Guinea Pigs
Though little, guinea pigs aren’t that cheap. First-year costs for your little guy will be $705. You get a break because guinea pigs don’t need to be spayed or neutered but litter is high ($415). After the first year, annual cost: $635.
Gerbils and Hamsters
These are the cheapest mammals you can get. Expect a $340 tab the first year. Some expenses are food ($50) littler ($210) and a cage ($40). After the first year, the annual cost: $300.
Small Birds
Prices can climb way up there when it comes to exotic birds— the Blue Mutation Amazon sells for $18,000 to $20,000. But the upkeep of a bird remains a bargain at $270 for the first year. Expenses include food ($75), toys ($25) and a cage ($70). After the first year, annual cost: $200.
Fish
Expect to spend $235 on your underwater friend the first year. That includes the biggest expense the aquarium ($200). After the first year, the annual cost: $35.
Easy Ways to Avoid Excess Costs
U.S. consumers spent over $36 billion on their animals in 2005. Here are some easy ways to chip away at your yearly spendings:
- Go to the vet. Yearly exams catch health problems early, saving you a ton of time and money. Vet visits should include flea and tick controls and thorough checkups of gums, teeth, heart, lungs, and internal organs.
- Make at-home checkups a routine, too. Do weekly checks for lumps, bumps, flakes, or scabs on your pet’s skin. Learn how to clean your pet’s ears (to avoid pricey ear infections) and brush her teeth (to avoid needing pricey dental cleanings that can run up to $200).
- Vaccinate wisely. Only a few are actually required by law, so before shelling out for all those shots and subjecting Fluffy to the needle, ask your vet which ones she really recommends—needs can vary by region, lifestyle, and type of animal.
- Spay, neuter, and train. “Fixed” animals are less likely to wander off and misbehave (same goes for well-trained ones)—meaning you have less chance of incurring astronomical emergency room costs if they wander in front of a car or get in a fight. Dogs that are spayed or neutered are also less likely to develop certain types of cancer.
Although skimping on the vet visits and vowing to train the dog on your own may seem like fiscally responsible choices, knowing that you’re more likely to find yourself face-to-face with big health expenses down the road makes them a whole lot less appealing. As with cars, homes, and even us people, a few preventative choices now can help save cash down the line. Who says you can’t have your designer dog and purse, too?
