Why would a cute creature from the rodent family be your ideal pet?
Do you adore seeing cute hamsters, gerbils, rabbits or chinchillas in a pet store? They have definitely found their way into cute cartoons, stories and greeting cards. The rabbit lore brings to mind the literary work of Beatrix Potter, particularly the one about the mysterious little scoundrel Peter who sneaks into a farmer’s garden and throws a feast before being chased away. It’s enemy territory for farmers, but pet rabbits are a different story. They are equally sought after as pets as hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and rats – all members of the rodent family.
Do you still maintain the idea that a pet hamster is more of a “starter pet”, given to children who catch a dog, but the parents want to make sure he is up to the task of caring, so he is allowed a smaller type of pet that needs less care or attention. I’ve seen more than enough classified ads of people looking to rehouse a gerbil or guinea pig because the kids have gone to college and the building they’re moving into doesn’t allow pets. This is a real shame. As a general rule, small rodents generally don’t live as well as cats and dogs, but they do have some lifespan in them, until they end up being left behind. If you are an adult and subscribe to the mindset that pet ferrets are “just for kids,” you will be missing out on the fun and exciting experience of ferret ownership. He has many loyal pet lovers of all ages and enjoy the company of a furry little pet mammal. There are many shows, property clubs and competitions that bear witness to this.
As someone who owns a pet hamster and a hamster, I can tell you a little bit about their habitat needs. Now while hamsters and gerbils will be content living in a well-ventilated cage abundant with fun activities like tunnels and mazes, rabbits need a home that’s much bigger than that. As a matter of fact, rabbit habitats are called “cages,” not “cages.” There should be a lot of interesting rooms. However, the structure of the rabbit’s habitat is very similar to that of its smaller cousins. A home should be built with some durability in mind: Rodents are notorious chewers. Most houses for small rodents are made of durable plastic or wire. Rabbit houses are made in the same way. Hamsters chew on cardboard (think toilet paper tubes – which I always keep for them) and rabbits need a steady diet of wood due to the nature of their ever-growing incisor teeth. This is a very important point.
Rodents are also herbivores, which means they subsist on a diet of vegetables and fruits. Nuts and seeds should also complement their diets. There are a few nasties here and there that you don’t want to give to your pet. Onions should not be given to hamsters and romaine lettuce is much better than iceberg because of its high nutritional content. If we’re talking about raw standards like broccoli, carrots, kale, or cauliflower, you can’t go wrong; But fruit should be introduced gradually in their diets so as not to cause diarrhoea. They also need plenty of good, fresh water, which should come from a cage-type bottle, not the water dish your cat or dog is given.
Ferrets also need soft bedding. Rice chips are commonly used; Although I switched to some kind of bedding from a supposedly pet store that had better odor control. Odor control is definitely a must: these buddies are going to do some major poo! This is one of the reasons many pet experts do not recommend glass aquarium tanks with a tight-fitting lid as is common in reptile habitats as good homes for mice and gerbils and hamster ventilation is very important. They also need a “hideout” to which they can run for safety when they feel threatened, as ferrets have many enemies in the wild – it’s part of their natural instinct to hide from perceived danger.
The smaller the pet, the shorter its lifespan, so ask yourself if you can prioritize your time to attend to the needs of small creatures. Hamsters, mice, and gerbils can live up to five years, and guinea pigs, chinchillas, and rabbits can easily reach 10; However, these are just averages. Now, on the issue of having more than one ferret is like having a friend around, so two can be better than one – ideally of the same sex, mind you, or they will breed (like crazy!) So if you can keep in mind the above key indicators and don’t underestimate them, you should be well on your way to successful small pet ownership. Have fun and don’t forget that you can always find other Creature Owners to interact with in discussion groups to share new ideas or information or even participate in a club or contest!
