Sept. 25/2019

Feature:
Pet Rats – All About Fancy Rats

“…Fancy rats, lab rats, & most ‘wild’ rats that thrive alongside human societies are all of the same species, Rattus norvegicus. What sets fancy rats apart is the fact that they have been bred over many generations for their good looks & pleasant natures. This has resulted in beautiful animals who truly enjoy contact with people. They seldom bite & are less likely to carry diseases that can be transmitted to people than are many other species of pets.

                                

Varieties of Fancy Rats

Breeders have developed a dizzying array of fancy rat varieties. According to the American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association (AFRMA):

At present, all rats are shown in 7 varieties:

STANDARD – With short, smooth, glossy hair.

REX – With curly hair & curly whiskers.

TAILLESS – Complete absence of a tail, similiar to the Manx cats.

HAIRLESS – Complete absence of hair.

SATIN – Thinner, longer coat, with a lustrous sheen.

DUMBO – Larger ears set on the side of the head.

BRISTLE COAT – Stiff, coarse coat.

Each of these 7 varieties is grouped into 6 Sections by color & body markings. There are 40 distinct colors recognized among these Sections…

                                   

Where to Get Fancy Rats

If you are looking for a very specific type of fancy rat…you will need to go through a breeder. Debbie ‘The Rat Lady’ Ducommun, internationally recognized expert on rats & founder of the Rat Fan Club, says ‘a reputable breeder working to breed pet rats, & not feeder rats, is a very good source for healthy & friendly rats.’

…Ducommun says that rat rescues are excellent places to get pet rats, adding that ‘they will often have babies for adoption from accidental litters.’ She also says that ‘animal shelters in large cities commonly have rats who need homes.’…

                                         

Basic Care of Rats

Rats are quite easy to care for, particularly if you have a good understanding of their basic needs & provide for them right from the start.

   

‘First of all, rats are social animals that do best with a cage-mate- or 2 or 3!’ says   Ducommun. Therefore, if you are new to rat ownership, you should plan on       purchasing or adopting at least 2 rats at the same time; this will have an effect on how you set up your rat habitat.

One of the biggest mistakes that new owners make is purchasing a cage that is too small. While a small ‘starter cage’ may be necessary if you are bringing home baby rats…you should plan on getting the largest rat cage that you can afford & that your home will reasonably permit. At a minimum, cages for healthy adult rats should provide 2 cubic feet of space per rat, have multiple levels, & be very easy to access & clean…

The bottom of the rats’ cage should be filled with an absorbent litter such as shredded paper, recycled newspaper pellets, or wood shavings (not cedar). Litter needs to be replaced at least weekly, & the cage should be washed on a regular basis. Cages should also be outfitted with the following:

Hammocks

A nest box & bedding that the rats can shred & manipulate (e.g., paper towels or commercial bedding material)

Toys

Branches, ladders, or ropes for climbing

Wood blocks or other safe objects for chewing

An exercise wheel.

Even if you put together the ideal habitat, your rats need at least 20-30 minutes outside of the cage every day. During this time you should interact with your rats through play & some cuddle time. You can even train your rats to perform tricks, come when they are called, go through an agility course or maze, or walk on a leash.

                            

Feeding Rats

Rats are omnivores, meaning they will eat almost anything, but you still need to give close thought to what you offer them. Pellets made specifically for rats should make up the bulk of their diet. Seed-based foods are not ideal because rats will eat only their ‘favorites,’ resulting in a nutritionally imbalanced diet. Small amounts of fresh fruits & vegetables make ideal rat treats.

Fresh water should be available at all times. Bottles with sipper tubes work best since rats will make a mess if water is available to them in bowls.

                 

Health Challenges

Rats are generally quite healthy, but like other pets they seem to be prone to a specific set of problems. According to Ducommun, ‘the most common health problems in rats include respiratory infections & mammary tumors in the females. Respiratory infections can be controlled with the right antibiotics, & mammary tumors can be mostly prevented by having females spayed when young.’…

Rat fancier clubs are another great source of information on everything from ‘the basics’ of keeping rats to referrals for reputable breeders & veterinarians. And, as Ducommun puts it, ‘since club members love rats & love to talk about them, they can be supportive friends for families just getting started in rats.’”

Jennifer Coates, DVM

petmd.com

                          
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Memorial

Max RIP Sept. 28/2017

Sept. 18/2019

Feature:

Meow hear this 

   “NEW YORK Hey Kitty! Yes, you. A new study suggests household cats can respond to the sound of their own names.

   No surprise to you or most cat owners, right? But Japanese scientists said…they’ve provided the first experimental evidence that cats can distinguish between words we people say…

   Atsuko Saito of Sophia University in Tokyo says there’s no evidence cats actually attach meaning to our words, not even their own names. Instead, they’ve learned that when they hear their names they often get rewards like food or play, or something bad like a trip to the vet. And they hear their names a lot. So the sound of it becomes special, even if they don’t really understand it refers to their identity.

   Saito & colleagues describe the results of their research in the journal Scientific Reports. In 4 experiments with 16 to 34 animals, each cat heard a recording of its owner’s voice, that slowly recited a list of 4 nouns or other cat’s names, followed by the cat’s own name.

Many cats initially reacted- such as by moving their heads, ears, or tails- but gradually lost interest as the words were read. The crucial question was whether they’d respond more to their name. 

   Sure enough, on average, these cats perked up when they heard their own name.

   Kristyn Vitale, who studies cat behaviour & the cat- human bond at Oregon State University in Corvallis…said the results, ‘make complete sense to me’.

   Vitale, who said she has trained cats to respond to verbal commands, agreed that the new results don’t mean that cats assign a sense of self to their names. It’s more like being trained to recognize a sound, she said.

   Monique Udell, who also studies animal behaviour at Oregon State, said the study shows, ‘cats are paying attention to you, what you say & whay you do, & they’re learning from it.’” 

Malcolm Ritter

The Gazette, Montreal

April 6/2019 

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Sept. 11/2019

Feature:
Every Dog Has It’s Day

     “…The star of A Dog’s Way Home, now in theatres, has a hard-luck tale that could top them

all. Before her big break, she was living in a landfill, rooting through garbage for her next meal.

     Meet Shelby, the tan-&-black mutt who portrays Bella, occupying the screen, often solo, for much of the film’s 97 minutes-& whose trash- to-riches saga could itself be a gripping cinematic yarn.

     Shelby’s big break came in April 2017, when animal-control officer Meghan Buhler was driving in Cheatham Country, Tenn…Buhler spotted & approached what she recalled was a noticeably skittish dog emerging from the dump.

     ‘So I knelt down & just said, ‘Oh, come here, baby,’ said Buhler, 29…She was so scared, & she finally came right up to me, & I was able to put her in my truck.’

     The pair headed to the county animal shelter, where the staff took to calling the new resident Baby Girl.

     Buhler & T.J. Jordi, then the animal- control director, had no inkling that Hollywood was looking for a dog to play Bella in a film written by Cathryn Michon & W. Bruce Cameron & based on Cameron’s book…

     Cameron & Michon, who are married, are unabashed dog lovers & say part of their passion is expressed by advocating for homeless dogs whenever possible.

     ‘We started off in the very beginning saying that the dog that is the star of the movie will have to be a rescue, because we were trying to prove something,’ Cameron said. ‘We think we’re making a difference in the animals’ lives when they are adopted, & we’re trying to reveal to the world that rescue dogs are wonderful animals.’

     The filmmakers hired trainer Debbie Pearl, whose company Paws For Effect functions as an animal talent agency of sorts, one known for finding adoptable dogs & training them for onscreen roles.

     Pearl then assigned the find-a-Bella job to Teresa Ann Miller, a freelance trainer…

     ‘We initially started looking for a kind of Rottweiler/shepherd/pit bull mix,’ Miller said. ‘That’s kind of what (Cameron’s) book cover looked like to me.’

     Meanwhile, back in Tennessee, Baby Girl was already getting diva treatment. The shelter’s staff believes that shooting stellar photographs of its animals immensely boosts their adoption prospects. Jordi, the former animal-control director, recalled being so encouraged by the results of the earliest photos that he ‘eventually built things up to the point we actually had a full studio set up.’

     One day, Miller spotted Baby Girl’s adoption photo, which Jordi had taken.

     … the Miller-Baby Girl summit proceeded without a hitch,

     Spanning 2 hours, with the trainer assessing her new friend on personality, temperament, & the ability to respond to simple commands. Miller was sold.

     Within 2 weeks, Cameron & Michon travelled to Tennessee, met Baby Girl & developed the same crush. In an email, Michon said that she was struck by ‘the extraordinary sweetness of her soul.’ Baby Girl, she added, ‘was loving, smart, oh-so-eager to please, & we knew instantly we had found our Bella.’

     In short order, Miller adopted Baby Girl from the shelter on behalf of Pearl & Paws for Effect, renamed her Shelby (‘a really cute Southern name’) & took her to California for training…

     Miller & Shelby trained for just over 3 months before filming began. Then they were together each day on the set…

     Has its heroine gone Hollywood?...Not Shelby. After additional training, she’s now working as a therapy dog on location at places that include veterans’ facilities, hospitals, & schools attended by students with special needs.

     Shelby now lives with Pearl in Huntington Beach, Calif. And at age 2-&-a-half, Shelby has turned out to be as gifted a therapy dog as a thespian, Pearl said…

     Shelby has come a long way from the dump. But Buhler, the animal-control officer, said she saw Shelby recently & needed only a split-second to compare the movie dog with the dog she coaxed away from piles of trash.

     ‘She’s exactly the same,’ Buhler said.”

 

Duncan Strauss

The Washington Post

in The Gazette, Montreal

March 14/2019

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Memorial 

Sept. 4/2019

Feature:

Kitty the Dog Greets Guests

     “Travelling to gorgeous destinations is fun & all, but pet owners know that leaving their furry friends behind can put a damper on their trips.

     Enter a 6-month-old Bernese mountain dog named Kitty Jacob Astor IV, the resident pooch at the St. Regis Aspen Resort.

     Kitty is the first dog to live on the Colorado property &, like any other employee, fills his days tending to guests. He’s involved with a story time for kids, helps with guest pickup from the airport, schmoozes in the lobby, & can be booked for a good-night cuddle.

     The St. Regis also lets guests bring their own pets- a one time fee of $25, plus a $25 daily fee, will get Fido in.

     Also available are dog beds, dog vests, a custom food menu, leaches, & doggy baths.”

Melissa Hank

The Gazette, Montreal

Feb. 9/2019

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