Ginger Cardinal

One of the largest troubles that comes with owning a somewhat exotic pet is all of the misinformation that abounds about their care. The internet has unfortunately compounded this - nearly everyone wants to appear to be an expert online, and that can make finding good guides on pet care a chore. Finding good guides that are good for all ages, well, that can be an even more difficult task. Thankfully, this little book did a great job on introducing the rat to owners or fanciers of all ages.

This book is a bit longer than the other guides I read, and as such goes into a bit more detail. I appreciated how thoroughly [a: Ginger Cardinal|354610|Ginger Cardinal|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] described how rats behaviors and abilities derive from their wild past, and also how much emphasis she places upon being careful with your new pet. While rats are hardy animals, everyone would do well to explain their small size and delicate nature to children prior to allowing them to handle them. The same goes for hedgehogs - animals are delicate, separate creatures from us. I like that she encourages explaining such.

The guide was very thorough, and she acknowledges throughout that information is often being updated and changing with each passing year. At the back of the book further resources are included, as well as a list of the Rat Fancier clubs in the US. It was interesting going into detail about at shows and how they're judged, as well as the many varieties and markings. I wish more pictures were included in the colors section, but understand how difficult that can be - we still don't have a good color guide for hedgehogs out there!

All in all a great book, and a great resource for new rat owners.… (mais)