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A pocket pet is a small, pocket-sized pet mammal (sometimes also categorized as a small and furry in the pet industry) commonly kept as a household pet. The most common pocket pets are rodents such as hamsters (golden hamsters and dwarf hamsters), gerbils (Mongolian jirds and duprasi gerbils), common degus, fancy mice,] fancy rats, common chinchillas, and guinea pigs (cavies). The term also includes exotic pets and marsupials like flying squirrels, Chacoan pygmy opossums, sugar gliders,and hedgehogs.
Other small non-mammalian animals such as reptiles, birds, fish, and amphibians—e.g. lizards, snakes, turtles, goldfish, canaries, and frogs—may not be considered pocket pets.
Many of these small pets are prohibited in certain areas for being invasive; California, Hawaii, and New Zealand have strict regulations to protect their native environments and agricultural operations. Gerbils, degus, ferrets, domesticated rats, sugar gliders, and hedgehogs have various prohibitions on their ownership.
Other small non-mammalian animals such as reptiles, birds, fish, and amphibians—e.g. lizards, snakes, turtles, goldfish, canaries, and frogs—may not be considered pocket pets.
Many of these small pets are prohibited in certain areas for being invasive; California, Hawaii, and New Zealand have strict regulations to protect their native environments and agricultural operations. Gerbils, degus, ferrets, domesticated rats, sugar gliders, and hedgehogs have various prohibitions on their ownership.