Have you ever thought about buying a pet rodent on impulse? You can find them low-priced and cheerful, spiritedly running around their cages and on their wheels. Well, the health benefits of pet ownership are known, and rodents can be an excellent pet for you. You can check out much about rodents at sites like homepethelp.com.
Before you get excited and jump in, you should consider several aspects of owning a pet rodent. It does not matter you choose a gerbil, hamster, guinea pig, rat, or mouse as it is inexpensive to own these small pets. But, there are always extra costs involved in keeping them. These rodents also need gentle attention and constant clean-up and care to ensure the health of your pet.
Depending on which sort of rodent you choose, they may not live on your regular schedule. Here are some pet care essentials that you should know if you have a rodent.
Know about the Characteristics of Pet Rodents
If you compare rodents to dogs and cats, pet rodents have a shorter life span. For example:
- Normal life spans of rodents are two to three years for hamsters and gerbils
- One to three years for mice
- Two to four years for rats
- Five to seven years for guinea pigs
Be Careful about Rodent Housing
Housing is a crucial constituent of owning a healthy and safe pet rodent. Many of the cages you find in the pet stores are too small for your pet rodent to get a good quality of life and perform its natural behaviors.
Then you should ensure that your rodent gets adequate room to move around and exercise. If you have a larger cage for your rodent, it will allow your pet to defecate and nest in separate areas. Your rodent even willingly uses an in-cage litter box.
The rodent cage you choose should have secure latches because your pet rodent can be an expert at escaping. Secure housing is specifically crucial if your family has other pets. When you allow your pet outside of its cage, supervise it at all times. A bathroom or pen can be a secure area for your rodent, where it can exercise without any risk of wound or escape.
Human Interaction
Some pet rodents take to people more readily than others. Rats and even Guinea pigs are less likely to bite. However, mice and hamsters tend to be more nervous around folks. So, you need to socialize your rodent carefully.
Provide Chewing Items for Your Rodents
Providing safe and hygienic chewing materials is crucial for the physical and mental well-being of your rodent. But you should be careful that you keep your rodent away from any material that will be dangerous if they chew it like electrical wires.
Rodents Need Attention
All pet rodents demand some daily attention if you want to socialize them into your family. It would help if you handled rodents or left them out to play every day. But if you decide to own a guinea pig, it will require even more attention than that. It is because they have long fur, and you need to groom them regularly.
Cleanliness and Hygiene
Pet rodents incline to excrete very strong-smelling urine, mainly gerbils. You need to replace bedding and clean out the enclosure of your gerbil at least once or twice a week. Additionally, clean your pet’s food dish daily and their bottle with every fill-up.
To sum up, since you know about some of the essentials of rodent pet care, make sure you do not avoid them. For more information, you can check out online platforms.