Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
The New Guinea Pig Owner Guide
So, you want to get a guinea pig? Do you think you're ready for the responsibility? A lot of people think having a guinea pig is easy. Let me tell you something; they are wrong. While having a guinea pig can be easy for the experienced individual, there is a lot of misinformation about how you should treat a guinea pig. This misinformation can be particularly found at pet stores (like PetSmart and Petco to name a few). So what is true and what isn't about caring for a guinea pig?
By Ariana Gonzalez7 years ago in Petlife
The Southern Resident Orcas Need Our Help
For 17 days, a 20-year-old adult female orca named Tahlequah, also known as J35, carried her dead newborn calf in a tragic effort to continue caring for the calf despite it having to have died just shortly after birth. Around the same time, her cousin, J50, also known as Scarlet, is grossly underweight as the result of possible malnutrition from the lack of the orca's primary food source, chinook salmon. Currently, as of now, there are ongoing efforts to rescue Scarlet from becoming another casualty by using boats to deliver her live salmon through a test feeder while collecting breath samples to monitor her health. Also, researchers also plan to use the live fish to provide medication to the sickly three-year-old orca even though there is no guarantee that she will eat live fish, but at the same time, the fact that scientists are making an effort to feed a wild orca is very unprecedented.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
Hippos: Giant Chubby Death Machines
It should come as no surprise to any fan of African wildlife: the hippopotamus remains one of the deadliest land-based animals. This giant semi-aquatic creature defends its territory ruthlessly, and many safari experts warn to keep distance and never get into the water near a hippo. Often described as ‘the most dangerous animal in all of Africa,’ the massive beast reported as being surprisingly agile with various speeds of 14-20+ mph, meaning it will chase you down, and it will nom on you.
By Justin A. Legare7 years ago in Petlife
No One Prepares You!
For some reason you never hear about what it's like to experience the end of you and your companions story together. It starts with the first knock. It doesn't have to be anything big. The first knock hits them hard! It hits them hard but they are tough and they put on the brave face because they know you're scared and your company is all they want. For example my Dog, Jay-Jay, had a stroke while I was on holiday! It was a horrible feeling, when I finally got to him I knew that it affected him mentally and not just physically and the damage was done. He'd never be that same again. This didn't affect his personality but only his physical capabilities and his confidence in himself.
By Liam Mooney7 years ago in Petlife
When Lightning Struck My Heart
On April 8, 2015, my kitchen floor was full of muddy footprints. At around five-thirty that afternoon, I'd come in from one of the saddest moments of my adult life: burying my best friend—a Maine Coon feline wonder named Lightning—out in a little flower garden next to the house.
By Chuck Hinson7 years ago in Petlife
10 Awesome Jobs for Pet Lovers
Animals are awesome. Seriously, who doesn't enjoy animals? Whether it's reading about them, caring for them, or even just watching them on TV, everyone can get a little enjoyment about experiencing animals in some way, shape, or form.
By Buddy Brown7 years ago in Petlife
Puppy Possibilities
12 legs. 6 eyes. And three big hearts. About three and a half years ago, my partner and I moved in together following our first year anniversary. It was momentous for both of us because we both knew we found the person we would stay with until we're dead. She'd chuckle at that statement because we joke that we are dead inside already. #deadinsidememesFTW
By Tony Stone7 years ago in Petlife
Six Facts About the Whale Shark
The largest shark to ever be alive today, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) feeds on plankton and travels very long distances in order to find enough food to sustain their large size and breed. These sharks can grow up to 40 feet long and weight up to about 11 tons. They are found in all of the world’s tropical oceans and are regarded as gentle giants. Here are some Six facts about these magnificent sharks (Disclaimer: Despite the name, whale sharks are not related to whales in any shape or form).
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
Facts About Pet Food You (Probably) Never Knew
Loopholes in advertising and nutrition laws mean that brands can be verywily with their products, marketing low-quality foods as the "freshest," "most nutritious," or "all-natural" when they're really loaded with unhealthy preservatives. When it comes to buying pet food, this is especially true. It seems every brand nowadays advertises themselves as the best quality, the freshest, and the most natural. It's not like you have a list of human foods your cat can and cannot eat hanging on your fridge at all times. Many of them are not only bad for your pets, but can be actively harmful. It's important to get the real facts about pet food and know what to look for when you're out shopping, so you can guarantee your furry roommate gets all the nutrition they need, and none of the harmful substances they don't.
By Nicola P. Young7 years ago in Petlife
A Monk Seal Called KP2 (Or Hō’ailona by Some)
They say that not all human-seal conflicts end in death in Hawaii, which is the case for KP2 who, at only a few days old, was rescued by a NOAA veterinarian after seeing he was alone, attempting to nurse from some rocks and calling out for his mother, RK22, who was nowhere in sight. Because RK22 had a history of rejecting her pups shortly after birth, a decision was made to rescue and rehabilitate him in the hopes of, not only preventing a potential death of a rejected pup, but also ensuring the survival of a critically endangered mammal, whose numbers were only around 1,100. From there, he was taken to the Kewalo Research Facility in Oahu.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
Best Litter I've Ever Used
When my husband and I brought home our first baby, we used the cheapest litter we could find at the dollar store. As a kitten, Arno didn't mind it because it was litter, and he was being litter trained. But as he got a little older, I noticed he didn't seem that impressed with the litter that we were using. My husband and I went into Walmart and looked around at the other litter options, and had wanted to try a natural, non-clay litter. When we picked up the first bag, I wasn't sure how it would work. I had never used a natural litter, so I was skeptical. But when we changed out the old litter for the new, we found that Arno seemed to like it so much better. And he's not the only one.
By Jessye Gould7 years ago in Petlife
