Bird Basics: Canaries

Before bringing home a canary, it’s best to first ready its cage. Get a rectangular or square cage, not a circular one. Canaries find circular cages confusing and they might make the birds anxious or neurotic. The wider the cage the better, so canaries have some room to take short little flights. If your cage is previously used, clean it completely. Replace any materials previous birds might have pecked, such as the perches and the cuttlebone/mineral block. Cuttlebones and mineral blocks can be purchased from pet stores; they provide important nutrients like calcium for the bird. Make sure the perches … Continue reading →

What to Consider When Getting a Rabbit

Every Easter a recurring pet fad rears its floppy ears: the rabbit. Previous pet blogger Aimee Amodio covered many details one needs to consider when getting a rabbit. Today’s blog is instead for those just curious as to whether or not their lifestyles can fit a pet rabbit at this time. I’ll cover the basics of what rabbit care will entail. As always, the first idea to consider is for whom is the rabbit intended? Rabbits live for 5-10 years, depending on their breed and their indoor/outdoor situation. Make sure the rabbit’s intended caretaker can commit to that length of … Continue reading →

Rare Pets: Geckos

Geckos are great pets for both reptile lovers and for those just starting to think of keeping cold-blooded animals as pets. One caveat: if you’re thinking of obtaining a gecko because the animated one in the Geico commercials is cute, think again. Pet purchases should never be made on the basis of media representations, especially not for less common animals. If you are seriously interested in having reptiles for pets, however, geckos are a great start. They’re easy to care for and rather social, for reptiles anyway. In fact, geckos are so social that it’s best to keep at least … Continue reading →

The Basics of Horse Care, Pt. 3

Today I conclude my interview with Professional Hunt Seat Horse Trainer Holly Stello on the basics of horse care, and why anyone who wants to can own a horse. You can work your way up to having the knowledge needed to have a horse as a pet. Having that knowledge influences the cost, because then you could pay less to board it by doing more for your horse on your own. Or you could always just be a working student and still get to spend a lot of time around horses. Holly says working students are common in the equestrian … Continue reading →

The Basics of Horse Care, Pt. 2

On Tuesday I started a blog on the basics of horse care, as described to me by my friend Professional Hunt Seat Horse Trainer Holly Stello. Today the article continues with more of a horse’s fundamental needs, and the costs owning one will accrue. Horses are not as social of a breed as other animals; however, Holly recommends buying a buddy for a lone horse. But she admits that “horses, like dogs, have personalities. Some are total loners, and some will have separation anxiety and need a friend.” You should spend 20 minutes minimum interacting with your horse every day, … Continue reading →

The Basics of Horse Care, Pt. 1

With the Christmas season approaching many of us might be considering giving pets as gifts. I’ve always been clear on my stance: don’t give any animal as a surprise present. Make sure the giftee knows what he or she is receiving and is ready and willing for the responsibilities which come with that particular animal. Maybe some of you are actually thinking about purchasing a particular pet that was always my special holidays dream: a horse. Sure I wanted a dog, but I always thought that might be within the realm of possibility. A horse is what I always wanted … Continue reading →

Bird Basics: Cockatiels

As promised, I’m reviving the Pets Blog’s series on Bird Basics. Previous bloggers have already covered lovebirds, African Gray parrots, sun conures, and parakeets, so today I’m going to look at one of the other most popular bird breeds: cockatiels. Originally from the Australian Outback, the cockatiel is a smaller bird reaching about 12 to 14 inches in length. It’s actually in the parrot family, though it’s obviously a tiny variety. Cockatiels live on average for 15 to 20 years, though there have been reports of some members of the breed living for up to 30 years. As with most … Continue reading →

Rare Dog Breeds: The Lundehund

Sometimes it’s fun to look at specific dog breeds, especially for those considering getting a purebred. It’s always good to know the characteristics of a breed before purchasing that type of dog, so one is aware of any potential health concerns. Those into rare dog breeds should be especially intrigued by the Norwegian Lundehund. It’s the rarest breed of dog in the world. The Lundehund is so rare because of its many unique characteristics. The website for the Norwegian Lundehund Club of America contains many details on this special breed. The Lundehund always sports at least six toes on each … Continue reading →

Rare Pets: Hedgehogs

I’m aware that most of my posts on the Pets blog relate to cats or dogs. They’re the most common pets in America, and also the two pets I own, so the majority of my articles focus on them. I thought I’d change things up a bit, however, with a new recurring column on rare pets. Today I take a look at the hedgehog. Hedgehogs have fascinated me from an early age, ever since my childhood introduction to Sonic the Hedgehog, a video game and cartoon character. Real hedgehogs, however, don’t look anything like Sonic, with his spiky blue ‘do … Continue reading →

Teacup Pigs as Pets

When my husband and I move to a bigger place, one of the first things we know we’ll do is get more pets. We want some more cats and at least one more dog. It’s possible that in the future we’ll add other species of pets to that list. I’m in the midst of deciding whether or not I want a teacup pig. Of course, as soon as I write that a huge part of me inside shouts, “A teacup pig! Of course you want a teacup pig.” According to teacuppiggies.com, teacup pigs, or miniature pigs, are around the size … Continue reading →