Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Three little piggies
I'd firstly like to say that I never thought these tiny balls of fluff would have as big as an impact on my life as they have. I now wake up to go and see them; see how they have continued to be petty towards one another; and to see how much the look forward to seeing me.
By smith morgan4 years ago in Petlife
Recognizing Leucism In Our Furry Friends
We all get excited about animals with abnormal colorations. The all-yellow cardinal spotted in Alabama created headlines and attracted hopeful birdwatchers, and after many admired an unusual all-white buffalo calf, controversy ensued when it was tragically killed. But many of us don't know the causes or names of these conditions. Oftentimes, abnormally-colored animals are simply grouped under 'albino' by casual observers. Much of the time, this is incorrect. Truly albino animals have a complete loss of melanin, the pigment that gives fur, skin, and other parts of the body its color. It leads to lack of pigment in the eyes, oftentimes presenting as red or pink eyes. However, more common in the wild is leucism - a partial, but not complete, loss of pigmentation.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
A Hedgehog for a Pet?
Meet Alba. Alba is my sister’s hedgehog. How we ended up with it? Well here it is… My mom is a Veterinary Technician (basically a nurse for animals.) My dad is allergic to animals. 1-1=0; we never had any pets (Fish doesn’t count, I’m really strict on that one. Many times, they tried to convinced me it was; it definitively is not a real pet!!) Despite his allergies, we still got to babysit many homeless kitties since my mom was the only employee of her clinic that didn’t have any pets at home. We would take care of the youngers till they were strong enough to take care of themselves by their own and would play with the stronger ones till they were adopted. Basically, they wouldn’t stop by for long enough for my dad to get sick.
By Jessica Blackburn - DrawinHerAngle4 years ago in Petlife
Nine Mountain Dog Breeds + Their Differences
It can be hard to select a dog breed that’s right for your household, but you can make it easier by first narrowing it down to a grouping of breeds. Mountain dogs are not all the same, but they are a group of breeds that share many characteristics. Mountain dogs tend to be large, athletic, and family-oriented; so if these are traits that align well with your lifestyle, one of these breeds may turn out to be a good fit. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these amazing dogs.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
The Twins
Hi, said Beth to the new neighbours would you like to come round for a drink introduce yourself to us, then we can welcome you into our street officially. Jill looked for a moment quite blank and said, sorry you see it’s difficult today, because my husband is working tonight, and I am left with the twins alone. Twins? Said Beth how delightful. What are their names. Thomas and John said, Beth. Oh, please bring them with you. Jill said sorry we have a strict bedtime regime you see, and it's past theirs already. They belong to my sister Alice she is away until tomorrow.
By marie381uk 4 years ago in Petlife
The Ocean's Breathing
Having opinions of your own can be a hard thing, in the sense that it's hard to have your voice heard in a world so opposed to your beliefs and values. Unpopular opinions for that matter are even more overlooked, but it's important one does not lose sight of what they feel strongly about. Before we begin, I'd like to ask you to come into this with an open mind and open ears for those whose voices go unheard. Now, what is this unpopular opinion? Fish do feel.
By Lauren Ionescu4 years ago in Petlife
Collecting Feathers - the Legal Way
Collecting feathers is, for many, a fun pastime we’ve held onto since childhood. A bright bluejay feather or elegant woodpecker primary makes an interesting ornament that catches the eye. But unfortunately, what many aren’t aware of is that it isn’t that simple. Simply taking home a pretty feather can be highly illegal - but not in all cases. So what feathers can you keep, and which are best to leave be?
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
Raising Your Own Mealworm Colony
Mealworms are well known in the reptile-keeping world for being a convenient feeder insect to offer pet lizards, and though it’s very convenient to purchase mealworms at local pet stores or order them online, some reptile keepers, especially breeders who maintain many animals, like to try raising their own. This article will outline the basics of raising mealworms yourself, including how to load them with nutritional value, keep their environment clean, and breed your mealworms fast enough to keep up with the demand of your herps.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife
I Throw Rocks at Bambi
My corner of the world is paradise. My cabin sits in a clearing among huge ponderosa pines and Douglas fir trees. A creek babbles along through a small gully and the birds sing as they build their nests. Squirrels chatter as they scramble from tree top to tree top and bears stop to sniff the air. The sweet scent of wood smoke drifts lazily along the breeze and hawks call from the sky as they circle the clearing on outstretched wings. Visitors to my little cabin in the Southern Colorado Rocky Mountains “OOOHHH and AHHH” as a herd of mule deer daintily tip toe across the yard. “Beautiful!” they exclaim. “You are so lucky.”
By Morgan Alber4 years ago in Petlife
Why Pigeons, Not Parrots, Are The Ideal Avian Companions
As a society, we don’t appreciate pigeons much. They’re known for being dirty, annoying, and covering everything from sidewalks to national monuments with their feces. Pigeons haven’t had a great public image — to most, they are dumb and disease ridden birds. But in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. References to domestic pigeons are found both in Egyptian hieroglyphs and Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets. Pigeons have been bred for thousands of years to work at our sides — many giving their lives to aid us as messengers of war. And yet, they are far from most people’s preferred avian pet — a parrot of various species, despite how little captivity suits them.
By Patrick Kuklinski4 years ago in Petlife