Nice to Know

Bearded dragons, lizards that look like dragons, are becoming more and more popular  to keep as pets. They are not for cuddling, but can become tame and friendly very quickly, and are really fascinating. These adorable "dragons" from Australia are ideal for those who are allergic to animal hair. Caring for them can be learnt quickly even for beginners in terraristics. "Of course a new Pogona fan has to gather detailed information about his new pet before buying one," advises Werner Preißer, author of the guide "Pogona a Home" (Pub..

Reptiles and amphibians are animals whose body temperature depends on the temperature of their surroundings and the penetrating infrared radiation of the sun ( ectotherm). Up to a certain degree reptiles and amphibians are able to regulate their body temperature through their behaviour. They will move into the sun or lie on warm rocks. This raised temperature is needed e.g. for hunting for food or for important digestive processes. As a continuously higher temperature would lead to a higher energy consumption, reptiles will crawl into cav..

Most tortoises and many turtles hibernate from November till March. This is not strictly necessary if they are kept indoors all year, but it corresponds to their natural way of living and strengthens their immune system. Sick animals do not go into hibernation, therefore your turtles should be checked by a vet beforehand. Bathing them in warm water stimulates defecation and serves to prepare for hibernation. If your turtle does not gradually become quieter day by day on its own, reduce the exposure to daylight to 1–2 hours step by s..

Ferrets belong to the family of mustelidae , like e.g. otters, badgers and skunks, and have been kept by man for centuries. Whereas in former times they were mainly kept to help hunt rabbits, they are kept primarily as pets today. Ferrets can live for 8-10 years, and can grow to a length of 25-40 cm (females) and 60 cm (males). Keeping Ferrets Ferrets are very social animals and should be kept in pairs or groups. They are very active and need a lot of space to move around. Like cats, you can keep them in your flat, in a room of their own..

Hamsters belong to the group of muroidae and are classified with the cricetinae. Their natural habitats are the dry deserts and sub-desert areas of Eurasia. The kinds of hamsters we keep as pets are golden hamsters, Djugarian hamsters, Robovski hamsters, Campbell’s dwarf hamsters and Chinese striped hamsters. Hamsters are not really suitable for children under 12 years. They are nocturnal and solitary, and don’t like being touched. On top of that, their life expectancy is only about 2 years. Hamsters need a place to retrea..

Degus are rodents from the family of octodontidae, originate from Chile, South America, and live there in different habitats from coastal areas to high plains. They will grow to about 15-20 cm in length (plus a tail of about 12 cm) and live for about 4-6 years in captivity. In contrast to some other small rodents, the primarily diurnal degu can see very well and has quite a developed system of sound language. Keeping Degus Degus are social animals and should always be kept in pairs or groups. Companions from other species such as guinea p..

Parrots and parakeets are highly social animals and should never be kept alone. A person, even if available around the clock, can never replace a partner of the same species. Therefore keeping birds in pairs or groups should be a matter of course for bird lovers. That goes for all sizes and kinds of parrots – from parakeets to macaws. Parrots form pairs already in their youth. Birds kept on their own often develop behavioural disorders like aggressiveness or plucking feathers already during or after puberty. Even if you failed ..

Budgies originate from Australia and belong to the family of "true parrots". There they live in colonies of up to 1,000 birds and form pairs within that colony. In the wild, the colour green is dominant, but varieties like yellow, blue, grey or multi-coloured are possible. Keeping Budgies have been kept as aviary birds in Europe since 1840, and today they are probably the most often kept type of parrots worldwide. Birds kept on their own can become very tame, but for their optimal wellbeing at least one other budgie is necessary as a soc..

Tension, attention or relaxation: A cat's whiskers tell us a lot about our pussy cat's mood. It is not clear why the horny vibrissae around the mouth, above the eyes and on the back of the front paws were given the name 'hairs for purring' in German. The extremely touch sensitive antennae have nothing to do with purring. 'First of all whiskers are sensory organs,' says cat expert and author Dr. Helga Hofmann, 'they are like sensors for the close-up range.' They protect a cat from eye injuries, enable her to inspect things that are very clo..

Using a litter tray normally is a simple thing for a cat. A few simple rules will help young cats to do this regularly. Number of Trays If possible have at least one litter tray more than there are cats in your household. Place Cats want to feel secure and undisturbed when they are using a litter tray. A quiet spot is ideal, away from the place where they are fed, and easily accessible at all times.   Size and Type Generally speaking – the larger the more comfortable. A rim prevents litter from being carried to the surr..