5 Fun Ways to Celebrate Your Pet

Written by Marie Schuett

October 25, 2022🞄

Whether for their birthday or adoption day, celebrating your pet is always a blast! Our furry friends bring so much to our lives, so why not give them a day just for them? Here are five fun ways to celebrate your little loved ones.

1. Host a Hoppy Hour or Guinea Pig Gala

If you have the time and inclination, hosting a party is a fantastically fabulous way to celebrate your little one. Invite family and friends and don’t forget their furry family members as well. Ideally, your little one and the party guests won’t be meeting for the first time but even if they are, the most important thing is to make sure everyone is safe. 

Important Pet Party Safety Tips:

  • All individuals should be spayed or neutered. This lowers chances for aggression and prevents any accidental litters.
  • Everyone should be healthy.  If your little one is acting lethargic or has a sneeze or cough, then they should stay home. 
  • Have the party in a neutral space. Neutral territory can help prevent territorial fighting. 
  • Always have a referree present. Never leave pets unattended.

As you know, these little guys are spunky and very expressive with their body language. Here are some good and bad behavior signs to keep an eye out for:

Hoppy Hour Good Behavior

  • Ignoring each other
  • Casual Chasing
  • Mirroring or copying each other
  • Grooming
  • Binkies
  • Eating together
  • Periscoping (standing on their hind legs with relaxed paws)

Hoppy Hour Bad Behavior

  • The Bunny Tornado (a tight chasing circle.) Break up immediately by using a soft broom or another object, not your hands. Check both rabbits for injuries and discontinue playtime. 
  • Tail popping (raising)  
  • Thumping (this means “I’m upset” or “pay attention to me”) 
  • Boxing (standing on hind feet and fighting with their front paws) 
  • Lunging (pulling ears back and lunging forward with their front feet) 
  • Growling 

Guinea Gala Good Behavior

  • Wheeking or Purring
  • Popcorning
  • Touching noses
  • Sniffing each other

Guinea Gala Bad Behavior 

  • Teeth Chattering or Hissing
  • Showing teeth via a “yawn”
  • Raising their heads or getting up on hind ends
  • Fluffing out their fur
  • Strutting (moving side to side on stiff legs)

2. Bake a Pet-Friendly Cake

Baking a pet-friendly cake for your herbivore of honor is a fun (and delicious) way to celebrate any special occasion!

What You Need

  • ¼ banana
  • ¼ apple
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 raspberry per cake
  • 2 cups hay fines and dust and/or Oxbow pellets
  • Round cookie cutter
  • Parchment paper
  • Baking sheet

 Directions

  1. Grind hay and/or pellets in a blender until fine.
  2. Pour in a bowl and add water until it makes has a dough-like texture.
  3. Spread dough out on parchment paper and press together until about ½ inch thick.
  4. Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  5. Once chilled, use your cookie cutter to make round cake layers.
  6. Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Bake at 200 degrees for 15 minutes.
  8. While the cake is baking, combine apple and banana in a blender and set aside.
  9. Take carrot and grate or slice it into small pieces.
  10. Let the cake layers cool before decorating.
  11. Use the apple and banana mix as frosting between layers.
  12. Festively sprinkle in the carrot pieces before adding another layer.
  13. Finally, decorate the top with carrots and a single raspberry.

Serve to your little ones and sing a celebratory song!

3. Make a Party Piñata

Nothing says “party” like a festive piñata.  Our pet-centric take on the party classic is sure to leave your little loved ones “wheeking” with joy!  

 What You Need

  • Balloons
  • Oat Flour
  • Water
  • Printer Paper ripped into strips (don’t use newspaper)
  • Large Bowl
  • Parchment Paper

 Directions

  1. Mix together 1 part flour to 2 parts water.
  2. Stir with a whisk or fork until the lumps are gone and it has a thin consistency, you can add more water or flour if it is too thick or thin. Store in refrigerator if not using right away.
  3. Rip the printer paper into ½ to 1 inch strips.
  4. Blow up balloon.
  5. Lay down parchment paper.
  6. Dip strips into the flour mixture until well covered and place on the balloon. Repeat until fully covered, except for a small opening at the neck.
  7. Set aside to dry.
  8. Once fully dry (in 12-24 hours), you can use DIY pet-safe dyes for decoration. 
  9. Fill with hay, veggies and other party treats.
  10. Enjoy!

4. Create Pet Party Favor Bags

Party favors add the perfect personal touch to a party, and pet-appropriate party bags couldn’t be any more adorable.  Use your creativity to create a special take-home gift your guests are sure to appreciate and remember.

What You Need

  • Brown paper lunch bags
  • Sisal String
  • Pet-appropriate party favors and snacks

Directions

  1. Fill a brown paper lunch bag with party favors and snacks.
  2. Blow into the bag and gather together the opening, so it looks like a balloon.
  3. Tie with sisal string.
  4. Give to your party pals and enjoy the fun unwrapping.

Great Party Favor Ideas

5. Create a Fun Phenomenal Photo Booth & Props

We know you love showing off your adorable pets…we all do!  And there’s no better (or cuter) way to capture the perfect shot of your pet than in your own homemade photo booth.  With the addition of some fun, wacky props, your pet photo booth is sure to be the highlight of your pet party.

What You Need

  • Cardboard (preferably without any printing)
  • Oxbow Enriched Life Willow or Apple Sticks
  • DIY Pet-Safe Dyes
  • Scissors or X-acto knife
  • Creativity!

Directions

Create and cut out a photo frame for Instagram-worthy snapping.

  1. Cutting one wall away from a cardboard box gives you the perfect opportunity to make a stunning background.
  2. Use cardboard to create fun props for your photo shoot and use the willow or apple sticks as pet-safe handles.
  3. Decorate with pet-safe paints.
  4. Pull out the camera or phone and start snapping!

 Fun Prop Ideas

  • Hilarious hats (like a top hat, bowler hat, crown, or party hat)
  • Bow tie
  • Fun hairdos (like a beehive, pigtails or mohawk)
  • Fun shaped glasses or party masks
  • Mustaches or beards
  • Lips or funny teeth
  • The sky’s the limit!

Want to host a party with a different type of pet? Contact us for behaviors to watch for and other suggestions to make it a truly superb celebration!

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