Ice Shelters, Some Basics
People who don’t live in a cold climate, just can’t understand the concept of driving out on a frozen lake, drilling a hole and fishing. Why would you want to sit out in the freezing cold? On the other hand, those of us who live in the land of ice and snow can’t wait for first ice to set up an ice shelter and start fishing.
I don’t think any who haven’t experienced it can appreciate the peace and quite that you can have out in the middle of a frozen lake in a fish shelter. If you haven’t ever ice fished in a shelter, make this the year you do.
Growing up in Minnesota, I have seen and built all types of ice shelters. The first ice shelter I built was a simple 6′ x 6′ structure with a 2″ x 2″ frame covered with wafer board. To heat the unit I had a simple wood stove that I made in metal shop that kept the house plenty warm. It had no insulation and no frills, but it was great.
That was about as basic of ice shelter as you could make. My friend who was much more of a fisherman than me had a slightly larger fish house, that was fully insulated, paneled and carpeted with a nice wood stove with a damper. His ice shelter seemed to be more of a cabin than anything to me and the insulation really added to the quiet.
As time went on I built several others. I even built a portable unit that had a plywood floor with two plywood end walls that folded down. There was a piece of tarp that stretched between the two end walls. This ice shelter although crude in design was actually fun to use as it was completely portable. I heated it with a small propane heater. It wasn’t the warmest fish house, but it was definitely easy to set up, move and store.
Today there are many commercially available pre built ice shelters to choose from. You can get a variety of portable units, most based upon a sled. These are nice for pulling out to your spot with all your gear loaded on the sled. A simple propane heater will heat them just fine. Most of them hold two comfortably, some are designed for just one person.
What is the ultimate ice shelter? Some of the more elaborate pre built units have bunks stoves and Tvs. Many of these are built on a trailer that will lower down flat onto the ice making them the ultimate in portable ice shelters.
Many still choose to build their own ice shelter, I think that is part of the fun. My advice is build it well with weather resistant materials. There are actually retailers that market materials to the ice fisherman for their ice shelters. Make sure to insulate it well, and maybe even run wiring for a 12 volt lighting
system.
As for a heat source, I still like wood, but propane is much easier to use. Whatever you choose make sure you have proper ventilation and a carbon monoxide detector.
So there you are, some basic thoughts on ice fishing with an ice shelter. If you live in a cold climate, give ice fishing a try and make it fun with for you and your family with a comfortable ice shelter.
Jeffrey Richard
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/ice-shelters-some-basics-688332.html
What are some basic tips on bringing home your first cat?
I might me getting a cat soon (for sure from a shelter!) and I need some basic tips about bringing it home.
What supplies/ kinds of food should I buy?
Any personal experience and advice is appreciated!
I am really excited and thanks for everything in advance!
Hi! i have 2 catz and we got them from a shelter! I reccomend ScienceDiet or IAMS. Some cats get worms, but our catz have never gotten them and they are barn catz! I hope u find the right cat. if u wuld like a person cat that likes to cuttle, then pick out a cat the purrs alot, or if u want a busy and outgoing cat then pick 1 that came right up to u! I hope i helped! GOod Luck!
References :
Depends on if you are getting an adult or a kitten. Here are the things you should do regardless of whether it is an adult or a kitten:
a) Confine to a separate room with the food, water and litter box for the first week at your house.
b) Ask the shelter what they are feeding and buy that food. You can switch the kitty slowly later to avoid tummy upsets. NEVER just switch the kitty – not good. It’s going to get the runs.
c) Toys – interactive feather toys, little balls, some cat nip.
d) Scratch pad – cardboard with catnip at Petsmart or Petco. Inexpensive, lasts for 6 months and then you can throw it away and buy another one.
e) Little scissor style nail clippers
f) Brush or comb
g) Litter box, litter and scoop
After one week in confinement you can let kitty start exploring the new home. Reason to go slow like this is to minimize kitty freaking out due to new people, new smells and new sounds. It takes them some time to get used to their new surroundings and providing for a smaller environment at first makes them feel secure.
If you are getting one adult cat – great. If you are getting a kitten, please consider two. Not sure if you’ve read some of the issues on here, but a lot of people get one kitten and then are surprised it turns into a terror. An only cat is a lonely cat is a bored cat is a cat that gets into trouble.
Good luck and enjoy whatever furry friends you end up with.
References :
The best gift you can give your cat is to take him/her directly to your vet. You are not telling the shelter you don’t trust them, but you are setting up a relationship with a vet for future vaccinations, etc., and also are making sure there are no surprises.
Cats do get into and onto just about everything, so make sure your place is childproofed. In other words, anything you would not want a human baby getting into, applies to a cat.
I have provided a link to some basics of a new cat. Often, they may go into hiding, coming out at night to explore, as their world has been turned upside down, and they may be frightened.
The second link is on supplies, although I ignore the cat bed.
Most cats take to the inexpensive cardboard scratchers. If you can find out what the cat is eating, start with that and if you want to change, do it gradually to avoid tummy upsets.
Cats love to look out windows, so try and make a place your new cat can use for that purpose.
Toys can be really inexpensive. Cardboard boxes are loved by cats, and wads of paper can provide hours of fun. The inexpensive furry mice are almost always liked.
References :
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2137&aid=2926
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2137&aid=1033
God bless you for saving a kitty! You will need a litter box and some toys. Watch out on the toys so that there aren’t any small pieces he could chew off and choke on, just like a human baby. They like when you pull a string type toy, so one of those fishing rod type toys would be good. We just use old show-laces. Be sure to pick up the string when you are done playing so he doesn’t try to eat it. Give him a good quality food, opinions very on what that might be. I use Prescription Diet from my vet. Cuddle him alot and tell him how beautiful he is. Or she! Give lots of play time and make him an indoor kitty so dogs and cars can’t hurt or kill him. Best Wishes on your new "baby"!
References :
i have 2 cats and both of them i caught in the street. you need to buy cat food,bowl for water,litter box and the small pebbles that go in the litter box.thats pretty much it for you cuz i think that since you getting it from a shelter it got its shots and doesnt have flees. also buy some toys so you can play with it.
edit:ask the people that work at the shelter for what brand and flavored food the cat likes to eat.
References :
THANK YOU FOR ADOPTING!
Petfinder.com has some great videos about cat care. Here is one about bringing your new cat home:
http://www.petvideo.com/play.cgi?showId=653
I suggest you check out their other ones:
http://www.petvideo.com/index.cgi?channel=32
For food I reccomend a high quality brand. No Iams, Science Diet, Purina or meow mix. They are basically grain, fillers and color. Not good for a cat. If you have a Pet Planet Store near you, try there to look for some great brands. They stock high quality food.
Good luck and if you have additional questions feel free to email me!
References :
dry food catlitter a litterbox
References :
1st you need a full size cat box with litter and place it were it will Always be out of the way of others must be kept in the same place all the time and cats don’t like when some one watches them do there potty thing. they need to have fresh water down all the time as well as dry food, and can food should be giving to the cat once a day, keep any windows closed so the cat cant get out and that gos for the doors to the lead out side this cat will be a member of your family treat and protect as if it were your child.As far as the food pick up some thing that you can afford and is good for your cat read the label’s a good name brand is not always good for our pets. look up pet food check it out ,any call backs, whats in the food even people food should be checked out you might like to go to http://www.mouse.com.
References :
Well, I am going to list a lot of stuffs here, some you already know but maybe not enough and some you might not know.
Food
(find out what she is eating prior to coming home to you, keep the same food if it is a high quality brand. If you need to change, transition slowly by mixing the old and new food together)
**It is always better to feed a 100% wet diet as compared to dry. The reason is pretty simple. Cats are not big water drinker and they need water for hydration. Dry food contains very little moisture and a diet of dry food will create many health problems down the road. Also, the believe that dry food helps clean teeth is a complete myth just like how some people believe that wet food causes diarrhea.
If you are interested to find out why a wet diet is better, go here:-
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=whycatsneedcannedfood
http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/canned_food.htm
http://www.catinfo.org/
http://www.naturalmatters.net/article.asp?article=621&cat=11
Water
(filtered water would be the best, you can also invest in a water fountain if you like. Petmate and Drinkwell are popular ones)
Food/Water Dish
(Kittens and cat like to eat and drink from shallow bowl. Dog bowls are not suitable because they are deeper and cats do not like to get their whiskers wet or soggy. Stainless steel and ceramic are the best. Avoid double serving dishes – keep a separate dish for food and water)
Grooming Tools
(short haired cats require less grooming than long haired. Invest in good quality nail clippers, brush, flea comb, wet wipes, and I like to use a chamois cloth to give my kitty’s coat a high sheen and glow after grooming. The furminator is also a good tool to help with controlling excessive shedding. Kitten do not need to be bathed unless they get very dirty/messy)
Litter and Litterbox
There are many kinds of litter to choose from and I personally prefer clumping litter made from natural biodegradable ingredients like corn, wheat and pine)
To make sure that your kitten uses the litterbox regularly, you have to maintain a clean and sanitary litterbox condition. Be sure to scoop daily and replenish with fresh litter. You will need to empty the litterbox at least once a week or twice a month. Wash the litterbox thoroughly with a mild detergent and bleach. Be sure to rinse off all cleaning residue. Don’t forget to also clean the scoop! With kittens, you will need to make sure you leave a little of the used litter behind to remind them what the litterbox is for.
Scratching Post and Play Structures
(This is very important to get for your kitty because you do not want her to learn to scratch your furniture. Scratching is a natural habit and you shouldn’t punish er. When you buy a scratching post, make sure it’s one that is sturdy and will not tip off easily. All cats love to climb and getting her a nice cat tree of playhouse will allow her to exercise her natural talent without ransacking your house)
Stain and Odor Remover
(Accidents happen so be prepare to clean up after your kitten. You must remove all traces of urine from carpeting because a kitten will urinate on the same spot again if she scent it.)
Carrier
(When you bring your kitten to visit the vet, you will need a carrier. It is important that you choose one that fits the kitten comfortably and she can stand and turn around easily. You can choose hard sided or soft sided carriers and they come is all shapes and design)
Collar and ID Tag
I hope your cat stays indoor. If she is outdoor, a collar and ID Tag is a must. I am not a huge fan of collar for indoor cat because of the possible risk of strangulation and getting stuck in structures. But it is up to you to make that decision. Choose a breakaway collar if you must.
Toys
(Kitten loves to play and make sure you always supervise her playtime. Favorites are jingle balls, mylar balls, feathered toys, dangling toys, lure toys, and I recommend you try Da Bird and Cat Dancer. They go absolutely crazy for them. Some toys you can make at home. Milk Jug Ring is a hit in all cat household, drinking straws, a rolled up ball of paper, newspaper tent, pillow tunnels)
Bed
(Just to remind you, you cannot place a kitten on a bed and expect her to sleep there quietly like a newborn baby. Kittens will choose wherever they want to snooze and the place changes all the time. Just make a simple comfortable bedding for her should she choose to sleep in a bed)
A note about plants at home. Please visit this website to make sure your plants are safe for kitty and non toxic.
http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants.html
This site is very useful in learning more about taking good care of your kitten. Hope you’ll visit and get more information from there.
http://cats.about.com/od/kittencare/Kitt...
I hope I’ve covered it all for you. Good Luck and Best Wishes to you and your kitty!
References :
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