There are countless benefits to owning a pet. The companionship of an animal can lower the risk of developing depression or loneliness. On top of everything, some species encourage people to spend more time outside, which is a healthy activity that results in the production of vitamin D by our bodies.
Picking the right kind of pet can be a challenge because you need to make sure that it is the perfect choice both for yourself and for the other people living in your household. We’ll list some of the aspects you ought to bear in mind if you want to ensure that your ultimate decision is the right one.
Questions you have to ask yourself before getting a pet
There’s a whole series of questions that you should try to come up with an answer before you enroll in the adventure of caring for an animal. What and how much does the pet eat? Does it need to live in a special enclosure, as most small-sized animals do, or will you have to change your living environment to make sure that it doesn’t pose risks to his or her health?
What about the pet’s lifespan? In case you didn’t know, smaller animals have a more active metabolism, which basically means that their heart beats faster than that of larger pets, and they tend to live less. For example, hamsters live for about one and a half to maybe two years tops, whereas guinea pigs have been known to reach and even go beyond the age of eight to ten.
When it comes to longevity, cats and dogs are by far the best decision you could make. So, if you don’t want to be heartbroken by the early demise of your pet, you ought to pick one of these.
Cleaning and maintenance
Some types of animals, like dogs, for example, will require cleaning rather often. Unlike cats, they do not have a special interest in cleaning their own fur, and that’s why you might have to make them take baths at least once in a while. If you take walks during the cold seasons and their paws have become messy, you need to clean them before entering the house.
As for maintenance, although the word might seem somewhat strange in relation to animals, it also must be given some thought to. How much does pet insurance cost? How much will your visits to the vet’s clinic cost? If you are not prepared to invest in a high-maintenance pet like a dog or a cat, that have to be vaccinated and checked regularly, you might have to consider getting a small pet rodent.
Reptiles aren’t easy to care for and ensuring healthy living conditions for some species can be a true challenge. A setup for chameleons can be rather difficult to put together, for example, and such a pet isn’t the most sociable one in the world, either.
CDC recommendations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend avoiding pets like reptiles, backyard poultry or amphibians for households where children under the age of five live.
Cats carry a parasite that has been found to cause toxoplasmosis, so it is very important to ensure that the feline doesn’t have this type of infestation as it can cause congenital disabilities. If you don’t want to give up your cat, you must ensure that it is perfectly healthy and you also have to make sure that you wear disposable gloves while handling litter.
In the end, the best piece of advice that we can give you on this topic is that you have a talk with a veterinarian before deciding on a particular pet, especially if you have a weakened or compromised immune system.