Your small pet’s first day at home will be an exciting day for you however, it may be a little traumatic for your small pet, so give him a little time to adjust.

Give him some space

Your small pet’s first day is going to be a little scary for your pet. Regardless of where you get your pet, when you take him home you’re going to be removing him from a very familiar environment and placing him in one that he isn’t used to. You should have your pet’s new environment set up well before you bring your pet home. If you wait to set your pet’s home up until after you’ve brought your pet home, you’re going to delay the amount of time it takes for your pet to adjust to its new home.

If you have a pet that can be taken out of its cage and handled, it’s best to refrain from taking your pet out of its cage on your small pet’s first day home. A new environment is enough change for one day. Let your pet hang out in its cage. It needs to get used to new scents, new food and new surroundings. Give your pet a few days before taking him out and introducing him to your family.

How pets adjust

Small pets adjust to their new environments differently. Hamsters and gerbils like to burrow. Burrowing makes them feel safe and they will burrow on their first day home. Make sure your gerbil or hamster has an area in which to burrow. This means putting plenty of cage covering in the cage before you bring the pet home. Nesting will make your small pet’s first day home more pleasant.

Birds are a little different, but they’re still going to want a place to hide. Put your bird’s cage in the corner of a room so it feels protected. On your small pet’s first day home, you might want to play some nice music for your bird. Family birds such as parakeets, cockatoos and canaries are social animals and will feel more comfortable if they hear a pleasant noise.

Fish also like to have a place to hide on your small pet’s first day home. Fish don’t burrow like gerbils, but they like to hide. So, before you bring your fish home, put some plants or decorations such as plastic castles in his tank. This will allow him to hide. Animals have a better time adjusting when they feel safe and comfortable so giving your pet a place to hide will make your small pet’s first day more enjoyable.