National Pet Month

April is National Pet Month so I thought I would share how I have enjoyed having pets whilst at uni! National Pet Month runs from the 1^st April to the 1^st May.

What pets do I have?

Whilst living in a student house, me and my housemates brought a Syrian Hamster who we named Mushu, after the Mulan character. Having ‘little moosh’ as part of our household has really boosted our morale during stressful periods whilst at university, such as assignment deadlines or exam periods.

We enjoy having a hamster as he is a student-friendly pet to have, as hamsters are relatively inexpensive! We brought our hamster cage, play pen, and a few accessories from a local charity shop which really helped us stay within our budget.

Hamster food and bedding is also inexpensive in Lincoln. We buy our supplies from Wilko and Pets at Home. Pets at Home also run a rewards ‘VIP’ scheme which provides us with offers!

Online small businesses also offer inexpensive hamster toys, treats, and accessories! For instance, we shop at the online ‘Etsy’ shop and have recently purchased Mushu two corner hammocks which he loves to eat treats on!

How to have a pet at your student house

Many student housing companies allow students to have pets at their student homes, you just need to ask for permission first!

Our student housing company, ‘Lincoln Digs’ provided us with an agreement to sign, which granted us permission to keep a hamster as a pet at their student property.

Places such as Pets at Home will ask for some form of agreement if you live at a student address, so make sure you have this agreement/ written consent to hand if you are looking to purchase a pet with them!

What other pets do I have?

At my home address, my brother has a bearded dragon, named Geoffrey, and some Crested Geckos who have lived with us for three years now!

Before I knew about reptiles, I was slightly afraid of them but now I really enjoy having them in our home and they really do make great pets!

I have learnt so much about reptiles through my brother, such as how they require lots of artificial lights and specific temperatures to mimic the weather conditions of Australia.

Reptiles also make great student pets as specific student housing companies allow students to keep reptiles as pets within their student properties!