The Snake Every Boys Dream Pet

Most girls and moms have an adverse reaction to having a snake or any other dangerous animal as a pet, however with proper care and the correct selection even those with aversions can become quite fascinated by the snake as a pet. The key is to do a lot of research when buying a snake. Most pet shops will sell the harmless snakes and teach you how to feed them. If you always wanted a snake as a pet when you were a boy, you might choose something a little more exotic. Tips to finding the right snake for you or your child can come in handy when you are faced with the task. First you will want to research snakes in general. You have your garden-variety snake that is very common and not dangerous. Then there are pythons, kings, and boa constrictor snakes. Keep in mind if this is for a child you probably want a harmless snake that will not grow to large. The larger snakes mentioned above take more care and larger aquariums and are not suited for smaller children. The species of snake you chose will have a special diet. Most species have different diets. You may have seen a pet snake in the pet store eating mice while other snakes do not. It is important to choose a snake you can provide proper food for at all times. You also do not want to keep a wild snake, as they tend to carry diseases and stress with the change in environment. It is best to shop at a trustworthy pet shop or snake breeder. Most king snakes and gopher snakes tend to eat mice and need to have plenty of water to drink. You may have a little pond in your aquarium with a tree branches, rocks, and dirt for your snake. Like food most snakes require a special environment. You will want to research that snake before choosing the environmental accessories. Snakes are often tropical in nature so they require heat as well as moderate temperatures in the evening. You have heard of the desert being cold at night. Snakes are proliferating in the desert areas and rainforests. Being able to provide the proper environment will ensure a long life for you new pet. Touching on food again you also need to have a feeding schedule. Some snakes do not have to eat every day. In fact, gopher snakes will not eat every day. If you are getting a pet snake for you child you will want to make sure they understand the feeding schedule. Most young adults can handle having a pet snake while little children will need you to take care of the snake. Handling the snake is also important. The more a snake is used to human contact the more contact the more domicile they tend to be. This means those that are dangerous can be held given proper training and handling. I recommend staying away from these snakes when you first have a pet snake. It is important to take small steps when you have a pet snake to get used to their special needs. Snakes can make great pets if you take proper care of them. Many young boys and even girls are fascinated with snakes. They have pretty colors and just the lure of a little danger can add to the interest. Make sure you are prepared for the requirements needed from you to have a pet snake before giving in to a child’s demand.

Rabbit Care and Tips

Pets complete a home for single people and families. Children often desire pets more than adults do as they think animals are cute and fun to have. Adults of course know the work required. Like any pet, rabbits need care. They need to go to the vet, get feed daily, and have their domain cleaned. When you decide to purchase a rabbit, you will need to know exactly what is required of you. Before we get into your rabbits needs, you will want to know a few of the species available. Most common are cottontails, dwarf, and lop eared rabbits for pets. The dwarf rabbit is small and best kept indoors, while the cottontails are not as sensitive to the weather and can be housed outside in moderate climates. The lop eared rabbits like the cottontails grow to be a good size and have long floppy ears. The type of rabbit you wish to have for a pet will in part decide on the care. First like cats and dogs, rabbits require shots from the vet to keep them in good health. People carry diseases that can harm animals if we do not wash before and after we handle our pet. Rabbits can be susceptible to worms and other dietary parasites so it is important to take your rabbit for its vet visit when needed. Speak with a vet about your rabbit’s care and any questions you may have before you complete your purchase. Rabbits eat pellets, hay and vegetables. Most rabbits like to munch on carrots or lettuce. You want to feed your rabbit everyday to ensure they are receiving the proper amount of food. Unlike cats that eat when they are hungry, a rabbit can over eat and become over weight. Some commercial feeds for rabbits contain nuts; however, these are typically not good as they are high in fiber. You can feed your rabbit fruit as a treat, but you should not do so daily. Housing for a rabbit can be in your home or if you wish to keep them outside a wooden cage will work. Most outside cages are designed to let the waste fall through so they are not sitting on it or laying on it. The cage should be built large enough to house an adult rabbit with bedding spread out to make a nice little home. They should be given plenty of water and have it changed out daily. Having a backyard for your pet rabbit is a great idea. They can roam for a little exercise, which all pets need. You will want to clean their cages out at least once a week or more depending on how messy or smelly it becomes. Your rabbit needs a clean environment just like you to eliminate the possibilities of disease. An important factor in having a long living rabbit is their environment. Most rabbits live 5 to 10 years. Rabbits with their fuzzy cottontails or floppy ears are just some of the cutest pets you can own. They are a medium maintenance pet with proper feeding and environment care you can have your rabbit for years. Your children will enjoy showing off their pet rabbit to all their friends and beg you to take him to show and tell. Pets are needed to complete a family and provide enjoyment for everyone.

Picking The Right Food For Your Pet

Pets are wonderful creatures to share our lives with, and they need just as much care as humans. All pets need to be fed properly, though we always have the question of what that might be. There are individuals who give their pet’s human food, while others strictly give pet food. We will concentrate on dogs, cats, and rabbits for proper feeding. Rabbits How many times have you heard that rabbits like their vegetables? This is true. Most rabbits need a steady diet of rabbit food that includes lettuce and carrots. Most of the time we raise our rabbits on pellets, however, this may not be fibrous enough and can cause obesity. A steady diet of hay, vegetables, and pellets will lead to a healthy rabbit. Dogs Is it wise to feed your dog human food? Most dogs are related to the wolf family a very carnivorous bunch, which means they need to have meat in their diet. This does not mean human food is the correct food for them. It is best to find a dog food product where the first ingredient is meat. Make sure it is real meat and not some processed substitute. Feeding your dog human food is a bad idea because it can be too greasy for them and block their arteries. Dogs have very sensitive digestive tracks so they are susceptible to diarrhea and upset stomachs if you change their food. It is best to find a dog food you prefer and that is healthy for them. You also want to keep them on the same food. Changing food can cause problems. If you feel you need to change food, you should slowly integrate the new food with the old until you have fully replaced the old. This should take two weeks or a little more. Dogs when full grown should be fed once a day at the same time. Cats Cats are great hunters if you let them explore the outdoor world. They will often find mice, birds, and other animals to gain protein. Like a dog, your cat needs a consistent diet. You should find a cat food that has the proper amounts of protein. Cats can also have a very sensitive digestive system. Finding the right food may be difficult and take a few tries. If they have a smelly litter box, you will need to change their food. This is a sure sign they are not receiving a proper diet. When you change their food you will want to integrate it slowly over two weeks. Cats also need the vitamins from milk, though our processed milk can be too rich for them, they do sell milk for cats in the pet stores. Another idea is occasionally giving them a small piece of cheese to help with their dietary needs, however you should try and find pet food that fits all of their needs. Grass is also available for indoor cats and may be a needed to get rid of hairballs. Cats eat grass when they have an upset stomach. The grass will allow the cats to rid themselves of the problem and can help them cough up hairballs. Picking the right food for your pet will often mean not feeding them human food, but checking the ingredients of pet food found in the stores. You want to keep you pet just as healthy as you would want to keep yourself. Proper nutrition for any animal is important to having your pet around for many years. Some types of pets are more susceptible to disease, like dogs with heart problems, but they can be monitored through proper care.

Pet Obesity

Obesity as commonly perceived is not just a problem with human beings. It is prevalent in animals, both wild and pet.. In case of animals it is mostly found in pets. According to a recent research it has been found that about 25% of the pets are obese or overweight. The study and percentages indicate that the problem has reached proportions where it cannot be ignored. A pet’s weight cannot be evaluated by just measuring the weight. It is more appropriate to observe the physical condition of the pet by comparing it with one of its own breed or species. The overall appearance of the pet is of prime importance since the ideal weight is very varied in case of pets or for that matter in all animals, in judging the obesity factor. A scale of body condition scores is used in observation of physical condition of a pet. The body condition score is normally between 5 and 9, and a score of 7 is optimal or ideal. This score is assigned after observing a pets build, fat coverage on rib cage and the waist. Other factors that influence this score are sex, breed, age and life style. Some observations that can help in your own assessment of your pet are suggested. The ribs should not be visible to the eye but should be easily felt without pressing. The stomach or the abdominal area should be tucked in. These simple tests or feels can be reviewed at home if the owner can objectively record the same. A veterinarian would be required for advice if you find that your pet does not possess the much sought after hour-glass physique. The owner should have a good reference point to infer the results from his observations, i.e. he should have good knowledge and information about the general physical appearance of the species of his pet. Obesity decreases the life span of your pet, and an overweight pet is generally not healthy. Obesity may lead to diabetes, arthritis, heart complications, endocrinal diseases and bad joints. The medication for these conditions is also seriously compromised due to underlying obesity factors and age. You pet is overweight because of the simple reason that it has more to eat and not enough exercise. The over feeding trend arises from the owners special way of showing love and care to their pets It is very important to keep tabs on the feeding habits of your pet. Many pet food packs carry a dosage level instruction, but it cannot be really depended upon. It is the owner who has to decide how much feed the pet since a lot of other factors like life style, exercise, activities, age etc. Most animals tend to overeat given the opportunity, curbing it is the owner’s responsibility. Taking advice from a veterinarian in regard to determining the pets ideal weight, creating a weight loss and maintenance plan, would be a good start.

Pet Friendly Rentals

Traveling without your dog or cat can be stressful. Many people treat their animals as one of the family and if they have to be away from them for any extended amount of time, they miss them a lot. A great solution to this problem is to look for pet friendly rentals. These are hotels that allow you to bring your furry friend along with you on your trip. Finding a hotel is often fairly easy if you are traveling on business. All you really need is a comfortable room, with computer access that is close to where your meeting is going to take place. If you want to bring your dog or cat along you have to take that into consideration when searching for accommodations. Not all hotels allow for pets so it’s important to inquire during the booking process. You can do this either on the phone when you call the hotel to make a reservation or by looking over their pet policy when booking online. There are usually at least a few pet friendly rentals in every city. Families need to do the same thing if they want to bring their family pet on their next trip. Traveling by car with an animal can be a great idea as long as the animal is in a small kennel. This can be viewed as restrictive for the cat or dog, but it’s actually the safest way to transport them. If an accident were to occur, the animal could be seriously injured if it’s just roaming freely around the vehicle. This is the very reason why you have to have your animal in a cage when you are traveling by air. Once you get to your destination you should give the animal a few minutes to get acquainted with their new surroundings. Most pet friendly rentals have a certain number of rooms set aside just for their pet friendly guests so don’t be surprised if your animal picks up the scent of the previous furry tenant. Also pack along enough of your pet’s food for the trip. Many pets are sensitive to being moved and they might feel even more out of sorts if they are presented with a new food while away from home. Ensuring that your pet doesn’t have any unwelcome accidents is your responsibility while on vacation. If you have to leave the animal alone in the room, put it in the kennel you brought with you. The cleaning staff at most pet friendly rentals generally are very comfortable around animals, but you don’t want your dog or cat getting spooked by the stranger who enters the room. It’s often a good idea to take the animal to someone’s house for a visit before you venture out on your holiday. This will give it a chance to see new surroundings and also understand that it will get to go back to its own bed and environment. Help your dog or cat feel comfortable when you go to pet friendly rentals and you’ll both have a great time away from home.

What is Best For Your Pet

Before you take on the responsibility of owning a cat or dog, you need to take the time to consider the living arrangements for your pet. Many people adopt pets with the idea that they will be raising an outdoor animal. How many people in your neighborhood keep their dogs or cat’s outdoors at all times? The fact of the matter is, outside is not a safe place for a cat or a dog. When you adopt a pet, you need to make sure that you are ready to allow your pet into your home. Pets Love Being Outside It is true that cats and dogs both will love being outside, it is their natural environment. Cats delight in chasing birds, climbing trees, and hiding in shrubs. Dogs adore barking at the neighbors, chasing squirrels, and digging. However, there are many dangers to keeping your pet outside at all times. Dogs tend to get more outside time in cats. Owners take their dogs out for walks, and in some cases allow their dogs, unsupervised access to the backyard from time to time. Cats are usually either indoor pets or outdoor pets. It is more common nowadays, for owners to keep their cats indoors as they begin to realize the dangers of allowing their cat to live outdoors at all time. It is highly recommended that you keep your cats and dogs inside. For cats, you can help them explore their natural instincts inside by giving them plenty of places to run and play inside your home. Buy your cat a good scratching post with a high perch and install a window seat so they can gaze at the birds outdoors. Dangers of Outside The number one danger to your pets when they go outside is other animals. You never know when your dog or cat will encounter a stray or strange cat or dog from down the street. You know that your pet is properly vaccinated, but you do not know that health condition of other animals outside. In addition, if your dog or cat gets into a fight with another animal. Your pet can be seriously injured or harmed. Unless you supervise your pet at all times when they are outside, you never know when your cat or dog will encounter a strange animal. Other dangers of allowing your pet to live outside are cars and other people. A cat darting across the street late at night is a recipe for disaster. What if your dog gets loose from your yard and encounters a child? How will your dog react? You hope that your dog will be good and stay friendly. However, what happens if the child begins to taunt or tease your dog or poke a stick at him? If your dog bites or scratches another person, chances are, you will be responsible for your pet's actions. Many pet owners have found themselves in a serious situation when their dog or cat has acted aggressively when outdoors. When your cat or dog stays indoors, you can also help control fleas, ticks, and the exposure to heartworms. This is not to say that you should not treat an indoor pet for these problems. All dogs, whether the event indoors or outdoors, should be on a monthly heartworm preventative. Both cats and dogs should also be treated with monthly preventative. It is important to remember though, if your cat or dog lives outdoors, you will have many more problems when it comes to fleas and ticks. As you can see, there are many reasons why you should keep your dog or cat indoors. Pets that are indoor pets live longer and healthier lives than pets that live outside. This includes all pets, once you make them an indoor animal; you need to protect them from anything that might happen if they get outdoors, they now depend on you to provide a home for them.

Holiday Gift For Pet

If you have furry critters running around your home, you probably like to do something for them on the holidays when you are celebrating with your family. If you would like to get them something, you are in luck. There are some great holiday gift for pet ideas out there, and they are sure to be hit with your pet. Just remember that if you don’t keep the personality of your pet in mind when you buy, they could be less than thrilled and perhaps even indifferent to what you have gotten for them. If you have to find a holiday gift for pet on short notice, you can never go wrong with treats and bones. Both cats and dogs love to have special treats, and they might value those things above anything else that you can get. You can even get Christmas stockings full of these things, and there may be some toys included as well. Though cats don’t play with toys as much as dogs, they are known to do so when they are presented with the right toy. Find something that looks good, and then get that for your pet. If you have some more money to spend, and you would like to get something really special when you get your holiday gift for pet, you can get them a bed of their very own. Dogs may need something very large, depending on breed, but quite often they just want something that is soft, but does not have to look like a bed. You can find some miniature beds that small dogs and cats can use, though you never know if they are going to take to it or not. Animals are hard to read, and even if you like it, they may not give it another thought. One thing you do have to remember is that when you buy a holiday gift for pet, you can’t expect them to understand that they are getting a gift, or that it is even a day that is different from any other. What you can expect is that they will usually love something new that is meant for them, and some instinctively know when something is for them and for them only. However, if they walk away from whatever it is with disinterest, don’t take it personally. As long as they have your love, that is all that they really need beyond the necessities.

Helpful Hermit Crab Basics

Hermit crabs are fun pets to care for in your home. They used to be reserved for souvenirs from seaside vacations, but now they can be bought almost anywhere. They make wonderful starter pets for kids. They make a great alternative to the more traditional gerbils or hamsters, and they have a much longer lifespan than goldfish! Contrary to what you might expect if you are new to hermit crabs, it is possible to play with them, and they do have little personalities of their own. Do you think hermit crabs may make a great pet for you? Here are some helpful hints to get you started. Before you get your crab, you need to get the basic equipment and supplies in place. First, they will need an aquarium for their house. Forget those teeny, tiny cages you see at the shops by the beach; hermit crabs really need a ten-gallon aquarium to be comfortable. If you are getting more than one crab, obviously you will be a bigger aquarium. A pet shop will be able to advise you on the best size for the number of crabs you will be housing. Make sure the aquarium has a snug fitting lid so your little friends do not make a run for it! Place a heating pad under the tank to keep your crabs feeling nice and tropical. You will need something to cover the floor of the tank, as well. Three to four inches of sand works best, but you can also use crushed coral or reptile fiber bedding. If you use something other than sand, it is still a good idea to cover a portion of the floor with sand, so the crabs will have somewhere comfortable to go when they molt. Now that you have the house and the flooring covered, you will need to get two shallow water dishes and a food dish. Shallow shells work well for this job. In one water dish, you should keep fresh water, and in the other, keep salt water, made with a marine aquarium salt solution. The dishes need to be shallow enough for the crabs to crawl into. A natural sea sponge is a nice addition to the fresh water dish, your crab will love to pinch it, and it will help keep the humidity levels up the aquarium. The last thing you will need to gussy up your hermit crab home is some decorative wood pieces for the crabs to climb on. Coral and coconut shells also make great additions that your crab will love to play with. Once you get your crab, to feed it, you will need to get some commercial hermit crab food. You can supplement that food with small pieces of fruit, meat, cereal, or fish. Additionally, make sure your crab gets crushed eggshells or oyster shells to boost their calcium level; it is important to keep their fragile skeletons strong. Cuttlebone is another option for this purpose. To care for your crab, clean their water and food dishes daily, and spot the clean the tank when necessary. You will want to provide plenty of extra shells, in increasingly larger sizes, so your crab can change homes as they grow. Shells with wide openings are best. When your crab molts, remove the skin they have shed as soon as possible. One optional, but useful accessory to get is a tank thermometer and humidity-measuring tool. Your hermit crab will be most comfortable when the temperature is kept around 72°F - 80°F and the humidity level is between 70% and 80%. With these helpful hints, you are ready to get your hermit crab. All that is left to do now is come up with a name for your new pet!

Hamsters Fuzzy Balls Of Fun

As a child, most of us grew up with hamsters or friends who had hamsters. Even our children are fascinated with the small fuzzy creatures. There are many types of hamsters, dwarf, Syrian, Russian, Chinese, and hybrid. The hamster is a burrower so they prefer to have lots of bedding to hide under as well as tubes to create little nests in. The most difficult aspect of hamsters is telling if they are female or male and being wrong. Who has bought two hamsters thinking they were the same gender and ending up with ten hamsters? I certainly have. A lot of biologists and geneticists use hamsters and other rodents to show genetic possibilities. In genetics, we often discuss the genome and how genes are dispersed in relation to eye color, hair color, and other traits. When you have hamsters as pets you are seeing this first hand. I had one gold hamster and one white hamster. When they bred I ended up with several color traits from gold, white, black, white and black to many more. Half the fun for kids is seeing the baby hamsters grow up with different colors. It can be a great science project for school as well as having a wonderful pet. Hamsters are relatively easy to take care of. You can feed them hamster food, vegetables, and little hamster treats to give them a good life. The bedding should be changed weekly or twice a week depending upon how many hamsters you have. The downside to hamsters is their short lives. Most live only a year or two making it difficult on the younger children. There are lots of hamster accessories from tubes to wheels. Hamsters like other pets need to have exercise so giving them wheels to run on or having a hamster ball to run around the house in is good for them. The tubing and cages come in a variety of colors to add to a child’s fun. You can create straight pathways to other larger home areas or curve them around to reenter the same cage. Most of the caging is plastic and your hamster will try to chew or claw there way free. You will want to monitor their activity when you clean the cage to make sure they are not producing a hole. Some hamster owners go with a metal wire cage with tiny slits to avoid the chewing escape. Your preference will determine the type of accessories you purchase. Handling hamsters should be kept to a minimum and you should always wash your hand before and after. Hamsters can have a tendency to bite if they are not handled at least once a day or if they become scared. Be cautious with little children. Hamsters are a lot of fun for all ages whether you have a budding scientist or just want an easy pet your child can care for. You will want to make sure you feed your hamster properly by not over feeding them while maintaining proper exercise. When your hamsters procreate, you will want to separate out the mother and children from the rest of the crew. A cautionary note before concluding this article: Dwarf hamsters are very susceptible to infections with cedar chips because it can tear holes in their tiny mouths.

Getting Your Pet Through An Animal Rescue Group

Animal rescue organizations or groups offer you a great place to get your next family pet. These groups are all different, but they do have common goals. These groups work hard to locate a permanent loving home for unwanted or misplaced cats and dogs. Many of these rescue groups rely on volunteers and donations to care for these pets while they are between homes. When you begin looking for a rescue group to work with, you will find that most of these groups do rely on their hard working volunteers and support from the local community to operate. You will also find a wide variety of animals available through these rescue groups. Many of these groups handle all types of animals and you will find kittens, puppies, and even older pets available for adoption. You might be surprised to learn that some groups even offer exotic pets such as reptiles, pot bellied pigs and even guinea pigs. As you begin looking at pets available through rescue groups, keep in mind some of these animals have had very hard lives. You may find a dog that was abused by its owner. You may find a female cat that has just given birth. Their owners have relinquished many of the animals offered by rescue groups because they are moving or can no longer care for them. In addition, some of these groups take animals that live in kill shelters or as strays living on the streets. Some programs also offer spay and neuter release program for feral cats. Rescue groups do a good job of screening animals before adopting them out to new homes. They also screen potential pet owners. IF you find a pet offered through a pet rescue group, you will be asked to sign a contract saying that you agree to care for the pet long term. You will also be asked several questions about your home, your children and other pets you may have. This is not to be nosey—it is simply to help match an owner with the right pet. If the animal suffers from a medical condition, such as diabetes, the new owners know this up front before adopting. Having the animal’s health history at the time of adoption helps the animal find a permanent home. You can gain a lot of personal satisfaction by adopting your next pet through an animal rescue organization. You know you have done something to help and your new pet will show its appreciation. If you are interested in adopting through one of the many rescue organization, it is easy to find one in your area. Your vet can give you the contact information for organizations near you. Most of the time, these pets are kept in private homes (foster homes) until they are adopted. This gives the animal time to be socialized with other pets, children and time to get used to living in a home. Sometimes, animal rescue groups will bring their animals that need homes to pet stores or other locations for interested people to see and meet the animals on certain weekends. When you choose a pet in a rescue program, be prepared to go through an interview and application process. The organization wants to know these pets will be well cared for the long term. You will probably be asked about other pets you may have, the age of your children, the size of your yard and your thoughts on a cat with claws if you are looking at a cat. This is to help match the pet with the right owner. Adoption fees vary by each organization, but you can expect to pay $100-$200 for a rescued animal. These groups do not make a profit. These fees cover the cost of the animal while it was in the care of the organization. This adoption fee usually covers vaccinations, medical exams, spaying, and neutering. Getting your next pet through an animal rescue organization is a responsible way to get your next family member. You can also find many volunteer opportunities through these organizations.

Ferrets A Friendly Playful Pet

Ferrets, often considered a rare pet to own. Most individuals choose dogs, cats, birds, or fish to complete their family, however a select few turn to the ferret for its social, playful, curious qualities. Ferrets love to play and explore not only with others and their owners, but also on their own. For this reason, you need to know a few things on how to take care of a ferret. First, you will want to ferret proof your home before you introduce them as pets. They will crawl into walls, furniture, and anywhere they can get their little bodies. It is much like childproofing a home for a baby. You will want to make sure all of the dangers are eliminated when you allow them out of their cages for playtime. Ferrets are also biters. The kits, baby ferrets, tend to bite more. You can eliminate the problem or tone it down with frequent handling. It is a sign of their behavior as mock fighting or sparring. The younger ferrets tend to bite more when they are teething and do not mean any harm. For this reason, you will want to handle the ferret or ferrets as often as possible to help reduce the biting behavior. Often those who do not take the time or patience to train their ferret end up leaving the animal in its cage and thus it has a shorter lifespan. Please make sure you are up to the task of training a ferret before brining one into your home. Trained properly they can be as great a pet as cats or dogs. A ferret’s lifespan is usually six to ten years, however proper care and feeding can lead to a little longer life. Ferrets are carnivores so they require a high protein diet. Most owners decide to feed their ferret’s mice, rats, rabbit, and other raw meats such as chicken. Stores carried other types of ferret food that many owners choose over the live food. Carefully reading the label will tell you if it has the proper high protein diet. Most kitten food can be used for example because it is designed to be high protein and fat for growing cats. While play is an important part of your ferret’s life so is sleep. Most ferrets spend fourteen to eighteen hours a day sleeping. Part of sleeping is to rejuvenate them from the active play life they have. They love to explore and to play with toys. Many pet stores have toys for ferrets, or you might have something around the house that your ferret will find appealing. The type of cage is important. Ferrets tend to be very smart so you will need a cage they can get plenty of air, but small enough bars they cannot break away. You will also want to clean the cage once or twice a week depending upon the number of ferrets you have, how dirty the cage looks. They are also burrows so some type of bedding is required. Ferrets are little balls of fur that love to play and interact with humans and each other. While there are some special concessions you need to make to have a ferret the results are worth it. Proper training as a kit will give you even more joy when they reach adulthood.

The Turtle

Do you remember reading children’s books with turtles as the main pet? Children adore turtles as pets. They are very interesting creatures and there are many species. When you decide to have a turtle for a pet, you will need to know the exact species for the proper care. Let us look at some turtle species you can own. There are two types of turtles, the terrestrial and the aquatic. This means the first type of turtle spends more time on the land, while the aquatic turtle needs to have a great deal of water. Box and mud turtles are the terrestrial turtles. They require land to hibernate during the winter and sun on during the day. Most terrestrial turtles need 12 hours of sunlight, which can be provided by a UV lamp. Turtles are very susceptible to temperature changes often living in 80 degrees during the day and 70 degrees during the night. Terrestrial turtles also need water not only to drink, but also to swim around in. Aquatic turtles are sliders and painted turtles. Sliders typically live in swampy areas or near lakes with a lot of mud. They tend to basic in the sun during the day as well as swim to cool off. The painted turtle like the slider is mostly aquatic so they spend more time in the water than out sunning themselves. The painted turtle is the most complicate turtle to take care of because they require special care. Once you have decided on the type of turtle you wish to have you will then know what size tank you need. Most turtles require a 40 gallon tank or larger to have room for land and water. You will want to have plants in the tank, but make sure they are not poisonous to your turtle because they will eat them. You pet shop should be able to tell you the right type of plants to have. Wood chips and bark are not a good idea, not only do they harbor bacteria and molds, but the turtle can eat them. A turtle does not have a large digestive track and therefore wood chips often cause blockages. Certain turtles can even have small rocks to burrow under along with the dirt. Some proper food for turtles is often lettuce, goldfish, special feed sticks, berries and insects depending on the species of turtle you own. Water is very important to your turtle. You never want to give them tap water to drink. It is also best to give them natural spring water or non- chlorinated water for swimming in. Chlorine and other chemicals of tap water can cause bacteria in their digestive systems. Turtles can make great pets if you know a little about their habitat needs. Turtles are wondrous creatures that you can find in most warm climates walking along the roads or basking in the sun, so what better way than to give you child a great pet than to own a turtle. Keep in mind that turtles are sensitive and you will not want to handle them a lot. They do need to hibernate to live a longer life requiring you to keep the turtle somewhere little children cannot disturb them during the fall period. Turtles are both fascinating and novel pets for children.