If you’re one of the animal lovers out there who are looking to expand their family by owning exotic pets, this piece is for you.
Keep in mind that owning exotic pets can be tricky for a few reasons. First, not all of them are legal to own in specific areas. Second, some exotic animals tend to have incredibly specific behaviors which make them much more difficult to own. And third, most species need very specific care so you need to consult a veterinarian every now and then to keep them in good condition.
To help you decide on your first exotic pet, we’ve looked into all the small exotic animals that are much easier to own than others then whittled them down into our top 4.
1. Fennec Fox
You can never go wrong with the fennec fox. This pet may come from the fox family but their incredibly tiny and cute size makes them much easier to domesticate than others. When fully grown, fennec foxes are just as big as chihuahuas.
Fennec foxes are relatively easy to own because of their dog-like traits. They are attention-seekers so it would be best if they have regular companies in the house like fellow fennec foxes or other pets. They can also be house-trained like cats but if you’re bringing them to the park, you might want to keep the leash on them all the time.
This exotic animal can be pretty expensive since it’s still not as popular as other species.
2. Axolotl
While fennec foxes are exotic animals that look like regular pets, the Axolotl has the word exotic written all over its body. They are oddly beautiful salamanders that are originally from Mexico.
Since Axolotls look exotic at first glance, most amateur pet owners think that they’re hard to take care of. But unbeknownst to many, Axolotls are actually beginner-friendly.
They can live in relatively small tanks (10 gallons is good, although larger is better) with a strong filter since they are a messy kind. Axolotls eat frozen, freeze-dried or fresh bloodworms, shrimp, or even ground beef.
Aside from cleaning their tanks and changing the freshwater regularly, Axolotls are considered low maintenance overall, so first-time owners won’t have a hard time nursing them.
3. Cockroaches
Yes, you read that right. Cockroaches can be more than just an annoying (mostly scary) insect that can give us goosebumps every time they fly in our direction. If you haven’t noticed, “pest” is a word-shuffle away from being “pets.” And cockroaches can be a good exotic pet for animal lovers out there!
However, there are only a few certain species that can be kept as house animals. And that’s still depending on the regulations of the state you are in.
The Madagascar hissing cockroach, the Indian domino cockroach, the Cuban cockroach, and the death’s head cockroach are only some of the species that can be your new pet. With proper permits, of course.
4. Hyacinth Macaws
To complete the list, we present to you the ever-gorgeous parrot, the hyacinth macaw. This bird is a large and intimidating type but can be very affectionate to its owners.
Owning a hyacinth macaw requires large enclosures and daily interactions with the owner. Being alone or stressed will activate their extremely loud versions so make sure not to leave them hanging and always spend time with them.
If you’re just beginning to explore the bird world, this pet might not be for you. But if you’ve had experience with other bird species, taking care of this parrot can be relatively easy.
The best thing about it is that they can live up to 60 years! The downside is, they can outlive you so you might need to arrange a plan so they won’t be abandoned in case they outlive you.
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