Pet care

I have become appalled lately at the conditions some people keep their animals in. A recent craigslist post of a rat in an aquarium with bird seed, no toys, and cedar bedding almost made my head burst from anger.

There are TONS of good articles on proper ways to keep small animals. Even if you just go with the basics and don't go all out it's still better then keeping your animal in poor conditions(it could be argued if you aren't going to go all out and give your pet the best care possible then why bother having a pet).

Rats are HIGHLY social animals and should be kept in same sexed groups of 2 or more. You CAN keep mixed groups IF 1 or both sexes are spayed/neutered. I have 16 rats - 10 girls and 5 boys. My 10 girls live in a double critter nation cage (http://www.midwesthomes4pets.com/category/default.aspx?submenu=2&catid=140). My 6 boys also have a DCN. Inside their cages are an assortment of toys, hammocks (http://robinshammocks.webs.com/), a wodent wheel (http://www.transoniq.com/images/rats.html, branches for climbing, 99 cent store baskets hung to the sides of the cage, etc. Ratties are curious little beasts and and need enrichment. I change their cage around every week, it never looks the same. Even if you just get the basics for your pair of rats, you should have an adequate cage (Martins cages, critter nations, if you have to buy in the stores petco rat manor or even some of the cages aimed for chinchillas/ferrets/larger birds can be modified into proper rat cages), 2 food dishes (1 for dry food, 1 for fresh), a hammock, a couple of hanging toys, and a wheel (wodent wheels are best but any wheel that is does has a flat surface or mesh, not the traditional open wire type you see). Bedding - NEVER EVER EVER EVER use pine or cedar. Ever. It's BAD. It can cause respitory issues, even death. DON'T USE IT. Aspen, care fresh, eco bedding are acceptable. You can also litter train your rats and buy fleece to cover the floor and levels with. If you must, you can even use black/white ink newspaper if you check to make sure the ink is soy based non toxic. Does nothing for odor control though. I use aspen mostly, with some eco bedding thrown in for comfort. I also give them paper to shread (newspaper and butcher paper). I feed Harlan Tekland lab blocks. I use the 2016 formula. I also feed whole wheat pasta (cooked and raw), cheerios, fresh veggies, fresh and dried fruit, frozen veggies, frozen fruit, eggs (boiled, scrambled, even poached), yogurt (plain), and cooked brown rice. Not all at once, they get their blocks every day and a mixture of the other stuff. A diet based on seeds is BAD. In addition to a proper cage, diet, and bedding your rat needs exercise and socialization. Get them out, play with them. Pets are there for you to socialize with, take care of, play with. Not to stick and a cage and simply have so you can tell people you have them. Oh, and another tip, I keep a brick in each cage which keeps their nails trimmed.

Rabbits - I retired from showing and breeding for many reasons. I will say most breeders that I knew CARED about their rabbits. However, our standards of care differed. Basic needs were ALWAYS met but I have always believed in going beyond basic needs. Currently my rabbits, with the exception of 1 speutered bonded pair, live by themselves. The goal is, over the course of the next year, to finish spaying and neutering all of them (have 3 boys and 4 girls left to fix) and to build a large pen or 2 large pens and bond as many together as possible. I have 12 rabbits. My current pair are seniors (7 1/2+) and will be kept together seperate from the rest of the pack. I am working on litter training as the pen will be flat. Currently my guys are kepts in 36x24 sized cages (which is the minimum size I personally would recommend for a bunny under 6 pounds). I am using wire bottomed cages with plastic rest mats and/or tiles. Wire bottomed cages are ok for smaller bunnies. I know some people/organizations would disagree BUT, if a rest mat is provided, it's fine. I have NEVER, in 12 years of bunny ownership and 8 years in the show world, had a rabbit suffer from sore hocks. I do recommend solid floors for larger rabbits (such as French Lops and Flemish Giants) and for Rex/Mini Rex. I also use aspen bedding for the rabbits in the trays. In the litter boxes, I am using carefresh but trying to find something else that doesn't cling to the wool of my fuzzies quite as bad. All of my rabbits have toys, hanging and floor toys. I do not have hiding areas in the cages, however, I will once the pen(s) done. I feed my rabbits a staple diet of rabbit pellets (plain pellets, no "colorful" additives), timothy hay, and some fresh fruits and veggies (mostly green veggies, the green tops from carrots, banana, cucumber, etc). I also feed clover, dandelions when they are still yellow, and herbs to the bunnies. Apple branches are great for them to chew. They do require some grooming, even the non wool breeds (nail clipping, wiping out their ears, wiping their vent area, etc). Floor time = important. The more the better. Would you want to spend your entire day living in a cage, day in day out. Yes, they do feel safe and cozy in their cage (or hole) but they need exercise. Rabbits can live 8-10 years... my charlie lived to be over 11. Would you want to spend 10 years in a tiny cage with nothing to occupy your time and the same food? Probably not. Of course rabbits are animals, not human. I am not denying that. But they still are living beings and if you choose to make one your pet, treat it with respect.

Birds - I have seen far to many people keep their birds in cages with no toys. Birds need toys. Toys = enrichment. They need to be cleaned often. I don't give Sam (my blue front amazon parrot) a mirror, he attacks them. But he has toys. Even toys that make tons of noise and drive me nuts. He's happy so I'm happy. I am not dwelving to much into bird care because it varies from species and even from bird to bird. I think most birds should be fed a pellet type feed, not seed. Sam gets his pellets, peanuts, sunflower seeds, dried chili peppers (his "chocolate"), fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, cooked pasta, cooked rice, and even a dorito or french fry as a very occasional treat. Sometimes he tosses everything, usually he eats half what I give him. I saw a parotlett in a tiny cage that was filthy with no toys and bird seed and wanted to cry. No bird should live in such horrible, pathetic conditions.

My point is, if you get an animal - be it a $1200 bird, $20 rabbit, $5 rat, TREAT IT WITH RESPECT. If you can't give it the care it deserves, DON'T GET IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!