What Small Pet Should I Get? – A Complete Guide

You’re looking to get a small pet. You love animals but are confused with the sheer amount of pets available.

Which one should you choose? What type of animal would go best with your home?

What kind of small pet would match your personality?

Many people prefer to keep cats or dogs, and some own other relatively larger animals like horses.

In this brief guide, we have compiled a list of small animals that makes excellent pets.

Keep reading if you are planning to own a small pet.

1. Rabbits

These carrot-loving creatures are among the things that make your day a bit better.

They are pretty sophisticated animals and need proper care.

However, rabbits are generally scared animals eaten mainly by tertiary consumers.

So, you have to train them not to fear or mind being touched or hugged.

• Rabbits also make good pets.
• If you have rabbits with longer hair, you will need to groom and brush them almost daily.
• Children adore them because of their floppy ears, soft fur, and wriggly noses.
• Their spine is fragile and must be held gently.
• Rabbits eat plants to survive. So, you won’t have much trouble feeding them.
• Accordingly, you can train them to get along with your children quite well.
• With a lifespan of 7 to 10 years, they have one of the longest of all small pets.

2. Guinea Pigs

These cute small pets belong to the same types as rats, mice, and rodents.

They have a relatively long lifespan of 4 to 8 years.

They also get attached to children, and with their long life, they are not going anywhere soon once you have decided to pet them.

• Guinea Pigs are very friendly with humans.
• They require very little care, and unlike other rodents, they like to be touched and held by their owners.
• These cute creatures also like to have fun with kids.
• Therefore, they show how their personalities quite openly and are easy to understand.
• It is relatively easy to train these little pigs.
• Guinea Pigs sometimes like to sleep on you.
• No! It is doubtful that you will get bitten by them.
• They are affordable and well-fitted for your budget.

An open-topped pen is preferable to a cage for the confinement of guinea pigs because there is less chance that they will try to escape by climbing out.

3. Lizards

It sounds so odd to pet a lizard, and it is. Because it is not usually seen.

But people have their choices and preferences that we can’t help but wonder about.

On a brighter note, petting a lizard can be a different experience for you or your kid. Let’s take a look at them.

• Lizards make excellent small pets.
• But unlike the other mentioned small pets here, they need additional care.
• Their food is different, and their residing places are different from other animals.
• However, if you have done your homework and understand what’s coming your way, you two might get along pretty well.
• Usually, lizards are odorless, but see a doctor if you see them stinking mildly. These small pets usually walk through sh*t sometimes, making them dirty and possibly stinking. It is not that big of a deal.
• Their lifespan can range from 3 to 20 years, depending on their size.
• Lizards can bite, but only in self-defense, not offense.
• Some of the best pet lizards are Bearded Dragon, Leopard Gecko, etc.

4. Fish

Having a good and large aquarium in your house, filled with many fishes, is such a sight to see.

These small pets’ presence alone can light up an entire room.

They live in water, so there is no chance of brushing their hair or grooming them.

Just take good care of their food. Let’s take a look.

• Fishes are good and never mind small pets. Never mind that their world is different from ours, and they are happy there.
• They are aquatic, so clearly, they don’t require much training because there is no point.
• Koi fishes can be trained, however.
• Unlike many animals, fish training requires a lot of time.
• Having a fish as a pet positively influences the owner’s health.
• Some of the best pet fishes are Discus, Bettas, etc.
• They have a life span of around 2 to 5 years.

5. Rats

You would think, why are we listing the rats after listing the mice above?

That is because they are dissimilar in many cases.

Although both creatures are of the same species, a study has found that rats are better than mice in different aspects.

Let’s take a look.

• Both mice and rats need very little care, but rats prefer to stay clean by themselves.
• They are energetic but peaceful.
• Rats’ interaction with humans, preferably kids, is better and more loving than mice.
• These creatures possess a social nature.
• It is easy to train rats than mice.
• And last but not least, the rats prefer to live as a couple. If left alone for a long, rats can become depressed.

6. Hamsters

Among the most common small pets for kids are hamsters.

They are rodents, but they are adorable ones and are the creatures you may have seen exercising on a wheel in several movies.

They love to interact with children.

Other than exercise, they love to sleep and rest a lot. Have a look.

• Hamsters are among the most common small pets that people prefer to keep.
• Their bodies are very soft, and it is a treat to hold them in your hands.
• If you are new to keeping pets and lack experience, you should have hamsters as your pets.
• However, their care is no rocket science but owners should not take them for granted.
• They don’t require regular bathing, but you should do it when you feel like it.
• Their lifespan is around 2 to 3 years.
• Because they can amuse themselves and are relatively independent, hamsters don’t need as much care as other small pets do. They’ll need a variety of toys to play with, though, so you’ll have to supply those.

7. Birds

Making the article a bit colorful, we have beautiful birds that brighten your house and life.

Although it is a choice, some people believe that having birds as pets is wrong because birds should live freely.

We will take a peek at birds as small pets for kids.

• Birds are simple and good pets.
• They don’t require much training unless you have a parrot, who you can teach to speak.
• Requiring less training and relatively more minor care makes them appealing as beginning pets.
• If you take proper care of them, their lifespan can expand up to 50 years.
• They, sometimes, outlive their owners.
• Birds are a pleasure to the eyes.
• Budgies, Cockatiels, and many others are the best-known small pet birds.
• They require very little space and little to no bathing (obviously!)
• You can keep your pet birds in a cage in one area of your house to prevent mess elsewhere.

Numerous bird species have been carefully bred for human ownership and do well in homes.

Finches, cockatiels, canaries, parakeets, and lovebirds are examples of these.

8. Mice

Although it is not a regular thing to see a mouse as a pet, usually, we have witnessed mice as a nuisance.

It was bothering the house owners in every way possible.

But they can also prove to be good pets. You may have watched the movie “Stuart Little,” where a mouse is shown as a better pet than a cat.

But why should you have a mouse as a pet?

• Mice prove to be fantastic pets.
• When given the proper training, they enjoy being around people.
• These creatures don’t much appreciate being touched, but you can them to, at least, come close for a time and play with you.
• Mice do not require baths or grooming.
• Avoid being in contact with them when they seem a little off because it is likely you may get bit by them.
• With some training, they are very joyful and good small pets.

9. Gerbils

The rodents do make great small pets. Here we have yet another rodent, the Gerbil.

They can also prove to be good starting pets not just for kids but also for adults.

Independent and capable of amusing themselves for long stretches, gerbils can keep themselves busy.

People don’t fear leaving gerbils with their kids at times. Have a look with us.

• Gerbils are very energetic and intelligent.
• They can also become a household’s first small pets.
• They don’t much like being held, but it doesn’t mean you can’t do that.
• If you are the type of owner who just wants a pet but doesn’t want to interact with them physically, gerbils are for them.
• Being around them is joyful.
• Their lifespan can range from 2 to 4 years at max.

10. Ferrets

It has been thousands of years since humans first domesticated the adorable ferret.

They look adorable and tend to have a strong bond with humans, especially children. Let’s see.

• Ferrets are intelligent and loving creatures.
• Don’t let their small size fool you because they need additional care—more than any other pet listed here.
• Because of that, it is recommended that only skilled owners decide to pet them.
• They don’t bite unless provoked.
• Ferrets need to bathe more often than other pets.
• Their lifespan is around 5 to 10 years.

The Takeaway

All the small pets listed above are great for your kids. Most of them are rodents; that is why basic training is paramount.

If you’ve made the decision to keep a pet, be ready to give it the genuine attention it needs.

They are not things or showpieces that you bring and put in a corner.

They are living beings. So, ask yourself am I ready to own a pet?

If yes, do it by all means. If not, kindly first develop a little experience in their care.

Amanda

Purrfect n’ Pawesome is the brainchild of Amanda, who has been into researching and writing about pets to help other pet parents in nurturing their adorable pets. Currently, she runs Purrfect n’ Pawesome along with her team of experienced and dedicated pet experts. Along with being an awesome writer and entrepreneur, Amanda is a cat mom to two innocently spoiled cats, Balanca and Scruffy.
She has been writing about pet care and nurturing and wants to share her readers’ experiences, learnings, and knowledge.
Over the years, she had the opportunity to work with various pet owners having multiple breeds, and that exposure gave her experience and the lessons of a lifetime.
Her family, her entire universe revolves around her two cats, who give her endless support and inspiration to move ahead with her objectives in life. Amanda is a live example of a balanced approach to all parenthood questions we all face in life.