If you're giving gifts to someone with a pet, it can be fun to include the animal as well. Any pet store will of course have a multitude of toys and treats, and many grocery stores or supermarkets will as well. There are also myriad craft ideas online for inspiration!
TREATS
As with people, you need to be aware of allergies and intolerances for any edible gift. Also remember that many things people eat aren't good for animals. Most people know that dogs and cats can't eat chocolate, but fewer know that garlic, onion, and grapes are also verboten. Less commonly-kept animals, like fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, small mammals, and invertebrates have restrictions as well, and with most exotic pets being smaller than dogs and cats, smaller amounts of dangerous foods pose risk (the dose makes the poison). Larger animals like livestock can eat a lot of things out of the garden, but potatoes and rhododendrons are dangerous to them; horses are especially known for having delicate digestive systems. Other foods to watch out for include ones that contain xylitol (often found in sugar-free gum and peanut butter) or large pits and seeds like avocado (choking hazard), alcohol, coffee, tea, stems and leaves of potatoes and tomatoes, rhubarb leaves, mustard and apple seeds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, yeast dough, mushrooms, and foods with excessive fat, sugar, or salt. Especially for exotics, look up information specific to the species. Once you know you have a safe food in mind, run it past the pet owner to check for allergies.
Of course, there are lots of treats available at stores. If you have the time and ingredients, you can also make your own! Here are a few recipes:
Dog Treats
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix together 2 1/4 whole wheat cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered milk, 1 egg, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup beef bouillon or beef stock, and 1 tbsp packed brown sugar until well blended. Roll out dough onto floured surface and cut into dog bone shapes (or whatever shape you want). Bake for 30 minutes, cool on rack, and store in airtight container. Makes about 30-40 treats.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together 12 oz canned tuna, 1 egg, and 1 whole wheat cup flour. Form dough into small balls (cat-treat sized) and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until slightly browned. Let cool for at least ten minutes before offering to cat.
Recipes for reptiles, small rodents, herbivores like rabbits, carnivores like ferrets, and birds can be found at this great site: https://avianandexoticvets.com/recipes and some of my favorites are below.
Supercharged Salad (for reptiles)
Combine 1/2 c shredded raw green beans, 1/2 cup shredded raw pumpkin (or other orange-fleshed squash), 1 medium shredded raw parsnip, 1/4 cup minced raw melon, 1/4 cup raw diced carrot, and 1/2 cup alfalfa rabbit pellets (soaked in water to soften). Dust with multivitamin or calcium powder meant for reptiles.
Rodent Rhapsody (for mice, rats, cavies, etc)
Slice one baby carrot or small carrot stick so it can lay flat on a surface. Carefully scoop out a middle portion of the carrot, making it like a long shallow dish. Fill cavity with peanut butter, cream cheese, or other similarly-textured rodent-safe spread. "Plant" small rodent-safe treats like Cheerios or seeds in the cavity.
Raspberry Cookies (for rabbits or chinchillas)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mash 1/3 cup frozen raspberries, mix in 1-2 tbsp chopped fresh mint. Crush or grind 1/3 cup timothy hay-based rabbit pellets and 1 cup Weetabix cereal (do not use a coffee grinder that has been used for coffee; the coffee remnants will contaminate the pellets). Add dry ingredients to raspberry mixture and mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoon onto parchment-paper lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until browned on the bottom.
If the idea of making food is too intimidating, you can do a semi-homemade treat for hot summer months: simply freeze some store-bought treats you already know are safe in a bowl. The result is a large ice cube that the animal will have to lick or nibble to free the treats from, providing a refreshing drink and some mental stimulation. For warmer months, you can drill holes in a length of plastic pipe (be wary with gnaw-happy animals like rodents; they might eat the pipe) just the right size for treats to fall through--the animal will have to worry the pipe to get the treats out.
TOYS
When I was about six years old, I found an old tennis ball while out on a walk with my family. I took it home, wrapped it, and gave to our dog for Christmas. You don't have to wait for serendipity to provide you with a toy--most stores have dog and cat toys readily available, and it isn't too difficult to find toys for birds and small mammals. Pet stores and veterinary offices will cover more exotic animals.
You can also make toys. My kids have sewn little catnip pouches out of charm squares, stuffing them loosely with cotton and adding in a tablespoon or two of catnip. You could also knit a small ball, or attach some ribbon to a stick--just be sure any string, thread, yarn, or ribbon is very firmly attached, as cats are prone to eating loose string which can become tangled in their intestines. Another idea is stacking together cardboard pieces into a scratching post.
A worn-out t-shirt, towel, or pair of jeans can be cut and braided into a tug-of-war or chew toy for a dog. A rubber ball (big enough to not be a choking hazard) can be tied in an old sock. If you're really feeling creative about an idea for a high-energy dog, you can make a few obstacles for the dog to jump over or through!
Small animals like rodents, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates like places to hide and to climb. A little cave can be fun to decorate, provided you use materials that are safe for the animal. Rodents are known for chewing, amphibians absorb a lot through their skin, pine wood naturally contains oils that are dangerous for hermit crabs, water can dissolve toxins...be careful.
BEDS
Similar to small animals liking places to hide, animals like a comfortable place to sleep. Dog and cat beds aren't difficult to sew, knit, or crochet, though they can be time-consuming depending on the size of the animal. For cats and rodents especially, be aware of loose string or parts that can become loose with chewing: you don't want the pet to choke or get intestinal blockages.
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| I knitted and felted the the bowl-shaped bed he's sitting in, and helped my kids strip-quilt the blanket. (The fancy tuna was for his birthday.) |
CLOTHES
Usually, pets don't really need--or want--clothes. But if an animal often accompanies its owner outdoors in inclement weather, a coat or booties (to protect paws from cold and from thawing chemicals that are used to melt snow and ice on roadways) might be warranted. Dogs are more likely that other pets to need accommodations like this, as most other pets either stay indoors or are bred to be outside (like livestock). If you have a friend who likes hiking with a dog, maybe the dog needs a raincoat--or a collapsible bowl for food and water!
FOR THE OWNERS
When I got my first dog as an adult (I had one as a kid, but my parents did most of the work), one of my aunts gave me a year's subscription to The Bark magazine, and a friend gave me a book about training scent hounds.
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| Because she's a redbone coonhound. (I swear we didn't notice the sign until we looked at the picture later.) |
If a pet owner is going out of town or is injured and you're willing and able to help out, you might offer to care for a pet for a time. Remember that some pets need much more attention and care than others, so don't commit if you can't do it.
How does the pet owner show love for the pet? Some people might like books or movies related to animals like the memoirs by James Herriot, some might like household decorations, or jewelry, or calendars or artwork featuring their favorite creatures. Maybe a donation to a rescue group devoted to particular animals will be meaningful (especially in memory of a pet). If you see something that makes you think of a friend's beloved pet, go for it!
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