u/Proof_Excitement_897

Hi yall. Question, can a hermit crab be kept alone? Basically I’m visiting family, there’s a big hermit crab tank here and they said all the crabs had died and need to get rid of the tank. I figured okay, lemme be helpful this weekend and go clean it out since there’s like probably 50+ lbs of sand + soil mix in there. I start taking some of the decor items out…. And staring at me is a hermit crab! He wasn’t even buried just hiding kinda underneath a piece of wood. I was like ummm wtf?? So I sifted thru the tank and he’s the only dude in there. I immediately got some water conditioner and added water to the sand + soil since the tank was very dry, got it to like beach sand consistency. Misted the tank, cleaned out the water bowls, got it all setup nice for him and he’s cruising around exploring now. My question is can he live alone? Under no circumstances does my family want anymore pets, so the suggestion of telling them he needs a buddy will not get anywhere. I guess hypothetically I could take him, but that may prove difficult since I live 1,000 miles away and already have 2 dogs, a lizard, and a bird. Tank is 40 gallons, probably 6” of substrate, and lotsa climbing stuff.

Hi all, I made a post like a week ago and you’ve convinced me to go ahead with muzzle training my boy. I’m ordering a big snoof to be his more permanent muzzle, but will several weeks to get the custom one.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a muzzle in the meantime that would be good enough to use for those few weeks? I don’t plan on using it for anything more than muzzle conditioning and maybe having it on while we practice place and chilling in the yard, so it doesn’t need to be perfect. I was looking at the Baskerville classic size 10 but Baskerville doesn’t really provide good measurements so I can’t get a great idea of the actual size.

I have a reactive Great Dane, pretty extreme reactivity towards dogs and generally good with most people. Very tolerant at the vet and no issues being handled. His reactivity towards dogs can be quite scary sometimes and honestly I’d say it’s probably 50/50 that he would actually bite another dog. I live in an area with leash laws basically everywhere, but a lot of off leash dogs so I figured getting a muzzle is a smart move to prevent any incidents. However I have a family member who thinks it’s absolutely absurd that I’d even consider such a thing and basically told me it’s ridiculous that I’d muzzle my dog “in case of some hypothetical off leash dog approaching him and since he’s always leashed it wouldn’t even be my problem if he bit an off leash dog” ….. idk what the actual law on that is, but I’m very much in the mindset of why even take the risk if I can get him a comfy muzzle and properly condition him to be comfortable in it. Especially because he’s such a large dog that even him nipping another dog could do some real damage. So what do you think? Get the muzzle and tell the family member to fuck off? Or am I being ridiculous and overly cautious?

Just wondering since I couldn’t find any answer about this on Google. Went to adopt a budgie at PetSmart and they said they don’t sell them when it’s cold out, wasn’t crazy cold out or anything (maybe 40 something in freedom units) and we offered to have one of us pull the car up right in front and wrap the little box inside a blanket for the couple foot walk to the car. Went to Petco instead because we called them and they said they didn’t have any policy about the outdoor temp. It was kinda weird, so I was just wondering if this is a store policy or if they just hated us for some reason?

Severely reactive, generalized anxiety, and separation anxiety Dane here. Wondering about what training methods are best. I have worked with a few different trainers over the years, used a balanced trainer for about 2 years which was good at first and then slowly issues came back and could never get them under control. Currently seeing a vet behaviorist for the meds and working with a force free trainer now, but his issues are probably the worst they’ve ever been. Has health issues too which we are working to address. What method have you had the most success with? Especially for Danes that have struggled with reactivity and anxiety.

I am wondering if a 30x18x18 (inches) cage will be sufficient for a budgie? (Just one budgie, introducing a friend didn’t work out). She currently lives in a large flight cage, but we are temporarily moving so I need to get her into a smaller cage to fit into a car and I have a 30x18x18 cage. Buying a new cage when we get there isn’t really feasible, so I was wondering if this size would be okay for a couple months?

Hi all, I have a reactive, anxious, separation anxiety Great Dane. Originally we worked with a trainer who used e collar, he got better, then his reactivity worsened and has been that way for over a year. Kept following up with the trainer, attending weekly group classes, he never got better. I worked with that trainer for about 2 years and since nothing seemed to be helping I stopped going there about 6 months ago. Instead, I started seeing a vet behaviorist and force free trainer.
Well honestly this is probably the worst he’s ever been, to the point he’s so reactive that I need to keep him leashed in my backyard because he just walks out the door immediately freaking out. Honestly he’s so reactive that it is difficult to get him to poop outside and half the time he just poops in the house. He definitely was reactive when I was working with the e collar trainer, but I at least felt like I could control him enough that we could go on walks. I am scared to walk him now and I feel like his world has shrunken significantly since moving to force free stuff, but I’m also conflicted because behaviorist and force free trainer both say the e collar was the reason why his reactivity got worse.
He also has a lot of health issues that behaviorist says contribute to his reactivity (I fully agree with that statement). One of his issues is lower back neuro issues which we will be getting an mri for, but the issues are not severe more so just doing the mri because I want a definitive diagnosis so we can best treat it. He takes pain meds at the moment and 99% of the time, you would not even notice anything “off” neurologically (the issue has been very subtle and transient since earlier this year). HOWEVER neurologist did say absolutely no collars, he must wear a harness for walking so that eliminates any kind of slip lead, prong, etc.
I guess I am wondering, should I go back to a different trainer who uses e collars or continue with force free and behaviorist? I am just very conflicted because it feels like I literally cannot do anything with this dog using the force free methods and I keep getting suggestions to just use puzzle toys for enrichment. I hate that for him! But at the same time I would feel guilty correcting him in any way because what if he is just acting out from pain? I have been all over seeing different specialists trying to get answers to all the medical stuff and hopefully will get some definitive answers soon. I’m just very unsure on what to do for the training right now.

I am wondering if a 30x18x18 (inches) cage will be sufficient for a budgie? (Just one budgie, introducing a friend didn’t work out). She currently lives in a large flight cage, but we are temporarily moving so I need to get her into a smaller cage to fit into a car and I have a 30x18x18 cage. Buying a new cage when we get there isn’t really feasible, so I was wondering if this size would be okay for a couple months?

Male neutered Great Dane, 4 years old. Let me just start by saying this has been extensively worked up by both an internist and behaviorist whose opinion I trust. Urinalysis, bloodwork, ultrasound, x rays all normal. No infection, structural issue, stones, his bladder empties back to a normal size according to vet, and he doesn’t strain to pee. He also had an orthopedic exam a few months ago, so they don’t suspect anything related to spinal or ortho issues either. Basically I’ve had everything worked up that anyone can possibly think of and they’ve found nothing (which is obviously good that he’s otherwise healthy). The working diagnosis now is USMI. I am only asking about this because I’m just perplexed and wondering if anyone else has seen something like this.

Basically I got him and he was a little over a year old, would just randomly walk around the house and start peeing without warning. Vet at the time ruled out any issues so we figured he wasn’t potty trained. It got better, he’s never been fully trustworthy but for a good couple years accidents were rare. Got him neutered about 8 months ago and the issue returned, he also dribbles pee now but never wakes up in a puddle. When I say dribble I mean literally just a couple drops here and there, not even obvious unless he’s wearing a belly band or sits on you and leaves a few drops. The walk pee accidents are maybe every 5-7 days now and I take him outside every 2 ish hours to empty his bladder. It seems to me that he literally will just lose control of his bladder. Here’s the weird part, he’s physically capable of holding it overnight. His last accident was yesterday and it actually happened while his behavioral consultant was here for his training, so I also had another set of eyes to confirm yeah this is weird and he gives no warning. Literally just walked across the house peeing. Behaviorist thinks not a behavioral issue because there is no “intent” as in he gives no indication that he’s gonna go sniff/circle and pee like you see with potty training issues.

Internist was hesitant to do a trial of proin because he has behavioral issues related to anxiety and recommended I speak with the behaviorist about this. Talked with the behaviorist and we agreed to just manage the issue for now since diagnostics showed nothing and there’s really no harm in just using a belly band and/or pee pads to contain the mess (and I can’t handle the risk of making this dog more anxious or spazzy from proin). I guess I am wondering is this a typical presentation of USMI? The part that is perplexing to me is he’s proven he is physically able to hold his bladder for a normal amount of time, he goes overnight without issue and never leaves a puddle of pee while he sleeps. I kept of log of his peeing for about 2 weeks prior to his appointment with the internist and there is no specific trigger or time of the day for the walk pee, all I know is that it doesn’t happen overnight. I have no history of him from when he was a puppy, all I know is he walk peed when I got him and it came back with dribbling as well post neuter. Anyone have thoughts? Ideas? USMI or something else? Behavioral? Idk he’s an interesting critter and I am confused.

Hi all, have a male Dane with USMI. Structural and other issues have been ruled out by his internist and for a variety of reasons his behaviorist and internist are in favor of avoiding meds like proin and fine with me just using a diaper and pee pads to contain the mess… that being said, where do I get a diaper that fits a Dane??? Belly bands seem the least restrictive and bothersome for him but he’s built like he wears a waist trainer. Deep chest, tiny waist. How do I find anything that fits?? Diaper slides down and belly band slides up. Do I need to get one of those weird diaper overalls contraptions I’ve seen or does anyone have recommendations for belly bands that fit a small (< 120lb) Dane?

I’m looking at the muzzle movement size sunny for a small Great Dane and I’m confused on measuring for the width of their cheeks/snout. Based on the nose length and jowl height, the sunny would fit. And I also saw some suggested breeds and in review photos that they will fit a small Great Dane. When I measure his cheeks, am I measuring the snout or the widest part of his head? Also has anyone used this muzzle for a Dane or breed with similar face shape and found it fits well?

Looking for a muzzle for my very reactive Great Dane, I currently have a Baskerville ultra size 6 that we used to introduce the muzzle but it’s too small for regular use. I plan to get him a nice custom one from one of the companies I see recommended here, but I know that takes some time to get one made and shipped. His reactivity has worsened recently (working with behaviorist for this) so I need a half decent muzzle asap for in the meantime. The Baskerville is just about right length wise, but needs several more inches around the circumference. He’s on the smaller side, 110lbs and not super jowly. Any recommendations for brands I can get asap that might fit a larger dog with a long nose?

I’ve been working with a trainer for over 2 years with my dog for reactivity, separation anxiety, general anxiety, etc. shortly after finishing the 8 week program with them, he was significantly better mostly unbothered by dogs, although the separation anxiety never really got addressed. We have continued working with them and going to follow up lessons/classes but the last year or so he started worsening with the reactivity and now it’s near unmanageable even while still working with a trainer. He’s very anxious and tense most of the time outside the house including in the yard or if he hears/sees anything outside. He’s also now more reactive to dogs AND sometimes people, worse than he ever was before even starting training. The separation anxiety also has worsened and he will try to break out of a crate now, so we stopped using the crate. He does better in a bedroom, but can’t be left alone more than an hour or two.

I do trust the trainer we’ve been working with, but it seems like his issues have reached a point where everything they suggest I try does not help and his vet recommended I see a veterinary behaviorist, so I went ahead and scheduled an appointment with one in a couple weeks. I guess I am just wondering, is a vet behaviorist the right next step when the current training is not working anymore?

If it makes any difference, the trainer we have been working with is a “balanced” trainer, I’m not entirely sure if that’s the correct wording but we use a combination of positive reinforcement and an e collar for obedience. His obedience is very solid, so I don’t think the issues we are having stem from a lack of “training” but rather just being so anxious.