Read About Three Easiest Small Pets to Care For

Three easiest small pets to care for include mice, gerbils, and rats. These pets are all small, even as "small" pets are concerned. They generally do not require much grooming at all, and are often fairly good at entertaining themselves. Although rats require more human interaction than either mice or gerbils, they are highly intelligent and easy to care for.

Pet mice are fun and lively pets that do not require a lot of maintenance, which earns them a spot on the list of three easiest small pets to care for. Pet mice can be rather skittish at first and may not like to be handled; they usually calm down once they are familiar with their environment. Mice are very social animals, but mostly at night and often with each other more than with humans. It is usually best to keep pairs of same-sex mice together, to provide them with company. However, male mice only get along if they are from the same litter and have never been separated. Pet mice groom themselves, so as long as you keep their cage clean they will keep themselves clean.

Like mice, gerbils are social animals that do well in groups. This means they do not require a lot of human interaction and can be one of the three easiest small pets to care for. Gerbils like to dig, so it is best to keep them in a tank or aquarium with a wire lid. When kept in a cage gerbils will often kick all of their substrate out of the cage, which will probably get them kicked off the list of the three easiest small pets to care for! Gerbils can be fed specially formulated gerbil food. They are easy to feed; since gerbils will often cover food bowls with their bedding, you can simply drop their food into the tank. Water bottles that hang on the side of the enclosure are easy to clean and refill, and provide them with the fresh drinking water they need.

Although they require more human interaction than the others, rats round out the list of the three easiest small pets to care for. Rats are clean animals that are highly intelligent and social. Male rats are often considered lazier or more laid-back than females. Female rats tend to be more active, and go into heat every four or five days and may be especially restless during this time. In terms of ease of care, male rats may be preferable. Rats enjoy exercising in wheels or balls, and by climbing. Cages with horizontal bars are ideal for providing them with space in their cages to climb, but rats should be allowed at least an hour a day of exercise outside their cages.