and Christie Keith

Here's the first thing you need to know about rabbits: Given what they need to stay active, these fluffy, nose-twitching animals are affectionate and engaging pets. Kept in a barren cage or hutch and deprived of exercise and mental stimulation, however, they're not just boring, they're bored -- not to mention unhappy and unhealthy.

Despite warnings not to get a pet on impulse, we know it happens. If you ended up with a baby bunny as an Easter present, we want to help you realize what a gem of pet you really have.

The discoveries start by getting your bunny out of that boring backyard hutch or small cage and into your life as a "house rabbit."

The wild relatives of pet rabbits cover ranges of two or more acres every day in their hunt for mates and food. Their powerful hindquarters are built for speed, and they can run long distances at high speed to escape predators. While it's not safe to let pet rabbits roam -- they'll almost certainly fall victim to dogs, hawks, disease or cars -- pet owners can easily and inexpensively give rabbits all the exercise and playtime they need to turn domestication into bliss.

Playtime provides a big payoff to rabbit owners, too. It helps prevent health problems including obesity, decreased bone density, gastrointestinal disease and urinary tract infections. Bunnies who get lots of mental and physical activity are much more likely to confine their chewing and digging to their toys, instead of their owners' belongings.

Judith Pierce, manager of the San Diego chapter of the House Rabbit Society, suggests bunny owners start enriching their pets' lives by thinking inside the box -- the cardboard box.

"We can spend hundreds of dollars on wonderful toys for our rabbits," she says, "but their favorite toy is usually a plain old cardboard box. They love to climb and hide inside them, so it's important to find boxes that have multiple openings."

Rabbits also love to play with the empty rolls from paper towels or toilet paper. "They even like to play with towels," said Pierce "They like to push them around, dig in them, and snuggle up with them."

When it comes to rabbit toys, Pierce suggests forgetting about species. "One of the ways you know someone is a rabbit owner," Pierce says, "is they spend a lot of time at baby stores, even though they don't have babies."

Pierce recommends multicolored plastic linking toys made for babies. "I pull them apart and make them into little circles, and toss them to the rabbits. They love them."

Toddlers' plastic play structures are another rabbit favorite. "A friend has a kid's climbing and slide setup in her yard," Pierce says. "Rabbits love to climb, and hers got up on top of it and looked at the slide. She could just see him thinking, 'What's this?' And he slid down and loved it."

Like cats, rabbits like to perch up high, so play and exercise structures made for cats are suitable for rabbits too. Look for cat condos and climbing trees with ramps, tunnels and platforms, which also have the benefit of helping make the most of a small indoor space.

Don't be afraid of the great outdoors, though. While rabbits should live in the house most of the time, safely enclosed outside patios can be a bunny wonderland. "Just don't leave them outdoors unattended," cautioned Pierce. "Close them inside if you can't watch them."

Other great rabbit toys include:

-- Paper bags and boxes filled with newspaper for shredding and digging, along with balls.

-- Wicker baskets are also a fun. Just make sure the wicker hasn't been treated with anything

-- Hard plastic baby toys like rattles. Don't use toys meant for teething; they're not hard enough for rabbits.

-- Dried pine cones and fresh apple tree branches are favorite toys. Some trees are toxic to rabbits, including redwood, cherry, plum, peach and apricot, so be cautious.

If you don't already have a bunny, shelters and rescue groups always have plenty to choose from. Hop to it: Your next great pet is an adoption away.

Q&A

What to do about egg-laying

Q: We have a little parakeet. Last night she laid her first egg. We threw it away, but we wonder if there will be more since she doesn't have a mate. -- M.C., via e-mail.

A: For help with this one, I turned to Dr. Brian L. Speer, one of the world's top avian veterinarians and my co-author on "Birds for Dummies" (Wiley, $22). Speer says that in such cases, removing the egg is the common recommendation. But there's more to know about egg-laying birds and how to handle them.

"Unlike many mammals, birds do not cycle regularly," says Speer. "Their reproductive cycle is dependent on environmental cues that tend to support and justify the expenditure of energy for reproductive purposes."

Such cues, he says, include thinking there's a mate available, believing there's an adequate nesting site in the cage, having adequate food and a healthy environment. To keep your bird from continuing to lay eggs, Speer says it's important to evaluate the bird's care, especially when it comes to handling and the environment.

Instead of offering your bird the materials that can be used for nesting, says Speer, provide food puzzles stuffed with lower-calorie foods to keep her busy "foraging" for meals in an imitation of how she'd behave in the wild. And just in case a member of your family is being perceived as the "mate," be sure pair-bonding between a single person and bird is discouraged by having all members of the family becoming involved in bird care.

Finally, mix things up. "A bird's environment should be continually changed, altered or moved," says Speer. "That's because constant changes in the environment tend not to encourage or support reproductive activity."

So ... throw the eggs away, and then take a good close look at the messages your bird is getting. If they're saying "lay," it's time to shake things up a bit. -- Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.

THE BUZZ

Pet industry

stays strong

-- The pet market grew in 2009 despite a weak economy. A report by Packaged Facts estimates the pet industry generated $53 billion last year -- a figure the company says will hit $72 billion by 2014. The report credits the industry's strength to the growing importance of the human-animal bond. Even those pet owners who have cut back on some areas of pet-related spending are still buying small indulgences for their pets, increasing the spending in 2009 on dog and cat treats.

-- A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 5 percent of U.S. pets are microchipped, compared to nearly a quarter of European pets.

-- Ferret fanciers have specific terms for their pets, starting with "hob," for an unneutered male ferret, and "jill" for an unspayed female. Babies are called "kits," and the correct terms for altered adults are "gibs" (males) and "sprites" (females). Most charming of all, a group of these playful pets is called a "business" of ferrets (although some use "busyness" instead). -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and more. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

The Scoop

Roll because the stink's so good

While veterinary behaviorists aren't sure why dogs like to roll in stinky stuff and eat rotten things, many believe these pets are marking themselves with their most prized possessions to show them off to all of their two-legged and four-legged friends. For a dog, wearing stinky stuff is like wearing the best of all designer-label scents.

Not only do dogs have millions more scent receptors than we have, they are also polar opposites when it comes to putting stuff on their skin. While people like smells that are fresh, floral and fragrant, dogs prefer dirty, dead and (to us) disgusting.

Forget trying to prevent your dog from rolling in the stinkiest things imaginable. For you it's disgusting; for them it's divine. With thousands of years of practice behind them, dogs will continue to go boldly where no man, or woman, would ever choose to go.

The only way to stop the stinky search-and-roll is to keep your dog on the leash -- or teach a foolproof come-hither when called. -- Dr. Marty Becker

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

Getting help with the cat

Hiring a pet sitter is by far the most common service hired by cat lovers, and it's becoming even more popular -- and it's a better choice than leaving a cat alone with food and water. Popular cat services:

Pet-sitting at home 62 percent

Other services 16 percent

Boarding 15 percent

Pet transport 7 percent

Source: American Pet Products Association

TIP

'Bad' pet? These vets can help

A veterinary behaviorist can be the answer to many a difficult pet-behavior challenge. These veterinarians have additional training and certification in animal behavior, so they can work with pet lovers to address any problem simultaneously from medical and behavioral angles. And, of course, they can prescribe medications that may help with retraining in the short run or fix a behavioral problem permanently in the long run.

Your veterinarian should be able to refer you to a veterinary behaviorist in your area, or you can contact your nearest school or college of veterinary medicine. -- Gina Spadafori

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes can make our pets itch and scratch. But did you know that each one of these pests can transmit serious diseases to your pets -- and to you as well?

In a pet with flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), even one flea bite can cause a cascading reaction of itching, irritation and secondary bacterial infection. Far from being a rare overreaction to fleas, FAD is the most common allergic skin disorder in pets. And allergic or not, all pets can be infected with tapeworm from the bite of a flea. Fleas can also bite humans, and a few fleas can lead to a complete infestation of your carpets, bedding, upholstery and yard.

Once it's in full bloom, a flea infestation can be extremely difficult to eradicate.

And what about mosquitoes? These pests make people itch, but their risk to pets goes far beyond discomfort. Mosquitoes can transmit heartworms, a parasite that's a serious problem in dogs and increasingly in cats (even indoor cats). Many cases of feline asthma and bronchitis are now thought to be caused by heartworm infection. Heartworm disease can be debilitating, lengthy, difficult and expensive to treat, but it's easy to prevent with medication from your veterinarian. More information on canine and feline heartworm disease can be found at www.heartwormsociety.org.

Probably the most dangerous of all the pests that afflict our pets is the tick. Ticks can spread Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and babesiosis. These immune-system disorders can be hard to diagnose and difficult to treat. Because their symptoms can mimic so many other diseases, they are often not detected until well advanced, at which time it can be too late.

Symptoms of tick-borne diseases include fevers, lameness that can shift from limb to limb, difficulty breathing, lethargy and not eating. Ticks can be as tiny as the period at the end of this sentence, so relying on combing or hand-searching to control ticks is not effective. Worse, removing them by hand can increase the likelihood they'll transmit disease to your pets.

Even if your dog has been vaccinated against canine Lyme disease, don't let up on the tick-prevention effort. There are no vaccines for any of the other, even more dangerous tick diseases. Many ticks carry multiple diseases and can transmit more than one at the time they bite your dog.

Your veterinarian can detect canine heartworm disease, Lyme disease, and two other tick-borne diseases (ehrlichiosis canis and anaplasmosis) with a single, in-house test. This diagnostic tool is important to detect diseases that, left untreated, can cause life-threatening illness in dogs.

Given the seriousness of the diseases spread by ticks, fleas and mosquitoes, there's no question that prevention is the best course. In the past, pet owners had to rely on messy, time-consuming and non-environmentally friendly dips, bombs and sprays. Those days are gone with the introduction of topical preventives that repel and kill fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Some even control internal parasites and ear mites.

Diseases carried by parasites vary from region to region, although in today's increasingly mobile society that's less true. Talk to your veterinarian about the problems in your area and about the products that can protect your pet.

When using those products, be careful: Most bad reactions occur when people don't follow label directions, such as using canine products on cats or not using the proper dosage. Follow up with your veterinarian immediately if you have questions or if your pet seems to be having a reaction.

Q&A

Pets, planes and airport security

Q: Regarding your recent column on flying with pets, will you let readers know about the risk of losing a pet in the airport?

Most people don't realize that if they take a pet as carry-on baggage, they'll have to take the pet out of the carrier and hold the animal while the carrier itself goes through screening. I found this out the hard way with a cat who hates to be held!

Everyone who takes a pet aboard a plane as carry-on luggage should have a harness and leash in place to avoid having the animal take off running through the airport. -- J.P., via e-mail

A: You're absolutely right. While a small dog having a bit of a freak-out at the airport can probably be held firmly and without too much difficulty, a cat in full flight-or-fight mode can really create a dangerous scene. That's why your suggestion is important: Make sure any pet -- but especially a cat -- is equipped with a harness and leash before removing the animal from the carrier at the airport screening station.

I've flown with pets as carry-ons a few times and have put larger pets in cargo a few times more -- never (knock on wood) with any problems whatsoever. I've always found airline staff to be caring, helpful and understanding of the needs and worries of pet lovers.

One myth about flying with pets that just won't go away is the assumption that pets need to be routinely tranquilized for flights. Not only is this not true, but it's also dangerous. Tranquilizing limits the ability of their bodies to function normally, and they need all that ability to cope with the stress of flight.

The default mode for pet air travel should be no tranquilizers, although there are exceptions, so a preflight talk with the veterinarian is a must. (You'll need to be there for a preflight health certificate anyway.)

Maybe we think pets should be tranquilized because we wish we were? It sure would make the flights seem faster for us, wouldn't it?

Talking to the airline for pet reservations and conditions also is a must, as is checking en route for any pets traveling in cargo holds. With all precautions in place, air travel with pets should go smoothly -- and it usually does. -- Gina Spadafori

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

The Buzz

Unwanted pet pigs

end up in shelters

-- Pot-bellied pigs are ending up in shelters by the thousands, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Promised to be 40 to 60 pounds by breeders, many of these pigs grow much, much larger, with many ranging in size from 150 to 300 pounds. Pig sanctuaries are overflowing with at least 300,000 of the animals, who are also given up because of their their high need for specialized care and lots of attention, for destructive behavior and noise, and because many areas prohibit pigs as pets, a fact usually not discovered until after the animal has been purchased.

-- The nutritional information on the back of pet food bags may not be reliable when it comes to portion size.The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University did a study on 100 commercially available weight-management diets and found problems with labels regarding recommended feeding and the kilocalories consumed per serving. The label issues may make it more difficult for pets to lose weight.

-- Graduating veterinary students will be relieved of some of their school debt, up to $25,000 of student loan debt per year, if they sign up for a U.S. Department of Agriculture program intended to get more veterinarians into rural areas, where the need for large-animal and food-animal care is becoming a matter of national concern. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and more. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

The Scoop

Make nail trims feline-friendly

Want to avoid a tussle when it comes to trimming the claws on your cat? Don't trim them until you can massage your cat's paws gently during lap time. As you massage a paw with one hand, offer an irresistible treat in the other. Make the procedure as pleasant as possible -- for both of you.

Timing and size matters when you start nail trims. A relaxed cat is more likely to be a cooperative one. Go for quality, not quantity. Trim only one nail each day and take off only the tip. If you cut down to the quick -- the living tissue closest to the paw -- it will hurt. And if you cause your pet pain, you won't get much cooperation in the future.

So be careful, and be positive. If done carefully, your cat may not hold out his paw for a nail trim, but he won't mind much if the whole experience is a pleasant one. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp, AnimalBehavior.net

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

Skin conditions common

More than one-fifth of all claims submitted to the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. were for skin conditions. Parasites and allergies were often given as the causes for the misery. The top complaints:

1. Atopic/allergic dermatitis (itchy or inflammed skin)

2. Pyoderma/hotspots (lick lesions or moist sore spots)

3. Neoplasia, or benign skin cancer.

Source: www.petinsurance.com

PET TIP

Daily cleaning for pet dishes

No matter how thoroughly your pet licks clean the food dish, it's not clean enough to use again without washing. That goes for water dishes, too. I've seen water dishes in some homes with the beginnings of algae colonies forming on the sides and the bottom -- who'd want to drink from that?

Pick up your pet's food dish after every meal, scrub and wash in hot water and soap. The water dish should get the same treatment, on a daily basis.

Better still, run them through the hottest cycle of the dishwasher to get them really clean and sterilized. Stainless steel or heavy plastic "crock-style" dishes are best for frequent cleaning: They last forever and stand up well to the abuse a pet can dish out. I have stainless steel pet dishes that still look good after more than two decades of use. -- Gina Spadafori

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

By Dr. Narda Robinson

If your cat's stressed out, there's a pretty good likelihood that you soon will be, too. That's because stress is a key factor in the development of health problems that lead to litter-box misses.

While that's not the only thing feline stress can cause or make worse, one can argue that what veterinarians call "inappropriate elimination" can be deadly. That's because many a frustrated cat-owner will give up on a cat who cannot be relied upon to hit the box. These cats often end up at the shelter, where their past puts a pall on their future.

Because behavioral problems are often really medical problems, such a cat needs the attention of a veterinarian. But reducing stress will help, even if there is a medical problem to be treated -- and especially if there isn't. Here are some possible stresses and solutions for cats:

-- Too many cats, too few boxes, not a clean restroom for miles. Tension and aggression can be a big factor in multiple animal households. It's important to ask if one cat is hogging the litter box, and ambushing the others. The litter boxes also must be clean, must be in private, quiet places and should be filled with an unscented product, which is what most cats prefer. Litter boxes need to be accessible, especially to older cats who may not move very well, or to cats who may be put off by lidded boxes, too little litter or litter that isn't to a cat's liking in any way. Back to multiples: at least one box per cat to avoid problems potentially caused by sharing.

-- Filling the dishes with more than good intentions. Cats don't like change, which is why abrupt changes in food, dish location or even feeding schedules can be stressful. Problems with food, such as allergies, can also cause stress, as can a diet with too little water in it. And here, too, privacy is an issue: As solitary hunters, cats prefer to eat more frequent, smaller meals in privacy. Even bowls can cause problems for some cats who won't drink water from a bowl used by other cats, one that's not full of clean, very fresh water or even one that's made of plastic, which may not smell right to some pets.

Talk to your veterinarian about the right food for your cat, and consider getting a pet water fountain for a constant supply of recirculated, filtered water.

-- Bored cats are stressed cats. Environmental enrichment is very important considering that many cats these days live completely indoors. Since cats love to be outside, consider adding a screened porch or cat-fencing to keep them in your yard safely. Your home can also be made more interesting with increased vertical space to explore, using cat towers. Cats also need places to be by themselves -- hiding spots to give them some space where they cannot be bothered by other members of the family, either pets or people. And don't forget toys and play time. Also offer greens: both grass shoots for eating, and catnip or dried valerian for rolling in and relaxing with after play.

-- Noisy homes aren't feline-friendly. Take a "sonic inventory" and reduce the noise levels. Loud TVs, video games or noisy family members can be too much for many cats. Plan some quiet time or give cats the ability to get away from the racket.

-- Massage is good for you both. Petting a cat lowers your stress levels as well as your cat's. Increase the two-way pleasure by indulging in massage and gentle brushing of your cat's lovely coat. For cats with pain, acupuncture and laser therapy may additionally help ease stress caused by discomfort.

-- For any kind of stress, see if the product Feliway will help. Feliway offers the comfort of feline facial pheromones, a smell cats naturally find reassuring and relaxing.

Your cat doesn't have to be sick or "misbehaving" to benefit from stress reduction, either. Consider it an investment in a higher quality of life for you both.

(Guest columnist Dr. Narda Robinson is director of the Center for Comparative and Integrative Pain Medicine at Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a member of the PetConnection.com advisory team.)

Q&A

Cat, dog intro needs to be slow

Q: My Maltese-poodle mix has spent the last year with my ex while I've worked to find housing that accepts a dog. My daughter wanted a kitten, which my apartment did accept, so we got one. Now the dog is going to go back and forth with my daughter, but she's worried the kitten will freak. What's the best way to handle this? -- Q.K.

A: You didn't mention if your dog has lived with a cat before and gotten along. If that's the case, the transition will likely be a smooth one. The kitten is still young enough to adapt without much fuss, and if the dog pays her no mind, you're home free. The back-and-forth will take some getting used to, but if it's a regular deal, everyone should be able to adjust.

Before the dog arrives, prepare the kitten by giving her a "dog-free" zone for her dishes and litter box. One good way to do this is by choosing a spare bedroom or bathroom and putting a baby gate across the doorway. The kitten will be able to come and go without any effort, but the dog won't be able to get past the barrier.

Make sure the kitten is comfortable with the new arrangement before springing the dog on her. The stress of a new dog and a new location for litter box and dishes could well be enough to push her into choosing her own potty sites.

Introduce the dog on a leash and watch the reactions. Don't force the issue -- let the kitten be hissy and retreat if she wishes. Curiosity is normal from the dog, but don't allow him to chase the cat, even in play. Redirect away from the kitten and give praise and treats for leaving the other animal alone. You may need to leave the leash on for a few days until everyone gets the "leave the cat alone" rule.

The situation should settle down in a couple of weeks, but if it doesn't, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a trainer or behaviorist. Get help sooner if the dog seems intent on hurting the cat. Considering that both animals are not that different in size, that could end up with both being hurt pretty badly, which will mean a trip to the veterinarian's and a set-back in blending the family. -- Gina Spadafori

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and more. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

THE BUZZ

Killing is no answer to feral cat problem

-- There's evidence that controlling populations of feral cats through non-lethal means is not only more effective, but also less expensive to taxpayers. The Best Friends Animal Society and PetSmart Charities released a study noting that maintaining cat colonies through volunteer-managed trap-neuter-release programs costs municipalities $9 billion annually, compared to a $16 billion annual cost to exterminate free-roaming cats, the latter a program that hasn't been proven to be effective when it comes to reducing numbers, since it doesn't stop cats from reproducing. Trap-neuter-release programs place adoptable cats and kittens in new homes and maintain the untamable cats as placeholders to prevent recolonization. The study notes that there are an estimated 87 million ownerless cats in the United States.

-- A British proposal to force all dog owners to carry insurance to cover the possibility that the animals might cause harm was dropped. Dog lovers said the plan presented an unnecessary and unfair cost considering that the vast majority of pets present little to no risk of harming anyone.

-- Cats and small dogs are particularly vulnerable to illness or death attributed to the use and misuse of flea-and-tick-control products, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in releasing a report of consumer complaints about the products. The agency is developing stronger standards for testing of the products and may push for reformulation of some. Also in the works is a reconsideration of product labels to help prevent consumers from misapplying the insecticides -- using dog products on cats, for example. In 2008, the EPA received 44,263 reports of harmful reactions from topical products.

-- The major streets of Santa Cruz, Calif., have been off-limits to even leashed dogs since 1976, but that may be changing soon. The city's downtown merchants association voted overwhelmingly to recommend the ban be repealed, hoping to attract more tourists traveling with well-mannered pets. California dog-lovers looking for a weekend coastal getaway have long preferred nearby Carmel and Monterey, both of which are known for their dog-friendly amenities and attitudes. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

PET Rx

A blimpy bird needs vet help

Obesity is a problem in parrots, too. These birds need a veterinary check to rule out health problems and for advice to ease the weight off gradually.

Some of the signs of obesity in pet birds include:

-- The presence of rolls of fat around the abdomen and hip areas, along with cleavage on the abdomen or breast area.

-- Visible fat under the skin. The skin of most normal pet birds is typically very thin and quite transparent. When the skin is wetted with rubbing alcohol, you should be able to see dark pink or red muscle underneath. In overweight birds, you see yellowish fat instead.

-- Breathing difficulty, such as labored breathing, especially after physical exertion.

-- Heat intolerance, shown by excessive wing drooping or open-mouthed breathing in a hot environment.

-- Overgrown upper beaks. Some birds will grow their upper beaks excessively long if they have obesity and fatty liver disease problems. This is particularly true in Amazon parrots and budgies.

If you suspect your bird is fat -- and especially if you already know your bird is fat -- see your veterinarian right away for nutritional counseling and other ways to attack the problem. -- Dr. Marty Becker

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

Reptile owners: Smarter, richer?

A survey on pets, pet lovers and the pet-supply industry suggests that people who choose reptiles and amphibians as pets tend to be urban, affluent and better-educated, compared to the general population. The most popular pets among reptile owners (multiple answers allowed):

Turtle/tortoise 50 percent

Frog/toad 23 percent

Lizard 19 percent

Snake 18 percent

Iguana 12 percent

Other reptile 5 percent

Source: American Pet Products Association

Tip

Keep cats safe from falling

If you live anywhere above the ground floor, your cat could be injured falling out of a window. They're just not able to understand the risk, and sometimes jump after something interesting, such as a bird.

It's possible to give a cat fresh air safely, no matter what kind of housing you have. If you're in multifamily housing, you can't alter a fire escape because of safety issues, but you may be allowed to screen in a balcony to give your cat access to fresh air and a good view. If you're in a detached home, you can put in a more permanent structure, such as a screened-in multilevel cat playground.

While screens aren't completely safe and can pop out under pressure from a determined cat, they will keep most cats out of trouble most of the time. -- Gina Spadafori

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.