Is a Pet Right For You? Things to Consider Before Adopting

Hi everyone, today I'll be discussing a few things to consider before adopting a small pet. Often, small animals are marketed by pet stores as "starter pets" or as pets suitable for kids. Many companies emphasize the ease of owning an animal, almost treating them as toys. This leads many to believe that they are suited for owning a pet. However, there are many factors to consider if you are interested in providing your pet with a safe space that allows them to thrive.

1. Do you have enough space in your house?

   Despite what many believe, small animals are not suited to small living spaces. If you visit our blog, you can find more information on adequate housing for individual animals, so I will be brief here. In the wild, animals such as hamsters, mice, rabbits, rats, ferrets, chinchillas, and gerbils travel incredible distances, dig large underground burrows, and have constant mental stimulation. While we can't replicate the exact environments in the wild, we can provide them with an adequately sized living space.

2. Are you willing to put in the effort?

   Because small pets are marketed as "starter" pets, often for children, their well-being is often overlooked. To allow your pet to truly thrive, it's incredibly important that you are willing to put in effort and care into the lives of your pet. You need to be able to take them to the vet, be willing to clean and change things as needed, and provide nutrition and stimulation. It is not hard, necessarily, but it is not easy. Many forget that small pets are real animals that require care and attention.

   
   

3. Are you in a financial position to have a pet?

There are many ways to have a pet on a budget, and I am not saying that you need to be in a perfect financial situation. However, as I noted earlier, pets are not easy and require significant effort. I encourage you to think about the costs of veterinary care, food, shelter, and amenities. If you need DIY toy ideas that are easy to make and cheap, we have them on our blog.

1. Do you have the time?

   In addition to being relatively expensive and requiring significant effort, pets also require a lot of time. With all the responsibilities that come with caring for an animal, time can slip away. Even when some of these animals are crepuscular or nocturnal. So, make sure that your school and work schedules allow you to care for an animal.

This blog has no intention of discouraging people from getting a pet, but I wanted to serve as a reminder that pets are not easy, no matter how small. I truly think that pets can change someone's life, and there's a specific kind of love that you can give and a relationship you can make with a pet. But even so, well-being, safety, and health come first.

Thanks for reading!

Love, Elyse