The same part of our brain that compels us to care for infants shoots all sorts of sparks when we see a little puppy or kitten!
Did you know that there are some animals that never get larger, and stay unbelievably adorable forever?
We're famous for showing you the very best cute kitties and doggies, but now we think it's important to introduce you to other types of tiny animals who are big on cute. Some of these sweeties look exotic but are actually for sale in pet stores. Read on for more info!!
Meet your new best friends…and don't forget to SHARE this list with all of your friends.
This adorable little gremlin is called a pygmy marmoset. He's the smallest primate in the world, and he likes to hang out on human hands. (Lucky us!)
While pygmy marmosets are so rare they aren't frequently kept as pets, it's admittedly fun to imagine one living in an itty bitty cage from a Lilliputian pet supply store…is it not?
This is a baby pygmy hippo, so he will get a little bigger but not by much! Sadly, there are only 3,000 left in the wild.
Baby pygmy hippos are endangered and you'd be lucky to spot one on the wild…these little lumps of love aren't found in zoos…they reside in wildlife preservations.
This ruby throated hummingbird is as majestic as it is adorable. Her wings can rotate nearly 180 degrees allowing her to fly in any direction.
If this itty-bitty-birdy-wonder tried to hang out in my parakeet's cage, she'd have trouble even gripping the perch!
This pygmy goat is trying to sing you the song of her people! Pygmy goats are typically kept as pets, though sometimes they're also milked!
Ever wonder where you get pet supplies for a pygmy goat? I'd say they probably come from the same PetCo where you purchased puppy supplies.
THIS is a teacup pig. Feel free to say "awwwww," though be careful, since other breeds of pigs can look similar when they're young, but only teacup pigs stay tiny.
I will never look at bacon the same way again. Unfortunately for EVERYONE teacup pigs aren't sold in pet stores, though some specialty breeders do exist.
This tiny turtle is rich!
Imagine this tiny turtle in a teeny-tiny aquarium swimming with all his exotic fish friends! Major squee alert.
This itty-bitty fairy penguin was stolen, but eventually returned to a zoo in Queensland, Australia.
Noooo! Who would steal a cutie this sweet?
Is it wrong to feature both teacup pigs and pygmy hogs? Then we don't want to be right!
Pygmy hogs are found on farms rather than in your local pet stores…but that doesn't make them any less adorable.
A Japanese dwarf flying squirrel is perhaps our tiniest nocturnal friend on the list. This late-night diva is pictured with her even tinier babies!
Eep!! Flying squirrels aren't sold in pet stores in the US.
Tiny versions of already tiny animals like this dwarf hamster are even cuter! Some of the first dwarf hamsters were found in Mongolia of all places!
Here's a sweetie that IS commonly kept as a pet! Call your local pet store if you're interested in owning a dwarf hamster. Chinese dwarf hamsters are listed at $11.99 on PetSmart's website. That's a great price for a pet so sweet.
And here we have a dwarf rabbit, looking too adorable to be real. There are many breeds of dwarf rabbit, but the Netherland Dwarf is the most common!
MEEP!
The pudu is a rare and tiny deer, and will only grow to be about 18 inches tall - MAX. These cuties inhabit Chile, and I might make a trip just to meet one.
Pudu aren't found in pet stores.
The paedophryne amauensis is the smallest vertebrate in the world.
Ribbit, ribbit!!
The bumble bee bat could (possibly) turn into the cutest vampire...if you believe in that sort of thing.
Eek! These cuties aren't for sale in pet stores because they run the risk of turning into itty bitty vamps. (Jk.)
Aren't these little guys cute? Be sure to SHARE with your friends!