The birds and the bunnies; A guide to low maintenance pets
In some countries, up to 70% of the population own pets. There are no surprises that these pets are most commonly Dogs, closely followed by domestic cats. But dogs require a lot of attention and daily exercise while cats are known to demand the many hours of attention they crave. These pets may be too high maintenance for someone who works a lot or has other animals. By no means are we encouraging the ownership of caged animals that are otherwise left to their own devices… all pets still require specific feeding and hygiene duties from their owners. But in this blog, we are discussing some other species that can be housed as pets that require less daily attention, especially in peers.
Farm friends
On top of the list are smaller farm and poultry animals such as Chickens, Pigs and Goats. These animals may provide a mutually beneficial relationship where you score a well priced lawn mower or an endless supply of free range eggs. The maintenance of these pets comes from their requirement of a larger land area where they are free to roam and not to disrupt other animals or your well maintained deck that you would prefer not to be covered in droppings. Otherwise, these animals just require a peer and daily food to meet their simple nutritional requirements and they’re happy to do their own thing.
Just a handful
Other pets that are low maintenance in peers are rodents such as guinea pigs, rats and mice; and lagomorphs such as rabbits. These animals should ideally be kept in peers as they, like us, need social stimulation through relationships. However, they should not live in mixed-species situations. For example, some people think that Rabbits and Guinea pigs are similar enough to live together but this is a myth. Even rats and Mice should be kept separate due to strong territorial instincts. These types of animals depending on size may live in indoor or outdoor cages and tend to sleep 8-16 hours a day.
Aquatic pets
And finally, of course we cannot forget fish. These beautifully unique, colourful and mostly self sufficient animals can make great pets as they would prefer to be bothered as little as possible but admired from afar as much as you desire. Although they need daily feeding and some may require specific water and temperature regulation, fish are some of the lowest maintenance pets in the right environment. The largest chore arising from these animals is keeping their tanks clean. However, this is easily combatted with tank-cleaning snails or the many products on the market that can automatically reduce the amount of time an owner needs to spend cleaning their fish tank. Healthy adult fish can also easily survive their owners leaving them for a holiday weekend. With this being said, a humble goldfish can make the perfect first pet for an individual or family for these reasons and can live anywhere from 10-30 years in ideal housing conditions.
Some animals can be all fun and games, while some prefer to be left alone. With such varying needs, there are many animals that can make a great pet depending on the owner’s amount of availability. While one may love walking their dog everyday, another may fulfill their caring capacity with a few little fishy friends. If you’re looking for the ideal pet for your household, visit your nearest shelter or pet store for advice!