If you’re in college and looking for a pet to keep you company, you’re definitely not alone. There are many people who want to have a small furry friend as part of their college experience, but may not be able to keep a larger pet, such as a dog. Especially if you’re currently living in a dorm or an apartment with strict rules about keeping a furry friend, here are five great animals that you might be able to keep instead.

1. Hamsters

Hamsters are an extremely popular small pet. They’re very easy to look after, and while they’re solitary and therefore happy to live on their own, many hamsters are very sociable and enjoy being handled as well. They’re a great pet for college students who may not be allowed to have larger pets, but are very interested in keeping a smaller pet in a dormitory or apartment.

2. Cats

Especially if you’re not living in a dormitory or are living somewhere with less strict rules, a cat can be a great middle ground between a larger pet and a smaller one. Many cats are fairly solitary, but are still sociable, and they’re also incredibly clean. Plus, depending on the cat’s temperament, they may also be very quiet animals.

3. Rabbits

Rabbits don’t require a lot of room and are generally happy to stay in a fairly small cage. They’re very quiet, extremely affectionate, and bond strongly with their owners. Just remember that rabbits tend to live between 8-12 years, so when you buy a rabbit, you’re signing up to care for it for much longer than just your college experience.

4. Fancy Rats or Fancy Mice

So-called “fancy rats” and “fancy mice” are rats and mice that are bred purely for the sake of keeping them as pets. Rats are very social and intelligent animals, and you can even litter train rats if you’re interested in keeping them as clean as possible. Because they’re so quiet and calm, you may also want to buy multiple rats, as they will keep each other company in their cage.

5. Chinchillas

While chinchillas may seem like more of an exotic animal, they’re a great pet, and the maintenance costs are fairly low. You will usually just need food and water, as well as small toys that they can often chew on for long periods of time. Chinchillas are very clean and don’t smell, making them a perfect pet for any dormitories that might allow small animals, but could require you to get rid of your pet if they’re a nuisance to others around them.

Conclusion

Pets can be very helpful for a college student, both in allowing them to have some amount of companionship at home and in helping them maintain a sense of stability with something else outside of them. However, if you’re planning to buy a pet as a college student, it’s important that you make sure your pet will be happy and healthy in a dormitory or apartment as you go to college. All five of these animals make great pets for college students, with many of them working well for a dormitory situation. Remember to look up vets in the area where you’ll be studying, searching around for terms like “Best vets in Wisconsin” before you buy a pet.