I'm babysitting a friend's dog (female dog), and she's hysteric. She keeps crying by the door, trying to run away.
What are the best ways to calm her down and make her feel more relaxed alone, away from her owner?
Thanks MeFi.
posted by lipsum
on May 20, 2013 -
13 answers
I have a memory of a short story I read years ago that no-one else seems to recollect.
It featured animals as the main characters - mainly farmyard/woodland types. They become followers of a leader (an owl/cockerel?), who leads them to pastures new.
The leader wants to remain in tight control, so he leads them underground(?) and emerge in a "new" land, but one where it is constantly in darkness.
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posted by Petrot
on Mar 31, 2013 -
2 answers
Mixing military history and natural history, I'm looking for information regarding bird behavior during wartime. An example: would one hear bird songs on the battlefield during pauses in fighting?
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posted by josephtate
on Mar 12, 2013 -
13 answers
My friend and I had a heated argument last night about human and animal attitudes to privacy when defecating. He argued that all humans and all animals seek privacy while defecating. I know that certain animals, like cats, do seek privacy while defecating, but I feel like lots more animals, especially pack animals and herd animals don't worry about finding a quiet spot. For example, cows. I suggested that perhaps the human need for privacy may be a cultural phenomenon - is there any evidence that humans have ever been much less worried about privacy in this area? Also would like examples of animals that might defecate in groups.
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posted by drunkonthemoon
on Feb 21, 2013 -
44 answers
The Thai elephant tourism industry advertises itself as pro-conservation, but according to reports, it is more often cruel and exploitative. Are there any legitimate opportunities to spend time among elephants in Thailand or elsewhere in a way that benefits them and fulfills my desire to see them up close? I am looking for information on short term visits, not long term volunteer gigs. Knowledgeable replies would be most appreciated. I've already done my own Internet searches on the matter.
posted by Wordwoman
on Feb 14, 2013 -
12 answers
Why do kittens, bunnies, puppies, and their ilk seem so much cuter than human babies? This is something I've always wondered, and I am surprised that it doesn't seem to have been asked here. I've seen some idle speculations about the reasons in various places around the Web, but nothing resembling evidence. Is there any actual research related to this topic? Or is the question based on flawed assumptions somehow?
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posted by fermion
on Feb 7, 2013 -
46 answers
I'm looking for instances of animal or insect migration that occur annually within a limited geographical area in Africa. The more concentrated the accumulation of one species in a relatively small area, the better. Thanks!
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posted by np312
on Jan 22, 2013 -
8 answers
Can you give me examples of public statues of historic, individual animals? (eg. statue of Balto the famous sled-dog, in Central Park in NYC.)
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posted by Flood
on Jan 9, 2013 -
50 answers
I love my dog. Every once in a while, I feel utterly heartbroken that I will most likely outlive him. While it doesn't happen often and it's not overwhelming, and I realize that it is perfectly natural to be sad about something like that, can you give me advice about how to turn these thoughts into something positive?
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posted by halogen
on Jan 7, 2013 -
42 answers
Found a family of cats (4 kittens, 2 adults) at a gas station next to a busy freeway... What is best thing to do?
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posted by anawesomeguy
on Jan 5, 2013 -
15 answers
This report from a few days ago got me thinking. When a dangerous zoo animal, like a tiger or a lion, kills a (negligent?) caretaker or escapes and kills another human, why is it (usually?) killed? I know that humans kill dogs that have bitten someone, but these animals are in a cage anyway, so I don't get it. They're in the cage to prevent them from killing humans, right? So what's the point? Not vengeance, surely?
posted by Skyanth
on Aug 29, 2012 -
11 answers
Just saw the trailer for "Life of Pi" and it looks stunning. However, I want to know if animal action was supervised by the ASPCA (or the appropriate organisations for the countries where the movie was filmed).
posted by cavyherd
on Jul 27, 2012 -
11 answers
In the wake of a
recent hoarding incident in Pennsylvania a local shelter has a large number of chihuahuas who will soon be needing permanent homes. I have previous experience dogsitting a family member's chihuahua for long periods of time so I know how to take care of adults, but some puppies are also available for adoption and I think that might be a rewarding experience. Everyone in the household has experience with dogs, but we have not raised a puppy. I was wondering if you could link me to the best guides for what to expect and how to raise a puppy, and specifically for the unique challenges of a chihuahua puppy.
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posted by furiousxgeorge
on Jul 22, 2012 -
4 answers
I have a (furry, adorable) bat clinging to the outside of my living room window and I am not sure what to do.
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posted by janepanic
on Jul 16, 2012 -
13 answers
I'm beginning to think that owning pets isn't right for me. But I'm an animal lover, I grew up with pets and the thought of giving my own away breaks my heart. What should I do about this?
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posted by Pericardium
on Jul 6, 2012 -
27 answers
I'm looking for all awe-inspiring annual/seasonal/migratory natural phenomena within a 4 hour drive of Los Angeles. Help me fill my yearly calendar with sights to see!
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posted by dede
on Jul 5, 2012 -
7 answers
Like most kids, I loved animals growing up. Unlike most kids, though, I never grew out of it! My passion has remained with me into my 30s. I still squat down on the sidewalk to watch an interesting bug walk by and stare at the ubiquitous squirrels outside. I want to know everything about all kinds of animals, interact with as many as possible and observe them in all environments.
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posted by dede
on Jun 25, 2012 -
33 answers
Trying to locate a study in which they gave a chimpanzee (or other ape?) all the hard drugs he wanted (though it may have just been cocaine and/or heroin?) and found that with sufficient care, the subject actually lived a perfectly healthy and long life.
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posted by imagineerit
on Jun 18, 2012 -
4 answers
How do I kill the smallest number of animals? If I could get them all away from my house without hurting any of them, I would, but I don't think it's possible. Our yard is full of them, and they sometimes get in the house. There are at least three types of mice, moles, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks. I love them and don't want to hurt them, but having them inside is generally agreed to be bad.
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posted by WhathaveIdonenow?
on Jun 13, 2012 -
20 answers
Why are there no lobsters the size of horses or horses the size of shrimp?
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posted by jeb
on Apr 25, 2012 -
23 answers
Is there any big city anywhere that has a really competent Animal Control Dept?
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posted by mmiddle
on Apr 9, 2012 -
7 answers
I'm looking for examples of plants, animals or ecosystems that suddenly thrive under relatively rare and occasional conditions. One example is the marine ecosystem of microorganisms, shrimp, tiny fish, etc that thrive on the corpses of dead whales. Another is the Australian eucalypts which regenerate after bushfires. Another example is pantry moths, which can suddenly explode in population when grain is improperly stored. Can you think of any other examples?
posted by dontjumplarry
on Mar 5, 2012 -
15 answers
What are some songs about pets or animals that aren't obviously about pets or animals? Any era or genre will do.
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posted by MaryDellamorte
on Mar 1, 2012 -
35 answers
When walking in the woods in the region of Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, and/or northern Italy, what type of predatory animals would one be most likely to encounter, and how does the likelihood of encountering them compare to the likelihood of encountering predators in the mountain West of the US? For instance, in western Montana/Idaho, I frequently see coyotes, I often hear Great Horned Owls and sometimes see them, and I know mountain lions and wolves are out there but it's very rare to actually encounter one. (I'm not asking about danger to humans, it's just a more general question about common types of predatory animals.)
posted by HotToddy
on Jan 30, 2012 -
4 answers
How do small farmers not become sentimental about killing the animals they've raised and nurtured, even though they've done it expressly for that purpose?
posted by crunchland
on Jan 23, 2012 -
37 answers
Looking to buy/acquire a puppy in (North) London. I am worried about vaccinations etc. and have some questions about ethics of the whole thing. Can I get a puppy from a shelter? Or should I feel happy about paying for one from a 'good' home through a website?
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posted by bollockovnikov
on Jan 9, 2012 -
22 answers
Several years ago, I saw a website with a fun little flash or javascript applet thingy where you could build little tensegrity structure creatures, then have oscillating movements applied to the pieces, so that the structures would seem to "walk". I don't remember what it was called! From memory, one of the simpler structures looked sort of like
this. What was it? Is it still online?
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posted by rivenwanderer
on Jan 3, 2012 -
4 answers
My mother still lives in the dark ages with 56k modem. Please help me find the best YouTube videos to put on a cd and put in her stocking at Christmas.
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posted by summit
on Dec 9, 2011 -
27 answers
Babysitting friend's budgie and let it out to have a fly. It hit a wall and fell to the ground beside my dog who promptly scooped him up but dropped him immediately when I yelled at him. I rushed him to an avian vet. The bird is in shock and in "critical" condition. Oh, please help. Vet expenses are going to be $400 and I don't even know if the bird will make it. But I don't care about the money. I care about my friend and my friendship with her.
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posted by heffalump
on Nov 21, 2011 -
36 answers
Bookfilter: Books where protagonists are transformed into animals/aliens/etc for extended periods?
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posted by solarion
on Nov 10, 2011 -
29 answers
What's the bets method for getting rid of rats in a house that has a cat and small kids? Obviously snap traps are out of the question, as ius posion and probably glue, but are tunnel like electrical traps safe? How effective are the humane traps? (I do not, TBH, care that much about about being humane to rodents, but safety is a concern)
posted by Artw
on Nov 1, 2011 -
24 answers
What's the movie "with the guy and the animals and he rides the turtle home"? Cryptic text message from a 23-year-old who may be slightly inebriated has us wondering.
posted by reren
on Oct 29, 2011 -
17 answers
How do I either learn to love animals or make my dislike of them a non-issue? Last month on AskMe, somebody asked how to
filter out creeps on OkCupid. I realized that I displayed some of the creepy behaviors, but most of them (insecurity, neediness, etc) are things I'm aware of and actively, consciously dealing with. However, one line that came up was a dislike of dogs and domestic animals. I've never liked animals. I never had pets growing up, so I don't know how to deal with them. I cross the street when I see a dog coming, and even my friends' cats will scratch and attack me. I'm certainly not as vehement about it in real life as I am on MeFi, but anyone who knows me for any length of time will realize that I dislike animals. This, combined with my other issues, will probably be a serious problem. How do I mitigate or change my dislike and fear of animals? Or make it a non-issue? I live in an apartment, so buying a dog would not work.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn
on Oct 24, 2011 -
72 answers
