How cute is Molly?! Ferrets are so playful and fun to watch. I love this little sweetie. Wheeeee!
Thrift Store Finds
You can save some real money on pet supplies using thrift stores and garage sales. Remember, don’t getting anything that’s broken or questionable. Don’t save money at the expense of your pets. Here are some of things I’ve spotted:
- pet crates (This is probably the best bargain you’ll find. Crates can be pretty pricey ($20-150), but I see them in all sizes pretty regularly at my favorite thrift store.)
- bird cages
- glass aquariums
- ceramic or stainless steel pet bowls
- Habitrail components
- towels (for baths or bedding)
- kitty condos
- storage bins with lids (for storing toys or to make your own awesome litterbox)
Hanukkah Pet Toys, Treats & More
DIY: Body-Sock Alternative To Elizabethan Cone
We and our pets know those Elizabethan or lampshade collars are the pits. Here’s a handy do-it-yourself alternative for protecting an incision or wound site on your pet’s torso from Instructables. You’ll find good instructions for making a body sock or “cat jacket” out of an old t-shirt.
This could also be used on dogs, rabbits, ferrets, etc. It might not be enough to stop an obsessive pet from messing with their stitches, but I think it would work with a lot of pets. A side benefit could be that wearing this body sock might help curtail their activity, which is another post-surgery need. Try it out!
Check out these other alternatives to Elizabethan collars:
- the BiteNot collar
- the Neck’s Best Thing
- the Optivisor & the Novaguard
Costco Has Great Price For Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health
We picked up a copy of The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health for $13.99 at Costco last night. I don’t know if all Costcos have it, but it’s worth checking out. The regular price is $22.95 and Amazon charges $21.95 with shipping.
The book is a very comprehensive guide written by the people who wrote The Merk Veterinary Manual which is the most used vet manual. The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health covers dogs, cats, horses, and, to a lesser degree, birds. There are also sections on exotic pets including:
- amphibians,
- chinchillas
- ferrets
- fish
- gerbils
- guinea pigs
- hamsters
- mice
- prairie dogs
- potbellied pigs
- rabbits
- rats
- reptiles
- sugar gliders.
According to the New York Times review, owners of exotic pets also need a book dedicated to the species they own. The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health would give you a good idea of what it takes to keep those exotic animals though.
This is a smart purchase. The book also includes sections on diagnostic tests–what they are and what they’re for, drugs and vaccines, pain management, and has the longest list of zoonoses I’ve ever seen.