Snakes beat rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs in the popularity stakes.

Thank you to eveyone who took part in our poll last week. The results are now available and there are a few surprises in there

1. More people have snakes as pets than rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs put together.

2. Cats are more popular than dogs with fish in third place.

In general, snakes are, believe it or not, one of the easier pets to care for, especially for children. Their feeding schedule is very simple - fresh water several times a week, and a feeding and bedding change once a week. But for many people the idea of having a snake in the house is enough to put them off.

So let's hear your thoughts on this. Those of you who don't have snakes, have you ever considered it and if not why not? And those of you that do, is it a big responsiblity? What things have you learnt about keeping snakes and would you recommend it to others? Has your snake ever escaped in to the house?

We'd love to hear your stories.

Cat and dog harmony

Purdy and Amaran

Another lovely photograph sent in by one of our readers to prove that cats and dogs can live quite happily together as friends. Thank you.

Is my pet lonely?

Human beings are social animals and in general we like to live together, so when we see an animal in captivity, on it's own we often feel sorry for it and inclined to get it a friend, but this is not always the best thing to do.

Certain types of hamsters can be very territorial and if they are kept together they will fight but others are happy living together if they are the same sex. 

We also hear of many stories of goldfish being put together and not surviving but this is not necessarily the fish not getting on, but is more down to the space they are provided. Two goldfish together need at least 40 gallons of water to live happily in and bowls are just not big enough even for one goldfish. Given the proper environment goldfish can live up to 20 years!!

Cats and dogs can get lonely too and depressed or aggresive, but if you give them lots of love, attention and entertainment, they will generally be happy.

Have you ever worried about your pet being lonely or even depressed?



What is the most money (other than vet bills) you've ever spent on your pet?

In the news today we learn that a pet lover from Chelmsford spent £20,000 on a wedding for her dog.

American's are leading the way in pet pampering with all kinds of gifts and accessories available for pets, so much so that it was recently suggested that American's spend more money on their pets than they do on their children, but this figure was somewhat biased as it included pet food, but the comparison did not included weekely grocery shopping.

So what's the most money you've ever spent on spoiling your pet and do you think Louise is mad, or just an ardent animal lover?

Can cat's and dog's live together?

The firmest of friends

It is a common belief that cat's and dog's hate each other, and we even have the phrase in English "fighting like cats and dogs" which must have been founded on some truth, but how is it that some people have both animals living happily side by side in the same house?

We have received a lovely story today. One of our readers was out for a walk with their two year old dog, when the dog suddenly ran off and stood in front of a bush and started barking loudly. Of course our reader followed the dog and went to see what was in the bush, only to find an abandoned kitten, which must have been about 2 days old. She picked the kitten up and took her home, and her dog, did not leave the kitten's side, barking at anyone that went near her, and standing guard. Once the kitten started moving around and feeling more confident, she would nip and tease the dog, who would calmly accept anything that came her way, and the two became the firmest of friends.

This is an unusual story, but if you want to introduce a new animal in to your household, the best way of approaching it is to first introduce a cat and dog, by making sure the cat is at the dog’s eye level. You should also keep a firm grip on both animals, which will make them feel more secure.

If you take a few minutes several times a day to give the cat and dog this carefully supervised time together, you should soon see them feeling more relaxed around each other.

Tell us your experiences.

Tell us about your pets

We are passionate about pets and so are you. People who don't own a pet will never truly understand how they become a part of your family, but pet owners all know the importance of making sure that you care for them properly, they lead a healthy life with a good diet and they are happy, which is why we have created this blog.

We are aiming to create a community of pet lovers, whether you have a dog, a cat, lizard or just one goldfish, we would like to share in your stories, photos, concerns and where possible offer advice and tips on making sure they get the best care possible.

If you have any funny stories or photos, please share them with us. If you have any concerns or questions, do let us know and our team of experts will do their best to answer them.

And do please answer our poll on the right hand side. Thanks.