PetLvr.com - [The Blog]

I love my many pets, and they all get along fairly well, even the cat and rats. Interactions between pets of different species can be fascinating and humorous. However, there are certain common pets that simply don’t play well with others. Here are a few combinations that shouldn’t be permitted to interact, even with supervision.

Ferrets and Rodents

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Male rats and female rats have many similarities, but also several distinct differences. It’s best to keep only one gender at a time, or to keep a mixed sex colony with all rats of one or both genders spayed or neutered. Most rat fanciers prefer one sex of rat over the other. If you’re considering your first pair of rats, deciding between two males or two females can be tough. Here’s some information to help you choose.

Size

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Every pet owner should maintain a good working relationship with a veterinarian. Owners of multiple types of pets, particularly exotic or unusual pets, may need several veterinarians. However, sometimes the decision to take a pet, particularly a small mammal, to the vet for an illness or injury is a difficult one. Small pets are particularly sensitive to stress. Some are also susceptible to airborne viruses. For both these reasons, it’s best to avoid unnecessary stress.

While I am not a vet and a consultation with a veterinarian is always the best choice if you are uncertain or think your pet may be in need of treatment, here is some basic information on symptoms and injuries and their severity. More →

SGR Sleeping Oberon towels dry after a bath.

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“Should I get one rat, or two?”

That’s a question I hear asked very often, and, unlike most pet questions, it’s got an easy answer. Get two! Or, better yet, three, or as many rats as you have the time, space, and money to support! Rats are gregarious animals and need the company of their own kind in order to be happy. In fact, most good rat breeders require that babies be adopted in pairs.

In the wild, rats live in groups of hundreds. They are social animals that do not leave their colonies at adulthood, but simply expand their foraging radius and the size of their colony’s nesting area as the colony expands. Activities like play and social grooming help rats’ brains to develop. Studies have shown that social grooming is so important to rats that baby rats raised by a mother that does not lick and groom them grow up to be unfriendly and less intelligent than rats raised by a mother who is attentive.

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Let me begin by saying that, as a pet rat owner and fancier, I detest the mill-style breeding that Rainbow Exotics practices. As a result of these conditions, as well as the treatment of animals seen in stores, I avoid shopping at Petco or Petsmart whenever possible. In general, I prefer Petsmart if I must choose to shop at a chain pet store that sells live animals, because they keep only one gender of mammals at a time and do not sell live feeders. However, I was forced to enter Petco today due to a crisis– no cat litter left, and Petsmart was out of our brand– and was pleased to see some changes occurring.

Changes at Local Petco Stores

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If you’ve decided to add a small mammal like a rabbit, rat, or hamster to your family, the next step is to choose between adopting a rescued or rehomed pet, or purchasing from a reputable, responsible breeder.

You’ll notice that I haven’t listed purchasing from a pet store as an option. That’s entirely intentional, for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to the following three: More →

Many people seeking a new pet bypass the adoption option for one reason or another. While there are certainly some situations in which purchasing from a reputable, responsible breeder is ideal, consider this list of five myths about pet adoption before bypassing rescue to look for a breeder.

1. Shelter dogs are all mutts.

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One question that I frequently hear from prospective rat owners is, "I have a cat. Will the rats be safe with a cat in the house?"

Unfortunately, there is no single right answer to that question. In fact, there are as many answers as there are cats and owners. Some cats have a very high prey drive and will attack any small mammal introduced into the home. Other cats couldn’t possibly care less that a "prey item" is sitting on the kitchen table stealing tidbits from the humans’ breakfasts. Most kitties fall somewhere between these two extremes.

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Marty, 137540

Marty is happy to be one of the first cats in the cat adoption condos at the new shelter! Marty has a bit of a surprising story…. Stray for 10 months, when he was finally found, his registered owner had moved out-of-province, so Marty returned to us to find a new home. This handsome, 11-month old male would love to make your acquaintance today!

Maddie, 149119

Maddie is a very sweet, 6 month-old Terrier/Lab mix was found stray in the Morris, MB. area. As a young dog, Maddie is slightly timid in new situations or with new people- we’re confident she’ll soon grow out of this once in a loving home. Maddie is expected to do well with other dogs & cats.

If you would like to adopt one of these pets, please contact:

Chantal Young
Adoption Coordinator
204.982.3558

The Winnipeg Humane Society
45 Hurst Way
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
R3T 0R3
Tel: 204.982.3558
Fax: 204.982.3550
Email: chantaly@humanesociety.mb.ca
www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca

Saving just one dog won’t change the world… but it surely will change the world for that one dog

WHS adoption fees for cats & dogs include a vet exam, vaccine, microchip, spay/neuter, ear tattoo, 6 weeks of pet insurance and more! Please visit us at our new shelter, 45 Hurst Way off Waverley Street. Our new hours are M-F 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 12-5:30pm. Cat or dog doesn’t fit your lifestyle? Ask us about adopting a rabbit, degu, guinea pig or other small caged pet.