Small pets deserve equal respect

By Kate Norrish Staff Writer When I was 11, I got my first rodent - a Chinese hamster named Totoro. The life expectancy for Chinese hamsters is three years, but he lived with me for four years in a 20-gallon fish tank. He spent his nights running on his wheel so much it could have provided electricity for our entire house and days nibbling on fresh vegetables and sleeping under a layer of bedding in his favorite wooden house. I have since had two guinea pigs, Wilbur and Ernest; two gerbils, Pickman and Cavor; a Syrian hamster, Hobbes; and I currently have a mouse named Moomin. It was only several years after Hobbes, the last rodent I owned, died of mites, that I learned that hamsters are famous for dying young. While looking at cute pictures of these little buggers on the internet, I saw a variety of “jokes” surrounding how people’s childhood hamsters died - from falling down the stairs in an exercise ball to being sucked up in a vacuum cleaner or “pooping themselves to death.” The last one included the author laughing about the name of the disease - wet tail - a common rodent killer that is one of my worst nightmares as a pet owner. I also competed in various animal shows growing up, and these events usually had periods where the public could meet the animals and, with some species, pet them. Many members of the public were shocked to see how much it took to take care of my rodents. The way pets other than dogs and cats are perceived has always made me uncomfortable. They are often seen as being for children, despite the fact that, due to their delicateness, most species of rodent should not be handled by children younger than their preteen years. In fact, when I was in a club for rodent owners growing up, no one under the age of 10 was allowed to join for that exact reason. They are also seen as something involving little work and can live in nearly any environment. In reality, guinea pigs need at least 5-to-7 square feet of space in their cage per animal, and because they are social animals, you will need at least double that, according to the Humane Society International. They defecate a lot - to the point where my guinea pigs’ cage was vacuumed on a daily basis. I would also bathe them once a month, clip their nails every few weeks, give them pellet food and hay as needed, though I would give them a set amount of pellets every day if I were to get more, and give them fruits and vegetables every other day. Hamsters need at least 600 square inches of space - a 20-gallon tank has since been discovered as being too small, according to the North American Hamster Association. This makes the vast majority of pet store hamster cages inappropriate. Instead, many people have the smart idea of buying a large plastic bin and attaching a large square of chicken wire to the top as a cheap cage for their beloved little guy. Another common need that many people forget about is a small tray of chinchilla dust that should be kept in the cage at all times so the hamster can clean themself, as hamsters should not come in contact with water, according to the California Hamster Association. Gerbil and mouse care is relatively similar, though gerbils need at least 360 square inches and much more bedding, according to the American Humane Society. A single mouse is fine in a 10-gallon cage. Mice enjoy climbing more than hamsters and gerbils and do not need bath sand, according to the Arizona Humane Society. Gerbils and female mice are also social animals, according to the Animal Rights Coalition. While I do believe that rodents can be a good “starter pet,” in fact, I am easily able to care for Moomin in my dorm room as an emotional support animal - even with a lot of classwork - I do not think anyone should rely on common cultural knowledge when caring for any pet. My recommendation is to start your research by watching YouTube videos by owners of the animals to understand what you’ll need to learn more about, then fact-check them using animal welfare organizations such as the MSPCA or the AHS. Some channels that I used, which I’ve found to be extremely accurate, are Something Animal for mice and hamsters, and Little Adventures for guinea pigs. Please never trust anything a pet store tells you, as they often simplify an animal’s care requirement. I would strongly suggest avoiding chain pet stores such as Petco and PetSmart, as I frequently see animals with clear mental health issues - some signs of which include running in circles, and frequently falling backwards, according to The University of London. Along with being cruel, it makes the animal more difficult to tame. Also, make sure to check your local shelters for the animal you want. Smaller animals are ignored at shelters far too much. But the most important thing to remember is that all pets, from dogs to betta fish, deserve a large enclosure, high quality food, treatment when they are sick, and most importantly, concern and love from their owners.