August 10

Should Exotic Animals Be Kept as Pets?

green anole lizard (12)Do you have a snake or a type of lizard? Well, those are exotic animals. Animals that should live in the wild. About 18,000,000 Americans have exotic animals and I think that should stop. Many animals should be in their own habitat. Today, I will tell you 3 reasons why exotic animals should not be pets.

To begin with, wild animals can die if they escape. Snakes and small exotic animals are mostly likely to escape. For instant, most animals need to be guided from their mothers. For example, baby birds need to learn how to fly from their mothers.

Second, wild animals can be very aggressive to humans and that can involve injuries to deaths. In 2005, a woman named Paris Hilton got a pet kinkajou, native from Central and South America, named Baby Luv. Soon, Baby Luv bit Hilton deeply enough for her to go to the hospital. Luckily, Hilton got better from her severe injury. Most wild animals are not used to be being next to humans.

Lastly, it is cruel to keep them as pets. First of all, they are not used to our climate conditions. Imagine being in a desert 130 degrees, or a very chilly place about 10 degrees! That’s what it kind of feels like for them. Also, most owners do not know how to train how their pets. Finally, pets end up suffering.

To restate my opinion, exotic animals should not be pets. It can be dangerous to us but more importantly, dangerous to them. Also, there are many other animals to adopt/own. Again, 18,000,000 Americans own exotic animals. That should stop. So if you are thinking to get some sort of lizard, make the right choice.

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August 9

Kangaroos and their Joeys     

ItchesInstead of walking, you are hopping. Instead of hands, you have paws. Instead of smaller ears, you have big, furry ears. What kind of animal could this be? You guessed it, it’s a kangaroo!

Kangaroos are famous for their large, powerful hind legs that they use for hopping. They are the only large mammal that uses hopping for locomotion. Besides that, kangaroos have another fun fact. They are marsupials. Marsupials are a group of mammals that carry their young in their pouch. Kangaroos are very different from other animals.

The Dangerous Journey

The newborn called a joey looks totally helpless. Yet, it manages to make its way to the pouch without any help from its mother. What an amazing feat a tiny creature can do. Clinging to its mother’s fur Joey climbs slowly to its mother’s belly to reach the warmth and safety of the pouch. The  journey only takes a few minutes.

Life in the Pouch

Whenever a kangaroo is born, they go to their mother’s pouch. Safe in the pouch the joey clamps onto one of four teats that give life-giving milk. The teat swells to fill the mouth and works like an anchor, holding the baby firm so that the baby does not fall out as it’s mother hops around. Fed by the mother’s milk, the joey grows quickly. It’s eyes and ears open, it’s fur starts to grow, and it’s strong back legs develop. It starts to look more like a young kangaroo.  After a few months, the joey takes it’s first peep out of the pouch. Soon it will be able to venture into the outside world the second time.

Leaving the Pouch

 At the age of six months old, the red and gray kangaroos leave the pouch for the for the first time, as their mother’s tip them to the ground gently. Some kangaroos leave the pouch when they are eight months old and still suck milk for three to four months old. Others leave at eleven months and still suck the milk until they are eighteen months old. At first, the joey spends only a short amount of time on the ground before getting back into the pouch. The young animal moves awkwardly at first, but soon it learns how to hop on its hind legs like its mother. Their mother teaches them how to feed and take care of themselves.  

Kangaroos are very interesting and unique animals, not only because of their hopping, but also because of the way they reproduce. Besides carrying their babies in the pouch female kangaroos are considered to always be pregnant. When one baby is ready to leave the pouch a new one is ready to climb back in it. Isn’t it amazing!

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August 3

Wonderful Cockatiels

Are you looking for the perfect pet? I have one for you. It’s soft, it has a yellowish color and has bright orange cheeks. It’s not Pikachu, it’s a cockatiel! Cockatiels are the second most popular pet bird in the United States (after parrots). It’s not just because they are cute but because of the three C’s and those are easy to care for, cheap, and compatible for all ages.

It’s very easy to take care of cockatiels. Cockatiels can be left alone for a long time. This means if you are out of town for the weekend then you won’t have to get a pet sitter. They take care of themselves. They only need to get fed once every 2 to 3 days and their cage only needs to be cleaned once every 2 weeks. Another reason they are good pets is you won’t have to spend extra time walking them. They are happy exercising by themselves inside or out of their cage. Cockatiels like walking around inside the house, out of their cage while you pursue a quiet activity like studying or reading.

Another reason cockatiels are the perfect pet is because they are cheap. Of course buying one is about $100-$300 but after that, you will have nothing to worry about. The first reason is cockatiels get sick very rarely so you won’t have to pay for the vet often. Also, cockatiels don’t need check-ups or shots whin big bags last for a long time. Also, you won’t have to buy toys for them because they keep ich can be very expensive. Cockatiels do not eat much so the food which are cheap and come themselves entertained with anything around them. They don’t need toys to gnaw on to help their teeth (or beak) or climbing structures to be up high.

Whether you are 5 or 105, you will always love these nice animals called cockatiels. Cockatiels are smart so they are very easy to train. Kids will have fun teaching them do tricks. Kids would be amused seeing cockatiels learn simple tricks like stepping up and down and bow their head and some complicated tricks like somersaulting and saying their name. Also, cockatiels are quiet so if some families have babies who are afraid of loud noises then these birds are perfect for them. Cockatiels are also good for seniors especially if they live alone. They are good companions for them because they don’t need much attention but they can be there to keep them company.  Seniors will also like the cockatiel’s quiet qualities.

Still not convinced that cockatiels are the perfect pet? Well just ask the millions of people who own them today and they will change your mind. They will tell you about the three Cs and other reasons that make cockatiels the perfect pet.   

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