It wasn’t the way I had remembered it as a child — Growing up, petting zoos were the highlight of any event. I was a shy kid who avoided a lot of unnecessary social interaction, but if someone was having a birthday party with petting zoo animals, you could count me in. Parents always made negative comments, but they were mainly focused…

It doesn’t have to be so hard for your groomer — or your pet — Even my brief experience as a boarding kennel attendant made me grow painfully aware of just how many people aren’t fully competent as far as basic pet care. We saw plenty of well-maintained Pomeranians and poodles, but there were also dogs with downright concerning baseball-sized mats (often concealing abundances of…

With fewer people on the streets, our urban birds are going without — Feeding our urban wildlife is almost always discouraged — by wildlife biologists and business owners alike. Urban wildlife often includes many invasive species that we don’t want continuing to breed and expand into other habitats, and many fear that city birds like pigeons carry diseases transmittable to humans (possible, but…

All the beauty of a Husky or Malamute, without all of the destruction. — Wolves are beautiful, intelligent creatures — that make horrible pets (and if you’re still thinking about it — they’re often illegal). And unfortunately, most dogs who have features reminiscent of their ancestors are, too. Huskies, Malamutes, and other large, hyper, strong-willed breeds that make challenging pets; they require experience, tons…

Often marketed as simple to care for creatures, there’s a long list of demands for these exotic pets. — Pet parrots have long been found as companion animals. Once kept mainly as a status symbol, parrots ranging the chipper budgie (yes, they are parrots too) to the difficult macaw family can now be found in almost any household. Granted — that isn’t always a good thing. Many people have…

Finding new ways to occupy bored pups in a busy household. — Dogs are versatile, adaptable animals who can live in almost any household situation. From small apartments to mansions, there’s a dog breed that can thrive and fit into almost anyone’s life. Despite how different they’ve become over the years, dogs are still the direct descendants of wolves; and they retain…

Raising your own mealworms may be gross, but it drastically cuts costs for feeding reptiles — and other uses — Mealworms are well known in the reptile-keeping world for being a convenient feeder insect to offer pet lizards, and though it’s very convenient to purchase mealworms at local pet stores or order them online, some reptile keepers, especially breeders who maintain many animals, like to try raising their own. …

The peculiar talents of those who collect dead animals — Growing up, I was the kid who rushed out of biology class during the frog dissection lesson. I’ve always had a weak stomach, and I’m particularly vulnerable when animals are involved. Sometimes, I have to step back and ask myself how I ended up where I am — scraping a…

With many similarities but several important differences, which of these breeds is right for you? — It can be hard to select a dog breed that’s right for your household, with different breeds holding different activity levels, grooming standards, and lifespans, but you can make it easier to choose by first narrowing it down to a grouping of breeds. Mountain dogs are not all the same…