Why » Animals

Why do ferrets smell?

Hari — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:36:23 +0000

Ferrets are born with scent sacs that are present in the anal region. The ferrets are also found to have musk glands present all around the face and less distributed all over the body. The scent sacs that are present near the anal region are not considered to be the exact reason for the ferret’s smell. The ferret’s smell seems to come from the musk glands present in the skin. The actual ferret aroma is obtained from the ferret’s face itself. It is reported that the ferret’s smell can mimic the scent of curry or a sweet, musky odor that is corn based for some people. Some people are reported to dislike the odor as ferrets smell unpleasant to them. The ferrets will have individual smells of their own, and the odor changes with the health status and the age of each ferret.

The ferret’s smell is contributed to strongly by the hormones rather than the scent sacs. The ferret that has not been neutered will have a staunch smell compared to the neutered ferret. The male ferrets at the time of the breeding season are found to stink. This is due to the production of more musk at this time by the male ferrets. The male ferrets splash their urine on their bodies to smell attractive for the female ferrets. The smell of the ferrets can be avoided by spaying and neutering them. The ferret can be made not to smell by altering them.

The ferrets available for sale are spayed and neutered by the pet suppliers. They generally do this alteration six weeks prior to their shipping. They also issue a certificate to the purchasers that the ferrets are fixed. If the neutered ferrets have a strong and unusual smell from the beginning even after surgery, they might not lose the odor at sexual maturity. They might not produce any smell at their young age. The retained testicles and ovaries will still produce hormones that are responsible for the ferret’s smell. So the veterinarian must be careful to check whether the organs are completely removed when they alter the ferret. Otherwise, the hormone production will again cause the smell in the ferrets.

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Why do skunks spray?

Hari — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:15:40 +0000

The skunks spray for various reasons. The skunk carries out its defense mechanism to protect its young from predators like wolves, coyotes, badgers and any other natural predator. Humans are sometimes considered predators and discouraged from coming closer to it. If the skunk is shocked or surprised, it might spray as a reaction response. The skunk might get startled when it is staying beneath the house and when anyone stomps on the floor with high-heeled shoes or walks on the floor loudly. The skunk sprays because it hears the sound and considers the noise as a threat to its survival.

There are two anal glands situated on either side of the anus of the skunk. These glands secrete a chemical substance that consists of sulfur. The odor of this chemical is generally unbearable. The spray from the skunk is aimed at any animal that is observed as a threat to it. The spray of the skunk is found to stop the animal from doing its activity of frightening the skunk. Stopping the grizzly bear was found to be done by the skunk very often.

The usual process of a skunk in frightening the predator is first to give a proper warning before it sprays. It will stomp its front feet to give a warning that it is irritated. After that, the skunk will place its body by turning around towards the side where the threat is located. If the predator or any threat still moves towards the skunk even after getting a warning signal from the skunk, an oil stream is sprayed by the skunk on the predator or threat. The skunks have the ability to spray the oil to a distance of ten feet. The skunks were reported in some cases to have sprayed a threat even at a distance of 20 feet very accurately. The chemical quantity that has to be used in each of the sprays can be controlled by the skunk. Therefore, a skunk sprays to avoid predators.

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Why do male dogs mark?

erwin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:09:34 +0000

Many people notice dogs urinate on posts, walls, and plant pots as if they have a specific reason for picking such a spot. More often than not, the dogs that do these are male, and they actually have a pretty good reason for picking such a spot for urinating. Some male dogs even lift their legs high up when urinating on a post, for example. These dogs are actually urinating on selected spots to mark their so-called “territory.” It’s like some form of instinct for male dogs to let the others know that they are the kings and owners of a particular area, and they do it through leaving a mark by means of their urine.

This attitude of marking territories is actually done by dogs even in the past. Similar behavior also occurs in other animal species like male bears and teh rhinoceros. But the main reason remains the same, and this is to notify the other males of their supposed territory. It is said that a dog’s urine is unique and different from the other dogs’ so it contains certain chemicals that pertain to just one dog. So if one male dog, for example, wants to mark his own territory, he does it by urinating on things like posts and walls. And since dogs have a great sense of smell, other dogs in the area will be able to sniff that a particular area is already marked by another dog.

And along with marking for territory, male dogs also want to project strength and power over other male dogs. It’s like a supremacy attitude to tell other dogs about one’s greatness and machismo. Some dogs try to urinate as high up on the post or wall as possible which explains why they try to lift their legs so high. The higher the marking, the better they can project that they are stronger and bigger than the other male dogs in the area. There are also dogs that put marks on several spots just to make sure that any other male dog that roams around will know that the territory is already taken.

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Why do rottweilers have docked tails?

erwin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:05:28 +0000

Docked tails are commonly seen in various dog breeds including Rottweilers. Some people are not really aware about this, but this has been the case even in the past. It was believed then that docking or removal of a part of the dog’s tail is necessary for a variety of reasons like rabies prevention or back strengthening. Some people also believed that docked tails were key in promoting increased speed for the dogs.

But the most common reason for docking tails in the past is for health reasons. Dogs in the past were used as helpers for hunting or for herding cattle, for example. Because of these duties, the dogs, particularly their tails, are exposed to possible dangers like dense bushes, sharp objects like plant thorns, and rocks. With constant contact and friction from these elements, the dogs’ tails frequently get cuts and scrapes which expose them to injury and infection. To protect their overall health, breeders in the past cut a portion of the dogs’ tails. It is also said that constant wagging of the dogs’ tails, especially those with long fur, is also unhygienic for dogs as these may come in constant contact with their own feces. This situation could again bring infection and sickness to the dogs.

In modern times, the practice of docking dogs’ tails continued with breeds like Rottweilers. Many people today consider this an improper treatment for dogs. Many dogs today function only as pets and are not exposed to the same dangers as the working dogs in the past. So many people consider tail docking as unnecessary and animal cruelty. Some people also claim that docking Rottweiler and other dogs’ tails is only done for aesthetic reasons and serves no other purpose. Because of this concern, some countries have some restrictions to tail docking for some dog breeds. There are even countries that ban tail docking for any type of dog including Rottweilers.

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Why do snakes have forked tongues?

erwin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:57:20 +0000

Snakes have forked tongues, and many people are aware about this interesting fact. But not that many people are aware of the reason for this or the fact that these creatures are actually deaf. As a predatory animal, it is quite difficult for snakes to track down other animals for food. It is said that all snakes cannot hear any sound from the air so they must be given something that can help them navigate their way through a bush and find some food. With this need comes their other abilities through the different parts of their bodies. Overall, snakes are said to detect vibrations on the ground through a body sensor of some sort. So instead of one claiming that the snakes may hear people walk through the forest, for example, the accurate statement would involve the snakes feeling that people are walking around in their environment.

Another ability given to snakes is their tracking prowess in terms of finding their prey, and they do this with their tongues. So basically their forked tongues serve the purpose of a tracking device for them to survive the jungle and find some food to eat. These tongues are flicked in and out several times for the snake to literally get a taste of the air and the ground. Their forked tongues receive chemicals, odors, and scents from the environment, and these are processed for interpretation. If the snake is moving to find some food, then it will need its tongue to follow the scent of rats, for example. It is said that if a snake finds the odor of its intended prey, it will be able to follow its tracks by simply using its forked tongue. If the snake doesn’t find anything interesting, then it will try to find another route and start tasting the air and ground using its tongue.

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Why do goldfish lose their color?

Hari — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:30:36 +0000

Goldfish were found to be losing their color when put in water that is moving. However, it has been found that goldfish lose their color gradually when they become old and big. Goldfish are known to develop patches of various colors. The color change is influenced by its diet. The diet that consists of carotenoids will cause the appearance of red and gold colors. The diet which includes some other precursors of pigment will display the black and blue colors. The pale and faded colors for the goldfish are due to illness. The development of color on the goldfish is also found to be influenced by light. The color patterns are not observed to have developed when the goldfish are placed in complete darkness for a long time. The fish appears dark colored when the background color is dark while the fish appears light in color when the background color is light.

The fish’s colors are attributed to the presence of pigment cells known as chromatophores. These are again of two kinds. Light-absorbing chromatophores are xanthophores, cyanophores, melanophores, and erythrophores. The light-reflecting chromatophores are known as iridophores and leucophores. The organelles present inside the chromatophores are called as chromatosomes. These kinds of chromatosomes will establish the pigment cell color. For instance, melanophores consist of melanosomes which comprise the melanin pigment.

The color change in fish is two kinds called physiological and morphological. Physiological changes in color involve the distribution of chromatosomes in the pigment cells. If the chromatosomes are spread all over the cell, the color will be specific. If they are accumulated at one center point or corner, the color is not visible. In the case of morphological change, the chromatophores numbers will determine the color change. For instance, a tank that is painted inside with a dark color having a dark background, the fish growing in that tank will be dark. Either the melanosomes will get spread all over the pigment cell or the melanophores will divide and multiply more. So the former process is physiological while the latter is called morphological.

The loss of color by the goldfish as they grow is due to the phenomenon called as apoptosis. Apoptosis is cell death. Apart from this phenomenon, the loss of color is due to the suppression of the birth of new melanophores. The degree of color change is based on the genetic makeup of the individual fish.

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Why do ducks float?

Hari — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:51:16 +0000

Objects sink or float in water because of the phenomenon called buoyancy. It means the object that displaces water when it is placed on the water will weigh less than the weight of the water it has displaced. So the force exhibited by the displaced water on the object will be more, and the object tends to float. In the same way, ducks that float on the water also weigh less than the weight of the water they are displacing.

The feathers of a duck are found to be waterproof, and they will trap air inside. With the help of this air that is trapped in the feathers, the ducks are able to float on the water. In another way, it can be said that the water weight displaced by the duck is more than the duck’s weight itself which makes the duck float.

The feathers in a duck do not become saturated with water. The feathers do not become wet as they are covered with an oil which repels the water. The oil that is covering the feathers is secreted from the oil glands that are present in the tail region of the duck. The duck is then kept waterproof by the oil that is released from the oil glands and they can float. As the feathers are made waterproof by the oil, they also trap air which causes them to float on the water.

The duck empties the air sacs of its feathers before it goes diving. If the duck has caught a fish, it will go back to the surface where it breathes in air and fills its lungs while it reaches the surface. The ruffling of its feathers will allow the duck to resume its normal way of floating on the surface.

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Why do whales get beached?

Hari — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:48:29 +0000

There are several theories that describe dolphins and whales staying in shallow waters and later getting stranded onto the beaches. It is thought that a whale might strand itself on the beach if it gets injured or is sick. The whales swim very close to the shallow waters in order to find some refuge in that region of water. The whales are known to be highly socialistic, and they like to travel in groups called a pod. When a sick or injured whale wants to get refuge in the shallow waters, the other whales of the pod will not allow the injured one to move alone. They accompany it and, hence, we can find some mass stranding on the beach though most of whales other than the injured one found on the land are healthy. They have the tendency to maintain their social relationship.

The mass stranding is mostly done by deep-water species among whales like pilot whales and sperm whales. These whale species tend to get stranded on the land unlike the species such as orcas or killer whales which tend to be close to the shore. There is another theory which says that the whales move to the shores while they are looking for prey and while foraging very close to the shore. However, this theory was not accepted as many whales that were found stranded on the shores were lying with empty stomachs. Sometimes they were available on the shore where their prey is not seen at all.

One of the theories which is mostly believed says that when the navigation system in the whales is disturbed for some reason, they get into shallow waters and then lead themselves on o shore. Several researchers have formulated that the mid-frequency and low-frequency sonar rays utilized by the military ships which were used by the United States’ Navy might have caused the mass stranding, injuries, and deaths of the whales.

The other reasons that might have caused whales becoming beached are: viral diseases, brain lesions, parasites infecting the ear of the whales, weather conditions, underwater topography that is not clearly known, an anomaly in the magnetic field, and seismic activity like earthquakes under the water.

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Why do bulls have nose rings?

Hari — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:38:09 +0000

The bull that is fully grown might be dangerous in many situations for the people who are handling it. Nose rings are used to handle the bulls easily. Bulls and cows display very aggressive behavior. The cattle have a metal ring that is fixed in the nasal region which serves the purpose of controlling the behavior of the cattle. So the bull with a nose ring can be allowed safely to stay around.

The nose ring that is attached to the bull will be opened, inserted, and then locked. The nose ring is generally applied to the bull when the animal is eight months old. The veterinary person will give a local anesthestic at the nose region and a hole will be made. The ring can be passed through the hole and closed after threading it around. The nose ring will force the bull to follow the handlers and not attack them.

Apart from the nose rings that are permanently worn by the bulls, they can also be controlled by bull tongs. These are a type of nose rings that can be used for temporary purposes. These kinds of nose rings are used by handlers to manage the bulls without attaching a permanent nose ring. The rings are also utilized in the weaning process in farms where the calves and the mothers are together and not separate. The separation happening at the time of weaning will cause loss in weight and mental disturbance to the calves, dams, and herds. The weaning rings that are made of plastic are spring loaded and can be removed easily are arranged inside the nose of the young bulls.

Occasionally, the workers handling the bull will lead the bull by the nose ring which should not be done. The nose ring has to be used as an extra element for leading the bull and not the main one. The proper management of the bull with a nose ring by the handler while using the nose ring as a handling instrument will not cause any problem with the bull.

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Why do hens peck each other?

Hari — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:32:49 +0000

It is the usual behavior of chickens to peck each other. Pecking is one of the main ways of communication in the flock by the chickens. At the time of molting, chickens normally have a formation of bald spots. The bald spots appear just typically and are not created purposely by the chickens. When a chicken sees blood on another chicken, it gets disturbed and will try to fight with the animal that is wounded. As the blood is more observed by the chicken, it will start attacking the animal which is wounded. Sometimes,this will lead to the death of the wounded chicken.

It was observed that when chickens feel bored, they start to get themselves involved in destroying something. If the chicken is not given enough room to move around, they become aggressive and start pecking each other. It is suggested to give at least 8 to 12 square feet for every bird when they are kept enclosed in a room. This will prevent the chicken from pecking and wounding each other. If the chicken is not undergoing molting, they might be involved in feather pecking. This is a symbol of a protein deficiency because the feathers are mostly comprised of protein.

Chickens have a pecking order among their group. This means that some hens are considered as the leader, and the others are considered as subordinates to them. If the subordinate hen moves in a disorderly manner, the bossy hen will peck at the lower ranked chicken, and its feathers may be pulled out. If some chickens are ill and weak due to more age, they will be pecked or harassed by the other chickens. If the space available is not sufficient, then the hen will peck at the neighbor chicken to force them to go away from there. The chickens must have at least five to eight feet of distance for every bird inside the coop.

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