Top 10 Best Disney Songs

This is a run down of my top 10 Disney songs. This was a very difficult challenge for me, as I am a big fan of Disney and each film has at least one catchy song. That and I didn't want to put more than one for a single film, so I had to choose between many great songs! I have left out so many brilliant films and songs but I've watered down some of my favourites.

10 - That's How You Know (Enchanted)

I am quite new to this film having only seen it just this year. But it's brilliant, so catchy and so theatrical. I think Amy Adams perfectly portrays a Disney princess.

9 - Colours of the Wind (Pocahontas)

This is a great song to sing and it's got an important message. Pocahontas explains to John Smith in true Disney style that all creatures and life are equal, nomatter what race or species. 

8 - Prince Ali (Aladdin)

This is one of Robin Williams best films on par with Mrs Doubtfire. His voice is perfect for Genie and this is the catchiest song in the film. 

7 - Bare Necessities (The Jungle Book)

I have a video somewhere of me when I was 5 or 6 singing this. "Look for the Bare necessemies, the sepa sere nacessemies. Forget about your worries and your stripe. Yeahraa!"

6 - Hakuna Matata (The Lion King)

It was a choice between this or Be Prepared, as Jeremy Irons has such an evil voice. I chose this one as I remember singing it in primary school assembly! It's quite a Buddhist mantra - No Worries! Be mindful, be aware but... Don't stress! 

5 - Reflection (Mulan)

Mulan is doubting herself as she was rejected by the matchmaker who said she would never bring her family honour. As we all know, she certainly DOES by the end of the film. Another favourite is Lesson Number One from Mulan 2. I heard the song before I watched the film and hearing it made me NEED to. 

4 - Part Of Your World (The Little Mermaid)

This is a film that came out not long before I was born, and I watched it countless times on VHS. I think even the men of my generation have the words of this one memorised. Under The Sea is a close second due to it's ultimate feel-good-vibe. If only Ariel could appreciate it and stay for the whole song...

3 - I've Got a Dream (Tangled)

This was an extra tough one as there is a good handful of songs in Tangled. I chose this one as I find it impossible to sit still during it, plus there's a Pinocchio in the background!

2 - Let It Go (Frozen)

Another film that I found it difficult to choose between songs, but I am cuddling my Elsa doll as I type. This song means so much to so many people. To accept who you really are despite what people think of you and your flaws. Let it gooo, let it goooo, I am one with the wind and sky!

1 - When You Wish Upon A Star (Pinocchio)

This genuinely deserves its title as the official Disney introduction. I can barely listen to seconds of it without blubbing my eyes out. Yup, there they are. Just gone to get the video for you and I burst. There is very little else I can say, Pinocchio means so much to me!

10 Saddest Disney Moments

I am a huge Disney fangirl, of new and old. In this blog post I will be listing my top 10 heartbreaking Disney moments. Some of the character deaths may not have been permanent, but were painful and believeable at the time nonetheless. 

10 - The beginning of Up

We are shown the bond between Ellie and Carl from when they were children, to the day she died and wasn't able to live to see her dream, to move to Paradise Falls. During this scene we see them growing up, marrying, and what we imply is being told by a doctor that they have lost their baby. 

9 - The Pound

In Lady & the Tramp, Lady is captured and taken to the pound. The dogs there are howling, wailing and actually crying. We also see the shadow of a poor beautiful dog who is happily bounding along on a lead, unaware he is being lead to the room where he will not come out again. Heartbreaking. 

8 - Baloo's Death

Luckily this is a very short scene! After the final fight in The Jungle Book, Baloo the bear is seen face down in a puddle. It's powerful and heartbreaking. Bagheera starts a eulogy to console Mowgli, and Baloo wakes up, enjoying it. 

7 - Rapunzels parents

In Tangled, just as they were about to step out the doors for the 18th time to release the first lantern for the lost princess to return, the king sheds a tear and the queen touches his cheek and wipes his tear to console him. You can see the pain in their eyes, how it has never stopped hurting for them that someone would take their daughter. 

 

6 - Shang falls

I had not watched Mulan 2 until a couple years ago but I thought it was great. Shang and Mulan were having difficulties at this point in the film and had argued, and so his last words "I'm sorry..." brought such a pang to the heart. 

 

5 - Dopey crying

In Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, when the dwarves are by her side after her death they are all crying. It's Dopey that gets to me the most. And then there are the sad animals looking in the window. We hear Dopey's out of control snivelling that we all start to unintentionally mimic at this part of the film. 

4 - Bambi's mum

This is one of those films - like Dumbo - that i watched as a child but just can't bring myself to watch as an adult. It gets to me far more than it probably should. Even trying to gather images brought back pain, so i'm not going to make you look at them. Here is a nice one instead.

3 - Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?

At the beginning of Frozen, Elsa is segregated due to her uncontrollable powers. Anna is desperate to be close to her sister like she once was and during her song, we see their parents die at sea. Cutting back to the two girls, they are sitting either side of Elsa's door, both clearly heartbroken. The bit that gets me is panning out of Elsa, where we see due to the outbreak of her powers just how full of emotion she is. "We only have each other, just you and me"...

2 - Mufasa - The Lion King

Please no... Don't make me watch it. This is a depressing moment that can melt the coldest heart. Everything about this scene makes you feel so alone and helpless. "Help! Somebody! Anybody..."

1 - Pinocchio Dies...

This is the most unbearable for me. I have felt all kinds of different emotional pain, but my attachment to Pinocchio is too severe for me to be able to cope during this scene. Even though we know what happens, there are just so many tears all round. 

 

I had a very difficult time composing this blog. I'm not sure why I wrote it, maybe it will inspire you to make your own and appreciate the all the emotion in Disney masterpieces. 

Click the links below for more Disney lists!

Top 10 Disney Villain Songs

Top 10 Disney Songs
Top10 Forgettable Disney Moments

How To Care For A Hamster

Are you considering bringing a hamster in to the family? Or have you always been a pet owner and are looking for some new tips? Look no further, you'll find them here.

1 - Things to consider

You need to look for healthy signs when buying a hamster, and I would advise buying from a reputable breeder instead of a pet shop.

Unhealthy signs (With any breed) can include:

• Drooping or gunky ears
• Wet nose
• Wet tail (A form of diarrhoea which can be caused from too much fruit or veg, and even stress)
• Lethargic behaviour
• Wheezing or sneezing (Could be a respiratory issue, or even the flu. Yes, hamsters can catch a cold!)

More experienced hamster owners should consider rescue hamsters as they can often be harder to deal with and sometimes impossible to tame. (E.G. The Pets at Home adoption centre.)

2 - What breed?

You need to consider what type of hamster you want, as there are many different species that require different upbringings.

Syrian - 

The Syrian (Teddy Bear/Golden) is the largest domestic species of hamster. They are solitary and territorial, therefore must be housed alone. They are the most common type of domestic hamster and have a lot of variety of coats and breeds. Their life span is approximately 2-2.5 years.

Teddy Bean - Syrian

Chinese -
The Chinese hamster (Listed in P@H as a Chinese 'Dwarf', which is incorrect) is smaller than the Syrian, and has a slightly longer tail. They can be housed in pairs as they are more sociable than the Syrian, however be prepared to get a second cage as some pairs can still end up fighting. It all depends on the hamsters individually.

Hope - Chinese

Roborovski - 
(Robo dwarf) They are the smallest domesticated hamster, and they're probably not even the length of your little finger (looking at mine, which is about 2.5 inches). They are NOT recommended for children as they are very fast and will rarely sit still in your hand. Though they can be tamed just like any other hamster. They are commonly known as the longest living hamster, living on average 3 years.

Karot - Roborovski

Winter White/Campbells - 
These are another two dwarf hamster species that can be kept in pairs. They are so named as their coats can turn whiter in winter, however they are usually a grey colour with a darker stripe down their back. They can also have fluffy feet. The Russian hamster is a hybrid of these two species'.

Thistle & Pippy - Winter White & Campbells 

Click here to view a video describing the difference between Winter White and Campbell hamsters.

Be sure to do your research on the species' individually before buying on compulsion. You need to ensure you're putting that hamsters health and well-being before your own fun.

3 - Housing

You need a suitable cage depending on the species of hamster. All hamsters need a cage with as large as possible floorspace for exercise, and to prevent boredom. This does not include any add-on cages. Smaller breeds require a tank/aquarium type cage, with a mesh roof for ventilation, to breathe and keep cool in the summer. This is as they are small enough to squeeze through the bars and escape, which could result in them having a nasty fall, running away, or chewing on an electrical wire!

The Syrian hamster is commonly placed in a wire cage with the bar spacing being 1cm, and the cage must be at LEAST 80cm by 50cm long, and 45cm tall. Some popular cages are the Mamble 100 and the Alexander. Hamster Heaven by Savic is another favourite, though some people create their own bin cages using large plastic boxes and wire mesh.

Keep in mind a hamster would prefer a larger base to run around than a taller cage with shelves. They prefer hiding and digging to climbing.

If you DO buy from a pet shop, bear in mind the sizes are often wrong. If it's labelled as a Syrian cage, it's more than likely the size for a dwarf (Though do not buy it for a Dwarf or Chinese if it has bars). Try to imagine yourself in a cage of similar proportions, with no space to run around and you just wait for your owner to pick you up so you can get out!
Have a look at this video for a guide to cage sizes: Click here

4 - Bedding

For base bedding most people use wood shavings and others use tissue type clumped material like Fitch (Which can be bought in larger 10/20kg bales) or Carefresh. It is possible your hamster can develop allergies to the shavings, and you don't want the sharp pieces to dig in to their paws or cheeks. Avoid pine and cedar bedding as it gives off toxic fumes when urinated on. Also avoid sawdust, as it can irritate their respiratory system.

For nesting material, steer clear of any 'fluffy bedding' bedding that looks like cotton wool, even if it says "Safe" or "Vegetable Fibres". This is a dangerous type of bedding for two main reasons:

1 - It can wrap around limbs, causing loss of blood flow and they may need amputation, and in some cases, hamsters can gnaw their own limbs off to free themselves! 
And
2 - When they tear the pieces apart to make their bed comfier, they can ingest pieces of the material which will get lodged within their respiratory system causing what looks like a cold, but is incurable. They will be wheezing and struggling to breathe as the bedding doesn't break down inside, and it is a very slow death. It is recommended by the best breeders to use ripped up unscented, uncoloured toilet roll. Cheap and easy!

Those in the UK, sign this petition to do your bit! - Click here

5 - Food

Choose the food that is labelled "Hamster food", do not get one intended for rats, gerbils etc. Harry/Hazel hamster is recommended. You can add some other bits like fennel leaves, dandelion leaves, sage and milk thistle. Hamsters can also have minimal amounts of cooked chicken breast for protein, and small pieces of vegetables like cucumber, carrots and green beans a few times a week. Do not give them too many fruits and vegetables, as it can cause wet tail (Diarrhoea). Do not give your hamster anything that would be unhealthy to a human, like chocolate and crisps. No sugary, salty or fatty foods.

Straw is not suitable for hamsters as it can damage their cheek pouches.

Below is a list of foods you can and cannot give your hamster occasionally:
Click here for the list

6 - Toys and chews

Hamsters teeth continue to grow throughout their life, therefore they need chews and toys to gnaw on to keep them down and prevent them hurting their gums. If a hamsters teeth get too long and it stops them eating or injures them, they will have to be taken to the vet immediately to get them trimmed. Do not attempt this yourself. It can also be caused by excessive bar chewing, which can cause the teeth to grow in crooked.

Below is a list of some chews and toys you can get for small pets to keep them entertained:

Alfalfa blocks
Loofah toys
Untreated wooden chews
Cardboard tubes (Also toilet/Kitchen roll tubes)
Hammocks
Shelves
Walnut dangle toy

7 - Exercise

Hamsters are active creatures and in the wild would run approximately 5 miles per night. This means they need to keep active in and out of their cage, and a lot of owners do this by buying a hamster wheel. Here are some examples of ones suitable:

Silent Spinner - 
This comes in 3 different sizes; 4", 6" and 12".  The 12" would be suitable for a Syrian, and the 6" for a Dwarf hamster. 11" is the minimum size for a syrian to prevent their backs arching and developing spinal problems.

Flying Saucer - 
The Flying Saucer is more suitable for the dwarf hamsters as it can make Syrians turn their backs too much. 

Wodent Wheel - 
This is the perfect wheel for Syrians (The 11") as it's big enough, and it's also quieter than other wheels. 

Trixie - 
This is an imitation Wodent wheel, and my personal favourite. It's rather quiet, and it can be free standing or latched on to the bars.

You must consider all these points and do some research before buying a hamster. You must be able to devote up to 4 years to care for them, and ensure you don't get 'bored' and neglect them. They require daily attention and love just like any animal. If cared for they can be the perfect pet!


Sign The Petition Today!

"No More Fluffy Bedding" Group

Also thank you to ErinsHamsters