Exotic Pets Deserve Your Love Too

Animals comprise a big fuzzy place in our hearts, from their silly antics to their endless adoration for their owners. While the pets we grow up with tend to be felines and canines, that isn’t always the case for other pet owners. 

Rodents, reptiles, birds and other species find a home where cats and dogs normally would. 

In 2018, third-year CSULB student Lauren Ritter adopted two guinea pigs named Penny and Bean after her cousin’s guinea pigs gave birth to a litter that included the two. 

Although small, Ritter said that Penny and Bean made up for their size with big personalities. Penny especially loved to explore the backyard and always tried out new treats and food first. 

Ritter’s guinea pigs brought her a lot of joy while she owned them. 

On average, rodents typically have shorter lifespans than other animals, and although Penny recently passed at six years old, Ritter emphasized that guinea pigs can hold just as much value as traditional pets like dogs and cats.

“[Guinea pigs] have all the capacity for love and companionship that a more traditional pet gives,” Ritter said. “They are also very smart and can learn tricks if you give them time… Penny used to greet me with squeaks when I would get home. She would give me kisses like a dog when I came to her enclosure.”

Lauren Ritter's guinea pigs, Penny and Bean. Photo courtesy of Lauren Ritter.

CSULB alumni and recent graduate Cassidy Reyna also found love in a guinea pig who she adopted in 2020. 

Chewie, a brown American satin guinea pig was adopted as an emotional support pet for Reyna during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Her partner also owns multiple exotic pets, including two guinea pigs named Gorda and Taco, a chinchilla named Concha and two leopard geckos named Rex and Spike.

Although Reyna was initially keen on adopting either a chinchilla or leopard gecko, she settled with a guinea pig which she says was the best decision she ever made. 

Not only has Chewie provided a sense of company to Reyna, but her unique pet has also acted as a source of therapeutic support for her. 

“Chewie's impacted my life a lot. I really wanted an emotional support pet, especially because I do deal with depression and anxiety,” Reyna said. “And having him here with me when I was going to the transitional period from going to school at a community college to a full four-year university to finish my last two years of college… I went through imposter syndrome, I had a lot of anxiety, self-doubt… he's played a huge pivotal part in my life.”

Recently, Chewie has been subject to hospital visits due to health issues. One of the visits constituted an emergency surgery to remove a Cocoa Puff-sized bladder stone that caused him pain while urinating. 

The price for the surgery came out to $2,500 while another hospital visit for a simple blood check came out to $860. 

Reyna emphasizes that because of visits like these, small pet owners must always be prepared and should expect to do a lot of research before adopting just as dog and cat owners should. 

Reflecting on what Ritter had said about the abundance of personalities that guinea pigs hold, Reyna said the same about Chewie and her partner’s pets. 

Chewie has been a staple in Reyna's life, providing her with therapeutic support and companionship. Photo courtesy of Cassidy Reyna.

Taco prefers to keep to herself while Gorda loves attention. They also love to mess with each other, creating funny scenarios in the household. 

Concha, the chinchilla, has a vibrant personality and is as active as other chinchillas are. 

The leopard geckos, Rex and Spike, are also polar opposites. Rex is a rather sweet leopard gecko while Spike is more aggressive.

Reyna’s very own Chewie also has his little quirks that she has gotten to know over the time she has owned him. He loves cuddles and pets and is even friendly with all of the veterinarians he has seen. 

However, his paws and chest are a no-touch zone. He otherwise enjoys all the company and physical touch he can get. 

All of Reyna and her partner’s pets are from Petco. 

Taco was dropped off outside of the facility at which her partner worked, along with other guinea pigs. Gorda was returned by a customer who ended up being allergic to her. 

Concha was the last chinchilla left at the pet shop before Reyna’s partner left his Petco job. She had been transported throughout multiple Petco stores and nobody wanted to adopt her. 

Rex had dropped his tail while living at Petco, which is something that reptiles may do when they are in high-stress conditions. Spike was adopted to accompany him. 

Spike the leopard gecko. Photo courtesy of Cassidy Reyna.

Reyna said that her partner had gone through multiple losses of pets that came from Petco. Massive pet store chains such as Petco have repeatedly been accused of selling sick animals and mass producing them via unethical suppliers. 

“His first few guinea pigs, unfortunately, fell to illness. And I have a feeling, of course, that's due to, unfortunately, their genes,” Reyna said. “And I know it was heartbreaking for him to lose them. And again, my point still stands of how much these little creatures can take up such a huge part of your heart.”

Guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas, leopard geckos, birds— all of them deserve the same love that dogs and cats get. They may live for only so many years, but even in those years, we may find the best times of our lives, just as they do.

“I want to give [Chewie] the best life possible for the short time that I'm going to have him for. And as much as it hurts to say that, and I want to have literally, I wish I could have him here with me for the rest of my life,” Reyna said. “He's done so much for me, and I can only hope that he knows I love him so much.”