Guinea pigs are some of the most sociable and lovable rodents around. Yet, as lovable as they are, there are reports of Guinea pigs being abandoned. In October 26, 2009, a filthy abandoned apartment was found to house some 300 Guinea pigs left to fend for themselves in Aachen, Germany. Neighbors had been complaining of the smell emanating from the place only to discover the neglected creatures. A search of the apartment showed that there were droppings at least 10 centimeters high.

Recently, during February of this year, six Guinea pigs were left inside a box at Powys, UK and found to be suffering from lice infestation.

Abandoning animals in such a way that suffering on their part is the result is a criminal offence according to the RSPCA in England. If one is not prepared to handle the responsibility of taking care of pets like Guinea pigs, for example, they should at least be brought to animal shelters and not abandoned and left defenseless instead. Guinea pigs do not survive easily when set free out in the wild, especially those that have been domesticated already. Animal shelters do not judge people for not being able to take care of their pet. They want people to do the right thing by bringing their pets to them should the responsibility be too much for them to bear.

Wooly Willie

This little piggy is looking for love. Not just human love but a little Miss Piggy. You can find Wooly Willie right now at Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue, along with lots more adorable little critters.

You should be prepared for long-term ownership with guinea pigs as they can survive for about 5 to 7 years. They also breed very easily. Female Guinea pigs can get pregnant at 2 months of age. This is why a lot of Guinea pigs end up being abandoned so, in order to prevent pregnancy, male Guinea pigs are usually neutered.

Guinea pigs are good pets for kids as they are resilient, and they are very sociable. Taking care of them is not hard, though there are a number of things you should know before bringing your pet home.

Other resources:

Gadgets, Gizmos and Guinea Pigs In Need

“Lots of people talk to animals ……. not very many listen, though …..That’s the problem.” ~ Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

Dear People:  Let me give you a list of just some of the things I must remember to be a good Dog.

1. I will not eat the cats’ food before they eat it or after they throw it up.

2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc., just  because I like the way they smell.

3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.

4. The sofa is not a ‘face towel’.

5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.

6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad’s underwear when he’s on the toilet.

7.  Sticking my nose into someone’s crotch is an unacceptable way of saying ‘hello’.

8. I don’t need to suddenly stand straight up when I’m under the coffee table.

9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house – not after.

10. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt.

11. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch.

12. The cat is not a ’squeaky toy’, so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it’s usually not a good thing.

“What a dog I got, his favorite bone is in my arm.”~ Rodney Dangerfield

Exotic pets are generally more exciting to have compared to most regular pets like dogs and cats that everyone has. Many are considering having exotic pets at home but do not really know the basics in taking care of these kinds of animals. A very good example of an exotic animal that can be made as a pet is the snake.

A snake is a reptile. A reptile is a cold-blooded animal and this means that these group animals have no internal thermal control, and they simply rely on the external environment for their heat source. In taking care of any reptile or specifically a snake it is important to provide a source of heat. A preferable heat source is an infrared basking lamp. This provides indirect heat without too much light that could distract a snake. Another tip in providing heat is to avoid using commercially-sold heating rock. This device provides direct heat that could cause your snake to have burns in its scales.

Food and water are an essential need of a snake. Most pet enthusiasts would say that you should feed your snake with live rodents. Although snakes would really prefer to eat fresh meat, snakes will also eat mice that are already dead or even frozen rodents. Another essential need that is sometimes overlooked is the water. Even though snakes are not really known to drink water like most animals, they do. Snakes get liquids from the food that they eat, yet it is not enough to sustain its daily hydration needs. To give a snake its water, just place water in a small container and leave it alone. The snake will only drink when left alone because its natural instinct dictates doing so in order to avoid harm.

Food, water, heat are the three basic necessities of a pet snake. Aside from these three, another aspect of care for this exotic pet is the shelter. The preferred shelter for a snake is a cage rather than an aquarium. The cage allows proper circulation of air allowing fresh air to go in and out of the cage, unlike an aquarium where ventilation is poor. When setting up its shelter you must consider the privacy of the snake. Snakes are very private animals, and they prefer to be in a place away from the view of anyone. This is the primary reason why snakes do not eat in full view of anyone. A stone under a few leaves will provide privacy and cool temperature during hot weather.

Although these tips are generally applicable for all snakes, you should still consult your vet for any special care for each different variety of snake.

“A rattlesnake that doesn’t bite teaches you nothing.” ~ Jessamyn West

More on snakes:

Snakes As Pets. Are They Right For You?

Snake, Rattle And Roll

It will be seven years ago this Christmas that my wife and I sailed into Colon, Panama from the San Blas Islands. We were on the tail end of a four year cruise in the Caribbean on our 42 Ft. Ketch, “Sweet Lou”. We moored alongside a slip at the old Panama Canal Yacht Club, which I understand has since been torn down.

One of the features of the Yacht Club was a Hispanic/Chinese restaurant. It was a cruiser’s hangout for cold beer and inexpensive food. The owners of the restaurant fed leftovers to a large group of quasi feral cats. We were there on two different occasions and always saw at least twenty to thirty cats waiting to be fed. All of them were quite large and mean looking. One day while returning to our boat I saw a small kitten hiding in a hole in a doorway. The kitten would come out and beg food from passers by and then run into his protected hole where the larger cats couldn’t get to him.

I told my wife, Lou, not to pass by the door because there was the cutest little kitten there and I was sure (tongue in cheek) that she didn’t want to see it. Well she did see it and the kitten ended up on our sail boat. We never saw the mother cat and assumed it died.

Where's Roger Roger?

We named the cat Roger Roger after a lady, forgot her name, who ran a Security Network from her sailboat in Grenada. She used the single side band radio and did an excellent job alerting cruisers to security issues. However she would Roger you to death, i.e. Roger that Sweet Lou, Roger, Roger. It seemed that every five or ten words would include a Roger. Anyway we named the cat Roger Roger.

Roger Roger was small, he fit in the palm of my hand. White with black spots, he’s slightly cross eyed; our vet tells us it is due to inbreeding. We took him to a vet in Colon and learned that he was healthy and just needed some good meals. Roger Roger got his shots and became our boat cat.

Preparing for our passage North to Tampa Bay we soon left Colon. In order to get a good sailing angle on the trade winds we beat due east to Portobelo where we laid over a few days. Roger Roger quickly took over the boat. We bought him a small harness and when ever he went top side he was attached to a strong line, just in case he went overboard. Thankfully this never happened.

Roger Roger took to sailing like a fish to water. With the boat heeled over with all sails set Roger Roger would find little nooks and crannies where he could wedge himself in and go to sleep. We were amazed at how fast he grew. We set up a kitty litter box in the shower stall, wedged it in with old towels, showed Roger Roger where it was and it was in business.

Our first overnight passage with Roger Roger was from Portobelo to San Andres, a Columbian Island a few hundred miles north of Panama. I held the midnight to sunrise watch and every hour I would leave the boat on auto pilot, go below to check our position on the GPSD chart plotter and transfer our position to our paper charts. The boat was lit with red lamps and Roger Roger would come out of his hole and look to play. He would nip on my feet and jump to my shoulder and peer at the GPS with me. It was in San Andres that he got his second rabies shot. Roger Roger wasn’t allowed ashore and the vet would not come out to the sailboat; we were riding on our hook. We compromised. Lou and I took Roger Roger ashore in our dinghy, secured to the end of a long dock where the vet gave him his second shot.

After a week or so in San Andres we resumed our passage north to the Island of Providencia, another Colombian island. (Roger never got off the boat until we reached Bradenton, Florida). From Providencia we sailed for the Honduran Bay Islands where we spent several weeks.

The father north we went the more hatch boards we had to put in the main hatch. When Roger Roger first came on board he was so small that he couldn’t climb the stairs from the main cabin to the cockpit. However it wasn’t long before he managed to crawl up the stair and get into the cockpit all on his own, without his harness. This called for inserting one hatch board which blocked his entry to the cockpit. But it wasn’t long before he managed to climb over the single hatch board and we had to insert a second board. And yes, you guessed it, it wasn’t long before he managed to climb over the second hatch board and we had to slide the hatch cover shut to prevent him from getting out unattended.

From the Honduran Bay Islands we had a very fast passage, thanks to strong trade winds and the beginning of the Gulf Stream, to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. By now Roger Roger was quite large and accustomed to life on a sail boat. We rode out a strong norther in Isla Mujeres and after giving the sea and winds time to lay down we left on a three day passage for Tampa Bay and Bradenton.

It was at the Twin Dolphin Marina that our voyage ended. We spent several weeks getting adjusted to living ashore, finding jobs, buying a home, and putting the boat up for sale. During this time Roger Roger learned how to climb up on the bow and jump down to the dock. He roamed the dock and made friends with all the live-aboards in the marina. He knew every dog on the dock and was quite friendly with them all.

After a couple of months we moved into our new home in Pelican Cove, Sarasota, Florida. We picked up another kitten that had been abandoned so now Roger had a Buddy. Roger Roger appeared to like his new living quarters. Lots of room. A three bedroom apartment gave him more room than did a sailboat 42.5 feet long with a beam of 13 feet.

Roger Roger and friend

Roger Roger still gets out. Can’t let him run around on his own but he goes for daily walks with me and stays close to me. Of course I carry a light-weight but long rake that I use to direct his movements. From the little kitten that I could hold in the palm of my hand Roger Roger has grown into a 15 lb sleek tom cat. He’s extremely playful and has a mind of his own. He’s very lovely with Lou but likes to play rough house with me.

Sleek and sassy

From the movie, Airplane (1980):

Roger Murdock: “Flight 2-0-9′er, you are cleared for take-off.”
Captain Oveur: “Roger!”
Roger Murdock: “Huh?”
Tower voice: “L.A. departure frequency, 123 point 9′er.”
Captain Oveur: “Roger!”
Roger Murdock: “Huh?”
Victor Basta: “Request vector, over.”
Captain Oveur: “What?”
Tower voice: “Flight 2-0-9′er cleared for vector 324.”
Roger Murdock: “We have clearance, Clarence.”
Captain Oveur: “Roger, Roger. What’s our vector, Victor?”
Tower voice: “Tower’s radio clearance, over!”
Captain Oveur: “That’s Clarence Oveur. Over.”
Tower voice: “Over.”
Captain Oveur: “Roger.”
Roger Murdock: “Huh?”
Tower voice: “Roger, over!”
Roger Murdock: “What?”
Captain Oveur: “Huh?”
Victor Basta: “Who?”

Snakes are fascinating and magnificent creatures, though they defy the general idea of a pet as something cute or cuddly.  Here are some of the most common types of “pet” snakes.

Corn Snake

A truly handsome corn snake, Maize is up for adoption at this time on petfinder.com. (I had a beautiful, huge corn snake living in my garden in Florida some years ago, as rich in color as maize, and she was more than welcome. While neighbors were bothered with coral snakes and pygmy rattlers, they stayed away from my home and I always felt this was because of my marvelous guest.)

Known also as the red rat snake, this is perhaps the most common of pet  snakes and, as far as snakes go, are quite tame especially when they are handled regularly. Their size is quite manageable also as they grow only about 5 or 6 feet in length. Corn snakes are not too picky in terms of what they eat and will enjoy thawed or frozen rodents such as mice. As long as their basic needs are provided for they can live a long life, up to 15 or 20 years. Corn snakes come in a variety of colors from snow to deep orange red and are good for the beginner owner.

King snake

A young California King Snake; he can be adopted through petfinder.com.

The king snake is another good choice for the budding herpetologist as it is both hardy and docile. However, king snakes can also live as long as 20 years so keep in mind that your reptile’s care is a long-term commitment. These snakes come in a variety of colors and patterns and may grow upwards of 6 or 7 feet, though around 4 feet is more common. Domesticated king snakes will thrive on a diet of pre-killed frozen mice however, when it comes to eating, they consider all small animals and birds to be fair game. That includes other snakes, so never keep more than one king snake per cage. And keep the budgie away from him, too.

Gopher snake

Want a snake without actually having to care for it? You can adopt this gopher snake at Coyote Point Museum. He’ll stay at the museum but your contribution will help provide his food, toys and medical care. In return you get photos of your pet, a certificate and a placard with your name on it, plus the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping a wonderful creature to live a happy, healthy life.

This is yet another snake that can make a good pet for novice snake keepers. The gopher snake will likely get bigger than the corn snake or king snake, growing to about 6 feet, but they are very tame and easily manageable. Gophers can be cream- colored to greenish-gray and will readily eat pre-killed prey.

Ball python

This is Little Bit, who can be adopted at this time from Exotic Animal Rescue of Henry County, Tennessee.

Now this snake can become more of a finicky eater and may have to be enticed to eat or even force-fed. Ball pythons are also rather more shy and nervous than the other reptiles mentioned above and require gentle handling and a little more patience. Typically they grow to about 4 feet, though can get bigger. They survive well in captivity and can even live up to 25 years or more.

Many people don’t realize how long their snake may live in captivity. Before taking on the responsibility of reptile ownership be sure you understand it is a very long-term commitment. And don’t ever assume that it’s OK to release your pet into the wild if you can no longer care for it. Find a rescue group or animal shelter that will help you.

“If you rattle a snake you must be prepared to be bitten by it”. ~ John Michuki

Other resources:

http://www.dmreptilerescue.com/favorite.htm

Box turtles are actually amphibians and are named because when they retract inside their shells, every part becomes enclosed inside as if it were a box. On the lower part of the shell there is a “hinge” which allows that to happen. There are different varieties of box turtles and it can mean a difference in how to take care of them. North American box turtles are more terrestrial (land turtles) than other turtles. On the other hand, Asian box turtles are more of the aquatic kind, and so you would find them in the water most of the time.

This is Leni, who can be found along with other box turtles for adoption at petfinder.com. Leni is being cared for at Colorado Reptile Humane Society.

Box turtles make great pets. They have really long life spans . In the wild they can live up to a hundred years. When bred in captivity though, they tend to have much shorter life spans of around 40 to 50 years.  That still requires a long term responsibility on the part of the owner. One of the common reasons that a lot of box turtles die is because people tend to assume that they can survive with minimal care. While they don’t require daily walks, house-training and leadership, they still have needs that must be met.

The following are some of the points to remember when taking care of box turtles:

1. Box turtles fare well living in an outdoor pen as long as they have access to water in which to wade and are not under threat from other household pets. Indoor turtles should be provided with a large enclosure, preferably not glass. Plastic storage containers can work well and you can allow your pet to roam the house from time to time, if safely monitored.

2. Temperatures should not drop below 60F overnight or above 85F during the day. Your turtle needs about 12 hours of light a day but should also have shade for those extra hot days. If he’s and indoor pet then appropriate lighting should be provided.

3. Create as natural an environment as possible. A bed of sand, potting soil, sphagnum moss and leaf mulch; hollow logs and flat rocks, shallow pond, potted plants and daily misting. This latter is essential as turtles need high humidity.

4. Box turtles are generally plant eaters, but they also eat mollusks, insects and worms. They eat almost anything they find edible. If they live in an outdoor pen, place a rock where they could eat their food instead of using some kind of dish. High calcium plant sources are good for their development.

5. During the winter season your pet will want to hibernate and he’ll love to burrow. Make sure that the outdoor pen has places where he can burrow deeply and be safe from harsh weather conditions. Before the season of hibernation begins, make sure that your turtle is in tiptop shape and free from any diseases. You want him to wake up again in the spring!

Box turtles from the wild should not be picked up and made into household pets. More than likely they will not survive. If you want a box turtle for a pet, better go to your local shelter to find one that has been bred in captivity. If you do encounter a wild box turtle that is lost, contact local wildlife support groups so they can return him back to his natural habitat.

“I know up on the top you are seeing great sights, but down at the bottom we, too, should have rights.” ~ Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, Dr. Seuss.

Other resources:

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/american/boxcare.html

http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?art_key=a2dcf488-1a11-4ea0-97a6-4256f117773f

http://saveapetblog.com/animal-talk/it-takes-more-than-lettuce-to-raise-a-tortoise/

Adopting a rabbit, a ferret, a bird, a hamster, or even an iguana from an animal shelter or rescue means you just might be saving two lives: The life of your new pet and the life of another unwanted, neglected, or abused pet who now has the chance for rescue because a new spot at the shelter or the rescue has opened.

Kovu the ferret

This sweet little rescued ferret is in need of a home. He’s available right now from Broward Ferret Rescue but you can find many more needy critters like him at peftinder.com.

Many have discovered the joys of adopting a rescued pet but the fact is, adopting a small animal or bird from a shelter or rescue can prove challenging. Before you head to your nearest shelter or rescue, there are several things you’ll want to take into consideration:

• Do you and your family have the time and the patience that is needed to care for an animal who has gone through trauma? For example, if you adopt a bird who is pulling out her feathers and who is depressed, do you have the patience and the time that is required to help rehabilitate her? Or, will you remain calm when your newly adopted hamster takes a bite out of your hand when you’re trying to pet him?

• Are you really prepared for the work that is involved with an abused pet? Or, are you adopting because the pet’s story has pulled at your heart strings? Whether you are considering adopting an abused or neglected guinea pig or ferret or another type of animal, you must be prepared to care for her her entire life and to realize that it’s a big and expensive commitment. Many small animals have been traumatized by being abandoned or left to fend for themselves and will be untrusting at first. And, there is no guarantee that your new family member will ever completely trust you.

• Do you have children? Many times shelters and rescues will advise against rescue pets, such as rabbits and ferrets, going to homes with children.

• Are you ready for the financial responsibility? Unlike dogs and cats, small animal and avian veterinarian care can be extremely expensive, and you may find it difficult to find a qualified vet. Can you afford the cost of the care that your pet may need in the long-term?

• Many times you will not know your new pet’s background and it may take considerable time for them to learn to trust you. In some cases, they may never be the cuddly pet that you expected when you adopted them. Can you live with that?

If you’re not sure whether you and your family are ready to adopt a rescue animal, consider talking with the rescue or animal shelter to determine if you can foster the pet.  Fostering will give you the opportunity to see if you and the pet are a good match and if you can handle any problems she may have.

Because many shelter and rescue pets have been abandoned, neglected or abused, it is essential that you really think about whether adopting a rescue rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, bird, or iguana is right for your family. Bringing home a pet then returning her to the shelter or the rescue will only cause more trauma in her life.

“Everyone’s pet is the most outstanding. This begets mutual blindness.” – Jean Cocteau

That means the ultimate responsibility will always lie with you, the parent. So if you’re not prepared to take on a fuzzy “child” then just keep saying “No”. But if you’re willing to consider the possibility of a pet, how about having the kids test drive their pet-parenting skills first with a virtual pet? Maybe you could draw up an agreement with your children: they fulfill their caretaking duties with a virtual pet for three months, they get the real thing.

A few weeks ago I adopted Rascal from FooPets.com, which has by far the most realistic virtual (I think that’s an oxymoron) pets online. I’ve never been interested in online games so this is all quite new to me but I’ve surprised myself by actually becoming attached to my little simulated husky. I feel responsible for him.

Rascal

From a parenting standpoint you can monitor your child’s dedication to his or her pet every time you log on. There’s a care history that shows when you feed and water your pet, when you throw him a ball or groom him and so on. By interacting daily with your pet, you develop a pet-owner bond, which is shown as a yellow bar. If you miss a day, the bonding bar is re-set to zero. If you neglect your pet, then he will be taken to the FooShelter.

And that’s what I most like about this; though it’s free to adopt a pet, there are requirements and consequences. You have to take care of your pet’s health needs by grooming and giving flea treatments. You are also responsible for arranging your pet’s care if you go away. And the care of your pet is not exactly free.

When you first adopt you will be given 5,000 FooGems. These can be used to buy food, medications and things to make your pet more comfortable. Additional FooGems are earned simply by visiting and playing with your pet daily. It’s also possible to buy FooDollars but I think it’s a better test of your kids’ dedication to have them earn and make do with the FooGems. I’ve been able to feed, groom and medicate Rascal as well as create a play area for him and a mountain get-a-way by using just FooGems.

FooPets does its best to mimic the needs of a real dog or cat. In fact, in their adoption rules they state, “Your FooPet is a real creature that lives online. It will have a date of birth and a lifespan of 10-20 years, depending on how well you take care of it. It will age and act differently over time.”

Rascal is just three months old, so he has a long way to go. When he’s old enough I can even breed him, but as I’m all about rescuing the millions of abandoned and abused pets in this world, I plan to save up the 20,000 FooGems I need to get him neutered. And if I really want another virtual dog or cat, I can adopt from the FooShelter.

“Every puppy should have a boy.” ~ Erma Bombeck

It’s the annual online photo contest for the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International. It’s free to enter and by doing so you can help save animals’ lives. You also have a chance to win prizes such as a shopping spree on the Humane Society’s web store, a studio photography session with Amanda Jones, or even a trip to Hollywood! Your pet could also be featured on the HSUS home page.

Vinny - always a winner

Naturally, my own pets have a very good chance of winning and I mean to enter them all. Your budgie, your burro and even your betta are eligible; check the rules for other pets that can be entered. Then get out the digital camera or start scouring through your old pictures and raise some money for a really great cause. Remember, three to four million cats and dogs a year are euthanized. Millions more animals are simply neglected or abandoned to suffer and die. So be a part of the solution; here’s a fun way to do so.

“If you think that something small cannot make a difference – try going to sleep with a mosquito in the room.”
– Unknown

For those interested in just a pet these retired thoroughbreds can fill the bill very well. However they do need some experienced hands and understanding. They aren’t like other horses in many ways.

Metinicus

Metinicus was scheduled to be euthanized because of a fractured hind leg. Happily, he was rescued and is doing well. This beautiful creature needs a forever home. Find out more about him and other adoptable horses at New Vocations Racehorse Adoption.

The biggest thing to remember about an off the track racehorse is that even when injured they can be a handful. They typically have had more handling than the average horse on a day to day basis and are fit. They are used to getting out and working hard daily. The love of running can override their mind sometimes.

Before taking on a racehorse you will need a very good grasp on horse handling including discipline. This means insisting on manners and basic safe handling.

Additionally you will need a small paddock area for turnout. Remember these are horses bred to run. Even the slow ones often run for the sheer joy of running in the field. Some will run themselves to injury or “tying up”. A smaller paddock reduces the chance that they can get themselves worked up as is likely in a big field. And it’s often best if initially they can see other horses but not be in the same field. This can help give the horse time to relax without being challenged.

If you are ready for a challenge, have experience and/or are willing to learn, a racehorse may be the right thing for you. They are horses that have seen a great deal on the track. They’ve received daily handling but are not “push button” horses.  However, if you want more than a pasture pet, do read up on the training and nature of racehorses to reduce the risk of injury to both you and your horse.

“Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.” ~ W.C. Fields