all about animals

Turtles can be found in the sea, in lakes and in rivers. Turtles that live on land are called tortoises. Tortoises usually eat plants, and turtles eat either plants or fish and other water creatures.

Some kinds of turtle can grow up to two metres long, although most are smaller. Turtles have a hard shell covering their body, and they can hide their head and legs inside it. They can live for over 100 years. The ancestors of turtles and tortoises have been around since before the dinosaurs. Some kinds of small turtles can be kept as pets.

Snakes are a type of legless lizard. They come in many colours and patterns, and some kinds of snake can grow to be several metres long.

Snakes jaws do not lock open like ours do, but can open a huge way. They can swallow small animals that are much bigger than their heads. Snakes only need to eat every few days. Some snakes are very poisonous and can kill a person in one bite. Other snakes kill their prey by wrapping themselves around it and suffocating it. You should always be careful around snakes.

Some kinds of non-poisonous snake are sold as pets, but often a special license is needed and pet snakes should still be treated with care as they might eat other household pets and have been known to kill very small children.

Rats are large mice. They often live near people, scavenging food scraps in rubbish tips or stored food in houses. Rats are pests and most people try and get rid of rats if they can.

Rats can also kept as pets. Pet rats tend to be white or multicoloured, and wild rats tend to be plain brown or grey.

The rabbit is a small animal found in many parts of the world. In Australia, rabbits are the single worst introduced pest. Rabbits make good pets, if they are properly looked after.

The plural of mouse is mice. Mice are very small animals that are often found in houses. They are a pest, and eat stored food. Cats, snakes and many other animals eat mice. Some people keep mice as pets.

The iguana is a kind of medium-sized lizard from South America. They are a popular pet.

Hermit crabs are not actually true crabs, but are distantly related. Hermit crabs don't have a shell of their own, so they need to find the discarded shell from another creature to wear. As they grow, they have to find another shell to replace their old one.

Hermit crabs are found all over the world, and many people keep them as pets.

Hamsters are a small rodent that is often kept as a pet. Hamsters are originally from Syria. They have a large fur-lined pouch on either side of their face that goes all the way to their shoulders that they can fill with food. In the wild, they usually eat seeds and nuts.

Guinea pigs, also called the cavy, are a small rodent originally from South America. They were first domesticated as a food source, but today guinea pigs are kept as pets. They have a quiet nature and don't mind being handled.

Goldfish are a kind of freshwater fish that was bred to be a pet. There is no such thing as a wild goldfish. Goldfish were descended from a kind of carp, and they were specially picked for their yellow and orange color.

Goldfish are the most popular pet fish, and are very commonly found in ponds in people's yards and in fish tanks in people's houses.

Frogs can be found around fresh water, including in deserts when it only rains every few years. They can breathe through their skin when they are in water. Frogs lay eggs, which hatch into tadpoles. Frogs come in a great variety of colours and can range in size from as small as a fingernail up to about 30cm long. Frogs that are very warty are often called toads.

Ferrets are domestic animals, usually kept as pets. They are related to the polecat and weasel. Ferrets eat small pest animals like rats and rabbits.

People have been keeping dogs as pets for thousands of years. Dogs can be used to herd animals like sheep, and if they are well trained they will obey commands like sit and fetch.

Dogs come in a huge variety of different colours and sizes, from tiny Chihuahuas right up to huge dogs like the Great Dane. A baby dog is called a puppy. Modern dogs evolved from wolves, and were originally kept as hunting companions.

A cat is a small, meat-eating animal that is often kept as a pet. Cats are good at hunting mice. Most dogs don't like cats, and are often seen chasing them up trees. Cats spend over half of their time asleep. A baby cat is called a kitten.

Canaries are small songbirds closely related to finches. They eat seeds and have a pretty song. Most canaries are yellow. Wild canaries are more mottled or yellow-green than pet canaries.

A budgerigar, or budgie for short, is a very small parrot that many people keep as pets. They are very friendly, and like most parrots they can be taught to talk. Budgerigars are originally from central Australia, and were once only green and yellow. All the other colors have been created by people breeding them.