Pets: species, origin, interesting facts. Pets: a list of different types of pets Pets and their maintenance
), materials (wool), or performing work functions (transportation of goods, security). The second large category is companion animals that take up leisure, give pleasure and with whom you can communicate. For urban dwellers, the concept of “pets” is more often associated with the second category, that is, with “pets”. Animals of the same breed can act in both capacity. For example, someone breeds rabbits to prepare meat and fur, and someone keeps a rabbit at home as a pet.
Pets can be kept in special premises (barnyard, stables, doghouse), but they can also live in a person's house. Of those animals that live in the house, some are kept in cages, aquariums, terrariums and other "houses", while others (for example, cats, dogs, rabbits and even monkeys) are allowed to move freely around the room.
No matter how faithful a cat is, she will always remain independent.
Pets are primarily fed commercially formulated foods from specially selected ingredients. These feeds are not only easy to use, but also provide the animal with all essential substances... For example, compound feed for farm animals, cat or dog food.
Many families that keep some animals at home note that these animals create comfort, calm down, and relieve stress.
In addition to pets, there may be unwanted residents in the house - pets. They settle in or near a person's dwelling without an invitation, bringing no benefit and sometimes causing a lot of harm. These are, for example, rats, mice, cockroaches, ants. Domestic animals are part of a larger group of synanthropic animals that live near human dwellings.
Breeding in captivity
Domestic animals are descended from wild animals living in the wild. Many wild animals can be tamed, especially at a young age, and even kept at home. Sometimes it happens that wild animals are easily tamed, but with difficulty reproduce in captivity. But if tamed animals breed, then their offspring must be tamed again.
Unlike wild animals that are tamed or kept in captivity, domestic animals tend to breed easily. In the case when such easy reproduction is desirable, fertility is spoken of as positive quality... The offspring of pets does not need to be tamed - the traits that make an animal a pets are fixed in the genes and are inherited. This genetic set has developed in the process of selection, which people have carried out for centuries.
Farm animals
Not all of the animals listed here are equally domesticated. The most domesticated are farm animals. They have a highly developed ability to adapt (with human assistance) to a variety of external conditions. For example, they can endure extreme cold and heat and eat food, not only provided by nature itself, but also prepared artificially. Such properties are possessed by a cow, a sheep, a horse and a pig, and therefore they are common on the farm. But there are those who, such as a buffalo, camel, reindeer, llama, paco or alpaca, live only in certain areas - in very cold, or in hot strips of Asia and Africa or on the high mountains of Peru.
Selection
The main feature of domestic animals that breeders use is the variety of their qualities. This is used for breeding various breeds. Thanks to painstaking breeding work, in the last two centuries, some of the original animals have changed beyond recognition. Examples include the short-legged cow, the Leicester and Southdown sheep, the English racehorse and draft, and finally the Yorkshire and Berkshire pig breeds. These changes in the body of animals and the consolidation of the desired heredity became possible as a result of long-term work carried out by many generations of breeders.
If you take the original animal and put it next to the bred animal, then the results of selection are often simply incredible. The English bull reaches 50-70 pounds in weight. The Russian peasant sheep weighs 50-60 pounds, the Southdown sheep are fed up to 400-600 pounds, plus 10-15 pounds of fine long wool. English pigs in one year reach 10-12 pounds in weight (for comparison, to obtain such a weight, a Russian pig needs to be raised for 3-4 years). There is nothing to say about English horses in heavy trucks, they have long become world famous.
An interesting example of changes in the properties of domestic animals, depending on human needs, is the merino sheep. The selection of her coat was determined by changes in the demand for different types of wool. Over the past decades, sheep breeders have tried to change the length, fineness and other characteristics of merino wool.
Breeders are now looking to create breeds that could be useful for multiple functions. For example, in cattle they try to combine milkiness with the ability to fatten, and in sheep - the production of good wool with meat content.
The work of Beckwell and the Collins brothers showed that through selection it is possible to achieve the desired changes in the properties of domestic animals, and one can only guess if there is a limit to these changes.
Darwin, in his world-famous essay "On the Origin of Species", repeatedly referred to the achievements of pastoralists in breeding new breeds of livestock. The entire first chapter of the book is devoted to the changes that animals and plants undergo as a result of their domestication.
History of domestication
Little is known about how and when domestication began. There is practically no information about this either in legends or in historical annals. It is believed that Stone Age man already had almost all of the major domestic animals with him. The oldest historical chronicle, the Bible, speaks of cows, sheep, horses and others as the most common accessories of the shepherd's and agricultural industries of the peoples. In short, the time when man domesticated modern domestic animals remains unknown, just as the origin of most domestic mammals is unknown.
However, it is assumed that each of the domestic animals had wild ancestors. Proof of this is the study of bones found in the remains of pile structures. When analyzing the excavations, it was possible to distinguish the bones of domestic animals from the bones of related wild animals. Thus, it can be assumed that in that era so far from us, which neither history nor tradition remembers, the same animals could be both wild and domesticated. Currently, the species to which some domestic animals belong do not occur in the wild at all. So, for example, a cow and a horse are exclusively domestic species.
The question of who was the ancestor of some of the pets is still controversial. So, some believe that the Russian domestic sheep descended from the mouflon, others from the argali, and others from the North African wild sheep ( Ovis tragelophus). The ancestor of the dog, who considers the wolf, who is the jackal, and some - both of these species (sometimes they add a coyote). According to modern concepts, dogs are entirely descended from wolves.
The wild representatives of many domestic animals have become extinct. So, the ancestor of most of the breeds of cattle is considered to be tura ( Bos primigenius) (Rutimayer and his followers believe that all cattle breeds spread along the Baltic coast and the North Sea originated from the tour: Dutch cattle, Holstein cattle, as well as short-horned cattle of England. Ukrainian cattle are also included in this group.
Also, according to Rüthimeyer, the original breeds should also include: Bos brachyceros (short-legged bull) and Bos frontosus (forehead bull). From the first form came the monochromatic brown cattle of Switzerland (Swiss) and the neighboring Alps, and from the second - the variegated, also Swiss, but found in the valleys between the tori, and the hornless cattle of Scotland and Norway). He lived like a wild bull, not only in prehistoric times, but also in relatively recent times. This is confirmed by the legends of our folk poetry, ancient Russian epics, then the names of various tracts, in which the name of the tour is heard and, finally, the positive news of the chronicles and other monuments of ancient literature. Judging by these monuments, the ancient tour was well known to our ancestors, it was a massive animal, with long horns, of a chestnut color, it was distinguished by tremendous strength and speed, it liked to stay in swampy, wooded areas, as free for food and secluded. According to epics, the boundaries of the tour. are determined by the Dnieper region, the Volyn land and the Lithuanian forests, but the folk language and the names of various tracts, in which the name of the tour has been preserved, extends these boundaries eastward to the upper reaches of the Donets, and northward to Ladoga (where the Turova desert is), Gryazovets and Galich. From the direct evidence of the tour, the description given by the famous Herberstein, who came to Russia in the 16th century, is especially remarkable. In order not to confuse the tour with the still living bison, Herberstein in his notes ("Rerum Moscoviticarum commentarii") attached drawings of both animals.
Thus, the question regarding the origin of the domestic bull would be clear if it were not known that some of the domesticated animals easily turn wild. In America, before its discovery, there was not one of the pets of the Old World. There were no horses, no cows, no pigs, no sheep, no goats. All these primordial pets of ours were brought to America by Europeans and they all found such fertile soil that they soon multiplied to excess. Their number began to exceed the needs of the population. Under such conditions, naturally, some animals were left unattended, began to lag behind the herds, roam the forests and gradually run wild. In this way, whole herds of wild bulls and horses began to be recruited in America. Nathusius says he has had cases of pigs running wild and mating with wild boars. What happened to our pets in America and what partly happens in Europe is also repeated in the sparsely populated areas of Australia, where wild cattle and horses are not even safe for humans. Some see the ease of feralization of domestic animals as a proof of their origin from wild species. Because it is as if some of the domestic animals run wild so easily that their nature is more consistent with a wild state than a domestic, artificial state, from which they seem to try to get out. If domestication were a natural property of some animals, then it would not be easy to do so without the help of humans, and the transfer of one-species wild animals to a domestic state would not present much work. Be that as it may, the question of the origin of our domestic animals, these closest servants and friends of man, should be considered open, since, according to the just remark of Natusius, it lies beyond observation and experience.
As for pets, that is, animals living in the same dwelling with a person, dogs began to play this role before anyone else. In ancient Rome and early medieval Europe, the weasel was a common domestic animal, as it hunted house rodents. However, due to the poor tameness of the weasel as a hunter of house pests, it was replaced by genets (for a short time in the Middle Ages) and cats, which remain common pets in our time, when the need for the destruction of rodents has already disappeared.
Homeless animals
Notes
see also
- Decorative birds
- Five freedoms ( Five animal freedoms)
Literature
- World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity / B.D. Scherf (Ed.). - 3rd edn. - Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2000. (English)
Links
- Pets - article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- Pets // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). St. Petersburg: 1890-1907.
| Animals | |
|---|---|
| Home | |
| Exhibition | |
PETS PETS
animals bred by humans to satisfy decomp. needs, primarily for food and industrial. raw materials as a vehicle. With the growth of the settled way of life and the increase in the population, especially in connection with the transition of man from hunting and gathering to agriculture, D. zh. became naib, a reliable source of food. In decomp. periods of man were domesticated by many. animals (see table), of which the largest households. are important cr. horn. cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, etc. D.'s ancestors. had a special specificity. type of nervous activity, differed in a high degree of morphophysiol. and environmentally friendly plasticity. It is no coincidence that almost all D. (except for the mulberry and Chinese oak silkworms, bees, and some others) belong to vertebrates, and many of them are gregarious hoofed or schooling birds. The overwhelming majority of D. was domesticated in early and cf. Holocene. In addition to the modern. D. f., In definition. During periods, other animals were kept (for example, various antelopes, cheetah, ostrich, cranes, crocodiles), but the degree of their domestication is unknown. The oldest way domestication was based, apparently, on imprinting, later forced domestication with the help of hunger became widespread. During domestication, morphophysiol changed. characteristics of animals - color, hair, size and weight, features of the skeleton, muscles and fat deposition, fertility, productivity, etc. The decrease in the brain (one of the universal domestically. signs), as well as changes in behavior are especially indicative. Primary domestication usually took place in relatively narrow areas. In a number of countries, including the USSR, the domestication of new species continues (antelope, elk, mink, nutria, silver fox, blue fox, sable, maral, sika deer). There are also known cases of the reverse process - the wildness of D.. (eg horse in America, camel and dingo dog in Australia). Intensive breeding D. (especially horn. cattle, goats and sheep) significantly changed the natural environment in a number of districts of the world. So, excessive use of pastures and deforestation for them led to the destruction of nature. biocenoses - the expansion of the desert zone (Sahara), deforestation of slopes (Greece), an increase in steppe areas (the Eurasian steppe zone), as well as a decrease in the number of species, abundance and ranges of a number of wild animals. (see ARTIFICIAL SELECTION).
.(Source: "Biological Encyclopedic Dictionary." Ed. M. S. Gilyarov; Editorial board: A. A. Babaev, G. G. Vinberg, G. A. Zavarzin et al. - 2nd ed., Revised - M .: Sov.Encyclopedia, 1986.)
petsAnimals tamed by man and raised by him to meet economic and other needs. Breeding of domestic animals (animal husbandry) is the main source of meat, milk, eggs, and other products of animal origin, as well as raw materials for the light and leather industries. Pets are used as transport, hunting, service and decorative animals. The number of species of domesticated animals is small (about 25), but the number of breeding rocks reaches several thousand.
The overwhelming majority of domestic animals belong to vertebrates, among which mammals predominate. Domestic animals include: mammals - cattle (domestic forms of artiodactyl ruminants of the family bovids, as well as yak, gayal, bison, bison), sheep, goats, pigs, horses, camels, reindeer, rabbits, dogs, cats; from birds - chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, pigeons; from insects - bees, silkworms. Fish raised in ponds and aquariums, ornamental and songbirds kept at home, as well as laboratory animals are close to domestic animals. 
The process of domestication of animals lasted several millennia (see. Domesticization), different animals were domesticated in different periods (see table).
Pets should be kept within reasonable limits. An exorbitant increase in their number entails negative changes in the natural environment (for example, deforestation for pastures leads to the destruction of natural biocenoses).
.(Source: "Biology. Modern illustrated encyclopedia." Ed. A. P. Gorkin; Moscow: Rosmen, 2006.)
See what "PET" is in other dictionaries:
Pets - get a working platypus discount coupon on Akademik or profitable pets buy with free shipping on sale in Platypus
PETS - PETS, in honey. dignity relations are of great importance to humans. Leaving aside the role of D. as power supplies, others should be noted positive sides their values \u200b\u200bin special. relationship for a person. D.j. supply ... ... Big medical encyclopedia
See Pets ... Legal Dictionary
Pets - cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, fur animals, birds, fish and other farm animals, specially raised and used to obtain (produce) animal products (livestock products), and ... Official terminology
PETS, see domestication ... Modern encyclopedia
Pets - PETS, see domestication. ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
This article or section needs revision. Please improve the article according to the rules for writing articles ... Wikipedia
This is the name of the animals that, from time immemorial, have gotten used to a man, whom he keeps near him, providing them with shelter and food, and which at the same time easily reproduce, passing on to their descendants both natural and acquired by them, under the influence ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron
PETS - Seeing pets in a dream portends friendship or love relationships. White pets mean joy of the heart, a date with friends; black - you will make enemies for yourself; unusual appearance - to anxiety and excitement. Caress your home ... ... Dream interpretation of Melnikov
pets - naminiai gyvūnai statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Žmonių veisiami ir laikomi gyvuliai ir paukščiai produkcijai gauti, ūkio darbams atlikti ar pomėgiams tenkinti. atitikmenys: angl. domesticated animals vok. Haustiere, n rus. ... ... Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas
PETS - animals tamed by man and raised by him for the satisfaction of households. and other needs. Economics played a decisive role in the domestication of animals. the benefits of breeding them. Tamed women were a more reliable food source than wild ones, col ... ... Agricultural encyclopedic dictionary
In the article I will talk about the most popular types of pets, what options are there and give a list.
List of pets
The variety of pets allows you to choose a pet for every taste and color for the home, but even this does not stop exotic lovers, forcing them to look for more and more sophisticated options.
Consider the most popular pets kept at home.
Cat
The image of a cat is always associated with grace and love of freedom.
This is the only animal that did not submit to attempts at domestication by humans.
All cats can be divided into 3 large groups by type of coat:
Shorthaired
Long-legged cats with short hair do not take much time to groom and are divided into 3 types:
- European. This type includes plush and aristocratic, restless and representatives - widespread cats with a classic striped color. Europeans get along well with dogs, but do not like birds and rodents.
- Eastern. Refined Asian women (,) are famous for their intelligence and ingenuity, require respectful treatment and quickly become attached to their owners. Always consider the touchiness and vindictiveness of Asian cats. Remember that Siamese and small children are not compatible.
- American. American women are friendly, independent and playful. The rounded shape and density of the coat add visual dimension to well-coordinated proportions. Representatives of the American type get along well with children, but it is better not to leave with babies. A fearful pet will not offend a child who has played too much, but it may suffer itself.
American shorthair Longhaired
They are tiny, attached to a person and in need of anxious care.
Loneliness is not tolerated.
Chihua hua Pinschers and Schnauzers
Compliant and smart. They need compulsory training and an experienced owner.
Terriers
Active and friendly dogs bred for burrow hunting. Suitable for living quarters.
Dachshunds
- German hunting dogs, similar in character to the terrier. They have high devotion and intelligence.
Cops
(pointer, setter). Another type of hunting dogs with a calm and docile disposition.
Greyhounds
They are willful and stubborn, difficult to train and not suitable for beginners.
The largest representatives (,) of the canine family are included in the group of pinschers and schnauzers. Despite the impressive size, the breeds are distinguished by a kind disposition and love for children.
The average life span of dogs varies from 10 to 13 years. Long-livers include representatives of small breeds.
Rabbits for home
A great alternative to the familiar four-legged.
Can be divided by the length of the coat:
- long-haired (angora, foxes, rams, squirrels);
- short-haired (butterflies, rex, dutch, hermelin).
If an eared pet is selected for a child, then wayward butterflies, aggressive females of hermelin and phlegmatic rex are best avoided.
Unlike their wild counterparts, domesticated rabbits live up to 12 years.
Rodents as pets
The list of the most popular rodents for home keeping includes:
Mice and rats
They are smart, easy to train and quickly become attached to the owner. Life expectancy is about 2 years.
Nocturnal animals that require an attentive and reverent attitude. They prefer separate living and minimal contact with outsiders. Live not\u003e 3 years.
Guinea pigs
Unlike rats, which have a bad reputation, they have an attractive appearance, as well as a peaceful and trusting disposition. With a careful attitude, they are given into the hands of not only adults, but also the smallest owners.
Protein
Nimble, curious and graceful. The content is not whimsical.
Chinchillas
Large representatives of rodents, characterized by increased fearfulness. Not suitable for children and require careful grooming.
Long-livers among the disassembled rodents include, guinea pigs and squirrels capable of living for about 10 years.
Reptiles for a child
Cold-blooded reptiles also did not do without attempts at domestication. The group of the most popular reptiles includes:
Snakes
For home maintenance, small runners (no more than 1.5m) are recommended, characterized by the absence of aggression and tiny teeth that are unable to bring serious damage. Do not buy snakes from your hands. A small snake can grow into a dangerous and poisonous animal.
Lizards
Require reverent content, subject colds and are easily injured. Peace and quiet are important for them, so communication with young children is not safe for them.
Turtles
The most unpretentious reptiles living in terrariums or aquaterrariums.
Of the reptiles presented, snakes have the longest lifespan, capable of living up to 40 years.
The lifespan of those kept at home is usually shorter than in the wild. The number for lizards depends on the size (larger representatives belong to centenarians).
Birds
The most popular domesticated birds include:
Wild animals
Among wild birds, the following are very popular:
Owls
The popularization of feathered pets occurred after the Harry Potter films. Despite the fabulous appearance and mysterious "fish soup", such a bird is not suitable for everyone.
Do not purchase a non-ringed bird without documents. Lack of the necessary ammunition is the main sign of poaching.
Domesticated Tame Owls Barnacle Raven Other types
Home exotic options depend not only on imagination, but also on the breeder's finances:
- Foxes. The cost for foxes varies from 30 to 50 thousand rubles. When purchasing a furry animal, it is important to consider its danger to other pets. If the danger of a fox is similar to that of a wolf, then its waywardness resembles that of a feline. The fluffy beauty is against familiarity and is only given in a good mood.
- Crocodiles. Depending on the size of the reptile, the issue price can go up to 60 thousand rubles. Do not believe in the existence of little crocoldies. The minimum size for an adult animal is at least 1.5m. For safety, the toothy pet is kept exclusively in a terrarium.
- Monkey. Prices for monkeys start at 65 thousand rubles and, depending on the species, can go up to 500 thousand rubles. Keeping such animals without an enclosure will not work because of their dominant behavior. The monkey owner will have to constantly defend his rights as the leader of the pack.
- Anteaters. A neat and calm animal with a funny proboscis and a friendly disposition is confidently gaining popularity in the United States. The cost of an outlandish beast reaches 350 thousand rubles. Strong legs with tenacious claws open the refrigerator door to the lung.
- Tigers. Not all cat lovers have enough exotic Bengals and savannahs, so they have real tigers as their pets. The price of a striped pet, reaching 2 million rubles (and in the case of buying a white tiger, up to 9 million rubles), is available to units. Wild cat get an aged kitten. When feeding, it is important to avoid the use of raw meat, which can provoke repressed predatory instincts.
In conclusion, I note that before buying a pet, it is important to take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of the species:
- large pets will have to be kept in a spacious area;
- decorative breeds require frequent veterinary control;
- exotic animals require increased security measures;
- reptiles will need to purchase special UV lamps.
Remember that a pet is a big responsibility.
Do not purchase an animal if you do not have firm confidence in its proper maintenance.