Pocket pet

Pocket pet is a term used to refer to any small mammal commonly kept as a household pet. The six general criteria which qualify an animal to be considered a pocket pet are: 1) its commonality as a household pet, 2) no potential danger to humans or other animals, 3) non-exotic, 4) overall ease of care & feeding, 5)amicable disposition making it suitable as a "companion" pet, and 6) relatively small stature.

Typical pocket pets include rodents such as: hamsters, gerbils, fancy mice, fancy rats, rabbits and guinea pigs. It also includes common, non-exotic animals such as sugar gliders; which have been domestically bred as housepets in the U.S. for the last 15 years. According to a recent 2007 study conducted by the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA), it is estimated that American families own 6.2 million rabbits, 1.2 million hamsters, 1.1 million Sugar Gliders and just over one million Guinea Pigs.

*NOTE: Sugar Gliders are Exotic Animals as defined by the USDA and are regulated by the USDA as well as local and State Laws. They are not legal to own as pets in all States, of the United States.

*NOTE: [http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=6&txtPage=3] Georgia has just made them legal this year (2008 session) as long as the owner can prove that they obtained their Sugar Gliders from a licensed USDA Facility, Person or Organization.*