Small animal special | PETS
http://www.petsmagazine.com.au 39
Better than that, they’re social
little guys and most love spending
time with their owners — what
more could you ask for in a pet?
Plenty, it turns out. Guinea
pigs are also smart and some can
even learn tricks! Most will at least
respond to their name. And the
good news is, they like to keep
themselves clean so, with a little
grooming assistance from you, you’ll
have yourself one tidy pet. Sounds perfect!
- MOUSE
Short on space but big on heart? Perhaps a
mouse is what you’re looking for! These tiny
mammals make great pets. They’re a good
choice for many allergy suff erers, thanks to
their minimal shedding, and they can be very
entertaining to watch.
Mice do tend to like the company of other
mice, although it’s not recommended to keep
two males together in case they fi ght, or a male
and a female in case you end up with many
little mouse babies! - FERRET
Ferrets can be fabulous pets for those looking
for something a little bit diff erent. While they’re
not as popular as rabbits and guinea pigs, ferrets
do make really fun pets for those older small
animal keepers who are interested in a bit of a
challenge. They have great personalities and
can be litter trained. Not only that, you can keep
them inside — and since they don’t often make
any noise, your neighbours will never know!
Some ferrets can be prone to aggression,
so make sure you speak to
your local breed society
for advice on care and
suggestions on where to get
them to ensure you have a
fabulous ferret experience. - SHETLAND PONY
Perhaps the ultimate small
large animal is the Shetland
pony. This gorgeous
creature makes a fabulous
pet for the horse lovers among us, and
owning one has many benefi ts.
The most obvious is size. Small horse
means small paddock, which can be a lot
more manageable for those who don’t have
hundreds of acres to spare. They can be
ridden, although it’s best to speak to your local
pony club to confi rm suggested rider weight
guidelines. They’re fun to groom and they can
really enjoy bonding with you over an apple
and a nice combing of the mane. Now that
sounds like our kind of pet!- RAT
Much like their small friend the mouse, rats
make very popular pets due to their minimal
shedding. These sweet little guys are also very
intelligent and love to keep themselves clean
— now that’s our kind of animal!
They don’t require much room, don’t make
much noise and they’re rather inexpensive to
keep. These little critters have personality plus
and can become very interactive with you.
Make sure you keep them in a sturdy cage,
though, because if they get on the loose, they
can be quite hard to fi nd!
gtMouseFerretRat
Shetland pony