbit, in who's memory this entire blog and internet radio station 'Critters Anonymous' is dedicated, was a fiery female house rabbit. Woe betide anyone who put their hand in her cage. She would growl and attempt to bite them. When she was out of her home she was amicable enough, but she was very territorial.

Rabbits were, in some ancient and older civilizations, worshipped as Gods and Goddesses, or seen as creatures of wisdom and symbols of other deities. Interestingly, in two different cultures, rabbits were also associated with snakes.

Ix Chel (Lady Rainbow), an ancient Mayan Goddess was originally portrayed with a snake but later, another Aztec/Mayan moon goddess was portrayed as holding a rabbit. The Centzon Totochin was a group of four hundred drunken rabbit Gods of the Maya. They were Rabbit gods of parties and having a good time. They were presided over by Ometochli - (in English, Two Rabbits) and Macuiltochli (Five Rabbits) who were powerful warrior rabbit Gods. The Rabbit Scribe, is also a scribe male Rabbit god of the Moon.

Unut, also called Wenet, is an ancient Egyptian rabbit Goddess, known as 'The Swift One'. She had area 15 in ancient middle/lower Egypt named after her, 'The Hare' or 'The Rabbit'. Originally, Unut was a snake Goddess who later became a rabbit Goddess.

Freya, the Viking Goddess of Friday was attended by rabbits as were a number of Celtic Goddesses, one who apparently shape shifted in to a rabbit. One of the most famous Easter Goddesses is Eostre. Also, one of the artist Titian's paintings shows the Virgin Mary with a rabbit. Boudicca, the famous Ancient Briton, Queen of the Iceni tribe who fought against the Romans, released a hare before each battle. In ancient times rabbits were treated with respect in many cultures and their movement has been used to tell many a fortune.

Followers of the Astral Path

The Rabbits Codex

Unut, The Swift One

Bigfoot (Sasquach) Sightings in the UK

2009-04-05T21:32:00.008Z

Bigfoot, reputedly a monster species of ape man, between six and seven feet tall, has been recently sighted in Cannock Forest, Staffordshire, England. Many pet dogs have gone missing and people that walk their dogs near the German cemetery have had frightening experiences of vampire like creatures appearing. There is an air of horror about Cannock Forest at night, despite it being a popular tourist spot and also a 'working forest' during the day. In the 1920's Cannock forest was planted with pine trees and the Suga Babes are due to appear there in summer 2009, to gain publicity for work done by the UK Forestry Commission.

Everything changes at night. Some people who have had horrible experiences in Cannock forest, either walking dogs or driving nearby, have vowed never to go back. There have been numerous recent reports of Bigfoot being seen in the forest, along with werewolves, a large ghost dog with huge red eyes, spacemen and many more cryptids or supernatural beings. It is alleged that a UFO crashed in Cannock Forest, in the 1960's and that there was a government cover up, very similar to the Roswell incident in New Mexico, USA.

A woman was stopped in her car whilst driving near Cannock Forest at night, in 2006, by what she called the 'lady of the forest', either a cryptid or an alien, an androgynous creature.

Listen to the Bigfoot show, broadcast April 6, on Critters Anonymous:

The Cat With Wings

2009-02-25T03:39:00.013Z

The cat with wings was found by a housewife in an Oxford garden in 1933. The cat had black and white markings and was found wondering around the lady's garden. later the cat got in to the woman's stables. She said (quote) 'I saw it move from the ground to a beam - a considerable distance, which I do not think it could have leaped - using its wings in a manner similar to that of a bird'. A further quote from a reporter of the time was 'I carefully examined the cat tonight and there is no doubt about the wings. They grow just in front of its hindquarters'. Two officials arrived and took the cat away. The creature was placed on display at Oxford Zoo. The photo shows the winged cat at Oxford zoo in 1933. (The internet reference says 1934). There is a discrepancy as to the photo shown as to which winged cat it really is.

My reference book (undisclosed source, but a book published in the 1980s, which I own) says it is the 1933 winged cat, the internet reference says it is a winged cat from the 1899. At any rate winged cats abound apparently! Claws out and lots of cattiness!

Winged Cat

Critters Anonymous

2008-12-28T22:54:00.006Z

During 2008 we have featured many animals on our show on BlogTalkRadio. Much effort has gone in to finding out about animals that have been abused and giving them a voice. This may not be every person's cup of tea. Many people do not want to be good Samaritans and would rather pass by, but as the saying is 'What goes around comes around', even the most cast iron, immune person is only a human animal and will one day fall and become dust. In showing respect for animals, you are also respecting the animal in yourself, your instincts, your intuition, your hunches, what you have become and what you eventually will be. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. as the song goes, all animals.

Check out our shows - Critters Anonymous, giving animals everywhere a voice. Yeah, Man.

Henry and Norman

2008-11-28T04:09:00.010Z

An affiliate group is pleased to announce they have adopted Henry from Bransby Home of Rest for Horses, Lincoln, (by adopted we mean given a donation to his upkeep) for a period of one year.

Henry was a well known horse from the 'Horses at Work' section of Bradford Industrial Museum, Eccleshill Bradford, England. He was retired to Bransby in 2006. Sadly, his co working pal from the museum, Norman, died on July 31st 2008. Norman had been retired to Bransby in 2005 and was one of the biggest shire horses in the UK at 19.1 hands high.

Henry and Norman once pulled a cart taking the then Lord Mayor of Bradford and his deputy to a civic function at Bradford Cathedral. Both horses would go around Bradford city centre, pulling a cart, whilst their driver watered high overhanging flower baskets.

Norman was a lovely white dappled shire horse (it is quite bizarre that in horse terminology white horses are called greys!) Henry is a gorgeous bay horse with a white flash down his nose.

Mona Lisa Rabbit 'Lil' (little bunny)

2008-11-27T02:46:00.004Z

In remembrance of Mona Lisa, known as 'Lil', a little bunny who sadly passed on March 12, 2008 and the inspiration for Critters Anonymous.

Mona Lisa was a courageous and feisty lionhead rabbit. She was named Mona Lisa because of her likeness in rabbit form to the famous Mona Lisa portrait by Leonardo da Vinci.

Mona Lisa was purchased on Sunday, May 29, 2005, from a pet shop in central Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. She sadly left this existence on Wednesday, March 12, 2008, after contracting torticollis, more commonly known as wry neck.

In her indoor home, Mona Lisa really did behave like a lioness and would grunt if anyone attempted to invade her space, however out of her home she was gentle and well behaved and would sit under a chair watching the world go by.

It is believed that soon after she passed she was seen hopping by the side of a spirit lion who was presumably guiding her over.

We ask that the Great Gods and Goddesses of the Universe, the Rabbit Gods and St. Francis of Assisi all look over her and protect her so that she may evolve accordingly.

As a rabbit, Mona Lisa was loved as much as any human; we send her our love, forever.

The Horrors of Donna the Dancing Bear and the Bricked-up Horse

2008-11-08T22:29:00.009Z

Donna the Dancing Bear arrived in Keighley, West Yorkshire, with her foreign owners around springtime, 1884.

To teach captive bears to dance they would be put in a large copper tub and a fire would be lit underneath or the tub would be heated at its base. As the tub got hot, a drum would be beaten. After this, whenever a bear trained in this cruel, inhumane and barbaric way, heard a drum it would start to dance, for it associated the drumming with getting its feet burned and so hopped about. This was well before the days of Ivan Pavlov and his so called Pavlovian conditioning experiments with dogs - it seems someone else got there first.

Donna's owners rented a cottage and locked Donna the bear in an old blacksmith's premises for the night. Some local boys tried to get a better look at the bear. They took some slates off the roof of the building where the bear was being kept, but one of them knocked a lighted candle in and the bear was burned alive before anyone could get the key to the building. The boys were convicted and Donna's owners were given compensation. They then travelled the UK giving poetry recitals telling of the horrible death of the bear.

The charred remains of the bear were buried in Sugden Swamp, off Hardgate Lane, which is now part of the Worth Way. The area the bear died is now a car part near the Cross Roads Inn, near Keighley.

William Fivey, on the other hand, was a rich landowner from Lisnabrague Lodge, Pontyzpass, in what is now Northern Ireland, during the first part of the 19th Century. He owned lots of racehorses, mills and apparently even a owned a lime kiln. However, William Fivey was a very heavy drinker and gambler and he had so many losses with his reckless ways that he began to have to sell off property and even furniture.

William Fivey had one racehorse which he believed was much better than his others. He trained the horse carefully and thought it was a sure-fire winner. Again very recklessly he backed the horse in a race with all the money he had left. The horse was indeed about to win, being far ahead of the rest, but tragically it fell at the very last fence. William took the horse back to Union Lodge and had the poor beast bricked up in its stable. The horse starved to death.

Around 1850, William Fivey was forced to let out Union Lodge, allegedly to a man called Doctor Saunderson. On moonlit nights a horse was often seen galloping up the driveway and is apparently still seen in the area to this day.

At Critters Anonymous, we try to give animals past and present a voice. So that at least what they suffered does not go unnoticed.

There are stories of many more animals like this on our Critters Anonymous internet radio show at Blogtalkradio:

Horse Home Faces Credit Crunch

2008-10-31T04:52:00.005Z

A home for needy horses in Wrose, Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK, is facing the Credit Crunch and having to turn away needy horses because of rising hay prices. Roleystone Horse Sanctuary is having to turn animals away and now has a waiting list. Please think about how you can help critters in distress, even if it is just by petitioning.

If you know of any critters in distress please contact petwebsite@aol.co.uk and we will feature this on our show.

Rabbit Murderers and other rabbbit threats

2008-09-30T22:43:00.008Z

There was a recent strange tale of rabbits being beaded in Germany. It was believed the attacker saw the outdoor rabbit hutches on internet mapping where it is possible to zoom in on houses. The Fortean Times article says that Satanists could be behind the rabbit attacks. This is religious discrimination as, do Satanists blow up trains, planes, tubes, pubs, coaches or get involved in other acts of terrorism in the name of a particular Godhead? No, you will find they do not. Who is the most evil? Worth making a point even for rabbits.

Myxomatosis is now becoming a threat to pet rabbits, spread by mosquitoes in the UK. In Australia very evilly and wickedly the myxoma virus was intentionally introduced to rabbits in the 1950's.

We have had almost 1000 listens on Critters Anonymous BlogTalkRadio, despite being a UK show not given any publicity by BTR which favours American audiences. Someone likes us. Please support our shows for the sake of those animals which need us to give them a voice and in memory of Mona Lisa Rabbit 'Lil Bunny' a million times better than any painting..May her Spirit live forever.

Read Beheaded bunny mystery

Read Vet warns of deadly threat to pet rabbits

Listen to the Show

2008-09-18T14:51:00.001Z

The Two Headed Pig

2008-09-10T01:35:00.004Z

here it is, the two headed pig, found in china where another pig with six legs also turned up. Is it the air round there? What is causing these mutations?

Ivan Pavlov - Nobel Prize winner 1904

2008-08-27T03:42:00.005Z

Mr Pavlovian Conditioning himself, Ivan Pavlov, was provably very cruel to dogs in his experiments, see the photo (not for the squeamish) even putting a tube in to the dog's stomachs to measure their gastric juices. How truely barbaric and sickening and what a waste of time. Everyone knows when its dinner time, they don't need Pavlov to tell them with his vile, waste of time, stating the obvious, experiments.

Rabbits Forever

2008-08-15T02:46:00.002Z

We love rabbits, rabbits rights, rabbits forever, rabbits every time, rabbits at every day of the week, rabbits are great, rabbits are best, rabbits, rabbits, rabbits!

Cryptids on Ilkley Moor

2008-08-08T01:11:00.010Z

Loch Ness: Home to another cryptid.

Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire is a world renowned yet primitive place. Or is windswept and vast. The moor has many reports of UFO sightings and even photographs of small green men on the moor have been shown. The writer has personally seen these.

There is another legend of a creature that looks literally like a small man about three to four feet high, with bats wings - The real Batman? This creature has been seen near to White Wells Spar and also near the Swastika Stone on the north side of Ilkley moor. In cryptozoology terms just what is this bat-like creature?

See Ikley Moor 360º view

Read Ilkley Moor on Wikipedia

The Cat Show

2008-08-01T22:48:00.007Z

Why are cats often seen as the comforters of spinsters, but lions seen as the banner and flag of brave men, not to mention countries and football teams? Why is a pussy cat seen as a big softie meant for women, but men of history are seen as big brave lions, e.g. Richard the Lionheart? Why are women seen as 'catty' and if they fight they are having cat fights? Also, should rabbit and duck be in cat food? If you are a vegetarian what do you think of feeding your cat meat? We talked about this on our radio show, see below.

Otters, Minks and Rabbits

2008-07-29T00:31:00.006Z

There is a lot of confusion in the world of protecting animals. It appears that its OK to kill minks to protect otters but if someone were to wear a mink coat they would be virtually spat on these days. Also back in hypocrisy land, its fine for TV chefs to cook rabbits which are also domestic pets. Some countries in the do eat dogs. Yet in the western world we would be horrified if someone even suggested chomping on a poor fido. A rabbit should be a protected species with the same rights as dogs and cats in the WSPCA world. See Rabbits Rights blog listed below. Some people eat kangaroo meat and even horse meat. These barbaric practices should be put a stop to by governments worldwide.

You cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. See a report in the Bradford 'Telegraph and Argus' of 28th July 2008 (the paper can also be found on line) about cheerfully saving otters whilst killing minks. This is merely protecting one animal by killing another and does nothing to protect animals in general in the Grand Scheme of the Animal Protection Universe. Think about it.

See Rabbits Rights

Pets Face The Credit Crunch

2008-07-24T01:05:00.007Z

There was an article in the Yorkshire Evening Post of Saturday 19th July right on the front cover in fact, that showed many pets were being thrown out or given to the RSPCA or similar organisations due to hard up families being unable to feed them.

This seems extreme and cruel as it is still possible to buy very cheap supermarket own brand dog and cat food as well as other budget animal foods if absolutely necessary. It is irresponsible of people to take on a pet and then decide they cannot afford to keep it. They should have thought of that first.

Spider Power

2008-07-20T22:05:00.006Z

The spider is a very clever little being. Even more so as they eat nasty dirty flies. OK so they are also dangerous little carnivores, but non the less, they are quite fascinating creatures, love 'em or loathe 'em. There is a very interesting show called Arachne the spider on the show featured below from us at Critters...

It's Just Not Fair to Ignore Rabbits Rights

2008-07-14T01:48:00.007Z

Critters Anonymous on Blogtalkradio was started in memory of Mona Lisa Rabbit who passed in to Spirit on March 12, 2008. She was a lovely little rabbit and we never intend to forget her. Critters Anonymous has lots of articles about animals, some mystic and magical and some factual. It's just not fair to forget about memorial rabbits.

Gerbils

2005-04-18T03:03:00.000Z

Gerbils enjoy the company of other gerbils and should be fed on a gerbil mix from a pet shop and given plenty of fresh water in a cage feeder bottle.

They like to dig and burrow and usually can live in a hamster cage or tank provided the bars are not too wide apart.

Gerbils can also jump quite high and are very fast, so care should be taken whenhandling the gerbil out of the cage.

Rats

2005-04-18T02:01:00.000Z

Baby rats are known as kittens. Rats live for around two and a half years.

Rats like the company of other rats in preference to living on their own and like to live in wire cages in which they can climb around as they need lots of exercise. They also should be kept away from draughts and direct sunlight.

Rats should be given plenty of fresh water in a feeder bottle and be fed on a good ratfood mix from a pet shop.

Guinea Pigs (Cavies)

2005-04-09T02:16:00.000Z

Guineas pigs are friendly creatures and can be kept alone or in pairs.

They need dust free bedding which is not made up of cedar chips, so it is best to use commercially prepared wood shavings meant for guinea pigs or rabbits and hay or straw.

Guinea pigs should be provided with plenty of fresh water in a secure guinea pigcage/hutch and fed on guinea pig mix food from a pet store or supermarket.

It is possible for rabbits to bully guinea pigs so they are best not kept together.

Mice

2005-03-29T03:25:00.000Z

Mice can make good pets. They are very active and like climbing. They can even climb rope. Mice can be fed on hamster food. They enjoy the company of other mice.

Mice can be looked after in a similar way to hamsters, but make sure if keeping the mice in a cage that the bars are not widely spaced otherwise the mouse will squeeze through. Mice also like to run through cardboard tubes.

Mice live between one and two years and are fully grown when they reach three months old. A mixed pair will produce a litter every four weeks.

Rabbit Care

2005-03-17T21:49:00.000Z

Rabbits are generally sociable animals. They need to be checked at least twice a day. They need clean hay, plenty of fresh water and fresh commercially prepared rabbit food. Long haired rabbits need regular grooming.

Flies need to be kept away from the rabbits enclosure otherwise they may lay eggs in the rabbits fur causing serious disease. There are a number of other diseases rabbit's can get, one from wild rabbits. Consult your pet shop or vet for full details of vaccinations needed.

It is possible to insure rabbits with certain policies against ill health, but check the small print before buying.

Rabbits need to be able to stand up inside their warm, safe home and if they are house rabbits, they need to come out and be let out for daily exercise in an enclosed pen. If the rabbits runs round the lounge he needs constant supervision as rabbits are attracted to biting wires, cables and carpets.

Basic Care for Hamsters

2005-03-05T19:29:00.000Z

Hamsters make good family pets. They need little space and are easy to care for. They are noctural so are at their most active at night. They can live for 2-2.5 years.

They need lots of exercise so buy the largest cage you can afford. Plastic cages with metal tops are ideal. The stacking systems or the ones with many tubes make it interesting and fun for hamster. Use wood chips for the floor an hamster bedding for sleeping area.

When you get your hamster home leave him alone for a couple of days to get used to new surroundings. After that you must handle the hamster regularly to build up a relationship. Remember their eyesight is not so good so do not just go staight into the cage catching him unaware. Talk to him and let him get used to the sound of your voice. Then put your hand in the cage so he can get used to your smell. Pick him up gently but flrmly cupping your hands around his body. DO NOT DROP, you are better sitting on the floor to do this.

Avoid extremes in temperature, keep away from draughts and direct sunlight.Hamsters like it best at around 18-22 degrees celcius. If the weather is cold supply more bedding otherwise hibernation could occur. They need to be warmed in your hands to wake up.

Hamsters can get severe diarrhoer known as wet tail and this should be treated by a vet. lt can be caused by mouldy food or stress from too much handling (especially with new hamsters)

Their teeth grow constantly and if left to grow they get too long to eat and will eventutually die. Provide gnawing blocks to keep teeth trim and healthy.

Cages should be cleaned and disinfected once a week with specially designed disinfectant.

They love exercise so provide a wheel in the cage as they can run beween 4-8 miles in one day.

Hamsters are quite happy living on their own. Syrian hamsters are better on their own as they can be very aggresive when mature. Females will fight at breeding cycles and males will most certainly fight.

Hamsters will eat a variety of food. Hamster mix is a good basic diet which is clean and fresh. Hamsters hoard food so if feeding fresh food, check it is removed on a regular basis as it will perish quickly. Do not feed crisps as they will damage pouches or anything stick as it will clog their pouches and cause distress and sometimes death. Food bowls should be hardy and hard to tip over. Fresh drinking water should be provided at all times in a water bottle with stainless steel stem. Treats can given but in moderation and only use treats specially for hamsters.