Pets

All sorts of animals share homes with us. Many people keep dogs and cats but there are many more unusual pets. Pets are often kept as companions but there are other reasons for keeping them. For example an aquarium full of tropical fish is a very pleasant sight and canaries and budges are both beautiful and tuneful. Some insects and reptiles make fascinating pets.

Some animals are happy living with people but it would be very cruel to keep wild animals in cages and boxes. Large or fierce animals do not make good pets, although some people keep snakes or even young lions in their homes. If you go to any dog show, you will see that there are hundreds of different kinds of dog. Big dogs such as Germany shepherds need a lot of food and exercise. Many people prefer medium-sized dogs, such as terriers because they don’t need so much room and some people like very small dogs. Dogs are very intelligent animals and can be easily trained.

Cats are also common pets. There are many different kinds of cats but all are part of the some family as lions and tigers. There do not need as much attention as dogs because there are very independent animals. There are also curious and often go out on their own.

If you live in a small house or an apartment without a garden it makes more sense to keep a small pet.

Mice, rats and hamsters make good pets. They can be kept in cages and are cheap to keep. Small lizards can also be kept at home, but only if you can provide the special environments they need.

There are several types of birds that make good pets. Canaries, budges and parrots are all very pretty and some of them sing sweetly.

Rabbits and guinea pigs often live in hutches in the garden. Turtles can be kept in the garden as long as they are safely fenced in. Many people think that having gold fish and keeping tropical fish in a heated aquarium can be fascinating hobbies.