Happy small pets feel safe, have plenty of food and water and live in clean environments. The first step to your pet’s happiness is small pet proofing your house.
Safety first
All animals like to feel safe in their environments, but this is especially important for small pets. Small pets that are not protected can be pray for larger animals including the family cat or dog. Creating a safe environment for your small pet is the first step in small pet proofing your house.
Now, small pet proofing your house for safety depends on the pet you’re bringing home. However, all small pets including fish, birds, hamsters, gerbils, reptiles and mice, need some kind of protection. Make sure that you small pet is kept in an area where it’s protected from predators. If you have a cat, do not put your small pet in a room where the cat hangs out. Every time you leave that room, double check to make sure your cat is not being left alone with your small pet.
Any small pet should have a safe, secure cage. For birds this means buying a cage that is sturdy and can hang or is placed in an area where it will not be bumped or bothered by predators. Small pets that are kept in cages such as hamsters and fish, need to be in cages that have tight lids. If you have a cat or dog, you might want to put something heavy on top of the lid. A dictionary is one option. This will keep your crafty pet from trying to lift the cage to get at your small pet. Small pets like to have a wall on one side of their cage because they know that, at least on one side of their cage, they don’t have to keep a constant look out for predators. Small pet proofing your house means finding an area that’s backed up against one wall to put the cage.
Cages are a nice asset
Small pets are great because they’re pretty easy to prepare for. Unlike larger animals, small pets are contained in a cage so you don’t have to hide your slippers or block off entry ways like you might do with larger animals. Small pet proofing your house is really about finding a proper place for the cage. We talked about making your pet feel safe. You also need to make sure your pet is protected from drafts and extreme temperatures. This will prevent your pet from getting sick.
Prepare yourself
The best thing you can do before you bring your new pet home is prepare yourself. Small pet proofing your house is worthless if you’re not ready to take on a small pet. Make sure you have the time, energy and space to keep your small pet. Small pet proofing your house will be worthless if you’re not ready to love and take care of a pet.
