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Today I would to share about lovely pets that do you need to know. Today’s topic is “Adorable creatures as pets”. Pet-keeping appeals to people of all ages including children. Every person need or must have a pet including me. I had some pets back then especially hamster, rabbit and also lizard. Pets provide a relaxing focus that is beneficial for our mental and physical well-being. Playing and be with pets will decrease our stress on our daily life especially when bad things happen. Through my experience of having pets, it really helped me a lot with my daily hard day especially when dealing my assignments. For children, a pet represent a small friend, and the fascination of looking after their pet not only triggers a child’s interest in the natural world, but also helps to encourage a sense of responsibility at an early age. From this topic, I will share about small mammals as pets other than cats and dogs. Cats and dogs are common pets that were adopted so I pretty sure most of you familiar with it. I had also included their care. Okay! Let’s start our topic. First of all, hope this information will useful for all of you. Enjoy the reading!
Before we go through this interesting topic, do you know what small mammals are? Why most adopted pets are small mammals? The vast majority of small mammals that are popular as pets belong to the rodent family. The word “rodent” comes from the Latin word rodere which mean “to graw”, and describes the very sharp pair of chisel-shaped incisor teeth found in each jaw right and front of the mouth. The shape and strength of these teeth is crucial to the survival of rodents as they enable to crack seeds and nuts easily. Most rodents are relatively small in size, which makes vulnerable to larger predator. I think that all information about what are small mammals are. Let’s meet our first adorable creature that will make our hearts melt.
Guinea pigs
The first adorable pets are Guinea pigs. Guinea pigs are usual among rodents in that they lack a tail. It is possible that, in evolutionary terms, the tail was deemed unnecessary because of the guinea pig’s reluctance to climb. Taming is straightforward, especially if they are obtained when young, as guinea pigs will not attempt to bite when being picked up, making them an ideal choice of pet fro children other than cats and dogs. Guinea pigs are members of the rodent family, forming part of a group known as the caviomorphys. Under normal circumstances, guinea pigs will live for about six years. One of the reasons this pets have attracted many pet-seekers because unlike some of other rodent species, there is no unpleasant odour associated with guinea pigs. Guinea pig has vast of breed from smooth-coated breed to long-haired and Rex coat breed.
Example of Smooth-coated breed:
l Black guinea pigs- This breed is one of the most popular members of the self group, thanks to its glossy, sleek coat. This breed is completely black in colour. If there its showing reddish in its coat, this will not make it any less attractive to keep as a pet.
l The tortoiseshell and white guinea pig- This is an striking breed with black, white an red patches patterned in its coat.
l Light shaded guinea pig-This light shaded breed are also one of category are very popular.
Example of Long-haired and Rex coats breed:
l Abyssinian Guinea pigs- This breed is characterized by lie of its coat. In this, particular case, the fur must be entirely red, displaying no trace of white hairs. But, bi-colours exist.
l Peruvian breed-Peruvian breed is not kept on hay, which can become entangled in the coat. Instead, the hay should be supplied in a hayrack.
l Crested mutation breed- This breed characterized can be combined with any colour.
Housing the guinea pigs
Guinea pigs are less destructive than some of the other rodent species, but it is to be expected that they will gnaw at woodwork within their hutch, often concentrating on one particular spot.
Ø Outdoor housing- Their hutch outdoors should be divided into 2 sections which are an outer area with a mesh front, secure, and snug sleeping quarters. The sleeping quarters needed a dense layer of hay that will provide more warm condition for they to sleep or snug.
Ø Indoor housing- An indoor hutch should combine a cage with a plastic base a wire mesh surround that prevents the guinea pig from clambering out.
Indoor hutch Outdoor hutch
Diet
Guinea pigs have an unusual metabolic quirk, shared with human beings and marmosets but no other mammals. They are unable to produce vitamin C from their food, and it must therefore be present in their diet if a deficiency is not to occur. As a result,, complete foods for guinea pigs are supplemented with appropriate levels of this vital vitamin. A deficiency of vitamin C causes a condition known as scurvy, resulting in dry, crusty skin and hair loss. This rodent is a herbivore. They feed on variety of greenstuff and other vegetables.
Fresh vegetation- Carrot, spinach (suitable in winter), dandelion, broccoli and other brassicas. These vegetation are relatively high levels of vitamin C.
Commercial formulated food- Guinea pig mix and bran mash
Potentially poisonous plants- Bulbous plants, bracken, ragwort (Senecio) and common garden weeds such as buttercups (Ranunculus), convolvulus (Convolvulus). Beside, you should avoid to feed Foxgloves (Digitalis), lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria) and rhododendron (Rhododendron).
Rabbits
The rabbits is the most popular of all small mammals kept as pets, thanks in part to its friendly nature. Although rabbits are part of small mammals, but its doesn’t belong to rodent’s group. They are grouped with hares and pikas in a separate family known as lagomorphs. However, the structure of their teeth is very similar as rodent, except that they have a further tiny set of incisors each side of the main teeth at the front of the mouth. They have a vast of breeds and colour varieties. They can also differ in size through its breed either smaller breeds or the larger breeds. One of the reasons, why there are many kept them is because they are very adaptable pets. They well adapted either in an outdoor hutch or as house-rabbits in the home.
Example of Smaller Breeds:
l The Netherland dwarf- This breed is the smallest breeds today. Now available in a huge range of colours, this breed has a characteristic compact nose and short ears. This rabbit is perhaps not always as friendly as others of similar size.
l Dwarf lop- The appeal of the dwarf lop has been enhanced by its floppy eras, which hand down sides of its head but do not touch the ground. Unlike from the bigger lops, its ears are relatively short. The breed’s friendly nature has made it very popular among pet-seekers.
l Rex rabbits-The fur of this rabbit is short with a velvety feel as these rabbits lack the longer, coarse guard hairs seen in other breeds.
Example of Larger Breeds:
l The Beveren- This breed is large and has distinctive mandolin-shaped body. The coat has an attractive silky texture, with individual long hairs. The traditional colour is pale shade of lavender but now there are variety lavender colour.
l White New Zealand rabbit- This breed is characterized partly by its relatively coarse, shaggy coat as well as its pink eyes. Its also has a well-muscled body and relatively short ears. These rabbits have steady temperament and make good pets.
l Belgian Hare- This slim, athletic, long-legged Belgian breed resembles a hare, but is nevertheless a rabbit. The coat is a deep chestnut colour with black shading. It is active by nature, and this, coupled with its sleek appearance, makes it an attractive choice for a pet.
Housing of rabbits
Ø To kept this pets outdoor, a enough space hutch is needed. Rabbits can be kept outdoors throughout the year, although they need a snug, draught-proof area to retreat to when the weather is bad. This kind shelter is needed also to ensure they are safe from foxes or other predators.
Ø For the rabbit that kept in house, special indoor housing systems are needed. The house-rabbit need to be prove to be affectionate as a dog or a cat in the home. The surrounding of the house also needed to be suitable for a rabbit. A rabbit like to nibble on something, so a clear house from dangerous things are very important. To prevent this from occur, special designed hutches or cages are available for rabbits living indoors.
Indoor hutch
Outdoor hutch
Diet
Rabbits have an unusual digestive system, which means that they are susceptible to digestive upsets. This make their diet or the food their feed of is very important things to know. One of most common digestive upset in rabbits is caused by a sudden change in diet. Rabbit is a herbivore that feed on vegetation or green plants and fruits.
Fresh food:
Ø Dandelion, grass Carrots, cabbage and apples. Always wash the food beforehand and make sure it is fresh.
The Commercial formulated food:
Ø Rabbit pellet, rabbit mix, bran mash, seed stick and rabbit biscuits. Make sure to provide a balanced diet especially put the right amount or enough every time you feed.
Rabbit mix Pellet
Rabbit bran mash Seed stick
² Caviomorphys-A group of rodents that characterized by the arrangement of the muscles of their jaws, and also their long gestation period, compared with that of other rodents. As result, although they have fewer young, their offsprings are born in a relatively advanced state of development.
² Lagomorphs-A mammal of the order Lagomorpha, which comprises the hares, rabbits, and pikas
Marmoset-A small tropical American monkey with a silky coat and a long tail
² Dandelion-A widely distributed weed of the daisy family, with a rosette of leaves and large bright yellow flowers followed by globular heads of seeds with downy tufts
² Bracken-A tall fern with coarse lobed fronds, which occurs worldwide and can cover large areas
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