If you are looking for a new family pet, apart from the regular cats, dogs, horses, etc., there are strange creatures in the world that can be raised at home. A few things to consider when purchasing an exotic pet, safety should always be the number one priority, your safety first. Living conditions and accommodations for these animals are important. As with any animal, you have to remember to properly feed them and make sure your local vet clinic will treat these kinds of animals, especially in case of an emergency. Laws vary when it comes to exotic animals, so always check your country’s laws on exotic animals.
1. The Smartest Pets What comes to your mind at first – dogs? No, it’s pigs! If you have the space, consider a potbellied pig. They are easily trained and have an alert curiosity and affectionate nature. They’re smarter than the smartest dogs, and always appreciate a good bellyscratch. They’re quick to house-train, are quite clean and odor-free animals, they don’t bark, don’t chew and shed very little. But be careful – cute piglets can grow to be quite large pigs.
2. The Most Talkative Pets Parrots provide excellent entertainment because of their ability to learn how to speak. It is quite amusing to hear pet parrots repeat words. Parrots also have a long life. If properly taking care of, parrots can live for around fifty years, depending of their species.
3. The Most Illegal Pets:) Monkeys, Are you ready for a something a bit exotic? Try a monkey. But before buying a monkey, be sure to research thoroughly — some types of monkeys can be extremely aggressive or forbidden in your country
4. The Most Unwanted Pets Nobody would fancy a cockroach for a pet. The Madagascar hissing cockroach is no ordinary roach. For one thing, it can grow to up to 3 inches long and over an inch wide – not something you would swat with a rolled-up magazine! They are hardy creatures that do not bite, and in fact make great exotic pets for children.
5. The Most Dangerous Pets If you are fond of fishes, then you can consider having a Piranha at home. Live up to their Hollywood reputation as vicious fish that will not hesitate to chew off the hand that feeds it, they are violent creatures. Not kidding! This isn’t a pet for the faint of heart – only experienced aquarists should take on the piranha.
6. The Most Useful Pets You may not have considered the possibility of keeping a chicken as a pet, but they can make wonderful additions to your family. Chickens can live for about ten years. One of the advantages of owning chickens as pets is that every day or two they will provide you with an egg.
7. The Most Rolling Pets As well as being able to roll into a tight spiny ball when frightened, African Pygmy Hedgehogs, are also bundles of personality, loyalty, and activity. Most people have no allergic reactions to hedgehogs. They have virtually no odor, are clean, and can be litter box trained. If you want a small pet but with a longer life span than say, a hamster, a hedgehog is definitely the pet for you!
Sugar gliders These pocket-sized marsupials are oh so cute. They are very friendly, but they can’t be toilet trained, so you’ll have to keep them in a roomy cage. They are nocturnal so a good time to bring them out of the cage to play is in the evening. Nutritionists don’t agree on the types of foods that sugar gliders should be fed, though they all agree that their diets should be high in protein and include a healthy dose of insects. In addition, sugar gliders suck their nutrients from their food, which means they make a mess when they spit out what they don’t eat. If you don’t like insects or a mess, this isn’t the right fit for you.
Guinea pigs If you have little kids, then a guinea pig might be the perfect pet. Guinea pigs aren’t as small and delicate as gerbils and hamsters, but they are still furry and fun. Of course, you still need to keep close supervision on toddlers and preschoolers when around any pets.
Chinchillas If you live in a cool climate, consider a chinchilla. These nocturnal animals have soft fur and a bushy tail. They can’t be in temperatures higher than 23 degrees Celsius, so you need to keep your chinchilla cool. They’ll need a large cage with plenty of room to move around.
Hermit crabs Perfect for apartment dwellers and those looking for a low maintenance pet, hermit crabs are a fantastic choice. You just need an old fish tank, gravel, extra shells in various sizes (they change homes as they grow), food and water. The more that you play with the crabs, the less likely they will pinch. Iguanas For lizard lovers, the iguana is a wonderful choice. They require warm temperatures and a cage big enough for them to grow. Green iguanas can grow to up to 6 feet long. One disadvantage of iguanas is they require special lighting — both UVA and UVB lights in their cage.
Ant farms If your child is interested in science and you don’t really have any space (or time) for a pet, consider making an ant farm. Just be sure not to leave the feeding port open, or you’ll have ants all over your home.
Bengal cats The Bengal cat is not related to the Bengal tiger in any way. Rather, they are hybrid felines that are the result of crossbreeding between a domestic house cats and exotic cats.
Stick insect With a face like the alien out of Predator, stick insects are hardly the prettiest of pets. But they’re popular for children and in schools, though you have to be careful when handling them: some can bite, some have a poisonous spray, and some are very prone to losing their legs. Choose your stick carefully!
Tarantulas Contrary to popular belief, tarantulas, are not usually dangerous or even aggressive. These large, hairy, and frequently these beautiful animals are gaining popularity as interesting, low-maintenance pets.
CELEBRITIES WITH UNUSUAL PETS ARE NOT SOO UNUSUAL !
Michael Jackson He adopted a chimp named Bubbles in the ’80s and liked wearing matching outfits with his pet during the few years Bubbles lived with him. Jackson also owned a tiger named Thriller, which first came to live with him in 1998.
Mike Tyson Before he declared bankruptcy in 2003, Mike Tyson spent $4,000 each month to care for his three white Bengal tigers. Tyson says he first got the idea to keep tigers as pets when he was in prison.
George Clooney Geroge Clooney’s longest relationship was with his Vietnamese black bristled potbellied pig named Max, who lived with Clooney for 18 years before it died in 2006. Max weighed in at about 300 pounds.
Hugh Hefner Hugh Hefner keeps a whole zoo at the Playboy Mansion. Hefner has 184 animals including turtles, squirrel monkeys, marmosets, African cranes, peacocks, toucans, parrots, and many other types of birds.
Reese Witherspoon In addition to taking care of her three kids, Reese Witherspoon also cares for her two pet donkeys but, she also is taking care of a horse, two pigs, three goats, three dogs, and 20 chickens. Leonardo DiCaprio He spent $400 on a tortoise in 2010. He bought a 10-year-old Sulcata tortoise that weighed 38 pounds, but it’s expected to grow to about 200 pounds and live until it’s 80 years old! So if you have a wild mind and want to be adventurous as our celebrities, keeping exotic pets can be fun, if you really get along with the animals. Although be sure to understand their mood and behavior and treat them accordingly. Good luck!
