Celebrating Fourth of July with Small Animals in the House

Who says your rat or guinea pig can't enjoy Independence Day, too? Huh? That's right. When you adopt a furry friend, they become part of the family too. Fourth of July can be a scary time for small animals, due to all the loud noises and smoke. Try throwing a celebration your pets can enjoy too. Many professional fireworks shows occur before Independence Day. So if you want to catch one of those, try going to one that's before the holiday. Most likely, your neighborhood will be the loudest right on Fourth of July, which is when you can have a get-together that involves your small animals.

Keep small animals close. Because you cannot prevent the noises emanating from other people's festivities, you'll need to keep the pets calm. With small animals, the best way to do that is to hold them close. Hamsters and other smaller rodents may enjoy being in your pocket. Guinea pigs will likely prefer being held close to your chest. Rabbits may prefer something similar or want to be in your lap. Small animals feel more secure when they are close to the people they are used to. Some, like rats, also may feel comfortable when they have each other close by. If you are able to keep your small animal near you during a good portion of the Fourth of July celebrations, it's a good idea to do so.

Keep doors and windows closed and the air conditioner on. This is important for more than one reason. Smoke inhalation from the fireworks is very bad for small animals. Their lungs are much smaller than ours. Therefore, damage can occur much more quickly. Also, the Fourth of July firework noise will be greatly reduced with doors and windows shut tightly. Air conditioning can help filter out the air. If you have one, it also wouldn't hurt to run an air purifier.

Engage small animals in activities. If you keep your small animals engaged in active play, they may not notice all the loud noises as much. Of course, they cannot play for too long or they'll be overexerted. But you can play with them during the loudest moments and let them sleep or relax during other moments. The extra exercise and activity not only keeps small animals occupied and less likely to get stressed over the loud Forth of July celebrations outside. But it also can help them expend more energy. This way they'll sleep better when they aren't playing. It may help to have an activity cage, as well as their regular cage very near to you during the entire Fourth of July celebration.

Share an American-themed food tray with your small animals. Be careful what you give your small animals because they cannot eat all people food. However, they can have small portions of certain things in moderation. You may be able to make the items red, white, and blue depending on your pet's diet. But never, ever dye the foods. Small animals should not consume dyes. One red snack many small animals can have is diced bell peppers. Check with your pet's veterinarian for a complete list of safe fruits, vegetables, seeds, and more that your specific pet can enjoy. Choose from that list to create your food tray. Most likely, there will be items you both can enjoy. But make sure the amount you feed your pet is much smaller than what you and your guests consume and does not interfere with a healthy, balanced diet.

Play music. Of course you don't want to play any ear-blasting music or that would defeat the purpose. But some good music can drown out the sounds of people celebrating Independence Day outdoors. Also, many small animals enjoy music. Our hamsters and guinea pig will listen intently and even cuddle when we sing along to music while holding them. When it comes to music, many animals enjoy it just as much as people. Just be careful not to have it too loud because small animals have small and sensitive ears.

*The author is not a veterinarian, but is a pet parent sharing her personal experience. The advice herein is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice from a licensed professional. Always consult a properly licensed veterinarian when it comes to the health of your small animals.

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