Pet Fun

Children all over the world love pets. Rabbits are popular in Japan. Australians like reptiles. Canadians like dogs and cats, just like children in the US.

Enjoy reading about different animals that make good pets. Is yours here? If you don’t have a pet, this issue can help you decide if a pet is right for you and which one you should consider getting.

If you have a pet, send us a photo of you and your pet and we will publish it in a future issue. Or send a drawing of your pet or one you would like to have. Email kidzcorner@funforkidz.com.

Settle back in an easy chair or on your bed, maybe with your pet, and enjoy your new issue of Fun For Kidz.

by Heather Klassen • illustrated by Ginny Pruitt

Kayla glanced toward the open door again. Come on, Mom, she silently urged. You have to make it in time.

“Kayla,” Maria said, approaching her, “I thought you were bringing a hamster to the show.”

“I am,” Kayla replied, looking around the room crowded with kids and hamster cages. “I mean, my mom is bringing my hamster. She should have been here by now.”

“Come look at mine,” Maria said, grabbing Kayla’s arm and practically pulling her across the room. Maria stopped in front of a large cage filled with exercise wheels, plastic tunnels, and one large hamster.

“This is Angie,” Maria said, reaching into the cage to lift out her hamster. Angie was covered with long, silky white and brown fur. “She’s an angora hamster,” Maria explained. “It’s also called a long-haired hamster. I have to groom her a lot, but I know she’s going to win the prize for most beautiful fur.”

“I’m sure my hamster will win a prize too,” Kayla said.

“Does your hamster have more beautiful fur than mine?” Maria asked.

“Not exactly,” Kayla replied.

Just then Jacob joined the girls at Maria’s cage, a hamster cradled in his arms. “Meet Tiger,” he said.

Kayla stared at the enormous dark brown hamster. “He’s huge,” she finally said.

“Thirteen inches,” Jacob said proudly. “That’s about as big as hamsters can get. I’m sure that Tiger will win the prize for largest hamster.” Jacob paused and looked at Kayla. “Where’s your hamster, Kayla?” he asked.

“My mom’s bringing him,” Kayla explained, glancing at the clock. I hope, she thought. “I know Fuzzy will win a prize too,” she added.

“Is your hamster bigger than Tiger?” Jacob asked.

“Not exactly,” Kayla answered. She didn’t want to tell her friends what made Fuzzy so special –not yet, anyway.

“Come look at Chen’s hamster,” Jacob said. “She’s really neat.”

Kayla and Maria followed Jacob to Chen’s cage. Chen was filling the food dish with a mixture of seeds and nuts. “You’ll get a crispy piece of lettuce after you win your prize,” Chen told his hamster, now nibbling on a sunflower seed.

Chen’s hamster was a light sandy-brown color with a white band running across her back, meeting the white fur on her underbelly. “I’ve never seen a hamster like that,” Kayla said.

“They’re rather unusual,” Chen explained. “Sandy’s a white-banded hamster. There are no other white-banded hamsters in the show. I’m sure Sandy will win the most unusual coloring award.”

“My hamster will win a prize, too,” Kayla said, “if he ever gets here.” Kayla glanced nervously at the clock. The judging would begin soon. Where could Mom and Fuzzy be?

“Does your hamster have really unusual coloring?” Chen asked.

“Not exactly,” Kayla replied.

“Then what prize are you going for, Kayla?” Maria asked. “You said your hamster doesn’t have the most beautiful fur, the most unusual coloring, and isn’t the largest. What makes your hamster special?”

“You’ll see,” Kayla replied, hoping that Mom would arrive so she could show Fuzzy off to her friends.

Finally, her mother rushed through the door, holding Fuzzy’s cage. “I’m sorry I’m late,” she called as Kayla hurried toward her. “The traffic was terrible.”

“That’s OK, Mom,” Kayla said. “You made it just in time.” Kayla set Fuzzy’s cage down onto a table. Her mom headed across the room to talk to friends. “Fuzzy,” Kayla called softly, “are you OK?”

Maria, Jacob, and Chen crowded around Kayla’s cage. “Show us your hamster,” Maria said. “We’ve been waiting to see what’s so special about him.”

“He’s right there,” Kayla said, pointing to a corner of the cage.

“Where?” Jacob asked, crowding in even closer. “I can’t see anything except litter.”

“There he is,” Chen suddenly exclaimed. “He just moved.”

“He’s so cute and tiny,” Maria said. “Kayla, is your hamster a baby?”

“No,” Kayla replied, reaching into the cage to gently lift Fuzzy out. She put Fuzzy onto the palm of her hand. “Fuzzy’s a dwarf hamster,” she said, stroking the black strip that ran down Fuzzy’s back. “They are only two to four inches long full grown.”

Kayla slipped Fuzzy into her shirt pocket. An instant later, Fuzzy peeked over the edge of the pocket. “Fuzzy might not be the most beautiful or the largest hamster or have the most unusual coloring,” Kayla said. “But I’ll bet he’s the only one who can fit comfortably in a pocket.”

“The judges are coming,” Chen noticed. Her friends hurried to their cages. Kayla put Fuzzy back into his cage and was standing beside it as the judges arrived.

“Oh, a dwarf hamster,” one of the judges said. “I haven’t seen one of these for years.”

Kayla watched as the judges wrote something down on their clipboards. It seemed to take forever for the judges to finish their rounds and then consult with each other. Finally, the judges gathered up the ribbons and started back around the room.

Kayla clapped as Maria’s hamster won the prize for the most beautiful fur. She cheered as Jacob’s hamster won the largest hamster award. She clapped again as Chen’s hamster received the ribbon for most unusual coloring.

Then the judges stopped in front of Kayla’s cage. “We’ve decided to make a new judging category just for your hamster,” a judge told Kayla, handing her a ribbon. “Most unique hamster. Congratulations!”

Kayla smiled as she attached the ribbon to Fuzzy’s cage. “I just knew you’d win a prize,” she said, reaching in to get Fuzzy. Kayla popped Fuzzy into her pocket, and together they took off to visit the rest of the hamsters in the show.

“We’ll go see all the large, beautiful hamsters,” Kayla told Fuzzy. “But I’ll always know you’re the most special hamster. You’re the only pet in a pocket in the entire show.”

illustrated by Darlene Douthit

Do you have a pet hamster? Do you know that he is NOCTURNAL and you are DIURNAL? What does that mean? Being nocturnal means hamsters are awake at night and sleep during the day. Being diurnal means you are awake during the day and sleep at night. So you and your hamster are not asleep and awake at the same time. If you own a hamster, you already know this because you have to wake your hamster every time you want to play with it.

Have you ever wondered what your hamster does all night long while you are sleeping? Here’s how to find out.

WHAT YOU NEED:

your hamster(s) • red cellophane

WHAT YOU DO:

Put your hamsters in a clear plastic cage or an empty aquarium. Make sure the lid has air holes in it. Put in hamster bedding and toys, and set up their water bottle and food dish.

Now cut the red cellophane in pieces so you can cover every side of the cage with several layers of the cellophane. It should look perfectly dark red inside. This is all you have to do. Be sure NO regular light can get in around the edges of the red cellophane.

Watch your hamsters. It may take them a few days to get used to their “red” cage, but then they will become active during the day when you are awake. You’ll be amazed at how active they are when they THINK it is night. To be kind to your hamsters, do this experiment for only a few days at a time.

THE SCIENCE SECRET

Hamsters are color blind! They can’t see red. When you cover their cage with red cellophane, only red light can get in. YOU can see in red light and so can see what the hamsters are doing, but THEY can’t see the red light. Their cage looks dark to them, and they think it is nighttime. They will do the things they usually do when it’s dark. You can spy on their nocturnal antics!

Is your family thinking of getting a pet? You want to be happy with your pet, and you want your pet to be happy with you. Which of these popular pets is best for you?

DOGS have different needs. Big active dogs wouldn’t be happy kept inside a small house. They need room to roam and explore. They would rather live in the country or in a home with a big yard. A little dog, though, doesn’t need a large house. But remember that even small dogs need to exercise outdoors.

Would you like a curious, busy little ball of fur that doesn’t need much space?

Think about HAMSTERS, GERBILS, or GUINEA PIGS. Yes, they are rodents, but don’t let this scare you! These little animals are smart and loaded with personality. Handle them gently and often, and they will become your friends in no time. They do well living in cages, but they should be let out for runningaround time every day.

Consider getting a CAT If you don’t mind being ignored by your pet now and then.

Cats still want your attention and like to play. And they love curling up in laps! Cats are super family friendly. If you have a dog, and want to add a cat to your pet family, an American shorthair is a good choice. These cats can get along with dogs.

If you have an allergy to pet fur, consider a small reptile. LIZARDS, SNAKES, and TURTLES make cool pets. Remember one thing: These reptiles can live to be over 20 years old!

TROPICAL FISH look like little swimming jewels. They make super pets, especially if you like to observe things. Keeping an aquarium is like having a whole little, wet world in your house.

Look for books in your library about pets that interest you. Also look at YouTube on the Internet with your parent to see cute videos of pets. But if you can’t have a pet, don’t worry. You can be a pet helper to a friend or neighbor. They might welcome your help walking their dog, brushing their horse, or playing with their cat. No matter what, if you can think creatively, you can enjoy pets too!

Pet sugar gliders can live to be 15 years old.

by K.S. Duffield

Sugar gliders are becoming popular pets. These furry little marsupials come from Australia and New Guinea. Marsupials are animals that carry their young in a pouch, such as kangaroos.

Most sugar gliders have gray bodies with a black stripe down the center of their backs. They weigh about 6 ounces and are about 10 inches long. Their tails can take up half of that length. Large eyes help them see well at night.

How did they get a name like “sugar glider”? They have a membrane that extends from their front feet to their rear ankles. When these little critters spread their limbs straight out, the membrane is opened, and they can glide in the air up to 150 feet. They can catch insects while in flight. That takes care of the “glider” part. Now, where do you think the “sugar” comes from? Easy. Sugar gliders simply love to eat sweets! In the wild, sugar gliders feed on sap, nectar, insects, and even small birds. As pets, they enjoy squash, corn, watermelon, peaches, and other fruits. Their pet diets can include dry marsupial food, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, and unsalted nuts. These soft-eyed pets are very social and intelligent. They can be taught to come when called and will often play with their owner. One owner’s pet stays happy for hours tucked in an old sock and placed into her pocket. A drawback to having one in your home is that sugar gliders are nocturnal. They sleep during the day. When active at night, they may make a barking sound. At first, your sugar glider can be nervous in its new surroundings. Be patient, and it will adapt.

If you ever see a wide-eyed marsupial peeking from someone’s pocket, you’ll know it’s a friendly sugar glider. Offer the little guy a grape, and you just might have a friend for life.

Written and illustrated by Neal Levin

This Friday everyone gets to bring their pet to school.

Emma says she’s bringing her kitten. “What are you bringing?” she asks me.

“I’m bringing my plant,” I say.

“You can’t bring a plant,” Emma says. “A plant’s not a pet.”

“We’re not allowed to have animals in my apartment,” I tell her. “So I have a plant for a pet.”

Emma shakes her head, like she knows the answer to everything (which she doesn’t). “A plant can’t be a pet,” she says. “A pet is something you have to take care of.”

“I take care of my plant,” I tell her. “I water it. I put it in the sun.”

“But you can’t play with a plant,” Emma says, folding her arms. “It doesn’t run around, and you can’t pet it. How can it be a pet if you can’t pet it?”

“A goldfish doesn’t run around,” I tell her. “You can’t pet a goldfish.”

Emma rolls her eyes.

“I take my plant on a walk in my wagon. And sometimes I read to it at night.”

Emma throws her hands in the air. “But a plant is not an animal!”

“Of course not,” I tell her. “It’s a plant.”

“Then what makes it a pet?” Emma says. “I love my kitten, and my kitten loves me back. If a pet can’t love you back, it’s not a pet at all.”

I think about that for a minute. Then I say, “Plants love us by cleaning the air. And they grow food for us and give us something beautiful to look at.”

“Well, it’s still not a pet,” Emma says because she thinks she knows everything. But I know my plant is a pet because I love it and care for it like I would for any kind of animal. And best of all, it makes me happy. That’s what matters most.

by Evelyn B. Christensen

Adam, Brian, Chloe, Diane, and Eddie each have a different kind of pet: cat, dog, fish, gerbil, and turtle. Use the clues to match the names with the pets.

1. Adam and Eddie’s pets are both mammals.

2. Chloe’s pet can lay eggs.

3. The girl with the cat told the boy with the fish, “My pet likes to watch your pet.”

4. Eddie’s pet is smaller than Adam’s pet.

If you like, use the grid to eliminate possibilities. Put an “x” in a box if you know a name doesn’t go with a pet. Put an “o” if you know it does.

Rabbit Riddles

by Nancy Dearborn

1. Which rabbit spits out lava?

2. Which rabbit is part horse?

3. Which rabbit cousin likes to ring bells?

4. Which rabbit is often cranky?

5. Which rabbit cousin likes to eat pie?

6. Which rabbit is part marshmallow?

7. Which rabbit likes to groom itself?

8. Which rabbit cousin helps fix flat tires?

9. Which rabbit is from a city in Cuba?

10. Which rabbit cousin likes winter best?

Choose your answers from the following:

MARSH

SNOWSHOE

HIDDEN PETS

written and illustrated by Rebecca Spohn

PI-KA HAVANA RABBIT

BRUSH RABBIT BEL-GIAN HARE

RABBIT JACK RABBIT

VOLCANO RABBIT PALOMINO RABBIT

HARE BRISTLY RABBIT

Ken Switzer & Charlotte Redden

Use the words in the box to fill in the crossword grid. Hint: The number of squares equals the number of letters in the words!

PIG CAT DOG

SNAKE MOUSE PIGEON

TURTLE LIZARD FERRET

HAMSTER PARAKEET HORSE

PARROT GUINEA PIG

by Evelyn B. Christensen

Gerbils are small furry animals related to mice. They are popular pets.

Fill in the squares so that each row, column, and 7-square section has the letters G-E-R-B-I-L-S.

by Gertrude Knabbe

Look forward, backward, up, down, and diagonally to find the word in capital letters. Cross the word off the list. After all the words are found, the remaining letters will spell something relating to pets.

G R U H Y E T E I T D C

E L P N O H W N V A T U O I

E E K R A T R O A D C M G H

G E R B I L L T E K C I R C

BEAGLE BIRD CANARY CAT

CHICKEN CHIPMUNK CHOW chow COLLIE

CRICKET

DOG

DUCK

FERRET

FROG

GERBIL GOLDFISH great DANE

GUINEA pig HAMSTER HEN

HORSE

KITTEN

MARE MICE

Pets IN THE President’s House

by Diane Winebar

Young Archie was sick in bed. His brothers Quentin and Kermit had an idea: A visit from his favorite pet would help Archie feel better. But there were lots of people in the big house. Could they sneak it upstairs? The pet was Algonquin, a Shetland pony, and the boys coaxed him into an elevator. Algonquin became so fascinated by his reflection in the elevator mirror that he didn’t want to get out!

The boys were the children of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States. And the house they lived in was the White House. When the Roosevelts moved there in 1901, the animal-loving family included two girls, four boys, and enough pets to start a zoo.

With six energetic children and so many pets roaming around, the White House was a very lively place. The kids explored every part of the barns, grounds, and house. They roller-skated and bicycled down long marble halls, taking pets for rides. Sliding down the stair banisters was fun too!

Besides cats and dogs, the children had a small bear named Jonathan Edwards, a pig named Maude, Peter the rabbit, and Bill the lizard. There were several guinea pigs, some kangaroo rats, plenty of fish, and a one-legged rooster. Horses, a barn owl, and a flying squirrel lived on the grounds too. The children shared their lives with even more animals and loved them all.

Quentin and Algonquin, the Shetland pony, with a White House policeman

left to right: Quentin, President Roosevelt, Teddy Jr., Archie, Alice, Kermit, Mrs. Edith Roosevelt, and Ethel

Jack the terrier was afraid of the family’s cats. One of the cats, Tom Quartz, knew this and played pranks on Jack every chance he got. Jack got into trouble for chewing books, but the family adored him. Ethel’s favorite dog was Ace, and he often wandered off. One time, she organized a search party to look for him, and the White House police helped. Ace was found, and Ethel kept a closer eye on him when they played.

A black Pekingese named Manchu belonged to Alice, the oldest of the Roosevelt children. The tiny dog would stand on its hind legs and dance on the White House lawn! Alice liked fun as much as her sister and brothers. She would hide her snake, Emily Spinach, in a covered dish during White House banquets and wait for the guests to shriek.

A noisy Hyacinth macaw named Eli Yale belonged to Teddy Jr., the oldest boy. The bright blue bird was as rambunctious as the Roosevelt kids and lived in the White House greenhouse.

When Quentin was about 5 years old, he bought four snakes from a pet store. His father was holding an important meeting, but an excited Quentin burst into the Oval Office to show him anyway. When he piled the snakes on the table, senators and other officials ran for safety!

A 12-year-old Kansas girl gave President Roosevelt a baby badger. He named it Josiah. “The little badger is very well and eats milk and potatoes,” Roosevelt wrote to his family. Josiah was given to Archie, who carried him everywhere. The badger had a habit of biting visitors on the leg, but he “never bites faces,” Archie said.

The Roosevelt family cared for nearly 50 pets during the eight years they lived in the White House. Sometimes a pet would develop a temper as it grew older, and a new home was found for it in a zoo. This happened to Jonathan Edwards the bear and Josiah the badger. The Roosevelts would visit them so the beloved animals would know they were missed and still part of the family.

Kermit and Jack the dog

Teddy Jr. and Eli Yale the macaw

Archie and Josiah the badger

by Patricia H. Szostak

•

illustrated by Ginny Pruitt

“Annie!” Mrs. Ross called sharply from the kitchen.

Annie winced. Something was wrong. She hurried down the hallway. There lay a cardboard box, flaps tucked in securely. Bump! Thump! Scratch, scratch. Meow. A tiny muted voice came from inside the box. “Tinker!” cried Annie, and her dark eyes filled with tears of anger.

Mrs. Ross watched as her 12-year-old daughter rescued her kitty from its paper prison. “Mr. Cheney’s housekeeper brought Tinker home,” she said.

“Mr. Cheney’s a monster! He’s mean, and he wants to hurt Tinker.” Annie hugged the fat gray bundle to her chest.

“No, dear,” said Mrs. Ross. “Mr. Cheney is a nice old man who’s lonely and gets upset when cats hunt in his yard. You just don’t know him.”

Annie felt her cheeks getting red. She pushed her unruly brown hair away from her face and glared at her mother. “What am I supposed to do?” she whined. “Tinker’s born to hunt.”

“Yes,” said her mother, “but he’s causing a problem. We may have to consider finding him a new home.”

“No!” Annie cried as Tinker nuzzled her neck. She ran for her bedroom, the cat folded in her arms.

“Tomorrow you’ll apologize to Mr. Cheney for the trouble Tinker has caused,” Mrs. Ross called after her.

Annie ran into her room, dumped poor Tinker onto her bed, and slammed the door. Hot tears slid down her cheeks as she lay beside her purring, fuzzy companion. “You stupid cat,” she said affectionately. “You’ve got us both in hot water.”

What a grumpy, cruel man Mr. Cheney was. She’d never actually met him. He kept to himself. His house was hidden by trees, but sometimes on the way to school, she caught glimpses of him through the branches, filling bird feeders and putting fresh water in the bird bath. His back was stooped, and his hands were knobby. She got the creeps watching him in his old dingy clothes.

Mr. Cheney stayed indoors most of the day. Annie didn’t know what he did with his time, but often someone would arrive at his door and leave a small box. She wondered what he collected. Probably cats’ heads. She dreaded going over there, but knew she’d have to obey her mother if she had any hope of keeping Tinker.

The next morning Annie dressed in jeans and sweatshirt and slipped on her hiking boots. In the kitchen, sunlight streamed through the windows, and a sweet aroma filled the air. Her mother silently handed her a freshly baked blueberry muffin and looked at her expectantly.

“I’m going,” said Annie sullenly. “You don’t have to remind me.” She finished her muffin and went out the door.

At Mr. Cheney’s front door, she held up her finger to ring the bell, then snapped it away. I could do this later, she thought to herself. No, this is for Tinker. She pressed the button and heard a muffled ding-dong. The housekeeper answered, smiling faintly.

“I’m Annie Ross from down the street,” Annie’s voice quivered. “I came to see Mr. Cheney.”

“Please come in,” said the housekeeper, stepping aside to let her pass. “He’s in the basement.” She led Annie to the stairs.

Oh, no, thought Annie. There’s probably a dungeon down there or something. She felt her knees shake and heard her heart beat loudly but forced herself to go down the steps. As she neared the bottom, the air smelled old and damp.

“Who’s there?” asked a gravelly voice.

Annie paused, then walked around the furnace and stopped. There he sat, bent over a table, holding something. Shelves of small wire cages lined the gray cinder block walls behind him. Scientific experiments, she thought. Her nose wrinkled at the idea.

“I’m Annie Ross,” she announced, trying to hide her shaky voice.

“Oh, it’s you,” he grunted. “I sent your cat home in a box yesterday.” Annie felt her face flush with anger.

“Come on over,” he ordered. “Got something to show you.”

She edged over slowly. What she saw in his rough hands surprised her – a little gray and blue ball of fluff and feathers. Cheep, cheep! the small bird chirped.

“Oh!” she cried, delighted. “May I hold it?”

Mr. Cheney didn’t answer, but put the soft little creature into her cupped hands. She held it to her cheek and closed her eyes, feeling its warmth and its frantic heart beating against her little finger.

“Baby blue jay,” he said. “I took it out of your cat’s paws yesterday.”

Annie felt a sudden heaviness in her chest. She looked around. All the cages had birds in them, some chirping and squawking, others resting. She hadn’t noticed them when she first walked in because of her fear of Mr. Cheney.

“People bring me birds,” he went on. “Some are babies that fall from nests. Others crash into windows or get caught by cats. I take care of them. When they’re well, I let them go.”

“Oh, Mr. Cheney,” Annie blurted out. “I’m so sorry for all the trouble Tinker’s caused.” This time her tears were remorse. “We may have to find him a new home.” When Mr. Cheney looked at her, she thought his eyes seemed misty.

“I have a cat I love too,” he said, pointing to a sleeping mound of mottled fur in the corner. “But she’s old and half blind like me and doesn’t go out much.”

Annie’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. He liked cats! In fact, she thought, he doesn’t seem grumpy or mean at all!

“Tinker doesn’t have to go away,” said Mr. Cheney. “I have a better idea.” Now his eyes seemed to smile at her. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a handsome red collar with tiny bells on it. “You put this on Tinker,” he said. “The next time he comes around, the birds will hear him jingle and they’ll fly off.”

Annie beamed with relief, and a wide grin lighted her face. “Oh, Mr. Cheney,” she said, “you’re such a nice man! How can I thank you?”

The old man’s bent back straightened just a little. He nodded slightly, and all the wrinkles on his face smiled at her. “Come visit again,” was all he said.

Cowboy Clark and Larry navigated the ice-crusted sidewalk carefully. They’d been at the park when the storm hit and, instead of running home, they decided to wait it out. Unfortunately, sleet fell after the snowfall and now they were desperate to get home where it was safe, warm, and their dinner was waiting.

“Hello, boys,” Mrs. Whiskers meowed from a tree branch. “What brings you out in this nasty weather?”

Larry’s teeth chattered as he answered. “We were a–at the park when the storm h–hit. We never thought it would get this bad. Now we’re ju–just trying to get home before dark.” Larry shivered. “Do you want to come to my house, Mrs. Whiskers? I’m sure my owner would take you in and find you a warm spot for the night.”

“Very kind of you to offer, Larry, but I’m fine. Besides, I have my pets to consider.”

“Pets? What pets?” Cowboy Clark snarled.

Mrs. Whisker threw her head back and yowled. Three crows flew in taking positions beside her on the branch. “Meet my pets Moe, Larry, and Curly.”

Cowboy Clark was skeptical. “YOU have pet birds?”

“Why not?” Mrs. Whiskers asked. She stated, “Pets are trustworthy companions. And, just like you with your owners, my pets obey my every command. In return, I let them eat kibble from the bowl Mrs. Myers leaves out for me. Plus, my crows are smart. It’s a win-win situation.”

“I suspect your pets are helping you with your owl problem,” Cowboy Clark said, shaking his head. He turned to Larry and said, “It’s cold. Let’s get going, pardner.”

Mrs. Whiskers turned to her pet crows and whispered, “Follow to make sure they get home safely. And if you happen to dive-bomb the one wearing the cowboy hat, I wouldn’t be at all upset.”

by Carol Mowdy Bond

Valentine’s Day came one day late for the Burress family. That’s when Myranda and Joey’s favorite pet was born. Officially named Matilda, they lovingly call her YZ. And that’s not the half of it. YZ is not your average pet.

The family wanted a hobby farm, where they could raise and enjoy different animals. So they moved to a new home with 20 acres. Their chickens, which the family was raising in the backyard of their old home, moved too. Just two weeks after the move, they added more family members – Nigerian dwarf goats!

Myranda and Joey quickly helped their dad, Randy, build a goat barn and pens for the new goats. The goat barn is home to three does, or nannies (females), named Mayflower, Charlotte, and Sara. Three bucks, or billy goats (males), named Tusk, Tom, and Spike have their own wood hut for a shelter and a separate pen.

The Burress family was happy to learn Mayflower was going to have babies and waited eagerly. Does usually have one or two baby goats. Sometimes they have three. The results were worth the wait when three kids, or baby goats, were born. Each kid weighed under two pounds. The family didn’t name the two little bucks. But they named the one doe because they are keeping her.

Joey and Myranda dried off the three newborn kids. They fed Mayflower warm molasses as a treat, to let her know what a great job she did.

Nigerian dwarf goats may have different colors of fur: snow white, black, or shades of cream, gold, chocolate, and other colors. The fur may be a solid color, or it may have patterns in it, including freckles.

YZ has special markings. On one side, her white fur forms a very clear “Y.” And according to Myranda, a fourth grader, “If you look with a very artistic eye, you’ll see a white fur “Z” on Matilda’s other side.” Myranda loves YZ because “She is cute and playful. She will be able to be a mommy.” And of the three kids, she says, “They are cute!”

Joey, a second grader, adds, “I like YZ because she is very playful. She’s the only girl.”

Joey and Myranda help take care of the goats and other family animals, including their dog, Pup, and their pet turtle. They clean out the goat barn and pens, and they make sure the goats have food and water every day. The goats eat grain feed, hay, and alfalfa. Along with the family’s chickens, the goats like corn chips for treats. They like Tostitos® best! The chickens also love pizza and scarf up the slices really fast.

Myranda holds the new family pet, YZ.

Goats need places to climb. This is Mayflower with her three kids.

The children’s mom, Lindsay, loves Nigerian dwarf goats. “They’re very gentle, so they’re the best pets ever. Plus, they are dairy goats. I can’t wait to use the goat milk. We plan to drink the milk and make cheese. I also plan to make lotion and soap.” These goats have three times more butter fat in their milk than other dairy goats. That means their milk makes soaps and lotions that help skin stay healthy and help with skin problems.

Nigerian dwarf goats are unusual. They are just a bit smaller than most goats. Because they are dairy goats rather than meat goats, the does give great milk. These goats come from the African nations of Niger and Nigeria. Now US farmers are finding that Nigerian dwarf goats are great farm animals and family members. They are super for 4-H and FFA projects.

Having a pet goat is different from having a pet dog or cat. If goats don’t have other goat friends, they may become depressed or worse. And they don’t like to get wet. Goats can’t control their body heat. If they get wet, and stay wet, they may become sick and possibly die.

But Myranda and Joey take good care of all the goats. Joey says, “The three kids are super, super, super, adorably cuddly.”

Joey holds one of the two male Nigerian dwarf kid goats.

Aaisha Asfiya, age 9 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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your drawings, poems, and jokes & riddles, and photos for publication!

EMAIL TO: kidzcorner@funforkidz.com

OR MAIL TO: Kidz Corner, PO Box 227 Bluffton, OH 45817-0227

The Gigantic Tornado

by Shreeyan Veera Pampana, age 10

“I live in New Jersey. I am in fifth grade, and I love to write stories. I hope to become a famous writer one day!”

Patterns

Patterns are everywhere, At my house and yours. There and here, This and that, Patterns are all I can find. Even in our body parts, Red and yellow patterns, but Not on my teeth and nails.

Joey was just like a tiger - very courageous. However, he would soon face the scariest day of his life. For now, though, he was at his friend Fred’s house. Nobody noticed that outside, the winds were turbulent and a tornado was forming.

Suddenly, the house shook. “What was that?” Fred asked, trembling with fear. They looked outside the window - and saw a swirling tornado coming their way.

“Quick! Hide!” Fred said, panicking. They darted to the basement hurriedly. They ran downstairs and hid in a creepy bunker. Minutes later, Joey and Fred thought the storm had subsided, so they quickly ran outside – but they were paralyzed.

The tornado was scarier than Joey had imagined. Large objects were flying in the air. Worst of all, though, was not the wreckage, but the winds. The winds were howling in Joey’s ears. Just then, they realized the tornado was moving their way, so they ran away. What they didn’t notice was that they were running away from Fred’s home and into the unknown wilderness.

The tornado was over and Fred’s parents came upstairs - and were surprised to find out that Joey and Fred had disappeared. Fred’s dad went outside, but all they saw was major destruction from the ominous storm. They saw vehicles upside-down, roofs that were torn away from the houses during the storm, and debris scattered everywhere. Sadly, there was no sign of Joey or Fred, but luckily, the neighbors were kind enough to help find them.

Immediately, everyone started on the expedition. The crew noticed the path was engulfed by trees blocking the sunlight. All of a sudden, they came across a hazardous river, by which they would all be washed away by the current.

What happens next? Find out in our next issue!

Invasion of the Turkeys

A

story by Sahas Seepuri, age 7

It was a calm and peaceful morning in Sunnyvale. The birds were singing, the kids were playing, and there were no clouds in the sky. Then there was a huge bird over the neighborhood! Many and many citizens were scared. Suddenly the mouth of the bird opened! Hundreds of turkeys walked out. At first the people weren’t scared, they laughed and laughed. But then the turkeys got out ray guns and vaporized somebody into a turkey. Now the townspeople were really really scared. Then the heroic Axel stood up! But then BAM the turkeys attacked and shot out turkey rays.

Soon there were more than 30 million turkeys (Sir Axel counted them). Just when Sir Axel almost got hit by their ray guns the army appeared. The army included Sir Veer, Issac, Andrew, Aden and Christopher and they all had guns. And so the battle began!

First Sir Veer ran right into battle and shot 500 turkeys but suddenly got hit by the turkey ray. Next Sir Andrew shot 50 thousand turkeys before getting hit by the turkey ray. When all hope was lost and Sir Issac and Chris also were turkeys, Sir Alvin came! He killed 20 million turkeys and did not get hit. He only left 6 of them. But then Sir Alvin got hit. Then the turkey leader put up his ray gun and shot at Sir Axel. Sir Axel held up a mirror and BAM! He actually reversed the ray back at the turkey leader and made it a roast turkey. That is why we eat roast turkey on Thanksgiving!

by Salif Azman, age 7

by Saif Al-Din, age 8

Hidden Pets on page 12

Word Search on page 13

F

T

N E R A M M N H N K B T S K

Y D G R U H Y E T E I T D C

E L P N O H W N V A T U O I

E E K R A T R O A D C M G H

G E R B I L L T E K C I R C

Answer: WE HAVE A GERMAN SHEPHERD.

Pet Puzzle on page 12

Adam owns the dog.

Brian owns the fish.

Chloe owns the turtle.

Diane owns the cat.

Eddie owns the gerbil.

Gerbils Sudoku on page 13

S R I E G B L B G L R S E I E I B L R S G L S G I B R E I B E S L G R

R L S G E I B

G E R B I L S

Rabbit Riddles on page 12

1. VOLCANO RABBIT

2. PALOMINO RABBIT

3. BELGIAN HARE

4. BRISTLY RABBIT

5. PIKA

6. MARSH RABBIT

7. BRUSH RABBIT

8. JACK RABBIT

9. HAVANA RABBIT

10. SNOWSHOE HARE

Pet Crossword on page 13

Photo Credits: Image ID #38467660 - ©[thornchai/123RF. com] 10 (top); Archie and Josiah – Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, LCPP-24624u 19 (bottom); Teddy Jr. and Eli Yale – Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-17184 19 (middle).

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