By Liz Palika

Onyx is an old box turtle -- old enough that her shell is worn completely smooth. But even in her advanced years, she's active, her eyes are bright and her appetite hasn't slackened one little bit. As she bites into a strawberry, she smears it all over her face and front feet, and it's obvious she enjoys the treat.

She lives with me and my husband, and both of us have long had a soft spot for turtles, tortoises and other reptiles, along with more popular pets such as dogs and cats.

Box turtles are native to the United States, and at one time were commonly seen throughout the eastern and central states. Unfortunately, habitat loss and collection for the pet trade have significantly decreased their numbers. Some populations are so depleted that they are now protected by law.

The good news is that box turtles breed well in captivity, producing offspring who are entertaining, engaging and quickly learn to recognize their owners.

Feeding these turtles is quite interesting, as adult box turtles are omnivores -- they eat both meat and plants -- but for the first two to five years of life, young box turtles are almost exclusively carnivores.

In the wild, adult box turtles will eat insects, worms, grubs, newborn rodents, berries, fungi and just about anything else they can find. In captivity, offer earthworms and grubs from your backyard and mealworms and crickets from the pet store. Feed a variety of plant foods, too, including strawberries, blueberries, melons, tomatoes and some chopped greens. Provide your box turtle with a cuttlebone (from the bird section of the pet supply store) so that your pet has a source of calcium.

Hatchling box turtles are a little more challenging as they need worms, insects and other live foods of the correct size. Since newly hatched box turtles are about the size of a quarter, they need small mealworms, tiny grubs, sow bugs and small red worms or earthworms. As the young box turtles grow, tiny pieces of plant foods should be offered so they can get used to them.

If it's possible, keep adult box turtles in a safe enclosure outside. Ideally, the enclosure should be at least 10 square feet in size with a fence or wall around it that is at least 2 feet high.

An inside enclosure should be as large as you can make it, but at least 3 feet long and 2 feet wide. The sides of the enclosure shouldn't be glass because turtles don't understand glass and tend to beat themselves up against it. The bedding on the floor of the enclosure can be dirt with leaf litter, potting soil (without fertilizers), leaf mulch or moss.

The box turtle will need a plant saucer set into the ground or bedding for easy access to water for drinking and soaking. The turtle will also need some hiding places for both sleeping and for lying low; a plant pot on its side works well.

The outside enclosure should have both sun and shade so the box turtle can regulate his or her temperature. Inside, the turtle will need artificial heat in one area of the enclosure while the rest of the enclosure is room temperature. Indoor turtles will need to make field trips outside so they can bask in the sun and absorb some vitamin D.

Onyx has lived with us for the past 20 years. She's personable, friendly and will come running toward anyone carrying food. It's amazing how fast she can run!

(Liz Palika, a member of the Pet Connection advisory board, is a San Diego-based reptile expert and dog-trainer as well as an award-winning writer.)

Q&A

Clean environment key

to minimizing risks

Q: I say pet birds are high risk for passing disease on to people. I think they should be banned. And now everyone wants a chicken coop, including my neighbors. What do you think? -- via e-mail

A: Every animal we meet and especially those with whom we share our lives has the potential to pass health problems to us, whether it's rabies, parasites or salmonella. Medical conditions that can be passed from animals to humans are called "zoonotic."

Like any companion animal, pet birds from parrots to backyard chickens can have the potential to pass disease to their human keepers. The risk is small, but it does exist and needs to be acknowledged. However, as a suburban chicken-keeper with a friendly flock of egg-layers, I am in favor of legalizing backyard chickens and glad to see more cities do so.

The key to avoiding disease transmission from an animal is to educate yourself about risks, work with your veterinarian to keep pets healthy and parasite-free, and use plenty of basic common sense when it comes to hygiene. Keeping a pet healthy, combined with maintaining a clean environment and washing your hands after interacting with any animal, will minimize the small risk that exists.

That said, there is one problem with birds that should be noted: If you have allergies or asthma, you probably should consider avoiding certain species of pet birds, such as the cockatoo, which gives off lots of powdery white dust.

Other than that, I don't lose any sleep worrying about pet birds -- or any other pets, for that matter. As my writing partner, Dr. Marty Becker, always says: "Lose the risk and keep the pet." -- Gina Spadafori

THE BUZZ

Different views

on debark, declaw

-- Close to 60 percent of all Americans and 55 percent of those with cats approve of declawing, but only 8 percent approve of surgically altering a dog's vocal cords. According to an Associated Press-Petside.com poll, about half of pet owners would support a law making debarking illegal, with only 1 percent reporting having had the procedure done on a dog they owned. In contrast, only 18 percent would support a law making declawing illegal.

-- Chinchillas, nocturnal rodents with a lush, soft coat, were first imported to the United States from South America in 1923, promoted as a small business in raising the animals for fur. In the 1960s they began to grow in popularity as pets. Chinchillas can live up to 20 years and are known for taking regular dust baths. They are promoted today as an easy-care pet for those looking for a quiet animal suitable for a small apartment.

-- "Love me, love my pet" is the rule in the United Kingdom, where four out of five residents polled said they would not date someone who didn't like their pet. And they're looking for Mr. or Ms. Pet Lover when they are meeting people: Among dog owners, 5 percent reported meeting someone to date while walking a dog, with the love triangle still going strong for about one-fifth of those who met someone that way. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

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 many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

If you haven't met a rabbit kept in the house as a pet, I guarantee that you have no idea how engaging, entertaining and affectionate these pets can be. I know, because I've long been a fan of house-rabbits and have kept them off and on for several years now.

What do most people not know about rabbits? That these animals who are a popular pet for children are an even better pet for adults. Once liberated from the confinement of a backyard "hutch" and provided with a safe and secure indoor environment, bunnies really shine. They're playful and adorably willful, trainable and even amenable to using a litter box. They're quiet pets that fit perfectly into quiet households.

And, yes, they're very cute.

Even better, there's always a good selection of bunnies available from shelters or rescue groups. If you really want to make a bunny happy, adopt a pair of them, since rabbits love company.

Forget small wire-floored cages and boring diets. Here's how to keep your rabbit healthy:

-- Housing. Your rabbit will need a home base of a small pen or large cage with food, water and a litter box. Rabbits do well with a plain cat box filled with a shallow layer of recycled paper pellets, covered with a layer of fresh grass hay. You don't scoop a rabbit box -- you change it completely, every day. (The ingredients you toss are great for your compost pile.)

Because some rabbits can be chewers, you'll want to make sure that any rabbit-friendly area has electrical cords tucked away, and deny access to the legs of nice furniture and the corners of good carpets.

-- Nutrition. Fresh water needs to be available at all times. For food, you can use high-quality commercial rabbit pellets for a base diet, or you can also skip the store-bought route and feed your rabbit a good variety of fresh leafy veggies and an unlimited supply of fresh grass hay. If you go the pellet route, your rabbit should still get as much fresh grass hay as he wants, and still offer fresh leafy vegetables to complement the pellets. Treat your rabbit, too: Bunnies love little bits of fruits and root vegetables.

If you have storage space, hay is cheaper by the bale and lasts for weeks in a cool, dry location if protected from the elements. And stop throwing away veggie trimmings from meal preparation -- give them to your rabbit!

-- Health care. Get your rabbit spayed or neutered. In addition to keeping your rabbit from reproducing, you'll have a better pet. Unaltered rabbits can have behavior problems such as aggression and urine-spraying. Your rabbit will need a wellness check, just as a cat or dog would, and a good rabbit vet will help you catch little health problems before they become big ones.

Check with your local rabbit rescue group for the names of veterinarians who are known to be good with rabbits.

-- Exercise and play. Make sure your rabbit is allowed time outside the cage or pen every day. If you can't manage letting your rabbit roam at will indoors, block off a single rabbit-proofed room. A secure, supervised area outside is fine as well, but don't leave your rabbit unattended. Rabbits can be scared literally to death by cats, dogs and even jays and crows.

Rabbits love toys. Cat toys, dog toys, hard-plastic baby toys and even the cardboard tubes from inside toilet paper and paper towel rolls are fun for rabbits. Cardboard boxes stuffed with hay and treats are also fun for bunnies.

Once you've gotten the hang of rabbit care, think of adding another such pet. Rabbits are social animals and do very well in pairs. For more information, check out the House Rabbit Society (rabbit.org).

Q&A

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about this Q&A section)

Q: I just got married. My husband has a cat, which is great because I have always had a cat, but was cat-less after my sweet Miranda died. I would like to get a kitten because Harry likes my husband best, and I want a cat who likes me best. What's the best way to keep Harry happy when a new baby arrives? -- via e-mail

A: If you take over feeding Harry and also dedicate time to playing with him, you'll probably rise up in his list of priorities. You may even top your husband in Harry's affection. You never know!

But I'm real believer in "the more the merrier," so I think you should still add a cat. Living with more than one cat doesn't have to be contentious. The trick to domestic harmony for co-habiting felines is to introduce -- or reintroduce -- them slowly and carefully. You might also ask your veterinarian about a product called Feliway, which mimics the scent of feline pheromones and makes many cats feel more relaxed in stressful circumstances.

Prepare a room for your new kitten with food and water bowls, and a litter box and scratching post that needn't be shared. This room will be your new pet's home turf while Harry gets used to the kitten being around.

Take your new kitten to your veterinarian first, to be checked for parasites such as ear mites and contagious diseases such as feline leukemia. When you're sure your new pet is healthy, the introductions can begin.

Bring the kitten home in a carrier and set him in the room you've prepared. Let your resident cat discover the caged baby, and don't be discouraged by initial hisses. When the new cat is alone in the room, close the door and let him out of the carrier. If he doesn't want to leave the carrier at first, let him be. Just leave the carrier door open and the kitten alone.

Maintain each cat separately for a week or so -- with lots of love and play for both -- and then on a day when you're around to observe, leave the door to the new cat's room open. Above all: Don't force them together. Territory negotiations between cats can be drawn-out and delicate, and you must let them work it out on their own, ignoring the hisses and glares.

Since your husband's cat got used to having you around, it's a pretty good bet he'll adjust to a kitten, too. If you decide to adopt an adult cat instead of a kitten, the introductions may be a little more difficult, but with patience going from a one-cat home to a two-cat home will usually work out in the end. – Mikkel Becker

THE BUZZ

Dogs keep owners

busy with walks

-- Dog owners walk an average of 23,000 miles with their pet during the animal's lifetime. A study commissioned by the U.K. insurance company Esure reports that the average owner walks his or her dog for eight hours and 54 minutes per week, going 36 miles per week, which adds up to more than 1,800 miles per year and nearly equals the circumference of the Earth in the average canine life span of 12.8 years. They don't go far racking up the miles: 41 percent of dog owners walk with their pets around the neighborhood, while 42 percent choose a local park to walk their dogs. And they don't all go willingly, with 15 percent of owners saying walking the dog was the worst part of owning one.

-- Once one of the most notable equine regions in the country -- Pimlico, after all, was the site of the historic Sea Biscuit-War Admiral race -- Maryland's horse population is in decline. The Maryland Horse Industry Board notes that the number of horses in the state has decreased 7 percent from 2002 to 2010.

-- One of the most accomplished veterinarians in U.S. history was Frederick Douglass Patterson, who was graduated from Cornell in 1932 and eventually became the third president of Tuskegee University. He also developed the Tuskegee Airmen program and was instrumental in establishing the United Negro College Fund. In the segregated South, Dr. Patterson made it possible for African-Americans to follow in his footsteps by founding Tuskegee's veterinary college. Before the founding of the veterinary school at Tuskegee, Cornell and Ohio State University led the country with the most African-American veterinary students. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

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 many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

Eating problems in cats too often get dismissed -- thrown under the general heading of, "What do you expect? Cats are finicky."

But cats are prone to a variety of eating issues that can make simple feeding a permanent or even life-threatening issue.

If your cat is simply off food for a day, there's no reason to worry. A simple upset stomach or a stressful change in his environment could be the culprit. And she might not be off food at all: If your cat has access to the outdoors, she could have eaten somewhere else -- off a neighbor's porch or at an all-you-can-catch rodent buffet.

But a persistant lack of appetite needs to be taken seriously. You can outlast any dog in a food duel -- sooner or later, a healthy but fussy dog will eat just about anything. A cat, however, can stop eating completely, a situation that may trigger hepatic lipatosis, an acute liver problem that can turn fatal.

If you have a finicky cat, it's essential to work with your veterinarian and to know these tricks to get your cat eating:

-- Fresh is best. Cats may be the original food snobs: In addition to having strong likes and dislikes, they often turn their noses up at food that's been sitting around too long. This can be especially true of canned food, which does get pretty unpleasant when left sitting out. Instead of leaving a day's worth (or more) of food out, offer your cat small portions, fresh from the packaging. If he doesn't eat it after 30 minutes, try again in a couple hours.

-- Serve warm. Warming your cat's food amps up its flavor and aroma. A few seconds in the microwave will do the trick.

-- Break out the good stuff. Over the years, some of my veterinary clients have had a simple "Is my cat sick?" test they rely on at home. If the cat won't eat a regular meal, they chalk it up to a fussy day; but if the cat rejects her favorite treat, like a bit of roasted chicken or a smidge of meaty baby food without garlic salt and onions, then they know to call the veterinarian. No one knows your cat better than you do, and if she suddenly rejects a food she has been willing to beg for all her life, you'll know your cat has troubles worth taking seriously.

It's one thing to be finicky, but something else entirely when your cat starts losing weight. If lack of appetite is an ongoing concern with your cat and she's lost a half-pound or more, ask her veterinarian about the possibility of a medication to stimulate her appetite. Some antidepressant and anti-anxiety meds can help switch a cat's appetite from the "off" position back into "on."

And if that doesn't help, your veterinarian can work with you to get to the root of the problem, and treat the underlying condition that will return a normal appetite to your now-healthy cat.

Q&A

Puppies need guidance,

not physical punishment

Q: There's so much conflicting information out now about raising a puppy. Some of it seems old-fashioned and some too permissive. What do you recommend when it comes to letting a puppy know she or he has done something bad?

A: Every puppy needs to be guided on the road to good behavior, and along the way many a puppy strays off the path into trouble. The best way to avoid problems is to set up your home and your handling of the puppy so his only choice is to do what's right and get praised for it.

But what if your puppy makes a mistake? A verbal correction, properly timed and correctly delivered, is usually all you need. Speak low and sharply, but don't yell at your puppy.

Here are two more ways to send a clear message of disapproval:

-- Distract and redirect. Especially useful for the young puppy, this technique stops a behavior you don't want and guides the puppy to one that's acceptable. For example, if your young puppy is chewing on your nice leather shoes, make a noise to startle and distract him -- slap the counter or clap your hands -- and then give him something you do want him to chew on, such as a toy. When he takes it, praise him for redirecting those sharp puppy teeth.

With older puppies, you can often stop a bad behavior by asking for a better one, and praising him. Ask a puppy who's jumping up to "sit," and praise him or give him a treat for doing so. Tell him once, and if he doesn't mind you (to be fair, be sure he understands what you want), gently guide him into a sit, and then offer some praise and a treat.

-- The timeout. Puppies thrive on your attention, even if it's negative. The timeout removes this reward. This technique is especially good for a puppy who doesn't want to keep his mouth to himself, a bad habit for any dog to get into where people are concerned. When the puppy starts nipping, tell him "no," and then clam up, pick him up and put him in a crate or other small, safe area for a few minutes. Ignore the cries and whimpers. After a few minutes of quiet, let him out without fanfare and let him hang out with you gently for a while. The message: When the teeth touch skin, it's "game over."

If your puppy has been running around for a long time and just seems bratty, he may be tired. If that's the case, put him down for a nap in a crate or small area, along with a chew toy. Again, ignore his fussing. Chances are, he'll be asleep in a few minutes.

The best thing for your puppy is to find a group puppy class, so your puppy gets the socialization she needs and you get the training guidance you need. Ask your veterinarian for a referral. – Gina Spadafori

THE BUZZ

Program gets students

to help pet lovers

-- Colorado State University has a program that combines pre-veterinary students with elderly and disabled pet owners who need help keeping their pets at home. Students are responsible for walking dogs, scooping litter boxes and driving the home-bound owners' pets to the vet's office. The program, called Pets Forever, was created in 2008 and helps train students in the care of dogs in a home setting, while allowing the challenged pet owners to keep their pets when they otherwise may not have been able to do so.

-- The United States has about 500 to 600 nonprofit and private organizations to take in and re-home unwanted horses. Many of them also provide feeding assistance programs in their communities. The economy has made keeping a horse difficult for many people, and rescue organizations are trying to prevent horses being sold to "kill buyers," who send the animals to slaughterhouses north and south of American borders.

-- When the weather gets cold, wild birds can use a little help, and many people are happy to oblige. According to the American Pet Products Association, 52 percent of all households feed wild birds. Among people who keep pet birds, that number is even higher, with 70 percent of bird-keepers also putting out food for wild birds. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

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 many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.