Pocket Pets: The Smaller The Better!

Dr. Debbye Turner Brings A Few Space Efficient Pets By The Early Show

(CBS)  Maybe you aren't a fan of walking a dog several times a day. Perhaps you are allergic to cats. Don't despair. You might be the perfect candidate for a pocket pet.

Pocket pets are those furry, four-legged creatures that people commonly keep as pets that include gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Resident veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner brought a few of these animals by The Early Show Friday.

The moniker "pocket pets" comes from the size of the animals, and, of course, their ability to fit in one's pocket. Many people prefer these animals as pets because they take up less space, require less food, make less mess, and need less training than a dog or cat.

Pocket pets are great for apartment dwellers, children (with proper adult supervision), or families that have limited space.

Don't be fooled, though. These little guys will require some special attention. Their diets are highly specialized. Their housing needs frequent cleaning. And pocket pets, by virtue of their size, require a gentle touch.

All pocket pets require a unique cage. Keep them on shredded paper or hardwood. Do not use cedar shavings or pine shavings as they could cause respiratory problems.

Feed them commercially-produced pet food (guinea pig food, hamster food, etc.) plus compliment their diets with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Turner emphasized that pocket pets are not meant for small children. These animals' health and lives could be endangered by a child squeezing one too tightly.

If you are considering adding a pocket pet to your family, keep in mind one of the three animals that Turner brought to The Early Show: a hamster, a guinea pig or a mouse.

Hamsters:

These small critters generally live 18 months to two years and are the most common type of pet kept in the U.S.

Hamsters are the least friendly of the pocket pets, as they are very solitary.

"You should only have one," Turner said, "because two will fight each other. And they don't necessarily like to be handled."

Hamsters are nocturnal and will bite you if you wake them.

In addition to their specialized food, they should receive fresh water daily, preferably in a drip container.

Don't forget to put a wheel in your hamster's cage. Hamsters really get around in the wild, so an exercise wheel will really help them use that extra energy. They should be kept in a container made of glass or very hard plastic (so they can't chew it), open at the top, with walls too high for them to climb out.

Guinea Pigs:

For a more social animal that will live for several years, you should add a guinea pig (or two) to your family.

Guinea pigs live an average of five years.

If you plan on getting two or more guinea pigs, Turner warns that you will want to get same-sex animals. Otherwise, you could wake up and find a litter of guinea pigs in the creatures' cage.

Guinea pigs especially need fruits and vegetables as their diet requires vitamin C, just like humans. But avoid high-sugar citrus fruits like oranges.

Mice:

Everyone's favorite rodent, the mouse, is growing in popularity.

Mice, which live anywhere from 18 months to three years are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night. And plenty of toys to keep them busy. They will run on a wheel for hours.

Mice are very social and best kept in pairs. But a female pair is ideal. Males can be aggressive and territorial toward one another. Also, unless you want an army of mice in a short period of time, it is not recommended to have a male-female pair.

And don't be fooled. These animals are smart.

"Mice are very intelligent and very curious and they will bond with you," Turner said.

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Animals used in the segment were provided by Petco (http://petco.com).

[rschult2]

I was suprised that rats were left off the list as they are truly the perfect pocket pet. As a classroom teacher I have 4 rats for my students to enjoy at school, and for me to enjoy at home. The rats are very clean, easily litter trained, very social and loving, they alter their sleep schedule to be awake when the students are in class, they don't bite, and don't make any noise. All of my students, girls and boys alike, love "the girls" (our nickname for my colony of female rats). Rats are easy to handle and love to sit on your shoulder. Too often rats get a bad rap, had rats been included on the show it would have helped to improve their image. Too bad the Early Show missed out showing people the perfect pocket pet.

[linfinster]

WOW
You missed rats! They are the best!! Not as noisy as those Guinnea Pigs, very social and CLEAN!! Fun too. I've had 2, Marble and Forest, both females. Your kids can teach them tricks, set up mazes. They will love it. Of course the downside is the cage cleaning, but really worth it! IMO

[beadazzle]

I have a on line friend,who rescues guinea pigs in shreveport louisiana. She writes about her little herd and show's me pictures of them. She loves them dearly and is thinking about going into the breeding and show business with them.

Now she has me thinking about buy a few,wonder what my cats would think of a new critter in their house hold? lol

[gprescue]

We'd like to thank Dr. Turner for stressing all the right points in her presentation on guinea pigs and other pocket pets.

Too often, people bring guinea pigs home, underestimating the daily care and attention they require. In some cases, if the care is more than the owners are willing or able to give, the guinea pigs are surrendered to rescues such as ours; in worst case scenarios, they are simply abandoned in dangerous outdoor locations.

For anyone who might be wondering if guinea pigs are right for their home and lifestyle, we have a "Are Guinea Pigs Right For Your Home?" questionnaire posted on our Web site at http://www.ctguineapigrescue.org/adopt/aregpright.html.

The Critter Connection, Inc.
(Connecticut's only guinea pig rescue)
Durham, CT
www.ctguineapigrescue.org

[calcavys]

My daughter and I love this story. We are in 4H and have had Guinea Pigs for 7 years. We show them at the county fair and some open shows. We belong to the American Cavy Breeders Assocation and love to see stories like this on TV. We would like to see a story with more details next time. People are very intrested in this subject. I get asked about the Guinea Pigs all the time by adults and kids.

Ruth in California