Socializing Small Pets

Many small pets, especially those purchased from pet store chains, or small locally owned pet stores are not very sociable. They spend time locked in a cage alone or with a few (or in some cases) a lot of other small pets and receive very little human contact.

Some unsuspecting family comes along and finds the pet cute, does some research and decides to bring the new pet home. When they get it home, the new pet wants nothing to do with the family and either hides all the time, or spends it's time trying to bite (and probably has successfully accomplished it at least once) a member of the family. At their wits end, they take the pet back to store where it's placed back into the tank only to go to another family so the cycle can continue again.

The important thing is that you shouldn't take the pet back. Being placed into a small tank with all of those other pets will only lead to stress. That pet more than likely will live the rest of its life, only to die with never having contact from a loving human that'll care for it and give it a comfortable life. Spending 15 minutes or more a day interacting and coaxing your pet out of its shell will definitely be a rewarding experience.

The first step to try is hand feeding. Find a treat or a piece of its favorite food and slowly put your hand into its home. Offer the food and spend a few minutes trying to coax your pet to take it from your hand. Make slow movements. To help this process, pick a food that is very desirable, something that will make your pet want to take it from your hand. If they don't take it from your hand this time, wait awhile and try again. Eventually they'll realize you're not such a bad person and will want it. You'll be extremely delighted once they take it from your hand. Continue this for a week.

The next time you offer a treat, take them from the cage and gently hold them, still coaxing them to take it from you. The more and more this process is repeated, the more and more trusting each pet will become. Continue this for a week.

The next time you offer a treat, have them come to you. Don't follow them, if it's possible to coax them out of their cage to come to you, do so. Don't give them the treat until they come to you. Persistence and patience pays off. Eventually, they'll realize that to get the treat, they have to come to you, and they will. This will show a true trust. The more and more you offer them treats, the more trust they will build for you.

If you follow this regime, eventually your small pet will jump out of the cage to come to you for the treat. You'll no longer have to worry about coaxing them out of hiding because they'll always expect a treat, but they will also trust you enough to come to you.

Remember not to offer just treats. Talk to your pets. Use a soft, soothing voice to let them know you are around. Use their names when you approach their cage, let them know you're around before you open their cage to handle or feed them. Talk to them as you change their water and feed them. Not only will this help calm and soothe them, it will also get them used to your voice and used to you being around.

And remember, if any pet is prone to bite before you get them socialized and tamed, a towel or other thick item can be used when handling your pet. Young children should be supervised when handling all small pets, but pets prone to bite should not be handled by young children until tamed and socialized.