Hide and Seek!

The other day I went up to my room to get ready for bed.  As is my custom, I checked on all my critters before turning off the light to go to sleep.  Rats: all present and accounted for.  Birds: cranky that the light is still on, but all there.  Toads: there's one....uh, one....um..... Frantically I open the lid to the tank and begin searching for the missing toad.  I know they're good jumpers, and though the lid was on and secure, I also know animals can be creative when they decide to escape.  After several minutes of searching the tank, and freaking out the one toad I could find, this is what I discovered.

Trevor the trouble maker has apparently decided that the filter makes a good hiding place.  Hide and seek is his favorite new game.  For the past 3 nights he has been in the filter, sometimes so far down that I cannot see him at all, when I get ready for bed.  I still check on him, tap the filter, just to make sure he doesn't get stuck.  The filter is also off for now until I can get a replacement that does not have an open top.

Getting into Birding

I grew up with a love of birds, instilled in me by my paternal grandmother.  I spent a lot of time with her as a little girl, and everywhere we went, she would point out different species of bird and ask me what they were. I loved it!  It even went so far, in my funny little girl's mind, that I thought I could tell the difference between birds of the same species I saw around my house, and I would name them and talk to them when I played outside.  When my grandmother passed away, I was 9 years old.  I inherited her field binoculars and bird book, the same binoculars and book we used when we went anywhere to look at birds.  Now, I'm 24, and my parents bought me a very nice pair of binoculars for Christmas. So, what did I do?  I took up bird-watching, or birding, of course! I'm still very much a beginner, but I'm loving everything about delving into the world of birds.  It's not just about what birds you see, identifying said birds.  It's about the time spent to find an elusive bird, even if it turns out to be a common sparrow.  It's about watching the bird's behavior, taking your time, understanding what they're doing.

The best resources I've found for anyone interested in bird watching are the Sibley Guides (written by David Allen Sibley) and the Audubon Society.  I own several guidebooks, field guides, and other literature on birding from both of these sources.  There is also a Sibley phone app that I am looking into purchasing, which (in addition to having field notes on the birds) has sound recordings of bird calls and songs.

I've been on a few bird watching excursions since receiving my new binoculars, and have since listed the species of birds I was able to identify.  My list now stands at 22 different species, and I know that I will add to that every day.  I will post pictures that I took on these excursions soon.  In the meantime, here are generic pictures of some of my favorite birds:

Nuttall's Woodpecker

Western Bluebirds - male/female

American Goldfinch - female

Black Phoebe

Downy Woodpecker - female

House finches - male/female

Pileated Woodpecker

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Spotted Towhee (I've also seen it called Rufous-sided)

Rat Care: Housing and bedding

In the care of any animal, the first thing you need to know is what kind of housing and bedding are needed for your pet.  Today I'll talk about the different types of housing available for rats, the amount of space needed, and the types of bedding you can use.

First, lets talk about the kinds of housing available.

The most readily available housing for rats is the wire cage.  Cages can be bought in many sizes and styles, and they are great for hanging toys, food and water dispensers, and many other fun things for customizing your rat's home.  There are a few things to be aware of when choosing a cage.  The first is bar spacing, that is the amount of space in between the bars of the cage.  Rats have an amazing ability to squeeze themselves through small spaces.  If your rat's head might be able to fit through the bars then the entire rat will be able to fit through the bars and escape.  I recommend you use bar spacing no more than 1/2 inch apart.  The second is the material the cage is made of.  Rats love to chew, similar to birds (specifically parrots), and they will chew on the bars of the cage.  Metal bars can give your rat metal poisoning.  Thankfully, most cages sold will have coated bars that are safe for your rats.  The last thing to be aware of is that wire cages often have wire floors.  Wire floors can cause a condition in rats called bumblefoot, which is an inflammation and infection in the foot.  There are also many advantages to wire cages.  Like I already mentioned, they are widely available in many shapes and sizes, so it's easy to find something that works well for you.  Rats also love to climb the bars, and it's very easy to create a fun, interesting environment for your rattie to live in.  Finally, these cages are also quite easy to clean.

Another popular home for your rattie friend is an aquarium or terrarium tank.  Tanks don't have bars that your rat might squeeze through, nor do they have wire floors that could cause bumblefoot.  However, tanks can get dirty and smelly rather quickly, as they don't have very good ventilation. Tanks need to be thoroughly cleaned more often, and they are not quite as easy to clean as a wire cage is.  You also have to get a little creative with hanging toys and food and water dishes in a tank.

There is a third option for housing, which is the homemade rat home.  There are many rat forums out there which discuss this option.  The biggest key to creating a homemade rat home is to make sure it is not something from which your rat can escape, and that it can be cleaned thoroughly.  Rats can and will chew through wood, and they do not discriminate where they urinate, so porous floors are not a good idea as they will soak up urine and won't clean.  I have seen rat homes made from bookshelves, dressers, cabinets, etc.  The floors can be lined with shelf paper and covered with bedding, or made from a durable plastic.

So those are some options for housing.  Now I'll talk about bedding.  Bedding is as wide and diverse as cages, perhaps even more so.  There are some definite bedding no no's.  First off, softwood beddings, like pine and cedar, can cause respiratory issues in rats.  There are oils in softwoods that cause infections in a rat's respiratory system.  There are many good bedding options for our rats though.  Paper based beddings, such as Carefresh or Kaytee beddings.  Others types of bedding are corn cob, hardwood pellets, or cloth.  Keep in mind that any bedding you use should be changed often, and if you notice a smell, or mold, then the type of bedding used should be switched to something else.  I will also caution you against using scented or perfumed beddings, as these, similar to softwoods, can irritate and inflame the respiratory system.

Finally, I want to talk about the space requirements of your rat.  Many cages advertised as rat cages are much to small to house your rat, unless your friend spends more time out of the cage than in it.  Rats need at least 2 cubic feet of space, preferably 2.5 cubic feet. This equates to a cage about 1ft x 2ft x 1ft. This is the minimum for 1 rat.  Rats are social animals, and I would recommend keeping at least 2 together.  This, of course, increases the size requirement of your cage.

I personally have a 40 gallon tank in which I house my three little girls.  The tank is about 6 cubic feet, but I also allow my girls the run of my room for a period every day.  I have observed their habits, and my lazy girls sleep all day while I'm gone, and then love to run around and get let out once I'm home.  I also keep many toys for them to chew and explore in their tank, but I will talk more about toys and keeping your rat happy in another post.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please post them in the comment box below.

Soon to Come

I know that I haven't posted in a while, and I'm working on a few things that will hopefully be up this week.  I'm in the process of creating care guides for the variety of animals I have, as well as a special post dedicated to an animal related hobby I've picked.  Look for those in the coming week!  If there's anything you'd like to see or have questions about, please comment below.

The Amazing Spider Frog

Look at me!

Oscar thinks he's Spiderman.

The view really is much better up high.

Eeeeek a Rat!

Many people hear the word rat and immediately picture disgusting pests who live in sewers and invade your home.  I admit, living in the LA area (Whittier, CA to be precise) as a kid, we did have a rat problem once.  The things were huge, and I completely understood their bad reputation.  What lead me to loving pet rats as much as I do?  It started with having a couple teachers who kept pet rats in the classroom.  I've always loved animals, and I've never had any issues handling any kind of critter to cross my path.  So, in 8th grade, I helped my science teacher take care of the rats in the classroom.  It was nearly love at first sight.  Unfortunately, my family was not so easily swayed.  Then, in college I started in with my collection and haven't stopped.  I've been a rat owner for the past 6 years, and I'm definitely hooked.

Common misconceptions about pet rats:

• They're dirty.  Actually, rats are very well groomed animals.  The only time a rat will get truly dirty is if their cage is not kept clean.  It's also very easy to bath a rat, provided the rat has been properly socialized.  I only give my rats baths on rare occasion, as they keep themselves pretty clean, but a bath every month or two can help keep their fur soft.  I use baby shampoo and only wash their bodies; I do not go anywhere near their heads.  Here's a picture of one of my girls after a bath:

Sadly, Andi is no longer with me.  She developed mammary tumors and had to be put down.

• They're diseased.  This goes hand in hand with being clean.  Pet rats don't carry the same diseases that wild rats do.  It's still possible for them to get fleas, mites, etc, but that's the same for any pet.  In the 6 years that I've had rats, I've never once seen a flea on any of them.  Nor have I gotten sick or infected from a scratch.

• They're mean.  While it's always possible for any animal to be mean, to say that rats in general are mean is untrue.  My rats love to nibble on my fingers, and occasionally someone nips too hard.  I've also had new rats who nipped because they were afraid of me, and it took time to build trust.  However, I have never had a rat bite me and break skin.  Rats are affectionate critters who love to be held and played with.  One of my current girls, Rose, would rather be out with me than in her tank!

Andi and her sister Cassie a couple hours after I got them

If you have experienced any other negative stereotypes about rats, let me know! I'd love to debunk as many misconceptions as I can.  I already recommend rats over hamsters to anyone who will listen because of their sweet temperaments and playful curiosity.  Please post comments or ask questions below.

So you want to get a pet....

We all know that having a pet is a big responsibility.  The animals we own rely on us for all of their needs, for their well-being.  What exactly does that entail?  Do we simply provide them with food, water, and shelter?  What kind of food? What kind of shelter?  What do we get out of our pets?  How do we figure out what kind of pet to get in the first place?  These, and many others, are all questions that anyone should answer before buying any sort of animal.  In this post, I will attempt to cover the things every pet owner should know before they acquire their pet.

Meeting Their Needs

The first thing pet owners need to know, even before they decide what kind of pet they want, is what it means to really meet the needs of any animal.  Every pet has basic needs just for surviving: food, water, shelter.  However, there is a much bigger list of things they need to thrive, and sadly, this list is often neglected when people choose a pet.

It's not enough just to buy food for your animal, find out their nutritional needs and make sure you are giving them the supplements to their standard food.  For example, plain old rat food is great, but rats also need fresh fruits, veggies, protein, etc.  The same goes for many other animals as well. 

Animals also need mental stimulation.  This can be achieved by giving them toys, hiding treats in their environment to find, adding things to their environment for them to explore, etc.  You don't have to spend a lot of money on these things either, oftentimes homemade toys are just as interesting as the expensive store bought ones.

Grooming is also very important for pets.  While many animals can take care of this themselves, sometimes they need just a little help from us.  Things like trimming their nails or getting knots out of fur are more difficult for pets to do for themselves.

My biggest recommendation is to do a lot of research online once you've decided what kind of animal you want.  The internet is a great tool for finding information about every pet imaginable.  There are forums, clubs, and other organizations dedicated to specific animals and what it's like to keep them as pets.  Talk to others who own the kind of pet you want, see what they have to say.  Find out what is involved in letting your desired pet thrive, rather than just survive, and then decide if that's a commitment you want to take on, or if maybe there's a different pet that would be a better match for you. If you just want something you only have to feed and water on occasion, I recommend getting a nice potted plant.

Choosing the Right Pet for You

Ok, so you know that owning a pet is a big commitment.  You're aware that a pet should be allowed to thrive rather than just survive.  The next question is: how do you know what kind of pet to get?  To answer this question, you have to ask a few more.  First, what are you looking for in a pet?  Do you want something that's just for looks or something you can interact with?  Do you want a pet you can cuddle?  How about one that does tricks?  Do you want a large pet or a small pet?  Do you want a quiet pet, or is a noisy one ok?  How much time, money, and space do you have to dedicate to your pet?  Fish are great fun to watch, but obviously you can't really cuddle with them or teach them tricks (other than coming up to the top of the tank when it's food time...).  Reptiles are also fun to watch, and you can hold them, but they aren't super cuddly either.  Rats, mice, hamsters and other small pets are great for people who don't have much space.  Dogs and cats are wonderful to cuddle, but they require more room than other pets.  Birds are brightly colored, some can learn tricks, and some love to cuddle, but they can be very loud.

If you aren't sure where to start, go to a pet store and see what catches your eye, and then go do some research.  I really wanted a fish tank, but water changes, filter maintenance, cleaning the rocks, etc. can be a really big chore.  So, I have a half fish tank, half toad terrarium.  It still needs to be cleaned, and the water needs to be changed, but because the volume is smaller, it doesn't take up quite as much time.

Hopefully this little guide helps in the decision process of getting a pet.  If you have questions related to a specific type or breed of animal, please comment and I'll be happy to help on a more specific level.