Small Animals in English | Top 25 Smallest Animals in the World
When discussing small animals, the initial thoughts often gravitate towards baby animals, diminutive pets, or breeds of small dogs. Yet, there exist other animals that retain their small size even into adulthood. Many of these small creatures are popular choices for household pets, particularly if there are children in the family. These can include birds, rabbits, various rodents, and gerbils. However, it’s important to note that several small animals are native to the wild and are not suitable for domestic keeping.
What Are Small Animals?
These animals are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Typically, they are mammals that are commonly kept as pets, known for their cuddly and fuzzy appearance due to their fur.
Given their size, their food sources are limited, and they often fall prey to larger animals. To evade their predators, they seek refuge in tiny crevices or other small spaces where they can conceal themselves.
Small Animals
List of Small Animals
Because there are a lot of small animals that you can name, here are some of them that you can keep as a pet:
- Pygmy Rabbit (weighs 400g)
- Hamster (weighs 150g)
- Guinea Pig (weighs 900g)
- Gerbil (weighs 58g)
- Chinchilla (weighs 800g)
- Ferret (weighs 750g)
- Hedgehog (weighs 200g)
- Parrot (weighs 40g)
- Degus (weighs 300g)
Aside from animals that you can keep at home, here are some of the small animals that are found in the wild:
- Pygmy Marmoset (weighs 100g)
- Mouse Lemur (maximum weight of 61g)
- Pygmy Shrew (weighs 2.7g)
- Padloper Tortoise (weighs 160g)
- Bee Hummingbird (weighs 1.9g)
- Jerboa (weighs 350g)
- Barbados Threadsnake (4 inches in length)
- Tarsier (weighs 160g)
- Pika (grow to about 7 or 8 inches in length)
- Brookesia Micra (a half-inch long)
- Pygmy Possum (2 to 5 inches in length)
- Octopus Wolfi (weighs about 1g, about 1 inch in length)
- Northern Pygmy Owl (between 2.2 and 2.5 ounces)
- Fennec Fox (weighs between 2.2 to 3.3 lbs)
- Monte Iberia Eleuth (only reaches about .39 inches (for perspective, a dime is about .7 inches))
- Paedocypris Fish (an average adult able to fit squarely on the end of a fingertip)
Small Animals with Interesting Facts
Rabbits
Contrary to the perception of smallness, some rabbit breeds can weigh up to 9kg in their adult phase. When kept as pets, rabbits typically have a lifespan of around 10 years, provided they receive proper nutrition. These self-grooming creatures often prefer not to be held.
Hamsters
Nocturnal in nature, hamsters also engage in self-grooming. Dust baths, available at local pet stores, can be incorporated into their cages. Although active and playful in their enclosures, they are not particularly inclined to be handled or cuddled.
Hedgehogs
Similar to hamsters, hedgehogs are primarily active at night and tend to create nests in bushes and hedges. Their distinctive snouts aid in foraging for berries and worms in the wild. When threatened, they erect approximately 5000 to 7000 spines along their backs.
Tarsier
These small primates boast the largest eyes among mammals of similar body sizes. Found exclusively in Southeast Asian forests, tarsiers possess a third finger as long as their upper arm and sticky pads on their fingers for adept tree-clinging. Notably, they can rotate their heads up to 180 degrees.
In Conclusion
Given the dietary variations between small and larger animals, proper feeding is crucial when considering them as pets. Wildlife species, on the other hand, are best left in their natural habitats, as changes in surroundings can significantly impact their behavior.
Small Animals with Pictures
