Plush Toy Safari Blog

New to PlushToySafari.com

2009-10-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

Furniture and Decor - Kids Tables, Chairs, Rocking Chairs and More!

Toys and Playsets - Train Sets, Dollhouses, Doll Furniture, Playhouses, Playsets, Plush Toys, Rockers and More!

Kids Bedroom Furniture : Nursery Decor : Toys and More!

2009-10-06T09:44:00.001-07:00

In addition to our kids costumes, PlushToySafari.com is proud to announce it's newest product line sure to meet your kids bedroom and nursery decor needs! Here are a few of our featured products:

Kids Costumes | Wrap n Rides | Kids Capes | Kid Safari Room Decor | Kids Bedroom Furniture : Nursery Decor | Toys and Playsets | Licensed Products

Kids Costumes : Animal Costumes : Plush Toy Costumes

2009-09-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

Kids Costumes : Toddler Costumes :
Infant Costumes

Shop Early for the Best Selection! Big Discounts!

We now have over 65 adorable Kids Costumes, Wrap n Rides and Kids Capes!

Take a walk on the wild side with our Kids' Safari Animal Costumes and Pretend Play Costumes! Dressed like a Giraffe, Monkey, Horse or Leopard, bring the jungle to town just for fun! Unique costumes for kids feature fantasy creatures—Unicorn, Dinosaur, or Dragon! Or be a sweet pet! Choose Dalmatian Dog, Siamese Cat or Poodle Dog.

Bring to life your children's vivid imaginations with our varied and colorful animal costumes from around the world! Choose from the Egyptian Camel, the south pole Penguin, Florida Dolphin, the Underwater Octopus or the Australian Kangaroo and many others. Or expand their Farm with our Pig, Lamb, Cow,Donkey,Goat and other farm critters!

Bernese Mountain Dogs - Hairy, Faithful, Fun!

2008-03-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

The Bernese Mountain Dog

Some of you may never have heard of a Bernese Mountain Dog. Well they are a versatile breed of farm dogs that originated in the canton of Berne in Switzerland, thus their name, "Bernese".

Bernese Mountain Dogs are often called “Berner” for short and they are a tri-colored large dog. They stand 23 to 27.5 inches tall and can weigh anywhere from 65 to 120 pounds. Now let’s talk about their distinctive tri-colored pattern. Their body, neck, legs, head, and ears are solid black. Their cheeks, stockings and thumbprints are a rust or tan color and lastly, their chest, muzzle, tail tip and blaze between the eyes are white. Their eyes are dark brown and with any other breed the males are a bit larger than the females but both sexes are extremely strong.

The temperament for these large dogs is pretty good. They are a well-behaved breed but they need plenty of exercise and activity in their lives. Although they don’t have much endurance, they can move with a great deal of speed for short distances when motivated. They are also very affectionate, loyal, faithful and rather intelligent. Also, they mostly like to keep to their owner and stick by their side, so they are known for leaning against or sitting on their owner’s feet.

The Bernese Mountain Dog can pull small carts and wagons, which was the task the originally performed in Switzerland. If you train them properly they can even give children rides in small carts. So, if you are looking for a sweet temperament dog who loves being around children and the family, this breed might be for you and heck you could even train them to pull your children around the backyard in a wagon.

On the other hand, if you would just love to have a hairy Bernese stay by your side, you could opt for the stuffed animal dog here: Bernese Mountain Dog Stuffed Animal.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernese_Mountain_Dog

PlushToySafari Privacy & Disclosure Policy

2008-03-19T12:34:00.001-07:00

Privacy & Disclosure Policy for PlushToySafari.blogspot.com

The privacy of our visitors to PlushToySafari.blogspot.com is important to us.

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You can chose to disable or selectively turn off our cookies or third-party cookies in your browser settings, or by managing preferences in programs such as Norton Internet Security. However, this can affect how you are able to interact with our site as well as other websites. This could include the inability to login to services or programs, such as logging into forums or accounts.

Husky - The Cool Dog!

2008-03-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Siberian Huskies are fascinating. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with their intense blue eyes. However, did you know that not all Siberian Huskies have blue eyes? Some have brown while others will have one brown and one blue. Even more interesting is that some might have a “parti-colored” eye which means that half of their eye is brown and the other half is blue. Surprisingly enough all of these eye color configurations are considered acceptable by the American Kennel Club.

The Siberian Husky males usually stand 21 to 23.5 inches tall and weigh 45 to 60 pounds where the females stand 20 to 22 inches tall and weigh 35 to 50 pounds. Siberian Huskies can exhibit a “snow nose” or “winter nose” which means their nose is a flesh colored instead of the normal, black, gray or tan color.

You might be aware that Siberian Huskies are best known for dog sled racing. However, nowadays, they are only occasionally used as a sled dog and have instead been replaced by the Alaskan Husky, a crossbreed hound dog. On the other hand, they are still used in races restricted to purebreds. The Siberian Husky is also very popular for recreational mushing and skijoring (which is where three dogs pull a skier).

I’m going to leave you with some interesting facts about the Siberian Husky. One thing that I fond interesting about these dogs is they like to talk. They hardly ever bark, but they like to make these wolf like howls, yodels and woos. They also love to dig. That seems to be their favorite pastime, so beware of that if you are considering them as a pet. Also, SiberianHuskies can withstand extreme heat as well as extreme cold, but that doesn’t mean you should expose them to high temperatures.

Now, if you're just looking for the stuffed animal dog variety, I have a very cute Husky here: PlushToySafari.com!. We welcome you to our store and hope you enjoy your stay!

References:
Huskies 5 Not So Common Facts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Husky

Labradors - The Most Likeable Dogs!

2008-03-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

Can you guess which dog is considered the most popular breed of dog in the world? If you guessed the Labrador you would be correct. As well as being the most popular breed in the world Labradors, affectionately called Labs, are the most popular breed to be used for assistant dogs in the United States, Australia and several other countries, as well as being used for police work.

One might wonder why Labradors are the most popular and why they are more commonly used in assisting people. It has a lot to do with their temperament. They are very gentle, intelligent, energetic, affable, and good natured dogs which in return makes them excellent companions as well as excellent working dogs.

I assume you are aware that Labradors are a relatively large breed of dog. The males typically stand 22.5-24.5 inches tall and should weigh 65 to 80 pounds and the females are 21.5-22.5 inches tall and should weigh 55 to 70 pounds. Labs come in three recognized colors, black which is a (solid black,) yellow (ranging from a light cream color to a golden color) and chocolate (medium to dark brown). Interestingly enough there is no purebred dog called a Golden Labrador. They are either called Golden Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers.

Now if you want to join thousands of other people in the world and get a Labrador there a few things you should know before you run off and buy one. Unfortunately, Labs are known to have an oral fixation issue, so if you have a lot of valuable or priceless objects in your house, you might not want this particular breed as a pet. If their chewing doesn’t bother you, just make sure you provide them with plenty of chew toys and dog proof your house. Also don’t hesitate to start training your puppy early. You might also want to consider crate training them at a very young age so you won’t have to worry about them destroying your house.

Also Labs can get a little crazy as puppies so you need to make sure you can devote the necessary time to training them and getting them the right amount of exercise they need.

If you are just interested in having one as a stuffed animal dog, then we'll be happy to have you visit us at PlushToySafari.com! Whoof!

References:
Labrador Retriever
http://www.loveyourdog.com/facts.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labrador_Retriever

Zebras That Make You Smile

2008-03-01T04:39:00.000-08:00

What is it about Zebras that make you smile when you see them? Is it their distinctive white and black stripes, or their erect mohawklike manes, or is it the fact that they look and act so much like their relative the horse. I personally think it’s all of them above.

Zebras are usually very social animals that travel in larger herds consisting of a stallion, several mares, and their offspring. Zebras are typically 8 feet long and stand about 4 to 5 feet tall. They normally weigh in at about 660 pounds but some have been know to weigh as much as 900 pounds. Zebras can live up to 20 to 30 years in the wild and up to 40 in a zoo. Their gestation period is about 12 to 14 months depending on the species. When the foal is born they can weigh up to 55 to 88 pounds.

Now let’s talk about those famous stripes Zebras are so well known for. Did you know that zebras are actually black or dark colored animals with white stripes. Their stripes are as unique to them as our finger prints are to us. Some zebras actually have brown “shadow stripes” that are in between their white and black coloring. Most zoologists believe zebras stripes act as a camouflage mechanism. Their vertical stripes help them hide in the grass. I know this might sound ridiculous because grass is green, not black or white, but it's suppose to be effective against lions. Guess why? Lions are color blind and are zebras are their number one prey. Also a herd of zebra can confuse a predator, since seeing a huge mass of vertical stripes going in every direction when being chased makes it really difficult for a predator to focus on one individual.

The best attribute of the zebra has to be their sense, hands down. They have excellent eyesight and it is believed that they can actually see in color. They also have night vision, although it isn’t as advanced as their predators, but their great hearing makes up for that. Just like their relative, the horse, they can turn their ear in just about any direction. Along with their great eyesight and hearing they have an acute sense of smell and taste.

Now that you know a little about zebras and their stripes, I’ll leave you with a few more interesting facts about the zebra:

1. They can run up to 35 miles per hour
2. They communicate with each other with high pitched barks and whinnying.
3. They have also been heard snorting.
4. Lastly, after only an hour has passed after its birth, a foal (baby zebra) can already run.

Are you into zebras and would love to have a real one? If you couldn't have a real one, how about a zebra stuffed animal? We would love for you to check out our zebras in three different sizes by visiting PlushToySafari.com. Have a great day!

Resources:
Zebra Facts
http://www.kritterfacts.com/zebrafacts1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra

Plush Toys

2008-02-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

Plush Toys

Have you every wondered what the difference between stuffed animals and plush toys are? Absolutely nothing. People in the United States typically refer to stuffed animals as plush toys or stuffed animals interchangeably. The British refer to stuffed animals as soft toys or cuddly toys and may or may not refer to plush toys as stuffed animals. Plush Toys are made of the same material as stuffed animals such as polyester, acrylic, modacrylic, wool, wool/cotton, mohair, and alpaca as well as fake fur.

The most popular and famous plush toy in the United States would probably have to the Beanie Baby. In 1993, Ty Warner debuted the first nine Beanie Babies, but they didn’t actually hit the shelves until 1994. After 1994 Ty Inc, started introducing nine to twelve new Beanie Babies every six months. By 1995 these cute little guys had created a Beanie Baby phenomenon and Ty Inc, simply cold not keep up with the supply and demand for these little guys. That's when it became nearly impossible to get your hands on one.

Ironically, Beanie Babies do not contain any beans what so ever. They consist of two materials. Plastic pellets and polyester fiber fill. The plastic pellets are typically made off polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene (PE). The outer skins of these little guys are made of synethic plush.

Just like stuffed animals, plush toys are not really known to have allergens. The only problem allergies associated with them would be if you where allergic to one of the materials used to make them. However, you should stay away from plush toys that are stuffed with real fur, this could aggravate any allergy symptoms one may have. Also, to avoid allergy attacks you should frequently place your plush toy in a Ziploc bag and place it in the freezer for 24 hours. This will kill all the dust mites which highly aggravate a lot of people with allergies.

Looking for plush toys to bring home to your favorite someone? PlushToySafari.com is the place to visit. Come on in and have fun looking around. PlushToySafari.com - Where Imaginations Run Wild!

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuffed_animal
http://www.allergy.hhsys.org/allergyq.html
Bean Bag Plush Toy Facts

Safari Animals

2008-02-20T13:57:00.000-08:00

Have you every dreamed of going on an African Safari, visiting the real habitat of Safari Animals? Well if you have and do not have the funds to travel to Africa, then I might have a solution your can afford. Don’t worry this solution will still enable you to see all the safari animals you would see in Africa. You also won’t have to deal with the hot African weather and you will still have all the conveniences around that you are accustomed to.

The solution that I am speaking of is The Kilimanjaro Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This is definitely the best place to experience the whole safari experience as well as seeing practically every animal that lives in the safari. The best part is that you do not have to leave the country to do so, that is if you live in the United States. Disney has truly made it feel like you have stepped into Africa when you board your safari truck, which is just like one you would board if you were in Africa going on a real safari. The atmosphere is identical to what you would find in Africa. There are trees, bushes, ponds, rocks, grass and dirt just like the real deal.

You are truly in for a surprise if you want to see safari animals. During this ride you will encounter birds, antelope, black rhinos, white rhinos, warthogs, ostriches, giraffes, zebras, crocodiles, hippos, baboons, white bearded wildebeests, elephants and lions the list goes on. I’ve also seen a Komodo dragon and a cheetah during one of my visits. The best part about this safari experience is a good number of the animals will come super close to the truck so you can get great pictures of them. There is no need to worry about the lions coming too close to the truck. Although they look like they are just resting on a rock near by, they are actually in a deep pit-like area that is camouflaged by the landscaping. Also, they sleep most of the day so you rarely get to see them very active unless you go in the morning.

All that being said, if you have always wanted to travel to Africa to go on a safari and just don’t have the money, I would highly recommend The Kilimanjaro Safari Ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You truly will feel like you have entered a little piece of Africa in Orlando. Also, if you want to see the most animals during your ride make sure you are there early in the morning and make sure you have your camera ready at all times. A good amount of the safari animals are within arms reach when the truck stops. I have several pictures from the safari ride that look like postcards.

Want some plush toys for your Kid Safari Room or perhaps your child wants to be an animal with one of our kid animal costumes. No doubt, you will enjoy all that PlushToySafari.com has to offer. We look forward to your visit!

Tiger Facts

2008-02-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love white tigers! Wouldn't you agree that they are alluring? Maybe it has to do with the fact that they (tigers in general) are the largest of the big cats weighing in at 700 pounds and are nearly 10 feet long. Or perhaps it has to do with their crystal blues eyes that look deep into your soul.

There are currently nine different species of tigers out there, but the bangle tiger makes up 80% of the tiger population. The white tiger is extremely rare in the wild but are widely bred in zoos due to their popularity. It is actually a mutation that causes this to occur. In order for a white tiger to be born, both parents have to carry this rare gene. This gene is so rare that it has been calculated to only occur in one out of every 10,000 births. A huge misconception about these gorgeous tigers is that they are albinos, but that is not true at all. They do have pigment in their stripes, as well as those distinctive blue eyes and pink noses.

If you are a tiger lover or just want to learn some interesting facts about tigers then read on. There are so many interesting facts about these great creatures out there, it is hard to figure out where to start. First of all, all tigers have at least 100 stripes and no two tigers have the same stripes. Just like the domesticated house cat these big cats do indeed purr. But their purr is at least 100 times louder than your kitty cats.
Also, unlike most cats, tigers like the water and are very good swimmers. Also tigers can be found lying in pools or streams on really hot days, because they do not like the heat. Something that I find very interesting is tiger footprints are called “Pug Marks”. Lastly, tigers can go two to three days without eating and they usually sleep a minimal 18 hours a day.

So the next time you visit the zoo or Busch Gardens and happen to come across one the white tigers or the popular bangle tiger you will know a little about these interesting cats. Finally, if you have the opportunity to look one of the white tigers in the eyes do it and see how amazing it is.

Resources:
http://www.tigertales.co.uk/facts.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger

Giraffes - The World's Tallest Animals!

2008-02-18T13:48:00.000-08:00

Giraffes have got to be some of the most interesting animals in the world. They hold the record for the world’s tallest animal, measuring an amazing 16 to 18 feet tall, and they can weigh as much as 3,000 pounds. Interestingly, the female giraffe which is called a cow is usually shorter and weighs less then the bulls otherwise known as male giraffes.

There are several misconceptions about giraffes. One misconception is that they are mute. This is not entirely true, although giraffes are normally quiet animals, they do indeed make sounds. For instance, courting males will emit a loud coughing sound and females call their young by whistling or bellowing. Also, the calves will moo. They also have been heard making grunts, snorts, hissing and strange flute like sounds.

Another misconception about giraffes is that they do not sleep. This is not true at all. However, they only require 10 minutes to two hours of sleep a day. On average a giraffe only sleeps 1.9 hours a day. This misconception has also lead to the myth that giraffes cannot lay down. That too is not true.

Another fascinating fact about giraffes is that they only eat leaves and, since they are such big creatures, they require a minimum of 140 pounds of leaves a day. WOW! Right! They are ruminants, which means they first chew their food, swallow it then regurgitate the semi-digested cud up their necks and back into their mouths, so they can chew again. They usually repeat this process several times per mouthful of leaves.

One thing that I'm certain about is that, being a female, I’m glad that I’m not a giraffe. They carry their young for 14 to 15 months. When it comes time to give birth they do it standing up and the calf usually falls six feet to the ground. Talk about a rude awakening. Remarkably, however, only an hour after a calf is born they are up running around. Although, for the first two weeks of their life they usually spend it lying down by their mother for protection. Sadly, only 25 to 50% of baby giraffes make it to adulthood. If they do survive, they only live for 20 to 25 years in wild and up to 28 in captivity.

I leave you with some interesting facts about giraffes that you may or may not know. Giraffe have black tongues. Giraffes have excellent eyesight being able to see up to ½ a mile away. Each giraffes coat is unique. A giraffes neck weighs 550 pounds. Finally, giraffes can run up to 35 mph.

Hope you enjoyed this article on Giraffes. I enjoyed researching and writing it.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giraffe

Giraffe Facts

Hippos - Awkward and Lovable!

2008-02-15T06:36:00.000-08:00

I’m sure you are familiar with the song “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” the song was actually written for some Zoo that was trying to get a new hippo. In all seriousness though, could you imagine getting a hippopotamus for Christmas and it being in your garage? I know I certainly couldn’t.

Hippopotamus is actually Greek, hippo meaning “horse” and potamus meaning “river”. It is rather funny that their name means horse because the hippopotamus is more closely related to the pig than the horse.

Hippopotamus actually live for a pretty long time, at least 50 years and they can weigh as much as 3 ½ tons and be as long as 13 feet and 5 feet tall. This probably has something to do with the fact they don’t have too many predators. The only predators they really have to look out for are humans. When it comes to young hippopotamus, they have to beware the crocodiles, lions and even male hippopotamus. Another reason they live so long is there are not very susceptible to diseases, so if they are in a suitable habitat their numbers can increase pretty quickly.

A female hippopotamus carries her young for 230 days and then gives birth on either land or in shallow water. The baby hippo can weigh anywhere from 55 to 120 pounds. Shortly after they are born, baby hippos are taught how to swim, because hippos spend most of their time in water. An adult hippo can hold it’s breathe for 5 to 6 minutes under water, where as a baby can only hold it for half a minute. This is why you will see baby hippos lying on top of their mothers back in the water.

Despite their huge size hippos are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants. Since they are so big, hippos can eat 100 pounds of grass a night. This is when they most often come out of the water - to eat. Another time you might see them out of the water is in the early morning lying in the sun by the shore, that is if no humans are around.

So the next time you hear, “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” you can actually visualize what a 7,000 pound animal would look like in your garage or swimming pool. I think it’s probably best to leave the hippos at the Zoo and in their natural habitat, don't you. :-)

Do you love hippos so much that you are looking to adopt a stuffed hippo? Don't hesitate to stop by our stuffed animal store. We have the perfect stuffed hippo for you!

Resource:
Hippo Facts

Horses - Very Cool Stuffed Animal Gifts!

2008-02-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

I can not speak for you or anyone else out there but I have always loved Clydesdale horses, in case you are not familiar with what one looks like, don’t fret. You have seen one before, they are the gorgeous horses that are in the Budweiser commercials. Every since the first time I laid eyes on one, I wanted one. Well needless to say my parents didn’t go out and buy me a Clydesdale horse, but they did buy me a toy horse that was a Clydesdale and I played with that toy horse for years. I guarantee you that they are still up in my parent’s attic along with my rocking horse I loved so much.

The Clydesdale originally comes from Scotland, but ironically the United States currently has the most Clydesdales, at least 600 new Clydesdales are registered in the United States every year. This probably has to do with the fact that Anheuser-Busch is breeding and raising them in St. Louis.

The Clydesdales are mostly noted for their grace and versatility. They were mainly used as working horses on farms in Scotland, because they can pull heavy loads. It is difficult to say how much a Clydesdale can pull, but they have no problem pulling a wagon that weighs as much or a little more than them. A Clydesdale can weigh as little as 1,600 or as much as 2,400 and they reach heights of six feet tall, but trust me, when you are standing next to one they seem a lot taller than six feet. These giants also consume 25 to 50 pounds of hay a day and 2 to 10 pounds of grain a day.

Now let’s talk about the one thing that sets these gorgeous horses apart from any other horse. That would be the white hair or feather that is around their legs. This hair originally helped protect their legs when they were working, but now it is strictly for show. Another interesting attribute that Clydesdales have is their large hoofs, which is one thing that they are known for. To put it in terms that you can comprehended a Clydesdales hoofs are as big as a dinner plate, other horses hoofs are half that size.
These giant horses carry their foals for 11 months and when they are born they can weigh anywhere from 110 to 180 pounds. A broodmare which is a mother with a foal can produce up to 100 pounds of milk a day and the foal can gain up to 4 pounds a day for the first few months of their life.

Now that you know a little about these beautiful horses and if you happen to have $5,000 to a $100,000 lying around go pick yourself up one. But if you are like most of us stick with a toy horse or better yet the old fashioned rocking horse. Also, if you would like to see these horses up close and personal you can see them at Sea World as well as their farm in St. Louis.

Resources:
http://www.clydesusa.com/clydesdale_faq.htm

Clydesdale Horse Facts

Gorillas - Wonders of the Jungle!

2008-02-13T06:51:00.001-08:00

I love gorillas. Every time I go to the Zoo it is a must to stop by the gorilla exhibit to watch these remarkable creatures. They are so human like it seems unbelievable. Of course their DNA being 97% to 98% identical to humans probably is the reason why they act some much like us. Gorillas are the closest living relatives to the human being after two different chimpanzee species.

There are currently three different species of gorillas, The Western Lowland Gorilla, the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, and the Mountain Gorilla. All of these gorillas live in various parts of Africa and the differences between them are only slight. However, there has been some debate on there being two other subspecies of gorillas, but the experts haven’t fully recognized them. The gorillas that you see in the Zoo are Western Lowland Gorillas. There are approximately 550 Western Lowland Gorillas in captivity all around the world with 23 of them being at Zoo Atlanta.

A typical male gorilla weighs 300 to 500 pounds and is 5 feet 6 inches tall when standing upright and 4 feet 6 inches tall at normal stance. On the other hand, the females weigh anywhere from 150 to 250 pounds, and they stand 5 feet tall when upright and 3 feet 6 inches tall when at normal stance. The color of a gorilla is black or brown-gray. They have a black skin on their chests, palms, and face and once a male has matured he develops a silver back, which is where the name "Silverback" comes from. A Silverback is the dominant male of the group.

The female gorilla reaches sexual maturity at 10-12 years of age. The gestation period for a female gorilla is 8 and a half months. They normally wait 3 to 4 years between births, due to the fact that their infants stay with them up to 3 or 4 years. A male gorilla reaches maturity at 11 to 13 years of age. Gorillas are very social animals, living in groups of 3 to 30. A typical group of gorillas consists of a silverback, one immature silverback, and one immature male and three to four adult females and three to six young gorillas under the age of eight. A female will leave the group if the silverback is her father and there are no other suitable mates. An adult male usually leaves the group after sexual maturity and will go off and start his own group or join a group of bachelor gorillas.

Gorillas have a very long life expectancy of 30 to 50 years. Gorillas spend a good part of their day eating leaves, tubers, flowers, fruit, fungus and some insects. Their favorites being bamboo, thistles and wild celery, also a very interesting fact about them is they do not drink water. They get all their moisture from their food.

Now that you know a little bit about these incredible human like creatures, I urge you to go to your local Zoo and pay them a visit. See for yourself how human like they are. You will be amazed at how they care for their young and how they play just like we do.

Finally, I leave you with two interesting facts about gorillas. Gorillas recognize each other by their face and body shape. Also, each gorilla has a unique nose print.

Resources:
http://www.koko.org/about/facts.html

Dolphins

2008-02-13T06:30:00.000-08:00

I have always been fascinated with Dolphins. I believe that they are truly a special creature. Their intelligence is simply amazing. If you ever have the opportunity to swim with a dolphin, don’t think twice about it. Just do it! I truly do not have words to describe what it is like to swim with these creatures. They do something to you when you look into their eyes. It’s like they are looking into your soul - it's magical.

There are about 40 different species of dolphins and they range from 4 feet to 30 feet long. Some dolphins can live up to the age of 50, but most live an average of 17 years. The reason dolphins can live so long is they have very few known predators and some have none at all. The smaller dolphins have to watch out for bull, tiger, dusky and great white sharks. Adult dolphins consume at least 30 pounds of fish a day. Despite the 100 sharp little teeth in their month they don’t us them very much because they swallow their food whole. The only purpose for their teeth is to grasp prey.

Since dolphins are mammals, they do have to breathe air, so they normally resurface and take a breath every 5 to 8 minutes. However, there are some species that can hold their breath for 30 minutes, while others can only hold their breath for 30 seconds. What’s so amazing is some dolphins have been known to dive as deep as 1,000 feet. They also have the ability to jump 20 feet out of the water and from personal experience it is an incredible site to see. Another great attribute that dolphins have is that some have the ability to swim 25 miles an hour for long periods.

Dolphins are extremely social animals, they spend hours each day playing and socializing with each other. They live in pods also called schools of up to a dozen dolphins. They are also very loyal to each other, some staying together for a life time and they will also care for sick and dying dolphins in their pod.

If you are at the beach and happen to see some dolphins playing in the water cherish that moment and try to capture it in a picture. Remember they have to resurface every 5 to 8 minutes to get air. Also I would not recommend trying to get in the water with wild dolphins. Only do it at a place that specializes in swimming with dolphins.

Resources:
Dolphin Facts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin

Lions - Kings of the Jungle!

2008-02-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

I will admit that I am a dog person through and through, but I do have a soft spot for big cats, especially the king of the jungle. I don’t know about you but lions have always fascinated me, so much so that I got a tattoo of one. I love what they stand for -- strength, courage, power and the list goes on.

Even though the lion is considered to be the king of the jungle, that phrasing mainly has to do with them being the largest cat. They often run from other animals such as the elephants and rhinoceroses, but like any King they have their servants do the dirty work for them. Only the female lion, which is called a lioness, does the hunting. After the groups of lionesses have caught their prey, the male lion eats firsts. A pride, which is a group of lions, can take up for 4 hours to feed, but they rarely eat an entire kill. Hyenas and vultures usually finish up the rest. After a meal, a thirsty lion can be seen drinking for 20 straight minutes.

Another reason lions are considered THE king of the jungle is because they are incredible hunters, well the lionesses are anyways. Lionesses hunt in groups, so one group can drive their prey into a certain area, while the other group waits to ambush the approaching prey. A lioness' hunting ground can range anywhere from 8 to 150 miles. They also have the ability to run as fast as 35 mph for short distances and can leap more than 30 feet. Another great attribute that lions have is that their eyesight is five times better than yours and mine. They can also hear their prey from more than a mile away. Also, you cannot forget about their keen sense of smell. A lion can tell if potential prey is near by how long ago it was in the area.
The male lion is typically 5 feet 7 inches long to 8 feet 2 inches long and weighs anywhere from 330 to 500 pounds. On the other hand, the lionesses are typically 4 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 9 inches long and weigh 260 to 330 pounds. Lions in the wild live anywhere from 10 to 14 years, where as lions in captivity live well over 20 years. The male lion requires 15.5 pounds of meat a day and the lioness requires 11 pounds.

I leave you with one last fact about the king of the jungle. Lions do not have any predators except for humans and other lions. Male lions are known for killing male offspring of other dominate males once he has lost dominance if their cubs are 2 years or younger.

Did you find this article interesting? Please comment below. I would love to hear from you!

http://www.petsandvets.com/lionfacts.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion

Dalmatians - The Spottiest Dogs

2008-02-11T05:23:00.000-08:00

When I was little, I was obsessed with Disney’s 101 Dalmatians. I fell in love with those cute white dogs with those wonderful black spots. After begging and begging my parents for a couple of months to get one they finally gave in and let me get one. That was the happiest day of my life. I was on top of the world, but that happiness soon left when my Dalmatian got older, because she started to develop a lot of health problems.

Due the popularity of 101 Dalmatians, the Dalmatian became the “It” dog to have. Because of this high demand, unfortunately, breeders became irresponsible and bred high numbers of puppies to keep up with the demand. As a result of this, it weakened the blood line and caused a numerous amount of puppies to have health problems. Of course, that led to their new owners abandoning them because it was very expensive to keep the dalmatians due to the high health related issues. This eventually led to the formation of Dalmatian rescue societies. The Dalmatian was one of the most abandoned dogs in the 90’s.

Don’t get me wrong! I wouldn’t have traded my Dalmatian for anything. She was a wonderful dog. Unfortunately, she was very dominating and extremely aggressive to outsiders. She became allergic to grass, go on laugh, but it is true. She also was highly allergic to wheat so we had to make her food for a while until the dog food companies finally came out with a food that didn’t contain wheat. The one thing that wasn’t wrong with her is, she wasn’t deaf, which is very common in Dalmatians. Experts have no clue as to why Dalmatians seem to carry this gene and why it occurs in them so often. You would think they would have figured it out by now since the Dalmatian is a very old breed. They are considered to be first dog in which man deliberately breed for specific characteristics.

I bet you are wondering about the whole Dalmatian and Fireman thing right? Well way back in the day when they had horse drawn fire engines, Dalmatians served a great purpose. Not only are they very compatible with horses but they are easily trainable. Dalmatians would run in front of the fire carriage and clear the path for the horses and lead them to the fire. They also served as rescue dogs when needed and served the firehouse as watchdogs to watch over the firehouse and the equipment. Most importantly, they guarded the fast and powerful horses that the firemen used, which were tempting targets for thieves.

So if you are interested in getting a Dalmatian please take in consideration all of their health problems and do your research on your breeder. Ask for references of previous buyers to see how their dogs turned out. Also, if you see the puppies before they are 6 weeks old and they don’t have spots, don’t be alarmed they are born without them. As they get older they will start to come in. Finally, also be aware that Dalmatians also come in liver spots not just black. My Dalmatian has black spots everywhere except for her stomach where she has liver spots.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalmatian

Cowboys and Cowgirls

2008-02-10T06:38:00.000-08:00

If you've never played cowboys/cowgirls and Indians when you were little you were either deprived as a child or you are lying to yourself. I know I loved getting dressed up in my little pink cowgirl hat, cowgirl boots and of course my pink bandanna and go ride my imaginary horse around the back yard.

Ironically, a real cowboy has nothing to do with guns, fighting and riding around the open range on your horse. A real cowboy is a man or women that tend to cattle and horses in North and South America ranches. A cowboy is usually an animal herder most commonly in charge of cattle and horses. They also tend to work and participate in rodeos.

The cowboys of today are most often found on ranches. Being a cowboy isn’t taken lightly. They have a lot of responsibility on the ranch. They are solely responsible for feeding the livestock, branding and earmarking the cattle, plus tending to any injuries that the animals may have. They are also required to do routine patrols around their area for weather conditions, damaged fences, predators, water issues and anything else that might be a concern.

I think the stereotype we have of cowboys and cowgirls is much more fun though. Could you just see yourself or your child in the backyard pretending to brand an imaginary cow? I think I’ll keep the image in my head of what a cowgirl does. Even though we may not pretend to do what a “real” cowboy does, at least your child can dress the part and have the correct cowboy or cowgirl gear. The attire that every cowboy or cowgirl should have is a cowboy hat, bandanna, cowboy boots, chaps, jeans, and gloves.

So once your little cowboy or cowgirl is dressed the part, set them loose and let them tend to their cattle, horses, fight the bad guys or just ride their imaginary horse to their hearts content.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy

Cows - Important to Our Lifestyles

2008-02-06T07:07:00.000-08:00

Have you every stopped and thought where you would be if it weren’t for cows. They play such a huge part in our daily lives it’s hard to imagine what life would be like without them. We rely on them for meat and milk, also for cheese, yogurt and the list goes on. Yes there are other animals that can provide us with these items but for the most part it's all up to the cow.

If you are like most people you probably haven’t even thought twice about cows and what they are all about because we, the human race see them as a food source. That brings me to an interesting fact that you may or may not know. Cows are considered foster mothers to the human race because they produce most of the milk that we drink.

The first cow ever to arrive in American was in 1611 in Jamestown colony. Back in 1856 Gail Bordon invented the whole condensed milk process, which removed some of the water out of the milk, which in return would take up less space. Then refrigeration came into effect in the 1880s and the first ever pasteurizing machine was invented in 1895. Boy how things have changed! Nowadays one cow can produce the same amount of milk that used to take 10 cows to produce.

As you would assume a heifer (a female cow) can only produce milk if they have had a calf. After they have had a calf they can be milked for 3 to 4 years. A really good heifer can produce up to 25 gallons of milk a day and on average 2,000 gallons a year, that’s 30,000 glasses of milk.

Contrary to what most people think the cow does not have four stomachs. They so however, have four digestive compartments. Cows drink a bath tub full of water and 40 pounds of food a day. A mature Holstein cow which is the most common in the United States will reach up to 1,300 to 1,500 pounds when fully mature. So I hope you learned a little bit about the one animal that we humans rely on the most.

References:
http://aipl.arsusda.gov/kc/cowfacts.html

Cheetahs - Wonderful Creatures!

2008-02-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up I had stuffed animals everywhere in my room, I practically adored my tiger and cheetah stuffed animals I had. This might be kind of ironic but I’m not a cat person at all even though I am fascinated with the bigger cats like cheetahs, tigers, lions. Today I’m going to talk about my cheetah stuffed animal. Just kidding, I’m going to inform you about cheetahs.

Cheetahs are actually considered the most vulnerable of the cat family, due to the fact they are very poor tree climbers. They however are the fastest of all land animals, having the ability to reach speeds of up to 68 mph. They can reach this speed in three seconds, a lot faster than my Corvette can. The only down fall to this is they can only maintain this speed for short distances - up to 500 yards.

Adult cheetahs usually weigh anywhere from 90 to 140 pounds with a length of 45 to 55 inches long, excluding the tail. Their tail can measure up to 33 inches in length. As with most animal species, the males tend to be slightly larger than the females and will sometimes have slightly bigger heads. However, there is rarely a variation in the size of cheetahs, so it is hard to tell if one is a female or a male comparing appearances only.

Cheetahs are truly remarkable creatures. The reason they can run as fast as they do is due to their larger nostrils, which naturally allow them to take in more oxygen. Their enlarged heart and lungs also help. When a cheetah is running or is in the middle of a chase, they take in 150 breaths per minute, much higher than their normal 60 breaths per minute when not active. Another key feature that helps with their speed is their semi retractable claws, which give them great traction. Also, you can’t forget that long tail, which is used like a steering wheel because it helps them make those sharp turns when chasing prey.

The female cheetah reaches sexual maturity at 20 to 24 months, where as the male reaches maturity at 12 months, but they usually don’t mate until they are 3 years old. They will mate all through the year and the female will have several mating partners. Females can give birth to up to 9 cubs after a gestation period of 90 to 98 days. However, on average they have 3 to 5 cubs a litter.

Unlike some other cats, cheetahs are born with their spots and unfortunately nearly 90% of them are killed in the first few weeks of their life. The cubs will leave their mother between 13 and 20 months old. They go on to form a sib group for another six months after separation from their mother. Afterwards, the sisters leave their brothers and go off on their own. Male cheetahs remain together for life, where as females live solitude lives except when raising cubs. The cheetah usually lives up to 12 years in the wild and 20 in captivity.

Well I hope you enjoyed learning about that cheetah stuffed animal you might have had as a child or that your child might have now. The next time your child asks you how can a cheetah run so fast, now you know. :-)

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheetah

Flamingos - Pink and Beautiful!

2008-02-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

Every time I see a flamingo I think of Florida, which is actually kind of ironic, because the flamingos aren’t actually native to North America. Flamingos are however a very interesting bird. They have always stood out in my mind and I bet the one thing you ask yourself every time you see a flamingo is why in the world do they stand on one leg? Well according to research no one really knows for sure. There have been speculations that it is to help them conserve heat and energy, but nothing has been proven.

Another question that you might be wondering is why in the world are flamingo’s pink. Well it has to do with the carotene that is in the food they eat. A well-fed flamingo should be a vibrant bright pink color. If they are not, that means they are not healthy or are suffering from a lack a food. There is an exception to this, which is to flamingos that are in captivity and in zoos. They tend to be a more pale pink, but zoos are starting to put an end to that by feeding them a diet that contains more carotene in it.

Flamingos only weigh 6 to 7 pounds and they can reach up to 5 feet in height. Their wingspan is between 55 to 65 inches. Their lifespan is typically 20 years, but they have been known to live up to 50 years in captivity. When they are born they are actually gray and when they are older their feathers turn a light pink or a bright red depending on their diet.

Finally, the word flamingo actually comes from the Latin word flame. So the next time you see a flamingo you will be able to spot the healthier ones because they will be more pink or even red.

I leave you with some interesting facts about flamingos.

*The Flamingo's eye is bigger than it’s brain
*An adult flamingos leg are longer than it’s body
*They can fly and even swim
*They live in large colonies for protection
*They are extremely social birds
*Their only defense magnesium is to fly away

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamingo
Flamingo Facts

The Mysterious Octopus

2008-02-04T13:23:00.001-08:00

The ocean has always fascinated me and so have all the incredible animals that live there. One of those creatures that fascinates me is the octopus. Yeah sure they look kind of mean and intimidating but they are really just shy misunderstood creatures. When you think of an Octopus try to think of the cute little stuffed Octopus your child has or maybe the one you had as a child.

The Octopus has a very short life span. Some species live up to 6 months while the larger ones can live up to 5 years. The female only produces one batch of 100,000 eggs and dies soon after the eggs have hatched. The male Octopus generally dies after mating with 6 different Octopuses or as most grammaticians would say, octopodes. These creatures love their solitude and live in sea grass beds in bays, coastal waters as well as coastal reefs. They typically are most active during the day hunting for shellfish and crabs.

There are several different types of Octopus, 289 to be exact. One of them being the Giant Octopus that weighs 100 pounds and are 23 feet to 30 feet long. Then there is the dangerous blue ringed Octopus. This little guy (they are no bigger than a gold ball) has a very deadly bite that will kill a human within minutes. Even though there is only one species of deadly Octopi, I remain to think of them as gentle giants. The reason being, I picture my little niece playing with her little stuffed Octopus she loves so much.

I leave you with some interesting fact about Octopuses:

·Octopuses have 240 suction cups on each tentacle, which adds up to 1,920 suction cups
·If an Octopus loses an arm it will grow back
·They are very intelligent creatures
·They change colors anytime they want
·They don’t like to fight. So they use an ink liquid to trick enemies
·A baby octopus is so small when born it can fit on a human’s finger

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus
Octopus Facts

Elephants - Amazing Creatures!

2008-02-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

I don’t know about you but I think baby elephants are the cutest things. They look so sweet, innocent and playful, okay they act just like any other baby animal but something just draws me to them. They are truly fascinating creatures.

Elephants are the largest land animal that exists today. Elephants can range anywhere from 13 to 10 feet tall and can weigh anywhere from 6.1 tons to 7.7 tons. The largest elephant was recorded in 1956 weighing on at 26,400 pounds and was 13.8 feet tall. Elephants have a gestation period of 22 months, that’s nearly 2 years. Women aren’t you glad we don’t have to go through that. The baby elephant also weighs 265 pounds when they are born, another reason I’m glad I’m human. They typically live a long life to the age of 70.

Elephants are herbivores spending 16 hours of the day collecting and eating plants. Their diet consists of 50% grasses, leaves, bamboo, twigs, bark, roots and small amounts of fruit. Due to that fact that elephants can only digest 40% of what they eat, they have to make up for their inefficient digestive system by consuming 300 to 600 pounds of food a day. So that means 60% of what they eat does not get digested.

Elephants live in a very social structures order. The female elephants spend their whole lives together in a tightly knit family herd of mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts. The group is lead by the matriarch, which is the oldest female. If the herd should get to big some of the elders make the decision to break away from the heard and bring a small group with them. A typical herd consists of 5 or 15 elephants.

Male elephants on the other hand live a very solitude life. As a male calf gets older they tend to spend more time on the edge of the herd going off on their own to explore for hours a day. Pretty soon the hours turn to days, weeks, months and when they are 14 years of age and they live for good. There are some cases where male elephants will form loose association with other bulls, which these herds are called bachelor herds. They mainly spend most of their time fighting one another for the dominant role. Only the dominant male is allowed to mate with a female. A dominant male is usually the older bull around 40 to 50 years in age.

I leave you with some interesting facts about elephants.

* Elephants trunks can get very heavy, that’s why you see them resting their trunk over their tusk a lot of the time
* Elephants have the ability to cry, play, laugh, and have exceptional memories.
* Elephants grieve the loss of a stillborn calf, a family member and other elephants
* Elephants are good swimmers
* Flapping their ears on hot days helps cool them down

Purchase the Stuffed Elephant pictured above by going to PlushToySafari.com.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant

About Elephants

Rabbits - Why We Love Them!

2008-02-04T13:02:00.000-08:00

What is it about a rabbit that always makes you say aww, every time you see one? Could it be those long floppy ears, and that soft as can be tail? Most likely yes, I think that’s what draws you to rabbits. Oh and you cannot forget the cute little face they make when they eat and when they twitch their nose back and forth.

There are actually several types of rabbits around the world and they can pretty much be found all around the world. Sadly, nearly half of the world’s population of rabbits is in danger of extinction due to the fact they are considered to be one of the most vulnerable of all mammals.

Most rabbits keep to themselves and may exhibit some aggression when it comes to their territory. The only time they come together is to mate and, on occasion, to forage. They are known to “box” when they are fighting over territory. Rabbits do not hibernate and they are typically nocturnal. Also, believe it or not they are very silent creatures. They typically only make loud screams when frightened or caught by a predator. The only other noise they make is s loud foot thump.

Rabbits can have several litters in a year due to the fact that their gestation period is only 28 to 31 days. I bet you women out there wish that’s how long our gestation period was. Plus they can also undergo postpartum estrus, which means they can conceive immediately after having a litter. Baby rabbits are actually referred to, as kittens believe it or not. Female rabbits also have the ability to induce ovulation. Their ovaries will release eggs when copulation is taking place rather than waiting for their usual cycle, so now you know where the phrase breeding like rabbits comes from.

I leave you with some interesting facts about rabbits.

* Rabbits are incapable of throwing up, due to their digestive system
* A Rabbit can reach speeds of 50 mph if chased
* A house rabbit can be trained to use a litter box and can learn to come when called
* Rabbits in Australia are considered to be such a pest that land owners are legally obliged to control them

Look here to purchase Grandma Mocha. You are going to just love her!

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit