More and more dorms are allowing students to have a companion animal in their rooms. This idea may be tremendously appealing, but careful consideration should be given to what kind of pet would be the best choice for this type of situation.
To begin with, consider the size of the room that will be available for a pet. Some pets need much more room than others. Also, consider that if you have a roommate they may have allergies or be afraid of certain animals. They may not appreciate your pet snake being in the room no matter how friendly he might be. While your dorm may allow pets, there may be limitations on what kinds of pets you can keep. Before purchasing or adopting a new friend to share your living space, find out what is and what is not allowed. Also, consider the life of the animal you wish to have as a pet. What will happen with them should you move off campus to a place that is not pet friendly? You will need to plan for that. Here are some great tips we got from the pinkferret.net
Once you have it cleared with the dorm administration and your roommate, you can decide what kind of pet you want. If you have the space for a proper aquarium set up, fish make an excellent choice. They are quiet, clean and extremely peaceful to watch. Even a beta fish or some guppies can be entertaining pets should they have a large enough tank.
Another choice of pet may be one of the small, furry ones like a mouse, ferret, guinea pig, rat, gerbil or hamster. Before your make your choice, consider that some of these animals are nocturnal and may not appreciate being woken up in the daytime. The plus side for these little guys is that they are relatively clean, quiet and are fun to watch. Some of them, like the rat or guinea pig can become quite affectionate with you and will make a decent “furry friend”. You will need to keep their cage clean to prevent odor and make sure they always have a plentiful supply of food and water. Some people have found chinchillas or rabbits to make excellent dorm room pets. Please be aware that while they make excellent pets they need a fair amount of the room and care.
Some people choose a reptile for their dorm room pet. While reptiles may be terribly appealing to watch, some people are afraid of them, especially snakes. Some require live food such as crickets, which can be noisy, not to mention it can be disquieting to watch a lizard eat live crickets! A few of the reptiles are also noisy. Take these things into consideration when choosing one of these creatures as a companion. The same holds true for the creepy crawly pets like tarantulas. Really think before buying one of those for your room.
Having a pet to share your dorm room can help you relax and wind down at the end of a long and stressful day. Just remember that a pet can need a lot of care, time and love so please consider that when you make your choice.
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