Training Your Pet Rat

Book Description

Pet owners and animal hobbyists are discovering rats as fascinating and intelligent creatures that can be bred selectively and kept as pets. This book advises on virtually all aspects of caging, feeding, rat management, and training. Although "rat homes" are commercially available, the authors' detailed discussion of caging includes many do-it-yourself ideas on ways to improve on the manufactured versions and convert rat enclosures into structures that better meet hobbyists' needs. There is also advice on rat trainability, and specific instructions for the training of these animals. Approximately 80 full-color photos.

Customer Reviews:

Info Filled.......2007-03-12

First page out, reminded us to get an aquarium not a wire cage to keep the babies from escaping!

Good Tips.......2007-03-09

I bought this hoping to learn more about the training of rats. It does have some on training. More than most books, however I would have liked more. For those beginners it also includes a very complete chapters on selection, care, housing and medical. I was dissapointed it didn't include anthing on litter-box training. I have heard some about litter-box training and believe it could be a usefull adition to this book. All in all a good care and maintance guide, with some ideas for training.

A MUST HAVE for the first time ratty.......2007-01-21

I wish I had picked up this book BEFORE I picked up my two bundles of joy. This book lets you know just about everything you need to know BEFORE you think of picking up a ratty, or two, and just about what you need to know right after. It's great to fall back on too! MAHALO to the author's anc contributors!

Adoption Option.......2006-11-11

Although this book shows an appreciation for rats and their marvelous personalities, it completely ignores the fact that one doesn't have to buy a pet rat. There are small mammal rescue groups who foster little furry creatures like rats and hamsters and guinea pigs. Shelters also often have small mammals. People need to always think of adoption first, as we have so many homeless animals in this country and so few quality homes.

Good Rat Book Review........2005-08-02

I really liked it. I liked how they said the stuff. They use funny words. I really liked the pictures. They had good advice.

Average customer rating:

good overall pet book
Excellent
I don't reccomend this book.
Great book for young hamster owners - buy it before the pet!
Pretty Standard

Training Your Pet Hamster
Gerry Bucsis , and Barbara Somerville
Manufacturer: Barron''s Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0764120131
Release Date: 2005-11-17

Book Description

Once owners teach their hamster to welcome their touch, training can go on to include many games with widely available cage toys, as well as litter training, rolling on a rubber ball, and even leash-walking. Tiitles in this series will be much appreciated by owners who don't know how to get started training caged pets, but want to learn. Correct training begins with having the right kind of housing and equipment, then getting all members of the family acquainted with the newly arrived animal. Training Your Pet books feature full-color photos on nearly every page, tips for hassle-free travel with a pet, advice on managing behavior problems, and a selection of games that owners can teach their pets to play.

Customer Reviews:

good overall pet book.......2007-04-03

my daughter read everything she could get her hands on about hamsters. this book actually gave her some new ideas that other books didn't cover. no, you can't train your hamster to fetch or roll over, but thru consistancey and handling, they are somewhat "trainable".

Excellent.......2007-01-10

Excellent product , found it very useful and easy to read and understand , my daughter used it with ease.

I don't reccomend this book........2004-01-21

I would have given the book a lower rating but it was only bad because it was so bland. The author assumes that the reader is a seven-year-old and about 20% of the book is baby-talk. It doesn't go into much detail about training. In fact, "The Hamster Handbook" by Patricia Bartlett (also sold at amazon) goes into as much detail about training a hamster. This book doesn't include much other information about hamsters other than obvious things and is mostly vague. I don't recommend this book, but highly recommend "the Hamster Handbook."

Great book for young hamster owners - buy it before the pet!.......2003-12-30

This book is written mostly for young teenagers and will be great at interesting them in something not electronic!

No offense to Nintendo or Microsoft, but there really is life beyond the cursor!

I am one of very few in Egypt who bothers owning pets - I have a hamster, an African Grey Parrot (see my reviews on Keeping African Grey Parrots, and of The African Grey Parrot Handbook), plus two lovebirds, two cockatiels, two dogs, one cat and four tortoises. I thus have found Amazon a great source for pet keeping books.

Another good book for hamster enthusiasts is HAMSTERS, A COMPLETE PET OWNER'S MANUAL. I have, though, chosen TRAINING YOUR PET HAMSTER as the must-have. Buy it before you get or give the pet hamster!

Pretty Standard.......2003-11-09

This is a pretty standard hamster care book. The writing style often gets a bit insipid, but the information is gotten out.

For beginners, they'll get basic information.

The title is misleading as hamster training isn't the focus of the book. There is a little on the idea of clicker training and conditioned response, but this part is very thin.

In fact the book goes more in depth on the author's personal preferences for cages. They laud Crittertrail and SAM set-ups glossing over the cons of using these types (like these are easy for a Hamster to escape from), while presenting very minor disadvantages as major ones in other set-ups like 10 gallon aquariums (like cleaning it)or wire cages (can't use tubes). I'm afraid that having to take a bit of effort to hose a cage down, or providing alternative tunnelling toys are nothing compared to ESCAPING!

They do not mention how much cage room a hamster actually needs. If they had this would discount their favorite cages.

Still, that would only make this a 4-star book and I gave it 3.

This is because when going over the information for choosing a hamster, they don't have their priorities straight. When talking about going to a breeder they list that breeders have breeds and coat colors not available at pet shops as the first reason. Then almost as an afterthought tag on a sentence that the hamsters would be hand tamed and used to humans.

As someone who appreciates an animal for themselves this kind of attitude is extremely elitist and snobby. As if an animal's worth is only in its looks and the joy in having it is to show off that rare color or breed.

In addition, much of what is said is taken off verbatim from various Internet sites. Based on the copyright dates of the book and update information on the websites I know it's not the other way around.

Product Description

Owners of rabbits must first understand their pet's body language, then create an atmosphere of mutual trust. Rabbits can then be trained to live happily in a house or an apartment without getting into trouble. The author also suggests cage toys that will entertain both the pet and its owner. Tiitles in this series will be much appreciated by owners who don't know how to get started training caged pets, but want to learn. Correct training begins with having the right kind of housing and equipment, then getting all members of the family acquainted with the newly arrived animal. Training Your Pet books feature full-color photos on nearly every page, tips for hassle-free travel with a pet, advice on managing behavior problems, and a selection of games that owners can teach their pets to play. Paperback / 96 Pages / 6 1/2 x 7 7/8 / 2002

Customer Reviews:

ok but i've read better.......2006-10-12

This book is just ok. There are many more things online for free that can help a new rabbit owner. I just got my first rabbit. i researched for months before i adopted mine. This book is good for guide lines but the magazines are much better if you want solid info that you can trust. And the training isnt that helpful!

good for beginners.......2006-04-23

This would be a great book for people who have little knowledge of rabbits. It's not so much about training the rabbit, but getting along with your rabbit and keeping him/her happy and healthy. A great bargain for those new to the wonderful world of rabbits!

Not for training, just general rabbit information.......2005-09-08

I got this book from the library before I went out and bought it, and I am happy I did. Our bunny hates being picked up, hates being held, and fears coming near us sometimes (we are his third family). And the book assumes your bunny is tame and loves being held, which most bunnies don't.
For example, the training directions for a bunny trance does not start with how to get your bunny into your arms and allow you to turn it over, it starts with the bunny already in your lap, upside down. Hey Patricia Bartlett, if I could get my bunny to stay in my lap, let alone have him stay upside-down in my lap, I would not need your book!
If you have a tame, socialized bunny, you can prob train him on your own, and if your bunny needs taming training, this book will not provide it. I liked this book for the general bunny information, but for training purposes, it didn't help us.

Brilliant, witty, charming, timeless!.......2004-04-02

The moment I accepted my new job as permanent backup late shift cage-cleaning supervisor at a nearby strip mall, I immediately rushed home and ordered this book. Please allow me to preface my review with a brief childhood anecdote. I don't know exactly what inspired my love of rabbits. Was it the way Mom kept the old bacon grease in the fryer for future reuse? Or was it Dad's eye-opening, thirst-quenching, two martini breakfast and resulting toilet clog (which I inevitably would have to unclog with my bare hands)? I still don't know. Whatever the reason, I have attended my county fair every year since I was a young rabbit enthusiast in the fourth grade. In fact, when I was 15, I won Best in Show with Bother the Rabbit at the 4-H tent. (I firmly believe it was this award, circled and underlined in metallic silver ink on my otherwise boring resume, that landed me the prestigious PetCo job.) This award, comparable to an Oscar, spawned my short-lived business enterprise, "Best Rex Rabbitry," located in my parents' dismal, rodent-infested garage, and gave me my first real taste of small business ownership. It also got me out of our bug-infested house for a few minutes every day. Oh, how I miss the sight of four-inch centipedes crawling over my unread textbooks and Mom's Harlequin romance novels. In her book, "Training Your Pet Rabbit," Patricia Bartlett Pear brings it all back with her endless pontifications about rabbit folklore. She cites myriad examples of their role in magic acts, early pregnancy tests, so-called "good luck pendants," Satanic blood rituals, and 19th century literature. What the author fails to disclose is her obvious pro-life bias--she ends the book with an unprecedented, word-for-word, page-turning reenactment of The Passion of The Christ. After reading this obnoxiously highbrow novel in its original Aramaic language, I had to pour myself a stiff bacon-grease-and-gin on the rocks, unclog the toilet, and get ready for work. That night at work, I bored and alienated all of my new coworkers with paraphrased quotes from this book! Thank you for this book, Mrs. Bartlett!

Training Your Pet Ferret (Training Your Pet Series)

Average customer rating:

Very good training book!
Okay, but not for every ferret
Some good info in there..
Trite, affectatious waste of ink
One of the Best

Training Your Pet Ferret (Training Your Pet Series)
Gerry Bucsis , and Barbara Somerville
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764100939

Product Description

Furry, cuddly, and bursting with energy, lovable ferrets are becoming increasingly popular as family pets. However, keeping a ferret in the home is different from keeping a dog or cat. Books on ferrets are readily available, but Training Your Pet Ferret is the only volume that speaks directly to the issue of training. The authors explain that effective training can start anytime, whether the owner adopts an adult ferret or purchases a baby as kit. The first seventeen chapters give information on housing and equipment. Following chapters give practical advice on litter box training, getting family members including the kids used to frequent handling of the ferret, protecting the animal against household hazards, protecting carpets and houseplants from ferret damage, communicating with your pet, and even walking on a leash, hassle-free travel, and games to play. Handsome, full-color photos help to demonstrate training techniques and show ferrets in the household. Paperback / 96 Pages / 6-1/2" x 7-7/8" / 1997

Customer Reviews:

Very good training book!.......2007-09-16

I loved this training guide! I loved the tips, handling instructions, and reward hints the author wrote about! This is a must have for every ferret owner!

Okay, but not for every ferret.......2005-10-24

My ferrets are either too smart or too stupid to be trained. The pictures were cute, but I couldn't find anything in it that I didn't already know from Ferrets for Dummies or Modern Ferret magazine. I read it once and gave it to the local humane society's library.

Some good info in there.........2003-07-21

This isn't the best book out there for ferret information, but it does have some interesting tidbits in it and a bunch of cute pictures. I haven't been able to successfully use many of the methods talked about in the book with my ferrets, but it's possible they work for someone else. Every ferret is different! I give it four stars because some of the information is good, and the pictures are adorable. For the price, I can't complain. :)

Trite, affectatious waste of ink.......2002-12-31

Do authors needing to start every thought with inane questions make you giggle more than thorazine? Do you have have commercial grade insulin handy for inoculations after every annacdote {which is on par with Elvis sightings?). Then this book is for you.
Having raised seven and now that my girlfriend has added eight and nine ferrets I feel I a qualified to comment on the usefulness of this book - nil. We added this book to qualify for free shipping while ordering Ferrets for Dummies - a much better buy. {loads of valuable info}
Read Ferrets for Dummies and if you have a bird line the bird cage with with Ms. Somerville's exercise in ferret dreaming.

One of the Best.......2000-06-30

Training Your Pet Ferret is the only book I have read that really does go in depth about how to train your ferret. It is filled with useful tips and advice on how to raise a better pet. Each page in the book has information that you can use. I have used many of the tips in this book and they all have seemed to work out perfectly for me. I am very satisifed with this book. As it says in the authors note, this is not a general care guide. This is a training guide. The only thing that I thought was bad about this book is the ferret pictures. The ferrets pictured in this book always look sad and unhappy. That is the only drawback, other than that, this is a perfect book for a new ferret owner or a ferret owner that has owned ferrets for many years.

Hop To It: A Guide to Training Your Pet Rabbit (Pet Series: Training)

Average customer rating:

It's all relative--
One word: Misguiding.
A Good Backup Resource
You could find a better book.
Hop to It

Hop To It: A Guide to Training Your Pet Rabbit (Pet Series: Training)
Samantha Hunter
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812045513

Book Description

Here's how to understand rabbits as pets! This helpful manual tells owners how to recognize "bunny body language," bunny-proof a home, and train rabbits to live in a house or apartment. Tips on diet, health and more than 60 informative, full-color photos.

Customer Reviews:

It's all relative--.......2005-06-05

I've recently read this book, and I agree that this is a good back-up, but shouldn't be your only source of information. When I was in the 4-H Rabbit Club as a kid, we focused more on the ARBA standards and breeding. Then, the preferred methods of raising rabbits were similar to those recommended in this book (handling, diet, etc.). It should be taken into consideration when reading it that *it was written in 1991*. The book is 14 years old--times have changed.

I wish that this book would have been brought up to date, or that someone would write a new book solely dedicated to training your rabbit. This is one of the reasons that this book has value, despite its age and a few factual errors: there just aren't any other books out there entirely dedicated to the subject.

If you want some great information on rabbits, read The House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman, which has been revised this year--and visit Rabbit.org

There is a new book called The Rabbit Whisperer by Ingrid Tarrant (currently available only in the UK) that I hope tackles this subject for the more "advanced" rabbit-person. Otherwise, to somebody out there willing: Please re-write this book!!

One word: Misguiding........2003-12-04

I've been a house rabbit owner for around 4 years now, and I'm part of a couple local rescues, along with the House Rabbit Society. I decided to read this book just to see how it held up to the information I know about rabbits, which has been given to me by the HRS (www.rabbit.org), other house rabbit owners, biologists, and rabbit-savvy veterinarians. Sorry to say, the book ranks poorly in my mind, and I'm sure in many other house rabbit owner's minds. Here are some of my reasons for disliking this book to so much extent:

-The methods in which she "trains" her rabbit practically have a boot camp air to them.

-Advocates scruffing a rabbit, which is definitely not a safe way to pick him/her up (rabbit's skin is very thin and can tear easily).

-Also advocates keeping rabbits on wire-bottomed cages. This, like mentioned in the chapter written by a veterinarian, causes sore hocks in most rabbits. Wire flooring in a cage can also cause arthritis and can rip off toenails.

-Deems rabbits as "dumb" before "properly trained." An animal is never, ever dumb. The only way they can be perceived in this light is if the person calling them that is completely uncompassionate towards animals in general.

-Even the chapter written by the, supposedly, rabbit-savvy veterinarian is chocked full of incorrect information. She states that pellets should be the main staple in the diet, when in actuality, timothy hay should be, followed by fresh greens, and very limited pellets.

-There's typos in the book, making it seem a great deal less professional.

This book is definitely not worth reading, whether you're just starting out, or you're a rabbit enthusiast. If you're looking for books to learn more about house rabbits, check out the House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman, along with Stories Rabbits Tell by Susan E. Davis & Margo DeMello.

A Good Backup Resource.......2003-10-09

HOP TO IT is a compact book on rabbit care written by a woman who obviously and unashamedly loves rabbits. Much of the information in the book is based on her experiences with rabbits as pets and it does have some helpful information based on lessons she has learned the hard way. Her stories about her own pet rabbits as well as the rabbits of friends are helpful, and in some cases amusing. It has helped me understated some rabbit quirks which is, of course, important. I would not recommend this book as a primary care manual for rabbits, but rather as a supplement to a book such as WHY DOES MY RABBIT? by Anne McBride or THE HOUSE RABBIT HANDBOOK, both of which are chock full of helpful information and seem to have veterinary expertise.

You could find a better book........2002-08-17

The book is very easy to read and has some practical advice.

However, some of the advice doesn't seem right. For instance, she advocates de-clawing a rabbit. How inhumane! Also, the parts about walking the rabbit outside on a leash. Just putting a leash on a rabbit: no wonder she had him declawed. The advice about giving the rabbit commands doesn't jive with the way trainers teach other animals. They say to use one word commands only. Her commands have 2-4 words.

Pictures of her husband cleaning the cage in the living room were a little humorous. I liked the part about Mr. Rabbit coming to inspect the clean cage. Mine does that.

Hop to It.......2002-04-02

This book was written in 1991. Much of the very important information regarding nutrition, health concerns and treatments and how to appropriately pick up a rabbit is out of date. Nutrition section is especially alarming. Some sections, such as traveling and working with an aggressive bunny are good.
Overall, I would recommend a more recent rabbit care manual.

Average customer rating:

Training Your Pet Hamster
Gerry Bucsis
Manufacturer: BARRONS (GBS)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K752MY

Average customer rating:
Love Letters: Dutch Genre Paintings In the Age of Vermeer
Peter C. Sutton
Manufacturer: BRUCE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND SCIEN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WSABU4

Average customer rating:
Love letters: Dutch Genre Paintings in the Age of Vermeer

Manufacturer: Bruce Museum/Nat'l Gallery of Ireland
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000BMARG4

Average customer rating:
All About Building Waterfalls, Ponds, and Streams (Ortho's All About Gardening)
Ortho
Manufacturer: Ortho
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Water Gardens & Ponds | Techniques | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Smart Guide: Ponds & Fountains: Step-by-Step Projects (Smart Guide)

How to Build Ponds and Waterfalls: The Complete Guide

The Master Book of the Water Garden: The Ultimate Guide to the Design and Maintenance of the Water Garden

Water Gardens, Pools, Streams & Fountains (Better Homes & Gardens)

The Complete Guide to Water Gardens, Ponds & Fountains (Complete Guide)

ASIN: 0897215141
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Book Description

A practical, easy-to-understand guide to adding both still (ponds) and moving (waterfalls and streams) water features to any garden.

Includes complete, easy-to-follow instructions on designing, establishing, and caring for a variety of eye-pleasing water projects.

More than 220 vivid photographs and illustrations, plus detailed instructions, make this guide a must-have for garden enthusiasts looking to plan and build a water feature.

Expert advice on selecting the right fish and plants for embellishing any backyard aquatic paradise.

Solution-based format inspires homeowners to confidently create water havens in their own yards.

This all-new second edition provides the very best instructions for building ponds, waterfalls, and streams.

Average customer rating:

Great Ideas

Fairly detailed

Ortho's Building Ponds

Great Teaching Tool

GREAT STARTER

Ortho's All About Building Waterfalls, Ponds, and Streams
Ortho
Manufacturer: Ortho
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Flowers | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Water Gardens & Ponds | Techniques | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

How to Build Ponds and Waterfalls: The Complete Guide

Smart Guide: Ponds & Fountains: Step-by-Step Projects (Smart Guide)

Complete Guide to Water Gardens: Ponds, Fountains, Waterfalls, Streams

Sunset Garden Pools: Fountains & Waterfalls

The Master Book of the Water Garden: The Ultimate Guide to the Design and Maintenance of the Water Garden

ASIN: 0897214730
Release Date: 2002-01-01

Book Description

A practical, easy-to-understand guide to adding both still (ponds) and moving (waterfalls and streams) water features to any garden.

Includes complete, easy-to-follow instructions on designing, establishing, and caring for a variety of eye-pleasing water projects.

More than 220 vivid photographs and illustrations, plus detailed instructions, make this guide a must-have for garden enthusiasts looking to plan and build a water feature.

Expert advice on selecting the right fish and plants for embellishing any backyard aquatic paradise.

Solution-based format inspires homeowners to confidently create water havens in their own yards.

With an additional 32 pages of information, this second edition provides the very best instructions for building ponds, waterfalls, and streams.

Customer Reviews:

Great Ideas.......2006-11-03

The book was great for visualizing what we wanted and to convey that to our landscape architect. It also provided good information regarding care of a pondless waterfall.

Fairly detailed.......2006-03-07

This book isnt overly long and filled with over the top water gardening items most people cant afford. The applications discussed a common and to the point. The

contenet isnt bad for a beginning pond builder but you can gather most information from the book from websites online like pondmegastore or lilypons.

Beginners & Novices go ahead.

Ortho's Building Ponds.......2005-09-07

Gives how to, how much, where and why. Probably the best pond construction book I bought.

Great Teaching Tool.......2005-05-21

Great book to learn about building water gardens. Excellent resource and I would highly recommend it.

GREAT STARTER.......2005-03-16

This book is excellent for the price and with a handyman mentallity you might be able to figure our the blind spots yourself and commence your pond.

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