Animal Ark Kingwood

Knowing about your pet is crucial to their health and happiness. Diet, exercise, socialization (or lack of for ornamental pets) are very important.

Owning a Cat is super easy if you have a lap, good food, fresh water and proper grooming (depending on the breed grooming isn’t an issue) They’re pretty self-sufficient critters. Dogs aren’t much different but they tend to need more attention, exercise and outdoor time and a different diet than a feline.

Cats and dogs are too ‘normal’ for you?! That’s not a problem either. There are hundreds of other animals to choose from.

-Reptiles need special heating because they’re cold blooded. They can’t regulate their temperatures like we can. A heat source is needed so they can heat and warm to their liking. Diet varies too! Snakes are usually small mammal eaters, but in rare cases you have certain snakes who need specialty foods like toads or even small insects. Bearded Dragons need an omnivorous diet of feeder insects (crickets, reptiworms, superworms as a treat, roaches) and vegetables (collard greens, mustard greens, red leaf lettuce). Nutrient value of each item will also vary. You can add a vitamin and calcium powder to the crickets or salad to add extra needed nutrients. Crickets can be gut-loaded by feeding a high quality feeder food like Repashy’s Bug Burger or Fluker’s Cricket Diet.

Small Mammals like hamsters, gerbils, rats and mice are cute, tiny, easy to care for and make good starter pets for children. The diets vary from animal to animal here. Rats and mice are opportunistic feeders and can eat a plethora of items, however, you want to feed them a proper balanced diet. There are specialty foods you can feed them as well as treats. Rodents need to gnaw to keep their teeth from over growing. Providing wood blocks or chews adds entertainment and needed grooming for your small animal. Hamsters (teddy bear, djungarian, roborovski) are also omnivores. You can offer your Hamster dried nuts and fruit, but not in excess. Gerbils like seed mixtures and bulk things like Petblock. Be careful because Sunflower seeds contain a lot of fat. Use those as treats.

There is so much that goes into keeping a pet, regardless of size or species. Research is key to keeping a happy and healthy pet. Please read up before purchasing any pet from a pet store or a rescue. This way you AND your pet are happy!