by Lynn Schwalbe-Larson

Created on: October 05, 2007   Last Updated: November 28, 2010

Tips For Choosing a Small Pet

So you want to take the plunge and become a pet owner, but the idea of a cat or dog is too daunting, expensive, or you simply do not have the space or time. You decide you want to go "small". Perhaps a gerbil or a guinea pig. Or maybe even a snake! But which would be best for you?

Here are some basic things you need to consider:

• How much time do you have to dedicate to a pet?
• How much work are you willing to do to take care of a pet?
• How much interaction/affection do you want from a pet?
• Do you want your pet to be a day person or a night person?
•  What's your budget? How much can you afford? Not just in start up costs, but care for the rest of the pet's life.
• Another thing to consider is the animal's lifespan. Are you able to commit to the animal for its entire life? Keep in mind this is a living creature you are taking responsibility for.

To help you decide here are some approximate life spans:

1) Mammals live anywhere from 2 years (mouse) to 15 years (sugar glider).

2) Reptiles' life spans generally range between 4 (anoles) to 25 years (some snakes).
-Caution! - Please be aware of two things; some reptiles grow to be very large, (green iguanas up to six feet), and also some lizards have been known to be carriers of Salmonella, a dangerous bacterium that will harm small children and pregnant women if they are infected.

3) Arachnids can live up to 15+ years (tarantulas).

4) Frogs range between 4 to 15 years.

5) Small birds (Referring solely to parakeets/budgies, though there are finches and canaries if you are interested) can live from 8 to 12 years.

Start up costs (animal, food, housing) varies from store to store. It also depends on how elaborate you want to be. In other words do you want just a basic hamster cage or a series of tubes and tunnels running throughout your living room? A simple hamster or mouse set-up can cost you between $30 and $50. Guinea pig and parakeet set-ups range from $50-$200. A pet with greater needs, such as temperature and humidity control for certain types of lizards, or an animal that is expensive just by itself, such as a chinchilla or sugar glider, could reach $200 and up.

Some animals require more work than others in the sense of keeping their cage clean, attending to needs such as dust baths for chinchillas, and also regarding how much attention and companionship they need to be happy. Sugar gliders, chinchillas and guinea pigs are

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