While cats and dogs may reign supreme as popular household pets, there’s a world of alternative companions waiting to be discovered. They can be a little bit more to look after, but they are well worth it. From exotic creatures to unconventional critters, here are three of the best alternative pets to consider welcoming into your home.
Hedgehogs
With their adorable faces, distinctive quills, and playful personalities, hedgehogs make charming and low-maintenance pets for animal lovers seeking something out of the ordinary. These small, nocturnal mammals are known for their curious nature and gentle demeanor, making them ideal companions for those with busy lifestyles or limited space. Hedgehogs require a specialized diet of high-quality cat food supplemented with fruits, vegetables, and insects, as well as a suitable enclosure with plenty of hiding places, exercise wheels, and enrichment toys.
Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are small, arboreal marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, prized for their sociable nature, acrobatic abilities, and endearing appearance. These charismatic creatures are known for their gliding prowess, using a membrane of skin stretching from their wrists to their ankles to soar gracefully through the air. Sugar gliders are highly social animals that thrive in pairs or small groups, making them ideal pets for those seeking companionship. They require a spacious cage with plenty of branches, hammocks, and nesting boxes, as well as a specialized diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, protein sources, and a staple diet of commercial glider pellets.
Axolotls
Axolotls are fascinating amphibians native to Mexico, renowned for their unique appearance, regenerative abilities, and fascinating behaviors. These aquatic creatures, also known as “Mexican walking fish,” possess striking external gills, lidless eyes, and a perpetual smile, giving them a whimsical and otherworldly appearance. Axolotls are relatively low-maintenance pets, requiring a suitable aquarium with cool, clean water, hiding places, and gentle filtration. They feed primarily on live or frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and earthworms, making them easy to care for and feed.
