Have you ever watched your 10 lb. kitty try to squeeze int a match box? What is it about boxes, coffee cups, sinks, bags, shoes, tiny spaces, even items that appear too small to contain them, that cats find alluring. Claudia Vinke, ethologist (ethology-study of animal behavior) at the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, led […]
Author: Shira
I grew up around many pets - including Samantha, the loving germen shepherd, Lola my adorable miniature rabbit, Tweety my stubborn cockatiel and many more.
Vaccinating an Exotic Pet
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tells us that the rabies virus can be transmitted to all mammals, humans too. Some mammals are carriers of the rabies virus and are referred to as reservoirs. Commonly, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, skunks and some species of bats are reservoirs but can also be infected by the […]
Singing Dogs
There is actually a wild breed of canine called the New Guinea Singing Dog. It is highly predatory and will see anything that moves as prey. It is widely believed that the singing dog’s ancestry is the Australian dingo. These dogs made their way to New Guinea over a land bridge that existed more than […]
Coatimundi as Pets
Coatimundi or Coati as they are called range over Southwest North America, Central America to Southern Brazil in South America. Their natural habitats are rainforests, woodlands and grasslands. In the wild, males over 2 years old live solitary lives while females live in groups of about 4-20 members. Coatis are close relatives of raccoons and […]
Why Do Dogs Have Whiskers
A dog’s whiskers are somewhat different from those of a cat. To begin with their real name is Vibrissae from the Latin work “vibrio” meaning to vibrate. Dog whiskers are two times as thick as their hair and coarser as well, not soft like a cat’s whiskers. They are found on both sides of the […]
Guinea Pigs
Guinea Pigs Contents 1 Where does the Guinea pig come from? 2 Appearance 3 Personality 4 Environment 5 Feeding 6 More info 7 Videos Where does the Guinea pig come from? The Guinea pig also known as Cavy, originated in the Andes Mountains of South America. The people there use them as a food source. […]
World Pet Memorial Day
Most of us have experienced the heartache of losing a pet, sometimes to old age, sometimes to to disease or accident. Those pets that have gone to the Rainbow Bridge will always be remembered. Now we have a special day set aside to honor those memories – World Pet Memorial Day. It takes place on […]
Do Dogs Understand Our Words
The short answer is yes! It may take a while with constant repetition of a word, but sooner or later your dog will associate the word with the object or action. Border Collies are considered the most intelligent of all dog breeds. In 2010 a female Border Collie called Chaser was named the smartest dog […]
What Makes an Animal a Pet
How would you define the word “pet?” Which animals are considered pets and which are not? When we say the word pet, we are usually thinking about animals such as dogs, cats, birds and guinea pigs. But there are some countries where dogs and cats are considered food and there are people who raise chickens, […]
Hermann’s Tortoise
Hermann’s Tortoise, testudo hermanni, comes from Southern Europe and is sometimes called a Mediterranean tortoise. They are relatively small, at about 6-8 inches with a life span of up to at least 75 years. Should you choose one as a pet there are some things to consider for its care. They are quite active and […]