How To Choose a Pet... 10 Things to Keep in Mind

There are many things to consider when choosing a pet.  Many things need to be considered for each specific pet, but there are some that need to be considered for EVERY pet on the market.  By considering these factors first you will be able to narrow down the massive pet selection that is available to help you find the right pet for you.

1.  How much room do you have?  Do you live in an apartment, condo, or house?  Does the house or condo have a lot or a little yard space?  The question of space is very important. If you have tons of space you will have tons of options if you only have a small space you are  more limited on what you should choose.  You wouldn't want to try and shove a Great Dane into a small one room apartment now would you? .

2.  How big will the pet get?  Keep in mind that most pet stores are selling pets as babies or juvenile and they are going to grow and while that little tiny green iguana seems like the perfect choice he will eventually grow to a maximum size of 6 feet.

3. Rules of the House.  If your living in a rented space there are usually rules as to what if any pets you may own. You should always consult your landlord before even considering a pet.  We had a young lady come into our store with a $1500 dog she bought from a pet store in the mall.  When she left the mall she Then called her landlord to see if it was ok for her to have the dog.  He said NO you already have one you can't have a second.  When she tried to return the dog they wouldn't take it because she had already left the store.  She was out $1500 because she didn't check with her landlord first.


4.  How much will it cost to care for your pet?  The actual pet is usually the cheapest part of the purchase.  A red eared slider costs anywhere for $5 to $30 but the habitat will cost $150 + just for the initial setup.  Then there is the cost of food in the case of the slider frequent water changes,  replacement habitat supplies, vet care, pet sitters if you ever plan on going on vacation and plenty of other unforeseen costs that can add up.  Even in the best of times people can become overwhelmed with the cost of their chosen pets care.

5.  Does anyone in the home have allergies.  You can have the doctor do an allergy test or just hang around the animal of choice and see if you get the stuffy sneezy and watery eyes  of allergies.  Buying a pet only to find out someone is allergic can be an emotionally painful experience, especially if it is a young child who my feel responsible for the loss of a new found friend.

6.  How much Time do you have?  Some pets require lots of time and attention.  Ferrets require at least two hours of playtime a day and guinea pigs can become severely depressed if left alone for long periods of time.  While a tarantula doesn't care a wit if your there or not as long as he gets his crickets.  Make sure you match the time you have to spare to the time it takes to care for and play with your chosen pet.

7.  Are there any Big changes coming your way.  Now you can't plan out your life perfectly but there are some major changes you will know is on the way.  You aren't going to suddenly wake up married ..... unless your in Vegas.  You know 9 months ahead of time if there is a new addition on the way.   Major changes are not only stressful for you but for many kinds of pets as well.  Dogs can get stressed out over unfamiliar situations where as a gecko probably won't even notice as long as his heat lamp comes on and food is plentiful.

8. How active are you?  Do you need a high energy pet to keep you busy or are you looking for the sedate pet that will lounge around with you while you watch tv?  The right kind of dog can make a great jogging buddy or maybe a tear around the house chasing the toy your carrying cat or ferret will make your day.  Maybe you just want a lazy guinea pig or bearded dragon that will sit on your lap while you watch CSI.  How much you want to move it will affect which pet is best for you.

9.  Do you already have a pet at home?  When considering multi-pet ownership you want to make sure your pets don't clash ... and I'm not talking about their colors.  You need to decide whether or not the friend you have will hunt or be hunted by the pet you are considering.  Remember that even thought they all have been breed as pets they still have strong instincts.  Do you really want to leave that $300 pineapple conure  alone with that pussycat.... kind of an expensive meal for the cat don't you think?  Also don't forget that some breeds of dogs were created to hunt specific small animals ... so you might want to think twice before leaving that rat terrier alone with your hamster.

10.  What is the pet's life span?  Some pets like mice and hamsters only live a couple of years.  Others like the African Grey or Russian Tortoise can live from 50 to 70 or more years.  Are you ready for such an early  loss or life long commitment or do you want something in between say a dog or indoor cat at 10 to 20 years.

You need to consider all these things before narrowing down your selection.  You should never walk into a pet store a buy a pet you know nothing about just because it's just happens to be the cutest thing you have every laid eyes on. 

Caring For A Betta Fish

 Meet Uncle Sam

Sorry about the picture quality it's really hard to get a good picture of a fish,  he just wouldn't sit still and smile for me.
Anyway this is Uncle Sam he's a present for my Hubby who wanted a little fish for his office.  I love betta fish they are probably the simplest pet in the world to take care of and the ONLY fish that can truly live in a fish bowl. 

YES I KNOW

The picture on the bowl and those little tanks (the ones under 10 gallons)  show gold fish in them.  But don't for a minute think they are going to live out their full life in those bowls.  Yes I know there are people out there who say they were able to keep one in a bowl for a couple years but since they can have a life span of 10 or more years, a couple is death in childhood to them.

Anyway sorry got off track there.... 

Betta fish have a life span of 2 or 3 years. they don't require a heater or a pump though a low flow pump is good for water circulation ( that black thing behind the fish is a small filter).  You can set up the bowl with what every decorations you want.  We have two live plants and a half a hollow log for him to hid it. 

 Make sure it is not in direct sunlight since this will encourage algae growth.

You want to either get a betta water conditioner which is a solution that takes the chlorine out of the water or let the water sit for 24 hours before adding the fish which will allow the chlorine to evaporate. 

About once a week remove 10% of the water from the tank and replace it with fresh water.  This helps in two ways.  First if you empty all the water you kill of the good bacteria that have started to develop which help keep the tank in balance.  By only removing 10% you leave them in.  2nd you remove excess minerals, left behind by water evaporation and excess waste.  Because of the small sizes of betta tanks I recommend going out and buying a Turkey Baster to help remove water from the  tank.  The turkey baster allows you to reach the bottom of the tank where the fish waste sinks but doesn't remove an excessive amount of water.  Don't forget to de-chlorinate the water before adding it to the tank.

Last feed him every other day.  He has a little tummy don't feed him an Supersized meal, a few little pellets is all he need.

Last But not least DONOT place him with another Betta Fish one of them will end up DEAD. 

Curing Night time Cat Behavior Problems

A friend of mine asked me how to keep her cat from waking her up at night.  Having just finished getting my cat to stop I know what she is going through.  So I offer the following advice. 

Please be aware if this is a new behavior you may want to take your furry friend to the vet to make sure there isn't something wrong. 

First thing you want to do is keep him busy during the day.  Play with him throughout the day, give him windows to look out of, pet him,  leave out toys, give him a good brushing and if he is willing you can try hooking him up to a harness and take him for a walk.  (for some cats this takes some getting use to.)

Make sure he has food available all day.  Unlike dogs, cats eat little meals all day long so make sure he has food available so he is not waking up due to hunger.  Along with this make sure you don't feed him right after you wake up.  You will be sending the message that wake up time is feeding time and he will wake you to feed him.

 Don't give in.  This one is hard and may take some time but you have to pull those covers over your head and completely ignore him during the time you want to sleep.  Even yelling at him is giving him the attention he is looking for.  Eventually he will get the message!  It also helps to make the room as dark as possible as they don't see well in complete darkness.  That means get those bright led electronics out of the room and some nice dark curtains on the windows.  Though once again if its a new behavior go ahead and check it out he may be ill.

Last if all else fails Close the Door.  If you cat just isn't getting the message then its' time to set him up a sleeping space somewhere else and shut him out.  You may have to work at this one too since having him yowl outside the door won't help you sleep either.  Try placing something in front of the door   like a prickly mat or double sided tape on the door if he is scratching (trust me they hate getting sticky stuff on their paws).

It will take some time to retrain your best friend but it will be worth the effort.

Interesting Ferret Fact

Did you know that while Ferrets are a welcome pet here in Long Island but are illegal in New York City?


I get customers in every now and then from the city or the Bronx and they always seem surprised that we are selling Ferrets. For a while now I've been wondering why they were illegal so I looked it up on the NYC Department of Health page where I found this press release:

HEALTH DEPARTMENT STATEMENT ON
MAINTAINING BAN ON FERRETS IN NYC

The New York City Board of Health voted unanimously today at its quarterly meeting to establish in New York City a list of animals which are prohibited as pets in New York City. The Board of Health is the official body authorized to enact the New York City Health Code. The list voted on today includes ferrets, which have been banned as pets under the Health Code's provision prohibiting ownership of wild animals (Section 161.01) since 1959. Public safety is the significant concern.

Ferrets are known for their unpredictable behavior, and they are prone to vicious, unprovoked attacks on humans. Ferret attacks reported nationwide over time have become notorious for their severity and capriciousness, causing serious injuries to some infants and young children in particular. In New York City's multiple dwelling residences, which are not natural habitats of ferrets, a ferret could crawl through holes in walls or travel along risers or ducts to other apartments, with potentially tragic consequences for the neighbor of a ferret owner.

Given careful consideration of what is known now, it would be irresponsible from a public safety perspective to allow a ferret to be kept as a pet in New York City.

Makes them sound like some kind of vicious man eating monster just waiting for the chance to escape and devour small children with relish, doesn't it?

Truthfully when they are young they do bite and claw but no more then a puppy or kitten. Personally having been bitten by all three the ferret bite is the least painful of the bunch. Just like puppies and kittens, Ferrets were once predators and in the wild they still are. Like pet pups and kits, as pets they eat a specialized diet made just for them. They LOVE to play and if you don't keep their nails trimmed they can give you a really good scratch as they grab hold of your arm to get picked up.

Unlike a puppy or kitten you need to keep an eye on them when outside of their cage since they love to explore and can fit through small holes. They also like to burrow so the under side of your couch or box springs are a tempting hiding place. They also like to carry off shiny things so keep an eye on your keys.

They use a litter box just like a cat and if you keep it clean (and they have been fixed and descented) they smell no more then a dog or cat.

So if your lucky enough to live somewhere they are legal then they are definitely worth considering. AS always check out petfinders.com to see if there are any at the local shelters up for adoption and save a life.

Getting Your Dog Ready for Winter

It's that time of year again and all the winter clothes are on the shelves not just for people but pooches too. If you have a small dog with little hair or take long winter walks with you best bud then its time to start shopping to keep him warm and toasty this winter.

Smaller dogs have a harder time keeping warm since they have less body mass to keep the heat in. If you home is as cold as mine in the winter you may consider getting them a sweater to keep the heat in. You may also want to consider a water proof outer layer for going outside make it one size larger then the sweaters so you can layer it over the sweater for extra warmth. Not sure what size to get the stop by one of the pet stores that love to have four legged visitors and let them help you find the right size.

For doggies going on long walks consider the water proof outer layer, even for big dogs if they are short haired or not one bred for cold climates, to keep them warm.

Last get some doggie boots to protect you best buddies paws from ice getting between the pads and the nasty salt some people use on their sidewalks to melt the snow. It can burn your pets tender pads. If you are going to forgo the boots then make sure you inspect and clean paws after a walk, making sure to get in between the pads where irritants can hide.

Pumpkin for Pooches

Pumpkins are everywhere right now. So they inspired me to share this high fiber treat for your Best Buddy. It is also good for dogs who might have runny poopy to help firm things up a bit. Though if it's persistent then you need to see your vet to rule out parasites or other problems.

2 teaspoons pumpkin puree
1 tbls cream cheese
1/4 cup corn flakes or high fiber cereal

In a bowl, mix the pumpkin and cheese and roll into a ball the coat with the cereal.
Serve as a treat or store in the fridge till later.

Makes One treat

Teething Puppies

We have had a lot of new puppy parents coming around lately and they all have the same problem. Their new buddies is chewing up everything in sight.

Just like Human babies, puppy's mouths hurt when those new teeth come in and they are just looking for a way to relieve the pain. I have two solutions for you:

1. If you haven't already purchased one get a Kong toy for puppies.

Now fill it with peanut butter and freeze it solid. The Kong is a very tough toy designed for heavy chewing... I've had mine for about 8 years now and it's been through 2 dogs. The peanut butter helps keep them interested in chewing on the Kong and the cold soothes your puppies sore gums.

2. A second option is to take a clean washcloth and get it damp. Then tie a knot in the middle and freeze. It will serve the same purpose as the Kong in numbing puppies sore gums and the texture of the washcloth will massage them.