Halloween: Small animals

animalcrazy

If you keep small animals e.g. rabbits, guinea pigs outside then I strongly advise you to bring them indoors for halloween because of fireworks, they can give them an awful fright,shock and small animals don't mix well. The same applys for cats and dogs. Halloween is also a time when many animals go missing, and, especially in urban areas, many animals are tortured and killed by low-lifes. Please keep your animals safe and secure this halloween.

dreamer_ire

As another hint if you expect to have lots of fireworks in your area and your dog/cat is bothered by them, feed them some slightly overcooked rice a few hours before it gets dark. Makes your pup sleepy and a bit more settled when the bangs start *s

SunnyP

Im dreading what the dogs reaction will be to the fireworks this year, my 8 month old boxer is going to bark her head off

Never thought of bringing the guineapigs in, thanks OP

Sigma Force

So true, and also pet birds. Only problem is you would need to keep them in an unheated room because the change in temp could affect them as it's very cold, even frosty at night and suddenly bringing them into a warmer temp and then back out in the cold a few days later isn't good for them.

Guineapigs should be brought in over winter if possible anyway, it gets very cold and damp unless you have a warm shed or cover for the hutch area.

animalcrazy

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

Guineapigs should be brought in over winter if possible anyway, it gets very cold and damp unless you have a warm shed or cover for the hutch area.

ya guys, same goes for bunnies, if they got to be outside then make sure water isn't getting into there sleeping area and change damp bedding, guineapigrescue has a good thread with tips. Even then I really don't believe in leaving them outside, gps and rabbits are often cold and neglected in winter because the owners are too lazy to go out and care for them because of the cold and rain. :mad:

turtle dubh

I use Kalm Aid for my two dogs. Its good stuff you just pump it on their food. I get it from my vet so Im sure sure most other vets will stock it.

SuzyS1972

The DAP collars and plug in ones work quite well - I used one for my mums westie last year and he seemed a lot calmer after a day or 2

dreamer_ire

SunnyP wrote: »

Im dreading what the dogs reaction will be to the fireworks this year, my 8 month old boxer is going to bark her head off

You should also keep the TV/radio on as it will mask some of the noise. If she wants to bark... let her, the important thing is that she doesn't get scared. One friend of mine "builds" a new bed for her dog during fireworks season... she gets a cardboard box that her dog can get into by the side and puts it in the far corner of the living room, its nice and dark (blanket etc inside) but it helps her dog feel secure cos it's enclosed and cosy for her. If she's afriad just try and ignore it first so you don't feed her fears but if she's really nervous you'll have to keep her close and loads of TLC.

My dog just to be quite nervous around fireworks and living in NI we get quite a lot of them. Two years ago I started to play music in the days leading up to it, music with sudden bangs etc it in (weird world music lol) and now she's perfectly happy when the bangs are going on outside. I don't know exactly what helped her out of her fears but I think it might have been a combination of the lot!

Hope your pooch "enjoys" her first fireworks night *s

BlackCat2008

Every year two weeks before Halloween I go trapping for all the Ferrells I have neuter or cared for and bring them in, they are not allowed back out for at leased two weeks after Halloween, this year will be the worst I'm all out of space but I do get a chance to update their VAX and have a health check done, it may stress them out a little but as the years go by for some they just get use to it and my vets hate to see me coming some are great with Ferrel's and some not so great, no bites yet.

Before my cats were house cats they would be brought in two weeks before till two weeks after Halloween or longer if needs be and the same at Xmas as traffic is heavier and the new year fire works start up.

9/10 times I end up with other peoples cats who didn't bring them in and have become terrified, and I put up a notice in the local shop if you are missing a cat or dog to contact me, and when they do I tell them I had to wrestle the cat from some lads trying to throw them in the bon fire or tie fire works to them, in the hope they keep them in the next year. Thank god it has worked for most, but I know I will have two ginger guys on my hands that are not and hear the same old thing, they kept on crying or scratching the door or what ever !!! So please keep an eye out for those that do not have responsible owners or one that care and take them in if it's even for the night.

I have four kittens that haven't experienced Halloween yet and two dogs that are already crawling the walls and I'm am teaching them to relax about it all by useing words they already know but without allowing them to ajust to them.

Do turn on a radio or TV to stop them from hearing it don't get them use to the noise if god for bid they went missing at this time of year they would have no problem walking up close to the fireworks and could get caught by the wrong scum, they should be afraid of them and learn to hide or run to keep them selves safe.

Great 1 in the morning and there setting them of I want get this collie settle for the night now best go see to him.

boomerang

Useful Halloween advice for dog owners here:

http://limerickanimalwelfare.blogspot.com/2007/10/crash-bang-wallop.html