As I was walking around a local pet store recently, I happened to see a Siberian Chipmunk racing around its cage, performing acrobatics that entertained a growing crowd gathered around its cage. It got me to wondering - do chipmunks make good pets? How would I choose one? What involves taking care of one?

Purchasing a chipmunk

First and most importantly, find a reliable and reputable breeder or pet retailer. A local veterinarian may be able to help you locate one. When you do find one that offers chipmunks, be sure to select an active one with bright eyes, a shiny coat and an undamaged tail. This will help ensure that your pet is healthy. Next, choose a chipmunk that is fully weaned, which means it is at least 6 to 8 weeks old, but no older than 16 weeks (as younger pets are more friendly and gentle, and can be acclimated more easily to you and your family).

Youll also need to be sure a local veterinarian can provide checkups for your chipmunk.

Care of chipmunks

Chipmunks are very active and not at home in small cages. The best habitat would be a large outdoor area fenced with a fine mesh with an attached indoor section. Fencing should extend into the ground since chipmunks are known to be good diggers.

Chipmunks need a varied diet, with a standard seed-based food as a base. Theyll eat fruits and vegetables, too, so those should be provided at least once per week. The pets shouldnt be fed every day, to encourage foraging behavior. Your chipmunk will store extra food when it is fed. Be sure that the food does not contain too many nuts or sunflower seeds, as these have high fat and calorie content. A standard rodent drip bottle will provide an adequate water supply, and you can also include a salt lick.

Handle the chipmunk often, but never handle the chipmunk by its tail! It could be damaged easily or break off. The pet needs a lot of human contact, especially when young, to become a tame and friendly pet.

So, to answer that first question, Do chipmunks make good pets?, yes. Theyre not exactly low maintenance, though. They require a lot of attention, room, and a variety of food. As with any pet purchase, its best to do your research and make sure you have the time, money, and patience to provide a happy home to a new pet.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pets.

Tonia Jordan's writing portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/spidergirl so stop by and read for a while.

It goes without saying that this reptile has a very good reaction and iguana adaptation to be able to withstand and survive in captivity. This would indicate that the iguana has a fabulous iguana adaptation record although that doesnt mean that every single iguana or reptile known to man can be and quite often when other species of lizards are tried in captivity, they cease to thrive or survive. With that said however, lets take a look at one of the common and amazing iguana adaptations that are currently known and has published research information about.

The Green Iguana Adaptation

The green iguana is one of the most well researched and well-known iguanas to be held in captivity as well as in the wild. The green iguana adaptations are quite amazing in that there is nothing in the iguana that can maintain body temperature so in this manner, when the iguana is hot it must locate a cool area and rest there. Alternatively, because there is no internal regulator, the iguana adaptations must include the fact that when they need heat or light, they the iguana seeks out heat by basking in the hot sun or near a hot surface. It is in this manner that it is quite amazing that the green iguana adaptations must include the fact that it has to depend completely upon behavioral iguana adaptations to survive.

One of the most confused issues is the fact that the iguana adaptations do not include the under equipping of the iguana habitat because of the things that iguanas do not adapt well to is the lack of heat and light. These are two very essential elements to keeping the iguana in captivity and allowing it to achieve the proper iguana adaptations. It cannot be said enough how imperative proper lighting and heat elements are to the well being of any iguana whether in captivity or in the wild.

Some of the North American iguanas for example have demonstrated huge iguana adaptations by altering the diet that they consume. This reptile does best in tropical zones and North America doesnt offer much in the way of tropical areas however there are a few. These iguanas actually eat ants and other small insects as opposed to healthy algae and other sustaining nutrient giving substances that they can locate in the wild in tropical zones. Many zoo iguanas are fed such things as fruit, flowers and plants and are not typically an eater of other creature however, a major telltale iguana adaptation is that the North American iguanas do eat ants and other small creatures of the like to sustain themselves.

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Believed to be the oldest amongst wild cats, the European Wild Cat (Felis Silvestris Silvestris) was once found through major parts of Europe. Larger than its African cousin, the European cat also has a more dense fur. Color ranges from gray to brown, with stripes often running across the body, though not as prominent in some other cat species. The coat is often marked by light colored patches on trunk. Skull is broad and tail short and bushy, with a black tip. Body length ranges from half a meter to one meter. Weight may be between two to twenty pounds.

The European Wild Cat prefers densely wooded areas though it is adaptable enough to survive in swamp territories unlike most other felines. Crepuscular, it often displays activity during day time as well. Though hunting is largely done on the ground, the cat may adapt an arboreal style in pursuit of prey. Diet consists largely of small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects. Fish are seldom taken.

Originally divided into seven subspecies on the basis of geographical distribution, only three types are believed to remain today:

Felis Silvestris Grampia (Northern Scotland)

Felis Silvestris Caucasia (Turkey and Caucasus)

Felis Silvestris Silvestris (Central Europe)

Mating season is around February and March every year and an average of three kittens are born after a gestational period of just over two months. They gain independence at five months and sexual maturity at twice that age.

Largely persecuted in the past for fear of their attacks on poultry, the European Wild Cats are protected today owing to their beneficial influence in removing rodents that harm trees. The most serious threat today is breeding with feral and domestic cats that has led to large scale dilution of the gene pool. Pure bred variants of the original specie are hard to find today. Other serious threat is from disease that spreads from feral cats since the wild cats have little immunity after thousands of years of isolated existence.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on European Wild Cat