Pet Primer

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

--George Orwell, “Animal Farm”

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In the animal lover kingdom, there’s a pecking order. Cat fanciers believe they’re superior to dog enthusiasts, who don’t seem to know that other pets exist. Bird lovers boast of birds’ brains, of all things, while fish lovers swear their fish have more emotion than that of a Nora Ephron movie.

Friendly rivalry aside, every pet has its virtues and foibles. To know whether you’re a parrot person, the turtle type or one who should stick strictly to humans requires both introspection and animal insight. Most important, you need to know what you’re getting into before you get a critter you could end up wishing you hadn’t.

Pet selection is like marriage, a lasting relationship that needs chemistry, forethought and commitment. Too many people give up when the novelty wears off, say those in the animal rescue business. One look at our overpopulated rescue groups (people who foster in their own homes or in other’s homes or kennels animals until they are adopted) and shelters assures you this is sadly true.

But if you are in the market for the perfect nonhuman companion, one that greets with affection, consoles and entertains, gives body language a whole new meaning, grounds you and makes you feel just plain necessary, then here’s a heads-up. The following chart--while far from comprehensive--outlines the basic care requirements for some of the most popular pet choices.

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General Considerations

1. Always spay and neuter (fish and birds aside).

2. If you have an animal other than a dog or cat, find a vet who really does (not just claims to) specialize in that animal.

3. Remember, kids aren’t caretakers. Parents are. It’s OK to tell children that the pet they begged you for is their responsibility, as long as you know you’re lying.

4. Don’t buy when you can adopt. Los Angeles County shelters put down 1,000 dogs and cats each week. Many would be great pets. To find a rescue specializing in the type of animal or even dog breed you want, ask a vet or pet supply stores such as Petco and Petsmart, which host regular adoptions. If you must have a pedigree dog or cat, go to a responsible breeder.

5. Never buy someone a pet as a surprise gift (unless you buy one for your child and that you really want too).

6. Work with children so they’ll know how to behave with animals.

CATS

Food: Give moist canned food, not the “cheap stuff,” twice a day, says Bobbi Heller, vice president of Felines and Friends; make dry food available all day for snacking.

Environment: Indoor environments with access to a fresh litter box are best, and safer.

Special Care: Although dogs need more attention than cats, cats need love too. “Show me an aloof cat and I’ll show you a cat that’s been neglected,” Heller says.

Child Safety*: A safety ranking of 7-9 depending on the cat. Some cats bite and scratch when cornered. Kids are more a threat to a cat than vice versa.

Where to Get: Animal shelters or rescues.

Warning: If you are pregnant, have others clean the litter box or wear a rubber mask and gloves when cleaning.

Must Have: Full-size scratching post; otherwise, they’ll use the back of the sofa.

Source: Bobbi Heller, vice president of Felines and Friends, a Los Angeles cat rescue.

DOGS

Food: High-quality dog food geared for the dog’s size and age.

Environment: Depends on the breed, but most like to be indoors with access to a yard. Some small companion dogs, like Pomeranians, do well in apartments, while more active breeds, like border collies, must have wide open spaces.

Special Care: Caring for a puppy and caring for an adult dog are quite different. Puppies are high maintenance. Because they need lots of socialization, young puppies are not a good choice for families who are gone all day. Busy families who still want a young dog should consider a 6-month-old to 2-year-old dog.

Child Safety: A safety ranking of 1 to 10, depending on the dog.

Where to Get: Not from a pet shop; see No. 4 under “general considerations” above.

Must Have: A rug shampooer. A good pet sitter.

Warning: Don’t assume that small dogs can go without obedience training; all dogs should have it.

Source: Jamie Pinn, executive director of H.A.R.T. (Humane Animal Rescue Team), publisher of Muttmatchers Messenger, a photo-ad newspaper of adoptable dogs and other animals.

TURTLES, TORTOISES

Food: First, know your turtles from your tortoises. In general, tortoises live and must feed on land. Turtles must live and eat in water. The tortoise diet should contain 45% leafy greens, 45% carrots and corn and 10% fruit. Wood and box turtles need one-third fruit, one-third lettuce and vegetables, and one-third live meat (snails, slugs, worms, chopped raw fish--yum). All need supplements.

Environment: For turtles 4 inches or smaller, a 2-foot square aquarium is minimum. Larger turtles should be kept in ponds. Water turtles need water for swimming plus a basking platform with a full-spectrum sun bulb. Turtles won’t eat if water is cooler than 80 degrees. Box and wood turtles can do well in a backyard but need access to water--a dish filled to half their height--for soaking. They need a fenced yard safe from predators, including dogs.

Special Care: A clean environment. If water isn’t changed at least every few days, it could breed salmonella.

Child Safety: 8. Children (and adults) must wash hands after handling.

Where to Get: Turtle rescue.

Must Have: Hand sanitizer at aquarium’s side.

Warning: Plan for them in your will. Depending on their breed, turtles and tortoises can live from 60 to 200 years.

Source: Walter Allen, owner of Casa de Tortuga in Fountain Valley, home to 800 shelled friends, many of which are available for adoption.

POTBELLIED PIGS

Food: Potbellied pig chow (not hog food) plus fresh fruits and veggies.

Environment: Indoor/outdoor living; outdoor space with shade to root around, with wading pools during hot weather.

Special Care: Pigs are intelligent and require obedience training. Without it they can be destructive. Affectionate and funny, they like physical affection and, when treated properly, make good company. Tusks and hooves need trimming. May need childproof locks on cupboards. One pig owner reported that her pig learned to open the refrigerator and help itself to the contents of the crisper.

Child Safety: A safety ranking of 8. Not great with small kids. Might accidentally knock over a tot or bite a child’s hand if he is holding food. Don’t mix with any breed of aggressive dog.

Where to Get: Pigs Without Partners, (310) 822-4663, or Pigresq@aol.com. “There’s no point in spending $350 for a pig in a pet shop when there are literally thousands of pigs in rescues and shelters,” said Rocky More, spokeswoman for Pigs Without Partners.

Must Have: A pool fence, because pigs can drown. A second pig--they do better in pairs.

Warning: Be sure your area is zoned for pigs before you acquire one. Don’t believe anyone who tells you “the 35-pound-pig lie”--potbellies aren’t fully grown for three years, and then are usually 90 to 150 pounds.

Source: Rocky More, Pigs Without Partners, Los Angeles.

BIRDS

Food: Fresh water twice a day. Large birds need fresh fruit and vegetables as well as seed. Smaller birds require only seed.

Environment: Get a cage the right size for the species and with the proper coating on bars and perches. Cages need daily cleaning.

Special Care: Wings need trimming. Large birds (such as parrots and macaws) are highly intelligent, high maintenance and need a lot of stimulation. If they stay home while you go to work, leave plenty of parrot toys and the radio and TV on. Without proper stimulation, they’ll develop such vices as feather picking and screaming. Cockatiels are smaller, more adaptable, easier to please, not as noisy, and thus best for the average bird owner. Parakeets, or budgies, are known as “heartbreakers.” Ninety percent die of cancer within three to four years. Canaries and finches are delightful caged pets that require little care. They’re decorative birds that don’t have the same need for attachment.

Child Safety: A safety ranking of 2-8. Large birds can be aggressive. In the wild they mate for life, so in captivity they tend to bond to one person (often of opposite sex). Thus they’re not a great “family” pet. Smaller birds are less manipulative and hostile, though temperaments vary tremendously among breeds and individual birds.

Where to Get: Go to a reputable breeder (ask a vet who specializes in birds) or a store that specializes in birds. Get a young bird that you or someone else has hand-raised. Let the bird pick you.

Must Have: Good acoustics. A cool boss who will let Polly come to work.

Warning: Large birds are definitely not for the owner who’s gone a lot. “These birds would be happiest if they were surgically attached to their owners,” says veterinarian Dr. Walter Rosskopf. Make provisions in your will. Larger birds often live 70 to 90 years.

Source: Dr. Walter Rosskopf, veterinarian and board-certified avian specialist, partner of Avian & Exotic Animal Hospitals, in Hawthorne and Fountain Valley.

RABBITS

Food: Daily combination of rabbit pellets, an unlimited supply of timothy hay (not alfalfa) and fresh vegetables.

Environment: Rabbits need space to run and play, whether outdoors or in, and a safe hutch, ideally a very spacious cage made for dogs. (Rabbit cages are too confining.) Indoor bunnies can be litter trained. Put cages in shady or cool places. Excess heat can kill.

Rabbits chew on everything--rugs, furniture, cords, phone lines--to wear down teeth that constantly grow. Give lots of chewables like blocks of wood and old baskets of untreated straw or wicker. Keep electrical cords out of their reach. Females must be spayed or they are likely to get uterine cancer by age 3. Males need neutering to prevent biting and spraying.

Child Safety: 10. Children can be a threat to rabbits, whose backs can break if they fall. Also, most rabbits don’t like to be held and squirm to be let go.

Where to Get: Rabbit rescues.

Must Have: Cordless phones.

Warning: They’re cute and soft but chew constantly, dig under fences and are not as friendly or affectionate as guinea pigs or rats, which make better pets.

Sources: House Rabbit Society, Los Angeles; “Caring for Your Bunny,” by Susan Cook.

GUINEA PIGS

Food: Guinea pig (not rabbit) pellets.

Environment: A roomy cage, averaging 100 square inches per pig, with ample fresh bedding material such as shredded paper or wood shavings. Avoid cages with wire mesh bottoms, which can lead to broken legs and foot sores and infections.

Special Care: Females must be neutered or bred (which is not encouraged) before 7 months of age; otherwise, they are likely to die in childbirth.

Child Safety: 10. Very popular children’s pet because they’re docile and clean. They rarely bite, unlike hamsters, which some vets refer to as staple guns.

Where to Get: A good breeder. Check classifieds.

Must Have: Gallons of white vinegar to remove calcified urine from cages.

Source: Barbara Jordan, Los Angeles veterinarian and guinea pig specialist.

FISH

Food: Diet is different for freshwater and saltwater fish. Freshwater fish require a daily feeding of prepared fish food. Saltwater fish do best with a fresh-frozen fish-food diet consisting of small fish meat and algae-like plants with vitamin supplements.

Environment: Freshwater fish need a good-size aquarium, 10-gallon minimum (figure 1 gallon per 1 inch of fish) with a mechanical filter, a biological filter and, if fish are tropical, a heater to keep water at 78 to 80 degrees. Saltwater fish need a larger tank, 30 gallons or more, because they are more territorial. Their tanks need the same filtering mechanisms plus water additives like salt and pH conditioners, and a hydrometer to measure salt content.

Special Care: Freshwater fish need a water change every three to four weeks; saltwater fish, about twice as often.

Child Safety: 10. Fish are perfectly harmless.

Where to Get: A pet store that specializes in fish.

Warning: Don’t buy fish from a tank that has any dead fish or any fish holding their fins tightly to their body.

Must Have: A skull and bones on the floor of your tank. (Makes the fish feel macho.)

Source: Ken Gray, manager, Aquarium Center, Sherman Oaks.

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*Child safety scores are based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 meaning very unsafe, like, say, a large python, and 10 meaning very safe, like, say, a goldfish.