Animals that Serve Guide Animals

I think it is time for a big thank you to the animals, companion animals; including exotic pets that serve and exotic pets that save. There have been many stories about animals saving lives in many different ways and circumstances. There are also a fantastic number of different exotic animals, or exotic pets that work diligently as service animals. I think the time has arrived to say a big thank you to these animals that serve and save.

This week we will discuss service animals, specifically exotic pet service animals. These various service animals allow people to live much happier, more independent, fulfilling, and more productive lives than they typically would have. Next week we will look at animals that save!

At one time you would only hear about guide dogs that assisted the seeing impaired or even hearing impaired. Now there are service animals of the exotic animal variety; service monkeys, service ferrets, miniature service horses, and many others.

Service animals provide for the many needs that people with disabilities cannot do without assistance, giving them a sense of worth, and providing the ability to have independence.

Many exotic animals live much longer lives than dogs. It basically costs the same if you’re training a miniature horse, monkey, or dog. However, the lifespan of a small horse or monkey is much longer than a dog. A seeing impaired person may go through five to seven guide dogs while only one miniature horse would be needed.

There is a guide miniature horse named Panda who assists Ann Edie safely down the street, even guiding Edie’s hand to the walk sign call button. Some of these reasons that miniature horses are more desirable than guide dogs, exceptional vision, and better range of sight because of the location of the eyes allowing the small horse to see 360-degrees. Miniature horses have a calm disposition as well as easily trained.

Check with the Guide Horse Foundation The Guide Horse Foundation

Another exotic animal service animal is the service monkey or companion monkey. Monkeys make outstanding helpers for people that have limited mobility. The monkey helping with in-home assistance has allowed many people with spinal cord injuries and many other mobility troubles to live with dignity, pride, and most crucial independent of other people.

The monkey also makes an outstanding companion for people with mobility impairments.

Since the crackdown on exotic pet laws, primates are no longer able to be imported into the United States.

The Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers has been helping people with mobility issues since 1979. They provide training, and keep close tabs and provide assistance for the companion monkey along with constant monitoring of the health of the monkey including, nutrition, behavioral, and medical needs. They give the capuchin monkeys, the training, and assistance free of charge. They are only able to do this because of generous donations and the help from volunteers.

For more information on service monkeys, guide monkeys, or companion monkeys contact the Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers. Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers

Ferrets are also used as service animals. They are able to sense in advance a seizure. They also give a person a calming effect avoiding seizures. Learn more about ferrets as service animals.

Animals as service animals have amazing potential; especially exotic animals as service animals. They technically are not an exotic pet but a companion animal. As far as I am concerned any animal that loves us and lives with us is a companion and not a pet.

My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides

Exotic Pets: Family Guide Paperback and Kindle. Available on Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets A Complete Guide

This helpful ferret book, available in paperback and Kindle, should always be at your fingertips if you’re contemplating a ferret, just bought a ferret, or are a long time ferret owner. This guide is easy to understand and covers a broad range of topics to properly care for the pet ferret.

You have recently seen a fuzzy animal that brought a smile to your face. Do you know what it takes to care for this unusual little animal?

This fantastic little character is capable of a tremendous amount of love. However, it is essential that you learn the ferret has specific needs and requires dedicated care.

The ferret is an excellent pet for the right person. Are you the right person? Learn what it takes to be a ferret owner. Learn all the positive characteristics of a pet ferret, as well as the negative aspects.

Make sure you have the information to properly care for the pet ferret and the ferret’s strict dietary requirements.

Are you considering breeding ferrets? This book will educate the complexities of ferret breeding.

Why do ferrets often die so young? How can you avoid these untimely deaths?

How do you find a lost ferret? How do you keep a ferret from getting lost in the first place? This book will answer these questions.

Each chapter is crammed pack full of the necessary information you will need to succeed in caring for a ferret.

• Chapter One: Introduction to Ferrets

• Chapter Two: Housing the Ferret

• Chapter Three: Nutritional Needs (Diet)

• Chapter Four: Ferret Fun

• Chapter Five: Ferret Training

• Chapter Six: Health-Medical Issues

• Chapter Seven: Breeding Ferrets • Chapter Eight: Your Ferret’s Arrival; Kits and Adults

• Chapter Nine: Lost Ferrets

• Chapter Ten: Ferret Dangers

• Chapter Eleven: Conclusion

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is a book for novice ferret owners, experienced ferret owners, and people that are considering a ferret for the first time. Ferrets: A Complete Guide reference guide or a standalone care book for ferrets. The book is available in paperback and Kindle

My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides

Exotic Pets: Family Guide Paperback and Kindle. Available on Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited!

Abandoned Animals & Pet Adoption

As I am inspecting a new pet rescue intakes, I am looking at each animal wondering what their lives were like before they ended up abandoned, for whatever reason.

One animal is looking into my eyes. This animal has known love. He is playful, trying to egg me on to play with him. It is obvious he had a family. He is bald with a few wisps of hair. He was given away because he has a form of cancer. I see him as beautiful. His owners probably thought only of the ugliness and the medical expenses.

My little granddaughter is with me. Of all the ferrets the bald one is her favorite. She pats him and smiles and says, "How soft he is grandma." If we could all see through a child’s eyes.

Did this ferret have a human child who loved him? Did he have someone that came home from work each day excited to open the cage door? Looking forward to playing with his or her best friend? How did this ferret feel when he began losing his hair, and his owner start to pay less attention to him? How did he feel when he found himself in a strange and cold place without his human family?

I am trying not to be judgmental. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons to give up a pet. I had to do it myself once. My folks were in their 80’s and could no longer care for themselves. We had to move across the country to California to care for them.

We had animals that could not be brought across the border into California because they are illegal in the state. The sad thing is the border station had been closed - lack of funding. No one stopped us to look for fruits, vegetables, or animals. Illegal or not, I could have brought these animals into the state. For each one of my animals, I found close friends that wanted them that would love them.

When I lived in the country, I would often find abandoned animals that were just dumped on the side of the road. Once we found two golden retriever pups. They had been tossed in the street, one was still inside a paper bag, and the animal had been run over and killed. Another puppy came running out from the weeds next to the road. He was a playful plump pup; beautiful and golden. We brought him home with us. He turned out to be the best dog we had ever had. Below you will see pictures of Jake and my son.

Every single pet we had back then had been rescued, they had all been abandoned. It makes me ill that people are too embarrassed or lazy to take animals to an animal rescue or animal shelter. I am a firm believer in pet adoption!

My son Robert Vincent Ruth and Jake, may they both rest in peace. At least they are together. This picture was taken on our lake in Northern Minnesota. Our house set up on a cliff. What a beautiful place to live.

If you are thinking about acquiring a pet, think about pet adoption, bringing a pet home from an animal rescue or animal shelter. I doubt if there is any rescue that doesn’t exist for every animal there is. Look for ferret rescues, turtle rescues, reptile rescues, skunk rescues, bird rescues, parrot rescues, macaw rescues, you get the idea. All you need to do is add the animal’s name to the front of rescue or shelter. Check phone books, check the internet, and check with local veterinarians. Please consider pet adoption first.

This article is dedicated to my son Robert Vincent Ruth who passed away at fifteen years of age. Also, to our wonderful dog Jake, who will be with Robert, forever.

My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides

Exotic Pets: Family Guide Paperback and Kindle. Available on Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited!

Pet Sugar Gliders

Exotic pet sugar gliders are a gentle, social marsupial from Southern Australia. Other marsupials include opossums, wallabies, koala, and kangaroos. Sugar Gliders glide from tree to tree using a membrane that stretches from their ankles to their wrists. The Sugar Glider's body size averages around 6 - 7 ½ inches and have a long tail, about the same length as their body. The sugar glider does make an excellent exotic pet for the right person. The person that will learn everything about their care before acquiring a sugar glider, and follow through with that care!

I think the name sugar from the sugar glider's name is because they are such sweet and affectionate animals. However, in reality, the name was from the sugar's gliders diet. They like sweet saps, gums, and pollen from trees and plants. They also need protein and obtain the protein from small insects, vertebrates and arthropods.

Sugar gliders are a social animal living in the wild in colonies of usually six to up to 40 animals. Since they are a social animal, they should not be raised as a single pet. They must be raised in a colony. A single sugar glider is not an option!

How to care for a pet Sugar Glider - Guide to Sugar Gliders

Sugar gliders are affectionate and very intelligent. They are lovely exotic pets. Just like any other exotic pet, they have some extraordinary needs. Suggie owners need to know what those needs are!

Sugar gliders love human attention, and they like to play. You need to bond with the little ones when you bring them home. Since they sleep in the daytime, you can bond with them by letting them rest in your pocket or even a fanny pack, facing front, mainly so you do not forget, and sit on it! Sugar gliders will form powerful bonds with their owners. Scent is important to Sugar Gliders; they use it in the wild to recognize their groups. Smell has influence in the bonding process as well. Wearing gloves will defeat your purpose in the bonding process. Play with them in the evening and at night. They love hide and go seek. They enjoy "finger" wrestling with you. I love it when I come home at night, open their cage, and they all converge on you, excited to see you! I call them my Velcro babies when they spot you they cling to you like Velcro!

Please buy them from a reputable breeder. The cost of a Sugar Glider ranges from $200 to $400. I recommend starting with a baby since they do form much stronger bonds with you.

My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides

Exotic Pets: Family Guide Paperback and Kindle. Available on Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited!

Corn Snakes as Pets

A corn snake is an excellent beginner snake because they have a docile temperament. Also, the corn snake is a great ambassador to introduce to people that are afraid of snakes. Snakes are probably one of the most misconstrue living things on earth. Their lousy reputation goes back to biblical times to the stories of Adam and Eve. That is a heck of a long time to try to get rid of a bad reputation.

Even if you don't have an interest in having a snake for a pet, you might want to find a pet store that will allow you to ask questions, touch and hold a snake. You will have a pleasant surprise. I strongly encourage parents to introduce children to a variety of animals, especially the most misunderstood ones so that they can gain respect for all life.

Baby Corn Snakes

Corn snakes come in a variety of different colors and patterns. They are a member of the Elaphe Gutatta Gutatta species. The corn snake ranges from the newly hatched infant to four to five feet for a full-grown adult. They reach sexual maturity at the end of their second year to the beginning of their third year.

With all exotic pets, make sure you purchase a captive bred snake. Though corn snakes are not endangered, it is wise to leave what belongs in nature to their natural habitat. Too often, man’s greed has led to endangerment or extinction of thousands of species.

All exotic pets should be housed as close to their own natural environment as possible. Snakes are strong and can quickly push open their enclosure lid and escape. It is your responsibility as an exotic pet owner to learn as much as you can about the potential pet as possible before making a purchase. Always, have their new habitat ready for them before bringing them home. Have the enclosure prepared with the substrate, water, hidey places, a place to climb, tank heat pad, thermometer, and a secure lid.

For a full-grown adult, the smallest enclosure should be no less than 25 gallons. A glass terrarium with unyielding locking devices works fine. New hatchlings can escape through the tiniest of holes, for example, the size of the hole in the straw from your soda pop at the local drive-in, you got it, plug those holes up! If you have children or children visit, keep the enclosure locked. Make sure there is proper ventilation.

Snakes are reptiles, and reptiles are ectotherms the simple meaning is that their surrounding environment determines their temperature. They need heat to be active and to digest food. Place a tank heat pad under one-half of the tank, this keeps one side cooler so that your snake can regulate its body temperature. The range from one side of the enclosure to the other should be approximately 82-88 degrees at the warm end to 70 to 82 degrees. A snake can get a nasty burn from heat rocks, please do not use them. A thermometer is a necessary piece of equipment to keep your snake healthy.

The enclosure needs a substrate to closely resemble their natural environment as possible. Do not use sand, cedar or pine shavings. Cedar has volatile oils that will kill your snake; this is a substrate that should never be used with any animal. Pine also has harmful oils, not nearly as much as cedar but I personally don’t approve of it for corn snakes especially in a glass terrarium where there is less airflow.

There are commercial substrates or use aspen shavings, Astroturf, paper towels, reptibark, the point being the substrates needs to be changed or cleaned frequently, but it also needs to be a safe choice for your corn snake. So choose something affordable so that you can afford to replace it regularly.

Snakes will spend a great deal of time hiding. It is best to place his hidey place in the cooler end of the enclosure. Two hiding spots are better; one can be at the warmer end. As all animals and people each have its own personality, some will hide far less than others will. Hollow logs and other commercial hideys are available, or a simple paper towel tube can be used but changed frequently. A climbing branch should be placed toward the middle they love to climb but remember how strong the snake is and how quickly it can escape. In the wild, corn snakes are superb climbers, often found high in trees.

Corn snakes like to immerse themselves in water, choose a container to fit the size of the snake. I have a cupboard full of plastic containers, one of those things husbands never understand. He often asks why do you need so many containers and why will the lids never fit the containers? That can only be answered on the same scale as missing socks in the dryer, perhaps sock gods. Who knows, but the right size for a 30-inch juvenile would be similar to an eight-ounce Cool Whip container, change sizes according to the size of the snake. Do not use chlorinated tap water. I have great water, but with reptiles, hermit crabs and many other exotic pets I still don’t trust the possibility of impurities, so I use bottled water, but not distilled water. (I no longer have well water and now use a Brita filter).

In the corn snakes natural environment they will coil around their live prey until they suffocate it. They swallow their food whole. In an enclosed area, live food could injure your snake. They will eat, and should only be fed killed prey. An active snake will eat every week to 10 days or so.

New hatchlings will eat the smallest pinkie mouse obtainable. In the wild, they eat small lizards and a variety of other small food prey. A live mouse can be pre-killed. Frozen mice in a variety of sizes can be purchased quite reasonably. Of course, thaw the mouse before feeding. Thaw it completely in warm water before feeding so that the mouse is warmed through. Throw away any uneaten food promptly. Do not refreeze. Fed too large of a size of a mouse may cause the snake to vomit. Fed too small of a mouse will create stunted growth. Rule of thumb feed a mouse about the size of the widest girth of the snake. A snake will regurgitate a mouse if the snake is too cold or is shedding or it can be a sign of illness. Take your snake to a veterinarian that specializes in reptiles. Snakes need special care during shedding. Because of the critical nature of shedding, it is best to ask the advice of a veterinarian.

The cost of the care of any pet should be taken into consideration before purchase. This includes the cost of medical care. Veterinarians are becoming very expensive. When I lived in the midwest, at least they were affordable. Since living in California, the cost of vets are outrageous. This has curbed the number of pets that I have. Nor, am I still able to take pets I find injured to the vet.

With any pet, it takes time to properly take care of them. Above all else, enjoy your pet!

My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides

Exotic Pets: Family Guide Paperback and Kindle. Available on Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited!

Christmas Prayer for Pets

God, when I was with you I was happy and free;

On earth, I have been treated abusively.

I was born tiny and new,

I just hadn’t a clue.

Now I am cold, wet, hungry, and scared,

Because man’s temper flared.

My bleeding body was thrown from the car door,

All because I forgot and piddled on the living room floor.

My head is cracked and bleeding,

My Lord, I am pleading.

Bring me back home to your arms,

Where your love truly warms.

To man, you said to love one another,

but, learn not did my abuser.

Lord, you sent me to earth,

But I found the wrong hearth.

You taught pets to love unconditionally;

Your commandment was not given abstractly.

Heal my wounds, my Heavenly Father,

You are still my absolver.

Guide me to a new home,

Or release me to return to your throne.

Remember, When you will finally see an angel fly,

Is only mirrored by your pet’s eye.

Thousands of pets are abandoned and abused. How can humankind be so cruel when animals show us nothing but unconditional love? Most of my pets I have or have had been rescues. Sometimes it takes years to gain their trust. But with love and proper care, they do eventually learn to love again.

Though the Christmas Prayer for Pets is more dog-like, though it is meant for all pets including exotic pets. I would like to tell you about one of our exceptional pets who happens to be a cat :) I have had many dogs and love them dearly. I just wished my body loved me enough to have a dog again.

I was sitting next to Molly our rescue cat which we have had for eleven years. We got her when she was a year old. She had been caged most of her one year. She had no idea how to walk on a carpet. We would follow behind her releasing her claws from the carpet with each step. During that first year, I suspect many horrible things happened to her. It is only now she is starting to fully trust.

When she was sleeping my granddaughter placed her toy mice next to her. From that day, Molly has been sleeping with her mice. But each time, we find the mice lined up differently. The point being, not long ago, no one, other than my husband or I, would have been able to get close enough to her to line up her mice!

Molly was born from a feral cat. Her mother had been trapped. When her kittens were born, they were taken from the mother cat because the mother wanted nothing to do with the kittens. I suspect she was traumatized and frightened, having been taken from the wild but it was still the only thing she knew. She no longer had what she considered a safe place to have her kittens. Thankfully, though it took a while, Molly found a safe and happy home with us. Over time she has learned to trust because she feels safe.

My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides

Exotic Pets: Family Guide Paperback and Kindle. Available on Kindle Unlimited!

Ferrets: A Complete Guide is available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited!