Ethology's topics - tribe.net

The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society @ National Zoo 11/20

lorne — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:23:01 GMT

For those folks near DC. Check out the book in any case!

Free lecture at the National Zoo this Friday night by Frans de Waal, about the evolution of cooperation and empathy:

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ActivitiesAndEvents/Lectures/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frans_de_Waal

What if our concept of "human nature," those characteristics and norms of human behavior, is utterly wrong?

Frans de Waal, author of Our Inner Ape and world-renowned primatologist, will examine human society through an evolutionary lens, drawing on the observations in his latest book, The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society. Using research from the fields of anthropology, psychology, animal behavior, and neuroscience, de Waal seeks to dispel the notion that nature, and by extension human society, is all dog-eat-dog. Instead, de Waal argues that humans, much like elephants, dolphins, and other primates, are "group animals" with a well-developed capacity for empathy.

Evil and conniving, or peace-loving and cooperative? With more than 30 years as one of the world’s leading cognitive ethologists and one of Time Magazine's World's 100 Most Influential People, Frans de Waal will explore these complexities of humanity, providing fodder for a discussion of society as we know it, showing that humans are "hardwired for sympathy... every human is destined to be humane."
6 p.m. Grab a drink from the cash bar and meet the author. Frans de Waal will also be available to sign copies of any of his books.
7 p.m. Lecture

The Age of Empathy will be available for purchase from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Visitor Center.

Parking is free, but we encourage you to take public transportation to the Zoo.

posted in Ethology - 3 replies

Rooks using tools

lorne — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:54:16 GMT

Another case for avian intelligence:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8181233.stm

posted in Ethology - 4 replies

Do Owl's eat Cats?

beka — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:23:18 GMT

My Franky has been missing for a couple weeks now. He's full grown and he's a fierce beastie! He keeps the neighborhood clean of all manner of vermin including rats, other cats and small birds.

I recently saw an Owl in the driveway. It was also a fierce beauty. It was about the same size as Franky and I was just wondering... Who would win in *that* fight?

posted in Ethology - 26 replies

Definition of "Ethology"

lorne — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 06:29:14 GMT

If I were to judge from most of the topics here, I would guess it's "dealing with problem domesticated cats".

So, just what is it? This is a serious question - I have yet to see a decent one.

Cheers!

posted in Ethology - 10 replies

The "language" of bees!

wendyraustin — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 04:36:35 GMT

Frisch (1937). The language of bees.

* From: Prickly pear <rosinbio@xxxxxxxxx>
* Date: Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:16:06 -0000

We know that shortly after WWII v. Frisch published his amazing
"discovery" of the of the honeybee "dance language", whereby honeybee-
recruits "instinctively" obtain and use spatial information, contained
in foragers'-dances, about the location of their foragers' food-site,
to help them find the source on their own. The "discovery" soon became
a revered ruling paradigm, which earned v. Frisch world wide fame,
including numerous prestigious prizes, and finally also the Nobel
Prize, in 1973; a full 6 years after Wenner & his team had already
discovered, and published in 1967, that honeybee-recruits use only
odor, and were "rewarded" by being quickly turned into pariahs.

The free weekly online Science News e-Letter has an interesting
practice. In its Timeline it always includes items published in
Science News during the same week 70 years ago. The Timeline for Oct.
5, 2007, thus reproduces verbatim the report on v. Frisch's honeybee-
research, as published in Science News of Oct. 2, 1937. The report is
a bit fuzzy, and provides no reference. (They apparently did not
bother about such matters then.) But examining the article by Frisch
(1937). The language of bees. Science Progress, 32(125): 29-37, makes
it quite clear that the report could only have been based on that
article, that was in turn based on a guest lecture v. Frisch had
delivered at the University College of London, in 1937, on all his
honeybee-research.

The article by Frisch (1937) clearly shows that v. Frisch's pre-WWII
studies on honeybee-recruitment, had already led him to conclude that
honeybee recruits use only odoir; that the conclusion was fully
justified; and that his results already grossly contradicted his post-
WWII "dance language". After the "discovery" of his post WWII "dance
language", he suppressed his pre-WWII results, which discredited the
"discovery". No wonder, in spite of 60 years of almost endless
attempts, by scientists all over the world, no one has yet been able
to experimentally confirm the existence of v. Frisch's post-WWII
"dance language".

Wenner & his team, did not realize that they were being punished for
having unknowingly rediscovered and published in 1967, what v. Frisch
had already discovered and published much earlier, (with a very
extensive German summary actually published in 1923), until I
accidentally stumbled on a reprint of Frisch (1937) in The 1939 Annual
Report of the Smithsonian Institution, and published the find in vol.
84 of J. theoret. Biol. of 1980. The reprint was later cited in the
1990 book by Wenner & wells; Anatomy of a Controversy: The Question of
a "Language" Among bees. Another reprint of Frisch (1937) was then
published, (with an introduction by Wenner), in Bee World in 1993.

The honeybee "dance language" controversy actually concerns the very
foundations of the whole field of behavioral science, i.e. the problem
of the existence of "instincts". aunch "dance language" supporters,
nonetheless, still persist in ignoring the article by Frisch (1937).
It is, therefore, pleasing to find that the "ghost of that publication
has now arisen to still haunt and taunt" them.

.

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

Help! My cat is acting strange!

Sarah — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:34:42 GMT

Hello out there! I am the proud life-sharer of a gorgeous and sweet but traumatized cat. He came to me after having two other homes, and came to me in great fear. We have lived together for five years now, and are very close, he is so much more brave than when he first came to me, but we are having a new problem. He was doing really well, then I moved in with family, who also have a cat, and he has , to put it mildly, abandoned the use of his litterbox. He is about 8 years old and has never done this before. I think this is partly him acting out his emotions about having to give up our place, and partly about (maybe mostly) how little time I spend at home. I am a dancer, teacher, and have a full time job, but come home every night- late, usually, but I never have left him except for a family wedding- 2 years ago. Can anyone give me some insight in how to communicate to him my love for him, and that I won't abandon him? And how to convince him to resume use of his box? He used it last night (he does use it sometimes) and I praised himand gave him treats, etc. But I have a show this weekend and am going to be out really late and am dreading the retaliation. If you have any wisdom, please help me!
Thank you.

posted in Ethology - 4 replies

Tiger's mind

Matt — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:01:16 GMT

On the TV show The Office, Michael Scott said, “There is no way of knowing what goes on inside the tiger’s head. We don’t have the technology.” Maybe we need to develop the technology. What type of device might allow us to do that? Remember that wired-helmet apparatus that the mad scientist was going to use to switch the mind of a chicken with the mind of Bugs Bunny? Something like that? Maybe we could hook the helmet up to a TV monitor. That might be the ticket. You would put on the headphones, watch the screen, and "know" what it was like to be in the mind of another. This would be great for married couples. We could get the divorce rate down. Or maybe it would go up. I wonder.

posted in Ethology - 3 replies

Evil genius or demented

elf — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 00:38:22 GMT

We have a lovley black neutered tom who moved in with us after a prolonged period of street life.
Hungry and half frozen he stopped by to let us know that he had graciously decided to enjoy a prolonged visit.
he has been with us for about 2 years and is a wonderful gentelman....except (evil background music) when he is irritated.
I cannot decide if he just got lucky when it came to making his point, or is an evil genius.
At night or if we step out of the room for a few moments he pees on the burners of the stove.
You can imagion the reaction when you get up and turn the kettel on for morning tea. A horrenous cloud
of lung petrifying odor fills the whole house. Chemical warfare at its most postent.
I have dealt with many bad habbits of cats but this is unique to say the least.
Burner covers are of little use, he somehow lifts depostis and returns them so that , in my bleary a.m. state, I am caught unaware...but not for long.
I have even tried leaving my heavy cast iron skillet out on the burners. All I can say is the problem was at least in a contained space.
Tends to put one off fried food, let me tell ya.
any thoughts?

posted in Ethology - 24 replies

Avian Intelligence ~ Smarter than Mammals..

enchantedgypsy — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 00:22:21 GMT

Hi gang,
I want to talk a bit about avian intelligence.

As a bird lover and avian rehabber I have seen first hand the amazing intellectual capabilities inherent in many bird species.

Up until recently science had considered birds to be uninteligent, due to a misunderstanding in the difference bertween mammal and avian brains.

In mammals the seat of intelligence has long been thought to be the cerbral cortex, since birds do not have a neo cortex it was considered that there behaviour was largely instinctual.

It turns out though that in the avian brain there is another region altogether that is equivalent to the neo cortex in mammals, and this where, it is believed, lies the inteligence of birds. Comparatively this region is also larger than the neo cortex in mammals.

One of the most remarkable displays of this intelligent in birds has come recently from a crow. The crow was repeatedly observed altering a wire by spontaneously bending it in an effort to retrieve a small bucket of food.

Whats even more intresting is that this ability has even surpassed that of chimpanzees which although have been observed using sticks as a tool to retrieve termites, did not display tool making.The crows showed the ability to alter the tool creatively.

You can see this amazing video here for your self..

http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/crow/

There is a lot more out there, including the amazing abilities of Alex the african grey who had displayed cognitive abilities comparable to three year old children

Myself, I have witnesed crows displaying would may be considered altruistic behaviour, by bringing food to their injured comrades and guarding them for days. Even atacking me when I went to rescue them for rehab.

Again, none of this will come as a suprise to bird lovers and owners, but it is nice to see science finally catching up...

Love N Light ~ Pixie

posted in Ethology - 22 replies

Inappropriate topics

Matt — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 00:50:19 GMT

Unfortunately many topics are deemed "inappropriate" for this tribe and interesting postings are removed. Fortunately the "Animal Intelligence" tribe is less hostile to the idea that animals have intrinsic value because of their feelings and emotions. On that tribe, animals are not seen simply as food, or as annoyances to a sterile, artificial lifestyle.

At tribes.tribe.net/animalintelligence, we will mostly discuss the behavior, intelligence, and emotions of wild animals. We will also look into scientific methods of measuring animal intelligence. We will explore the mental worlds of species throughout the Animal Kingdom, not just cats and dogs. And we won't ignore the argument that intelligence and emotion are the basis for animal rights.

posted in Ethology - 4 replies

Animal Psychology?

sinamuscarina — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 22:03:11 GMT

Animal Psychology?
I am almost finished with Psychology and wonder if there is something like animal psychology and some courses you can attend to?
does anyone know of such things?
in europe its possible in switzerland and germany
thanks

posted in Ethology - 10 replies

Earthlings

Gadje — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 18:25:35 GMT

This is the most powerfull Documentary I've seen is a while. Tell me wha tyou think. I sometimes work for Undercover Animal Rights agencies like LCA and PETA.

check it out

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5923245618644065423&q=earthlings

Blessings,

B

posted in Ethology - 9 replies

weird dog behavior...car aggression

julesj — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 19:43:05 GMT

so, I have a 3 or 4 year old little mutt dog (Sadie) who I have had since about 6 months of age. Came from a shelter, has been an excellent dog in pretty much every way except one: she goes crazy in the car when she sees another dog. I just don't understand it. She is somewhat submissive by nature, even submissively smiles, but is very well socialized. We go to the beach, park, forest, other people's houses, and she does great. Plays with other dogs, doesn't have any aggressive issues of any kind in a social doggie setting, and I feel I can trust her to run around and play and don't have to keep an eye on her every second.
But, when she is in the car and sees a dog go by, she barks and will even grab the seat of the car in her teeth and act like she is ripping it up! I can't even leave her in the car for very long b/c she is destroying the interior, has even taken bites out of the seat and steering wheel!
I think I know why she does this, she really just wants to play and say hi, and there may be some issues of territoriality involved, but I don't believe she is truly aggressive. My main concern is that I want to it stop and don't know how to make her. When I am in the car I reprimand her, or grab her by the collar and make her pay attention to me instead of the dog, but when I am not around I have no control.
Has anyone had a dog act this way or have any advice? I would love to be able to leave her in the car more (esp. since I have an older doggie that is a perfect angel in the car), but she is destroying the interior.
Thanks,
Jules

posted in Ethology - 3 replies

Help! Cat refuses to sit when doing business

Andrea — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 01:25:14 GMT

OK, so she does sit to poop, but refuses to do so for #1. Kaja is our 2nd cat, and we got her at 3mo old. She is now 2 yrs old, and has always done this - backing up againt the side of the box and spraying. It really smells, no matter how often we clean the box.
We've trained her to sit in order to get something to eat, but it doesn't work when she uses the box.

It seems to have gotten worse lately, maybe with the summer heat.

Any suggestions on breaking her of this habit?!?

Thanks!

posted in Ethology - 2 replies

Cat Behavior Help!

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 06:40:33 GMT

I have two Burmese cats. Lately, the older female has been pooping right in front of the litter box instead of inside of it. I keep it very clean, scoop every day. Upon suggestion, I moved the box, took the lid off, etc., to no avail. Can anyone help me figure out why she's doing this???? Thanks.

posted in Ethology - 9 replies

blind cat

jellyness — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 23:28:52 GMT

hithere,

we have a cat that is currently blind due to a fungal infection. we are treating him with medicine and we hope that some vision returns. in the mean time we are doing our best to care for him.

i'm hoping to hear from others who have experience with blind animals. your suggestions and concerns would be really helpfull.

thank you tons,

david

posted in Ethology - 3 replies

I need some cat advice. It's complicated....

beka — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 21:25:20 GMT

Here's the situation in as much of a nutshell as I can put it:

Frank was my sons cat and Rocky was mine. Franky developed an allergy to fleas that caused him to lick off most of the nice long fur on the lower half of his body. it also caused a 180degree shift in his personality. He went from being sweet and gentle to being really touchy and *mean*. He hisses and takes swipes at everyone. Sometimes he wants to be pet. I can tell by the way he practically jumps into my hand and rubs against my leg, but he's *growling* at the same time!!

Several things happened within about five months (in order): Franky started losing his hair and getting mean, Rocky vanished (and never came back), My boyfriend moved into the house next door and we got a new cat (after Rocky had been gone for 5 months) Dizzy. BTW - Frank has always liked my boyfriend very much.

Franky and Rocky were not very close. They tolerated each other. But Franky would not tolerate Dizzy. Dizzy was young, not a kitten but still more playful than Franky and Franky was not in the mood to play!

Franky's flea allergy was treated and his fur grew back, but his personality seems to be changed forever.

About two months after we got Dizzy Franky vanished. A few weeks later we found that he had moved in with a neighbor. Turns out that this neighbor had been in trouble with other neighbors for trying to steal their cats. We retreived him but he wouldn't stay. We tried locking him in the house but he was SO *nasty* to us. We were a little afraid of him. After several weeks of struggling with him we let him go to the neighbor. We visit him from time to time and he visits us from time to time. My son has been sad about it but at least they get to spend time together.

All of that was about a year ago.

Now for the problem: The neighbor is moving to a place that doesn't allow pets and she wants to give Franky back. Of *course* we want him. It would kill my son if she took him away. Me too. We would do almost anything to get him to come live with us again.

But what? What do we do? Franky still doesn't like Dizzy. He visits us in the yard but never comes in the house. His behaviour is almost ferral, what if he just "goes ferral" when his new owners leave?

I need advice, please!

posted in Ethology - 10 replies

HD TV

Mummbles — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 01:45:10 GMT

I've read a few articles regarding how High Definition television is enrapturing animals. It seems that previous sucky tv was only seen as movements and blurs to animals but HD Tv is just as visible as normal sight to an animal, which may seem a benefit but people everywhere are complaining that Fluffy wont get the hell away from the tv screen whenever animal planet is on.

Does anyone have HD tv and have they noticed a difference in their Pets interest? Because someone Tivo'd canine karma and it wasnt me

posted in Ethology - 7 replies

Irish Setters

astridlbailey7 — Sat, 16 Jul 2005 17:23:34 GMT

Hello all. I'm in love with an Irish Setter that does'nt belong to me (unfortunately). Her name is Topanga and she belonged to the people I worked for. They got her when she was 8 weeks old and from the moment we 'met', it was obvious to everyone that she was 'my' dog. I'm the one who fed and watered her...took her to the vet...brought her treats...and loved her. This is the problem...When they bought her, they never gave any thought to the care and maintenance of this beautiful animal. (They wanted a dog that looked pretty and was thought of as 'prestigious'.) What they got was a bundle of energy that turned out to be extremely high maintenance. She is15 months old now. About 3 weeks ago they decided she was just too much of an 'inconvenience' and said she had to go. They would gladly have given her to me but I live in a one bedroom apartment with no yard. There is no way I could take her and let her have the freedom to run and romp that she needs. Luckily they gave her to someone I knew so I could still see her. But after only one weekend these people said they could'nt keep her either because they said she barked too much so they found her another home for her with people I did'nt know. These people said I could not see her anymore. (What there reasons were I don't know, but I do know I almost lost my mind during the week they kept her). After a week, they too wanted rid of her...too high strung they said. Now she is with another friend of mine and hopefully she will stay there until I can find myself a place with a large fenced in yard so I can bring her home with me (where she belongs).
This is one of the most beautiful animals I have ever seen and I love her beyond words. She IS highstrung...she DOES bark....she DOES get into things...she DOES run and run and run when given the chance...She DOES eat anything she can get her paws on...
But my question is this...After reading everything I can about the breed...isn't this sort of 'normal' for them? From what I have read, they are'nt a dog for everyone because of these very qualities.
So, is there anyone out there who is familiar with Setters? Is she really as 'bad' as everyone but me thinks she is, or is she just being an Irish Setter?
I'm posting pics so you can see why my heart was stolen the minute I saw her. Thanks for any info, answers, opinions...

posted in Ethology - 6 replies

berlin wall-for cats

pepe — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 21:15:35 GMT

I have 2 neutered, male cats, both over 5 years old. They have lived together since they were small. One is much more aggressive than the other, and is completely dominant. They have developed a relationship, and their squabbles are never bad.

A year ago I moved in with my g/f and she has one neutered male cat around the same age. We didn't introduce the cats at first, allowing my cats to get used to the new environment. When we first introduced the cats, after about a month, my g/f's cat stalked and ambushed my cats--the problem: my cats are MUCH bigger than her cat.

After a couple of weeks the tables turned and it was open warfare on her cat. Both of my larger cats would tagteam her cat, and in the end her cat would get "trapped" in places. For example, we would leave for work in the morning and things would seem stable enough. But when we would get home later in the day her cat would be 100% frazzled and obviously hadn't moved all day (urination and defecation in close proximity), it was very distressing to see.

Once we realized what was happening we seperated the cats. That was about 9 months ago. They are seperated by a child's gate and occassionally 'fence fight' but it doesn't get too nasty. At times we will put all of the cats together under complete and total supervision with no instances of fighting. But, as of now, we could never let them be together unsupervised.

Has anyone had experiences like this, and found a way to reintroduce the cats? Or any other advice to recommend? Our goal is to have a feline armistice, so that the cats are free to roam wherever they like in the house, because we know that the cats were never be 'friends', tolerance would be nice though. Thanks for any suggestions~

posted in Ethology - 6 replies

New tribe: idsux

lorne — Sun, 07 Aug 2005 04:21:46 GMT

Hate what the Intelligent Design folks are up to? Tell us about it:

http://tribes.tribe.net/idsux

Cheers!

- Lorne

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

separation anxiety

zeela — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 17:04:06 GMT

Brandy, our Border Collie (see my photos), is new to our family and fits in rather well. Unfortunately, she suffers from separation anxiety. She does not want to be left behind, ever. As soon as we get up she wants to go out where she can sit by the car if she thinks that there is the slight possibility we might be going somewhere. If the car door is left open for any reason she will get in and wait....and wait....she won't get out. She just wants to go with us. Sometimes she'll go cool off in our pond and then go sit in the car. She will hide behind the car and peek around the corner when we start calling her (if we want to leave her at home). We will sometimes leave her inside or outside to roam on our property (we have 2.5 acres). But, she prefers to come with. Any tips or suggestions for Brandy? I want her to feel secure that we are not going to leave her for good. Her previous owner(s) live just up the road from us...they got a divorce and the wife and kid moved away. They'd visit the dog and husband on the weekends. She gave Brandy to the folks across the street from her husband's place and Brandy would run back and forth across the road. Every time she'd hear a car she'd run out to the other yard (in front of the car!). I guess some of the anxiety could be caused by that.....but, is there anything we can do to ease her mind?

posted in Ethology - 7 replies

Signs of dog aggression?

sayra156 — Thu, 23 Jun 2005 16:52:52 GMT

My husband and I are currently the parents of a 9-pound Dachshund/Cairn Terrier mix. My husband has always had big dogs and has wanted an English Mastiff for sometime. We were planning to get a puppy so that the much larger dog could grow up with her much smaller sister.

But then we saw a flyer for a one year old Mastiff that a women who is being evicted is going to sell. I spoke with the current owner (who is one Fruit Loop shy of a full bowl) who said that the puppy did fine with her cats, but that cats generally stayed away from the puppy because the puppy wanted to play. Also, she said that the puppy "played" with smaller dogs thru a chain link fence.

The owner is bringing over the Mastiff tonight. Any advice on how to introduce the two dogs (our current dog is a little dog shy, but is getting better)? Also, are there any signs/tests of dog-dog aggression to watch/check for?

posted in Ethology - 1 reply

Is there something wrong with my dog? Allergies? Serious?

kara0300 — Sat, 28 May 2005 06:09:44 GMT

(I'm posting for a friend actually, we're worried)

He's a chihuahua, 6 years old and I'm noticing that his eyes are 'bulging' and very teary & goopy, they've never looked like this before. Looks tired- 'squinty'. Could he have gotten some pesticides or something in his eyes while he was out for a walk? Allergies?

Has anyone else ever noticed anything like this with their dog- what is it? Any ideas?

Should we take him to emergency? Advice- please!!

Thanks,
Kara

posted in Ethology - 1 reply

Jealousy?

MsPurity — Sun, 08 May 2005 03:33:43 GMT

We have noticed a problem with both our dog and one of our cats. When my boyfriend's 7 yo son is here on the weekends the cat poops in my roommate's (the cat's owner) room and our dog pees in the son's room and the roommate's room. They *only* do it when he's here even though they have free reign of the whole house all the rest of the time. They seem to get along with the boy amicably otherwise. This morning we put Riley (our dog) outside first thing to go pee. When we let him back in he went and peed in the son's room. Anyone know how we can fix this problem?

posted in Ethology - 1 reply

hippo snuggles tortoise

squidcorp — Mon, 02 May 2005 15:23:19 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4152447.stm

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

April 18, 1906: ‘The strange dog'

Wed, 20 Apr 2005 18:11:00 GMT

http://www.sfexaminer.com/articles/2005/04/18/columnists/p_j_corkery/20050418_co02_corkery.txt
By P.J. Corkery
Published: Sunday, April 17, 2005 11:28 PM PDT
Ninety-nine years ago today, at dawn, poet Joaquin Miller awoke in his home in the Oakland hills, which included a rustic sanctuary. "The first I knew," he wrote, "my cattle began to low and my cats came into my chapel, and I thought there might be a strange dog. … Then two little talented birds came into the chapel and a humming bird out of the apple tree came in and there was a bump and a thump as if I were in a small boat bumping against a wharf. …" He felt a few more bumps.
....
"But then came the dogs," Simpson remembered, "couriers of the cataclysm … their jaws were dripping. They moaned and whined. All of them panted steadily up the steep hill. Then I knew that, bad as it had been with us, on the hills, the darker chapters of the story of woe were [in] the lowlands and in the valleys. We were shaken but safe; below us were nameless horrors, the dogs knew, and knowing, ran to the high places."
....
In the smoking ruins, editor Simpson set up a makeshift newspaper office. For days, all was chaos; all were dispirited. Then suddenly, Simpson noticed, "a sleek cocker spaniel, very weary, called upon us. … In his mouth he carried a big beef bone. When he lay down in utter weariness, he put his paw on it just as men with guns and clubs were standing guard on nearby streets over their little heaps of burnt and blistered, battered cans. …

"I saw the managing editor reach down a grimy hand to pat the wanderer and was glad." … San Francisco's dogs had come back from the hills. ...

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

Elephants Save Tourists from Tsunami

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 11:33:49 GMT

http://quickstart.clari.net/voa/art/hm/2005-01-02-voa8.html
Elephants Save Tourists from Tsunami: 2 January 2005

A number of tourists at Thailand's Khao Lak beach resort may owe their lives to elephants who apparently sensed that last week's powerful tsunami was approaching, and sounded a warning.

Reuters news agency says eight elephants that are normally used to carry tourists on rides along the beachfront became agitated last Sunday, more than an hour before the first tsunami wave hit the shore. The beasts then began trumpeting in an unusual manner, their trainers said it sounded as if the elephants were "crying," and pulled at their chains, trying to leave the beach.

Later, just before the first gigantic wave inundated the beach, the elephants resumed their plaintive chorus and broke away from their trainers, heading for a nearby hill covered in jungle vegetation. By this time the trainers realized what was happening, and followed.

Some of the pachyderms lifted tourists onto their backs with their trunks, Reuters says, then charged up the hill into the jungle to a safe place.

Scientists have noted on many occasions that similar unusual behavior by animals has appeared to anticipate natural calamities such as earthquakes.

posted in Ethology - 6 replies

Quail Coveys

wendyraustin — Thu, 03 Feb 2005 15:05:37 GMT

I have noticed some interesting behavior among the quail that we are researching. I have some birds that will go great distances each day, and even split up and join other covey's for more than a week at a time. I have other birds that never venture far from their roosting area, and will NEVER leave the sanctuary of their precious covey. I have had two birds that were devout solitaries, only meeting up with other birds near the traps. So, the question arises, is the social oder of the covey a necessary part of healthy quail behavior? Is the solitary male quail an outcast? What would cause a bird to hop from covey to covey to covey, with no seeming loyalties?

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

Animal Behavior and Natural Phenomenon

wendyraustin — Mon, 18 Oct 2004 14:47:40 GMT

http://www.animalsandearthquakes.com/etho-geo.htm

Have you noticed animals acting oddly before a major environmental occurance? If so, share your story, so we may discuss it. I am very interested in learning about this little known area.

posted in Ethology - 30 replies

"The zoo's brown bear hasn't gone to sleep this year."

Sun, 23 Jan 2005 22:12:11 GMT

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/28960/story.htm
Warm Russian Winter Drives Bears Out of Bed
Story Date: 13/1/2005

MOSCOW - Russia's winter is so warm that a bear in a zoo has woken from her hibernation two months early, while another hasn't gone to sleep at all, Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday.
The normally ferocious Russian winter, the bane of invaders from Napoleon to Hitler, has been unusually mild this year with temperatures hitting record seasonal highs.

"For a second day we are organising extra observation of a female black bear, which has woken up because of the warmth," a spokesman for the zoo in Russia's second-largest city of St Petersburg told the agency.

"The zoo's brown bear hasn't gone to sleep this year."

Temperatures in European Russia are forecast to fall by the end of this week, and return from a current balmy 6 degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit) to below freezing.

posted in Ethology - 2 replies

Rescued Baby Rats in SF

Alexandra — Mon, 17 Jan 2005 23:05:34 GMT

Hi Everyone,

I am foster mom for 17 gentle & tame baby rats. ALL are ready for adoption now. I have hand-raised them; they are tame, brave, and REALLY do not bite. They even like to cuddle and be petted. Various colors; creams, browns, plus several black, brown or cream hooded. They have had a check-up from the doctor and are healthy and sound. Ages range from 6 weeks to 4 months.

All of them get along (luckily, one positive outcome of their early confinement), and rats do make better pets as groups, so please consider adopting 2 or 3 together (boys or girls). I am in SF very near Animal Care & Control, which is where all of these siblings/cousins were dumped on Wednesday Dec. 15th.

You may have read about the surrender elsewhere. [On Dec. 15, 178 rats (yes 178) were dropped off at San Francisco Animal Care and Control.] Please adopt 1 or more of my little guys! I am available for adoption visits most days; $10-20 donation adoption fee, incl. neuter if needed, through SFACC. e-mail me to arrange for a visit. Photos available on request, although they are growing so fast i can't keep up! Better just to meet in person. e-mail me at amonk1@juno.com

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

Tsunami survivor trampled to death by elephant

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 11:37:27 GMT

Tsunami survivor trampled to death by elephant
Monday January 3 2005 00:00 IST

PORAYAR: A 40-year-old man survived the December 26 tsunami, but met a gory end on Sunday when he was trampled to death by a temple elephant at a village near here.

The man, who lost two of his children that day, had gone to a temple at Thirukkadaiyur, where an elephant from another temple had been brought in connection with some rituals and was tethered outside, sources said.

On Sunday morning, the man, reportedly in an inebriated state, went near the elephant and hugged the pachyderm’s leg, lamenting that he had lost his children. The pachyderm just shook him off and trampled him.

Though he was immediately taken to the general hospital at Mayiladuthurai, he died on the way.

The man, whose identity is yet to be established, was reportedly staying at a relief camp at Thirukkadaiyur.

posted in Ethology - 1 reply

"The birds were the first to react."

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 11:36:31 GMT

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-1422835,00.html
" The birds were the first to react. With a great beating of wings, thousands of egrets and cormorants rose from the placid coastal water off Sri Lanka and hurried inland, although nothing seemed amiss.

The air was soft and the sun was warm. The sea was unusually calm. Having breakfast last Sunday in the Yala Safari Game Lodge overlooking a lagoon was Uditha Hettige.

“All of a sudden the birds started flying off in a big commotion. There were too many to have been disturbed by a crocodile, so I looked up,” he said. "

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

a boy and his dog

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 11:34:55 GMT

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/tsunami_boy_s_best_friend
Dog Rescues 7-Year-Old in India

By CHRIS TOMLINSON, Associated Press Writer

CHINNAKALAPET, India - "Run away!" her husband screamed from a rooftop after he spotted the colossal waves. The command was simple but it presented Sangeeta with a dilemma: She had three sons, and only two arms.

She grabbed the youngest two and ran — figuring the oldest, 7-year-old Dinakaran, had the best chance of outrunning the tsunami churning toward her home.

But Dinakaran didn't follow. He headed for the safest place he knew, the small family hut just 40 yards from the seashore.

Sangeeta thought she would never see him again. The family dog saw to it that she did.

While water lapped at Sangeeta's heels as she rushed up the hill, the scruffy yellow dog named Selvakumar ducked into the hut after Dinakaran.

Nipping and nudging, he did everything in his canine power to get the boy up the hill.

Sangeeta, who like many south Indians only uses one name, had no idea of the drama unfolding below. Once she had crossed the main road to safety she collapsed into tears, screaming over the loss of her eldest son.

"I had heard from others that the wall of my house had collapsed, I felt sure that my child had died," said the 24-year-old mother.

She told her story a week after the giant waves crushed or washed away at least 123,000 lives on the shores of the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, with the horrible loss of life and property stretching from Sumatra to Somalia on the west coast of Africa, 3,000 miles away. The tsunami was spawned by the biggest earthquake in the last four decades deep below the ocean about 100 miles off the Sumatran coast.

Selvakumar looks pretty much like every other dog in the village. He hardly ever barks and lets the three boys climb all over him and pull his tail without protest. At night, he joins the rest of the family and sleeps among them, no matter how may times they throw him out.

Most days, the dog escorts Dinakaran to and from school, spending the rest of the day playing with the other two boys, or begging for food.

Sangeeta's brother-in-law gave her the puppy, following the birth of her second son. When the brother-in-law died in an accident two years ago, they changed the dog's name to his.

Sangeeta's family had always lived along the coast, just north of Pondicherry, a former French colony.

The morning of Dec. 26 began like most others, with sunny skies and a cool breeze.

Sangeeta's husband, R. Ramakrishnan, had just returned from his early morning fishing with a boat full of fish.

From their home, the view of the ocean was obstructed by a two-story community center. So when they heard a strange noise coming from the sea, Sangeeta's husband went to investigate.

When Ramakrishnan saw the waves, he ran to the roof of the center and shouted down to Sangeeta to flee. That's when she made her agonizing choice.

"He is somewhat older than the other two. I knew he would be able to run, so I grabbed the other two," Sangeeta explained.

Dinakaran credits the dog with saving his life.

"That dog grabbed me by the collar of my shirt," the boy said from under some trees at Pondicherry University, where the family is waiting for relief. "He dragged me out."

Sangeeta said she wept with joy when she saw her son walking up to her, with Selvakumar by his side.

The Tamils of south India believe that talking about the death of a living person can make it so, so Sangeeta didn't want to mull over her decision or speculate how she would have felt had her son not survived.

She did say that she believes some special spirit, perhaps her brother-in-law's, resides in the young yellow dog.

"That dog is my God," said Sangeeta — with Dinakaran sitting on the ground at her feet and Selvakumar sleeping on the warm asphalt next to him.

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

Cat Unrinating in the Sink

Sue — Wed, 29 Dec 2004 19:16:20 GMT

Okay, this is a weird one. Anyone have advice? We have ten cats in the house. Yes, ten. We never used to have any problems with the cats not using the litter box. But, recently, we have caught three different cats peeing in the kitchen! First it was on the counter top by the sink on a kitchen towel. Second it was on a papertowel that the kids left on the kitchen counter. Next, it was the little throw rug in front of the sink. We threw away the rug and replaced it. We got in the habbit of not keeping a kitchen towel out anymore. Then, they started peeing on any paper the kids left on the counter, floor, or breakfast bar. We now go behind the kids constantly and pick up papertowels and other papers they leave out. We have also increased the number of times a day we clean out the litter boxes from twice a day, to four times a day.

This morning, I was standing at the counter when Mattie jumped up on the counter. Normally, the cats go straight from the counter to sit in the garden window. But this time, Mattie squatted IN the kitchen sink and started urinating! I told her "NO!" and picked her up and brought her to the litter boxes.

What in the world would possess only three of the cats to suddenly start urinating in the kitchen? Any advice on how to get them to stop?

posted in Ethology - 8 replies

more advice?

zeela — Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:43:36 GMT

My dog Brandy used to belong to the lady up the road from us...until she moved and gave her to the people across the road from her. We witnessed Brandy running out from one yard, in front of cars, to get across the road to her original yard every day for quite some time. Eventually we approached the lady and asked her for Brandy and she was more than happy to 'get rid of her'. Once she settled in with us we let her run freely on our property because she stayed near us all the time. Lately she's been running up the road to her 2nd owner's place and hiding under their home. They don't want her there. I've been giving her ear drops for a yeast infection she got in her ear so I'm thinking that she's doing this because she just doesn't want me messing with her ear, but I'm not so sure. I don't want her running out of our yard at all so I've curtailed her freedom temporarily...except for this morning....and she was gone! So, it's 6am and I'm in my robe, it's dark...sure enough, I find her in their yard up the road from us. These people have several small dogs indoors and one they tie up outside, and two kids. Could she be going there to visit them? Any ideas? She had been doing so good at staying nearby, I'd hate to have to keep her on a leash. Any ideas on why she might be reverting to the 'visiting all the neighbors' stage again?

posted in Ethology - 3 replies

dumb vs. smart dogs

zeela — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 08:08:57 GMT

Is it possible that I live with one smart dog and one dumb dog? Brandy seems to understand just about everything I say...maybe she picks up on subtle hand gestures, etc.? The other dog, Buddy,(he's not quite 2) seems to never listen and even though he knows some commands, he chooses to obey only on his terms (like when he's certain that he's been told to sit because he smells a treat in my hand). We don't have the entire yard fenced in so he's tied up during the day (except for when he's indoors with us), otherwise he chases the mail lady, or runs off into neighbor's yards. The neighbor starts shooting his guns to scare him out of his yard because he won't let anyone come near him when he's on the 'freedom run'. Brandy is allowed to roam freely. Buddy is very clumsy and runs into things. Once he ran into the car hitch. He hit his head so hard that it made his legs buckle up underneath him. Now he limps at times..Steve thinks it's because he hit his head so darn hard. I'm afraid to take him to obedience classes as he seems to want to get vicious with strangers and sometimes other dogs. I don't understand why is like this. He's a boxer/pit bull mix...very loveable and wants to play all the time. What advice can I get for this rowdy guy?

posted in Ethology - 20 replies

sj job

shomer — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 19:53:31 GMT

Animal Behaviorist
Reply to: see below
Date: 2004-04-26, 3:06PM PDT

The City of San Jose is currently seeking qualified candidates to apply for an Animal Behaviorist position.

ANIMAL BEHAVIORIST
This position in the Animal Services Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services will be responsible for conducting animal behavior assessments on shelter animals and making recommendations for appropriate placement or euthanasia. The Animal Behaviorist will respond to public inquires regarding animal behavior, develop written behavioral materials and train dogs in basic obedience. This position may be required to work weekends, holidays, nights, rotating shifts, and respond to emergency animal services assignments during off-duty hours.

Minimum Qualifications
1. Education: AA degree or equivalent
2. Experience: Three (3) years relevant work experience in dog and cat behavior assessment and/or training.
3. Acceptable Substitutions: None
4. Certification or License: Valid California Driver’s License and a good driving record.

For more information about this position or to apply online, visit us at http://jobs.cityofsj.org. EOE/AA.

posted in Ethology - 2 replies

dog aggressive problems..

Wed, 04 Aug 2004 05:46:04 GMT

I posted this to "dogzone" as well, but since this is "animal behavior" and all....

ok- My Samoyed, Groove, has been pretty much a beta type the whole time I have had him, which is about 2 years now. He is going on 3 right now.
Lately when we go to the dog park and play with the smae dogs every night- give or take a few different ones here and again- he has been more prone to fights and taking an alpha stance or pose if you will. He will sometimes not leave the other dog alone, and I have had to pull him off and leash him. I have not experienced this before with him- also tonight we were having coffee at a cafe with a friend, and he got aggro on 2 people- which is really not like him at all- He is usually the most friendly dog on the planet.
He was recently checked out by the vet and is fine- I am just not sure where this behavior is coming from, unless he is growing into it. We have not changed routinr really lately either.. Someone told me at the park that his dog did the same thing, and I need to get a water bottle and squirt him when he starts to even think about getting aggro on another dog.

He is really good, an this behavior is intermittent. Any suggestions- or has anyone experienced sort of sudden behavioral changes in their dogs like me?

Oddly enough- my chow/husky mix, Greyley- is getting more tolerant and mellow which is great- but it is such a change with my samoyed.

posted in Ethology - 5 replies

Harley acting Wierd!!

wendyraustin — Sat, 25 Sep 2004 15:14:15 GMT

Dolphin behavior is as varied as the number of species and more! We have the only spinner dolphin in captivity. Figuring out her behavior is a 24-hour job. Recently, she just stopped eating and became very aggressive. The volunteers decided to spend a lot more time with her in the water, interacting with her and trying to play. She finally started eating again, but it is quite obvious that she is upset. Our determination is that she is extremely lonely. Therefore, we have found a home for her with other dolphins. Getting her there will be costly and difficult. She must be flown. However, it is believed that if she has more dolphins to talk to, she might be a lot more comfortable. We have no other spinner dolphin behavior to really compare her to, so we are making educated guesses. Wish us luck in making Harley confortable.

posted in Ethology - 10 replies

Mothering Behavior

wendyraustin — Sat, 21 Aug 2004 18:34:59 GMT

Read in another tribe about a dog who initially abandoned her puppies. I have seen this phenomena myself, usually in young, improperly socialized dogs. Has anyone else witnessed this, and if so, what did you do to fix it?

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

Stupid Stuff the Animals Do :)

wendyraustin — Tue, 09 Mar 2004 04:40:37 GMT

Ok, so we all feel there are varying degrees of intellect in the animal kingdom. Many believe it has to to do with brain size etc... I say you just can't compare an octopus with say, oh, my youngest cat. You see, my youngest cat just got home after a month long foray into hell. She had been ravaged by a dog, and has finally been allowed back outside to continue keeping the unaltered cats from spraying our yard. That really ticks her off by the way. And what does this wonder cat do? She decides to attack a bee for like the tenth time in her young life. She is about a year and a half old, and has been stung TEN times. You would think she would learn. I also had a spanish goat named......well, Wendy. Don't ask. She would run up to the electric fence we used to keep out the coyotes, and lick it. She would then run hell for high water, bleating and blahing. Then she would cautiously approach the fence, sniff it, then LICK IT AGAIN! She would do this all afternoon if we let her. I think maybe she was enjoying it. Anyone else have funnies like this one?

posted in Ethology - 8 replies

Spider Mating Behavior

wendyraustin — Sat, 03 Jul 2004 19:22:57 GMT

Anyone have any interesting stories about this topic?
I was lucky enough to assist a spider pimp on his evening outing. He had two male tarantulas that he wanted to videotape mating so we went in search of a female tarantula. The first male was sweet. He tapped the floor of the burrow, and alerted the female of his presence, and gently, slowly coaxed her out of her burrow. There was rubbing of pedipalps, caressing, hugging, just unbelievable romance. They gently did the deed, then the male ran like hell to avoid being killed after coitus. Smart fella too, ran up a tree to get away from his lover. She then went back in her burrow and the male eventually wandered off to his old territory.
Next was the other male. He went into her burrow, slapped the floor, insisted she bring her punk butt outside, and literally drug her out. She didn't seem to mind this. This second male was not gentle. He was more like a thug. He grabbed her, literally flipped her over on her back, rubbed her a couple times, did his deed, pushed her away and swaggered slowly from her burrow, with no fear. She just stood there, kinda dazed for a second, then went back in.

Now, how can there be two such different mating behaviors? Are large spiders more intellectual than the smaller ones? Are there similar differences in other spiders that have been researched? Until that evening, I had been under the impression that there were a set of rules for spider mating. I have been corrected.

posted in Ethology - 1 reply

Understanding Cats Better.

Jenn — Thu, 10 Jun 2004 17:16:16 GMT

I found on the ASPCA's website today an area that was made off a book called Feline Companion Lines. Sadly, the actual book can only be found in shelters, which they get for free. If someone can find it elsewhere that would be so cool.

Anyway this is an excerpt from their site:

[Claws
Controlling the Damage

They serve as hooks, crampons, switchblades and chisels. A cat's claws are the Swiss Army knife of the feline toolbox. They are essential in practically every role that a cat plays.

What's the Use?
For the Predator, claws hold the prey while the mighty hunter positions himself to deliver the killing bite at the back of the neck. In play behavior, the claws grip a toy while the cat rubs against it or rakes it with his hind feet.

For the agile Climber, claws help Sir Hillary maneuver up and along trees, bookcases and upholstered furniture. When he sinks in his claws, they help him shift his body weight to attain proper balance and secure footing.

For the Communicator, claws facilitate leaving messages for other cats by scratching on surfaces. The claws engrave a visual territorial mark, while the scent glands in the paw pads brush on an olfactory mark.

Last, but not least, claws are a first line of defense for the Protector. The one-paw swat is enough to send another cat out of preferred territory or to discipline the new dog. When a full-blown defense is required, she takes a position on her back with all four paws extended, claws ready for action.

Claws are indispensable! Yet, in many households, a cat and his claws are separated via surgical declawing -- all for the sake of the sofa. While all cats need to scratch, few need to be declawed.

Manage the Damage
Most scratching needs can be met by providing suitable scratching and climbing surfaces. Sisal, fabric or rope-covered posts at least three feet tall on sturdy bases fill the bill for many felines. Owners who have extra space and money can meet a cat's climbing and scratching needs with multi-level cat furniture, which incorporates resting and climbing platforms on tree trunk-type stilts.

If a cat doesn't quickly catch on to your preferred scratching areas, a few incentives may help. Low-cost corrugated cardboard scratch boxes anointed with catnip can draw cats away from previously preferred sofa arms, especially if those arms are temporarily covered with industrial-strength plastic sheeting. Adding strips of double-stick masking tape over the plastic increases its repulsiveness to the cat. Double-sided sticky strips of plastic are also commercially available.

Solution in a Snip
Through the years, a number of individuals have called the ASPCA Behavior Helpline because they were considering declaw surgery. When asked how often they trim their cat's nails, almost every caller has responded, "Never." Coincidence? I think not! If claws are kept blunt, a cat who strays from the scratching post from time to time will do little to no damage. You, too, can get improved results without surgery by cutting the nails every two to three weeks.

If you have never given a cat manicure, here are a few tips:

* If possible, start trimming the claws when your cat is young. As soon as kittens leave their littermates they are ready for nail trimming, so try to begin the routine no later than ten- to twelve-weeks of age.
* Make it pleasant. Initially, only trim a few nails at a time. Offer a food reward or scratch the cat in his favorite spots; then let him go.
* If you can't make it fun, make it fast. If you have an older cat who has already made up her mind against manicures, the mummy method may serve you best. Wrap a thick towel around her, leaving only the head exposed. Bring out one paw at a time, trimming the nails as swiftly as possible.
* Some caretakers find they can abandon the towel method if they schedule the manicure after a meal. If the cat is groggy from an after-dinner snooze, she'll be more relaxed and easier to handle.

Whatever your chosen technique, a pair of sharp, well-made cat nail scissors is the tool of choice. Other equipment can do the job, but a pair of scissors is the easiest to grasp when holding a squirming bundle of cat.

There's no need to fear your feline's nails. With a trimming regimen and the right equipment, you can happily co-exist with your cat's arsenal.]

All the information can be found at: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=companionlines&JServSessionIdr012=fhvvi6vk01.app14b

I also found a good resource about cats in another ASPCA book, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0811819299/ref=sib_rdr_dp/102-8339674-3680107?%5Fencoding=UTF8&no=283155&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&st=books

posted in Ethology - 12 replies

The sign-up page snake pic

Thu, 13 May 2004 11:47:40 GMT

WOW what a beauty! I LOVE snakes. Now if only I could adopt one and not cage it or put cute little mice to death...

posted in Ethology - 2 replies

Talking to the Animals

Sat, 08 May 2004 18:40:23 GMT

This post is for those of us who can, more often than not, be seen talking to our pets like they are humans and understand everything we are saying to them.

I am pretty sure my dog (a.k.a. Prince Bear) thinks he is human. If I had a kid, I wouldn't treat him any different. The dog is spoiled.

I know I am not alone here. However, do you think it is normal to talk to animals? How much of it do you think they really understand?

posted in Ethology - 9 replies

Research You Have Done

wendyraustin — Thu, 29 Jan 2004 14:55:05 GMT

I am looking to hear from individuals who have comepleted research either on their own or with a study on animals. You didn't have to be studying behavior, but if you noticed things that are relevant, I would like to hear about them. This is a scientific topic, but don't think anecdotal comments aren't welcome.

posted in Ethology - 8 replies

Do animals dream?

wendyraustin — Mon, 29 Mar 2004 20:26:40 GMT

The question was raised in Bird Geeks tribe on whether birds dream. I would like an answer to this question, and other animals as well. So, share your thoughts.

posted in Ethology - 6 replies

AKC-Canine Good Citizen Test

Jenn — Wed, 03 Mar 2004 02:14:53 GMT

I was looking thorugh the web today, and I was thinking about taking my dog through the Canine Good Citizen Test. So I looked it up on the web, and I found a couple of useful sites:

http://www.akc.org/love/cgc/index.cfm
http://www.mydogateaz.com/akc.html

But what I didn't find really find was a good local resource for me to use to get my dog into some kind of training/certification in my area. So I am looking for any local sites that will do this, in either my (Buffalo, NY) or anyone elses area.

posted in Ethology - 2 replies

Help!!

Tue, 17 Feb 2004 03:40:19 GMT

My dog did a terrible thing today and I was floored. My dogs are usually well behaved, but today Groove decided to mark his territory in a strangers house.
We were looking at an apartment, and he went right to the couch and full on peed. I about DIED. There were no other animals there where he marked.
We are in the process of looking for a new place to live. Groove has never done that before. We went somewhere else today, and he did not do it- but the place we want is going to include living with another dog. He did not mark that time...and my dogs got along really well with the other dog.
Anyway- Does anyone have any advice as to how I can stop or get groove not to mark in houses? I know it seems silly, but I fear he will do it again. He does not have a bladder infection..

Anyone else ever have that problem?

posted in Ethology - 10 replies

Do animals think?

wendyraustin — Mon, 15 Dec 2003 03:27:10 GMT

There are many different opinions on this subject. Most are religious, some are scientific. Here is the forum for you to state any thing you wish about this particular topic. Please remember that we are all adults, and there will be no toleration for personal attacks due to individuals beliefs. This is a safe forum for free thought.

posted in Ethology - 19 replies

Animal Personality

Troy — Mon, 12 Jan 2004 03:22:33 GMT

Ok, I know there's alot of fellow cat owners out there that have some absolutely hilarious stories about their babies! I want to hear them. Give me one, I'm sure I have one that can top it.

posted in Ethology - 4 replies

Free bag of dog food – get if for yourself or donate to a rescue/shelter!

Amy — Wed, 18 Feb 2004 04:32:48 GMT

Purina ONE 30-Day Performance Challenge – Free Bag of Food

By taking the Purina ONE 30-Day Performance Challenge, you should see a healthy difference in your pet. The first step is to gradually transition your dog or cat to Purina ONE® brand pet food over 7 to 10 days, then track your pet's performance as you feed Purina ONE exclusively for 30 days. In just a few weeks you should see the results: healthier-looking skin, a shinier coat, and cleaner teeth, to name just a few.

Fill out all required fields of the questionnaire for a coupon for your free bag of Purina ONE to get started. (If you are interested in receiving both a dog and cat coupon you must click "Both" to be eligible.)

Limit one dog and/or one cat coupon per household (regardless of how many times you sign up.) Offer expires 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, February 18, 2004.

http://www.purinaone.com/30day_landing.asp

posted in Ethology - 3 replies

dog trianing

Sat, 24 Jan 2004 02:58:07 GMT

anyone know of a good place in SF or the peninsula- I know the SPCA has one- anyone ever been to that one?

posted in Ethology - 3 replies

Looking for a behaviorist

Thystle — Fri, 30 Jan 2004 01:53:52 GMT

Hi, I need referrals for an animal behaviorist in the San Francisco bay area. Someone who is competant in dealing with canine aggression.
Thanks

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

Hand-raised vs Mother raised

wendyraustin — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 03:00:19 GMT

I am curious to hear from individuals who have personally hand-raised an animal from birth or near-birth.

1. Did you take any precautions to make yourself look/smell/seem like a natural mother?

2. Did you notice any different kinds of behaviors exhibited in the hand-raised animals that you didn't notice in mother raised animals?

3. Was the animal a domesticated or wild animal, and if a domesticated, was it from a feral parent?

posted in Ethology - 3 replies

Links to animal behavior sites.

wendyraustin — Mon, 15 Dec 2003 03:36:50 GMT

Please feel free to add to this list as you find them. Please keep them relevant.

http://www.animalbehavior.org

posted in Ethology - 1 reply

Hello from a new member!

Jennifer — Mon, 15 Dec 2003 04:49:12 GMT

I'm the proud human of a short hair tabby cat, who's seven and a half. She's originally from West Virginia but I brought her to Texas at the age of eight weeks.

posted in Ethology - 0 replies

Ethology's topics - tribe.net

The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society @ National Zoo 11/20

Rooks using tools

Do Owl's eat Cats?

Definition of "Ethology"

The "language" of bees!

Help! My cat is acting strange!

Tiger's mind

Evil genius or demented

Avian Intelligence ~ Smarter than Mammals..

Inappropriate topics

similar problem as the car aggression

Animal Psychology?

Earthlings

weird dog behavior...car aggression

Help! Cat refuses to sit when doing business

Cat Behavior Help!

blind cat

I need some cat advice. It's complicated....

HD TV

Irish Setters

berlin wall-for cats

New tribe: idsux

separation anxiety

Signs of dog aggression?

Is there something wrong with my dog? Allergies? Serious?

Jealousy?

hippo snuggles tortoise

April 18, 1906: ‘The strange dog'

Elephants Save Tourists from Tsunami

Quail Coveys

Animal Behavior and Natural Phenomenon

"The zoo's brown bear hasn't gone to sleep this year."

Rescued Baby Rats in SF

Tsunami survivor trampled to death by elephant

"The birds were the first to react."

a boy and his dog

Cat Unrinating in the Sink

more advice?

dumb vs. smart dogs

sj job

dog aggressive problems..

Harley acting Wierd!!

Mothering Behavior

Stupid Stuff the Animals Do :)

Spider Mating Behavior

Understanding Cats Better.

The sign-up page snake pic

Talking to the Animals

Research You Have Done

Do animals dream?

AKC-Canine Good Citizen Test

Help!!

Do animals think?

Animal Personality

Free bag of dog food – get if for yourself or donate to a rescue/shelter!

dog trianing

Looking for a behaviorist

Hand-raised vs Mother raised

Links to animal behavior sites.

Hello from a new member!