I have a lot of experience with pets. I managed a pet store for 6 years and have had several different types of animals in my home from lizards to fish, rats to birds, etc. I also have a good bit of experience with mental health issues since my step daughters mother has been diagnosed with bi-polar, narcissistic, paraniod, histrionic, etc. Given this, I have a good bit of feed back on step parenting as well.
E-mail: amiciml@msn.com
Gender: Female
Location: Maryland
Age: 33
Member Since: August 3, 2006
Answers: 19
Last Update: August 8, 2006
Visitors: 2028
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hi, i recently (yesterday) bought a cocatiel from a pet shop. i dont know how old it is, but was wandering if you could give me some tips on hand taming him. thanks in advance (link)
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Get him used to your hand by placing it in the cage frequently. If you can get him away from the cage, that is your best bet. Birds that will bite while in the cage, a lot of times will step up on your finger if they are on the floor. If he is not tame at all, you may have a difficult time and may never be able to "pet" the bird but you should be able to hold him, etc. If his wings werent clipped when you bought him, make an appointment at the vets office or pet shop to get them done.
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well im 16 and a virgin. and i've heard lots of things about losing your virginity. i really need someone's advice. do you bleed after or during your first time? pleaze help!! (link)
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Some girls bleed, I didnt. I will tell you one thing though, it wasnt all it's cracked up to be! Wait as long as you can, the older you are, the better it is.
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When your pregnant, do you still have periods? What about if you breastfeed? (link)
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Usually, you will not get a period. There are some cases,though, where you will have some type of light bleeding for a couple months when your body would usually have a period. My mother did this when she was pregnant with all three of us.
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Im 15 and there is a chance im pregnant. if so the father would be my stepbrother. I want him to know its his child bout I wanna keep him a secret to everyone else because are intamantcy is unknown. How can I give him a chance to bond without family finding out? (link)
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First of all, find out for sure if you are pregnant. If you are, you are going to have to tell him and your family. This is not something that can be kept a secret. A child is a person that wont go away, it will be there for the rest of your life. Your child deserves to know who it's father is. Living with this secret will not be good for anyone. Not even you!
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My 6 year old daughter recently started saying she wants to meet her real dad (he hasn't seen her since she was two years old except for a brief chance meeting at a friends house a two years ago.) I'm not sure what brought this on, except that I just had another baby with a different man, and he and I share custody, so maybe she's feeling a little jealous that her baby brother's dad is around but hers isn't. I'm no longer involved with my son's father, but we are civil for our child's sake so it isn't like he could be a father to her. But I need to know- do I call my daughter's father and make him have a relationship with his daughter? I don't know what to do, or what to say to her. (link)
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Children need to know who their parents are, even if at some point they decide that they arent all that great. Certainly, you should call the father. If he is completely opposed to seeing his child, leave it go. If he has an interest, meet him at McDonalds or something and let the child meet him. Go from there.
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If I put a restraining order on someone who is threatening to kill me, is that person (that I'm putting a restraining on) notified? & is it okay to put a restraing order on someone who lives out of state now? If this person tries to contact me after the restraining order is in effect, what can happen to that person? (link)
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Yes, the person is notified. You will have a hearing probably within 1-2 weeks. You can put a restraining order on anyone regardless of where they live. If the person tries to contact you, you need to report it immediately. That is the only way they will know.
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I don't know what is wrong with me. I've been getting really nervous when certain people talk to me. When this happens, I start shaking and come very close to crying. A few nights ago I started laughing, crying, and screaming at the same time. I have an idea of why, but I can't seem to pinpoint an exact, rock-solid reason. Also, I sometimes find objects in my hands that I don't remember picking up or even seeing. I've been told by cloes friends of conversations that I can't remember happening, and e-mails I don't remember sending. Does anybody know what could be wrong? (link)
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These are not symptoms of bipoler disorder. They do sound like symptoms of MPD or dissociative disorder. I would consult a mental health professional as soon as you can.
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Hey my name is Rachel and iam 17 years old and my granny is causing me to be depressed I'll give you some examples.on my 17th birthday she told me that nobody loved me and that I was stupid becouse I was in special ed classes at school.my granny also told me that Iam to fat for my own good and she told me that my mom killed my dad becouse she divorced him when I was 3 and said it broke his heart and that's why he died,but I think she had a pretty good reason for divorcing him when I was 3 becouse he molested me.I took an extra adderal and bloodpressure pill today hoping I would lose weight becouse my granny keeps telling me that iam fat and ugly and I was kind of hoping it would kill me from overdose.my cousin is the only person I can go to with this problem becouse I can trust her to keep it a secreat.I've talked to my cousin about my suicide attempts and she just kept an eye on me and didn't tell my mom about it becouse she knows how my mom is.what should I do? please help me urgent. (link)
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First of all, dont take any extra pills. Secondly, try to stay away from you grandmother. She has issues that you dont even need to try to understand. Most importantly, since you are obviously under a doctors care, talk to him / her, tell him / her everything you just told us and see if you can get more help there.
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I am a 35/f whose teenage daughter has been living with her father for most of her life.
When her father and I divorced it was decided she would live there because I wasn’t financially stable enough to give her a comfortable year-round home but she has always spent most of the summer with me.
While things have changed a lot now. I make a good deal more money, pay child support and have a much more comfortable home for her. She’s decided she wants to move in with me for the rest of high school because the high school in my area has a much better art classes and several of her friends attend it.
I’m delighted of course, the thing is, she is afraid to tell her father about this decision. She says she’s mentioned maybe moving in with me before, and it’s upset him or he has taken it as a joke. She has asked me to come over and be with her as she discusses the move with her father.
So my question is: Should I be there while she tells her father she has chosen to live with me next school year? I want to be there for her, but I don’t want her father to feel threatened or ganged up on. Part of me thinks she is old enough to be able to talk to her dad about this herself (I’m sure he’ll be a bit hurt, but he isn’t an ogre or anything, he wont go nuts.) So I’m quite torn, please advise. (link)
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I think standing in front of him with your daughter while she tells him this news would not be good. Have you considered having her call him while she is at your house so that she has your support and everyone can talk but its not so "in your face"?
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Well, My mother is trying to read my mind. She sets me up without "knowing" and then says im doing it because (some weird hatful things im doing) and it`s making think shes nuts. She is crazy tho. I could get her put away in a M.H.
But, I have sleeping problems. I have this annoying ring in my ears. But it goes away with white noise(or any noise) but a fan puts me asleep with ease. So i get home for being on my own, after all my shit was stole. And i ask for a fan, she says i have a fan. The ceiling fan i have is the most annoy! Its quite, I have to sleep on my back(which i almost never do, like 1-50) Cuz if i turn my head the ringin in my ear is there.I almost died cuz i was so sick of sleepin on my back i slept face down with a pillow on my forehead so i could have air, i wake up coughin to death drownin in my own drool!!! On my back my whole mouth is dry, it takes me hours to fall alseep. And i have to be tired. Like missin a good amount of sleep. Im missing so much sleep i keep seeing things, plus im really paranoid. Im now missing over 40 hours. I tell this to her she flips out and thinks im lying. Im a Buddhist so im not lying, i cant! And she hates the fact im Buddhist when she has no religion. What can i say for her to shut her trap and listen for more then 30secs. And i tell her this and she says im not doing this, but im doing some complex plan to make her mad or something? So help! (link)
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You need to go to the good old fashioned doctor and have a check up. If you are having that much of a sleeping problem, you should see a doctor. I am trying to be nice here, you say you could get your mother put away in a M.H. Those types of things can be hereditary. Possibly you should see a mental health professional.
- I am not suggeting that you need meds. My concern was that you find someone to talk to.
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This may sound a little lame and i may sound weak, but my problem is my brother is abusive toward me. He is 18 months younger than me, and he hits my slaps me, kicks me, punchs me in the face, somtimes he even threatens to stab me. If i try to fight back, im the one who gets grounded and if i tell my mom he hurts me, she grounds me because she thinks i am lying! And then i have to deal with my brother attacking me for telling my mom. Now i am like afraid to go to bed at night because he is always threatening to hurt me in my sleep. My dad passed away in 2004 and ever since then, he has been abusive toward me. I have talked to my school counsler about it and she said that she would set up a meeting with my mom. I lock myself in my room and i have to find things to do all day becasue my mom works from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm, and he threatens to hurt me if i cross his path, or step anyware he is going. I am really terrified of my brother. My brother is always so nice when there are people around and he is so innocent. He appears to be the sweetest little boy, but he isn't. My friends tell me i should suggest to my counsler that she should talk to my mom about anger managment, but i am afraid she will tell my mom that, and then my mom will tune her out and then walk away. PLEASE HELP ME OUT!!! (link)
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Xenolan has a point. Try to talk to your mother again. Try to talk to your counselor again. The part that I dont agree with is her advising you to do nothing. Do you want to end up dead? What you need to do is run, dont walk, to Family Services or the local health dept., the police, etc. Make some phone calls, find out who can help you the best and DO IT NOW if your mother will not listen and your counselor cant help. God bless you.
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okay i'm 14 years old and my dad has been in jail for about 7 years because he almost shot a guy and about 3 weeks ago i wrote him a letter and now he wants me to write him more and come see him in september and im not sure what i should do because this subject is really hard for me and im not really ready to see him yet but my grandparents keep pressuring me to see him and i feel bad about not seeing him because he's my dad and he probably wants to see me really bad i just dont know what to do because i dont want to hurt anyones feelings but im also not ready to see him yet
what do you guys think i should do ?
thanks (link)
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I would write to him so that you can try to get to know him. Dont worry about what your grandparents want. Worry about yourself. You do what makes you the most comfortable. (It will probably be really hard to go visit him but I suspect that after it is over you will feel better)
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My 11 year old brother confided in me that he likes to look at naked men. ohhh boy--that is just something that I'd rather not know! but he feels comfortable talking to me about it (i don't though..lol) he will not tell my parents. he is DEEPLY religious. and he knows the catholics frown upon gays. but yeah, he tells me that he likes flipping through magazines and ENJOYS looking at naked men...this creeps me out a little. he was freaking out last night asking me what i thought--and i told him that he's not gay (idk if he is though..but i just said that to make him feel better or else he would have a SPAZ if i told him i thought he was. like i said, he is DEEPLY religious.) --and i also told him that maybe he was just curious..idkkk he doesn't know. but i feel VERY uncomfortable talking to him about thsi but there's no one else he can talk to. he asks me stuff about sex too and i don't know how to answer him. can anyone help me? thannnnnnks :) (link)
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If I were you, I would be supportive. Dont lie to him though. He is coming to you because he trusts you and wants your advice. He may just be comparing himself to other men, he may be realizing that he could be gay. Suggest to him that he could talk with his school counselor or a trusted member of the church in order to get another perspective.
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my budgie always has a very dirty vent, his poop always sticks to the feathers around there.how can it keep it clean?he wont let me bath him.should i clip the feathers around there shorter?or try to us a spray bottle to spray the area with water to clean it up?any other ways i could keep his vent clean? (link)
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No, dont cut the feathers. Your bird is showing obvious signs of illness and needs to have veterinary attention immediately. At the very least, purchase vitamins for his water at your pet store. Good luck!
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My yellow lab is a year old and seems to be agressive to new people who come to the house. She looks out the window at people or other dogs who walk by and growls and barks with hair raised on her back.
She has also tore up two expensive throw rugs within a week. We are not home at the time. We have to keep putting her back in her kennel when we leave.
I had a chocolate lab before and she was nothing like our yellow lab.
I have twin daughters, six, I'm afraid she might bite someone one day. She loves the girls but too agressive.
I have thought about giving her away. (link)
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Labs are generally very good with children. Have you had this dog since puppyhood? Has she been previously abused? Are you yelling at her and hitting her a lot? How often do you spend quality time with her? Also, Labs are known chewers so crate training (the right way) is highly recommended. If I were you, I would find a reputable dog trainer and enroll your dog and your family in classes ASAP.
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Adopted two snakes yesterday, I'm told they're grass snakes,but i'm not so sure...any snake experts out there,PLEASE HELP!! One's lilac colour with some red showing through,two darker stripes from head to tail,yellow belly...the other's a greenish-yellow colour, with similar stripes...bothare about 2.5-3 feet long and slender. They have large golden eyes,with round pupils. Can't find pictures of similar snakes anywhere online. They have the same physical characteristics as common European grass snakes, but their coloration is odd...SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!! WHAT ARE THEY? DO THEY MAKE GOOD PETS? WHAT DO THEY NEED IN TERMS OF CONDITIONS/FOOD ETC? I'll upload photos for any one who thinks they can help....TA!! (link)
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If you can, take them to the pet store, where hopefully, you can find someone to identify them for you. Chances are, though, that you will get some teenager who doesnt know anymore than you. Here is my advice: If they are grass snakes, they eat goldfish. Make sure you have a water bowl in the tank and you can get feeder goldfish from the pet store. A heavy dog food crock works best for this. They will need a small heat source such as an under tank heater or a low watt light bulb placed on top of the screen lid. (60 watts depending on size of tank) My recomendation is a 20 gallon long (not high) at the minimum. Get a thermometer, temp should be around 85 or so. Get a book from the pet store. this is the most important purchase you can make. do not get a heat rock!
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hi.
i have had my dog for many years and he's been slowing down and has had a hard time standing up.
my question is..... does anyone know any types of food should i try giving him to get his bines stronger and speed him up a little?
thanks alot!!!!!!! (link)
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There are foods that contain Glucosamene and Condroiton (probably not spelled right)that is what you need. Ask for it in the pet store. You can also get a food supplement to ad to the food that contains the same thing. Go to the vet if you havent already. Your dog could use a check up. He may need to loose some weight, and the vet may recommend some light excercise every day such as a short walk.
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what do i do my dogs are attatched to human table food they won't touch dog food so i have to make them breakfast lunch and dinner. tell me how i can get them to eat dog food. please........ thank you (link)
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Dogs will not starve themselves. Dont feed them anymore table scraps. When they get hungry enough, they will eat dog food. It may take a few days but they WILL EAT IT! I managed a pet store for 6 years, trust me! Also, what type of dog food are you offering them? If it is a cheap brand, it's high in salt and not a good source of nutrition in general. Stick with a good quality food (Nutra Max, Diamond, Pro Plan, etc) Get a lamb and rice brand. Dogs eat by smell, the worse it smells, the more they like it. Lamb has a strong smell. You can also LIGHTLY moisten the food and stick it in the microwave for approx 30 seconds. This brings the oils to the surface & makes it smell better. Lastly, you can get canned food - GOOD QUALITY! (Canned food is mostly water and so not much nutritional content and cause the runs) and mix 2-3 tbls in with the food until they get the idea. The key here is, stay strong, dont waver, THEY WILL NOT STARVE! Good luck!
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I have two former friends who (in my opinion) seriously abuse their cat. "Tammy" will grab the cat by the back legs and spin it around, set it on the floor and flip it in circles, chase it around the house, pull it by its tail when it tries to get away, etc. She's 21, so she's not a kid at all. With her boyfriend, they will put the cat in a pillowcase a breathe lungfulls of marijuana smoke in on it. When they have parties, they will "pass the cat." Everyone in at the party will take the joint and the bagged cat, and on every exhale breathe their smoke into the cat's bag. This will go on for an hour or two before they free the cat. This is just what they do in front of other people.
I can only see where I have there options here, each with problems.
1) Call the police.
2) Break into their house and steal the cat.
3) Do nothing.
I don't want to call the police, because I smoke weed and so do a lot of my friends. Used to, if you got caught in my town you just went to jail. Now you reduce your sentence with every fellow pot head you turn in, all the way up to having no arrest record if you turn in enough people.
I don't want to break in just because...well...it's wrong, I guess. And I really want to do something to help the cat. I've already tried talking to them about it, and it doesn't help.
I would really appreciate any other suggestions, or help picking which option is right. Thanks! (link)
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I deal with our local SPCA all the time. In our county, you could call them and get advice / report the problem but, unfortunately, they probably would not come out and take the cat from the owners. There would have to be horrible neglect such as the cat being locked in the house and not being fed, etc. The police are certainly and option but, again, they probably wouldnt come out and take the cat because it is not their area of expertise. This is quite the dilema. Certainly, the cat's life is in danger and the poor thing deserves a better life. Why dont you offer to buy the cat from them? Or ask one of your friends to do so? If they smoke a lot of pot, they could use the extra cash. Maybe you could offer them something in "trade" for the cat....
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