What's The Best Small Animal To Get For A Pet?

Pets are a wonderful addition to any household as they have numerous benefits. For starters, pets often teach valuable lessons of responsibility as they require care and attention like any other living things which in turn leads to a sense of pride and fullness of life. Also, pets provide a close companion and joy to their owners as animals are loving creatures who strive to bring happiness to us humans. Pets are a common sight in many neighbourhoods today as it’s hard not to stumble across a lounging cat or a dog bouncing around a local park. Although cats and dogs are the most common pets around the world, we often seem to forget that there are multiple other pets available. Yes, I’m talking about the small pets such as hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and rabbits. These small pets can also be a great addition to any family as they generally take up less space and require less attention than cats and dogs. With so many small pet options to choose from, it can be a hard decision to make. Here are some general facts on certain small pets to help you make a decision.

Gerbils

Although gerbils are the least commonly found small pet that is featured in this article, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t a great addition to any family! These small creatures often resemble hamsters but are typically slimmer, with a long tail and larger hind legs which they beat on the ground when they are excited. Gerbils are typically fast runners which can be an issue if they escape their cages. On the other hand, gerbils are burrowing animals, which can save you money by not needing to purchase expensive cage additions to keep them happy and active. An advantage of gerbils is that they are omnivores, which means they don’t require a specific diet which makes them an inexpensive pet to have. Sadly, gerbils only live around 2-3 years, which gives them a short lifespan.

Guinea Pigs

Although it’s in the name, guinea pigs are not pigs but are rodents instead. There are two main breeds of guinea pigs to have as pets. The Abyssinian guinea pig is a long-haired breed which requires a lot of grooming maintenance while the American guinea pig has a short coat which requires little grooming maintenance. A great thing about guinea pigs is that they typically have a longer lifespan than other small pets as they can live to be 8 years old. However, due to their large size, and plump body shape, guinea pigs are known to suffer from overheating. On average, a guinea pig will grow to be about 8 to 10 inches in length.

Rabbits

These adorable bouncing bunnies aren’t just for Easter as they make great additions to any family as long as you can commit to them as they are a pet that requires great responsibility. Due to their large size, which is on average from 5 to 21 inches, rabbits will need a larger environment to live in when compared to the other small pets on this list. Also, rabbits are the least domesticated small pets featured on this list too, which means that they need constant outside activity and stimulation in order to be healthy and well behaved. In addition, rabbits have open-rooted teeth which means that their famous front teeth never stop growing and therefore, rabbits will need a great amount of food. Unlike other small pets, rabbits are exclusively vegetarians so a diet of fibre rich plants or pellets would do them just fine. Plus, rabbits live approximately 8 to 12 years which will give you plenty of time with your furry friend.

Hamsters

Who doesn’t love the classic hamster?! Hamsters come in many varieties but the most common breeds to have as pets are the Dwarf hamsters, Roborovski hamsters, and Syrian hamsters. A great thing about hamsters is that they come in small sizes from 4 inches long to about 12 inches long although the larger sizes are typically reserved for the wild hamster breeds. Hamsters are active during the twilight hours, which can be a pro or a con depending on your daily schedule. Also, hamsters are omnivores. This is a huge advantage as they don’t require a specific diet which makes them an inexpensive pet to have. However, hamsters only live around 2-4 years which gives them a short lifespan.