by james_gordon_los_angeles

Is Caring For Pets As Stressful As Raising Kids?

Article by Donald Saunders

For many people pets are very much a part of the family and many pet owners will even refer to their pets as their ‘children’. So, if raising children can provide abundant opportunities for stress to enter your life, can caring for pets do the same thing?

While there will always be times when you will have cause to worry about your pets, especially when they are sick or stray from home, the reality of the situation is that rather than provide a cause for stress, caring for pets has quite the opposite effect.

A number of studies have suggested that having a pet helps patients who are recovering from surgery to heal faster. If the link between infection and stress that some of them show is correct, this shouldn’t be surprising. The positive effect on the immune system could account for that.

For many people, owning pets provides an abundance of psychological pluses. For example, a cat appears oblivious to any problems you might have and will happily lie curled up in your lap purring, waking only to let you know that it’s time for dinner. And yet the mere fact that your attention is directed towards the cat and away from some problem that might have occurred during the day, such as an unpleasant confrontation with your boss at work, helps to lower stress.

Dogs are also great stress relievers, when they’re not digging holes in the garden, chewing on a good pair of shoes or creating a mess on the carpet. Take them out into the garden and have a game of fetch with a ball can and watching their joy in this simple activity soon takes your mind away from the doom and gloom of life.

Man has been keeping dogs for over 10,000 years now and, during that time, they have participated in hundreds of everyday human rituals and activities, many of which act as stress relievers. Fishing, hiking and other activities in themselves provide relief from stress and, when accompanied by a loved and loving dog, the effect is amplified.

Even aquarium fish can provide a source of stress relief. Caring for tropical fish takes a lot of careful planning and execution and focusing your mind on this task helps to keep it off what often amounts to trivial problems. In addition, simply sitting quietly and observing the many interesting behaviors sea creatures exhibit can be very relaxing.

Many pets including birds, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits and others often display behavior which we find humorous and even the most serious of psychotherapists would agree that laughter is an excellent form of medicine when it comes to lowering stress.

Although we don’t communicate with animals in the same way that we do with other humans, there is no doubt that an understanding forms between individuals and their pets. That bond is often very strong and results in a feeling of support without the expectation of anything in return other than food and a little of our time and attention.

How to handle your gerbils
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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by Mink

Keeping Rodents as Pets

Rodents make good pets. Not only are they small and easy to manage, they are also fun to watch and are typically hassle-free. While some people associate rodents with dark, dirty, and scary sewer rats, you’ll find that there are lots of cute and furry rodents that would make perfect companions for people of all ages.

The good thing about rodents is that they are pretty small. This means that you don’t need too much to keep them in your home. Also they are low maintenance. You can put them in their cage, play with them a bit, and leave them some food and they will typically take care of themselves.

Below is a list of the most common rodent pets you might consider for your household pet.

1. Hamsters-hamsters are not very long-lived rodents. They do, however, live an average of two to three years. You will need large enough cages for hamsters since they are very active. They can also be kept single, without the need for cage mates. They’re pretty agreeable especially if you handle them from the time they are very young. They can become grumpy and defensive however, especially if you wake them during the day (they are nocturnal animals).

2. Gerbils – gerbils also live up to three years. They have a furry tail that makes up about half its size. They are also very social rodents so it would be great if you purchase them in pairs. You may want to buy same-sex gerbils however, as they could rapidly procreate if left alone. They have very agreeable temperaments, but you have to refrain from holding them by the tail.

3. Mice-mice are short-lived rodents. They only live for about one to three years. They are also very fun to watch, but due to their skittish nature, they may be very hard to handle out of the cage. They don’t typically need too much room to live in. However, being social creatures, you’ll have to buy them in pairs-just remember to keep them of the same-sex so they don’t procreate uncontrollably.

4. Guinea pigs- guinea pigs are the longest lived of the here mentioned rodents. You could keep a guinea pig for about five years. They are also very gentle in nature, and aren’t averse to handling. The truth is they won’t bite even when agitated. They are pretty big, so you will need to give them enough cage space. They are social creatures, so you’ll need to keep them in pairs. You also have to supply them with an adequate supply of vegetables and vitamin C.

Related Gerbil Care Articles

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by cote

Caring For Your Pets After You Die

While you may be planning to outlive your pets, what if something were to happen to you? Would Fido and Fluffy be provided for in the event of your untimley death or if you became incapacitated? Here’s how you can insure that your pets get the proper care in the event that you’re not able to give it to them.

According to a recent New York Times article, “leaving money to your pet became legally possible in 1990 when a section validating trusts for domestic animals was added to the Uniform Probate Code” which governs these types of matters. And laws in 27 states now allow pet owners to set up trusts for their pets to pay for their care should you die or become incapacitated. And more states, including Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas, all have pet trust legislation pending.

A trust for your pet is really no different than a trust for your children. It basically is a legal document that is tied to a sum of money set aside in a bank account with a trustee named to manage the account on behalf of the person establishing the trust.

For instance, my wife and I both have insurance trusts set up to benefit our son in the event of both our becoming incapacitated or sudden deaths. My wife is the executor of my trust as well as the primary beneficiary and I’m the executor and beneficiary of her trust with our son the secondary beneficiary of both trusts. In the event that something were to happen to both my wife and I at the same time, my sister and my wife’s brother have been named as co-executors. They have explicit instructions spelled out within the trust on how we want our insurance policies disbursed to each other or to our son.

Same with pets.

The NY Times article went on to report that unless specific instructions are left in a will or with other family members, pets are often given up or displaced with nearly 500,000 pets killed in shelters and vet offices each year after their owners die and the pets become abandoned.

Setting up a trust fund can cost a few hundred dollars or even a lot less if you do it at the same time that you draw up a regular will. And speaking of wills, yes, you can provide for the care of your pets in a regular will but that only kicks in upon your death and not if you’re seriously ill or incapacitated. And experts also caution not to leave excessive amounts of money to pets that may cause challenges from other heirs. If you want your pet to continue living in the style it’s accustomed to, ,000 – ,000 per animal should suffice. Some people leave more and some less. It’s entirely up to you.

The Humane Society of the United States offers a free kit that helps you evaluate your pets’ future without you. It includes a six-page fact sheet, caregiver forms and more. You can contact them at 202.452.1100 or via email at petsinwillsrp@hsus.org.

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by TrombaMarina

Health Insurance for Your Exotic Pets

Maintaining an exotic pet is no joke. It will require an equally exotic owner with exotic capabilities. Pardon the redundancy, but if you are really serious and hell-bent on taking good care of your exotic pet, you will need to have it insured! Yes, even exotic pets have medical needs and like people, they can be high maintenance, depending on type. Given from the very start that you own an exotic pet indicates that its maintenance is equally exotic, and it’s something you must also prepare for as you turn into a good exotic pet owner.

While it is true that only one or two percent of pet owners feel the need to invest in pet insurance, as an exotic pet owner, it is an unwritten, mandatory thing to have proper pet insurance. These exotic pets need as much care as you could possibly give. And unless you are earning pools of money daily, you won’t be particularly enamored to find that your veterinary bills may be bigger than your own medical bills.

For starters, there are a host of available pet insurance plans for ordinary pets. But if you happen to own something more exotic, you would also find that insurance plans for your creature would be hard to come by. But there are available plans, albeit a bit more expensive than others, given that the nature of your pet isn’t generally accepted as pet material. You must have considered this before you buy that exotic pet which caught your attention.

The usual annual fee for pet insurance ranges up to 0-250. This might not be too heavy an investment considering that it will really help the potential financial challenges you might get if in case something happens to and with your pet of choice. Veterinary fees are more expensive for exotic pets. Some veterinarians have to train longer than usual just to be able to accommodate the more exotic and potential dangerous pet.

Just like any insurance policy, read the fine print carefully. Check the scope of the insurance plan before you sign anything. Make sure that you are aware of what rights you are entitled to with that particular insurance policy. These policies can get quite tricky, so make sure that you have gotten exactly what you wanted for your pets health insurance. You wouldn’t want to realize a small but vital detail you overlooked after you have already dutifully paid and invested in the policy.

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by Ninithedreamer

Hamster Care and Why Hamsters Make Great Pets

Hamsters are one of the most popular pets in the world, and are definitely the most popular pet from the rodent family. Hamsters make great pets for people of all ages because of their cleanliness and cuteness, and hamsters are also relatively inexpensive and easy to take care of. A hamster usually makes an ideal pet for children and helps teach responsibility. The average lifespan of a hamster is approximately 1-3 years, and for this reason some people claim that caring for a hamster is a good way for a child to eventually learn to cope with loss.

There are many different kinds of hamsters, but the one most commonly kept as a pet is the cute Syrian hamster breed. Syrian hamsters are the largest kind of hamster, and they can be found in a lot of pretty different colors, in long-haired or short-haired variety. The long-haired Syrian hamster is sometimes called a Teddy Bear hamster. A full-grown Syrian hamster usually grows to about four to six inches long. An important thing to know about Syrian hamsters is that you should never keep more than one per cage, because if two Syrian hamsters are forced to share the same space, they will probably fight and can seriously hurt each other. The next most popular hamsters are Dwarf hamsters, which only grow to three to four inches in length, hence the name Dwarf hamsters. These cute little guys can be kept together with other Dwarf hamsters and they will usually get along just fine.

Before you decide to buy a hamster as a pet, you should buy all the supplies you need, such as a hamster cage, water bottle, food, bedding and toys. You can find and buy any of the stuff you need to prepare for a new pet hamster by searching online; I think that is how you’ll find the best deals on pet supplies. Get your hamsters house set up and ready beforehand, so the hamster can relax and immediately begin to make his or herself at home in the new surroundings. There are all kinds of different styles of hamster cages to choose from, you just need to make sure whichever hamster cage you choose has a wheel for the hamster to exercise on. Also, try not to get a wire exercise wheel, because they can injure a hamster if the hamsters leg falls through the wires, so it’s best to find a solid plastic hamster wheel if possible. Try not to place the hamster cage in direct sunlight, and don’t let your hamster get too cold or hot.

After you have everything set up, you are ready to buy a pet hamster from a pet shop or from a hamster breeder. The hamster itself will probably be rather inexpensive, and you already have the hamster cage and other supplies set up and waiting for your hamster, so you shouldn’t have to spend much money at the pet store. Try to make sure that wherever you decide to buy your hamster that the hamsters appear to be clean and well taken care of. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the hamsters. Ask how old the hamsters are and try to get a young one. You probably don’t want to bring home a pregnant hamster either, because then you might end up with more than you bargained for!

Last but certainly not least, although hamsters are good at taking care of grooming themselves, you need to make sure to clean your hamster’s home regularly. This is very important to your hamster’s health. It only takes about 10-15 minutes to do. If you follow these simple hamster care guidelines and do your research online by reading as much information as you can, your hamster will love you for it and you will be a better pet owner to your hamster.

More Hamster Care Articles

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luvurdog.com Video on ways to keep your pet health, while saving money on your pet health care

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Second hand smoke affects your pet’s health more than you may realize. Hosted by Cassandra Reed of Animal Planet’s “Groomer Has It”.

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ButchNBarbie is the quality retail supplier of Cats and Dogs products online, we have included all the necessary organic and natural pet products in ButchNBarbie to make your search for pet supplies easier. Browse for the desired category and choose your organic pet product. We ensure quality organic and natural pet supplies as we believe that our pets deserve the same quality that we would choose for ourselves. ButchNBarbie is a pet product retailer which focuses on all natural and quality Dog Treats, Cat Treats, Dog Food, Cat Food, Dog Care Product, Cat Care Product, Dogs Apparel and Cats Apparel and a lot more for your companion, all the pet supplies are shipped to you for free.

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YOU CAN MAKE YOUR PETʼS BITE BETTER THAN HIS BARK. THATʼS BECAUSE REDUCING THE RISK OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE IN ANIMALS IS BOTH EASIER AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN MANY PEOPLE REALIZE. VETERINARIANS SAY EIGHTY PERCENT OF DOGS AND CATS IN THE USA SUFFER FROM PERIODONTAL DISEASE BY THE TIME THEYʼRE THREE YEARS OLD. ITʼS THE NUMBER ONE HEALTH CARE ISSUE FOR PETS. LEFT UNTREATED, IT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO MORE SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES, LIKE HEART, KIDNEY, LIVER AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES. VETERINARIAN DOCTOR JAN BELLOWS SAYS THERE ARE SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT ORAL DISEASE IN YOUR PETSENSURING THEM A FULL AND HEALTHY LIFE.

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bestcat-care.com — Read all about choosing a pet bird. Lots of useful and interesting information about choosing a pet bird. Choosing a pet bird is very different compared to shopping for clothes. This is because it requires a lot of commitment to make sure that this creature will get all the love and care that it needs so consider a few things when you decide to go to the pet store. For more Information about PET, please visit bestcat-care.com

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