We are a nation of animal lovers! Only last year the percentage of UK households owning pets was at 46%. We just can’t seem to get enough of them.
Now, we all know about the age old battle between being a cat lover or a dog lover (personally I’m more of a dog lover), but what about the smaller creatures? What are the perks of having a small pet?
Well, just recently we have become the proud owners of a lovely little Husky Dwarf Hamster called Snuffles. He is about 2″ long and is the fastest little thing we have ever seen! He only became part of the family a few days ago, so we are still trying to be patient and let him settle into his new environment gradually. Having said that, he is already loved to bits.
Why get a small pet?
If you are thinking about getting a pet, don’t overlook the smaller animals that are available to you. We know that getting a pet of any sort is a big responsibility, but some animals are easier to care for than others. So, here are my thoughts on why hamsters make good pets.
They don’t take up much room
If you are struggling for space in your home, then a small pet like a hamster might be just the right pet for you. The only space that they take up is the size of their cage. However, please don’t just buy the smallest cage available, it is important to find out how much space each type of hamster needs, so that you can get the appropriate size. If you are struggling to fit a good sized cage in your house, then you can always scale upwards, there are plenty of multi-storey cages available to choose from in pet shops or at online retailers such as Amazon*.
They are relatively low maintenance
Yes, hamsters are very low maintenance. They don’t expect you to have to put on your wellies and raincoat to take them out for a walk in the pouring rain! Or clean out their litter tray every day! This doesn’t mean however that they don’t need anything from you, they just need their cage to be cleaned out once a week, and a cuddle every day. 🙂
They are very cute
The cute little fur balls are very funny to watch. My boys can sit and laugh their heads off at Snuffles for ages. So, even though they can’t play fetch with him, he still has tonnes of personality and is just adorable.
They are inexpensive
The actual cost of a hamster is usually around £5. You then also have to buy the cage and accessories for the hamster, but like with most things in life you can decide how much you can afford to spend on the extras and then stick to your budget.
I think that the best way to do this, is to do your homework. Research all of the different types of hamsters that you can get, and decide which breed is best suited to you. Then, you can buy everything that your hamster will need in advance. I think that this is a great way to save money because you will probably find the best bargains by shopping online.
It’s easy to find hamster sitters
The headaches of trying to sort out somewhere for your dog or cat to go while you’re on holiday is virtually non-existent. It should be pretty easy to find a family member or friend that is happy to take care of your hamster while you’re away, purely because they are easy to care for. We have already had offers to hamster-sit when we next go away. 🙂
So there we have it, a few good reasons why I think that hamsters are good budget-friendly pets. If you have been thinking about getting a small pet, I hope that this will help.
Do you think that hamsters make good pets?
We’re definitely a dog family so I can attest to the expense. One of them is 14 and is basically my wife’s first child. With a few health concerns and surgeries, we’re in the thousands on vet bills this year. It’s definitely necessary to take a look at your budget before adopting a larger pet. I will say though, I wouldn’t trade it.
Our German Shepherd died last August and now I was thinking to have a small pet. My daughter wants to buy a hamster because she finds it very cute. 🙂
I have a hamster, and I can confirm that everything you said here is true. They really are amazing as pets, they’re not expensive at all and almost don’t require any maintenance. Hamsters are just perfect for smaller apartments.
It really is so important that pet owners match pets to their lifestyles. Yes, Great Danes are cool but it doesn’t make sense to have one if you have a small New York apartment!