Three Common Household Rodent Pets And The Pesky Rodent Pests
The APPA in 2006 found out that 68% of American households own a pet. The most common pets are dogs and cats but there has been an increase in fish and rodent pets.
Some of the most common rodents used as pets are Hamsters, Guinea Pigs, and Chinchillas. They are small playful creatures that many love. Read on to learn more about them.
Guinea pigs
Did you know that Guinea pigs like to mouth their owners to see if they are edible? They give some small bites that can be scary for first-timers but they rarely hurt. They aren’t a lot of work but be prepared, they can be super smelly.
Native to South America, Guinea Pigs are another popular rodent pet. They are a great choice of small pet, as they are healthy and hardy animals and easy to care for and have varied personalities among individuals that make each Guinea unique: Some Guineas are shy and withdrawn, while others are dominant and outgoing. A unique trait among Guineas is that they purr just like cats when they’re happy, along with several other adorable vocalizations.
Guineas are highly social rodents that are far happier when living together with other Guineas. They are also fairly active animals that need a sizable cage with loads of running space to stay happy, healthy, and fit. Guineas have a longer lifespan than other similar rodents and can live for up to 7 years. Read more from Petkeen…
Chinchillas
Chinchillas are low maintenance, odor-free, playful, nocturnal creatures that you can keep as a pet. They are herbivores and are covered in thick fur. Like other rodents, their teeth are forever growing making them need something to gnaw on always.
Chinchillas are affectionate and active pet rodents that like to snuggle. Their long lifespan of 10 years or more make having one as a pet a long term commitment, but their playful nature means they can be a lot of fun to have around. Though as a nocturnal animal they are most active in the evening. Read more from AZ Animals…
Hamsters
Many will call hamsters cute. They are a classic example of “minding my own business”. Just put enough activity things in their small house, especially a hamster wheel and they are good to go. Reports show that they first made their way to America in 1938. However, they have been domestic animals from the 1700s.
There are two main species of hamsters kept as pets: Syrian (Golden) hamster and Siberian (Dwarf) hamsters. Syrian hamsters are solitary by nature. You shouldn’t put them together after they reach 10 weeks old. If you do they may fight each other to death. Dwarf hamsters, on the other hand, can live with others if they’re introduced at a young age.
Hamsters and children. Hamsters are cute and children easily fall in love with them. But they are also delicate. A child may drop the hamster, squeeze it, or scare it. When a hamster gets scared or awakened suddenly they may bite. Because of that children under eight years old should handle hamsters only with adult supervision.
Hamster diet. Hamsters generally eat grains, seeds, vegetables, and fruits like apples. You can feed your pet hamster combinations of rat blocks (rodent chow) and seed mix or hamster pellets. Read more from Web MD…
All these rodents are cute and sound exciting to own, but there are other invasive rodents that aren’t cute and actually want to own your house. You know them, rats and mice! Don’t wait for them to destroy everything you know and scare your children to death. Call Backyard Bug Patrol today. We will eliminate them for you.