Discover the 9 Strangest Pets in the World
The benefits of having pets in homes are diverse, whether for mental health, as they bring joy and happiness to the household, or for physical health, as they significantly improve the health of their owners. Pet types have traditionally been limited to cats, dogs, birds, and ornamental fish. However, did you know that some people prefer to have exotic pets, and some of them may even be dangerous? In this article, we will explore the weirdest types of pets that can be raised at home.
- The Skunk:
Despite the bad reputation of skunks due to their smell, they have been kept as pets since the early 20th century. But what drives people to have a pet with such a foul odor inside their homes?
- Pet skunks have their scent glands removed when they are about four weeks old, allowing them to live peacefully with their owners.
- Skunks are known for their intelligence and loyalty similar to dogs. Spending a lot of time with them from a young age is essential to form a strong bond between them and their owners.
- Regular annual vaccinations for skunks are necessary.
- Bearded Dragon:
Bearded dragons are commonly found in pet stores and are one of the most popular exotic pets. What distinguishes bearded dragons as pets?
The name "bearded dragon" comes from the flat, triangular spines under their throat that puff up when they feel threatened, giving them the appearance of a bearded dragon.
Their native habitat is the Australian desert, and they are known for their docility and ease of handling despite their intimidating appearance.
They range in length from 40 to 60 cm, with an average lifespan of 6 to 10 years, sometimes reaching up to 20 years.
They feed on insects and vegetables and prefer warm temperatures.
Having rocks in the dragon's enclosure is recommended to make it feel more at home.
- Sugar Glider:
Sugar gliders belong to the possum family and are named for their love of sweets: - They have a membrane that stretches from their front legs to their back legs, allowing them to glide or fly from one tree to another, resembling flying squirrels or bats.
- They weigh an average of 85 grams and can reach a length of 17 cm.
- Originally from Australia, sugar gliders are currently classified as one of the favorite pets in America.
- They are known for being social and non-aggressive, but they may bite with their sharp teeth if mistreated, especially by children.
- They can respond to vocal signals and can be trained using specific words or sounds.
- Being nocturnal, they may struggle to adapt to any morning activities initially, causing inconvenience to their owners for the same reason.
- They love attracting their owner's attention all the time and may make loud noises in the cage if they feel lonely, so it's advisable to have more than one in the cage to avoid loneliness.
- A diet consisting of cooked meat, vegetables, eggs, insects, and tree leaves is recommended.
Hedgehog:
Despite the difficulty of imagining raising a hedgehog as a pet with all the sharp spines covering its body, it is one of the most popular pets for some people:
Hedgehogs are easily raised and do not require much care, adapting easily to their surroundings.
They only need a cage that accommodates their exercise wheel.
Preventing them from roaming around the house is preferable to protect them from injury and to prevent their spines from causing harm to the residents and the home furniture.
When feeling threatened, hedgehogs curl up into a spiky ball to protect themselves from any danger.
They feed on small reptiles and mice.
Female hedgehogs give birth from their second year at an average rate of 4-5 babies annually.
Fennec Fox:
The fennec fox is the smallest of the fox species and is considered one of the most popular pets:
Weighing between 700-1600 grams, with a full body length ranging from 18-31 cm.
Its native habitat is the Greater Desert in North Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
It is characterized by its sandy color, helping it camouflage in the desert, and its large ears enable it to hear the faintest sounds, especially the sounds of rodents inside burrows.
Owners consider it a friendly animal, utilizing its high energy for entertaining their other pets. It is known for its high speed.
It requires a large cage for its accommodation or a separate room filled with sand resembling its original habitat.
It cannot tolerate low temperatures and easily gets cold.
It is challenging to keep it from escaping due to its high speed and digging ability.
Wallaby:
The wallaby is a marsupial, similar to kangaroos, with facial features resembling bears:
Its native habitat is Australia and Guinea.
It can reach a length of 104 cm and a weight of up to 24 kg.
Despite its beautiful appearance, it is considered one of the weirdest pets because of its escape skills, making it challenging to maintain. It requires a high fence to prevent it from escaping.
Most of its activity is nocturnal, making it difficult to adapt initially.
Its diet consists of grass and some fruits, such as apples.
Wallabies are social animals that prefer to live in pairs. They are friendly and gentle.
Capybara:
The capybara is the largest rodent species in the world and is one of the most popular pets:
It can reach a length of 120 cm and exceed a weight of 45 kg.
Its native habitat is South America.
Despite its massive size, it is a highly social and non-aggressive animal, easy to train.
It can easily coexist with other pets like cats and dogs.
Being a semi-aquatic animal, it lives part of its life on land and part in the water, always near lakes and rivers. Therefore, when having it as a pet, a suitable-sized pool is needed.
It is advisable to acquire it from a young age for easy training and handling because when it feels threatened, it may resort to biting with its large teeth.
Its diet consists of grass and consuming plenty of water.
Kinkajou:
The kinkajou is a hybrid between a hamster and a squirrel, with a face resembling bears:
Its weight ranges from 1.5-4.5 kg, and its length does not exceed 60 cm.
Its native habitat is Central and South America, and it is always present in tropical forests.
It is one of the most popular pets in Brazil, where it is known as the honey bear.
It is characterized by its affection for its owner, enjoying playing with them. It rarely causes problems and quickly adapts to any new home.
Its only problem is that it is a nocturnal creature, spending its entire day sleeping and most of its activities at night.
Its diet relies on fruits, especially figs.
Tarantulas:
Despite the strangeness of the idea of having tarantulas as pets, many people prefer to own them in their homes:
Tarantulas are a large group of spiders, with more than 800 different species, most of them distinguished by the hair covering their bodies.
One of the most common species found in stores is the Chilean rose, originally from the northern Chilean desert and parts of Bolivia and Argentina.
Spider enthusiasts prefer females for their longer lifespan than males, as females can live up to 20 years.
Tarantulas do not require a large space or significant effort in care, and their cost is economical compared to other pets.
Their diet consists of worms and cockroaches.
Sources:
- Unusual pets that are legal to own
- 30 UNIQUE AND WEIRD PETS YOU CAN OWN
- 40 Rare and Unique Exotic Pets
- 7 Of The Most Unusual Pets...Ever
- What Are The Best Unusual Pets to Own
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