What Small and Exotic Pets Cost: Setup, Monthly and Lifetime Figures

This page is for anyone pricing a small mammal, bird, fish or reptile before buying one. It collects the published charity estimates in one table, says what each figure leaves out, and lists the costs that most often catch owners out.

Published cost estimates by species

UK figures are in pounds sterling from PDSA; US figures are in US dollars from Humane World for Animals. Neither source prices reptiles, so they are covered under hidden costs below.

Species	Setup	Monthly	Lifetime	What it excludes
Rabbits, indoor pair (UK)	At least £980 (PDSA)	At least £80 (PDSA)	At least £7,700–£10,600 (PDSA)	Purchase price, vet fees for illness, boarding (PDSA)
Rabbits, outdoor pair (UK)	At least £922 (PDSA)	At least £84 (PDSA)	At least £8,000–£11,000 (PDSA)	As above (PDSA)
Guinea pigs (UK)	About £400 for the animals and kit (PDSA)	About £70 (PDSA)	Up to £7,000 (PDSA)	Vet bills (PDSA)
Hamster (UK)	Not given	Not given	About £1,000 (PDSA)	Not stated
Hamster (US)	Habitat $50–$100 (Humane World)	$150–$300 a year for food, bedding and vet care (Humane World)	Not given	Not stated
Chinchilla (UK)	Not given	Not given	About £5,000 (PDSA)	Not stated
Bird (UK)	About £500 (PDSA)	About £60 (PDSA)	Not given	Vet bills (PDSA)
Fish (UK)	Up to £1,000 for a tank setup (PDSA)	“Generally quite low” (PDSA)	About £2,000 for one goldfish (PDSA)	Not stated

PDSA’s rabbit figures were last calculated in 2024 from online product prices. PDSA works out lifetime cost as monthly cost × 12 × average life expectancy, plus setup (PDSA). You can use the same method with local prices for any species.

What the setup figure has to cover

PDSA’s rabbit setup list shows what a realistic first budget contains. Both indoor and outdoor pairs need bedding, the first course of vaccinations, hay and food, bowls or bottles, a carrier, microchips, neutering, toys, grooming kit and insurance (PDSA). Indoor rabbits add a litter tray, rabbit-proofing, hides, an indoor pen and a sandpit. Outdoor rabbits add a waterproof home, an exercise run and flystrike prevention (PDSA).

For other species the big setup items differ:

• Guinea pigs: PDSA’s £400 covers buying the animals too, which matters because guinea pigs need the company of another guinea pig (PDSA). See guinea pig care.
• Reptiles: a vivarium, thermostat-controlled heat, UVB lamp and thermometers. Costs vary with species and enclosure size, so price your own list before you buy the animal. See the UVB lighting guide.
• Fish: PDSA’s “up to £1,000” covers everything the fish need at the start. The low monthly cost comes after that outlay, and PDSA notes the average fish lives around 10 years, some up to 40.

Hidden costs the estimates leave out

Cost	How often	Source
UVB fluorescent tube	Replace every 9–12 months	MSD
UVB mercury vapour bulb	Replace every 12 months	MSD
Rabbit vet exam	When first obtained, then once a year	Merck
Rabbit check-up, vaccines and parasite treatment	At least annually	RSPCA
Rabbit neutering	Once; PDSA includes it in setup	PDSA; RSPCA
Exotic pet insurance (US)	Monthly; Nationwide says exotic plans generally start at less than $21 a month	Nationwide

Vet fees for illness are the largest gap. PDSA’s rabbit figures exclude them, and its guinea pig and bird figures say sickness or injury “could be a lot more” (PDSA). Ask an exotic vet for a price list for a routine exam, an out-of-hours visit and common procedures before you need one, and set money aside toward that figure.

Neutering is cheaper than what it prevents in rabbits. The RSPCA says up to 60% of unneutered females over three develop uterine cancer, and Merck calls this cancer common and often fatal in rabbits over 3 years old.

UVB lamps should be replaced on MSD’s schedule, not when they stop lighting. MSD also notes that fluorescent tubes must sit within about 12 in (30 cm) of the reptile to be useful, which can mean buying a stronger lamp for a tall enclosure.

Insurance is optional but it is a recurring cost. Nationwide says wellness cover is not available for exotic pets, so routine care stays out of pocket even if you insure. The pet insurance guide covers what policies exclude.

Budget mistakes that cost more later

• Pricing one animal of a social species. Rabbits and guinea pigs are costed as pairs or groups by PDSA. Budgeting for one, then adding a companion, means a second vet check and possibly a bigger enclosure.
• Treating a lifetime figure as fixed. PDSA’s lifetime totals assume average life expectancy and no serious illness. A rabbit that lives longer than average, or needs dental treatment, costs more.
• Forgetting how long birds live. MSD gives 30–50 years for an African grey and 30–60 for macaws, against 5–10 for a budgie. A parrot’s costs can outlast the owner, so plan for who takes the bird on.
• Buying cheap reptile lighting. A lamp with no rated UVB output, or one past its replacement date, can leave a lizard short of vitamin D3 (MSD). Fixing that later means vet bills on top of a new lamp.
• Skipping the annual exam to save money. Merck and the RSPCA both recommend yearly checks for rabbits, and the RSPCA says annual visits let dental disease be spotted early, before painful overgrowth or abscesses develop.