# Tips On Buying & Caring For Your Pets



## Puddjuice (Mar 11, 2004)

I have read and discussed the lack of knowledge for pets the people own. In this thread I hope to inform you on some tips you can use on buying your pet. I will also include tips on finding a good pet store to buy them from.

_* Before you purchase you pet you need to know and understand these bare essentials. *_
You need to understand there tempeture requierments. Too cold of a temperature can kill or cause hibernation in a pet. Too warm of a temperature 
can kill or cause dehydration which will soon lead to death if not treated quickly.

There diet is very important because if they are not getting the proper food they will not get there needed nutrients which will cause them to grow unhealthy.

Also there bedding can be very important at times too. Because some animals need some ruff surfaces so they can shed there skins. Or the animal might need a certain type of bedding because they get nutrients from it. For example some Lizards require Calcium sand because it is something needed for there growth. Which we all know that calcium is involved in healthy bone and teeth growth.

Your pet will also need a play matierials to exersize on to keep them active and healthy.

If your animal is something native to a warm desert climate, they will need some sort of UV light that substitutes for the sun. This also helps keep there body temperature at a normal degree.

A very important thing to know is the behavoir of your animal. For example you pet is not being as active. It is eating more than ussuall, it is getting heavier, and it opposes to being help is a strong sign of pregnacy.

You will also need to know if the animal that you are looking into is a animal that will need special Vet vistits or yearly vaccinations.

A very important thing is to know the growth rate and cage requirements of your pet. As we all know we can't fit a 3ft. Ball python in a 10 gallon aquarium. You need to know how long your pet will fit in his or hers cage and what type of upgradings you will need to do. If you put a animal in a cage that is too small two things will most likely happen. They will either stop eating or be agressive. Now neither of these things are good. Because refusal to eat will soon result into death of your animal, and agressiveness of you pet will bring harm to you the next time you try to handle it.

Another good thing to know is the apperance of you animal you are interested in buying. This will come in handy when you are purchasing your animal so you can compare the apperences/desriptions to see if the animal you are looking at is healthy.

If when you purchase you pet you decide to buy another pet to house together, If one of them shows signs of sickness always even if you arn't positive it is sick separate them. This is a good idea because if one of your animals has a bad illness it will lower the risk of spreading it. And this is very important, ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER HOLDING YOUR PET. This will dramaticly lower the risk of spreading anything from pet to pet.

_*Here are the tips on finding a place to purchase your pet:*_

When you go to the pet store to buy your pet a good thing to do is to ask a couple simple questions to the employee in charge of the area your animal is in. If that person either misses them or cannot answer them it isn't a good sign of a good pet store.

Next check the cage of the animal. Check to see if the lighting and temperature are correct. Check there food dishes. If there food dish is empty the animal could have finished his rations off, but if the water dish is dry this means that the animal isn't fed well and maty be unhealthy.

Now to the animal itself. You should always prehandle them to look for signs of sickness and agression. If you like agressive animals than buy a mean one. If the animal you pursue is a active moving animal and the animal you are holding isn't living up to it's description than it may not be healthy. It could just be shy though.

If you see anything unsuall or anything that doesn't fit the characteristics of that animal than it might be sick or unhealthy.

I know it is hatd to find a place who meets all these requirements but shop around and keep record and which ever place did the best and had the best care for the animal than that is the store you should go to.

I hope this helps you with the care of you animal. I feel that if you so these things before purchasing your pet that you will be a very good and succesfull pet owner.:nod:

Also after buying you pet let alone for at least 1 week to adjust to it's new surroundings
Have fun,








Puddjuice


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## Burf (Nov 3, 2003)

good thread!

Basically youve gotta do a hell of a lot of research before you get anything, and thats half the fun!!


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## Down (Feb 27, 2004)

Definately a good thread.

If I can think of one thing to add, it'd be this:

Definately adhere to the quarantine rule. I jumped in pretty quick to animal keeping, and while I had a good grasp on all their requirements, didn't quarantine. 1 sick animal (who was in great condition when bought) got very sick within a few weeks of buying her. She took 2 other down with her.

Lesson learned on my part









J


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## Puddjuice (Mar 11, 2004)

Thank You.







I was worried people would think this was gay. But I thought it would do good in a way. I just thought of something else to add too. To leave you new pet alone for a while to adjust to it's new surroundsings. Do you guys think this would make a good pinned?


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

> Definately a good thread.
> 
> If I can think of one thing to add, it'd be this:
> 
> Definately adhere to the quarantine rule. I jumped in pretty quick to animal keeping, and while I had a good grasp on all their requirements, didn't quarantine. 1 sick animal (who was in great condition when bought) got very sick within a few weeks of buying her. She took 2 other down with her.


Very good point that I was going to make, made here clearly! This is a mistake many of us have made in the begining, please adhere to quarantine practices.

This is a good thread, and has potential to be a pinned topic, with a little cleaning and addition..


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

:nod: research is alot of fun when getting a new pet
and when u do its the greatest thing ever
when i lose an animal no matter what
i feel bad 
cause there lifes were left in my hands


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## Puddjuice (Mar 11, 2004)

Hey Ck. Thanks to all you for your nice comments on the thread. Also everyone else who made nice comments too. I spent a good amount of time on this and I glad all of you liked it.







CK just PM me what I should clean up and what I should add and I will do it. I just felt that if I tried to make a pinned about this then it would help people and there pets.:nod:


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## Puddjuice (Mar 11, 2004)

Hey Ck i don't know if oyu missed my PM but I asked you what needed added and what needed cleaned up.. Just get back to me about it.


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## Puddjuice (Mar 11, 2004)

Haha, I guess this thread went to hell. Crockeeper said with cleaning up and addition it could be a pinned and I have asked him numerous times about what to do and he doesn't want to respond.







I spent too much time on this for it to be a lost thread.


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