Discovering if Pet Ownership is Right for You
Welcome to the wonderful world of pet ownership! Bringing a furry friend into your life can be a joyful and fulfilling experience, but it’s important to consider several factors before committing to ensure both you and your new pet are happy and healthy for years to come.
Reason
Why do you want a new pet? There are many reasons for getting one. Companionship, emotional support, routine, and loving them are all good reasons. However, some are far from ideal.
Wanting a pet because your friend or favorite celebrity has it, it’s trendy, or to show off is a poor reason to get one. This is as bad as impulse buying. Pets are a long-term commitment who depend on you to survive and be happy. They are not accessories. Getting a pet as a tool for control or revenge does not put the pets or the other person’s best interest in mind. The pet pays by getting a home which doesn’t care for them.
Do you have the right motivation for getting a pet? Keep the animal’s well-being and your capacity to look after them in mind.
Personality Fit
Every species has its own quirks, behavior, and needs which may or may not fit with your personality or lifestyle. A nocturnal pet might not be suitable for someone working night shifts, because it will be asleep when they are home. Most mice dislike being cuddled, which would not be compatible with a person who desires a cuddle buddy. Also, many hamsters are quite energetic and would not sit on your lap to watch TV with you. I say most, many, might, and may because there are always exceptions, but exceptions should not be expectations.
Their Behavior
It’s important to research and understand your interest pet’s normal behavior. For example, some dog breeds are very active, demanding lots of exercise, while others are laid back. Some bird species are very vocal, needing hours of social interaction, while a few are more independent. Make sure the pet’s behavior aligns with your expectations and lifestyle.
Size
The size and energy level of a pet can also have a big impact on whether they are a good fit for you. A large rabbit, like a Flemish Giant, may require more space than a smaller Netherland dwarf. A high-energy pet like a ferret requires more attention and playtime than a relaxed pet like a guinea pig.
Lifestyle
Take your lifestyle and daily routine into consideration when choosing a pet. For example, if you have limited space in your home, a smaller pet like a hamster or mouse may be a better fit than a larger pet, like a rabbit or guinea pig. Obligate carnivores like cats and ferrets won’t work if you value a vegan lifestyle and want your pets to adopt it. A pet requiring less upkeep, such as a fish or snake, might be more suitable for workaholics and travelers. A more social and interactive critter like a bird or ferret is better if you stay home and enjoy spending time with your pet. Analyze your daily schedule and verify you can provide the care and attention for them.
Needs
Compatibility
It is important for the pet’s needs to be compatible with yours. If you are allergic to hay, rabbits and guinea pigs, who need a hay based diet for proper digestion, would be poor options. if you have sensitive ears or can get overstimulated, a parrot, who is very loud, may harm your health.
Their Needs
Meeting the needs of both you and your pet is crucial for a happy and healthy relationship. It’s important to think about the animal species’ requirements you are interested in. For example, chinchillas require dust baths to maintain healthy fur, while leopard geckos need specific temperature and humidity levels to thrive. Study and comprehend the special needs of your chosen pet species to provide for them.
Your Needs
Equally important are your own needs as a pet owner. Consider your living situation, lifestyle, and schedule when choosing a pet. If you live in a small apartment, a large and active pet won’t work. Choose a companion who fits into your life without compromise.
Space
Some animals need more space than others. Mice can thrive in a ten gallon tank, but guinea pigs need many square feet of flat area to be comfortable. Some pets need more space than expected. Hamster cages in pet stores are around 200 square inches, but they need from 775 to over 2,000 square inches. This is to prevent stress symptoms, like monkey barring and stress-caused disorders of extreme territoriality, like cage rage. Other small critters, like rabbits, need free roam of an entire room or house and require proper pet proofing to prevent extensive home damage or injury.
Providing this space can be difficult or impossible depending on the room available in your house or apartment. Do the proper research and measure possible enclosure spots before getting a pet you can’t provide enough space for. Your pet will thank you!
Time
Day to Day
Every pet will need some kind of daily care, whether it be feeding, spot cleans, spraying, or an atmosphere check. However, some pets need hours of socialization. If you are juggling two jobs and college, you might lack enough time for care intensive pets like a dog or parrot. Fish, insects, arachnids, or certain snake species may better suit your availability.
Lifespan
Difficulty
Besides longevity, many animals can also be very difficult to care for. As an example, parrots are often flock-oriented creatures, who grow up to form strong social bonds. They can experience stress and grief at the loss of a companion, both feathered and human. They need consistent social interaction, a high variety diet, and plenty of exercise to keep them physically and mentally healthy. Despite people breeding many species in captivity for multiple generations now, parrots are still wild prey animals. Being physically and emotionally hypersensitive, they are prone to significant health and/or behavioral issues many people are unprepared for, especially financially. Signing up for 70+ years of such an intensive care routine is not for the faint of heart. And unfortunately, it’s for this reason many parrots end up bouncing around to several homes throughout their life.
Research
We therefore ask of anyone who is looking into a future companion: do your homework. Study up on the animal’s natural behaviors, as well as any recommended (and ethical) training methods, where applicable. Seek the pros and the cons, make a list, check it twice. Calculate out your finances and ensure to budget for food, treats, toys/enrichment, routine vet care, emergency vet care, proper enclosures, pet insurance, and more. Discuss your Pet Plans with a family member, a partner, or a close friend. If an emergency occurs, have someone who knows your wishes and will be there for your pet(s), if or when you can’t be. You’ll be glad you did!
State Legality
Before choosing a pet, research whether it is legal to own in your state, city, or country. Some US states have restrictions or even outright bans on certain pet species. Ferrets are illegal to own in California and Hawaii. Hedgehogs are illegal in some states like California and Georgia, but legal in others like Michigan and Indiana. Confirm you can own your preferred pet before bringing them home.
Price
Initial Expense
A pet’s cost is higher than their original price tag. The initial cost includes enclosures, hides, and other long term accessories, water dishes, and any necessary heating and lighting equipment. These item’s prices vary depending on your pet choice. A tarantula enclosure may be less than $20 USD, but a chameleon enclosure can be over $200 USD. Certain pets, like some snake and lizard species, need specialized heating, lighting, and humidity equipment, which is expensive to power and maintain.
Ongoing Expense
You should factor the recurring costs of pet ownership into your decision. Food, toys, bedding, treats, veterinary checkups, and vaccinations can add to expensive amounts. Some pets have a higher monthly cost to own than others. More destructive pets like gerbils, degus, and rabbits have a higher toy turnover. Pets with a lower toy turnover might have a higher cost in other areas, like food. The final costs depend on the animal’s size, species, breed, and individual needs.
Surprise Expense
The most expensive part of pet ownership is the part you never see coming. Someone awakens in the morning three days after buying a bird, and it’s on the cage floor stumbling around, heaving for every breath. Their dog of 2 years breaks its leg playing fetch with other dogs. Medical emergencies are important to handle quickly, but they can breach thousands of dollars. Dogs, cats, and horses can get health insurance. But only one provider extends expensive coverage to small and exotic pets, whose vets are not only harder to find, they have higher fees. Are you able to pay for an emergency spay of your hamster to cure pyometra, which ranges from $500 to $1,500 USD? Saving up a vet fund is as important as giving your pet food and water. It is lifesaving.
Resource Availability
Availability of Pet Supplies
Living in a pet supply desert can lead to additional expenses and inconvenience. This problem multiplies for exotic pet owners, because their pets may require specialized food, habitats, and other supplies unavailable in their area. Sometimes, pet owners have to rely on online delivery services to get supplies. This can add to ownership costs, as shipping and handling fees may apply. Also, ordering online isn’t always as convenient as buying local supplies. Something may not be as you thought. It may be the wrong size, a harmful material, or other issue, which could cause financial losses from not getting all your money back during a return. Double check everything when you buy online to get what you expect.
Availability of Veterinary Services
Finding veterinary services which are knowledgeable in treating exotic pets can be a challenge in some areas. This leads to longer appointment wait times, higher fees for specialized care, and less effective treatment if the vet is not familiar with the pet’s specific needs.
Therefore, pet owners need to learn local resource availability before getting any pet, especially exotics. This includes finding both a general and emergency veterinarian specializing in exotic pets if applicable, locating pet stores carrying necessary supplies, and understanding these resources’ costs.
Training
Some pets, like dogs, horses, and birds, need training. Depending on your level of experience, you can train them yourselves or hire a professional. Training facilitates bonding. A trained animal is safer, more enjoyable, and easier to care for at home and at a vet’s office. It takes time and continues throughout the pet’s entire life, even after the professional trainer you hired leaves. Without this consistency, these animals may become uncontrollable and even dangerous. Different species have different behaviors and training requirements, so familiarize yourself with their needs. The pet is not the right choice if you are unwilling or unable to train it.
Housemates And Landlords
People
Are they allergic? If they don’t know, it’s a good idea to expose them to the pet or get an allergy test. If it will be your first time around the species, also consider if you have allergies. Other medical restrictions can also limit your species options. For example, some birds, like cockatiels, African grays, and cockatoos are powder down birds. These birds have powdery feathers which cause respiratory irritation in some people, especially those with asthma or other respiratory conditions. It’s important for individuals with medical air quality restrictions to speak with their healthcare provider before getting a powder bird.
Living with someone who has a history of harming pets might discourage you from getting one. Be cautious and prioritize the safety of any animals in your care regardless if you saw them harm an animal. Have open and honest conversations to establish clear guidelines for your pet’s care and treatment. You may need to seek outside help or advice, such as counseling or legal help, to keep your pet safe.
Existing Pets
Predator and Prey
You have more precautions to take before getting a prey animal if you own a predator pet. Dogs, cats, ferrets and other animals are predators. It may be hard to imagine Fido getting their jaws on your new bunny, Roxy. Interspecies interaction has genuine risk, which can happen in the blink of an eye. Always keep these animals separate. If your ferret is out, have a barrier blocking the crack under the door to keep your hamster safe. Keep the guinea pig room’s door closed when your dog is roaming the house. Barred cages and aquarium lids are not always enough. Cats have harmed rats through half inch bar spacing, and the bacteria in their saliva and claws can kill.
We should always keep predator pets and prey pets in separate rooms. In a studio apartment, this might be impossible. These restrictions may prevent co-owning pets you can’t keep safe.
Coexisting
Some predator pets can get along with other predator pets. In these cases, the predators rarely predate each other. Dogs and cats can get along if the dog’s prey drive is low. This is not always the case. Do not keep dogs who chase and attack cats near them. Ferrets and dogs also can’t get along because dogs predate ferrets. Ensure the pets will coexist before finalizing any adoption or sale. Your existing pets are part of the household and also need to “okay” new pets they will share a space with.
More examples of animals who can coexist are horses and cattle; goats and sheep; chickens and ducks; and pigeons and quail.
Landlord Restrictions
Unless your pet is going to be a service dog, emotional support animal, or you don’t have a landlord, you need your landlord’s okay as well. Landlords discovering unapproved pets will give the ultimatum: get rid of the pet or leave. If your landlord does not approve, moving out might be the only option to acquire your dream companion.
Lifestyle Changes
When deciding whether to get a pet, remember they are a lifelong commitment. It’s not fair for the pet to adopt them only to give them up later because of pre-planned major lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, many pets end up euthanized in shelters because their owners could no longer care for them.
If you’re expecting major changes like moving, college, marriage, having a new baby, starting a new job, retiring, or are currently injured, it may be wise to postpone pet adoption. Make sure you are ready and willing to provide lifelong care for your pet before deciding to adopt. If you’re uncertain about being able to provide a permanent home, it may be best to wait until your situation is more stable and suitable for pet ownership.
Overall Responsibility
Pet owners adopt a ton of responsibility when they take a pet into their home. From providing daily care like grooming, feeding, and free roam time, to dealing with emergency medical situations in a swift and prepared manner, knowing what you are getting into ahead of time makes a tremendous difference. Some pets will live long into getting married, having a baby, and switching jobs. Committing to keeping them with you through these changes ensures their long, happy life. When you adopt a pet, you control everything about their life and future, and they’re the only one paying for poor decisions. Be honest about whether you are willing and able to take on this responsibility.
Make sure you understand everything it takes to be a responsible and knowledgeable pet owner. This includes giving your pet a proper, safe environment with a healthy diet and veterinary safety net. Be prepared to address behavioral issues and other challenges, because pet ownership isn’t always a smooth road. Your future pet depends on you. By being informed and ready, you can provide a content and healthy life for your furry friend.
References and Further Reading
APA References
Walker, J. K., Waran, N. K., & Phillips, C. J. (2016). Owners’ Perceptions of Their Animal’s Behavioural Response to the Loss of an Animal Companion. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 6(11), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani6110068
