How Old Should a Child Be Before Caring for a Pocket Pet?

By sarajean on 10/19/09 9:40pm
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When I was six years old, my parents bought me my first hamster. I named her Becky, after my best friend (naturally), and loved her very much. My parents taught me to take care of her—to feed her and give her fresh water every day, to change her bedding, to carefully put her into her exercise ball. She lived for three years and was the catalyst for my lifelong love of animals.

I had friends, however, whom I wouldn’t let near Becky. One friend in particular, I discovered, tried to put her on a blanket and toss her into the air, calling it “parachuting.” (I later discovered that this “friend” was anything but fodder for childhood nightmares and future therapist discussions for anyone she came across.) These friends were either my age or older, proving that six—or seven or even eight—is not always the best age for hamster care.

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Psycho Rabbits Go After Snakes

By sarajean on 10/5/09 11:27am
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These are definitely not the bunnies you want to get for your five-year-old’s birthday.

Two wild rabbits, apparently avid fans of Cujo, have been terrorizing the snake population of Cairns, Australia. Armando Del Manso, 42, has been finding dead snakes on his East Barron property for the better part of three weeks. Each snake was riddled with teeth marks, making Del Manso believe that his dog was to blame.

And who wouldn’t want to think that Fido was a snake eater, fiercely protecting Master and property? That’s why it was so surprising when the boilmaker discovered that it was not man’s best friend, but Flopsy and Mopsy who were on the snake-killing rampage.

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Take Action: Bunnies Tortured and Killed at Petland

By sarajean on 8/10/09 7:14am
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Last week, a disturbing image of a Petland employee from Akron, Ohio surfaced on the web and shocked animal lovers all across the country. Elizabeth Carlisle posted the photo of herself holding two dead, tortured rabbits on her own Facebook profile.

A picture of the incident can be found here. (Warning: it’s very graphic.)

Carlisle bragged that she had drowned the rabbits in the back room of the store and her manager took the photo for her. “[T]he manager took the pic for me. [S]he reminded me that there were people outside as [I] was swearing at them to just hurry up and die but then she was so kind as to take this picture.” Carlisle was on the clock at the time.

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Fun with Guinea Pigs

By sarajean on 7/12/09 8:56pm
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If your young child has been begging for a dog or a cat, why not start out with a guinea pig? It’s furry and loveable enough to be a better companion than fish, yet easier to care for—and often gentler—than dogs and cats. Then, once he or she has a knack for caring for the little guy, a graduation to a bigger pet could be granted. Just remember that as the parent, you will continue to be the primary caregiver—which means you’ve got to supervise your child in caring for his or her new friend.

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Furry, Funny, Friendly Ferrets

By sarajean on 6/28/09 9:17pm
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If you’re looking for a fun, active pet that’s fairly easy to care for, a ferret is an excellent choice. We’ve had several ferrets over the years, and they were definitely among my favorite pets. Even older ferrets can be excitable, curious creatures that will never cease entertaining you—or themselves.

Ferrets are cousins of the weasel family; they are also related to skunks and otters, which makes their unique, musky scent unsurprising. Domestic mammals, ferrets are long and furry critters that come in a range of colors, from white to brown to black to mixed colors. They weight less than five pounds and can live up to ten years.

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Insects as Pets

By sarajean on 6/20/09 8:42am
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cockroachcockroachWhen you think of a pet in your pocket, it’s usually some fuzzy little critter like a hamster or a guinea pig… most people don’t conjure up images of a hissing cockroach. Many of us, after all, hire exterminators to rid our homes of as many bugs possible.

But some people actually keep cockroaches as pets! I recently read about a family who has a menagerie of pets—including a millipede—and thought, what other kinds of bugs do people keep as parts of their families?

It turns out that there are quite a few. Below are some of the most popular bugs people choose to keep as pets.

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Sugar Bears as Pets

By sarajean on 6/7/09 4:06pm
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Though not really bears, sugar bears are just as likely to tug at your heart as a teddy bear might. Also known as sugar gliders, these tiny Australian marsupials’ scientific name is Petaurus breviceps (literally, “short-headed rope-dancer”).

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Hamsters: A Great First Pet

By sarajean on 5/24/09 10:49pm
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A Fun First PetA Fun First PetSoft, adorable, and typically active enough to be entertaining but not annoying (with the exception of some late-night wheel riders), hamsters make an excellent first pet. They are simple to care for, and can provide a child with some important lessons about life, as well as prepare him or her for caring for a larger pet down the road.

“Fancy” or “teddy bear” hamsters, which are actually Syrian or Golden Hamsters, are the most common variety kept as pets. Though usually brown, the Syrian hamster can be a variety of colors, and some have long hair that needs to be cared for. Generally very gentle and curious, they are quite hardy animals who can eat a variety of foods. Syrian hamsters need larger cages, as they are a good-sized species that need room to run and play. They live up to three years.

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May 13 is Frog Jumping Day

By sarajean on 5/12/09 5:52pm
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Frogs are FunFrogs are FunWhether you’re jumping over a frog or jumping like one, today is a great day for hippity-hoppers.

Frog Jumping Day can be traced back to Missouri author Mark Twain, and his first short story, “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog.” If you’d like to read this story today, it’s also known as “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” as well as “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”

Frogs make great pocket pets, so you may want to celebrate Frog Jumping Day by getting a frog—or a toad—as a pet. Many frogs are simple to care for, fun to watch, and can be a great first pet for children—as long as they maintain proper hand washing techniques!

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Sniffer Rats Save Lives

By sparklyscotty on 4/14/09 6:03am
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Are rats smarter than humans?Are rats smarter than humans?Any pet rat owner will be quick to tell you tales proving that the rodents are amongst the smartest animals in the world.  Studies and inventive pet owners alike have trained rats to do a number of extraordinary tricks,  and they have proven to be quick learners.  They have great memories, and can are great at problem solving, navigating complex mazes and completing tasks to get a reward.


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