PET RESPONSIBILITY

Christmas is looming and with the season of goodwill come gifts. Often these gifts are pets. But pets are not toys. They entail a huge responsibility and not only should parents be conversant with the needs of the pet, children over the age of seven should be taught the ins and outs of responsible pet care.

It's imperative to do thorough research before introducing a pet into the family. What's the adult size of the proposed pet? What are its nutritional requirements? What are the ideal living conditions? Does it like company, or is it a solitary animal? Behavioural considerations? Temperament? Hygiene needs? Health and well-being? Care and boarding when going on holiday?

Rodents
Should rodents top your child's list of preferred pets, ensure that he/she has learnt everything there is to know about the particular rodent.

Cages should be as large as possible and must be cleaned daily. Don't use shavings as lining. Apart from hiding dust and dirt, ammonia build-up in shavings often lead to respiratory infections. In addition, shavings cause micro-splinters in the feet of rodents. Newspaper is ideal as a hygienic cage lining.

Tellington Touch practitioner Debbie Conradie advised, "Keep your pet mentally stimulated with obstacles such as branches, bark, sticks, foliage and things to chew. Also, introduce tunnels in the form of toilet rolls and tea boxes. Hanging bird seed bars provide much amusement. With sufficient mental stimulation, rodents will live much longer."

Most veterinarians advise against mice as pets as they are much too small.

Despite being cute and cuddly, hamsters don't make satisfactory pets. But if a hamster is your child's choice, rather settle for an even-tempered male. Females are notoriously grumpy and nippy.

Also, many people make the mistake of keeping more than one hamster in the same cage. These rodents are solitary by nature and must be kept in separate cages.

Veterinarian Dr Stephen Smith has a special interest in rodents, reptiles and exotics. He warned that there were three crucial considerations:

• As nocturnal creatures, they detest being woken during the day and could be quite nippy when disturbed. Respect their nocturnal habits and only play with them from dusk into the evening.
• Hamsters have bad eyesight. Therefore, don't put your pet on a bed or table, because should it fall down, the injuries could be severe.
• They're tiny little things. So, don't hold them too tightly.

Should your child want to breed hamsters, Smith advised that the female should be put into the male cage at dusk and not the other way around. The bad-tempered little shrew is likely to kill her would-be suitor if he invades her space.

Rats make great pets. They have good temperaments and may be kept in pairs or small groups - provided the cages are large enough. Being acrobatic, they need things to hang from, crawl through, jump on, and so forth. A good diet of commercial rat pellets was essential, Smith said. Small amounts of left-overs may be given occasionally. "Warn children not to over-feed their rat pets. Apart from the usual side-effects of obesity, rats get pressure sores on their hocks from lack of exercise when they're too fat."

Every two weeks, the rats may be washed with a mild dog shampoo.

Rabbits only make good pets when sterilised, according to Smith. At puberty, these bundles of fur become remarkably aggressive, biting and digging endlessly.

Dwarf rabbits are less suitable as pets. He explained, "Not being very placid - in fact they're downright fidgety - most don't like being handled."

The happiest rabbits are those kept outside with a suitable shaded pen for shelter and a diet of grass and hay. Although the pellets are balanced, the structure isn't sufficiently fibrous.

Bunnies should be kept in pairs.

Reptiles
Should your youngster decide to become a snake afficionado early in life, ensure that the chosen pet snake is non-venomous. However, first and foremost, you need to check on the legal requirements for keeping a snake. Join a reptile club to find suitable snakes and obtain as much information as possible.

Smith warned against children buying a cute baby python, which could become a three-metre monster within a few years.

Snakes are solitary, so keeping just one in a cage is fine. The well-ventilated cage must be large enough for the slithery reptile to move freely, with regular maintenance. "The main health problems in pet snakes are skin and mouth infections due to poor sanitary conditions," Smith explained.

"Stress also causes problems - which is why handling should be limited to twice a week."

Feeding of live rodents should be strictly prohibited - not only from the rodents' point of view, but when the snake isn't hungry, these rodents inflict the hapless snake with nasty bites.

Many tortoise species don't thrive in captivity. Only the angulate and large leopard tortoises should be kept, as they adapt well to captive environments. Permits from Nature Conservation are required.

These reptiles should be kept in a sunny, well-drained area with both grass and sand. Shelter should be available - low dense bushes and/or man-made shelters.

Fresh water must be provided daily in a shallow water container, allowing the smallest tortoise to climb out if it should fall in accidentally.

The vegetable and five percent fruit diet should be varied, typically including: cucumber, cabbage, brussel sprouts, carrots, asparagus, alfalfa, tomatoes, spinach, apples, pears, strawberries, mangoes and melons. Avoid avocados. Also important are garden plants such as grass, gazanias, dandelions, nasturtiums, impatience and chickweed. A vitamin and mineral supplement powder, such as Beefee powder or Cani-Cal should be sprinkled lightly over the food twice a week.

Teach your child not to handle them too often, as they release stored water when frightened and can dehydrate easily. Tortoises make great pets if cared for properly and become very tame.

Fish
Dr Smith stated emphatically that goldfish bowls and tiny tanks from pet shops didn't provide stable water environments for fish. He explained, "Ammonia build-up is the biggest problem in small volumes of water and people tend to clean them by emptying, scrubbing clean and re-filling with tap water. The chlorine in tap water can kill both fish and the beneficial bacteria vital for the breakdown of ammonia. Tanks should never be emptied completely - it's better to replace 25% of the water weekly."

Thus, if your child is a fish fundi, rather buy him/her a decent aquarium and literature on raising happy, healthy little Nemos. The most important responsibilities would include correct feeding once a day and regular tank cleaning.

Dogs
When buying a puppy for your child, remember that while all pups are adorable, they naturally grow into not-so-cuddly adult dogs, requiring much care and responsibility.

Deciding on a breed is imperative. Is your child physically strong or weak? Will your youngster be able to cope with a boisterous pup, a headstrong teenager or a quiet pensioner? Certain breeds demand and need a lot of direct attention, while others are content to lie around with the occasional pat on the head. Avoid dog breeds known for unpredictability and aggression.

If owners and dogs could be suitably matched, then it might overcome the problem of many canines being left at stray shelters because they were deemed 'unsuitable'.

Determine what your child wants in a dog: retrieving, herding, rescuing, or a lap dog. Animal behaviourist Karin Forsdick said, "Look into the breed's good and bad points in terms of character, health and maintenance and then assess the individual dog's personality. Your choice also should be dictated by the space you have, the amount of time your child needs to spend on training and exercise and your budget for food and veterinary services.

"Ensure that the parents are well-mannered and have good temperaments. The next stage of influence on your puppy's temperament will depend on you and your child - the home environment, socialising and training and adequate time spent with the pup."

Teach your child to respect other people when exercising his/her canine friend. Always take plastic poop bags along (small freezer bags work well as a glove and then turned over and tied with a knot). Also, the pet shouldn't be allowed to bark continually, nor frighten people or other dogs with aggressive behaviour. A well-trained dog is a pleasure. Thus, training is a good investment.

Forsdick, Conradie and all vets advocate puppy socialisation classes with an accredited animal behaviourist.

Other lessons your child should learn are: good nutrition (a healthy meal twice a day); avoiding table scraps (dogs will eat until they fall down and obesity in dogs results in severe health problems); regular, controlled walks at least once a day; not to discipline dogs by hitting them; annual vaccinations and the provision of mental stimulation.

Small children should never be left alone with dogs or cats.

Many behaviour problems in dogs stem from ‘rank confusion', according to animal behaviourist John Faul. Therefore, to reduce the dog's view of its rank within our canine/human pack, you and your child need to establish certain rules.

These rules can be laid down one at a time to avoid confrontation. It might take a few days to establish the first rule, but persevere until this is truly understood before moving to the next stage. Remember, these wonderful creatures have the mentality of toddlers!

• Ensure that you and your child go through doorways and narrow openings first.  The simplest way is to close all doors in the house for a few days so that the dog's freedom of movement becomes dependent on the doors that you choose to allow him through. Don't tell him to stay, sit, or wait. (That's basically asking him if he minds if you go first.) Ideally, he should grant you the right of rank by allowing you to precede him. If he tries to barge in front of you, slam the door shut - be careful not to trap his nose!
• Ensure that he doesn't occupy beds or chairs. However, you and your child should be able to occupy the areas where he generally chooses to sleep. Besides his bed, spend a day mapping out his favourite spots.  Deny him access to some and make a point of occupying others.
• Eat before he does. When your child mixes his food in his presence, he/she should make a point of sitting down and eating a biscuit. By going through the act of eating first, the dog is told that at feeding time, the highest ranking eats first and thus gets the richest pickings.
• Teach your child not to allow him to demand attention. Dogs do this in a variety of ways, such as nudging one's arm for a stroke. Privileges should be earned - even if it's only complying with a sit command.
• Only allow the dog(s) five minutes to eat their food. Dominant dogs have a habit of leaving some or all of their food for long periods as a visual display of their rank. Even if they start eating it after four-and-a-half minutes, it should be taken away after five.
• Your child should have regular obedience sessions of at least five minutes a day with the dog.
  

Pam Whyte, animal behaviourist, is a contradictory voice. She doesn't believe that children should own or take care of dogs. "Dogs are weapons. Therefore, children shouldn't play with dogs, train, or feed them. Those are the responsibilities of the parents. Dog trainers are placing responsibilities on a child that children simply aren't capable of doing."

Cats
The domestic cat is unique as the only animal that man took on for a non-utilitarian purpose. That it's the supreme enemy of small vermin is a bonus. Its independent nature and capacity for keeping its own counsel make a cat a very different pet from the loyal dog.

As is the case with any pet, before your child takes ownership of a cat, weigh up the pros and cons. A kitten is a responsibility needing constant care, regular feeding and grooming. Above all, your child needs to play with his/her kitten and show it affection. This also applies to an adult cat.

If your child is at school and you're at work all day, it might be a good idea to get two cats, so that they have company.

Advantages abound. Cats don't need to be taken out for exercise. However, they can be trained to walk on
a lead. They're not big eaters and if neutered, are quiet, unobtrusive and affectionate companions.

Although cats appreciate a garden, many live happily in apartments, getting sufficient exercise with a ‘climbing tree' available from pet shops, or chasing a ball. All cats love sleeping in the sun and if there's a balcony, it should be wired in if high up - contrary to belief, cats don't always land on their feet. Falling from a height may result in death or a broken limb.

Unless breeding is being considered with pedigreed cats, neutering or spaying is essential.

When buying a kitten, ensure that it's at least nine to ten weeks old, with a full set of milk teeth, fully weaned and used to solid food. It should be gay and lively, steady on its legs and run with tail held high. Its eyes should be bright and sparkling, while the ears should be clean. The nose should be cool to the touch and not running.

Cats love having an own basket in a comfortable, warm spot well away from draughts. In addition, all cats need regular grooming. Then, with a few amusing toys, your child will be ready to receive the new feline companion(s).

On arrival, keep the kitten in a room with the windows closed and fireplaces covered. A litter tray should be ready. Your youngster should change the contents regularly, because cats are fastidious, refusing to use smelly trays. If a garden is available, it can be taken out under guard after a week of settling in.

Kittens of nine weeks need five small meals a day at regular times. Gradually, decrease the meals until at age six months, it's having three meals a day. From age nine months onwards, cats need two balanced meals a day.

Wishing you and your child many happy, responsible pet days, months and years!

Good for further information
The truth about dogs - Stephen Budiansky, Phoenix, 2002
The treasury of cats - Octopus Books, 1972
The South African pet-friendly directory, Sharyn Spicer & Janine Nepgen, 2004
Debbie Conradie, Tellington Touch (021) 9191991
John Faul, Animal behaviourist (021) 5568967
Karin Forsdick, Puppy socialisation (021) 9751580
Pam Whyte, Animal behaviourist (021) 7130527

Written and edited by Mariette Greyling, http://www.tomar.co.za/ for Cape Town's Child