Veterinary Center for Birds and Exotics Blog
Warm weather tips for exotic pets
Summertime – time to go outside in the sunshine, enjoy the fresh air, picnic with friends, and enjoy our pets. All sounds wonderful, until a pet becomes ill or injured. How can we prevent summertime mishaps with our pets? Here are a few tips: 1. If you have a rabbit, guinea pig, chinchilla or other…
What to do before bringing your new ferret home, by Serena Fiorella, Licensed Veterinary Technician
You’ve done your research and decided that a ferret is right for you. What do you do now? Before bringing you new companion home, you must ferret proof your house! Here are a few things you should know about ferret proofing. Personally, I don’t let my ferrets have free run of the house, because there…
Are You a Pet Person?
In general, I think it is fair to say that there are two camps of people when it comes to animals – those who are true “pet people,” and those who are not. What is a “pet person”? While pet people may be described in many ways, here are a few essentials: A “pet person”…
So, you’re thinking about getting a ferret… by Serena Fiorella, Licensed Veterinary Technician
Are you thinking about getting a ferret? Ferrets, I think, are the best pets in the world. Why, you ask? They are one of the most fun, interactive, affectionate and cuddly pet, but only if they are properly trained and cared for. In my 22 years of being a ferret owner, I have come to…
What to get for the exotic pet that has everything…
Those of us who love our pets have all been in this situation at one point or another: it’s the holidays, and we’re buying gifts for family members. Your exotic pet – bird, guinea pig, rabbit, reptile, sugar glider, whatever – is just as much a family member as his or her human counterparts, and…
Do birds make good pets?
Almost every week, I am asked whether birds make good pets, and my answer is never a simple yes or no. My answer depends on who you are, where you live, and what you do. While birds can make terrific pets, they are not right for everyone. Too many people see their brightly colored feathers…
New Year’s Resolutions
It’s that time again – time to make that annual resolution that we all make to improve our diets, get into shape, and take better care of ourselves, including having an annual medical check-up. If you love your exotic pets, you should be making those same resolutions for them. Now that it’s a new year,…
The Internet: a pet’s friend or foe?
The World Wide Web – it has broadened our ability to communicate beyond ways imaginable. It has embedded itself in our personal lives, our businesses, in the relationships we have with friends and family. In the veterinary world, the Internet has significantly altered both owners’ relationships with their pets and with their vets. No longer…
Multiplying like rabbits: to spay or to neuter?
We’ve all heard the phrase, “multiplying like rabbits,” meaning reproducing like crazy, and that’s what bunnies tend to do when sexually mature female and male rabbits are housed together. So, if you have rabbits that have already reached puberty (the age of which depends on breed, with smaller rabbits maturing at 4-5 months of age…