Understanding the Short Lifespan of Pocket Pets and Coping with Their Loss
When looking for a furry friend that can easily fit in smaller living spaces, a pocket pet may be perfect for you! A pocket pet is a pet that is typically smaller than the likes of a cat or dog - such as a rabbit, guinea pig, ferret or rodent. While they’re smaller in size, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re a smaller responsibility or require less care.
Sadly, pocket pets typically have a shorter lifespan than our larger pets. This is for a range of reasons - from being more susceptible to health conditions such as tumours and infections, as well as genetics and evolutionary challenges. Lifespans can vary from pocket pet to pocket pet, however, can be anywhere 1 year through to approximately 10 years. To find out more about expected life spans for different pocket pets and other things to consider about a pocket pet you can check out our blog post here.
While their time with us may be shorter than other pets, this doesn’t mean they can’t make a large impact on our lives and have so much love to give. Owning a pocket pet means that you also need to be prepared for your time with them to be shorter than a typical pet.
Here are some of our tips on ways to make sure your time with your pocket pet is short but oh so sweet, and advice on how to navigate their loss when the sad time comes.
Keep up to date on vet checks
While vet checks are important for every pet, because pocket pets have a shorter lifespan, age related changes in their health can happen much more quickly. This makes it even more important to have regular checks to spot and tackle issues early. When your pocket pet is approaching their golden years, your vet may suggest these checks take place every few months.
We’re sure you’ve also heard the phrase ‘breeding like rabbits’. Rabbits, along with other pocket pets, are capable of producing offspring and as they have such a short lifespan, they reach sexual maturity much sooner than you’d probably expect. For example, hamsters can start to reproduce from just 6 weeks old! Unless you are looking to have a huge cohort of pocket pets, getting your pocket pet spayed / neutered as early as possible will help prevent unwanted pregnancy and save them from developing any health conditions associated with their reproductive organs.
Create an enriching environment
By giving your pocket pet plenty of things to keep their minds and bodies active, you are not only helping them remain healthy and happy for as long as possible, it also makes for great ways to bond and interact with your pocket pet.
Ways of busying your pocket pet don’t need to cost an arm or a leg either. Instead, think of what you can use that you have lying around the home! For example, you could use toilet paper rolls and cardboard boxes to create a maze of tunnels for your pocket pet to explore. Or you could use wooden blocks as something for them to chew on and play with.
Enjoy the moment
Life can sometimes get busy, but it’s so important to make the most of all the time you have with your pocket pet. If you have a busier schedule, you could think about scheduling dedicated play time with your pocket pet, or have a certain part of your daily routine where you are spending time with, or nearby, your pocket pet.
Seize every opportunity to spend time with your pocket pet and interact with them. This could look like playing with them using the toys and activities in their enclosure, gentle handling and cuddling outside of their enclosure or simply taking the time to chat to them.
Try not to get too focused on the shorter lifespan of your pet and that they will not have as long with you as you would like. While incredibly sad, by accepting and acknowledging the reality of the situation, it will be kinder to you and your pet and help you live in the moment and not focus on what’s to come.
Document memories
Make sure you spend some of the precious time you have with your pocket pet creating keepsakes and documenting memories so you can treasure their love and presence in your life long after they’re gone. This could be as simple as taking photos and videos of your pocket pet, but you could also go all out and get your pet involved in arts and crafts mementos. For example, through a quick search online you will be able to find guides to creating moulds of your pocket pets’ paws, or even creating art from the fur that you gather when grooming them.
Plan ahead and be prepared
While it won’t be easy to think about your beloved pal leaving you all too soon, being prepared for when the time comes will make a difficult time a bit easier. Here at Sweet Goodbye, we are passionate about making sure that every pet has a respectful and dignified farewell that honours the massive impact that they’ve had on those they love. This is why we created our Pet Casket and Farewell Ceremony Kit, which comes in all different shapes and sizes for our different pets. This includes the beautifully handmade CLOUD, which is specially designed for our smaller pals.
By ordering ahead of time, this will be one less thing to think about (and pay express shipping fees for) when your pocket pet crosses over the rainbow bridge. You will be able to rest easy knowing that your pet is being warmly snuggled in their ultimate resting place.
You may also be surprised by the number of resources out there to support pocket pet parents and the unique experience of having such a short and sweet time with our pets. You could think about joining online forums or groups designed for pocket pet parents, or tune into podcasts that are all about how to anticipate and prepare for pet loss. This episode from the Give Grief A Chance podcast on Anticipatory Pet Grief is such a comforting listen.
While our pocket pets may have less time with us on Earth, the love, lessons and memories they can offer are so incredibly special - don’t let their shorter life span turn you away from experiencing the love of a pocket pet! If you accept the more difficult reality of how long you will have with them, there are so many ways to make their lives as magical as possible!
