Pocket pet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pocket pet is a term used to refer to any small mammal commonly kept as a household pet. The six general criteria which qualify an animal to be considered a pocket pet are: 1) its commonality as a domestic housepet, 2) no potential danger to humans or other animals, 3) non-exotic, 4) overall ease of care & feeding, 5)amicable disposition making it suitable as a "companion" pet, and 6) relatively small stature.

The most common pocket pets include rodents such as: hamsters, gerbils, fancy mice, fancy rats, and guinea pigs. It also includes common, non-exotic animals such as sugar gliders; which have been bred as domestic housepets in the U.S. for the last 15 years. According to a recent 2007 study conducted by the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA), it is estimated that American families own 6.2 million rabbits, 1.2 million hamsters, 1.1 million Sugar Gliders and just over one million Guinea Pigs.

This article about a mammal is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

• NOTE: Sugar Gliders are not exotic animals as defined by the USDA [1] and their breeding is regulated by the USDA. As of the fall of 2008, they are legal to own as domestic housepets in 46 of the 48 contiguous states, with Pennsylvania and California being the only remaining states.

• NOTE: [2] Georgia has just made them legal this year (2008 session) as long as the owner can prove that they obtained their Sugar Gliders from a licensed USDA Facility, Person or Organization.*