Easter Pets

Easter Pets Springtime and Easter go hand-in-hand with adorable animals.  At this time of year, you might wonder if your family is ready to raise a rabbit, chicks, or a flock of ducks.  If you’re serious about caring for and loving these animals, they can make wonderful, fascinating pets.  And your kids might love the experience of living on a mini-farm! Ducks Ducklings are so adorable, they’re almost impossible to resist.  Of course, ducklings grow into ducks, but that’s not so much of a problem since ducks are pretty handsome, too.  If you’re thinking about getting ducklings, consider where the ducks will live when they’re older.  Do you have a yard with a pond?  Could you put out a kiddie wading pool for your ducks?  You should always get more than one duck, since they’re social creatures that need to have friends and companions. Rabbits Fluffy, gentle rabbits are an Easter dream.  Rabbits make very nice pets, and they can even be litter-box trained and allowed to roam freely through the house.  But be prepared to find your pencils and papers chewed on from time to time!  Rabbits love being near people (and other rabbits) because they’re very social animals, so be sure to spend a lot of time with yours.  Young rabbits can be fragile—they’re prone to heart attacks if they’re frightened by a dog or other predator.  If you keep your rabbit safe and socialized, they can be amazingly sweet companions. Chicks With their fluffy bodies and sweet little chirps, chicks will melt your heart.  If you have a strong love of chicks and chickens, this might be the perfect pet for you.  Chickens are fascinating animals, and if you handle your chicks when they’re young, you can train the chickens to enjoy your company.  Chickens also eat kitchen scraps, so they’re great for reducing waste. To raise chicks, you’ll need a heat lamp.  Talk to the people at your local feed store or check out a book from the library on the subject.  When the chickens get older, you can house them outside in a coop.  A single chicken can also live in a large dog carrier.  It’s very important that your coop be secure and that you shut your chickens in every night, to protect them from predators.  If you can, build them an outdoor yard that’s fully screened.  Inside the coop, chickens need fresh water, food (chicken feed and kitchen vegetable scraps), and a few roosts set off the floor.