Animal Radio® Show #546 May 22, 2010
Become a Successful Backyard Beekeeper
Howland Blackiston, Beekeeping For Dummies
Beekeeping is not only a hobby for some people but also a way to make extra money. Howland Blackiston, author of Beekeeping for Dummies, is a beekeeper and has been one since 1983.
One of the first reasons for beekeeping is for the honey. But another recent push is that is have been all over the media that honeybees are disappearing. This is called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which was noticed about six years ago. It is a mystery, as they were not dying in the hives, nor did they appear to be sick, but when the beekeeper opened the hives, basically “there’s nobody home!” However, they are slowly coming back as a result of these new beekeepers.
It isn’t just a matter of the bees marking your garden prettier, a third of everything we put into our mouths is a result of pollination by honeybees. If these bees disappear, it is going to have a profound impact on our agriculture.
You don’t need a lot of space to raise bees, and can even do it in the city. In fact, there are many beekeepers in New York City and Manhattan. It is also not that labor intensive. If you only want to do it on a minimal basis, you only need to visit the hives about four or five times a year, for about 20 to 30 minutes each visit. But, it doesn’t work out that way, because most people become so fascinated with the bees, that they can’t stay away from the hives!
Don’t get confused by the bees in your yard. There may also be yellow jackets or wasps, which are rather aggressive and don’t make honey. You have to stay away from these bees as they have bad tempers, while the honeybees are rather docile.
If you do have a swarm of honeybees in your yard that you would like removed, you should call a beekeeper, as they would be happy to come get them. It is also against the law to kill honeybees. Exterminators will come and wipe out wasp and hornet nests, but they will refuse any requests to exterminate honeybees.
It is not expensive to raise honeybees. For several hundred dollars you can buy the hive and equipment that you need to get started, which is a one-time expense. But consider this, every hive that you start will yield from 60 to 100 pounds of honey!
When asked how many times he has been stung, Howland replied, “In my first year of beekeeping, I didn’t get stung once!”
The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani
What Do You Do When Your Dog Has Been Sprayed By a Skunk?
When a dog gets sprayed by a skunk, the first thing people usually do is to bring the dog in the house, put him in the tub and give him a bath with tomato juice, which doesn’t work and just makes a mess.
If you have ever smelled a skunk on the roadway, imagine a smell 100 times worse when your dog has been sprayed directly.
When this happens, you need to immediately break down the oil of the skunk’s spray. The first mistake people make is that they wet the dog. But what happens when you mix oil and water? It makes a barrier.
To do this, take a tablespoon of dish detergent, such as Dawn, which is a degreaser. Mix it together with a quart of water real well. Before you put any other water on the pet, apply this mixture to the pet. Just be careful not to get it in your dog’s eyes, as it will burn. Lather the pet, which will break down the dirt and the oil. This will help to get rid of about 70% of the smell.
Usually dogs get sprayed in the face, because they area going after the skunk. If this happens, just sponge the mixture of dish soap and water on his face, being careful to avoid his eyes.
When this has been done, use regular oxygen cleaner (a dry oxy detergent that usually comes in powder form). This cleaner is almost like hydrogen peroxide, which will oxygenate the area. Mix one scoop of the oxygen cleaner with one gallon of very warm water. Make sure the water is as warm as you can get it without scalding your dog. The warmer it is, the better it works. Pour this over your pet, and again be careful around his eyes. If you do get it in your dog’s eyes, rinse it immediately, as this could be very harmful. Put it on your pet, and don’t rinse it. Let it dry. While it is going through the stages of drying, the smell will intensify. But after it is dry and you have rinsed your dog off, about 80 to 90% of the smell will be gone.
There is nothing out there that will rid the smell 100%, but this mixture is the best you can find, even on a professional level.
But, if your dog gets sprayed in the mouth – you are out of luck!
DOGFATHER'S GROOMING TIP Brought To You By SeniorPetProducts.com
Animal Radio® News with Bobbie Hill
Shelters Needs Rescue After Massive Rainfall
Massive rainfall and flooding in the south in recent weeks has brought out the ASPCA to assist. At the request of Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society in Tennessee, the ASPCA staff arrived to help care for pets displaced by floodwaters. The team brought shelter supplies along with other resources to help. The ASPCA is also on the ground in Louisiana working on the scene of the Gulf Coast Oil Spill. ASPCA is working with Louisiana’s State Animal Response Team to evaluate animal rescue needs.
May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Pet owners need to know that this disease can affect pets as well as family members. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by the bite of an infected tick. There is a vaccine available for dogs but not one for cats. That means pet owners must thoroughly examine their pets daily for ticks. Since ticks like high grass, it’s a good idea to keep your lawn mowed short, especially around your pet’s favorite sleeping spot.
How Many People Does It Take To Catch A Runaway Emu?
According to the Associated Press and Rock Hill South Carolina Police Officers - about 50. That’s how many police officers and animal control officers were involved in the pursuit of the 6-foot bird who ran helter skelter through ten city blocks recently. The emu was eventually captured by 70-year-old Bobby Mangrum, who happens to own a couple of emus himself. The wayward emu will stay at Mangrums until the owner is located. Lt. Joe Johnson said he wasn’t sure how to write this one up, since the only thing the emu was guilty of was running away.
No Bones for Bowser!
The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a new warning to dog owners suggesting they not give bones to bowsers. While some owners think its okay to give bones from roasts or hams, the FDA said giving bones from people meals can lead to serious health problems. Dr. Carmela Stamper, Veterinarian at the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine said, “Bones are unsafe no matter what their size. Giving your dog a bone may make your pet a candidate for a trip to your veterinarian’s office later, possible emergency surgery or even death.”
LA Cracking Down on Barking and Free Roaming Dogs
The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services is cracking down on dog owners who let their pets roam free or annoy neighbors with barking. The city council voted unanimously two weeks ago to allow the department to issue $100 citations to owners who violate the Municipal Code. According to the Torrance Daily Breeze, the council passed the code enforcement after finding out that 20,000 “notices to comply” had been issued to pet owners last year. Had they carried a fine, L.A. City Services would have pocketed 2-million dollars.
Fox Terrier Wins Fight Against Coyote
A normally shy and reserved wire fox terrier gave a good old-fashioned beating to a local coyote that jumped into his Orange County backyard last August. Janis Christensen says her 9-year-old terrier named Ronnie put himself between her and the coyote. The coyote bit the fox terrier, who then bit back and chased the coyote until it disappeared. Last week the SPCLA named Ronnie Hero Dog of the Year.
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