Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 17, 1993 TAG: 9311190336
SECTION: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE PAGE: HGG-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By BECKY HEPLER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Unless the recipient is willing to take on the responsibility for the care and feeding, you are condemning a living thing to sure death, so do not break the rule.
Heavy message said, there are some truly outrageous ideas in the pet store that will ensure that your gift doesn't get lost in the wadded up wrapping paper at the end of the day.
One thing you won't find in most New River Valley pet stores are puppies and kittens. Sally Stevens, president of the New River Valley Kennel Club said the pet store owners here have been very responsible in giving up the "puppy mill" trade, where animals tend to be overpriced, unhealthy and of suspect quality.
If you're interested in a particular kind of dog, Stevens recommended contacting the Kennel Club or area veterinarians to get the name of responsible breeders from which to purchase a puppy. The club also has brochures on how to purchase a dog, what to look for in a breed and how to match up dog personalities and habits with your or the prospective owner's lifestyle.
If being purebred is not a concern, the Humane Society is a good source that is in the spirit of the season. You get a present and help a dog.
If you really want to be kind to the puppy or kitten, the best course of action is to put a picture or a toy dog or cat under the tree instead of the live counterpart. The cold weather and the hurly-burly atmosphere of the holidays make a rough transition for baby animals. Once everyone is back on schedule, bringing the puppy into the household will proceed more smoothly.
We think of dogs as the ultimate companion, but our winged friends can be every bit as friendly, plus they don't have dog breath. Birds are especially good for people who want the company but might not be up to walking and exercising a dog.
Karen Graham, who owns Something Fishy in Pulaski, said birds like cockatiels, parrots and parakeets can return affection, they can mimic speech and they can be trained to sit on your shoulder, making them great companions.
The key is to get a "hand-fed" bird, that is a bird that has never known bird caretakers, only humans. Some shops will sell birds that have been captured in the wild, but the more reputable ones buy from sources where the birds are used to human beings. "A good shop will tell you if the bird is hand-fed," Graham said.
Maintaining that "tameness" in a bird means spending at least a little bit of time each day with it, so if you or your gift recipient do not want to make that kind of time commitment but still like the idea of a bird as a pet, consider the canaries and finches.
"These are more a more low-maintenance choice," said Anna Celestini, general manager of C & P Pet Store in the Marketplace, Christiansburg. "Just make sure they have food and water."
You can't teach them tricks but fish are an entertaining choice of pets, pretty and soothing to watch. It won't work to have a fully operating fish tank under the tree as a surprise because you need at least a week to set up the tank and let the water condition before you add the fish. Graham offers gift certificates for fish tanks from her store to avoid this problem.
Most people start out with a 10-gallon tank, but Brian Taylor, from Classy Critters in Radford says it isn't a significant increase in expense to go to a 20 gallon set-up, but the increase in opportunities is definitely worth it. A larger tank can hold more or larger fish and if you get the tank set up properly, there will be less cork in cleaning because the elements are more likely to stay in balance.
In terms of maintenance, freshwater tropical fish are the easiest, saltwater fish are the most difficult. Contrary to what you might think, goldfish are not necessarily the easiest, Celestini said, because they produce a lot of waste, which means cleaning out the tank a lot. The key to a clean tank is the filtration system, so get the best one you can afford.
With all the fascination with dinosaurs, it is no wonder that lizards such as iguanans have become popular pets. Graham said these South American animals are now raised on farms in the United States.
Quiet, clean and relatively inexpensive ($20 to $30 for the animal), they are vegetarians, so weekly upkeep is around $3. There are few diseases that can bother them and as Taylor pointed out, you don't have to worry about fleas.
Because of their small brains, iguanas are not very affectionate, though the more they are handled, the more they get used to being handled. As a scare tactic, they will open their mouths but they don't bite and they can be leashed trained so you can really turn the heads on an outing.
Of course, if you really want the exotic, Graham suggested a savannah monitor, which at 4 1/2 feet long and 65 pounds, can approach the size of a medium dog. It has a nasty bite, so Graham recommended this only for the experienced hobbyist.
Continuing the exotic theme, snakes are another pet that you probably wouldn't cuddle up to, but they have their strong points. You don't have to walk them and they won't destroy the carpet or the furniture. Most snakes sold in area pet shops have been farm raised.
The most common snakes are constrictors, the boas and pythons. Taylor cautioned first time buyers to get the information about the snakes' full-grown size. The ball pythons, around $50 or $30-$40 on sale, tend to be less expensive to buy, but because they grow to unmanageable lengths, you'll spend more on housing. He suggested the baby boas, between $95 and $150, if space is a consideration.
As a rule, snakes are a low maintenance pet, needing only a heat rock in a cage and fresh water daily. Every three to five days, they'll need to eat, usually a feeder mouse, and in the winter, they go into a semi-hibernation, needing even less food. They are nocturnal, so don't expect a lot of action during the day.
Another in the exotic line of pets are frogs, such as the "Pacman" frog, so named because of the way it opens its mouth to eat. "It can eat something as big as it is," Taylor said. They cost about $25, but will live a long time. Tree frogs, starting at about $40, are another possibility.
If you like the thought of pets as science lessons, consider a tarantula or a scorpion, about $30 for the animal and its environment. These are not pets for young children, but a pre-teen might find them fascinating. Be careful, though, because what you buy could come back to you. Graham said she has several customers, mothers of college students, coming in each week to get a supply of crickets for the tarantulas that are now in their custody.
A staple in many elementary school classrooms, guinea pigs, hamsters and gerbils are popular with younger children and can be fairly inexpensive pets. While they don't need as much attention as a dog or cat, they do need daily care, fresh food and water.
Another warm, fuzzy alternative are rabbits. Called "vegetarian kitties" by a local writer, rabbits are cuddly and not nearly as aloof as a cat. They need fresh water and food, and a little exercise daily.
If you're still not sure, talk to the people in the store. They're a friendly bunch and they're there because they love animals. They will be a great source of information about the habits and temperments of various animals and can guide you in choosing a pet that will mesh with the household where it's going.
by CNB