A blog for pet lovers

If you don't have to worry about boarding your pets, finding a pet sitter or taking the animals with you on holiday travels, guests are probably coming to your house.

It's time to think about ways to minimize stress on your pets when strangers invade their space.

Here are a few suggestions from the experts at GoPetFriendly.com, armhammerpets.com and woofreport.com:

Warn guests

• Before guests arrive, tell them you have a pet and describe its size and personality. Ask them if they suffer from pet allergies and how to best alleviate their sensitivities. Most people with pet allergies are generally sensitive to dander, saliva and urine.

Brush up on obedience

• Simple commands such as “stay,” “down” and “drop it” can keep a dog from bolting out a door, greeting guests inappropriately or ingesting something that could be harmful. >> [ Read Full article ]

So, what is another pet you can get your animal loving child that won't put the marjority of the responsibility on you?

Hamster are usually sold to unsuspecting parents as a "great pet for kids." Well, although partly true, this isn't 100% accurate.

Hamsters are small so they do take up less space than most other pets, but because they are small, they can be injured easily. In the small hands of children, hamsters can be easily dropped or squeezed.

And, being nocturnal, they may be less inviting to play with and interact for small children who want to play during the day. Hamsters are most interactive at night.

Plus, hamsters take a little longer to socialize than other animals. This means that they can be nippy for a while, so you have to consider if your child gets bit will he want to play with the hamster again? Or will you be finding a new home for Hammy?

Once socialized, hamsters can make friendly pets, but it's the socializing that's the key.

Remember that you will need to monitor all playtimes, so that the hamster doesn't end up free roaming your house.

Rat snakes go by many names. They are called Texas Rat Snakes, or Chicken Snakes because they are often found near chicken coops. Normally the rat snake will be dining on the rats and mice that thrive on the grain that is so plentiful in the chicken yard but sometimes they will eat the eggs.

These snakes are proficient climbers. Rat snakes are not poisonous. They will bite when startled or threatened and the bite looks very much like a human bite on the skin.

It lacks the two distinct fang marks of a poisonous snake. While it does hurt it is not going to make you sick. Just wash the area carefully with soap and water and watch for signs of infection as you would with any other wound. >> Read more

Just like children, your pet must be protected from harmful household objects. Everyday things around your home pose surprising risks to your cat or dog.

Here are some examples of items that you should watch for.

Plastic bags: Pets are in just as much danger from suffocating on plastic bag as your children would be. Cats and dogs can chew on plastic and get pieces of it lodged in their throats, choking on it. Also, pieces of plastic can become trapped in their digestive system and cause stomach or intestinal problems that need a vet's care. >> Read more

Some of the decorative bird cages can be used as a home for a live bird.

These cages are made out of several different materials and can be used as a attractive decorator item. Although they are very nice to look at and some of the antique bird cages should not be used for the living birds.

If you are wanting to use the bird cage as decoration, the cage can be used in several different locations such as wall hanging. It has been seen a cage was cut in half and both peaces was attached to the wall. The interior was filled with vines. >> Read more

The Roborovski hamster is the smallest and the fastest hamster. It has a sandy color and white strips above its eyes that resemble eyebrows.

It has a white belly and white feet. The Robo lacks a dorsal strip seen in all other dwarf hamsters. It lives up to 3 1/2 years of age which is the longest of all hamsters. Robo's are easily startled and therefore may not be a good choise for a child or adult who wants a pet to hold and cuddle.

Always supervise children when handling any type of animal. The Roborovski will rarely ever bite. >> Read more

Rats are very social creatures, and any time that you have to spend with your pet rats, is much appreciated. There are several safe games that you can play with your rats. And, there are many safe toys that you can provide them.

Just remember no matter what toys you provide your rat(s) or what games they play. Always, spend time with your rat and provide a clean setup for it (them). >> Read more

Turtle Or Tortoise? How Do You Tell? Turtles and Tortoises, these animals get mixed up about as often as a frog and a toad, perhaps even more!

Tortoises are land creatures, they can actually drowned if in too much water since they cannot swim like turtles, while turtles have special flipper feet made for swimming tortoise's feet are made for dry desert type land.

Turtles are the water creatures, they are found in water mostly with occasional trips on dry land. Turtles shells are also more flat then tortoises, if the shell looks enlonged or flatter then you can bet it's a turtle. >> Read more

Mosquitoes are one of the most annoying insect pests alive. If you live in an area with a lot of mosquitoes, it can completely destroy your summer, and prevent you from enjoying outdoor activities in the cooler and more pleasant morning and evening hours.

Here are some tips for controlling mosquitoes around your home without pesticides or other dangerous chemicals. >> Read more

How to Get your Cat or Dog to Swallow Tablets and Pills? The truly easy ways to get your pets to take tablets are if you can get the pet to eat the tablet themselves without your involvement.

The truly easy ways to get your pets to take tablets are if you can get the pet to eat the tablet themselves without your involvement. The best way to achieve this is to put the tablet in something irresistably tasty to your pet, and in such a way that they cannot eat the good bits and leave the semi-chewed tablet in a gooey blob on the floor. >> Read more

We are picky about our own food, but do we really know what's in the food we feed our pets? What's the best way to analyze the ingredients? What's really healthier? Is expensive food really worth the price?

Are cats better pets than dogs? Some people would say yes. Others would say no. Basically, it depends on your lifestyle and needs... Read More

Articles about dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, fish, bugs, exotic pets, and animals of all kinds. >> Read More

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