Iguanas are relatively inexpensive pets to acquire, which makes them popular for children. But caring for them properly is neither cheap nor easy, and there the problems start.

Some places that sell these pets either don't know or don't care enough to properly educate buyers about their new family members. When it comes to iguanas, the cost of a proper setup can set you back a lot more than the price of the pet itself -- but incorrect housing and care can be deadly.

If you or your child has an iguana on your wish list, make sure you know what to do to keep your new pet healthy. A good setup is crucial, and so is a proper diet. Calcium requirements are probably the most often ignored: A long-term lack of calcium can leave a pet with a rubbery jaw he can't use to feed himself.

Here are some tips to keep an iguana in good shape:

-- Diet. Iguanas should be fed plant matter only, a mixture of vegetation that's high in calcium but low in phosphorus and fat. Choices include mustard, collard and turnip greens, as well as yams, carrots, alfalfa sprouts, alfalfa hay and squash.

Chop the vegetables into a size that can be easily handled by the pet, and mix and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Offer small amounts twice a day and sprinkle the food with a calcium supplement, available from pet-supply stores, catalogs or Web retailers that specialize in reptiles. This diet can be supplemented by high-quality commercial foods.

Water should be available for both bathing and drinking. A ceramic dish in the enclosure is a must. Many iguanas also enjoy being sprayed with mist a couple times a day.

-- Housing. The bigger the better. Little green babies can grow to be as large as 6 feet in length in as little as three years. Cages or aquariums must be kept scrupulously clean and dry to prevent bacterial or fungal diseases. The iguana's enclosure should be lined with newspapers, or better yet, clean newsprint. (Roll ends of clean newsprint are available from many newspapers.) Other possibilities for good footing include indoor-outdoor carpeting, Astroturf or even paper-towel squares. Avoid sawdust, litter, wood shavings or gravel.

Silk artificial plants can improve the appearance of the enclosure and are easy to keep clean. Provide your pet with a place to hide, such as a cardboard box, and some branches for climbing.

Uneaten food and soiled areas must be promptly removed. For disinfecting, avoid pine oil cleaners and use a solution of one part bleach to 30 parts water. Remember that proper sanitation and handling is essential for your protection as well as your pet's, since salmonella is a risk when proper hygiene procedures aren't followed.

-- Heat and light. Instead of a hot rock, use a heating pad or undercage strip designed for use with reptiles, or a ceramic basking lamp, which emits heat but no light.

Captive reptiles need ultraviolet B light from an artificial source. Pet stores sell lightbulbs that provide the proper light for iguanas. It's best to approximate natural conditions by supplying 10 to 12 hours of light per day.

Surprised at how much work an iguana can be? If you can't care for an iguana properly -- or didn't realize how big they get -- please don't get one.

If you want to proceed, keep researching before you buy. Melissa Kaplan is one of the best sources for all things reptilian. I highly recommend her book "Iguanas for Dummies" (Wiley, $22) and her Web site, www.anapsid.org.

THE SCOOP

Used mostly for craft-making these days, old-fashioned wooden clothespins -- the kind without metal springs -- make wonderful playthings for pets such as rabbits, rats and parrots. The pins are fun for them to play with and chew on, and are inexpensive to replace. Look for them in crafts stores and on the Internet.

PETS ON THE WEB

When it comes to disasters, we need to be prepared for our human family members and for the pets who rely on us just as much or more. Take time to review your emergency plans, and to replenish or replace any necessary supplies. The Emergency Animal Rescue Service has a collection of disaster-preparedness articles on its Web site (www.uan.org/ears/tips.html), including advice geared toward pets other than dogs or cats. Specifically for horses, the University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital offers disaster-planning tips on its Web site (www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/home/VERT/VERT/disasterprepguide.html).

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: For about two months, I have been trying to decide what to do about something that happened at the veterinarian's office. I'm hoping you have a suggestion. I went in to pick up pills for one of our pets while my husband waited in the car. He saw two of the office staff taking a dog outside. The dog was on an IV, and one woman was holding that. The other woman was trying to get the dog to go to the area where they let the animals relieve themselves.

She was nudging the dog with her foot to get him to move. Every time she did that, the dog would yelp. My husband was very disturbed and called the office to discuss what he had seen. The veterinarian would not come to the phone, and the receptionist said that the dog had been yelping ever since he was taken out of his cage.

Even if the staffperson was not hurting the dog, that is no way to treat an animal that is obviously ill or has had surgery. How much trouble would it have been to guide the dog with her hand? Her actions showed no compassion, and that concerns us.

We have taken our pets to this practice for three years, but now I am afraid to leave my pets there for treatment. If that dog was treated in such a way where people could see, I wonder what happens out of view.

I am going to change veterinarians. But do I just drop my concerns with the current practice or is there another course I should take? -– Name Withheld, via e-mail

A: In many practices, receptionists handle calls without involving the veterinarians so that the practitioners can spend their time treating patients instead of talking to salespeople or answering routine questions over the phone. It may be possible that the veterinarian was never fully informed of your concerns or of what you witnessed.

As a courtesy to the veterinarian and in hopes of preventing their possible future mishandling of animals, I would want to be certain management was fully informed of the incident and had a chance to respond to your concerns. (Not having seen what your husband saw, I would like to think there might have been an explanation, such as that the dog would have bitten a hand put down to help him instead of being nudged along with a foot.) I would send a letter that's matter-of-fact in tone, not accusatory, and ask to be contacted by phone to discuss your concerns.

If you do not hear back, or if you are not satisfied with the veterinarian's explanation, I would definitely change practices. You absolutely cannot leave an animal where you do not trust that the pets are treated with compassion, or where the veterinarians who own or run the practice will not hear your concerns about the behavior of their staff.

Q: I would like to add to your recent column on litter boxes that you should put enough litter in the pan to allow the animal to cover any waste it leaves -- at least 2 inches. Cats don't like to touch the bottom of the litter pan when burying their waste.

I ran across this little tidbit on a Web site just a couple of weeks ago. Up until then, our cat was having a problem with litter box aversion. Once I increased the depth of litter in her box, the problem was solved. -- C.S., via e-mail

A: It's like I always say: If the cat ain't happy, no one's happy. Some cats are extremely tolerant of whatever litter arrangements are made -- kind of box, brand of filler, box location, level of cleanliness -- while others simply will not use a box that isn't "just so."

Start with the basics: a good-sized box with lots of unscented litter, kept scrupulously clean and placed in a quiet and feline-convenient location. That works for most cats, and if it works with yours, don't mess with success!

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

Children love pets, and parents love their children. So it's no surprise that many parents give in to their kids' desires (or in some cases, demands) for a pet of their very own.

Making a child happy is a wonderful thing. But if you're considering getting a pet for your child, or if you've already done so, you have think beyond the joy that comes on the day the pet comes home. You must also consider the long-term lessons a pet can teach, and your role in helping bring those lessons home.

Ask any parent what lessons a pet can help teach a child, and it's likely the one they'll name will be "responsibility." It's true: Having to care for a pet on a daily basis is often a child's first introduction to thinking about the needs of others, or even to realizing that others have needs. These are important steps in a child's development to be sure.

But too often, parents don't think about the lessons that are equally important, such as how a pet can help teach a child about commitment and compassion.

There's a tendency, in our throwaway society, to think of all pets as disposable and of relatively inexpensive children's pets -- small birds, rodents or reptiles -- as the most disposable of all. When a child's enthusiasm for a new pet wanes, care for the animal sometimes suffers to the point of neglectful cruelty, or sometimes the animal will be dumped. While neither option is a good one for the pet, allowing these situations to develop is not in a child's best interest either.

What are you teaching a child when you allow a little pet to be neglected or decide to give it away or, worse, to just turn it loose to starve or be eaten? Instead of teaching that living beings are more than "things" that can be thrown away like last year's birthday presents, you've taught that they are disposable. And instead of teaching that, sometimes you have to do what you don't want to because someone is counting on you, you've taught that it's OK to bail out on another living being just because you have things you'd rather do.

Instead of laying the groundwork for a lifetime of giving, you've sent a message that when the going gets tough, it's acceptable to move on, because it's only what your child wants that matters.

Do you really want your child to learn such selfish behavior?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately because of a rat I've named Zoe, a former throwaway pet who ended up in the hands of some nice people who try to find new homes for former children's pets. (Believe it or not, there are quite a few rat rescuers around. For a list, visit the Rat Fan Club page at www.ratfanclub.org.)

Zoe came home with me because she was gentle and affectionate, and also because her story of abandonment was so common as to be troubling. Her rescuers get dozens of former children's pets every year, and I wanted to help in a small way.

So many children's pets are not as lucky as Zoe is, which means a lot of children aren't lucky enough to have parents who care enough to teach them that pets are a lifelong commitment.

When you say yes to a pet for your child, do your child and that pet a favor, and realize that the ultimate responsibility -- for teaching your child, for seeing that your child's pet is well cared for -- is yours.

Children learn by example, so please set a good one. No pet, no matter how small, should be discarded because the "newness" wears off, and the sooner your child learns this, the better for your child, that pet and us all.

THE SCOOP

When you're expecting your first baby, it's natural to worry about how your four-legged children will react to the change. Most of that concern is not necessary. If you follow commonsense guidelines, such as never leaving pets and young children unsupervised, chances are your animals will adapt splendidly and your offspring will grow up knowing the many benefits of having animals in the home.

Still, it never hurts to let your pet know what's coming, which is why I was delighted to get a copy of the "Preparing Fido" CD of baby sounds, everything from delighted cooing to ear-shattering screaming. The CD, which comes with a booklet of training tips, is $20.99 including shipping and handling from Preparing Fido, P.O. Box 3712, Albuquerque, NM 87190. You can also purchase the CD with a credit card on the Web, at www.preparingfido.com.

PETS ON THE WEB

Dogs with long backs, such as dachshunds and basset hounds, are particularly prone to spinal injuries. The expense of treatment and the prospect of a long rehabilitation for many of these injured dogs often lead their owners to reluctantly choosing euthanasia, even for pets who are otherwise healthy. The Dachshund Orthopedic Disc Group E-mail Resource, known as the Dodger's List in memory of one such victim, is working to spread the word that a back injury doesn't have to mean death for a beloved pet.

Founded by Linda Stowe, Dodger's List (www.dodgerslist.com) offers practical advice on how to prevent back injuries in dachshunds and other long-backed breeds or mixes, how to minimize them and what can be done after an injury has occurred -- there are lifesaving options! Everyone with a long-backed dog should read the information on this Web site.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: You recently offered suggestions for a reader whose cat knocks things off shelves. Would you please share the tried-and-true trick that has worked for my family?

We taught our cats to stay off the kitchen counter by putting double-sided tape on the counter. (Actually, we set cardboard over the counter and put the tape on that so we didn't have to clean up the sticky remains.) When the cat jumped on the counter, she was horrified that her paws stuck. She jumped down, thoroughly cleaned herself and hasn't been back up since.

For cats who want to knock things off using their paws, we have taped balloons to shelves. When the sharp claws hit the balloons, it scares the cat into next week! This trick also works for dogs who like to steal things off tables -- they burst the balloon in their mouths and it scares them. -- V.P., via e-mail

A: Double-sided tape does indeed work wonderfully, since cats loathe the sensation of having their paws sticking to any surface. The tape also works to discourage cats from clawing the corners of chairs and couches. You can find double-sided tape in any home-supply store, or look in pet-supply stores, catalogs and at Web sites for Sticky Paws, ready-made strips that do the same thing.

I haven't had quite the luck you have had with balloons, though, either with shelf-climbing cats or counter-cruising dogs. But I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying this inexpensive deterrent. You can also try mousetraps, set without bait and placed under a single sheet of newspaper to protect the animal. When the animal trips the trap by walking nearby, it leaps into the air with a frightening "snap!" that discourages a repeat visit.

Still, I wouldn't trust any training method to protect your most valuable pieces, because accidents do happen. Kids and pets break things, that's a given, and the best way to protect your special pieces is by putting them in a place that's safe from harm -- either behind the doors of glass-fronted cabinets or in another room with the door shut.

Q: Can you tell me how to contact an organization we have heard of that provides bulletproof vests for dogs in police and sheriff canine units? We would like to make a donation in memory of a friend's dog. -– D.E., Fair Oaks, Calif.

A: I don't know if it's the one you've heard of, but I did find Pennies to Protect Police Dogs (www.penniestoprotectpolicedogs.org), a charitable organization in Florida founded in 2000 by an amazing young woman named Stacey Hillman, then 10 years old. Since its founding, the organization has raised more than $200,000 and provided vests for police dogs in 16 states. (The vests cost about $600 each, and many municipalities say they just can't afford the extra expense.)

You can donate with a credit card through the Web site, or send a check to Pennies to Protect Police Dogs, c/o Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 140, P.O. Box 1742, Sanford, FL 32772-1742.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

Just as vacations with children are different from adults-only trips, vacationing with your dog works out better if you plan the journey with an eye to finding places where your pets are truly welcome and traveling when fewer people will be around.

Finding these places can be a challenge, but not as much as it used to be. The travel industry used to grudgingly accept the fact that many people traveled with pets. Now, many hotels, motels and resorts actively court pet lovers, and a few are marketed almost exclusively to this once-neglected group of vacationers. Well-mannered pets and well-heeled pet lovers are appealing to an industry that isn't booking as many vacation travelers as it would like to. And that's good news for people looking for the perfect pet-friendly vacation.

The best way to plan your trip? Check out Web sites dedicated to traveling with pets, and look for vacation ads in pet-related magazines and newsletters.

As for books, you'll find plenty that provide simple listings of places where pets are allowed, such as the AAA travel guides. But there's one series that really gets the inside information on where pets are genuinely welcome -- the Dog Lover's Companion books (www.dogloverscompanion.com). The series has books on California and Florida, on all of New England, and on Seattle, Boston, New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. I have used these books for years and can't recommend them enough.

Even though more people than ever are traveling with their dogs, there are plenty of people who don't like sharing space with the four-legged tourists. There are also plenty of resort properties that are one pet mess away from changing to a no-dog policy. That means you and your dog must be above reproach, to keep a great place open for future pet travel.

Here are a few things to do on the road:

-- Keep 'em clean. Your dog should be well-groomed and clean-smelling. Always dry off wet dogs and wipe off muddy feet -- using your towels, not the motel's -- before allowing your dog inside. Cover furniture, carpets and bedspreads with your old sheets and towels, and if you need to bathe your dog, be sure, again, to use your towels and clean up afterward.

-- Keep 'em under control. Your dog should be obedient, friendly but not annoying, and never aggressive -- not to people, not to pets and not to wildlife. Do not allow your dog to bark uncontrollably. Use your best judgment when to let a dog off the leash in areas where doing so is allowed, and be sure that your dog isn't annoying other people or pets.

-- Pick up after 'em. Take your dog to out-of-the-way places on resort property to do his business -- the corner of the far parking lot, not the grassy inner courtyard. No leg-lifting allowed near rooms and eating areas. Make it so the pickiest dog hater on Earth wouldn't notice your dog has been around.

And finally, don't forget to show your appreciation. Those of us who travel with our pets realize it's a privilege, not a right, to have a nice place to stay. So along with keeping your pet from being a nuisance, don't forget to say thank-you to resort staff, and tip generously when appropriate. Pets mean extra work for the people who work at these places, so let's try to keep them on our side.

THE SCOOP

A few simple precautions will keep your pets safe on Halloween -- and keep trick-or-treaters safe from your pets, as well. The safest course of action is to keep all pets inside for the night -- roaming cats, in particular, can be a target for random cruelty. And keep dogs away from the front door when you're giving out treats. The latter is important because some pets may not understand that the strangely dressed visitors mean no harm, and may become aggressive or scared.

As for those treats -- be careful. While cats are generally not interested in sugar-packed goodies, many dogs will wolf down all the candy they can, bags and all. Do not give candy to your pets no matter how much they beg. Chocolate, in particular, presents a risk, especially in large quantities for small dogs. And do your best to keep your dog from helping himself to treats, by keeping bowls and bags out of reach.

PETS ON THE WEB

If you'll be traveling without your pets over the upcoming holiday season, you'd better start scrambling now if you're planning to pay someone to care for your pets. That's because pet sitters and boarding facilities get booked far in advance during popular travel periods. If you don't already have a favorite sitter or boarding facility, ask friends, family or co-workers for recommendations. Your veterinarian or groomer might also have some ideas (or maybe facilities for boarding in-house). You can also check the Web sites of the American Boarding Kennel Association

(www.abka.com) or Pet Sitters International (www.petsit.com). Both trade groups offer lists of member businesses, along with helpful advice on how to choose a reputable outfit to look after your pet.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: Would you share more thoughts on moving with pets? I moved a year ago from a large home on one acre to a small home on a city lot. I did the following to make the transition easier on my two cats, ages 13 and 6:

The movers were to come at 8 a.m. The afternoon before, I took both cats to the veterinarian's for the night. After I moved into the new place, I made up the bed with the sheets and blankets I took off that morning, purposely not washing them so that "our scent" would remain. The house had been repainted and recarpeted, so all smells were new, and I wanted to give the cats some point of reference.

I took the cats to the new home from the vet's that afternoon, and let them out of the carriers on top of the bed. They were both glad to be out of the vet's and on their bed again. They checked out their house and were fine. The next day, I let them out into a fenced patio area and they were still OK.

I also want to note that before I moved in, I had cat fencing installed. It was worth the price. I had net fencing installed on top of the 6-foot fence and around the trees. Neither cat can get out of the yard. The younger cat tried climbing the trees, but soon encountered the netting and gave up. -- A.B., Sonoma, Calif.

A: You've hit upon the key to a successful move: good planning and good knowledge of what makes cats tick. Making up the bed in the new house with unwashed linen, with its comforting scents, is absolutely brilliant, and I'm not at all surprised that your cats have made the transition smoothly.

Kudos, too, for your use of cat fencing. Cat fencing also keep cats in the yard, safe from many – but not all – of the hazards found outside. (A determined predator such as a coyote won't be slowed down by cat fencing.)

For those who haven't heard of cat fencing, it's netting or wire cages that are attached to regular fencing at an inward angle to keeps cats from climbing out of a yard. You can order cat-fencing systems from Cat Fence-In (1-888-738-9099; www.catfencein.com) or Affordable Cat Fence (1-888-840-CATS; www.catfence.com). You can also build your own fence from components found in any home-supply outlet; check out the "Do-It-Yourself Cat Fence" Web page (www.feralcat.com/fence.html) for directions.

Q: My dog sometimes has a warm, dry nose. He hasn't seemed at all sick, so I haven't taken him to the vet. Should I be worried that he's running a fever? –- K.M., via e-mail

A: An occasional dry nose is nothing to worry about, and is not necessarily a sign of fever, despite what folks have said for years.

The only way to determine if your pet is running a fever is to take his temperature. You can find pet thermometers in almost any pet-supply outlet, either the inexpensive in-the-fanny kind or the pricier ones that slip into the ear canal. (Whichever you choose, I recommend marking the item to be certain everyone in the family knows it's for use on pets only.)

Normal temperature for dogs is around 101 degrees, although a degree in either direction is nothing to worry about.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600