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Small Animals
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| Small Mammals as PetsThis
category includes ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rats,
mice, hamsters, and other little furry critters. Smaller animals
require less space than cats and dogs and yet can offer just as much
interaction. Prices can range from one to two dollars for a mouse to
hundreds of dollars for more exotic mammals such as chinchillas.
For
safest care small mammals should be kept in adequately sized hutches or
cages and let out only when they are able to be watched carefully. The
initial investment of housing for a small mammal runs on average from
around $10 to several hundred dollars, depending on the size, material
used, and decorative value. Once this initial cost is covered, however,
feeding and upkeep are relatively inexpensive. Most small mammals can
be fed from your pantry, with individual dietary guidelines for each
species followed. Most small mammals can be cared for with basic
understanding of the species to begin with and are great introductory
pets. Most veterinarians who treat dogs and cats can also treat small
mammals.
Small mammals will need daily feeding and should have
their cages cleaned every other day or so, depending on the substrate
they are housed in. Some people with allergies to cats will also react
to small mammals. Small mammals are in general friendly if handled
properly, but some species may bite if defensive. This is particularly
true of hamsters and I do not recommend that anyone purchase a hamster
as a pet to be handled by a child as they tend to be quite moody at
times and unpredictable.
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