Having a pet means changes in our way of life and in our home. A dog, a cat, a rabbit, a ferret, a guinea pig or even a hamster require certain items to have a healthy and happy life as a pet.
1. Beds and shelters for a pet
All pets need a place to rest and sleep. In this space they have to feel safe and have total freedom to enter and exit. For dogs and cats, soft, warm and easily washable beds are recommended, and there are heated mattresses for winter and cold for summer.
Rodents such as hamsters, rats or mice have to be offered a material with which they can make a nest, there are different types of beds (paper, cotton, cardboard …) and they need a substrate for their cage, the best type is the substrate of pressed wood, corn or recycled paper.
The cages have to be the biggest we can afford and have enough accessories to allow the animal to play and hide.
Ferrets use hammocks to sleep and it is advisable that their cages have several plants, with tunnels and platforms.
2. A good feed
Feeding is a fundamental aspect of having a pet, we must offer a feed of adequate quality to the species, size, age and health status.
The composition of the food is the guide we have to take to choose one feed or another. Always will be better those with specific ingredients in a good proportionand do not contain additives.
All pets need to have an accessible source of fresh, clean water.. For dogs bowls are used, the stainless steel ones keep the water cooler, the felines prefer the fountains where the water is in motion and for rabbits and rodents drinkers with special nozzles are added in their cage.
3. Scrapers for cats
In order for cats to develop their natural behavior as cats, they need a scraper where they can spend their nails. Scrapers can be of many different types: tree type, post type, vertical, inclined, cardboard … If they are tall and the cat can climb them, they need to be as stable as possible.
We can impregnate the scraper with pheromones to attract scratches of the cat and avoid destroying other objects.
4. Toys as environmental enrichment
Toys are part of the environmental enrichment of pets and we can find more and more variety in the market.
For dogs that play with their mouths mainly there are teethers and toys of very resistant materials such as rubber that we can also fill with food. For dogs that use more paws, there are also toys designed for them, such as hollow balls or snack toys that kick out food.
We can also help them develop their sense of smell and intelligence with interactive games and smell games that we can do at home.
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Cats have fun with tunnels and duster-type toys or rope that awakens their hunting instinct, they also adore cardboard boxes.
For rodents, wheels, tunnels and houses with platforms are recommended, in this way they exercise and have different shelters by their cage. Rabbits enjoy any type of toy in which we can hide hay, which is also beneficial for tooth wear.
5. Sandboxes and substrates
The shape, location and sand can be the key for a cat to use its sandbox. It is always advisable to use a low, wide, shallow tray with binder and non-scented sand. The sandbox must be located away from the cat’s bed and food and must be kept clean daily.
For rodents and rabbits, who also make their needs indoors, we must have a suitable substrate that does not release dust that can clog the animal’s airways and that we can easily remove to maintain proper hygiene.
The chip, sawdust or strip of paper does not absorb moisture well, cakes and removes dust, sepiolite is also contraindicated.