12/05/2025
What is a starter pet?
Well here’s the thing…
👏🏻 THEY 👏🏻 DO 👏🏻 NOT 👏🏻 EXIST 👏🏻
“Starter pets” “low maintenance pets” is a phrase that gets thrown around A LOT but is there any such thing as a “low maintenance pet”?
Hamsters, rabbits, mice, fish, and many other small animals are often classed as “starter pet” is it because they are normally smaller than a cat or dog? Does the size of the animal equate to the “ease” of caring for them? In most cases absolutely not! Often the smaller the more fragile and more needs they have, is it because these animals (many times wrongly!) are seen as “cage animals” and therefore “take up less space”
All animals no matter the size have their own unique care and welfare needs, one is not easier than the other, they are just DIFFERENT!
In many cases smaller “exotic” animals require specialized and often more expensive veterinary care
So perhaps you are thinking of adopting an animal but not sure where to start? Instead of looking for a “starter pet” “easy pet” look at the needs of each animal and your environment and lifestyle and see who’s needs best fit with your own
Looking for a companion to bring with you on adventures? perhaps a dog
Looking for a more independent home body? perhaps a cat
Looking for a tiny ball of anxiety and p**p that will stress you so much until your hair falls out? Perhaps rabbits 🤣 (okay that’s a bit of a joke but partly true as well)
Also take into consideration how many animals you may want to get, hamsters for instance are solitary animals! and therefore you cannot house multiple in the same enclosure, but many animals such as rats, rabbits and many birds are social species and therefore need to be kept with others of their own kind to meet welfare needs
A rabbit is not an easier animal then a dog but a dog is also not an easier animal then a rabbit, they are just DIFFERENT
“Starter pet” is an outdated and wildly inaccurate term
Swipe to see some great responses from other people on their thoughts on these terms ✨
