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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 →

Dutch Rabbits

The Dutch rabbit is one of the ten most popular rabbit breeds in the world. It used to hold the top spot before dwarf rabbits came along. The breed is believed to have developed in the United Kingdom — ancestors from the Netherlands and Belgium give the breed its name. This breed of rabbit is easy to identify because it has a very unique color pattern. The front of the face, front of the body, and approximately one third of the rear paws are white. The cheeks, ears, and stomach are colored, as is the saddle — the line of … Continue reading →

Pavlov’s Rabbit

In honor of Rabbit Week (July 15-21), I thought it was time to tell a story of a rabbit, a girl, and a science fair. The girl was me — little Aimee. The rabbit was our family pet, Bun-bun. Bun-bun was an outside rabbit, thanks to some pretty severe animal dander allergies rearing their ugly heads in my brother and me. He had a spiffy bunny condo, made from combining two hutches into one gigantic MegaHutch with a large play space and an enclosed room at each end. One for sleeping and one for potty. Little Aimee had yet another … Continue reading →

What to Consider When Getting Another Pet

Room for more? Most pet owners are animal lovers and that often means we want multiple pets. We know, however, that we can’t be pet hoarders; we have to draw the line somewhere. How do we know where that line is? I’m thinking about getting another cat. Cole gets lonely both overnight (cats tend to be nocturnal) and when we are away for long. My dog Chihiro doesn’t play with him as much as she used to. The perfect solution is another feline companion. But how to know if that’s the right thing to do? When thinking about getting an … Continue reading →

Watching the Buzzards and the Bunnies

The other day a horrible thing happened: one of the neighborhood bunnies got hit by a car and died. I didn’t see it happen. It must have happened after my walk with Murph, because I would’ve noticed the bunny body in the road on our way home. As it was, I spotted it from the kitchen window as I was washing dishes. I wasn’t sure it was a bunny at first, though. It could have been a piece of clothing someone lost. But when the first buzzard showed up, I knew it was fresh kill. The Buzzard Brigade At first … Continue reading →

Guinea Pig Fact and Fiction

After talking with fantasy author Joshua Palmatier about his guinea pigs, I noticed that we don’t have a whole lot of info here at the Pets Blog about the breed! Time to remedy that. Here are some basics about guinea pigs (also known as cavies). The average body temperature of a guinea pig is between 99 and 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Like many other house pets with fur, that’s warmer than the average human! An average adult male guinea pig weighs (called a boar) between two and three pounds. An average adult female guinea pig (called a sow) weighs between one … Continue reading →

Pet Rat Housing

You decided a rat was the right pet for you and your family. You found a curious, healthy, happy rat from a breeder, store, or shelter. Now it’s time to set up your new pet’s new home! When it comes to cages, bigger is always better. Your rats will want to explore and play, and will need room to do it! Look for a tall cage with lots of ramps, platforms, and hammocks for the rats to play on. Wire cages are good for climbing, but make sure the flooring is solid. Spending time on wire flooring can cause foot … Continue reading →