If you’ve ever owned a tarantula or a snake, you probably know that many “dangerous” animals can coexist with humans. All you need is the right setup and a good understanding of how they behave.
On the other hand, these kinds of exotic pets are relatively common compared to what else you can have at home. Sometimes, you need a more unorthodox animal to match your personality, and taking care of them can be extremely rewarding to boot.
Keep reading for 6 of the most unusual pets that are legal to own!
1. Sugar Gliders
If you’re a sucker for rodent-adjacent pets, you’ll have a blast with these cuties zooming around your home. Sugar gliders get their name from their love of sweet, nectar-rich food, and they double down on their cuteness factor with a playful personality.
Watching sugar gliders fly across the air (in a decent-sized container, of course) is a favorite pastime for many people who keep them. Not to mention, the noises they make are a contender for the most adorable animal sounds you’ll ever hear!
Keep in mind that sugar gliders don’t like solitude, so you’d be wise to keep at least two at a time. With the proper care, these animals can inhabit your home and heart for a decade, if not more.
2. Frogfish
A frogfish is one of the most unusual aquatic animals you can keep at home, both in terms of appearance and behavior. They rely on camouflage to survive in open water, so the average frogfish either boasts a unique color palette or can actively change colors!
The great thing about frogfish is that they’re relatively low-maintenance since they don’t need constant water purification to thrive in an aquarium. They’re also not the busybody type of fish, so they tend to be content in relatively small containers.
The one catch is that they’ll eat anything smaller than them, so it’s not a good idea to keep them alongside your other aquatic companions. Either way, they make for amazing conversation starters when people come over!
3. Skunks
Believe it or not, it’s perfectly legal to own a skunk in several American states, although you may need a permit for some of them. You also need to de-scent them in the first month of their life.
The hardest part of keeping a skunk is that you can’t keep them alongside other domestic pets due to their headstrong temperament around other animals. Other than that, a well-taken-care-of skunk can live up to a decade, and they tend to be extremely loyal and playful in the right hands.
Best of all, even with their spray glands disabled, skunks don’t tend to become irritable unless they’re startled. Other than the occasional gentle bite, there’s nothing to worry about when dealing with a vaccinated skunk.
4. Aracari
As cool as parrots are, toucans are a bit of a cult favorite among people who like to keep exotic avians. As far as tropical birds go, Aracaris are up there as some of the friendliest feathered friends you can have.
Beak bites can often be painful, but these beauties almost never peck at their owners. On top of that, they’re not prone to the same kinds of mood swings other birds in captivity often display. They’re also on the smaller side, coming in at around five ounces, which makes them that much cuter when they’re feeling playful.
That said, remember that you can’t just keep them in a cage indefinitely. It’s a good idea to give them some space to fly around in a sizable room once in a while. You don’t have to worry about them resisting when you try to close them in again. In fact, if you establish a good rapport with your toucan, they’ll actively seek you out to hold and handle them!
5. Stick Insects
If you have a phobia of bugs, a stick insect makes for some amazing exposure therapy. These are super-peaceful creatures that’ll sit idly on your hand, and you don’t have to worry about them getting aggressive or crawling under the wardrobe.
As the name suggests, stick insects are among the best camouflagers in the animal kingdom. They can be as tiny as one inch, while the largest bug ever documented was a whopping two feet long.
Bringing in some of the longer ones from abroad can be a difficult legal process. Still, for the most part, you should have no trouble finding some in the States and beyond. All they need is a good terrarium and access to bramble and other plants to supplement their herbivore diet.
6. Frilled Lizards
Lizards can make for amazing pets if you know what you’re doing, and a frilled lizard is a decent intro to caring for reptiles. Although they can grow as large as 3 feet long, they pack very little bark or bite. In fact, they get a real kick out of people petting them, especially when they’re little!
In a domestic setting, you can gauge this lizard’s mood based on the position of its frills. They usually spread them out when they’re afraid or otherwise distressed, so it’s a good sign you need to give them a little space.
The main thing to keep in mind with frilled lizards is that you may need a humidifier for their container. This goes double if they’re on the more active side, which is extremely common for this gorgeous species.
