There wasn’t a lot of breaking news in the pet world this week, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing! I was able to find some interesting articles and blog entries just the same for this week’s link round-up.

~ Ten Ways to Know if Your Animal ER Has Got the Goods from Dolittler
~ 2007 pet-food recall an epic fail for the FDA at Pet Connection
~ Canine Oral Melanoma from Dogs Trust
~ Gymnastics for Birds at Curious Animals
~ Spay Your Dog While She’s Young and Healthy from Your Pet’s Best Friend
~ Why Hasn’t my Cat’s Bladder Infection Cleared up? at Vet …read more

Should we stop using “Rats!” as a negative interjection? Perhaps we should be saying “Aw, rats” in a sweet manner.
Pet rats are domesticated creatures. They’ve been selectively bred in captivity. And pet rats are known for being very social, developing a strong bond with their humans.
Some rats may even learn their names! Just as rats groom themselves like a cat, they also learn tricks like a dog. They are intelligent creatures who need toys to keep them stimulated.
According to R.A.T.S (Rat Assistance and Teaching Society), rats usually live to be around 2.5 years old, but can grow as old as …read more

It’s been many years since I’ve had hands-on experience with snakes and I’ve never actually owned one (though I’ve wanted to!), so I found this neat series of videos by Holli Friedland, Reptile Rescue Coordinator at the Mid-Atlantic Reptile Show.
The videos walk you through every step of set-up, care, maintenance and even troubleshooting in corn snake ownership!
I love snakes and the only thing that’s kept me from having one myself is that I’m squeamish about feeding time. Though I’ve (live- and dead-) fed many snakes (my first job was at a small pet store, and I was at the bottom …read more

Image details: Lop-eared rabbit served by picapp.com
I seem to be on a bunny kick this week (do not tell my husband!) and came across this recipe for “bunny cookies:”
- 1 cup of your bunny’s favorite fruits and veggies, chopped (bunny-friendly only!)
- 1/4 cup yogurt or banana (plus a little bit of water if using banana)
1. Cut up fruits and vegetables and place in a bowl
2. Mix water and banana until creamy (skip this step if you are using yogurt)
3. Place a small amount of yogurt or banana mixture on a plate
4. Place small amount of fruits and vegetables onto the …read more

I love rats. To be more specific, I love the domesticated fancy rat. I’ve never had an experience with the wild variety but I doubt they’d be at the top of my list. Anyway, last week marked the beginning of the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Rat!
Over the last six years we’ve owned four rats. Our first pair in 2002 were sisters we named Dot and Dash, and our second pair of sisters in 2005 were Starbuck and Boomer. Rats make excellent pets and I recommend them to anyone, especially anyone looking to get a first …read more

I was feeling a little melancholy yesterday after reading a thread on a message board about pets that have passed on. It cemented my decision that much more that as much as we loved having pet rats we’ve decided it’s going to be a long time, if ever, before we’ll get more. They are really fantastic pets but they just don’t live very long and for anyone who’s ever had a pet die after a short time you know it doesn’t get easier the more you go through it.
Anyway, it goes without saying that I absolutely dread the day …read more

The Home & Dining channel decided our theme this month should be ways to keep warm during the autumn months. Of course, we can’t forget our pets!

Give them their own radiator
Or let nature do the work
Keep their paws warm and dry
A soft glowing light for dogs…
…and don’t forget the cats…
…and birds and lizards
Try some interspecies snorgling
Learn about keeping follicly challenged rats warm…
…and the hedgies
Make warm cat treats…
…and dog treats
And don’t forget the rodents
Floor heating for snakes
A luxury bed
Make sure they can get into the bed
…read more