Parakeets come from Australia where they live in large communal flocks. Being flock birds, parakeets are very social with each other and with people. They love attention and make wonderful pets. Most parakeets that you see in pet shops are bred in the United States. There are about 120 species with many sub-species. You can find parakeets in different shades of blue, green, yellow, white, red, and many other colors. Some species also have pretty plumes on top of their heads. Two of the most popular parakeet species are quaker parrots and ringneck parrots.

Colorful, friendly, sociable, intelligent, easy to tame, easy to care for, and relatively inexpensive, it is not surprising that the parakeet is one of the most popular and commonly kept birds. These birds are great for children, people who are just starting out with birds, and just about everyone else. Many experienced bird owners like keeping these birds as well, due to the parakeet’s manageable size, gentleness, captivating personality, and non-destructive behavior.

Parakeets are fairly intelligent birds that are relatively good at learning to talk and do tricks. They will learn to step up on your finger and other simple tricks, and almost all parakeets can learn to mimic a few words. In fact, the male parakeet has the capacity to learn over 200 words although their speech may be garbled. Parakeets are also full of energy and are a lot of fun to watch. Parakeets will stay very busy climbing, flying from perch to perch, chewing on toys and anything else they can reach, and performing other fun antics.

If you want your parakeet to really bond with you and become a close friend, get just one of them. It will bond more to you that way. If you get two or more parakeets in the same cage, the birds will bond more to each other. If you are planning on having one bird, you should provide plenty of toys such as rings, balls, swings, and bells. In addition to this, you should fulfill its need for companionship by spending some time with it each day.

Parakeets also love mirrors and other reflective objects. It is especially good to have a mirror in the cage if you have just one bird. They are very social creatures and will not be as lonely if there is another bird as a companion, or the reflection of themselves to admire. It is a good idea to get some toys even if you have more than one parakeet, as parakeets love to play. Parakeets like chew toys too. Chew toys made out of wood are good. Just make sure that it is a safe kind of wood for them to chew. It is best to get your wood chews at a good pet shop.

A parakeet is one of the easiest birds to take care of, and they can usually live ten to fifteen years if given good care. All you need is a medium sized cage, a good vitamin enriched food, millet or millet sprays, food and water dishes, a few toys, and a cuttle bone. Get a crushed cob litter or something similar for putting on the bottom of the cage, and change this lining at least once a week. Clean and change the water and food bowls daily to avoid the growth of bacteria.

Keeping your parakeet’s food and water fresh, as well as replenished, is very important. A bird can starve in a short amount of time if it runs out of food. A cuttlebone containing grit will provide a parakeet with the calcium it needs, aid in digestion, and keep the bird’s beak trim and from becoming too long. Parakeets also enjoy supplements of raw fruits and vegetables, but they should be offered in moderation. You may wish to clip your parakeet’s wings short so that it can’t fly. This will make it easier to tame the parakeet and will prevent it from flying out the door or into a pane of glass.

So if you have never had a bird, try a parakeet. They can be a lot of fun. If you already have a parakeet, or want to get one, just follow the basic care tips above, and you should have your parakeet for a good long while.

Nature’s Miracle removes all organic stains and odors, including food, blood, vomit, feces, grease, dirt, grass, smoke, and perspiration.  It is made for use on carpets, floors, furniture, clothing, cages, litter boxes, and all pet living and sleeping areas.  It completely eliminates urine odors with no perfume cover-up, discouraging new pet soilings.  It is safe for use around children and pets.

Nature’s Miracle stain and odor remover uses enzymes from nature to completely eliminate puppy and dog stains & odors, including urine and feces accidents, food, drooling, bedding stains & odors and other hard to get out dog messes. It is safe and effective, and comes in several sizes.

Some varieties of Nature’s Miracle include:

NATURE'S MIRACLE 16 OZ

ODOR DESTROY FOR LINEN 24OZ

NATURE'S MIRACLE 32 OZ

NATURE'S MIRACLE DOG SPRAY 24OZ

NATURE'S MIRACLE 1-GALLON

Bird Cages

The minimum cage size for a single bird is one wide enough for that bird to stretch both wings without touching either side, and tall enough so that the head and tail of the bird never touches the top or bottom. This is the bare minimum size. Larger cages are always recommended. Even if a cage looks big enough for your bird when empty, it can quickly become cluttered with the addition of food bowls, toys, and perches. Birds are made for constant movement if not flying, so it is your responsibility to your pet to provide a home capable of entertainment and exercise.

Round cages are no longer recommended for most birds. Canaries and finches prefer rectangle-shaped cages that are more wide than tall. Other birds are happier in square or tall rectangular homes. Take note of bar spacing and thickness as well. A bird should never be able to stick its head through the bars as it may turn its head and get stuck. Thin bars spaced 3/8 to 1/2 inch apart are fine for finches, canaries, parakeets, lovebirds, and cockatiels. Larger and stronger birds such as conures, cockatoos, and parrots require heavier bars that are spaced about 5/8 to 1 inch apart. Many of these birds are very active and powerful, so make sure to get strong and high-quality cages for them.

Finally, get a crushed cob litter or something similar for putting on the bottom of the cage, and change this lining at least once a week. The bird’s cage should be placed in the room where the family or owner spends the most time, but not the kitchen (the reasons for this are described below in the Precautions section). Depending on the size of the cage and the weight of your bird, the cage can be hung from a wall bracket or a ceiling chain, or placed on a table or some other stand.

Food and Feeding

Some cages come with feeding dishes that hang just on the inside of the cage and that can be retrieved through smaller side doors. This will make daily maintenance considerably easier than those having loose dishes inside the cage which have to be retrieved out through the main cage door. Most birds should have at least 2 dishes in their cage: one for formulated/vitamin-enriched pellets or seed, one for water. Keeping your bird’s food and water fresh is very important. Clean and change the water and food bowls daily to avoid the growth of bacteria. It is also important to keep your bird’s food and water replenished. A bird can starve in a short amount of time if it runs out of food.

Besides the regular bird food and water mentioned earlier, it is also good to offer your bird a cuttlebone and some millet sprays. A cuttlebone will provide a bird with the calcium it needs, and help keep the bird’s beak trim and from becoming too long. Millet sprays are a favorite snack of birds and it is also very entertaining to watch birds eat them. Lastly, there is an optional item for birds called grit. Grit is made from small pieces of sand and oyster shell. It is used to aid digestion in birds who eat their seed whole, such as doves, canaries, and finches. Some cuttlebones come with grit in them already. Parakeets, cockatiels and other hook-billed birds crack their seeds before eating and do not need grit.

Birds can generally eat anything humans can eat – as long as it is healthy! Chocolate, avocados, and onions are considered to be toxic to birds and should never be allowed. Foods which are high in fat, sugar, salt, grease, preservatives and other artificial fillers should not be fed either. Dairy products should also be avoided as most birds are lactose intolerant and cannot digest these foods.

Most birds also enjoy supplements of raw fruits and vegetables, but they should be offered in moderation. Also, when feeding fresh foods, never leave them in the cage for more than a few hours. Bacteria can quickly build up on such items, causing your bird to become ill. Vitamin supplements can be good for birds (but make sure not to overdose), especially if your bird is a picky eater and won’t eat its vegetables. If your bird is eating a pellet diet, vitamins are not needed.

Precautions

Air is the biggest concern for a bird owner. Birds have a respiratory system that works very different from ours. For example, a bird can breathe in air four times as fast as a human, and therefore it can breathe in much more toxic fumes, smoke, and other pollutants than a human. Some major things to keep away from your bird are:

• Gas and kerosene heaters
• Aerosol spray products (hair spray, water-proofing spray, air freshener spray)
• Cigarette smoke
• Rodenticides, flea/tick controllers and other pesticides
• Nail polish or other kinds of polish (floor polish, shoe polish, nail polish remover)
• Plug-in air fresheners and scented candles (in addition to the fumes, the burning wick puts out enough carbon monoxide to harm your bird’s health)
• House paint, paint thinner, paint remover
• Teflon cookware (When heated, Teflon cookware emits a fume that is extremely dangerous to birds. The fume does not harm us, but can kill your bird)
• Keep your bird away from houseplants, as some can be poisonous to your bird

The above is not a complete list. Most items that emit any sort of unnatural fumes and scents are potentially harmful. The rule of thumb is simply not to use scented products around your bird, for example do not wash out your bird’s cage or bowls with scented detergents. This does not mean that you cannot use any of these items. However, anytime your home must be sprayed or fogged for some reason, remove your bird from the home completely, and the house must be thoroughly aired out before the bird can be brought back in. Dust and fumes are also often associated with home improvement or remodeling. In addition, such projects can also cause stress for your bird. Again, if needed, simply place your bird in a different room or take them outside.

Make sure to wash your hands before handling your bird. This is to prevent what is called “fouling the feathers” – the rubbing off of nicotine, tar, cleaners, salt or sugar from snack foods, or other pollutants from your hands on to the bird. Of course, for your safety and cleanliness, do also wash your hands after handling your bird as well. A humidifier can be added to your home to benefit your bird’s skin and feathers (as well as your skin and hair), and it may also have other health benefits.

All birds should be watched for signs of illness. Illness takes its toll on birds especially quickly, and their health will deteriorate very rapidly if untreated. Birds which may be ill include those who sit motionless and fluffed up, those who are reluctant to eat, and those who have discharge coming from their mouths or nostrils with sneezing or wheezing.

If you decide that you want to let your bird out of the cage once in a while, it is strongly recommended that you clip your bird’s wings short so that it cannot fly. A bird will easily fly out any open or cracked windows, and may even fly into closed windows. Birds who can fly will also usually perch on top of open doors, becoming injured or killed when the door is unknowingly closed. Birds will drown quickly as well – so keep toilet bowls and other water-filled containers covered. Always keep your bird’s wings clipped to avoid such tragedies. Finally, clipping a bird’s wings will make it easier to tame.

Avoid putting the bird cage near a heating or cooling vent due to temperature variations and fumes which may be harmful. Although birds enjoy looking out the window, the cage should not be placed where drafts can come in or sunlight can overheat the cage. Most birds are quite comfortable with temperatures around the 60 to 70 temperature range. Full-spectrum lighting commonly used for reptiles can be used to help heat and light the bird cage. Do not leave your bird in the car during warm months or place them outdoors in direct sunlight. Signs of overheating include panting or holding the wings out from the body.

As mentioned earlier, your bird should not be allowed in the kitchen, whether it is in its cage or outside of its cage. For loose birds, dangers in the kitchen include open pots of boiling water or other heating foods, as well as hot stoves. For caged birds, the kitchen still offers toxic fumes as well as hot temperatures.

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When trimming your bird’s toenails, make sure you use one of the special small bird nail trimmers. It is fairly easy to do for small birds. For medium to larger birds, it is a good idea to have another person hold the bird in a towel and just pull one foot out to trim the nails. This way you can avoid getting bitten by the bird. It is also a good idea to buy some styptic powder, just in case you trim a nail too short and bleeding results. This powder will stop the bleeding instantly.

It’s not a bad idea to also keep the wings trimmed on your bird. A lot of  times a bird will have its wings trimmed when you buy it at the pet shop.  But if you need to trim them yourself, it’s fairly easy to do. Usually, just the flight feathers get trimmed.  Again, it helps to have another person with a towel hold the bird and pull one wing out at a time. Cut the feathers from the underside a half inch to one inch from the inner row of short feathers. Make sure that you don’t cut too short, as you may cut into your bird. Cut the flight feathers in a straight line.  Normally this is quick and painless.

If you aren’t sure where to cut, or how to do this, most good pet shops will trim wings for you if you bring your bird in, and they can show you how to do this.

A good reason for trimming your bird’s wings is that if he ever gets loose in the house he won’t be able to fly out the door, into a ceiling fan, or into a window.  Birds with trimmed wings are also usually easier to tame and train.

Supplies you will need for clipping your bird’s nails and wings:

Bird Claw Clipper

Bird Wing Clip Scissors

Blood Stopper Powder

A very good alternative to seed diets are pelleted diets.  Kaytee, Pretty Bird and ZuPreem are three  companies that make very good pelleted diets for birds. These diets have a big advantage over seeds in that when a bird eats them they get more balanced nutrition, as each pellet has all of the nutrients in it.  A bird can’t pick and choose what it will eat or not eat.  Sometimes it takes a bit of time to get a bird over to a pelleted diet, but usually the bird will be healthier once it is switched over.  Most of these companies make these nuggets in plain, as well as fruit flavored and colored.

Try some of these different pelleted feeds for your bird.

Macaw Fruit Blend

Parrot/Conure Fruit Blend

Macaw Fruit Blend

Parrot/Conure Fruit Blend

Cockatiel Rainbow Pellets

Cockatiel Natural Pellets

Parrot Original Pellets

Parakeet Rainbow Pellets

Canary/Finch Rainbow Pellets

Small Bird Daily Select

Medium Bird Daily Select

Large Bird Daily Select

Some good replacement perches, called Comfy Perches, are made of stiff colored rope and come in various sizes. These can be put in the cage in loops, and at different angles, and will give birds exercise as they climb up and down the ropes.

A fairly new perch that looks like wood is a Jungle Talk edible perch. These come in various shapes and are rough… and edible too. These can help with beak and nail maintenance as well as giving them some exercise.

Prevue makes some roughened calcium perches that work very well for birds. They also have one that is called Wacky Wood, which is long and varies in thickness.

Try some of these different perches for your bird.

Edible Perch Branch

Comfy Perch Byrdy Cable (small)

Comfy Perch Byrdy Cable (medium)

Comfy Perch Byrdy Cable (large)

Beach Walk Calcium Perch

Wacky Wood Perch

The unique bond we share with our pets enriches our lives, and improves our physical health and emotional well being. Pets offer companionship, love, even protection, and that makes them well worth the little bit of time or money you put into them. Nationwide, there is an average of 2.1 cats and 1.6 dogs per household, so a lot of people agree. And now, all these benefits and more have been proven scientifically in nationwide studies. Have high blood pressure? Have a lot of stress? Ever feel depressed or lonely? Having a pet can help get rid of all that. And that is just the beginning of the list of benefits. Take a look below:

Pets help to lower blood pressure and blood fat levels.
A recent study at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that people with hypertension (high blood pressure) who adopted a cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than did those who did not have a pet. Another study at the University of Pennsylvania found that on average, people with pets have lower blood fat levels and lower blood pressure than people without pets. A national survey done by Medicare has also shown that pet owners tend to be more physically active than those who do not own pets, exercising regularly and more often. As can be expected, dog owners do indeed tend to automatically set aside time to take “Fido” out for a walk, and other pet owners also usually set aside some time daily to play with their pets. This increase in physical activity and exercise, and the stress reduction factor listed below, combine to combat high blood pressure and blood fat levels.

Pets help to reduce stress.
Being with a pet helps to sooth the nerves and offers instant relaxation, reducing tension and anxiety. Studies conducted worldwide have shown that the impact of a stressful situation is less severe on pet owners – especially men – than on those who do not own a pet. One of the main reasons for this may be that because pets provide people with such unconditional and faithful companionship. They provide their owners with greater psychological stability, thus helping to create a state of mental and emotional well being. Not surprisingly, this tends to lower stress and anxiety.

Pets help to reduce the risks of stroke and heart disease.
Because pets help to reduce stress, lower blood fat levels and blood pressure, they automatically reduce the risks of stroke and heart disease.

Pets help to improve general health and lower health care costs.
A 1995 national survey showed that dog and cat owners make fewer annual visits to the doctor, especially for non-serious medical conditions. They tend to stay healthier in general, and are less likely to be dependent on medication for heart problems and sleeping disorders. Another study at Cambridge University found that owning a pet could improve your health in as little as one month! Pet owners reported fewer minor health problems such as headaches, colds and hay fever.

Pets help the sick in hospitals and clinics, and at home.
The growing trend of using animals in children’s hospitals and nursing homes – or “pet therapy” – is one of the newest holistic approaches to improving patients’ health and well being. You may have noticed that some doctors and dentists place aquariums in their waiting rooms to comfort patients, because it has been shown that aquarium viewing reduces stress. Patients using pets in their psychotherapy sessions tend to report more progress than those who do not use pets. And in general, pet owners have been shown to rehabilitate faster from physical or psychological illnesses than non-pet owners.

Pets help to fight depression, apathy, loneliness and related problems.
When people face problems or trauma, affection from pets takes on great meaning, helping to promote a greater interest in life. Their bonding behavior can foster a sense of happiness, companionship, and security. Caring for a cat or dog can reduce a person’s loneliness and depression, and provides social support. In addition to their unconditional affection and love, pets keep us happy and amused with their fascinating antics and zest for life. Also, the “care-taking role” involved in pet ownership may provide people – especially children and the elderly – with a greater sense of purpose and responsibility in life.

Pets help children.
In children, studies have shown that contact with pets can reduce the symptoms of attention deficit disorder. Many autistic children display increased affection and social skills when interacting with animals. For example, children who have trouble reading out loud will be much more at ease reading to a dog or cat. A child’s emotional development and personal responsibility can also be encouraged by caring for a pet – children who have pets tend to be more sociable, less selfish, and more self-reliant.

Pets help the family.
The bond that develops between people and their pets creates companionship, fosters a feeling of well being, and helps build healthy family relationships.

As you can see, animals can bring great joy to our lives as well as numerous unexpected physical and psychological health benefits. The rewards of having a pet are great, not only to you the pet owner, but also to the animal itself. Of course, you will still need to visit your doctor, follow the advice of your health care team, take all of your prescribed medications and get your treatments as scheduled, but a pet will be a wonderful addition to your life for many reasons.

Trimming toenails on your pet is not that difficult if you do it on a regular basis. Your pet will get used to it. You will want to use the right size nail trimmer for the right size pet.  If you have a cat, or a small dog, use the small size nail trimmer made for small nails. Use a medium trimmer for medium nails, and a large trimmer for large nails.

Do not use human nail clippers. These can crush the rounded toe nail.

If you want you can get one of the electric nail trimmers. Some, like the Pedi Paws, are battery powered. These work pretty well too.

Some good nail trimmers are:

G-Soft Nail Clipper

G-Soft Nail Trimmer

Safari S/S Nail Trimmer

Safari Pro Nail Trimmer

Safari S/S Nail Trimmer

Pedi Paws Nail Trimmer

Super Mini Nail Clipper

African Gray Parrot

For the most devoted pet possible, it is best to only have one bird per cage, as two or more birds together will tend to relate to one another and not with their owner. If you are planning on having just one bird, you should definitely provide it with plenty of bird toys and accessories for entertainment and activity. Of course, it is still a good idea to get some toys and accessories even if you have more than one bird. In addition to toys and accessories, you should fulfill your feathered friend’s need for companionship by spending some time with it each day.

Bird Toys and Accessories

Most birds are very active and playful animals. Scientists who study birds in the wild have found out that when birds are not gathering food, they are playing. Birds in the wild love to chew wood, fling leaves and twigs, and swing from vines and branches. Your pet bird will have this playing desire as well. Providing your bird with a variety of toys and accessories will keep it entertained and exercised, thus satisfying its playing desire as well as keeping it in good physical health.

Toys and accessories also help to educate and nurture. For young birds, toys help them to identify colors, shapes, and textures. Toys also help to develop coordination and produce a more confident and intelligent adult bird. It provides improved mental health by promoting independence and reducing aggression. Birds who do not receive toys or proper playtime usually develop negative behaviors such as feather picking, screaming for attention, aggression towards people, fear of other objects, and destructiveness towards household objects and furniture.

Fortunately, there is a large and fun range of toys and accessories to choose from, including swings, bells, and more. Most birds also love mirrors and other reflective objects. It is especially good to have a mirror in the cage if you have just one bird. Birds are very social creatures and will not be as lonely if there is another bird as a companion, or the reflection of themselves to admire.

Make sure your bird’s toys are safe and designed especially for birds. Do not use uncommon play things such as pencils, keys, baby toys, nails, strings, etc. These items may contain toxic materials and other substances which may endanger your bird’s health. Bird toys are usually not loose items but are designed to be properly secured to the cage by a wire or thin chain. Never use shower curtain rings or hooks – your bird’s foot or beak may become caught in it. As mentioned before, do not allow any loose strings inside the cage, your bird may get caught in it or try to swallow it.

Most birds, especially the bigger birds such as parrots who have large strong beaks, will chew on anything that looks interesting. Thus, never allow your bird to come into contact with electrical cords. Also, do not allow birds to chew on old jewelry, old paint, faucets, zippers, bases of light bulbs, and foil from wine bottles. These are sources of lead and zinc poisoning that can cause serious health problems for your bird. Chew toys made out of wood are good for satisfying your bird’s chewing desire. Just make sure that it is a safe kind of wood for them to chew. It is best to get your wood chews at a good pet shop.

Finally, perches are another very important accessory for any bird. Every bird should have at least two perches in its cage. The perches should vary in diameter so that the bird’s feet do not flex the same way all the time. Many perches made of all kinds of materials are available today, ranging from natural woods, soft ropes, to cement ones which help keep a bird’s nails trim. Rough perches such as a sandpaper-covered perch should not be the only perch in your bird’s cage, as they are too abrasive for a bird to stand on all the time.

Bird Training

Of course, your bird does not only love its toys and accessories, it also loves and needs you. Therefore, remember that you the pet owner should fulfill your pet’s need for companionship by spending some time with it each day. Meanwhile, you will also enjoy the relaxation, happiness, and numerous other physical and psychological health benefits that spending time and doing activities with your pet will bring. One of the fun and rewarding activities that you can do with your bird is teaching your bird to talk, whistle or do some simple tricks. This can be very interesting for other people to watch, not to mention also bringing admiration for you and your bird. Bird training can also increase the bond between you and your bird.

Getting your bird to talk, whistle, and learn other tricks is not as hard as you might think. It will just take some patience and time. You will first need to give your bird some time to become comfortable around you, as a new bird is often a bit timid and frightened at first. Remember that wing trimming or clipping also makes birds a little easier to work with and train, as well as helping to ensure that they do not fly away or cause other trouble. If you do not know how to trim or clip your bird’s wings, take it to your pet shop or vet to get that done before you start any bird training. When you are ready to start training, move all other pets, like cats and dogs, out of the room. Try to remove all other distractions so the bird will concentrate on your voice.

If you want to teach your bird some tricks, try simple tricks at first and do a lot of repetition. Make sure your bird is very comfortable with you and repeat what you want your bird to do over and over. A good starting trick to teach your bird is getting it to step onto your finger. Just push your finger under its lower chest, and say “step up.” After a few times of doing this, your bird will learn.

If there is a word or short phrase that you want to teach your bird, speak the word or short phrase clearly to it. Birds will pick up one word or a few words easier than they will pick up whole sentences. Repeat this word or phrase over and over again to your bird. Depending on the bird, it may take several weeks for it to pick up the word or phrase. Birds can also pick up whistling, and some birds can even sing songs. As they pick up a word or phrase, you can add others to this, and they can then increase their vocabulary. Spend at least 15 to 20 minutes teaching your bird each day, and try to teach your bird on a routine basis. Some birds may never talk, but a lot of them will.

If you have any more questions regarding about toys and accessories for birds, or about how to train your bird or teach your bird new things, just ask us and we will help you any way we can.

Of course, if you will be traveling and leaving your pet at home, first make sure that your pet’s basic living necessities, such as food, water, and clean bedding are all stocked up. Besides drinking, eating, and sleeping, like people most pets are also relatively smart, curious, and energetic creatures that must have things to keep them occupied in order for them to thrive and be happy. These include things like receiving special treats and having fun accessories for adequate exercise, activity, and play. Many of these things will help pets live longer and happier lives, and increase your satisfaction and enjoyment as a pet owner. And during the holiday season, these things all make great gifts for pet gift giving for all types of pets.

Dogs

Chew bones and toys are very important for your dog or puppy. Remember that these will help keep a dog from destructive chewing as well as keep it happy. There are nylon chew bones and all kinds of toys made of rope, fleece, rubber, and latex. All these toys and accessories are known for their durability and safety. There are even dog toys made to look like Christmas trees, snowmen, and other holiday or winter-themed items. In addition, you can get pet Christmas stockings that have toys, treats, and chews inside. The holiday season is also a great time to get dog clothes and shoes for your dog to protect it from snow, ice, rain, and other bad conditions, while at the same time making quite a visual impact and fashion statement!

There are a tremendous amount of treats available for puppies and dogs. Maybe you could get your pet its favorite treat during the holidays. A lot of dogs love treats such as pig ears, rawhide bones, dog biscuits shaped like bones, edible chew bones. Other interesting and delicious dog treats include dog cookies in assorted flavors and even dog ice cream. There are also a lot of healthy and therapeutic treats for dogs such as tartar control dental sticks, spearmint breath bones and biscuits, anti-stress sticks, skin and coat enhancement sticks, and vitamin sticks. One of the newest chew treats is called Greenies, which is not only nutrient-packed, it also helps clean teeth, freshen breath, reduce plaque.

Cats

Like dogs and puppies, kittens and cats will love to play with new toys and enjoy some special treats during the holidays. There are many types of cat toys: cat ball toys, fabric doll toys made in the likeness of a mouse or other small animal, a ball or other object attached to a string for swatting and batting purposes, battery-operated or motorized toys that move by themselves or when activated by the cat, laser pointer flashlight toys, crinkle cat toys that make a crinkly noise or even toys that make bird or other animal noises. Basically, anything that makes noise, moves when played with or that can be pounced will provide your cat with great exercise and fun.

Cats also like to climb and get up high, and getting them a tall cat tree or some other cat furniture with some height to it will be great for exercise, climbing, and general play. A lot of cat trees go up to the ceiling and have shelves, a small house, or other play areas for your cat. Most cats love these cat trees and will play on them for hours, especially if you hang some of their favorite toys from it. Put your cat tree near a window, and your cat can enjoy looking outside to watch birds, squirrels, people, and more. Cat scratching posts, of course, are another a great and very important investment for any cat – not only for exercise and stress relief, but also for protecting everything else in your house from being scratched up.

Small Animals

If you have a hamster, mouse, gerbil, ferret, guinea pig, or other small animal as a pet, there are many great treats and toys available for them too. Small animals will need to have some accessories and entertainment items in the cage such as toys, or you can get a special small animal playhouse with tubes, wheels, tunnels, funnels and other exciting stuff built in already. These playhouses will keep small animals occupied for hours with plenty of antics and opportunities to scamper, tunnel, burrow and play. Your small animal will get its exercise and fun, which is very important, and you will be greatly entertained as you watch it in its playhouse from close up or far away.

There are also exercise wheels and exercise balls for small animals. It is great fun to watch your pet zoom around the house in an exercise ball, while exercise wheels are a better option if you would like to keep track of your pet and keep it in its cage. You can even walk your small animal around outside like a dog during the upcoming spring months by getting some of the new harnesses and leads made especially for small animals. Think of all the attention you would get! In addition, small animals will love wood chews and treats. These will also keep them from chewing on their food bowls, cages, and other things. There are flavored or plain wood chew toys in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes available at your local pet shop.

Fish and Birds

Finally, if you are a bird owner or fish owner, do not forget them this holiday season. Most birds – especially parakeets – love mirrors and other reflective objects. It is especially good to have a mirror in the cage if you have just one bird. They are very social creatures and will not be as lonely if there is another bird as a companion or the reflection of themselves to admire. Many birds are also very playful, energetic and curious and will enjoy bird toys, trinkets, and even wooden bird chew toys. Cuttle bones and millet sprays are favorite treats for most birds and make a great gift as well. Last but not least, like other pets your fish will also notice, appreciate, and enjoy any new plants or other aquarium decorations and accessories that you add to their habitats.

Your pets care about you, so show them you care, and do not forget them during the holidays! In addition, remember that most of these wonderful gifts and accessories will usually last you and your pets many years. If you have any more questions regarding gifts for your or someone else’s pets during the holidays, just ask us and we will help you any way we can.