What kind of pet to have in an apartment: work tips

When choosing a pet for an apartment, it is worth relying on the time for care, allergies of relatives and the square footage of housing. We have compiled a list of "convenient" pets for small, medium and large apartments. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

Pets for small apartments

In very small studios and one-bedroom apartments, they usually choose animals that have enough limited space and do not need walks. They fit well:

• aquarium fish of simple species — little space, minimum noise and smell, daily care is reduced to feeding and periodic water change;

• snails (achatines), small crustaceans and simple reptiles (for example, the leopard gecko) — live in terrariums, do not molt throughout the apartment and do not require walks.;​

• small rodents (hamsters, mice, and sometimes rats) and small birds (budgies, canaries) need only cages and areas for walking under control, but it is important to take into account night noise and possible allergies.

A cat in a small apartment is also possible if there is a place for a tray and a scratching post area; most cats tolerate limited space well with toys and vertical shelves. Of the dogs for very small apartments, quiet decorative breeds (Chihuahua, pug, toy breeds) are most often recommended, given that you will still have to walk every day.

Pets for medium-sized apartments

In a "regular" one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartment, the choice is wider: you can have both cage/terrarium pets and more active animals. Good options:

• Cats of most domestic breeds are more important in character (calm/playful) than in size; several play areas and places for privacy are enough for them.;

• small and medium-sized dogs with moderate activity: pug, French Bulldog, Cavalier King Charles, Bichon, Shih Tzu, Boston Terrier - they are comfortable in an apartment with one or two walks a day.

Of the "caged" pets, the average apartment is comfortable for guinea pigs, rabbits and ferrets, which can be allocated a more spacious enclosure and safe free range in the rooms. Aquariums with fish, terrariums and small bird houses for budgies or canaries are also relevant, especially if visual "wildlife" is important without major walking commitments.

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Pets for large apartments

In a spacious apartment (a large three-bedroom, eurodome, plenty of free space), you can comfortably keep larger and more active animals. They often choose:

• large and medium—sized dogs suitable for housing — a standard poodle, greyhound, mastiff, Irish wolfhound and other calm "gentlemen on the couch" - who need a meter, but not marathon runs around the house.;

• active cat breeds (for example, oriental/playful), which can arrange complex "routes" from shelves, scratching posts and play areas throughout the apartment.

The large square footage allows you to keep several pets at the same time — for example, a cat + a dog or a pair of dogs, provided there is a well-thought-out recreation area and the possibility to breed animals in case of conflict. It is also in large apartments that it is more convenient to place large aquariums, enclosures for rabbits and ferrets, or more complex terrariums with several species, without cluttering up people's living space.

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