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Small Animal Encyclopedia — 78 Species Directory

Encyclopedia of popular small animal species with care guides, traits, and pricing.

Featured Small Animal

Showing 28 of 78 species(124)

Abyssinian Guinea Pig

Cavia porcellus

Beginner

Distinctive guinea pig with rosettes (swirled fur patterns) all over the body. Active and curious personality.

Beginner-friendlyRosettesActive

Californian Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

Medium-sized rabbit with distinctive black markings on ears, nose, feet, and tail against a white body. Docile and easy to care for.

MediumDocileBeginner-friendly
Chinese Hamster© Tristanspotter / Public domain

Chinese Hamster

Chinese hamster

Beginner

Slim hamster with a notably long tail. Gentle and affectionate, endearingly wraps around fingers when held.

Beginner-friendlySmallAffectionate
Crested Guinea Pig

Crested Guinea Pig

Cavia porcellus

Beginner

Short-haired guinea pig with a single rosette (crest) on the head. American Crested has a white crest. Easy to care for.

Beginner-friendlyShort-hairedCrested

Djungarian Hamster

Phodopus sungorus

Beginner

Popular small hamster with a gentle temperament. Easy to tame and ideal for beginners. Some individuals develop a winter coat.

Beginner-friendlySmallHandleable
Dutch Rabbit© Sahrazad at Czech Wikipedia ( Original text: sahrazad ) / Public domain

Dutch Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

Classic two-tone color pattern rabbit breed. Gentle and social temperament, great for families with children.

Beginner-friendlyTwo-toneGentle
Dwarf Hotot Rabbit

Dwarf Hotot Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

Small rabbit with distinctive black eyeliner markings on white fur. Active, curious, and popular for its compact size.

Beginner-friendlySmallEyeliner markings
English Guinea Pig

English Guinea Pig

Cavia porcellus

Beginner

The most common standard guinea pig breed. Short-haired and easy to groom. Gentle and ideal for first-time owners.

Beginner-friendlyShort-hairedGentle
Fancy Mouse

Fancy Mouse

Mus musculus

Beginner

Tiny and adorable pet mouse with many color varieties. Compact housing needs and curious, active personality.

Beginner-friendlyCompactMany colors
Fancy Rat© No machine-readable author provided. Pemelet assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain

Fancy Rat

Rattus norvegicus

Beginner

Highly intelligent and affectionate pet rat. Can learn tricks and responds to its name. Clean, social, and an underrated companion.

Beginner-friendlyIntelligentSocial

Golden Hamster

Mesocricetus auratus

Beginner

The most popular and beginner-friendly hamster. Docile, easy to handle, and available in many color varieties.

Beginner-friendlySmallHandleable
Guinea Pig

Guinea Pig

Cavia porcellus

Beginner

Gentle and social small animal. Communicates through various vocalizations and bonds closely with owners. Cannot synthesize vitamin C, so diet management is essential.

Beginner-friendlySocialCute vocalizations

Harlequin Rabbit

Harlequin rabbit

Beginner

Unique rabbit with distinctly different colors on each side. Clown-like color patterns with a bright, sociable personality.

MediumUnique patternSociable

Himalayan Rabbit

Himalayan rabbit

Beginner

White body with dark points on nose, ears, feet, and tail. Color changes with temperature. Calm and gentle breed.

Beginner-friendlyPoint colorGentle
Holland Lop Rabbit© shogun1192 / Public domain

Holland Lop Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

Adorable small lop-eared rabbit breed. Sweet, affectionate temperament with a compact round body and signature floppy ears.

Beginner-friendlyLop-earedAffectionate
Mini Lop Rabbit© shogun1192 / Public domain

Mini Lop Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

Slightly larger lop-eared rabbit with a muscular, stocky build. Many enjoy being held and are very affectionate.

Beginner-friendlyLop-earedAffectionate

Mini Rex Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

Renowned for its unique velvety plush coat. Calm, friendly temperament with a wide range of color varieties.

Beginner-friendlyVelvet coatGentle
Mongolian Gerbil© Alastair Rae from London, United Kingdom / Public domain

Mongolian Gerbil

Mongolian gerbil

Beginner

Active and friendly desert rodent that loves tunneling. Entertaining to watch and produces minimal odor due to low urine output.

Beginner-friendlyLow odorTunneling

Netherland Dwarf Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

One of the world's smallest rabbit breeds. Adorable round face with short ears. Active, curious, and available in many colors.

Beginner-friendlySmallAffectionate

New Zealand Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

Hardy large breed available in white, red, and black. Originally a utility breed but excellent as pets due to their calm disposition.

LargeHardyBeginner-friendly

Polish Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Beginner

Small, compact rabbit with a rounded body. Calm and composed temperament. Popular as a show rabbit and elegant breed.

Beginner-friendlyVery smallCalm
Rex Guinea Pig

Rex Guinea Pig

Cavia porcellus

Beginner

Guinea pig covered in short, dense curly fur. Similar to Teddy but with coarser texture. Sturdy build with a calm temperament.

Beginner-friendlyCurly coatGentle

Rex Rabbit

Rex rabbit

Beginner

Medium rabbit breed known for its plush, velvety fur. Intelligent and sociable with a beautiful coat texture.

Beginner-friendlyVelvety furIntelligent
Russian Dwarf Hamster

Russian Dwarf Hamster

Beginner

General term for small dwarf hamster varieties. Active and curious with multiple color variations. Compact and adorable.

Beginner-friendlySmallActive

Small Animal FAQ

Can beginners keep small animals?
Hamsters and guinea pigs are relatively easy to care for and popular with beginners. Rabbits and chinchillas are also tame-friendly; choose gentle individuals for a smooth start.
How much do small animals cost?
Hamsters cost 1,000-3,000 yen, rabbits 10,000-50,000 yen, guinea pigs 5,000-15,000 yen, chinchillas 30,000-80,000 yen, and hedgehogs 15,000-40,000 yen depending on species.
How long do small animals live?
Hamsters live 2-3 years, rabbits 7-12 years, guinea pigs 5-7 years, chinchillas 15-20 years, hedgehogs 3-5 years, and ferrets 6-10 years.
What supplies do small animals need?
Basics include a cage, bedding, food dish, water bottle, and a hideout. Depending on species, you may also need a wheel (hamsters), chew sticks (rabbits), or a dust bath (chinchillas).
What should I check when buying small animals?
Look for a shiny coat, active behavior, clear eyes and nose, and a clean rear. Getting parent information and temperament details from the breeder is reassuring.