I stumbled across a great site!

It’s a relatively new site but it’s great if you have a question about some sort of health ailment or are looking for an alternative, natural way to cure your  ails.  Check it out!
Health Forum

It’s a forum type of site that goes over everything from health insurance to dental problems.  They even have a section for humor if nothing else can fix what’s wrong.  The site is, like I said, somewhat new so there aren’t too many users on to crowd up the bandwidth either.  It’s a great place to learn about other ways to treat that headache or to prevent getting cavities.

Sorry I haven’t been updating as frequently as I used to.  School’s back in and I barely have the time to think about what to share with you all.  I’ll try to post another  update soon!

-Kyanel

My quail setup

So for those of you out there thinking about getting quails, this blog is for you!  Thanks to Louise for getting me to post this.  I’ve been meaning to for a long time, since I made my setup anyway. 

Before you get to pictures, I have a few things to say.  I live in an apartment so space is at a premium.  My precious quails used to take up every corner of my bedroom until my roommate suggested this:

This is a system I call Quail Condos!  These are just the plastic, 3-drawer set from Wal-Mart.  I bought two and stacked them on top of each other.  Each drawer has ventilation holes drilled in, but even without those there is plenty of air circulation since the drawers aren’t snuggly set into the frame.  Each drawer contains one or two quails, depending on their affinity for each other.  Our little mascot, Hamlet, gets his own drawer and he prefers the paper bedding, also available at Wal-Mart.

 

 

This type of bedding can be a bit dusty, but the dust is kept under the bedding and doesn’t affect the quails.  It’s also a good odor blocker and helps to keep poop off of their little quail toes.  Another type of bedding can be used and one of my newer quails, Oberon, seems to like it better than the bedding Hamlet’s in:

This type of bedding is from Petco and is much looser.  There’s no chance they’d accidentally swallow a piece, since the bedding is so large.  If your quail has a habit of eating its bedding, there is a chance of it getting impacted in their gut which is a painful way to go.  This one also offers excellent absorbtion of liquids and is also easy to clean.  This one, unlike the other one is also dust free, which is good if you have allergies.

Anyway, these drawers are an easy way to give each quail its own space in a small space.  Each drawer is pretty large so they have plenty of room to run.  It’s also easy to clean and an efficient use of space.  The only problem is that when one drawer is open, the drawer below it will then lack a ceiling so you’ll have to be careful when you open the drawers. 

That’s my setup.  Share with me your setups or comment on mine.  I know it’s not exactly an ideal habitat for a quail, but when I get a house, you can bet your bottom dollar the first thing I’ll do is build a huge aviary full of vegetation and hiding spots with dirt and grass for a floor.  That would be the ideal situation for the quails.  Until then, my quails are happy just as they are, separate from each other in their own apartments. 

That’s all for now.  Over and out!

-Kyanel

Button update!

I am now verified!

Soon I’ll be making a website dedicated to my customization products and you can place orders via paypal!  I’ll put any image on a button, magnet, mirror, or keychain.  Discounts and freebies for larger orders, as well as free shipping or delivery.  These make great gifts or party favors, or you can resell them yourself at conventions (especially for those anime convention goers out there! These things sell like hotcakes at cons!)  We’ll complete custom orders from 1 to 1000 (or more!)  They’re professionally made, high quality products! Your satisfaction is guaranteed or we’ll redo the order for you at no extra cost! 

 

Wow I sound like one of those commercials huh?  XD  but yes.  I’m so serious guys. Email me at kanineanimus@gmail.com for details and orders!

Over and out!

-Kyanel

A little about fish and aquaponics

For the past two semesters I’ve been taking classes in aquaculture.  I figure, I like fish and I like eating fish.  I also happen to have a lot of un-academic knowledge about fish since I am fish expert at the store I’m at.  I’ve read tons of books and have hands on experience with many, many different types of fish from white clouds and guppies to frontosas and arrowanas.  BUT.  During this class I was introduced to a concept called aquaponics.  Prior to this I did know what it was and I had heard about it, but I had never tried it out myself despite the fact that I have a pond full of fish that could benefit from this.  SO.

After a few lessons and tips from my instructor and classmate, as well as some hands on experience with a full system, I decided to make a small one myself.  I don’t have a picture of it right now but I’ll upload one later.  It’s balcony sized but very productive.  I’m experimenting with different herbs and fruits and vegetables right now.  I’ve got strawberries, blueberries, zucchinis, two types of tomato, basil, watercress, manoa lettuce, two types of thyme, lavender mint, pinapple mint, sage, spearmint, rosemary, some sort of lavender, green bell peppers, some type of sweet chili, sweet peas, a small palm tree sprout, some sort of weed with white flowers (it’s supposed to be decorative), a succulent, two types of orchid, and oregano.  Some are doing too well and some aren’t that hot.  One of the orchids I actually brought back to life with this system and it’s happily sprouting flowers.

But yes.  The basic principle behinds this is to have some sort of marketable fish that you can sell in a large body of water.  The fish water is pumped into the plants and the water drains out of the plants and back into the source.  Simple right?  And it works so well!  Here’s why:

WARNING:  SCIENCE CONTENT AHEAD!!

It all has to do with the nitrogen cycle.  In the simplified version the nitrogen cycle starts with nitrogen in the soil which is then taken up by plants and converted into useable biological molecules such as amino acids, pyrimidines, and purines.  Primary consumers, the herbivores, eat these plants and use the molecules for their own purposes.  Many amino acids are glucogenic (can be converted to glucose)  and when the herbivores metabolize their food, a lot of the amino acids and nucleic acids are digested and some of the nitrogen molecules are used for synthesizing other amino acids, but most of the nitrogen is taken out of the system and excreted in various unusable forms:  ammonia, uric acid, and urea, depending on the animal we’re talking about.  ANYWAY.  When the nitrogen is excreted it returns back to the soil and is taken back up by plants.  Uric acid and urea are then reconverted by bacteria into ammonia, then to nitrates and nitrites which are the versions of nitrogen that are usable by plants. 

SO back to the fish.  Fish excrete ammonia and in a ripe tank, Nitrobacter sp. converts the excreted ammonia to nitrites, then to nitrates.  The nitrates naturally build up in the water and are used by algae.  BUT if we divert this water to other, more useful and marketable plants, then THOSE plants benefit from the nitrogen rich water and they flourish.  The clean water is then put back into the system and this prevents uncontrollable algae buildup and massive fish loss due to them poisoning themselves with their own waste. :C 

END SCIENCE CONTENT

So.  That being said.  The ideal aquaponics system has both marketable fish and marketable plants benefitting from each other in one microcosm.  As humans we can eat these fish and plants or sell them.  It’s also a SUSTAINABLE way to have a vegetable garden of your own that produces enough fruits and vegetables to live on.  (or at least supplement your diet)  All your products can also be labelled as ORGANIC! omg buzz wordsss!!  Anyway, the marketing is for large scale operations so I’ll focus on the small scale, personal aquaponics system.

If you don’t plan to have tanks full of tilapia or catfish then you’re probably going to have to use ornamental fish.  I chose different types of goldfish to be my main poop producers since, well,  they are very good at it.  They are often placed amongst the dirtiest fish in the pet industry.  So in my pond I have 3 koi, 1 lionhead goldfish, 6 feeder comets, and 18 baby koi.  I also have in there about 10 mosquito fish (but they keep breeding) to keep mosquitos down, 1 whiptail catfish, and 1 sailfin pleco to keep down algae and sludge.  The system has been running for about a month now and it’s quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever built. 

For your own simple aquaponics system you’ll need:  1 pond/tank/water containment device, 1 pump (pond pump or sump pump), an automatic timer for the pump, PVC piping (however much you need for your design), plants, plant containment devices with adequate drainage (the type of drainage and the placement of the drain holes is up to your design), black cinders or spongerock, plants, and fish.

Those are the most basic needs of an aquaponics system.  Anything else you’ll need will be up to your design, but remember to contain the sump pump in something that allows water flow but prevents fish from getting sucked up.  You must have a timer or some sort of system worked out so you don’t have your plants in water 24/7 (that causes root rot).  My system turns on between 6am and 11pm for 15 minutes every 45 minutes to allow the plant boxes to drain.  The system shuts off at night.  If you’re concerned about the amount of water the pump pumps out of your pond then I recommend getting a PVC pipe valve that you can turn to control water flow.  If you use this though make sure that your pipes are fitted securely onto the pump otherwise your pipes will just slip off due to water pressure and you’ll have a large watery mess to clean up and a few suffocatng fish.

When I post a picture of my system, hopefully it will all be a bit clearer than my words.  Anyway, aquaponics systems are an awesome backyard experiment that’ll teach you and/or the kids a lot about the basic needs of fish and plants as well as a bit about how the world works.  It’s easy to build and maintain, fun to watch your fish and plants grow, and it’s also rewarding when harvest time rolls around.  If you plan it and time it right you’ll have fresh vegetables all year round!  Just be careful when winter rolls around.  Shallow systems don’t do well in cold places so if your winters are freezing, it’s best to have a deep pond so you don’t end up with fishsicles. 

If you decide to launch one of these projects for yourself, good for you!  I hope my extremly abbreviated lesson in aquaponics inspired you to go out and grow something.

Over and out!

-Kyanel

I made an AMV! :D

Hey check it out!  Remember how I said I love video games?  Well here’s a tribute to my latest love:  OKAMI !!   I’m rather proud of this but I do have to apologize for the glitchy parts…Premier doesn’t like mpgs for some reason…

Song:  Dive Right In – Story of the Year
Footage:  Okami – Clover Studio and Capcom
              Zelda: Twilight Princess – Nintendo

This was done for Art201 SS09 and had a time limit of 2 minutes so I had to edit and cut down the song…it’s still an awesome song though.  I was actually introduced to Story of the Year by my friend in high school.  The first song I heard from them was Anthem of Our Dying Day which was pretty awesome. 

ANYWAY…

  Thanks for following!  My next post will be on more pet related stuff.

Buttons, keychains, magnets, and mirrors!!

Hey everyone, remember in the beginning I said that I’m doing a little side thing to make some money?  Well.

I am open for commissions and I make custom buttons, keychains, magnets, and mirrors! 

A few premade buttons and a keychain

Featured above are samples from the Predator and Prey Design series, a few photo pins, and my Chinese Zodiac set.  (all designed or shot by me)

The buttons and magnets come in 2 sizes: 1 1/4″ and 3 1/2″ (diameter)

Keychains are only in 1 1/4″ (diameter)

Pocket mirrors are only in 3 1/2″ (diameter)

I also have some photos and pictures (shot or made by me) you can choose from at http://kanineanimus.deviantart.com, as well as a few pins from the popular SquareEnix game: The World Ends With You. 

I’ll turn your images or designs into one of these professional quality products!  Simply comment me below or shoot me an email to kanineanimus@gmail .com for details and pricing.  I provide a fast turn around and I offer free shipping, (free delivery if you’re on Oahu), and discounts on larger orders!

These affordable products are perfect for advertising your small business, as favors for your next event, or just to give some flair to your bag, clothes, or purse.  Spread the word! 

Thanks for looking!

Over and out.

-Kyanel

Bird Seed = French Fries

Yes my friend, your average bag of bird seed (for example those from Kaytee or a supermarket brand) Is the bird world equivalent of what french fries are to us.  My cockatiels are fat.  The last time I had to grab them to clip their wings they felt realy heavy for cockatiels.  Are your birds overweight?  I’ll tell you what I learned from an avian vet.  A little about why they’re fat and how inadequate the average seed feed is for their health.

First off you know those shells that you have to blow out of the cup every now and again so that the uneaten seed below is exposed for your birds to eat?  Well those annoying shells actually harbor all the nutrition, specifically, all the vitamin A.  But the birds don’t eat that.  They prefer the high calorie insides of the seed:  the cotyledons.  Here’s a bit of a botany/biology lesson for you so that you will understand exactly why this is so.

WARNING:  SCIENCE CONTENT AHEAD

So as we all know seeds, when allowed to grow, produce plants.  The seeds are tiny packets that contain the embryonic plant and everything the plant needs to sprout including all the energy needed to grow the roots and push out of the ground before the plant can start making energy for itself.  All this energy is stored in the cotyledons which are the two larger halves of the seed. (or the large majority of the seed in monocots)  Inside the cotyledons are a large amount of sugars and fatty acids that the embryonic plant uses to sprout.  But for primary consumers, the cotyledons have the most energetic payoff for the foraging effort.  So why bother trying to digest the tough outer shell when you can easily peel off the shell and directly ingest all the energetic goodness inside?  Besides.  Wild birds can gain all their essential vitamins from eating other things.

But our birds cannot.  They only get what we give them.  And if all we give them are seeds, then they can’t get their nutrition from other sources.  But you’re probably saying right now that your birds are doing just fine on a diet of seeds alone.  That may be true but they’re not getting all the essential vitamins they need.  Vitamin A is essential to your bird’s health especially because a vitamin A deficiency can lead to blindness and other health conditions.

END SCIENCE CONTENT

So what can we do as owners to make sure our birds can get everything they need?  Well we can give them supplements that are available in the pet stores but I recommend some easier methods.

For the more budget conscious like me, I usually give my birds (cockatiels, parakeets, canaries, ducks, and quails) alternative foods as treats.  I’ve given them things like sugarcane stalks (which is good for their beaks and offers a sweet treat), romaine cores (all the leaves are taken off), hard boiled eggs (without the shells they LOVE this), egg shells (crushed), strawberries, bananas, small amounts of kale and collard greens, and small amounts of spinach.  The dark leafy greens are high in vitamin A and other essential nutrients that seeds lack.  Hard boiled eggs give a better source of protein but should be given only in moderation.  Romaine cores don’t offer too much but my birds like it as a cool treat and as a sort of chew toy.

OR

If you don’t want to bother with all of that then I HIGHLY recommend feeding them Kaytee Complete pelleted diet.  It comes in a black bag and in multi colored round pellets and yellow banana shaped pellets.  This provides 100% of the nutrition your bird needs and they sell them for all sizes of birds from finches to macaws.  They also have an uncolored version that doesn’t smell fruity, but the fruityness is to attract your bird to the food, especially if your bird has been on seeds all its life and never encountered pellets before.  Also, NO MORE SEED SHELLS.  They also make less of a mess as a result and you’ll always know when your bird needs more food since there will be NOTHING left in their dish.  I found this to be so much more convenient than seeds.  It’s funny though, one of my birds refused to eat the green pellets and another refused to eat the yellow ones.  They might still be finicky, but at least there’s no more shells.

Unfortunately, as with many of the balanced diet foods it does run a bit more expensive than the seeds.  It’s about $7.00 for a 2lb bag which doesn’t stretch too far.  To stretch the bag you can still give your birds seeds mixed in to the pellets.

And sunflower seeds?  AS A TREAT ONLY!  Those are quite possibly the worst (yet highly demanded by many birds) thing you can give them in their regular diet.  Small amounts are fine as a treat.

Seeds aren’t TERRIBLE for your birds, it’s just that they don’t offer all the vitamins and minerals that the pelleted diet gives.  Think of the seeds as the supplement and the pellets as the main diet.

That’s it for the seed rant.  Hope that gave you some idea about your bird’s dietary needs and what to do about it.

Over and out!

-Kyanel

The DL on what you’re buying.

Okay so to change the tone of things I want to share with you something that no pet store wants you to know.

Their profit margin.

Yes.  Every store needs to make money, make a profit and stay in the black in order to be successful.  But some stores really take advantage of this concept.  I’m not saying which stores exactly but I know for a fact that some stores have a markup of over 200%!

For example.  I was looking through a wholesale catalog, one of the ones that only the stores receive that the public usually can’t get their hands on.  I was standing there with my manager as we contemplated what toys to bring in and I saw this adorble stuffed lobster.  I believe GRRgles took over the previous company that made these but that’s beside the point.  Anyway,  They came in boxes of 1 dozen and the wholesale price was 99 cents a piece.  However, next to the picture was a footnote that said “Suggested retail price:  $7.99 each”!  Our jaws dropped.  My manager went to the owner of the store and asked how much she would mark it up for.  The owner looked at the page and said “Suggested Retail.”  The two of us were shocked but we thought it would be another good product to have in the store.  Needless to say I wanted one for my own dog but I wasn’t willing to pay over $8 for something that cost the store 99 cents.

So I didn’t buy it.  I went about as usual and eventually I needed to get 25lb bag of chicken feed for my quails.  (They may be small but they eat A LOT) My store sold these but I knew where they bought them from and I wanted to avoid the markup.  So I went directly to my regular feed store, Waimanalo Feeds.  Big shout out to those guys.  They’re my favorite feed store on the island.  ANYWAY.  When I went to go pick up my feed I saw the same lobster my store ordered for $2.99.  I’m serious guys.  I immediately bought a lobster and my dog still sleeps with it in his bed every night.

The things with the biggest markups are the dog toys.  Be careful with those.  Dry food and canned food prices are usually reasonable and have a very low markup due to certain agreements with the distributor and the company.  Everything else, on average, is marked up at least 200% in regular stores.  Stay with the regular pet stores if you don’t need things in large quantities.  But if you’re on a tight budget and have a lot of pets to feed, I recommend you go to a feed store instead.  Everything’s in bulk, but it’s worth the cost.

MORAL OF THE STORY:  Watch out for high prices.  If you think it’s unreasonable it probably is.  Shop around to get an idea of exactly how much you should be paying for things.  And if all else fails, go to Waimanalo Feeds.

DISCLAIMER:  That doesn’t mean boycott your local pet stores!  They need to make a living too!

  Hope this help you make better decisions about the prices you’re paying!

Over and out!

-Kyanel

A little bit about grieving

Sorry for such a depressing topic, but I believe it is a relevant one for all pet owners out there.

Death is a very real occurance and is the ultimate destination for all things living.  As we live our lives we grow fond of and attached to other living things around us because of the happy memories and good times we share.  Between humans and our animals we share each other’s love, affection, and devotion in addition to all those happy endorphins the good times give us.  We grow so close to each other that when it’s time for an animal to pass on, the human is stricken with grief, as though losing a best friend and family member.  Because that’s what they were.

The reasons we grieve will always be different, but the root is the same.  It comes from that space left in our hearts when our animal has passed on.  But we mustn’t remember our animals for their deaths.  We must remember them for their lives.  We should celebrate their lives and strive to remember all the good times they gave us.  And even though sometimes we don’t get the chance to say good bye, the love that an animal shares with its human is what it remembers and takes with it.

An animal doesn’t judge or persecute, nor is it unforgiving and bitter.  But they also don’t forget.  They don’t ever forget the love and affection they’ve received from anyone that has touched their lives.  They don’t forget the people that they’ve touched either.  All their lives they bring light into our lives and they make us both for the better.  We should keep this in mind and keep this with us as they pass on and we remain here.

I know it hurts.  It’s okay to grieve.  It’s okay to hurt.  But afterwards we should remember the good things like the feel of their fur/feathers etc.  under our hands and the nudge of their face into our side.  We should remember the way they barked or mewed or the time they figured out how to grab that piece of food off your plate that you thought they couldn’t quite reach.  They gave you the best years of their lives and it’s only right that that’s how we remember and celebrate them.

Let them rest in peace.  They’re patiently waiting for you on the other side so that one day, you may be reunited to share more happy memories together, into eternity.

Sorry for yesterday…and some kibbles and bits

I had a  headcold yesterday that just floored me.  Must be this odd weather we’re having, what with the hot sun then the crazy wind and cold.   Anyway, I’m up from bed and here to make up for it today by talking to you about…DOG and CAT FOOD.

So all you animal lovers know that there are just choke brands of food out there from those you can buy at a supermarket to those you need to go to a specialty store to get your hands on.  Well today I’m going to offer you a few tips on how to make the most of your money and get the most nutrition for your dog or cat.

I’ll start off with THE SIX FIRST THINGS YOU SHOULD DO NO MATTER WHERE YOU GET YOUR FOOD OR WHAT BRAND YOU”RE GETTING.

1. Know your animal’s allergies. Yes.  Dogs and cats have allergies too.  In fact, one day a customer came in to the store and told me her dog was allergic to corn, wheat, beef, chicken, and lamb.  She could only ever buy Natural balance Salmon and Sweet Potato Sausages and had to make sure all the treats she bought were either wheat-free or made of soy.   It’s crazy  sometimes.  Wheat and chicken is a common allergy so be careful, especially if you’ve just gotten your dog or cat.
2. Check the ingredient label first. ALWAYS.  Even if you’re buying the most expensive, holistic, organic food on the market.  The ingredients are listed in order of quantity.  If the number one ingredient is “Whole Corn”  then GUARANTEE it is the main ingredient (by weight) in that food.  Often times cheap dog foods use corn as a filler so you only think your dog is getting as much meat as in the picture on the front of the bag.
3. When considering between wet and dry, think about this:  Wet food isn’t more expensive because it has better ingredients.  It’s more expensive because you’re paying for the shipping on the can’s water weight.  The ingredients are more often than not the same.  Only buy wet, canned food if you’re dog is particularly finicky or has some sort of health concern…or if you’re just looking to give him a treat or supplement the taste of his dry food.  Dry is better for your dog’s teeth anyway, especially if he has a problem with plaque.
4. The thing about corn. “Whole corn” or even “ground corn” is never fully digested.  As I said before it’s usually included as a filler.  HOWEVER.  This doesn’t mean to avoid foods with corn in them period.  Corn does provide some essential vitamins and nutrients that your cat or dog needs for a healthy coat and balanced nutrition, but that’s usually named on the bag as “corn middlings”  or something close to that.  “Ground corn” is also acceptable since it’s somewhat more digestable than whole corn.
5. The by-product debate. Be aware of what sort of meats are going into the foods.  If the word “by-product” is in there as one of the top 3 ingredients, odds are you’re buying some sort of cheap food.  Science Diet is probably the only exception here, but that food has many more benefits than just the meat that’s in it.  “By-product”  refers to all the non-muscle meats of the animal including bone, hoof, fur, scales, and some of the more unsavory organs like the eyes.  This is the stuff that you don’t want to feed to your animal.  Organs such as the liver, stomach, heart, etc. are a more normal part of a wild animal’s diet and so it’s okay for the food to contain these.  Usually though, most of the higher end foods such as Natural Balance will actually list out exactly which by-products they’re including so you can feel a little bit better about giving it to your animal.
6. Regular vs. organic vs. holistic. A popular trend on the market these days is to give your animals designer foods.  These are often labeled as organic or holistic.  When considering an organic product ask yourself this:  “Is this food REALLY organic?”  By law in order for an animal food to be organic then the final product must contain mostly ingredients that are FDA certified organic.  However, whatever is fed to the animal that is in your dog’s food could have been fed non-organic foods that have been treated with chemicals.  In order for a food to be TRULY organic ALL PARTS OF THE FOOD CHAIN leading up to the final product MUST BE pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer etc. free.  I guarantee you there is no such animal food that is truly organic so it’s not really worth the few extra dollars you’ll spend on it.  A truly organic food will put your pet food bill through the roof.  Holistic foods are supposedly foods that contain top-of-the-line ingredients for your animal, usually contain no by-products, and contain many more ingredients not found in your average dog food including some organic ones.   It’s a lot more common to find foods labeled as holistic because it’s kind of like having the organic stamp, but without the organic ingredients.  I’d still buy a holistic food over an organic food though.  The drawback to these foods though, is that they can tend to be too rich for your animal to take even with a gradual food change.  Sometimes, simpler is still the best.

Now that I’ve given you some tips on how to choose your food, let’s get a little bit more specific.

1. Some brands like Eukanuba and Solid Gold offer breed specific foods for both dogs and cats.  Consider looking in to these, especially if the bloodline your animal came from is particularly prone to breed specific diseases.  If not then you don’t necessarily need to invest in these foods and can stick to all breed foods.
2. Each brand has a whole variety of specialty foods.  Brands like Nutro, especially, have foods for specific behaviors or problems such as “Dental” and “High Energy”.  Think about taking the time to learn about each of these special purpose foods so you know what will bet suit your needs and your animal’s needs.
3. Possibly THE MOST IMPORTANT THING about ANY FOOD THOUGH is first to consider the age of your animal.  Each age group “Puppy and Kitten”, “Adult”, and “Senior” has different nutritional needs.  Puppy and kitten foods should be higher in fats and proteins to help support growth and development.  Adult foods have lower levels of these for maintenance.  Senior foods have even lower levels of these and a much lower level of salt.  Giving a senior dog puppy food is like giving your grandmother foi gras pizza.  There are foods that say “for all life stages”  But those are usually compromises between the age groups.  It’s usually always better to get your animal’s appropriate age specific food.

FINALLY.  That was a lot of information.  But now, I’ll finish up here with a few of my favorite food brands for both dogs and cats.

1. My #1 brand of food HAS TO BE Nutro. They have a HUGE line of foods ranging from those cheap enough to be sold in the supermarket to special purpose foods all the way up to holistic foods.  Nutro Max is their first tier food for any average animal.  There’s nothing special about this food but it’s good for the tight budget and simple diet.  Nutro Natural Choice is Nutro’s line of specialty foods that have a huge range of purposes for that particular type of pet.  Finally Nutro Natural Choice Ultra is their Holistic line  featuring chicken, lamb, and salmon as the main proteins complemented with a balanced mix of fruits and vegetables.  And ALL their food formulas have a puppy (or kitten), adult, and senior food, as well as small breed, medium breed, and large breed lines so that your animal, no matter how big it’ll grow up to be, can keep consistent on one type of food throughout its life if you so desire.  Every flavor even has a canned version!  They also have a wide variety of flavors and ingredients for almost any animal, even those with sensitive stomachs and allergies.  All the flavors in the Natural Choice line comes with added omega-3’s and other essential fatty acids to promote good skin and coat health and less shedding and dandruff.  Best of all, Nutro never uses ANY by-products, not even in their cheapest foods.  Also, all Nutro foods are completely balanced so no vitamin supplements are ever needed.  If you HAVE TO buy your food at a supermarket then consider Nutro.  Good all around food for any budget and any general health issue.  Highly recommended!
2. Science Diet.  No this stuf isn’t only available at the vets.  This is also good food that usues the right by-products.  They have exactly the right balance of nutrition for every breed size and every age group.   They also have specialty foods for certain conditions including allergies.  If you’re going to be fancy or if your animal has an extremely specific health problem,  they even have foods that will specifically target certain organs to promote their health.  This food is just as good as Nutro if not better.  It is, however, more expensive so it might not be the right food for those on a tight budget whose animals can handle regular foods.
3. Natural Balance. This food promotes bringing animals back to their wild diets.  They use more exotic proteins and vegetables including Duck, Salmon, Sweet Potato, and Wild Rice.  They even have a completely vegetarian food for those with meat allergies.  They also list exactly what by-products they use instead of using the obscure umbrella term that’ll leave you guessing as to exactly WHAT is in the food.  In addition to cans and dry food, Natural Balance also features Rolls which are kind of like those huge sausages you’ll see in a meat market.  Good to give to your dog as a soft treat or as an olfactory lure for picky dogs.  They also have a selection of frozen, raw diets which are particularly good for large breed dogs or those with special needs diets.

Didn’t see your favorite brand?  Why haven’t I mentioned Eukanuba or Iams?  Personally, I don’t like them.  For those foods you’re paying for the name, not the food.  I’ll leave it at that.

Wow.  So that was a lot of information.  BUT  there’s SO MUCH MORE to learn about your animals’ foods!  I highly recommend that you go out there and spend a while in the food aisle to read up on each food bag on the shelf.  Hopefully, if you’ve read all this you now have a better idea about what you’re buying for your animals.

Over and out!

-Kiara