When you think of saving animals, whales, pandas, and other exotic species come to mind. You don’t ever really think of rescuing a guinea pig, but these little rodents are in need of love and attention as much as any other. Like cats and dogs, guinea pigs can be found in shelters all across the country. They, too, are often abandoned, after being received as Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, or won at carnivals.

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If you thought the only time of the year reserved for bunnies was Easter, you’re wrong! February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month, a time you might consider providing a home for a shelter rabbit or baby bunny.

The Education Director of House Rabbit Society, Mary Cotter, says, “Promoting adoption and educating potential adopters early in the year helps to prevent the impulse purchase of bunnies a month or two later at Easter.” It takes time and effort to care for a rabbit, just as with any other pet, and people should be aware of the responsibilities involved.

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My first piece of advice: Don’t. Do. It. I’ve always found dressing up pets to be degrading at best, and inhumane at worst. I had a childhood friend who always dressed up her dogs and put them in baby strollers and they never looked very happy about it. I thought her parents should’ve totally bought her a Baby Born. I get that some animals might like being dressed up—though I think it would be pretty hard to prove in court!—most would rather be au naturale.

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We have garter snakes here in the coastal Pacific Northwest, but boa constrictors?  Yep, it's true!

When I first read about the Rubber Boa on the Northwest Herps page, I was sure it was a prank.  Rubber Boa, sure, you just bought it from a bin alongside rubber spiders and rubber ants, right?  But no, it turns out that the Rubber Boa is a real thing, and surprisingly common in the West.  Its range extends west all the way to the Pacific, and north all the way to southern British Columbia.


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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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Sugar GliderSugar gliders are another exotic, nocturnal pet that are among the more commonly kept, (when it comes to exotic pets). They are small marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and Tasmania. Their small size, big eyes and cute, cuddly features make them very appealing, and they can fly!

While they are typically impossible to potty train, you can train them to fly to your hand and get along with other pets in your household. They are very lovable and affectionate animals who need the company of other sugar gliders and lots of love attention from their owners to be happy and fulfilled.

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Monkey o mine! Will you be my Valentine?Yes, oh yes! A monkey for a pet! It would be a dream come true, don't you agree? There are so many monkeys to choose from, which fits your personality? Granted, keeping a monkey as a pet is no small chore. Monkeys demand 'round the clock attention, much like children.

Monkeys can live for up to 40 years and are very intelligent, curious, and capable mammals. In most cases, you will have to obtain a state permit or license before buying a monkey and be sure to research reputable breeders and stay away from folks without licenses.

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photo by Daily Mail U.K.Irresistibly cute, micro pigs are the latest trend in miniature pets and are fast becoming popular amongst the British celebrity set. Bred to be even smaller than potbellied pigs, micro pigs or 'teacup pigs' are making their debut in the U.K. thanks to Jane Croft, an investment banker turned teacup pig breeder.

Easy to care for and highly intelligent, pigs make excellent pets for folks who suffer from allergies. When fully grown, micro pigs stand about knee heigh and can weigh up to 65 pounds versus potbellied pigs who weigh up to 90 pounds when fully grown.

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The black-footed Ferret, or Mustela nigripes for you Latinists, is a small carnivorous North American prairie animal that lives in complicated social clusters and burrow complexes. It is the only ferret native to North America. Ferrets are kin to weasels, mink, polecats, martens, and even otters, and badgers. Te Black-footed ferret should not be confused with the domesticated ferret, popular as a pet and not at all in danger—and not native to North America. The black-footed ferret is native, and is the rarest mammal in North America. Mustela nigripes was declared extinct in Canada in 1934, and endangered in the U. S. in 1967.

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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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