Most of us pet owners probably don’t choose pet food by reading the labels — instead, we figure out what our pets are most willing to eat and buy that, week after week, occasionally adding something different as a treat.

But we should take some time to compare our regular pet food to other brands, and see if we’re getting what’s best for our pets. That starts with reading the labels. The FDA, which enforces labeling rules, tells us this:

If pet food is labeled with the name of a meat (for example, “Chicken Cat Food”), it has to be, by weight, at least 95% that meat — except for the water used to process it, and “condiments”. (I don’t know what condiments are used in pet food — even the FDA puts the word in quotes.) If the names of two meats are used (like “Chicken and Liver”), it has to be a 95% combination of the two. Also, the first meat named must be the one there’s more of.

If the product name includes an additional descriptive word — “dinner”, “entrée”, “platter”, or “formula”, to give only a few examples, it only has to contain 25% of the named meat. So,one of the main ingredients may be something that’s not mentioned at all in the product name. The FDA warns, for example, that if your cat doesn’t like fish, you need to read the ingredients list on that Chicken Formula can to make sure there’s none in it.

Food labeled as “with” something — beef for example — only has to contain 3% of that ingredient. So your fish-hating cat might actually eat something “with salmon”.

When pet food is “flavored” with something — like chicken broth — it doesn’t have to contain a set percentage, just enough to be detectable. How do the companies know it’s enough? Specially trained animals test it for them.

You can learn a lot by taking a few seconds to read pet food labels.

This is part two and the conclusion of How To Care For A Hamster.

In the previous post of How To Care For A Hamster, I discussed whether or not a hamster is the right pet for you and how to set up an ideal environment for your hamster. You also learned what to feed them and the basic steps of bonding with a hamster. If you’re seriously considering a hamster as a pet, make sure you do some good research ahead of time.  It also would be a smart idea to buy a book on hamster care 101.

In the meantime, read below for more top tips on how to care for a hamster.

Supply Them With Chew Toys
Just like dogs, hamster also feel the need to chew on something, so make sure to keep a stock of special chew toys made specifically for hamsters. Made with wood and/or minerals, hamster chew toys come in a variety of styles and even flavors- truly a treat for your little hamster to enjoy! Check with the store clerk before buying the actual product to make sure you’re getting a quality product.

Learn Hamster Health 101
A hamster may look tiny and fragile, but when he is taken care of properly, he will have minimal health problems. You should know the basics of hamster health and if they need to see the vet. Pay close attention if your pet exhibits any of the following signs (it’s time to consult the vet as soon as possible):

• lethargy
• frequent sneezing
• lack of appetite
• your hamster seems to act or look abnormal (puffy cheeks, damp tail, loss of fur)A few common hamster health issues include abscesses, infections (mostly skin or respiratory), and diarrhea. Never try to diagnose and treat the animal yourself. And never give a hamster medicine unless your veterinary approves.

As a cat owner (or more aptly, one who’s owned by a cat), you know that cats are aloof and tend to do as they please.  So, if you have had a cat as a pet and suddenly are introducing a baby to ktty, this probably wasn’t in her plans.  In order to create a harmonious home, there are a few things you can do.

1. Let your cat sniff your baby’s belongings.  Cats are curious by nature.  If you don’t allow your cat to check out the smells of this new household member, it will become a battle between you and your cat.  However, if you let your cat take a stroll through the nursery and sniff blankets and toys, it will give your cat an opportunity to check out this new to her smell.  That does not mean that you have to leave the door open for the cat, but you should give your cat an opportunity to explore.

2. When you are holding your baby, don’t push your cat away if she is being curious.  Note, that doesn’t mean that your cat is in control and should hop on top of your baby, but a little curiosity is fine.  Of course, if your cat is being aggressive, don’t let her near the baby.  But if she simply wants to get a closer peek or sniff of your baby, it should be fine.

3. Once your baby is mobile, encourage gentle touching of your cat.  Do not allow your child to pull the cat’s tail or fur.  This is painful to your cat and could make your cat become aggressive.  Hold your baby’s hand in yours, and show your child how to pet the cat gently.  Do not make your cat stay if she is ready to leave; that will encourage her to feel trapped, which may lead to the presence of claws.

4. Don’t forget to save some time for your cat.  Before your baby arrived, you probably spent time every day patting your cat.  While you now are exhausted and busy, it is important to remember that your cat still is part of your family.  Even if all you can offer is a scratch on your cat’s head while falling asleep or offering her a kitty treat when cleaning up after dinner, your cat will appreciate your effort.

Though I don’t like to think of my cats as people, I do like to get them something for Christmas, even if it’s just some homemade cat treats (which explains why I stayed up late one snowy December 23rd, Googling recipes for these things). No, they don’t expect anything, they don’t understand why they get presents, but they’re glad to have them.

This Christmas, though, I’m wondering if some of the gifts I’m thinking of getting them aren’t really gifts for myself.

As I’ve written before, a pet supply store has plenty of things that would make good gifts for humans. But that’s not really what I mean. What I mean is, if I get my cats a battery-powered toy, is it for them, or is it to spare me the time it would take to play with them? And is that really good, for them or for me?

Then there are those gadgets that automatically dispense food and water for days at a time. Actually, the cats would probably love having a water bowl that never runs low (food, they take for granted). But we humans would love the idea of being able to go away overnight without having to ask our neighbor to come in every day. Yet, that’s one of the ways we build community.

(Oh, wait – someone would still have to come in every day to clean the litter box. They haven’t invented an automatic version of that yet. Though when they do, we’ll be very interested.)

I do know one thing: I draw the line at buying the cats a video of birds, fish, and small animals. Yes, they do make these things, and they can run all day. But I think the cats would just get frustrated, and our TV would get severely scratched.

Not much of a present for them or us.

To a take a break from facts and helpful hints about taking care of pets and animals, here is an inside look at a dog named Skye. Maybe you will be able to relate to a few of the stories.

Skye is my friend’s dog who is a seven year old black lab border collie mix. She is black with a white crest on her chest and in the sun her coat sparkles with a red tint to it–making her absolutely gorgeous. She is a short haired dog, but she has all of the typically collie tufts on her ears, tail, and legs. She loves to run outside, but above everything else she is a sucker for attention. Pet her once, and you will have a new best friend.

Skye is a smart dog. For instance, she has this sense in which she always knows when there is something wrong. If you are having a bad day, she will be right there, resting her head on your thighs, just looking up at you with those puppy eyes. If you have a cut, her instincts will lead her right into taking care of your cut– though that might not be the most sanitary way of cleaning out your cut, but hey, it is cute that she cares.

Here is a funny story about Skye– she has the ability to herd other pets to places that you want those pets to go. If all of my friend’s cats are downstairs when they are supposed to be outside, she will get them all together and herd them outside. My friend tells me that Skye does not go after cats, but what she does do is playfully threaten the male cat if he is harassing one of the female cats.

When I asked my friend about what he would do if he did not have Skye, he said that he would cry. He doesn’t know what he would do if he came home from being away for so many months and was not greeted by Skye bounding towards him. She is his best friend, and he wouldn’t want to lose her anytime soon!

Pets definitely are not allowed to inhabit the place where I live, but after my friend offered me a kitten for $30 that was medicated and came with food, litter, and a litter box, my roommate and I started to think about how we could house a cat in our 8 person suite. Well, all of our hopes and dreams came crashing down when one of the suitemates told us that she was allergic to cats, but that we could get a dog. Yeah, let us hide a Golden Retriever. The next animal we looked into getting was a chinchilla. This was because we heard that they were easy maintenance and that they did not smell.

How are chinchillas as pets? Well, they are little and weigh about a pound.  They are very furry and soft with cute ears and do not make annoying noises, but they are very energetic. As for the noises that they do make, they have the ability to chirp, squeak, and bark, so they are pretty interesting creatures. They are partially nocturnal and do not enjoy being disturbed during the day. They are high strung and have short attention spans. This makes them pretty skittish and most of them do not like to be held–making them not so suitable for children. Once a chincilla is accustomed to its owner it could become very attracted to this owner and allow the owner to freely touch its soft fur.

Chinchillas like to eat desert grasses because they cannot efficiently process fatty foods, high protein foods, or too many green plants. A lot of chinchilla owners feed their pets high quality, hay-based pellets, and they keep a constant supply of loose hay in order to sufficiently meet all of the chinchilla’s dietary needs.

The best thing about chinchillas is that they do not typically smell because they do not sweat. What this does mean is that chinchillas do not fair well in hot (over 80 degrees F) or humid weather because they can get overheated and may suffer from heat stroke. They clean their fur by taking dust baths. This dust that they roll around in is special chinchilla dust made of fine pumice.

Chinchillas can be gray, beige, white, ebony, and many other colors.

A recent article in Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph reports that a new pet craze is hitting the land down under. Before you read any further, I need to point out that I am not making this up.  I’m reporting what I read for your edification.  This new pet that has Australians all a twitter sells for up to $100 for a breeding pair.  The cuddly, lovable pet I’m referring to is none other than… wait for it… the giant burrowing cockroach!

Seriously.  The giant burrowing cockroach.  Putting the word ‘giant’ and ‘cockroach’ together in the same sentence would be enough to give my lovely wife a seizure, but in Australia they are paying money for the privilege of bringing the little beasties into their homes.

Sydney University unveiled the delightful Heathcliff the Giant Burrowing Cockroach to the world yesterday.  He’s more than nine centimeters long from the tip of his grotesque antenna to the end of his disgusting little hind legs.  Being American, I have no idea how long nine centimeters is, but it sounds like it’s a big bug.

Heathcliff (I can’t believe they name bugs in the land of the kangaroo) was a hit at the university’s annual open house day.  Visitors could see not only the slimy little varmint close up, but they also took turns trying to guess how much he weighs (35 grams, apparently).  Those Aussies sure know how to have a good time.  Maybe next year they can get together to look at a pile of dingo dung and try to guess what he had for dinner.

I kid, I kid.  I love Australians.  It’s the creepy, disease-carrying giant bugs that I’m not so crazy about.

Dogs and cats make great pets! Choosing one is a very big decision for you and your family and not to be made lightly, as it will be a huge responsibility. Both dogs and cats need time, patience, work, and money. They need your care daily, no matter how busy you and your family might be. Evaluate your lifestyle, and see if this is the right time to adopt or purchase a pet. Sure, puppies and kittens are cute, but they grow into adult animals. You have to remember that you still have to take the time and effort to love and care for them when they are adults.

Many factors are taken into consideration when choosing a dog or cat, such as how much time you are going to spend with your new pet, how much money you can spend on your pet, and how much space you have in your house, trailer, or apartment. There are also other things to think about like finding a vet, people that may come and visit who might have allergies to dogs or cats, whether you want a dog that is big or small.

Some options to consider before you bring your new found friend home are:
1. Review your lifestyle
2. Decide if you want a dog or cat
3. Decide what kind of breed you want
4. Talk to your family and decide
5. Make sure you have the time and commitment that your pet will require
6. Check your finances and make sure you have enough money for your pet

You and your family decide to purchase a pet. Where do you go? Do you want to adopt at the shelter or purchase a pet at a pet store or a breeder?

To learn the answers to these questions, read Where to Find the Perfect Pet.

Most kids want a pet, whether it is a cute kitten or an adorable puppy, a parakeet or a goldfish. Before dashing out to the nearest pet store or animal shelter, though, it is wise to think about some of the realities of pet ownership.

The first thing to remember is that the pet will be another member of the family. Don’t adopt a dog to be a watchdog, tied to a chain in the backyard or a kitten to be a come-and-go cat. Canaries are beautiful and may sing, but each bird has its own personality and even choosing a goldfish – or other fish – is not as easy as it seems.

Next, keep in mind that pets require care. If the kids aren’t old enough or responsible enough to see to the daily needs of the family pet, it’s a sure bet that Mom or Dad will be doing duty. Consider if you have time in your schedule to house-train a pup or litter box train that kitten. Is there a block of time for cleaning the aquarium or re-lining the bird cage each day? Pets of all types need food, water, and interaction on a daily basis. If a busy schedule doesn’t permit, it might be better to pass on a pet.

If you travel, remember that a pet will need to be taken along (which creates its own set of complications) or that care must be arranged. Whether it’s boarding the dog at a local facility or asking a neighbor to feed the fish, travelers with pets need to plan ahead.

Last but not least, consider if the child truly wants a pet or if he or she may tire of the pet after a few days (like toys in the closet).

Think first!