When we think about getting a new pet, sometimes it’s easy to default to traditional dogs and cats. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Both can make for incredibly lovable companions (I’m a cat person myself). But what if you don’t have the room for a dog to play or a cat to roam? What if they’re just not your thing? Or what if you want to get a smaller pet for your child’s first pet?
Fortunately there are many small animals that can make great pets — some that are even surprising. Today let’s look at ten examples. I’ve left out fish and reptiles (although they can make fine pets as well). I did that because there are so many varieties commonly available that they would be worthy of a separate list altogether. Let’s focus instead on some furry little friends and two varieties of small birds that you might want to welcome into your home.
Here are ten examples of small animals that can make great pets.
Hamsters are a common first pet for children due to their small size. You can keep their cages almost anywhere, making them ideal to keep in a kid’s room.
Gerbils are another very small option if you’re interested in a rodent as a pet.
I don’t particularly think of mice as pets (probably because my brother used to have to buy them as food for his pet snake — something I could never bring myself to watch). But some varieties you find in pet stores are absolutely adorable. Where I live, I’m more used to the field mouse variety.
I didn’t even realize people kept rats as pets until a few years ago. Since then I’ve known several people who do. And while rats aren’t the pet for me, I’ve heard nothing but good things about keeping them. Apparently they’re very social little creatures, and quite intelligent.
As far as pet rodents go, guinea pigs are more my speed. Sadly, our pet guinea pig (Gaby) passed away just last week, and we’re too upset at this point to rush out and get another. But I can tell you they make wonderful pets and can be incredibly sweet. They come in both long and short-haired varieties, so be prepared to groom them regularly if you get a long-haired guinea pig (also called a cavie).
Chinchillas are some of the cutest small animals I’ve ever had experience with. My brother’s teacher had one as a class pet when we were kids. And we were asked to keep it in our house over one summer break. They’re truly amusing little creatures to watch.
What’s not to love about cute little bunnies? What some people don’t realize is that rabbits aren’t just outdoor pets to be kept in hutches. They can also make for wonderful indoor companions. They can make a good bit of noise with their thumping though, so be prepared for that. Then again, most animals will make some kind of noise you’ll need to get used to.
Ferrets are another somewhat common small animal people keep as pets. I don’t have personal experience with these little cuties, largely because I’ve heard they can be bad biters. If you’re a ferret owner, I’d love to hear if you’ve found that to be the case or not (so leave us a comment). As you can see in the picture below, ferrets can even be taken outside for walks on a leash.
The first of two birds on our list is the parakeet. My grandmother kept parakeets when I was growing up, and my only memory of them is being bitten. They’re one of the most common birds I see when I visit pet stores in the area. And they’re always some of the most beautifully-colored birds around.
Cockatiels are another type of small bird that can make great pets. I was never a big fan of pet birds (due to being bit by my grandmother’s parakeet as a kid). But a friend’s cockatiel changed my mind. He’s sweet, funny to listen to and watch, and extremely social. They’re also simply gorgeous animals. If you’re looking for a bird you can teach to talk or sing, but you aren’t ready to commit to a larger parrot, a cockatiel can be a good choice.
Do you own any of these small animals as pets (or have you in the past)? Leave a comment and tell us about your experiences with them. Would you get the same kind of pet again or not? Let us know why. Or did we miss your favorite small pet? If so, leave a comment and share other great examples and your stories about your favorite little critters.
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I am thinking of getting parakeets. I know they love music and will sing along with songs. Nice article the only minuses of getting guinea pigs and rats is that they don’t live for a long time.
That's true. I know guinea pigs tend to live 4-8 years. I've heard rats often live only around two (although I could swear a friend's rats have lived quite a bit longer than that). So guinea pigs it seems would have a little more longevity. But if you get as attached to the little critters as I do, it can certainly be heartbreaking. Ours was at least 4. We don't know her exact age because the person my fiance got her from got her when she was already an adult. So we figure 4.5 - 6 years. And even though 4-8 is the official range, I've read that the average is more like 5.5 years.
On the other hand, that could make these (and hamsters) better pets for kids' first pets because there's less of a commitment involved (meaning parents won't end up taking care of the kid's dog for 10+ years), and they might be good options for people in college who can't be sure what their own plans will be in just a few years.
ill sing to you
We've had a few guinea pigs now. We have one that is almost 6 years old now. But the other two we've had have only lasted about 2 years. My one daughter has had the 2 guinea pigs to my older daughters ONE guinea pig. We're not sure what happened to either guinea pig to make them die. We're hoping the one we've had for almost six years now lasts a couple more for my daughter. I know she'd be crushed if anything happened to her guinea pig, Angel. We had mice that haven't lasted long. Not even 2 years on the mice. And turtles are just a pain because you have to constantly clean their bowls if you don't have a pump to do it for you.
Actually, guinea pigs live 5-10 years, much longer than the lifespan of a rat (2-3 years)
One more cute small pet. Hedgehogs. Seems they are wildly popular and reasonably priced at around 175.00 I was going to get on a baby waiting list until I read they only live 3-5 years. That is just not long enough. So I’m still looking Anyone know how to get an otter? They appear very social and loving to their keeper mommy’s and daddy’s. Any warnings about them?
Ferrets are great pets , but not for everyone. You can't let them free-roam your home, and have several serious health issues that can manifest themselves throughout their life span. Large cages, or 'ferret-proof' living areas are the recommended way to keep these very playful,but mischievousness, and adorable little weasels.
Biting? Ferrets are nothing more than a product of their environment, care, and treatment. if you treat them badly or just leave them locked up with no human, caring inter-action you'll end up with a sullen and antagonistic ferret. They thrive on and love social inter-action with people and even other pets with proper supervision. Ferrets also do so much better with another ferret as a buddy and cage mate. A bit of social sorting out always takes place at first but as soon as that's sorted out they quickly become inseparable.
Take the time to learn what you are getting into before committing to a ferret as a pet. Look into adopting from a local 'ferret shelter' as their are many that can use a good home dumped from those not realizing what they were getting into. Look to these online in your area.
I've had ferrets for many many years and they are a wonderful pet with proper knowledge of their keeping and care.
Thanks Alan. Ferrets are definitely one of the small pet options I'm least familiar with when it comes to personal experience. I'm sure those thinking of adopting one will appreciate your tips and background. :) As for them playing with other pets, are there specific pets you would (or wouldn't) recommend having if you also have ferrets?
I've had ferrets as pets... some were ferocious biters, some not so much. The only thing that was universal was the smell. Ferrets tend to really stink and I would not try to give one a bath.
Thanks for sharing your history with them. I was going to ask Alan if he had tips on dealing with the smell, but it looks like he beat me to it and already did. :)
Bathing ferrets is actually a really bad idea. The only time we ever bathed a ferret was if they got into something that needed to be washed off their coats. Frequent bathing causes their skin to over produce the oils that permeate their skin and coats. It has a musky odor that in small doses isn't bad, but can quickly become overwhelming. I recommend a change of bedding every couple of days. We would buy the cheap wool blankets that could be found at many discount stores, usually 3' x 6', cut these in half to 3' x 3'. Wool is very good at absorbing that musky oil, and we've had as many as 12 ferrets under roof with no odor detectable. We would also use 'stove pellets' (processed de-oiled pine used in horse stalls), as litter for their litter boxes. Great for absorbing that source of odor.
We have dogs, and our dogs have been raised around our ferrets. Big dogs need watching only because bigger dogs don't realize that they are bigger, but all our pups love to play with our ferrets. we know folks with cats, and ferrets and have no issues with those. Rodent varieties are probably not a good to have around ferrets as these are actually a ferrets natural prey, and as long as ferrets have been domesticated they still are weasels at heart though lovable ones.
Thanks for all the information Alan! The bathing background is really interesting because it seems counter-intuitive. We often just assume a pet needs to be bathed. And thanks for the tips on using wool to help absorb and mitigate the smell. :)
I love getting off to guinea pigs. They really love peanut butter off my balls.
hi i wanted to know if taking care of a ferret was like taking care of a hamster or taking care of a rabbit. Because i know a hamster is really easy to take care of and rabbits are more difficult to take care of. Like rabbits or more like a dog where you can't even leave them home when you go on vocation.
Absolutely not. If your planning on giving your ferret a long, happy life then they require a lot of care.
If you don't want them to smell, you will need to the feed them raw/whole prey. It takes me about an hour a week to prepare there meat.
They also require about 4-5 hours ATLEAST a day.
Depending on the cage you have. (if you have the ferret nation it will be very easy)
Ferrets require a lot of work, and shouldn't be pets for anyone under 16 OR a very responsible owner that has many pets during there life time.
Seriously?..
1. Hamsters - smelly rodents..
2. Gerbils - fast smelly rodents..
3. Mice - like Gerbils but with shorter legs..
4. Rats - like Mice but bigger..
5. Guinea Pigs - like Rats only slower, less hairy and no tail..
6. Chinchillas - like well-dressed Guinea Pigs with a tail..
7. Rabbits - like Chinchillas but with long ears and shorter tails..
8. Ferrets - like long skinny Rabbits with shorter ears, longer tails, and tiny hands..
9. Parakeets - like flying rodents with feathers instead of fur and louder..
10. Cockatiels - like Parakeets but bigger..
Seriously? Troll much?
Look, it's simple. If you don't want one of these pets, don't get one. They're better off with people who appreciate them anyway. There are plenty of other pet options out there for other folks.
your just negative ill make you feel better;]
I was thinking the same thing. You left out fish and reptiles and I thought great. A litle variety. Instead, all we saw was rodents and a couple birds.
I've had a hamster, and this is my second one. surprisingly they do NOT stink, you just have to clean it's cage once a week. I've had great experiences with hamsters, and they are manageable to keep!
Someone gave me a Cockatiel years back. It was a female and she was absolutely delightful. My only experience with birds had been raising wild baby birds and releasing them when grown. All "tame" birds struck me as boring in comparison. I was wrong. Darby was friendly to everyone and often was "at liberty" in the house, although she had a very large cage. She played on the computer keyboard, she turned pages in a book, she asked for affection and returned it. My husband, a veterinarian, said that he had no idea that cockatiels were such good pets. She traveled (in her smaller cage) to my sons school pretty regularly for show and tell. She always tolerated the other children quite well. I would have to guess her age at about 7 or 8 when she passed away. We still miss her and talk about her often. It would be good to read up on them before buying one, but anyone who has ever owned a bird would very much enjoy them. Less loud than parrots and less demanding, but just as interactive.
I've never been a bird person, but was equally surprised by how affectionate and social cockatiels can be when I met my friend's bird. I never thought about birds having so much of an outward personality until then. But they do. :)
I like pets but not rats
That's fine Nagaraja. There are plenty of others to choose from. :) Do you have a favorite?
I have great fascination for great dame but I am scared of its great barking
While I can understand a fascination for a great dame.......I would be worried if she started to bark, also, Nagaraja.
I visited with our vet this past weekend and actually discussed large dog breeds with her (we want a large dog in a few months). We need a breed that will work well with our cats and future children. The vet said that great danes are actually one of the best options if you're looking for a sweet larger breed. She said the biggest problem is that they have hip issues (but that's true of many large dogs). And she said to be prepared for a short lifespan with a dog that large (8 years is what she mentioned). As for their barking, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Any dog will bark. Large dogs will often have deep barks that can sound a bit scary. But then again, that's why they can be great for protection -- even if they're not aggressive.
I once let a great dame have its way with my wife
Great Danes are mostly very well behaved dogs. (we are getting away from the "small animals as pets topic", arent we?) My husband and I have had two of them. Yes, they grow VERY fast, and you may find some skeletal and joint issues if you are not careful about diet. They are subject to "bloat" as are some other large breeds, and that can kill them. Yes, they have hip issues which are part of poor breeding practices. They need a LOT of excercise and room to move. These dont make great inside pets. They drool, like mastiffs. Their tails sweep everything off low tables. They shed. While usually they are "gentle giants", every so often one is quite aggressive. They dont live long, true, about 7-8 years. If you live in the country and have no near neighbors as we did, the dog is healthy and happy. If they are confined to a back yard, be prepared for clean ups on the level of picking up after a Shetland pony. They eat a lot and they poop a lot. You need to start behavior training early and you need to stick with it. They dont pick up on training with the speed of a shepard or a Lab. They are clowns and they get along quite well with horses and livestock and cats and kids if they are raised around them. When they coined the phrase--- "eats like a horse"......they were talking about Great Danes.
Irish wolfhounds is another breed that is a gentle giant. And no drooling.
Ilove cockateils and parakeets they talk like me.YO
ive had ferrets for over 15 years... they are permanant 2 year olds... you only get biters if they havnt been handled alot.. and you can train them out of it ... there great with cats... and kids, there hyper and playfull .. and love to play attack feet