socialjusticeichigo:

torn-by-dreams:

So having seen this post from maythefoxbewithyou I feel the need to make something abundantly clear:

Do not get a pet without researching first.

This even applies to ‘low maintanence’ pets, because truthfully, there is no such thing as a low maintanence pet. Every animal has specific needs and they must be met in order for the animal to live a happy, healthy life, regardless of how short that life may be. Fish require more than just a box of water. Rodents need more than just a wheel (in fact, from what I understand, wheels are bad for rodents with long tails). Animals need more than the bare minimum, and if that is all you are prepared or willing to provide, do not get that animal.

A lot of animals will turn out to be a HUGE handful -more than might be expected from a relatively small package. The person in the post above learned the hard way how foxes behave naturally; but they could have saved themselves -and the fox- a lot of discomfort by simply reading their literature first. This applies to all pets, common ones included! You may think you know how to handle a dog, but dogs vary wildly in temperament and behavior from breed to breed and have hugely different needs in terms of exercise. Goldfish, widely regarded as the easiest pet to keep, are in fact one of the most difficult, if you don’t want them to die. You get it.

If you are interested in a particular animal and want to keep it as a pet, here is what I suggest you learn right away:

Life expectancy. If your fish dies in 3 weeks, something is wrong.

Dietary needs. You want a rabbit? You’ll need more than some iceberg lettuce, and pellet foods are often insufficient on their own. Birds need more than a seed mix. Furthermore, feeding things you may think or harmless to certain animals could be deadly.

Housing/habitat. You should not only learn what specific type of cage or related enclosure your animal requires, but also what brands are the safest. Look for reviews on places like amazon. They will often describe any issues with the cage design (in the end, this helps you determine just how much money you will be spending on an enclosure. When I kept rats, the cage was the largest and most important expense).

Social needs. Does your animal need a companion in its own species? For dogs and cats, this isn’t a pressing matter, but a lot of your small, furry friends need friends of their own to keep them feeling secure. Some animals may even become depressed without a buddy.

Exercise/play. Nobody wants to sit around in an empty cage all day. Animals need a chance to roam, explore, inspect, and act like little goofballs. Learn everything you can about how long your pet should be out, what toys you might provide, and how to ‘pet proof’ a room to avoid damage to your property and to them. You may need to invest in a playpen, or make one yourself.

Health issues. Every animal has quirks particular to its species. Certain dog breeds may be prone to hip problems. Rodents have a tendency to contract respiratory issues. Teflon, that stuff that keeps the food from sticking to your frying pan, can poison and kill birds simply by being heated up. If you don’t know these things, it can lead to a lot of grief and confusion later on.

Behavior/compatibility. Does this animal chew? Does that animal mark its territory by peeing? Does that one make loud noises in the middle of the night? How can you tell if it’s happy, angry, scared? And will it get along with your other pets? Out of everything previously mentioned, I feel these are the major reasons people rehome their animals. They don’t learn about these little eccentricities, and once they start to emerge, they are unprepared to deal with them, consider them strange or bad or ‘disobedient’, and shunt their unfortunate pet onto somebody else. So many times I have read a craigslist ad with the words ‘we just can’t deal with him/her anymore’. 

Pets are a big deal. They require a lot of work, dedication, and money; but they will pay you back. Anybody who ever loved a pet will tell you this. When you care for a pet properly, you will be rewarded with a happy, healthy critter, who probably loves you a hell of a lot and will do their best to show it -just make sure you know how to recognize that behavior!

And put your rats in teacups.

If anybody has anything to add to this, feel free. I probably left out some important stuff. Also, if anybody wants to know anything about rats, send me an ask. I’ll be happy to help. (You can ask me about other animals too, but I can’t say I’ll know the answers.)

Rodents need more than just a wheel (in fact, from what I understand, wheels are bad for rodents with long tails).

They aren’t bad so much as that people typically get the wrong ones (wire and/or too small). The wheel needs to be large enough and solid rather than wire. Wire wheels can cause foot and tail damage and a wheel that’s too small can cause back damage and ‘wheelie tail’ (where the tail takes on a permanent curve).