Pets are the staple of any household. Theyâre able to provide everybody with a sense of responsibility a source of entertainment, and act as a common interest among everyone. There are some pets that are extremely common, such as dogs, cats, and goldfish. While theyâre amazing pets that have brought happiness to millions, theyâre not the most unique pets out there. We here at Beyond The Treat can definitely appreciate a unique pet!
If youâre looking for an uncommon animal to bring into your home, fortunately thereâs quite a wide selection of them. From creepy crawlies to cuddly fur balls, thereâs plenty of unique pets that can bring you just as much joy as a golden retriever. This post will highlight 7 of our most favorite unorthodox pets that you can pick up for yourself today.
Table of Contents
1. Tarantulas
Tarantulas are commonly seen as one of the most revolting and frightening pets that you can own. However, if youâre not scared of their appearance, they actually make for an incredibly good pet. There are hundreds of different species of tarantulas, ranging from the common Pink Toe Tarantula to the expensive Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula.
While tarantulas seem like foreign, difficult to care for creatures, theyâre actually not difficult to keep. All that they need is a simple enclosure and a little bit of environmental monitoring and theyâll be happy as can be. Once a good enclosure has been made, theyâre absolutely fascinating to observe going about their lives â whether it be hunting, building webs, or burrowing.
Itâs not recommended that you handle tarantulas, so theyâre definitely more of a hands-off pet. However, with how interesting these creatures are, thatâs not a problem for most owners. If youâre the type of person that loves to appreciate creatures going about their daily lives, then you really canât own a better pet than a tarantula.
2. Ferrets
One of the strangest pets out there is the ferret. Commonly referred to as a âcarpet sharkâ, the ferret is a mischievous, energetic, and adorable animal that makes for a great pet. Not only are their care requirements fairly basic, they also bring their owners endless hours of entertainment that canât be beat.
Youâll be hard-pressed to find a more energetic pet than a ferret. There are many different types of ferrets, but all of them spend any time thatâs not spent sleeping running around. Many owners describe them as miniature cats, as they love to play with stuffed toys and are quite inquisitive. They also have a personality thatâs quite prominent and persistent throughout their life.
Youâve probably heard that ferrets arenât the best pets due to their care needs and their unpleasant smell. However, simply supplying them with a great cage, healthy diet, and a few hours of playtime will ensure that theyâll make a great pet for you.
3. Hedgehogs
While they may have an off-putting exterior due to their many spines, hedgehogs have been kept as pets for a very long time by a lot of people. These creatures are incredibly unique but make for excellent pets for people that are fans of the obscure. They tend to be laid-back, affectionate, and relatively simple to care for.
There are many different types of hedgehogs, but the commonly-kept species is the African Pygmy. Regardless, they act like little babies and love when you provide them with attention, affection, and a source of entertainment. Like ferrets, they also have their own little personalities that are magnetic and make you fall in love immediately.
Not too much goes into owning a hedgehog beyond feeding them a healthy hedgehog food, making sure their enclosure is clean and comfortable, and giving them an hour or two of free-roam exploration. In terms of cages pets, hedgehogs are one of the most interactive and energetic out there!
4. Ball Pythons
Like tarantulas, snakes have a bad reputation among a lot of people. However, ball pythons are some of the best pets that you can own. Not only are they relatively low-maintenance, but theyâre also beautiful to observe and very fun to interact with. Theyâre definitely more common than some of the other animals in this list, but theyâre also more enjoyable.
There are many different kinds of ball pythons, meaning that thereâs a style out there that plays right into your personal tastes. No matter the physical appearance, though, ball pythons are fascinating to observe and even cooler to handle. Thereâs nothing quite like holding an adult ball python over your shoulders â itâs quite addicting!
In terms of care, there isnât a lot that goes into it. Once youâve created the optimal ball python enclosure, all that you need to worry about is feeding it every week or so and maintaining the climate within the enclosure. Beyond that, itâs all about observing the splendor of one of natureâs most adapted and unique creatures.
5. Eels
Thereâs a good chance that youâve never met someone that owns an eel as a pet. Surprisingly, though, these creatures make for awesome pets if you tend to gravitate towards aquatic animals. Eels, specifically moray eels, are fascinating creatures that are great fun to observe and require a little bit of skill and knowledge to successfully keep.
These intimidating sea creatures are excellent pets for aquarium enthusiasts. They may not be the most energetic creatures due to their tendency to stay half-hidden away within their enclosureâs decorations, but theyâre great fun to observe.
It should be noted that eels can be slightly difficult to care for if you donât know exactly what youâre doing. Some owners have trouble getting their new eels to eat, and these sea creatures donât tend to do well with many other fish.
6. Degus
Out of all of the rodents that exist, degus are some of the least-known â which is quite strange given the fact that they make for awesome pets! These incredibly social animals canât be kept alone due to their tendency to get lonely and bored relatively quickly. However, if youâre able to house multiple degus and play with them daily, then theyâll be a great addition to your home.
Despite the fact that they seem quite exotic, degus donât cost a lot. They have relatively simple needs in terms of their environment, having very similar requirements to a ferret or a chinchilla. A good cage, deep bedding, and a sturdy exercise wheel are the key contributors to a deguâs happiness.
One fun fact about these creatures is that they need to take dust baths in order to stay clean. This cleaning ritual is great fun to observe and is icing on the cake for this energetic and lively creature.
7. Hissing Cockroaches
In saving the strangest pet (by far) for last, we present to you the giant hissing cockroach. Most people would never dream of keeping a cockroach as a pet, and we canât really blame them for that. However, if youâre able to look past that, these creatures make for surprisingly good pets!
While they may look gross, these cockroaches donât bite, sting, or cause harm in any way. The harmlessness of these creatures makes them a great unique pet for people of all ages â even children. Their enclosure requirements are simple and donât need to have much more than places to hide and sticks to climb. They are excellent climbers, though, and can easily escape from an enclosure if itâs not secure enough.
Feeding these creatures is quite simple, too, as theyâre more than happy to eat an assortment of veggies in addition to dry, protein-rich pellet food. It should be noted that some states require you to have a permit in order to own these creatures, so make sure that youâre aware of your local laws before bringing one of these creepy crawlies home.