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Humans and pets have a strong bonding since ancient times. Pets are in the need of love and nurture, we the human beings are in the need of companionship. This mutual need forms a beautiful relationship between a pet and its owner and this relationship has no demands and complaints. Having a pet in a home is really a long-term commitment. It’s a sweet responsibility. But as opposed to the general belief, not all pets require an extensive maintenance. Ranging from Hedgehogs to lovely rabbits, we have listed a handful of easiest pets to take care of. Believe it or not, there are some low maintenance dogs as well.
Along with the listing, we have also included the traits, lifespan and the level of maintenance required for each pet. Needless to say that this list makes best pets for kids and senior citizens as well. Let’s see the list.
Although the listed are all low maintance pets, they need our affection,attention and care to the core.All the pets just need a food and clean shelter to live.But “keeping them happy and feeling happy” is what we require by growing pets with us.So this must be under our “Required maintenance” as point number 1.
Contents
1.Ferret
Ferrets are highly energetic and adorable pets. They are indeed a bundle of curiosity and this behavior sometimes turn out to be a big responsibility for a pet owner.
If you are planning to have a ferret as pet, it is recommended to turn your home a ferret proof else they might get caught underneath, behind or in between the things. Ferrets are intelligent and social pet among the small group.
Ferrets are suitable for the homes that have kids above 12 years of age.
Required Maintenance
- An annual checkup is recommended for ferrets after age 5.
- Regular consulting with the veterinarian is recommended to keep them in proper shape.
Lifespan: 6 to 13 years.
2.Hedgehog
Hedgehogs are animals with a back covered with sharp spines which essentially defend them from predators.
At first, it looks unbelievable to have an animal with sharp spines on their back, playing with your kids. But the truth is your kids will stay safe around hedgehogs. These animals are quite shy and nervous in nature. They are not aggressive. They don’t attack their companion, they just use their spines for defense.
Hedgehog is fun to watch. Hedgehog can be suitable for the kids after age 12 or more. They are prickly. When Hedgehog is threatened he will curl up making a ball. It’s not easy to unfurl hedgehog’s spines after it’s curled up. It will take your time and patience.
Required Maintenance
- Regular cage cleaning
- Availability of fresh water and food
Lifespan: 3 to 8 years
3.Rabbit
Rabbits are most beautiful and most interesting animals in the world. There are around 60 breeds of rabbits available which vary in the size and color. They are adorable and require no more human intervention. They are very sociable and gentle in nature.
It’s good to have kids playing with a rabbit in elder’s supervision. The reason is, they are independent and they don’t like to be held high for longer. Moreover, Rabbits are very delicate, the mischief of kids can hurt their back or legs. Kids may also get hurt due to the sharp nails of rabbits. (Rabbits wouldn’t hurt your kids or anyone intentionally).
Nature of Rabbits used to get varies same as we, the humans. Some are playful, some are rambunctious while others are somewhat reserved and shy. It all depends on the breed you choose.
Required Maintenance
- Weekly hair brushing, nails trimming.
- Cleaning maze on regular basis.
- Must contain hay in regular diet.
Lifespan: 8 to 12 years
4.Hamster
Hamster is a small, beautiful, handy and furry animal. They are cheap to buy and they live in a cage.
Hamsters are easy to take care of pets and they need to be treated with patience and care, as they are nippy, quiet and aggressive by nature. If you choose hamsters to be your companion, then it’s better you choose larger breed like, Syrian hamster which can grow up to 17 cms. Just like fish, Hamster can also be left alone for a week or few days. They are confined to cages, so they won’t bother much.
If you are planning to have a couple of hamsters, prepare yourself to accommodate a large family of hamster soon, as they reproduce very quickly. The breeding period for this pet is just 2 weeks.
Required Maintenance
- Regular cleaning of the cage
- Food: Fresh grains, seeds, nuts, corn.
- Freshwater ( to drink).
Lifespan: 2 to 3 years
5.Parrot
Parrots are talkative, colorful and cheerful. They are affectionate and like to cuddle with the person they trust. You can find over hundreds of species among the parrots.
Parrot is a bird, not a four leg animal, so you will need to put extra effort in order to learn its body language. Be warned! Learning the language of feathers and beaks is a tricky task. If you miss understanding their behavior of wanting to go back to its cage and keep kissing him, you may end up getting a bite or scream.
Taking care of your parrot’s diet is easy and necessary, it should be pelleted and formulated. Parrot’s ability of talking, noise, and temperament depends upon the kind of species you choose.Parrots are small pets that are easy to take care of and they are very smart.If you train well, it can repeat what you say.
Required Maintenance
- Regular cleaning of Parrot house.
- Good understanding of parrot’s body language.
Lifespan: It varies anywhere from 5 years to 100 years, depending on the kind of species you choose.
6.Turtle
Turtle is very affectionate reptile that you can choose to have one at home. They live longer than any other pets and they are certainly one among the easy pets to take care of. They are decent and silent. Your kids would like it and enjoy spending time by observing them and feeding them. It is a kind of pet for which you can think of having a pet insurance.
You need to take care when your kids are playing with a turtle. Though they seem to have tough sturdy exterior, their organs and internal parts are more prone to injury.
Required Maintenance
- House and food according to turtle species and size.
Lifespan: 30 to 40 years. Sea turtle can live up to 80 years.
7.Squirrel
Squirrel is extremely adorable and cute animal. If you try to get an answer from Google whether it’s a good idea to have a squirrel at home, you may need to deal with the big chaos. Because everyone has a different experience of having the squirrel as a pet.
If you want to have one squirrel at home, it’s better that you raise this pet from a baby. If you train your squirrel well, it will be really cheerful to have such active animal in the home. You’ll be needing a special care of squirrel’s teeth and nails.
What more is, an adolescent squirrel will require a special care and patience, as they can behave aggressively during mating season. Aggressive squirrel can bite or scratch any human being. Just need to make sure that you’ll train them well starting from their early age.
Required Maintenance
- Need to be trained at an early age.
- Home: You can have one cage or you can let them play around in the house.
- Nuts and junk food to eat.
Lifespan: vary from 4 to 7 years.
8.Fish
If you don’t afford much money and time for having a pet, fish is the best fit for you. It is definitely one of the best small pets for kids and it is easy to take care of. Your kids would love to watch colorful fishes and their activities every now and then.
All you need is a little effort during the initial setup, like setting up an aquarium, water plants, setting up the water filter, food pellets etc. Once you’re done with the initial setup, you only need to feed them once or twice a day. You can even leave them alone at home if you’re planning to go out for few days.
Required Maintenance
- Cleaning an aquarium
- Regular feeding
Lifespan: It can vary depending on the type of fish
9.Dog
You won’t be needing any suggestion if you are going to choose a dog as a pet. Dogs are loyal, adorable, easy to train, and adaptable in nature. They can spread happiness and safeguard you and your home. There are a variety of dogs, starting from miniature to gigantic ones. Calm to the naughty ones. If you are a first-time pet owner, choose the one that is polite in nature and stay away from the naughty ones.
Dogs are indeed the very easy pets to take care of. They can do jobs for you. All you need to do is just the solid initial training. Train them at an early stage of life. Dogs are playful, your kids will feel joyous and secure with a dog.
Required Maintenance
- Home
- Medical care, Vaccination
- Food
- Toys
You’ll be needing to have a long-time commitment when you have a dog at home.
Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
10.Cat
Cats are also social animals like dogs. You will enjoy the company of this fluffy animal because of their friendly nature. Cats are like an ornament that many people would like to have at home.
There are many breeds of cats are available. Some of them are Persian cat, Ragdoll, Scottish fold, American Bobtail, Bombay cat etc.
Required Maintenance
- Regular medical care
- Vaccination
- Home
- Toys
Lifespan: 12 to 15 years or longer
Hope we gave you the contended idea on the top 10 easiest pets to take care of. Off all the best small pets for kids and adults, which one you think is the best fit for your home? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
