Be Kind To Pets, Vet case studies, Photography tips, Travel Stories

Thursday, July 13, 2023

4887. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: MEALY BUGS in Singapore. Use tripod

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Use Tripod.

Canon R5, Tripod, TV, 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 160

A female mealy bug looks like a small cottony white blob and newly hatched nymphs have attached to the plant at the leaf near the stem joint in Countryside Park Garden, Singapore on 12 July 2023.

TO BUY PHOTO: www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2023/07/4887-photography-of-mealy-bugs-in.html

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MEALY BUGS
love to live in clusters. They suck the sap out of the plant
Countryside Park Garden, Singapore, 12 Jul 2023, 6.16pm

Canon R5, Tripod, TV, 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 160

TO BUY PHOTO: www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2023/07/4887-photography-of-mealy-bugs-in.html

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Mealy bugs are sucking insects that extract sap from the plant which may die.

Low-toxicity and organic remedies include spraying plants summer oil, neem oil or a castile soap solution. These suffocate the pests. Hence, good coverage of the plant and repeated sprays are required to keep the pest population low.

Neem oil's active ingredient is azadirachtin which turns the oil into a replelent. It is all over the plant as it is absorbed by the plant.

The use of such organic pesticides will not harm beneficial fauna like soil bacteria that can assist in pest control in your garden.

Inspecting your plants regularly and being prompt in treating such infestations are key to growing pest-free plants in the garden. For small infestations, a strong jet of water is usually sufficient to wash off the mealy bugs.

Severely infested plants to be disposed off. Trim away infested leaves and branches.

Since the life cycle is around 30 days, treat at least twice a week.

Pesticides may not be effective as the waxy coat of mealy bugs protect them.

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1. They feed in clusters
2. They suck sap out of the plants. Most common sites are stem tips and where leaves connect to the stem.
3. excrete wax and honeydew (as waste product) on the plant. A gross black and sooty mold grows on it.

yellow or wilted leaves, plants die or stunted growth.

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275 different species in the U.S
Mealy bugs are pink, soft-bodied with a waxy appearance. Covered in a cotton-like material that stops them from losing moisture and protects them from overheating.

They have projections like legs.
Male - oval and have wings and two filaments. Mate with female. Live around 2-3 days.
Female - round and wider than male. No wings. Grows around 1/16 inch long.

US. Most common species is the citrus mealy bug (Planococcus citri). Favourite plants are succulents.
Nymphs or crawlers feed off a plant 4 - 8 weeks to become adult.

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

4885. PHOTOGRAPHS FROM A SEAMAN

11 July 2023. Andi Abdul Hamid is a seaman living in Indonesia. We met when I was taking photos at The Esplanade on 10 June 2022. Today, he sent me photos of the ships off Singapore, sunset on 10 July 2023 (below). He had returned to work after leave. It is nearly a year since I hear from him!

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Jun 2022 photos from him. Pasir Gudang Port, Malaysia.

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Our photo together in Jun 2022

Have a safe working day!

4884. Why is my hamster drinking so much water?

IS MY HAMSTER DRINKING ENOUGH WATER?

1. The amount of water that hamsters drink in a day does depend on the size of the hamster. Generally a hamster should drink 10 to 30 milliliters of water per day, which is about one ounce at most.

2. A six-inch male Syrian hamster may drink about a half-ounce of water every day.

3. The short answer is that a hamster usually needs around 10 ml/100 gr of hamster, every day.
An adult dwarf hamster weighs around 50 g, will need around 5 ml per day.
An adult Syrian hamster weighs around 170 g, will need around 17 ml per day.

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Another factor is your hamster’s diet. What you feed your hamster will make him drink more or less water. If you feed your hammy exclusively dry food (pellets, grains, seeds) he will drink more water. But if you give him mostly vegetables then he will draw a lot of water from them, and not use the water bottle much.

Hamsters should be fed a mixture of hamster pellets and hamster-safe produce like carrots or spinach. It should be a 90/10 ratio with hamster food pellets making up 90 percent of their diet and other foods making up ten percent. Ensure that the 10% treats is safe.

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A wide range of treats a hamster can safely eat. Some may cause kidney damage and lead to more water being drunk.

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WATER BOTTLES

Those water bottles have a small tube that goes into the cage itself, and have a small ball at the end, to make sure water doesn’t flow freely. But your hamster can easily drink like that, since all he has to do is push the ball with his tongue when drinking.

A valveless sipper water bottle is a great option to help your hamster reach their hydration needs for the day.

Determining its water intake. One way is to fill its water bottle up with fresh, filtered water and use a marker to indicate where the line is each day. You should also know the breed of your hamster and how much it weighs to determine how much water it should be drinking.

Collect urine in a sterile 3 ml syringe for vet check up. GLYCOURIA.

Hard to do blood test - diabetes, kidney disease.

DIABETES IN CHINESE HAMSTER

Chinese hamsters have diabetes ranging from mild to severe. Animals weighing 25 g can excrete up to 75 ml of urine containing 3 g of glucose per day. Fasting blood glucose as high as 500 mg/dl and 10 mumol/ml of beta-hydroxybutyrate have been reported.

OTHER CAUSES:
1. Illness
2. Skin itchiness
3. Kidney, liver, heart diseases
4. Tumours causing irritation

VET EXAMINATION
1. Urine sample.
2. Water intake data

4883. PHOTOGRAPHY OF a bug - adult red cotton stainer (Dysdercus cingulatus). Tripod and TV Mode.

PHOTOGRAPHY OF a bug - adult red cotton stainer (Dysdercus cingulatus). Tripod and TV Mode.

ADULT Dysdercus cingulatus (red cotton stainer) on red hibiscus leaves, Lentor Loop, Singapore,

10 Jul 2023, 6.15pm
Canon R5, Tripod, Focal length 99mm, Shutter Priority, 1/250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100
This adult bug had glued hibiscus leaves to create a leaf nest. I was surprised to see it when I pried open the glued leaves. Roadside hibiscus plants have been growing on this stretch of Lentor Loop, opposite Bullion Park condo for at least the past 8 years, but today is the first time, I sighted this attractive bug and identified it via "Google Lens".

TO BUY PHOTO: www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2023/07/4883-photography-of-bug-adult-red.html

Monday, July 10, 2023

4882. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: How to photograph a Sumatran Paper Wasp? Tripod and TV Mode.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: How to photograph a wasp? Tripod and TV Mode.

Sumatran Paper Wasp, Lentor Place, Singapore 9 Jul 2023, 4.45pm

Canon R5. Use tripod and TV Mode, 1/400 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200

#sumatranpaperwasp
#ropalidiasumatrae
#kopsiafruticosaflower
#kongyuensing
#singapore
#shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets