The best pet. What animal to choose? The most unusual pets Animals for the house are small
Hello friends! Many parents do not allow a cat or a large dog because there is not enough space in the apartment or it is difficult to care for and walk a pet. But in order to please yourself or your child, it is not necessary to have a large pet. Today the site will tell you about the 10 smallest pets, among which you can definitely choose a future pet and will not be burdened with taking care of it!
1. Flying squirrel
Flying squirrel- the sweetest creature with irrepressible energy! She constantly runs, climbs somewhere, jumps up to 70 m in length. In a word, you definitely won’t get bored with her! And this animal loves the company very much. So you can forget about loneliness, a friend is provided for you! The perfect pet, right?
2. Skunk
Skunk- a very exotic pet and very ... smelly, especially when nervous. But this can be dealt with. Special “deodorants” were invented for him so that he would not smell so fragrant. As a pet, he is very affectionate, quickly gets used to the leash and willingly walks with the owner. And he is also not averse to rummaging through the trash cans and auditing the master's cabinets, so it is better to keep the doors and trash cans closed.
3. Hedgehog
Hedgehog in general, a kind of superman of the animal world: he does not care about wasp or snake bites, he calmly endures the lack of food and water, and is resistant to overheating. The hedgehog is very courageous, but at the same time an unusually cute animal. Many even take these babies with them on trips, because they are so unpretentious.
4 Octopus
Octopus- smart clam. You can watch how it changes color and shape for hours. He is a master of "all legs" and therefore can arrange a "rearrangement" of snags and stones in the aquarium. And if you accidentally leave a tube or hose in the aquarium, it will easily slip into the narrow opening of this tube or hose and get out of the aquarium. So, in order to prevent escape, block all entrances / exits, octopuses are very cunning.
5 Hermit Crab
It's hard to imagine, but Cancer hermit can also pass for a pet. They love to overcome various obstacles, climb and play hide and seek. Anything can become a refuge for him - from a shell or a broken pot to a coconut shell.
6. Mini pig
mini pig or a domestic decorative pig delights everyone! They are very smart, trainable, so the owners do not have problems with the tray, walking and cleanliness. But so that the pig does not have obesity, it must be kept on a diet. And they love to swim, so you won't be bored.
7. Gecko
Pop-eyed little nimble geckos very sweet and unpretentious. Lizards can chirp, chirp, croak, click and squeak. It is better not to touch them once again with your hands, since the skin of geckos is very delicate, but it is very possible to teach them to take food from their hands.
8. Stick insect
stick insects- masters of disguise under the branches of trees. Sometimes they can reach up to half a meter in length, so they need a real skyscraper for their home. Stick insects love warmth and moisture, feel at home in an aquarium decorated with twigs and pieces of bark. These insects are 100% vegan and eat oak, currant, raspberry, linden and rose hip leaves.
9. Spider
Spiders, although they look intimidating, they are good because they do not need walking and communication, and are very economical. It is not recommended to feed adults more than once a week; by the way, they prefer to eat crickets and cockroaches from food. By the way, at the time of molting, the spider generally refuses food. If the animal is not disturbed, then after molting the spider itself will appear before the owner, delighting the owner with a bright color and large size.
10. Scorpio
One of the oldest and most dangerous inhabitants of our planet, scorpion, is able to get along with a person on one condition - if he equips a dwelling in a dark and secluded corner. The scorpion is an insectivore, but large individuals are able to "gobble up" even a mouse or a frog. You need to buy food in pet stores, you should not jump for locusts on the lawn yourself, because wild insects can carry various diseases.
Write in the comments which of these kids you liked the most, and which, in your opinion, seems nasty.
In our article, we want to talk about how to choose a pet and whether it is worth getting one at all. Of course, every child dreams of him. But for parents, this is certainly a problem, because they understand that all responsibility will fall on them. It is hardly worth believing children's promises that the baby himself will follow and care for the cat or dog, at least at first.
Pet: to take or not to take?
Before you take an animal home, you need to understand that it will require your attention and warmth. You need to decide who you or your child would like.
Some like dogs, others like cats, and still others like rodents or birds. In addition to sympathies, when choosing a living creature, it is important to study the nuances of caring for him and his habits.
Think about whether your pet will be a burden to you, whether you can provide him with decent care. It is very bad if you take an animal for yourself, and then, disappointed, want to get rid of it.
You can't do that. Any creature gets used to its masters. Believe me, for your attention and love, it will also answer you with affection and affection.
The best pet is a dog
First, decide what you need a four-legged friend for. What kind of dog are you looking for? After all, different breeds have different personalities. If you want to send your love and care to her, then you need a pet with a cheerful mischievous character. If you need a security guard, then this is a completely different matter. Then you better take a large dog of some service breed. You will not be able to collect all the traits in one animal, therefore, carefully approach the choice of breed. First of all, you need to be guided by whether you can give decent care and education to the ward. For example, a service dog needs to be trained. And for this you will need to spend a lot of time or hire a dog handler. Are you ready for this? If yes, feel free
Nuances to keep in mind
Remember that a large dog will occupy some part of your apartment. And if you already have little space, this can be a problem. Yes, and in feeding there is a big difference between keeping a small lapdog or a large shepherd dog. You understand that a dog of solid size needs to be cooked separately. He will not be able to eat leftovers from your table.
Smaller dogs are a little easier. They eat less, and they don't need much space. And with education it is easier. For example, the antics of the Pekingese can be treated with concessions. But a shepherd dog definitely cannot be allowed much. However, small dogs require a lot of attention to their person, moreover, they are very jealous.
Having chosen a dog as a pet, remember that you will have to radically reconsider your life, maybe even change something in the apartment. Remember that you will have to take your child outside for a walk at least twice a day in any weather. But you will get a real faithful friend who will always be waiting for you at home and rejoice at your arrival.
There is another important point. The life of pets will bring you a lot of joy, but it will also bring some inconvenience. This is especially true for your possible departures. For example, you want to go on vacation, or your work involves frequent business trips, and you have a four-legged friend. Here you need to foresee who will be able to look after him during your absence. It is unlikely that you will be able to take your pet with you. Not to mention the fact that I miss you, because there is no more devoted friend than her.
Cat
If your dream is a pet cat, then you most likely expect to receive warmth and affection from her after a hard day's work. Don't be so naive. Many breeds have, frankly, not at all an angelic and unkind character, but rather, on the contrary, aggressive. Therefore, do not chase thoroughbred specimens. Do not think that external beauty is an indicator of the inner world of an animal. Not at all.
Before making your choice, carefully study the behavior of different breeds. And then decide for yourself what you want.
Pros and cons of keeping pet cats
Remember that, whatever the breed, you will have to face such a problem as an abundance of wool in the apartment. And this means that you either have to clean up more often, or simply ignore it.
There is another unpleasant moment in the behavior of cats. They can intensively mark the territory of your house or apartment, thus expressing their dissatisfaction. Sometimes this becomes a serious problem. But it also depends on the nature of the particular animal. Everything is like people. One person is good, and the other is harmful or evil.
Cats have one wonderful trait. They are able to relieve stress well and quickly calm the owners, normalizing blood pressure.
The cat is a good house pet in terms of walks. Unlike dogs, she doesn't really need them. Very often, the owners do not let their pets go outside at all, turning them into purely domestic creatures.
When choosing an animal, keep in mind that purebred cats are quite capricious in food and are more prone to various kinds of diseases, which means that you will have to spend money on veterinarian services.
poultry
A pet is not necessarily a cat or a dog. The choice is wider. You can, for example, get a bird: a parrot or a canary.
If you are ready to spend a lot of time on your pet and listen to their wonderful singing, then you need a bird. Winged ones are good because they do not need to be walked, and food for them is inexpensive.
However, be prepared for such an inconvenience as feathers flying around the room. Cleaning will need to be done much more often, especially during the molting period of the bird. But you will always enjoy wonderful singing.
As a rule, the cages for them are not very large, and therefore the feathered friend will need to be given the opportunity to fly around the apartment so that he stretches his wings. Here you need to be prepared for the fact that the bird can slightly spoil the wallpaper or furniture. Despite their small size, such pets have a strong beak that can tear even the carpet.
Domestic rodents
Now pet stores offer a huge selection of domestic rodents - these are rats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, chinchillas. As a rule, they are unpretentious in care and often multiply. Children love them because of their small size.
In general, rodents have a lot of advantages. But the disadvantages include a specific smell, which appears with not very careful care. However, if you use special fillers for cages, which are now a huge selection in stores, you will be able to cope with this problem.
And the biggest drawback is the short life of such a pet. Hamsters, as a rule, rarely live beyond two years. And the loss of a little friend is fraught with a negative impact on the psyche of your child. This point must be taken into account.
Rodents are not treatable. They are small and disease affects them very quickly.
Rodent habits
There is a lot of information about pets. It is better for future owners to study their habits so that there are no unexpected surprises later. For example, most rodents are nocturnal. For them, this is the norm. So don't be surprised if you hear the rumble of a wheel in his cage in the middle of the night. This indicates that your hamster has gone for a walk. During the day, they are usually inactive and dormant, but at night vigorous activity begins.
Rodents will not resist at all if the child starts playing with him, and sometimes even squeezing. As a rule, they are peaceful. Yes, and with a cage, you may well travel or give it to relatives at the time of departure.
Such a pet is easier to attach for a while than a dog or cat, because they are easier to care for. In general, hamsters are very funny, it will be interesting for a child to watch and play with them. Such an animal will never harm the baby.
exotic pets
Pets, well known to us since childhood. However, it has recently become fashionable to have exotic animals: spiders, snakes, crocodiles, insects, snails, etc. Let's start with the fact that this is extremely dangerous. It is not clear what people are generally guided by, making a choice in favor of exotics.
Certainly not a desire to receive love and attention, rather, somehow show off in front of friends.
Be aware of the possible risks to which you expose not only yourself, but also your family members by acquiring an exotic. Learn as much as you can about this topic. Such representatives of the animal world can become carriers of all kinds of infections.
Instead of an afterword
A good pet is first of all safe. This must be remembered if you decide to have it for a child. After all, communication with him should bring only joy and positive emotions to the youngest family member, and at the same time gradually accustom him to the fact that animals need to be looked after.
This will develop in the baby a sense of responsibility for the ward creature. Such skills will be very useful to him in later life.
Many of us or our friends and acquaintances have pets. Most often, these are cats, dogs and aquarium fish.
And who else is in the TOP 10 pets?
1 Cats
This animal rightfully takes first place in this ranking. According to various research centers, their number was more than 200 million as pets. Although some scholars cite figures such as 500 million or more. Regardless of their number, most people can say that their favorite animal is the cat. This is a great achievement for such small animals that have not changed for many centuries.
2 Pisces
Oddly enough, these are not dogs or birds, but aquarium and other types of domestic fish. Their number is roughly comparable to the number of cats. Actually, this is only due to the fact that even in a small home aquarium, you can keep dozens of these beautiful waterfowl. There are over 28 thousand species of fish. Of course, it is difficult to find at least a tenth of them in the assortment of a pet store. But nevertheless, today you can often find the view we like among lovers of breeding fish.
3 dogs
These truly faithful animals, although in third place, are the majority of people who prefer dogs. In 2007, in America alone, there were over 72 million pet dogs. The popularity of the dog was due to its loyalty to the owner and a high degree of trainability. It is also worth considering that in many countries of the world these animals help people in various social services, rescue and law enforcement organizations.
4 Birds
The most popular in Asian countries, where, unlike other regions, poultry farming has been practiced for many thousands of years. Canaries, peacocks, parrots, ostriches, chickens, turkeys are just a small part of the many different species. Do not forget about such a noble occupation as falconry. Now this event has become more of a sport and is not so common, but a few centuries ago it was really popular.
5 horses
For generations, these beautiful and noble animals have been the most popular in the world. In the Middle Ages, horses were the only means of transportation around the world and were used as household helpers. Actually, even now, in some villages, the horse is still an integral “member of the family”. Although this is most likely a rarity and a curiosity, horse riding as a hobby and sport has been actively developing in recent decades in many countries of the world.
6 Rabbits
Many people see rabbits as more of a food item than a pet. But this is most likely due to ignorance. To date, there are about 40 pure breeds and almost as many different hybrids. Decorative rabbits, for example, for keeping in an apartment, have many different shades of wool and come in various sizes. Popular as pets, they have become due to their pleasant nature and ease of care.
7 Turtles
Not so much popularity, most likely can be attributed to the exoticism of turtles. Although, only in the US, their number exceeds the figure of 2 million. There are over 250 species worldwide, however many are not well suited for home keeping due to their habitat. Also, many species are listed in the Red Book and are endangered. Due to these factors, in some countries the sale of turtles to private hands is prohibited.
8 Hamsters
These small, fluffy, cuddly rodents are very popular with children. Due to their low cost and ease of care, they do not burden their owner. They are mainly nocturnal, so some people associate them with motionless and little active creatures. Although this is far from true. With the right maintenance and affectionate attitude, they become very tame, some species are even amenable to training.
9 Ferrets
They also belong to rodents, like rabbits and hamsters. However, in some countries their content is illegal. The reason for their illegal status is their ability to harm their owner. Due to their extremely sharp teeth, they are often classified as wild animals. Despite this prejudice, many people enjoy having these active animals. There is, however, another factor in their not-so-popularity. This is a specific smell of the glands, which not everyone wants to put up with.
10 Guinea pigs
Small furry animals native to Peru. By the way, there they are not pets, but are eaten. Their number is approximately equal to the number of ferrets. There are different breeds, the main difference between them is most often the size of the animal itself and the length of its coat. An interesting feature of guinea pigs is that they can adapt to their owner's lifestyle. To be more precise, their active lifestyle falls just during the period of wakefulness of the owner.
At present, man has domesticated many animals, but most of all, small animals bring joy, which you can hold in your arms and cuddle. It is these miniature animals that are loved for their playful and friendly disposition, cute faces or fur that is pleasant to the touch.
Now there is a tendency to keep a variety of overly exotic small species at home, such as scorpions, spiders and even insects (for example, stick insects). However, not every person will be able to enjoy stroking a spider. Therefore, only those species of small animals that are more or less generally accepted will be considered below. And so, today let's take a look at what they are, the smallest pets on planet Earth - Top 10 of the smallest pets.
Dwarf rabbit (lop-eared baby)
The English name is Dwarf rabbit.
A small, incredibly cute and fluffy animal, its behavior is more like a kitten. The breed is exclusively decorative, does not live in the wild, the process of breeding it took more than 20 years and the species was finally formed in 1918. The Polish white rabbit is considered the ancestor of the dwarf rabbit. The miniature animal itself does not exceed 15-20 centimeters in length and weighs from 1.5 kilograms. It has characteristic recumbent "ears" about 5.5 centimeters long. Like all and all hare breeds, he prefers to eat carrots, cabbage, lettuce.
You can see how cheerful and mobile this lop-eared rabbit is by watching the video.
In English, the animal is called Pygmy hog.
Another extremely decorative miniature species, bred specifically for home keeping. Their breeds are very different. For example, the Mayalino breed barely reaches a weight of 9-13 kilograms, and the bellied mini-pig, quite, can gain a whole centner. Their ancestors are considered to be a small Vietnamese pig. Mini-pigs differ from their usual counterparts in their special cleanliness, they are easily accustomed to the toilet. The diet is quite simple and includes bread, dairy products, vegetables and fruits.
From the video you will learn how a miniature pygmy pig lives at home in a city apartment.
Small mouse lemur (pygmy)
They are dwarf poppies, lat. microcebus.
But this is already a domesticated representative of the recently wild nature. Its homeland is the island of Madagascar. The smallest primate in the world has an average weight of about 50 grams, with a body length of 25 centimeters, of which ten or more centimeters is a fluffy tail. The animal prefers a nocturnal lifestyle, therefore, nature endowed it with a brown-gray color, large eyes and pointed locator ears capable of sharp “turns”. Lemurs feed mainly on fruits and small insects (although an ordinary kitchen cockroach is unlikely to suit them).
Video from which you will learn how the gray domestic lemur lives.
They also call the marmoset Göldi, geldium callimiko, also known as the jumping tamarin, lat. — Callimico goeldii.
Also, until recently, a representative of exclusively wild nature, which is the smallest monkey in the world. The natural habitat is the tropical forests of South America. The length of their body together with the tail is up to 25 centimeters, the weight can reach 50 grams. The length of the tail can often be greater than the size of the body. The color of marmosets is very different - from juicy green to dark gray with pronounced gray "whiskers". Like its fellow lemur, the marmoset feeds mainly on fruits and small insects, but is not averse to eating various flowers, especially those that have a sweet smell.
Watch the video - home baby marmoset - the smallest monkey in the world.
In Latin it is called Chinchilla.
These animals in the wild live in South America. They are not a forest animal, rather, by family ties, they are closer to rodents. They prefer to eat grass, but also like various grains. They deserved the love of a person thanks to their extremely smooth and pleasant to the touch thick fur. When kept in captivity, they are very clean. The color of the fur varies depending on the habitat - the northern individuals are whiter, the southern ones are darker. The size of the animal is approximately 25-35 centimeters, it can reach a weight of up to half a kilogram.
The video shows a small and cheerful domestic chinchilla.
In Latin, the name of this small animal sounds like Gerbillinae.
Often this little one is confused with domestic mice - they are really very similar in fur and body structure, the difference is only in the length of the tail. They began to domesticate them only from the middle of the 20th century, the Mongolian look gained great popularity. Their homeland is the steppes and semi-deserts. The animal has a body weight of about 150 grams. In length it can reach up to 20 centimeters. Fur color varies from bright yellow to dark brown. Gerbils feed on grain and grass. The animals themselves are social - in captivity it is better to pick up a pair for a pet.
Video with domestic gerbil.
Also called kevi, kevi or guinea pig, lat. Cavia porcellus.
Pigs are native to northern South America. They have nothing to do with the sea, but they called them that because they brought them "from over the sea", that is, they are "overseas". The animal has a thick and long coat, the color can be completely different - from albinos to perfect dark colors. Pigs eat grass, vegetables, they need to be given cereals in a limited amount - there is a risk of oral disease. The weight of a pet can reach up to one and a half kilograms, body length - up to 35 centimeters. Females are always smaller than males by five centimeters. The smallest are 20 centimeters.
Video from which you will learn how small guinea pigs live at home.
They are also called weasels or lat. Mustela.
Quite a dangerous domestic predator, because it is endowed with extremely sharp small teeth. In nature, it is found on almost all continents in their wooded parts. It has a pleasant smooth fur, very playful and restless. It has an elongated body up to 50 centimeters long (including the tail), and can weigh up to one kilogram. Fur, almost always, has a protective color - usually a combination of white, gray and brown. Proteins should always be present in the feed of the animal, that is, you need to feed meat and fish, occasionally cereals are allowed.
Video where the main character is a favorite miniature pet.
African pygmy hedgehog
In Latin it is called Atelerix.
This animal is distinguished by needles that are very soft to the touch, and you can iron it completely safely. The body length of this hedgehog can reach 20 centimeters, and the weight is 350-500 grams. The color of the animal varies slightly: usually there is gray-white fur on the abdomen, the needles are black-gray. It is native to African semi-desert regions. The animal is an exceptional individualist, it is not recommended to keep in pairs (they can fight). Almost omnivorous, but premium dry cat food is best for feeding.
African hedgehog home video
Miniature Lizard Gecko
Other names are chain-toed, gecko, lat. Gekkonidae.
This little lizard is widely used in households due to its unpretentiousness and incredibly smiling face. The animal is thermophilic, it is better to keep in a terrarium filled with sand. In length it can reach up to 30 centimeters, weight approaches 350 grams. Depending on the species, they can have a completely different color - from green to blue to yellow specks. Geckos prefer live food - bugs, spiders, flies, crickets. It is better to stock up on food in specialized pet stores.
Little Gecko - how he lives at home.
It is clear that this is not an exhaustive list of miniature pets, but these are, in our opinion, the Top 10 most popular smallest pets in the world. What pets do you have? Write to us about your favorites.
On the pages of our site, we have repeatedly talked about small breeds of dogs. However, besides them, there are other small pets. For example, in popularity, immediately after dogs and cats, decorative rabbits follow, and then there are chinchillas, hamsters, parrots, etc. Below we will talk about decorative pets in order, giving their names and photos.
List of decorative pets:
In addition to those listed, there are other pets, but they are less common. First, let's get acquainted with the most popular pets.
decorative dogs
The Yorkshire Terrier is a toy dog breed.
There are dozens of different breeds of toy dogs in the world. All of them are characterized by a common feature - small size, which makes them suitable for keeping even in a small apartment.
These dogs are often much smaller than a normal cat. For example, we give the maximum weight of popular breeds: Yorkshire Terrier - 3.1 kg, Chihauhua - 3.5 kg, Russian Toy - 3 kg.
decorative cats
Scythian-toy-bob is a decorative breed of cats. Photo of the kennel "Smolcats".
Even ordinary breeds of cats can be called decorative, because they weigh an average of 6-8 kg. Although there are those that grow to the size of a small dog and weigh 15 kg each.
But there are also small cats, such as Singapura and Scythian toy-bean. The latter is considered the smallest cat breed in the world, usually its adult representatives weigh from 1 to 2.5 kg and are no larger than a 4-month-old kitten of a regular breed.
decorative rabbits
Dwarf Rex is a decorative breed of rabbits. Photo of the nursery "Valley of the Winds".
In recent decades, decorative rabbits have become increasingly popular. Due to their small size (usually they weigh from 1.5 to 3 kg), beautiful appearance and lower maintenance costs, many choose these pets.
Domestic dwarf rabbits are different - some are lop-eared, others are sharp-eared, the third one has a lion's mane on its head, etc. In general, there are plenty to choose from. Among other things, rabbits are usually cheaper than kittens and puppies.
- Breeds of decorative rabbits - photos, names and descriptions.
decorative chinchillas
Decorative chinchilla (photo by Fine_plan).
The chinchilla is a rodent that looks like either a rabbit or a huge mouse. These animals come with a long and short tail, have a beautiful fur coat with various colors, are unpretentious to the conditions of detention, and also get used to people well.
Thanks to these factors, many pet lovers liked chinchillas. In size, they are comparable to many decorative rabbits - the body length can reach 35 cm.
Decorative ferrets
Domestic ferret, photo by Selbe Lynn.
Initially, they were tamed to fight rats in the house, because ferrets can get them where the cat can't get them. Now they are used simply as pets, which, by the way, respond to the name and are well trained in various tricks.
Ferret sizes: body length from 33 to 40 cm, and weight from 0.6 to 2 kg. On average, their life expectancy, like that of decorative rabbits, is about 7 years. Among other things, ferrets, like dogs, can be walked on a leash.
Decorative fox Fenech
Domestic fox Fenech.
Such an unusual pet came to our homes from the deserts of North Africa, respectively, it can only be kept in a warm apartment and cannot be taken outside in winter. At the moment, the Fenech fox as a pet is not very common, primarily because of the price.
Despite the large ears, the overall dimensions of this fox are small - from 30 to 40 cm long, up to 22 cm in height and no more than 1.5 kg in weight. You can read more about Fenech at the link below.
Decorative animal prices
Many would like to get themselves, for example, a Fenech fox, and not a decorative dog. However, such an exotic pet is quite expensive. Here are the approximate prices of some domestic decorative animals:
- Puppies of decorative breeds - price from $ 150.
- Rabbits of decorative breeds - price from $ 30;
- Fennec fox cub - price from $ 2000.
The indicated prices are relevant for nurseries, if you buy a pet on the market, it will be cheaper. However, then there is no guarantee that you will get exactly what you buy (a dog or a rabbit can grow large and not at all decorative).
