With so many pet species, narrowing down to one that fits into your unique standard of living isn’t easy.
It is an assignment that requires profound evaluation of your lifestyle, finances, likings, as well as your environment.
In fact, if you are a new pet parent, you will be spoilt with choices.
That’s why we prepared this guide to simplify your pet-finding mission.
When someone talks about pets, we often think about cats and dogs.
But those aren’t the only pets.
There are hundreds of animals that are considered to be pets.
Here are the most common.
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Cats are one of the most popular pets in the world and for good reason.
Cats make great companions—they are affectionate, playful, gentle, quiet and easy to take care of.
They can even be trained!
Cats are a favourite for many pet parents.
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Famed as man’s best friend, dogs are great for those looking for a loyal companion.
They will make you less lonely and encourage you to get out and socialize or keep fit.
Dogs can be trained to protect the home and to be good guard dog.
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Birds are known to offer a similar companionship that feels like a real human relationship.
They can learn your feelings and express empathy.
On the plus side, a bird is actually quite low maintenance.
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Rabbits are as interactive and affectionate as puppies.
They are quiet, easy to train, and social.
Rabbits are intelligent, social animals, and they can make wonderful companions for the right people.
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Horses are great for people looking for a companion to help them connect with nature.
They heighten your responsibility and improve your sportsmanship.
They're more intelligent than dogs and cats, and their ability to communicate with you is much better if you are willing to learn how to communicate with them.
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Ferrets are loved for their social behaviour, which is almost similar to that of dogs and cats.
They are playful, affectionate, friendly, and intelligent.
Ferrets make great pets for many people. The most important aspect of owning a ferret is understanding their unique needs and respecting their space and boundaries.
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Though little appreciated as pets, fish can improve your life in many ways.
Scientists say that being around your fish can make you calm by reducing anxiety.
Pet fish can be an excellent alternative to cats and dogs as a pet.
Apart from being very cute, fish are relatively easy to look after and don’t require much attention.
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With docile character, guinea pigs are suitable for people looking for friendly and sociable pets.
They are easy to maintain, clean, quiet and are well known for being cuddly.
They can live up to 5 years.
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A rat for a pet?
Yes, rats and mice aren’t just pests.
With superb intelligence, rats and mice are great to hang around with.
They are loyal, affectionate, trainable, and social.
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Our scaled buddies are an excellent choice for pet parents who are allergic to furry pets.
A good pet is one that is likeable, requires little maintenance, and causes minimal nuisance. As well, the right pick should help you achieve your wellness goals.
If you want a pet that has all qualities that define the best fit, take your time to brainstorm on the following questions. They will help you make an informed choice.
Just like you, children have an individual inclination to various pets. They love some with passion and hate or dread others with equal measure.
Therefore, before you welcome a new four-legged member into the family, make sure that your kids will love it naturally.
Otherwise, the pet and your kids will have a hard time trying to cultivate a good relationship.
Pets, more specifically cats, rodents, rabbits, and dogs, shed dander, an allergen that triggers pet allergies.
The condition causes sneezing, difficult breathing, hay fever, nasal congestion, itchy eyes, and wheezing.
It affects people with allergies or asthma.
Since pet allergy isn’t something to ignore, you will want to steer clear of all furry pets if one of your family members is allergic.
In such a case, reptiles, fish, amphibians, or birds would be suitable for your family.
Some pets like rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats are very social.
They love to interact freely with everyone, as well as get involved in various fun activities. Such pets would feel uncomfortable, lonely, and stressed if they aren’t allowed to associate freely.
Therefore, if you are a less friendly person or too busy to give your four-legged friends some serious attention, then social pets wouldn’t be a suitable match for you.
It would be best if you instead went for those calm pets that need little or no attention.
Pets, more so mammals, birds, and some reptiles, weren’t created for confinement.
They need to wander around freely to shed some excess weight, boost their energy levels, as well as improve their mental and cardiovascular vigour.
As a result, if you accept to live with a pet, be ready to keep it physically active. Walk it around your neighbourhood, engage in a tug of war, and play all sorts of games recommended for the type of pet you keep.
Suppose your schedule is quite tight; get a pet sitter to help you keep your four-legged friend active.
Alternatively, you can keep fish, amphibians, and reptiles that don’t need to be engaged in some physical activity.
Pets are like little kids. They need you around almost all the time.
As a result, if you go on holidays a lot, you should plan how your pet will feed, groom, receive emergency help, and enjoy human company during the time you will be away.
If it isn’t practical to travel along with your four-legged friend, get a trusted pet sitter to take charge when you aren’t around.
You can also request a friend, family, or neighbour to host your pet during that time.
Like any ordinary family member, attention is one of the most precious things you can give your pet.
probably, that is one of the ways they could feel natural human affection. It would be best if you had time to cuddle, walk around the neighbourhood, play with toys, or hang out together.
Furthermore, once you bring in your pet, be prepared for emergencies. Your pet can get sick at any time or even develop a condition that needs extensive care.
On average, you will need like 1-2 hours each day to give your pet some quality company.
Besides hanging out with your pet, you will need more time to groom, feed, and walk your pets.
Otherwise, the once healthy animals will be looking unkempt, emaciated, or overweight.
We bet you won’t admire pets with a neglected appearance.
While you can allow cats and dogs to stay with you, other pets like rabbits, guinea pigs, horses, birds, fish, and reptiles will need a spacious and secure shelter to protect them from bad weather and predators.
How does this affect your quest to find the right pet?
Without a budget to build a specialised shelter for the pet, you are eyeing, you will have to wait a little bit longer before owning those pets that cannot share a roof with you.
Otherwise, you will have to stick to dogs, cats, and any other pet that can stay in your house.
Tenancy laws differ from one apartment to another. Some landlords will let you keep pets as long as your pets won’t damage property or make other renters uncomfortable.
Others will strictly prohibit you from keeping a pet within their premises.
Therefore, if your current landlord prohibits pets, and yet you want to keep one, you will have no option but to move into a place where you’ll be allowed to move in with your pet.
While pets can adapt well in most family settings, there is one thing they seem to dislike most—loud noise.
Many pets will often cower in fear when they hear loud alarms, big bangs, fireworks, sirens, running washing machines, crying babies, construction noises, and any other high-pitched sound.
The solution?
Look for ways to minimize or avoid the noise during the first days when your pet moves in. That way, you will help the new relatives to adapt to your family’s lifestyle smoothly.
When we talk about cost, many aspiring pet parents often think about a pet’s buying price.
They end up getting shocked by their pet’s resultant expenses like food, veterinary care, training, housing, equipment, grooming, and pet sitting.
If you wish to avoid such financial shocks, take your time to internalize all pet keeping expenses.
There would be no point in bringing in a new family member who will push you to a financial crisis.
As can be seen, owning a new pet comes along with several responsibilities.
For instance, you’ll need to provide a balanced diet daily, schedule veterinary visits regularly, house it appropriately, and groom it.
Do you have the time and resources to provide such necessities throughout the pet’s lifetime?
If you doubt, then you aren’t ready to own a pet.
Pets shouldn’t bring responsibilities that you cannot manage.
Choosing the right pet isn’t something that you should do on a whim. But, it is a task that requires careful analysis of your family’s likes, finances, and day to day schedule.
After the investigation, settle on a pet that you are comfortable keeping.
Don’t just buy any pet because it is common.
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