What are pocket pets?
The term “Pocket Pet” refers to animals that are small enough to fit comfortably in our pocket or in a small cage. Most of these are rodents or small breeds of dogs such as Chihuahuas. Some may have special care, so we must inform ourselves well before making the decision to acquire one of these.
It’s important to remember that some of the species shown below may be illegal in some territories, so we recommend that you inform us about the matter when looking for one of these little companions.
Where to keep a pocket pet?
When choosing, one of the most limiting factors we have when choosing a new pet is the space we have. However, pocket pets can be adapted to small spaces.
Many of the species of pocket pets, such as hamsters or other small rodents, only require that they be given the space of a cage which does not need to be very large in order to provide adequate comfort to our pet. Thanks to this, pocket pets are the ideal option to keep in small homes or small apartments.
What species are pocket pets?
Most of the species in which pocket pets are presented are rodents. There are also some birds and reptiles that meet the characteristics of pocket pets. However, despite their popularity, only a few canine breeds are considered as “pocket pets”.
How to take care of pocket pets?
Although many of the pocket pets that we can find out there are members of the rodent family, each of them is different, and we must know what their needs are and how to care for them properly.
Hamster
These are some of the most popular when selecting a pocket pet. They have an approximate lifetime of three years and are very easy to care for. They only need a cage with shredded paper to be able to make a good bed. The best thing is that these have wheels, tubes, and other toys inside their cage so they can exercise and keep fit.
Hamsters feel comfortable living alone, but if you want to have more than one, it is imperative to take into account that, if two of the same sex get together, they can develop aggressive behaviors with each other. Therefore, the most recommended is to join two of the opposite sex. They can live well and even procreate more hamsters in a simple way.
Rabbit
Rabbits are animals that are as cute as they are delicate. These require medium care. A cage where it can move freely, we must always keep it clean to prevent our little friend from getting sick. When it comes to water and food, rabbits require a water change every two days at most to keep it fresh. In addition, they must be fed twice a day. They usually get along very well with a diet of hay and fresh leaves.
Despite common beliefs, it is not advisable to keep them on a diet of carrots as they can contain too much sugar for them and can even blind them. To keep our bunny active, we can take him for a walk using a harness that is his size; however, we must be careful since the sounds of hectic cities can stress them many, it is best to take him to quiet places such as parks or mountains.
Hedgehogs
The first thing we have to bear in mind is that these animals are not the most suitable for children because they require special attention, they are delicate and stress easily. In addition, when stressed, they tend to roll up as a defense mechanism and, thanks to their hairs or quills, can sting, again, in self-defense.
Hedgehog’s care is varied, starting with their cage, which should be as wide as possible, with a firm base, preferably made of plastic and without bars since, thanks to its size, it can get stuck and suffocate. As for food and drink, they feel more comfortable taking from bottle containers, their food plate should be low, and their diet should not come under any
circumstances be a human diet.
They naturally feed on small insects such as crickets. However, there are to be careful with the amounts of protein they eat as they can easily gain weight.
Other additional cares include its temperature, which should be between 72 and 82 ° F. We can use a heating plate or heat source to keep the temperature in this range since if it drops, they can easily get sick, in addition, we must cut their nails regularly to prevent curling and damage.
Ferret
Ferrets are very active and curious small carnivorous animals that, in turn, sleep a lot during the day. It also requires special care and attention. It can live up to 8 years and enter its adult stage after its first year. When kept at home, it can help control some insect pests as well as add an exotic touch to the home.
It is good that if we think about acquiring one, it is as young as possible so that it adapts to the home and develops friendly habits, but, thanks to its curiosity, it’s important to be very attentive to prevent any accident within our home.
The ideal cage of one of these small animals should be wide and have a soft bottom since they are lovers of digging. Also, since they sleep for much of the day, it requires a dark section to be able to do it comfortably. We must clean its cage a minimum of once a week since it is an animal that can easily develop a bad smell.
As for their diet, as they are carnivorous animals, the consumption of animal protein is important. Special food for ferrets or puppy cats should serve this purpose well.
Chinchilla
Although at first, they can be distrustful, chinchillas are calm and intelligent rodents that, when they get used to you, offer you a lot of affection. In addition, they are very expressive and tend to communicate a lot with their particular squeaks.
They may not need much care, but it is important to know the most specific ones to be able to give our pet a good life. For example, an important characteristic of these small animals is that they need to live with other chinchillas to feel good. Therefore, the best is to get a partner. It is also important to know that they are nocturnal animals, so we must respect their sleep hours so that they are always optimally.
For these curious and reckless animals, it is best to get a high cage so that they have enough space to climb, especially if we will have more than one at a time. It is best that this cage is made of metal but that the base is solid as the racks can be uncomfortable and hurt your legs.
Chinchillas’ diet, being herbivorous animals, is composed almost entirely of hay that can be mixed with small portions of vegetables and fruits. When it comes to providing water, we can use a bottle drinker for the animal’s comfort, and we must change the water regularly to keep it fresh.
Advantages of pocket pets
Acquiring pocket pets can be beneficial in several ways, not only because of space since these pets are ideal for places with limited space, such as apartments. They also provide many advantages in the case of having children.
One of these pets can help our child learn values such as responsibility, empathy, and respect for others. They can also help in reducing the risk of allergies easily and even reduce the risk of asthma.
In addition to this, it also helps them develop their social and affective skills with other people and reduces the aggressiveness of children.
Pocket Pet Precautions
Despite looking small and cute, from time to time, these animals can easily transmit diseases and infections. One of the most common is salmonella. These small pets can transmit this disease to their owners easily and can be infected even if they look healthy to the naked eye, so we must be vigilant.
A very useful tip when choosing your pet is to pay attention to whether it is lively or calm. In most cases, when they are calm or look tired or sick, they most likely are, so one that has a lively, alert and clean appearance is best.
Another indicator of the animal’s health can be its breathing. If it is breathing with difficulty, it surely has a health problem. We must be careful that it is breathing in a normal and controlled way.
