Small rodents are adorable but selecting one of them can be tricky. They are considered to be as favourites by the familes. Different rodents have varied requirements for social interaction, time and space. I am telling you about the most common rodents that are kept in households and afterwards, you can decide if one if these adorable creatures is the right companion for you.
1. HAMSTERS :-
They are cute creatures having an average life – span of 2-3 years. Usually, the adult hamsters are 6 inches tall and their cages should be 12 inches tall ( 12 x 18 ) which is twice the size of hamsters. They are very active and loves to exercise so if you are going to get one, then make sure to buy a wheel for running too.
If they are not handled carefully, then it can become defensive and might bite too, so be careful before giving it to younger children. Children of under 8 years of age should not allowed to handle this pet and children over 8 years of age must always be supervised by adults.
2. GERBILS :-
The average life – span of gerbils are 2 – 3 years. Their body length is about four inches and a furry tail which is as long as the length of their body. They are very engrossing creatures and fitted for mostly all the families. They rarely bite so you need not to worry about your children but do not leave them alone with it in order to be safe. Sometimes, gerbils are mistaken for rats or mice but they actually behave and look different from them. You can provide a lot of things for climbing such as wood pieces, ladders or platforms. You van actually be entertained by watching them play. They should not be kept alone in the cage, you can put another gerbil in the cage of the same sex. They starts breeding from three months of age and can produce 5 – 10 babies in every 24 days so its better if you keep the same sex of gerbils in the cage.
3. GUINEA PIGS :-
Their average life – span is usually five to seven years. These are the perfect starter for those older kids who knows enough proper handling techniques of pet as they rarely bite. They are very social animals and if you put another guinea pigs, they might become great friends and will play, from which you can be entertained. However keeping the same sex of guinea pigs together is not recommended. Try to buy a bigger cage for it, but not too big. Also keep away the cage from hot temperatures, otherwise it can cause a heatstroke. If you think he is sick, immediately take him to the vet, symptoms can include – sneezing, coughing, diarrhea, or inactive.
4. MICE :-
These creatures live on an average of one to two years. Most of the people thinks that mice are very ordinary creatures, I guess they have never seen mice playing as they are very playful and curious creatures and you can be relaxed by watching them play.
They are independent creatures and do not need you to entertain themselves but they can entertain you very well! But they DO need your affection and love. If you have a younger child then do not let him to handle mouse without your supervision. Mice love to explore everything around their surroundings instead of just sitting on the lap.
5. RATS :-
They are very affectionate, clean and intelligent animals, they can easily bond with human – beings almost in the same way that dogs do. Children, too can play with rats but under adult supervision but children must be taught how to handle animals as they are not toys and must be treated with respect.
You can get a wire cage for them as it suited besr for them because they enjoy climbing and the wire cage is ventilated enough.
6. CHINCHILLAS :-
They are very attractive rodents and their body length is generally about ten inches with a long five – inches tail. They can make wonderful pets for people who knows how to handle these creatures properly. They can bite if they feel threatened or scared. They do not like noise around their surroundings and can be stressed by too much of noise so you should keep the noise volume minimum as much as possible. Their cages should be large enough as they enjoys running and playing.
Owning and caring of a rodent can be of great fun but it is a big commitment and respondibility in terms of finances, care, affection and time. Before buying rats, ask yourself whether you can care for them properly for probably more than two years or not. They are not like toys, you have to handle them carefully, also do not let your children to handle them without your supervision, If you are ready for caring and handling properly these creatures then go for it!