This reference provides all the care and advice readers should need to keep pets safe, happy and healthy. It looks at a wide range of mammals from rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and birds, chinchillas, rats and mice - to birds, reptiles, invertebrates and fish. Each chapter features popular breeds from within the species, based on availability and suitability for a domestic home life. Also included is detailed advice on how to choose the best pet according to lifestyle and the age of children within the household. There are also practical tips on what to look for when buying a pet; suitable housing and exercise; foods for a balanced diet; pet helath and how to respond when a pet is sick.