Special Species

Your child wants a pet, but is he ready for one? Ask these questions to decide. If you think he's not yet ready for the responsibility of caring for a dog or cat, one of these 'starter pets' would be perfect. Still, remember that the buck stops with you, so make sure you're committed too.

These pets are highly intelligent but they're also high-maintenance, and many owners bring one home without realizing that. That can translate into a long list of behavior problems, health concerns and unhappiness for both creature and owner.

Do wolves wag their tails the same way dogs do? Is that where your pup's tail wagging originated? Wild or domesticated, canines have learned how to define roles and avoid conflict, show their mood, greet others and even beg for food, simply by how they wag their tails.

People who do this likely don't realize how they're causing very painful and unnecessary deaths to more than 130 species. Anyone who loves animals must know how their perfectly legal actions cause organ failure, brain damage, blindness, paralysis, seizures and death in so many innocent creatures.

Hamsters raised in one type of environment were happier and more optimistic than their hamster peers. If you have a hamster as a pet, here's what to do to make your hamster happy.