We all love our pets, but some of us dream of having companions that are a little more unique than your average house cat or labrador puppy.
Exotic pets are nothing new, and when kept ethically and looked after well, there are some unique animals that can have a special place in your home and heart.
Every country and state will have its own laws around exotic pets, so it’s important to do your research. But, with that said, here are ten unique animals you can keep as a pet!
1. Sugar Gliders
If you’ve ever seen a sugar glider, you know that they’re just about the most adorable creature on this planet. Their big, doleful eyes and tiny paws are enough to soften even the hardest heart, and they actually make wonderful pets.
Sugar gliders are tiny nocturnal gliding possums that can fit in your pocket. As omnivores, they can eat basically anything you eat and need a diet high in fruits, veggies, and protein, making them pretty easy to feed. Sugar gliders as pets also require constant warmth and lots of love and attention if you want them to bond with you, and can make great emotional support animals if they do.
2. Axolotls
If you’ve ever wanted to keep a real-life Pokémon as a pet, then an axolotl is for you. These cute amphibians spend most of their time in the water and are fairly easy to care for.
With the right care and diet, these pets can live for around 10 – 12 years. For top-notch axolotl care, you need to prioritize a diet of fish, worms, and mollusks and a decently sized fish tank that allows them to move around freely. You’ll also need to make sure to optimize your axolotl’s water conditions and temperature and ensure that their tank is clean to properly care for this pet.
3. Fennec Foxes
While fennec foxes might look like cute, playful puppies, they’re certainly a more complicated pet to own. Fennecs are lively, adorable creatures that can be domesticated and kept in your home. However, fox care is a lot of work, and they’re not recommended for inexperienced pet owners.
These little foxes are loud and very energetic, requiring a lot of training, exercise, and special care to manage their naturally mischievous and destructive behavior. These pets also require a special diet of meat and plants, but this can be supplemented with cat or dog food.
4. Pygmy Goats
Ever dreamed of owning a farm? Pygmy goats are considered livestock but can be happily kept in your home if you have a big enough backyard to accommodate their roaming and grazing habits!
These adorable miniature goats are intelligent but simple pets that live off grass, hay, or alfalfa. They might also like to nibble on some fruit or vegetables. They’re playful and entertaining, so goats are great pets, but keep in mind that this also means they can be noisy and mischievous!
5. Mini Pigs
Another farm animal you can keep at home without needing the entire farm is a mini pig, an adorable domestic big that has become wildly popular over recent years.
Mini pigs are great pets, but their needs (and habits) are definitely different from the cats and dogs you might be accustomed to. They need ample space to move and run around and also require an area where they can root around (dig), so they’re not well-suited to an indoor lifestyle. Mini pigs need a special diet of pellets that can be supplemented with veggies like carrots, zucchini, sweet potato, and leafy greens.
6. Hedgehogs
Another nocturnal creature that’s become a popular companion choice is the humble pet hedgehog. These creatures are of a more solitary nature, which can make them slightly more difficult pets to bond with. However, you can gain their trust with time, affection, and a healthy dose of respect for their space.
In the wild, hedgehogs enjoy a varied diet of bugs and plants, so you should try to match this as best you can at home. Mealworms, waxworms, and crickets will be a great foundation of protein, and you can also feed them fresh fruits and cooked eggs.
7. Skunks
Whether or not you would want to keep a skunk as a pet is entirely up to you, but the fact is you can! These typically wild and smelly skunks can indeed be domesticated and actually make sweet companions if they’re cared for properly.
These creatures require some pretty specialized care, and a skunk’s lifespan depends on them having space to roam, play, and climb, as well as a special diet of formulated skunk food which can be tricky to find. Fortunately, these pets will still be healthy and happy on a diet of lean protein like cooked chicken breast and veggies.
8. Capybaras
The ever-popular giant guinea pig can, in fact, be kept as a loving companion. However, like most of these unique pets, capybaras have unique needs to match.
Capybaras, native to South America, are social creatures and need to be with their own kind for the sake of their physical and mental well-being. This is why prospective owners should adopt a pair of capybaras instead of just one. These semi-aquatic animals also require a special capybara enclosure that gives them access to a large thermally regulated pool to help regulate their body temperature and keep them fit and happy.
9. Green Tree Pythons
Snakes are pretty common pets, but these green tree pythons are a stunning and unique choice due to their bright, bold coloring.
As pets, these pythons are relatively easy to care for. They don’t love being held and handled, but they’re still fairly tame and beautiful to look at. They don’t have any care requirements that are different from any other breed of snake, and their housing and feeding needs are simple and manageable for even inexperienced pet snake owners.
10. Toucans
Another bright, bold, and beautiful pet selection is the ever-popular toucan! These unique birds are energetic and socially complex animals, but they’re gaining popularity as house pets in the USA.
Toucans are hungry creatures and live off a bird-friendly diet of fresh exotic fruits. They require a lot of space to move and flap around, and they’re fast flyers too, which means you might have some trouble when it comes to training and managing them. All in all, they’re playful and fun companions, but they’re a lot of work and shouldn’t be adopted without serious thought and planning.
