To begin: housing

Hamsters aren’t very sociable animals. Most breeds like to be kept alone, otherwise they will fight. There are, however, one or two breeds that enjoy eachothers company, usually the smaller breeds like roborovski hamsters and dwarf hamsters. Check with the breeder first! Regardless of number, hamsters need an ideally sized cage to sleep and play in, one large enough for a bed, a wheel, a toy or two and a food bowl. There are plenty of hamster cages out there to choose from!

Feeding

Unlike cats, dogs, rabbit or other larger pets, hamsters don’t require any jabs, rarely require vet treatment and only require feeding once a day – sometimes not even that! Hamsters are very good at regulating the amount the eat and will only ever nom on some nibbles when they feel hungry. That’s not to say you can’t give them a treat or two here and there, because some fresh carrot, brocolli or a couple of nuts offers an additional element of nutrition to their diet as well as providing ideal, healthy treats along with store sold hamster food. Be careful not to give your ham too much wet food though (cucumber, for instance), as this can lead to a nasty stomach ache!

Playtime!

If you have a safe environment for your little hamster to run around in, let him or her explore! Though they will likely have a hamster wheel in their cage, they like to get out and about and enjoy an adventure from time to time. If you can’t let them run around on the floor, there’s no harm in letting them crawl and climb all over you – it still counts as exercise! You can also find a selection of hamster toys to keep them occupied in their cage.

Maintenance

Some longer haired hamsters will need a minimal but additional level of maintenance. From time-to-time they do need a little haircut, but this is easily performed with a pair of curved nail scissors. Of course, you must clean out any hamster cage once a week, especially during the warmer months. Your hamster wants to live in a clean, sweet smelling home just as much as you do! Don’t use fine sawdust though, as it can effect their breathing. Hamsters will rarely need to go to the vet for any reason, perhaps never in the course of its whole life, but you should still be aware of any health conditions or problems a hamster can develop.

Take a look at some hamster care guide books for more information!

The word ‘ferret’ actually means ‘little thief’ in Latin. This might give you an indication of the personality of a ferret. They like to steal little bits and bobs, a bit like a magpie, so understand that ferrets are very curious creatures and like to get into anything and everything they can. They love to explore! As very active creatures, ferrets need a lot of time free of the confines of a cage as well as some time socialising either with you or with another ferret. They are a lot like dogs, cats and rats – they love attention from their owners.

There are plenty of ferret accessories to keep your bendy pet entertained. Ferret toys are an excellent way to keep them active and their mind stimulated – these can also be tossed into the ferret cage afterwards! Of course, you’re going to need plenty of ferret food and other ferret bits and pieces.

If you’re going to have a ferret running around, you have to make sure your home is ferret-proofed. They can get into almost any little niche and hole. Think about all of the places you would want to get into if you were that size! Even if you have a ferret-safe home though, you must keep an eye out to make sure they don’t find anything new!

If you have other animals running around, make sure you introduce them slowly and carefully. You don’t want any fights to go on between your pets. Ferrets won’t get along with smaller animals like birds, rodents or rabbits though, so either ensure they’re kept separate or don’t get a ferret! They have a nasty nip.

For more information on ferrets, check out some ferret care and ferret guide books!

Though this first tale isn’t entirely of the pet variety depending on how you choose to look at it, we thought it would make a nice little introduction. Meet Zorro, a six year old zebra shark desperate for a new love. He was shipped off to the Seal Life London Aquarium on Valentine’s Day with hopes he would get together with their resident female sharj Mazawabee. In order to encourage some lovin’, marine experts have been attempting to encourage some underwater activity by playing seductive tunes like Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On. Sadly, as of yet there have been no signs of any action, but research does suggest that fish can both hear and appreciate different tunes and melodies! Sh(ark!)ocking!

This next one is particularly mad! At the Bremerhaven Zoo, Germany, the introduction of a group of female penguins to a flock of male penguins was dropped after gay rights groups protested splitting up ‘homosexual’ penguin couples. Zoo director Heike Kueck insits there was never any intention to forcibly separate the penguins and even if they wanted to, they couldn’t force them to be interested in females!

Now we’ve mentioned heroic pets before, but this particular pooch really deserves an extra special mention. A pet dog rooting around in the forest in search of food for her puppies apparently stumbled upon an abandoned newborn, picked it up, carried it across a busy road, through a barbed-wire fence and laid it beside her own puppies. According to the dog’s owner, the dog lay beside the baby and took care of it until it was spotted by someone. The baby was later taken to hospital.

So there you have some fascinating pet stories to remind you why we love our crazy animals so much!

Due to their ability to kill agressive and poisonous snakes like cobras, the cat was considered to be a symbol of grace and poise.  There was originally a cult surrounding the lion-headed goddess Mafdet, but Bastet’s image later replaced this, becoming the deity of protection, fertility and motherhood. Due to their revered status, some cats were even mummified after death and given to Bastet as a sacrifice.  In the late 19th century one farmer even discovered a large tomb containing the mummified bodies of cats and kittens.

The Egyptians were in fact so protective of their cats that should there be a fire, it was guarded so as cats would not run into the flames. Even worse, if one should accidentally kill a cat, this would incurr the death penalty! According to Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, the chariot of a Roman soldier once accidentally ran over an Egyptian cat, enraging onlookers, who formed a mob, surrounded him and, despite pleas from Pharoah Ptolemy XII, murdered the soldier out of revenge!

Though cats are still popular pets today, we’re sensible about the treatment of our animals. All of our pets deserve to be cared for, so if you have a pampered puss in need of some cat treats, a new cat bed or cat toy, take a look at adflyer’s huge selection of cat and kitten accessories.

Have you ever been desperate to know exactly what your darling little Precious or Perdy is thinking when she looks up at you doe-eyed like butter wouldn’t melt? No doubt we have all at one stage or another wanted to discover what our pets are thinking at a particular moment, whether they are simply  hankering for a slice of that ham you’re putting on your sandwich or whether they are yearning for a bit of fuss and attention.

Like all animals, cats and kittens communicate in a very special way, be it by rubbing their chin up against your leg, the door or anything else in range, or be it gently pawing you while you’re trying to watch the lastest episode of Coronation Street. Cats are a temperamental species, so it can be very difficult to know 100% what it is they want or need, but by and large, it’s not difficult to guess.

Does she need to use the litter tray? Does she want to play with the catnip toy? Or does she simply want to curl up in her bed while you dotingly brush her with her very own cat brush? One cat owner tells a story of her cat making herself comfortable on top of their turtle tank, meowing incessantly and pawing the lid. They had no idea what she was doing this for until the owner realised the bulb in the tank had gone and their little kitty was demanding its replacement so she could continue to be comfy and warm on her special spot atop the turtles! Very clever!

Another owner complains of their cat pouncing on their head in the early hours of the morning, wondering if an imaginary mouse has scuttled into his ear. We think that one just wanted a bit of attention from their lazybones human! One owner in particular tells of her cat Squeaky, who spends hours and hours sitting perfectly still, staring into space. Contemplating the mysteries of the universe? Philosophising? Calculating complicated mathematical problems? Meditating? Who can say for sure. Maybe she’s just thinking about the best way to get the cat treats down from the top shelf.

If you’re a first timer reptile or amphibian owner, it’s usually best to start small. Don’t just go ahead and buy a 10 metre python because you won’t know a thing about handling it, nor the kind of expenses you will face by keeping one. Instead, go for something like a leopard gecko. Though they can live for up to 20 years and are thus a long-term committment, they are only 8-10 inches in length so they don’t require an enormous reptile tank to house them (though bare in mind that you can only keep one male in a tank of more than one gecko). As they’re nocturnal reptiles, they don’t require any UV lighting for their tank. They do require a basking spot, but a regular incandescent bulb will do the trick. They are usually fed treated insects, but adult leopard geckos can be fed treated mice.

More experienced owners might be interested in buying their first pet iguana. The most important thing to consider is habitat. Iguanas can grow up to a substantial size and so will require a reptile tank to suit their growth. Ideally it should be twice as long as the iguana and as tall as possible. Iguanas will require ultraviolet lighting during the day, unlike leopard geckos, but they are fairly cheap to buy and set up.  Iguanas are herbivores, so a hearty diet of fruit and vegetables is very good for them. They do require calcium and vitamins supliments, however, to prevent them from getting Metabolic Bone Disease.

For more information on leopard geckos and iguanas, or other pet reptiles and pet amphibians, take a look at all of the pet care guides on adflyer. Just type ‘pet care’ into the search bar, or whatever else you’re looking for, and away you go!

Not all parrots are excellent speakers. Pet birds that are generally known for being capable of speaking are African Grey Parrots. They are capable of imitating humans to the point where they are almost indistinguishable from actual human speech. You have probably found yourself fooled by a parrot or two on some occasion!

Though parrots can use quite a list of words, they don’t understand the meaning to what they’re saying. Much like young parrots squawking for attention from their mother, parrots will make these vocalisations in order to evoke a response that grants them attention. They won’t understand the significance of the word itself, but they will understand the reaction or action that word results in.

If you would like to buy a bird that will talk, it’s a good idea to get a young bird and keep it alone in your home. Alternatively, find a bird that already knows how to talk! It’s much easier to teach them something new, compared with older, non-talking birds. They can be difficult to encourage to talk. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will get a bird that is willing to have a conversation with you. Some birds just don’t talk and you will have to accept that.  Just like any other pet, they deserve every ounce of love and attention, and not just for their oratory skill.

1. Labrador Retriever – aside from this being a very pretty pup, the Labrador retriever is one of the most loyal, most loving, caring and affectionate dog breeds out there! Their good nature make them wonderful family pets. They do require training from an early age like most dogs and can be wayward, but if given the right amount of love and attention, they make friends for life.

2. English Springer Spaniel – this dog is very gentle and even-tempered. Not only that, but they are incredibly intelligent animals capable of learning very quickly. Their tails never seem to stop wagging, making them one of the most cheerful, life-loving dogs out there!

3. German Shepherd – a lot of people might think ill of this misunderstood pup, but German Shepherds make excellent companions. They are very active dogs, are keen, courageous and also very strong. If owners make it clear who is in charge, they make for excellent family pets and will guard and protect their loved ones with their lives.

4. Boxer – these are exceptionally loving and friendly dogs, despite their slightly intimidating appearance. They are very curious and energetic and will keep their owner as fit as they are! They bond with their family and are very affectionate and sociable.  They are also very well known for getting along with children, making them the perfect family pet!

These are just a few of the UK’s most popular dog breeds, but if you’re interested in finding out about more, visit the UK KC website.

You must consider what age, sex and level of training you are interested in. Like most potential pet owners, you might think you want to buy a younger animal, but an older horse will likely already have been trained and thus will save you the time and hassle of getting it used to handling, though this is entirely dependent on what you want to use your new horse for. On the other hand, some older horses might suffer from conditions that require a little bit of extra care, so always be aware of this before you buy. Ideally, you will want to by a horse that is in tip-top shape and condition but, again, this is entirely dependent on your intentions.

You can look into local breeders, or alternatively try looking around auctions for a bargain price, but you must know exactly what you’re looking for and looking at. Auctions aren’t the ideal place for the inexperienced. If you’re unsure, have the horse vetted first – an expert will know a lot better than you if there are any conditions or ailments you need to be made aware of!

If they come from a good breeder, baby rats will be well socialised before they are sent off to new owners or to pet stores, however, this isn’t always the case and some rats are just naturally fearful. The best thing to remember with young rats or older rats, is no sudden movements. Rats, like a lot of animals, are easily spooked by sharp movement so always remember to be slow and careful. If your new rat/rats don’t automatically run to you for attention, allow them to get used to the new cage first before attempting to handle.

First of all, very slowly put your hand into the cage, near to but not right beside your rat. If they don’t run for cover, very slowly move closer until you are touching their fur and if this still causes no reaction, gently stroke the top of their head. It’s best to avoid stroking anywhere else on their body at first as this can startle them! If you repeat this process until they seem comfortable with it – not very tense and on edge – then you can move onto the next step.

Some rats just don’t enjoy being held. If this step doesn’t work, you have to just accept that. First of all, now they are comfortable with being stroked and petted, very gently lift your rat – don’t move them, just place them down again. When they seem happy with this, move them around the cage, gradually increasing the amount of time your rat is in your hands. Once this step is complete, try removing them from the cage and see how they react. If they show signs of stress, don’t try to hold them tighter, just let them hop back into the cage and repeat the process as many times as necessary.

A good way to build up trust between you and your rat is by hand feeding. Try treats or normal food. Babies are usually relcutant to take food, purely because they’re unsure what it is. They might nibble it a little to test and and seem otherwise disinterested, but once they get used to you, they will probably snatch it from your fingers the second they see it!