Taking An In Depth Look At Small Animals As Pets, Why We Love Them, And Which Small Animals Make For The Best Pets
By Jen Flatt Osborn
As pets, cats and dogs get all the love, but what are the 3 easiest small animals to own?
Since lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) aren’t exactly animals we can bring into our homes, unless you’re Jack Hanna, reptiles and rodents and fish are. They’re 3 of the easiest critters to own.
Besides talking about how easy they are, you’ll also learn some cool facts like:
- The snake that can live 20+ years
- Which small animals love vegetables
- If guinea pigs are rodents or not
- Which fish crushes food in its throat
- If there’s only one species of hamster
So let’s delve right in to find just the right pet for you.
Reptiles – One Of The Easiest Small Animals To Own
Snakes in the wild often get a bad rap, but they’re more fearful of you than you are of them. Many people can’t imagine bringing a snake home to have as a pet.
- What if they get loose?
- They’re poisonous!
- Snakes aren’t affectionate.
- Chances are they’re not going to get outside. Just be careful not to step on them as you search.
- There are roughly 3,000 species of snakes in the world. Only 10-15% of them are poisonous.
- Although scientists say snakes lack the capability to feel affection, they’ll show obvious signs of liking or disliking it when you stroke/pet them. They might hiss or crawl away. If they don’t, they’re probably enjoying it.
Wild corn snakes can live 5-15 years but in captivity, they can live 20+ years. The dramatic difference in most snakes’ life expectancy is due to climate conditions, availability to enough prey, and being a food source to predators in the wild.
Image: pixabay.com
Turtles are another reptile that are easiest to own. Since captive turtles can live anywhere between 20 and 50 years, be sure you have a solid commitment to this pet to come into your life.
Besides providing:
- A large space to roam and grow
- A specific diet
- An ideal environmental temperature
…turtles only need love and affection to crawl their way into your heart. Talking to them, rather than petting, seems to be the ideal way to show your affection. And that cuteness factor is off the charts.
Rodents – One Of The Easiest Small Animals To Own
If you can get over the “Eeek!” reaction…
- Mice
- Gerbils
- Hamsters (There are over 20 species!)
- Guinea pigs (Yes, they are indeed rodents.)
…can certainly be on the “easy” list.
All of them love veggies (given in moderation), chewing on things, and getting lots of exercise which are minimal requirements. They also seem to enjoy being petted so go for it.
Rodents love to burrow/tunnel, even guinea pigs who dig a good cardboard box. Googling “dig box for rodents” will give you the perfect ideas for providing them with things to burrow in.
All it takes is providing some soil, shavings, and/or hay (depending on the pet) and the little guys will stay busy doing their thing. And you could always go all out and provide them with tunnels all over your home.
Fish – One Of The Easiest Small Animals To Own
Before you say, “But what about the tank?” remember this: If you take the time to get it right initially, the rest of their care isn’t too difficult.
First, don’t put your aquatic wonder in a bowl the size of a teacup. They deserve the right to have the largest environment possible. Just think, they’re accustomed to living in ponds, streams, and rivers.
Next, they don’t require petting or walking. Although Nemo might disagree. Then there’s the decision of freshwater or saltwater fish. Since we’re discussing the easiest small pets to own, if you’re a beginner, you might go with the freshwater swimmers.
Easy To Care For Fish
There are fish that are easier to have than others and a few of those would be:
- Mollies
- Guppies
- Goldfish
- MOLLIES – Mollies are hardy, adaptable, and quite easy to maintain. They come in lots of different colors and are peaceful creatures. They grow to about 4 ½ inches in size. Although they can get “molly disease,” if you keep their environment clean, they’ll usually stay healthy.
They’re fun to watch and only eat twice a day. Just make sure to clear away any extra food since mollies are so small and don’t need to overeat.
They can live up to five years and function well with other, nonaggressive fish species.
- GUPPIES – Aside from keeping their water clean and feeding them, these fish are super easy pets to own. They’re sociable so give them a couple of other guppies to hang out with.
They’re a community species and are compatible with several other types of fish, too, including rainbowfish and mollies.
- GOLDFISH – Besides being a tasty snack in your grocery aisle, real goldfish are some of the easiest fish to own.
That being said, they do require more upkeep than people may realize. Since they can grow much larger than their birth size of roughly .9 inches, increasing their tank size accordingly is a good idea.
What about this interesting fact: Goldfish have no teeth so they crush food in their throats.
It may surprise you that people use goldfish for more than just entertainment and companionship purposes.
…The almost 90,000 pounds of goldfish caught in Michigan in 2015 brought in nearly $70,000 in revenue. – nationalgeographic.com
Plus, who could resist that stunning sunset color?
Things To Consider
When you’re choosing a small animal, remember these things:
- Always talk to and visit your vet to make sure you’re giving them the best life possible.
- Try to adopt one from someone else since pet shops often sell wild pets that can carry disease and parasites.
- Research the animal before you buy/adopt. There’s tons of spot-on information out there and it only takes the time to look for it.
- No animal is maintenance free so be sure to give them what they need once you’ve decided you need something around besides your Aunt Ethel.
And there you have it – the 3 easiest small pets to own. Others, like rabbits and birds, are just as lovable, but these are favorites if you’re looking for low-maintenance.
Now go forth and find a best buddy. Easy peasy.
P.S. Are you looking for the best pet sitting service in Cincinnati? We’re here for you and your best friend when you need us. Just give us a call or leave your info and we’ll make sure your sweet one gets all the love and attention he or she deserves when you’re away.
References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557565/ – National Library of Medicine – “Snake Toxicity” – Stephen E. Meyers; Prasanna Tadi
2. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/goldfish?loggedin=true – “Goldfish aren’t the ho-hum fish you thought they were” – Kylie Mohr