Everyone desires to have at least one pet animal within them. Don’t you love pet animals? Of course.
The craziness of people in keeping unusual pet animals has been elevated all around the globe. Let us take you to the animal world which concerns several unusual pet animals that people prefer to have.
Unusual pet animals are those animals that are unusual to keep on, unique, and are thought of as wild. Over the years, there have been several unusual pet animals that families and the pet owners have introduced all across the globe.
For those who wills to keep the unusual pet animals worldwide following are some of them as described in brief:
Table of Contents
1. Fennec fox
| Scientific name | Vulpes zerda |
| Lifespan | 10-14 years |
| Dimension | Small body size and oversized ears reaching up to 15 cm in length |
| Weight | 0.68-1.6 kg |
| Diet | Fruits, berries, rodents, and small reptiles |
| Suitable habitat | Sandy and semi-arid desert |
Fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is inferred as one of today’s most usual pet animals. It belongs to the desert animals, smaller than the cats. It enjoys while playing.
Most families prefer to keep it as a pet since it poses no threats to the public. They are friendly and seem Chihuahua’s size and weight likely once they reach maturity.
The principal prey of this species entails fruits, berries, rodents, and small reptiles.
The most distinctive characteristics of this species are its small body size and oversized ears reaching up to 15 cm in length.
The ears are an aid for controlling their body temperature. It resides in the sandy and semi-arid desert.
They are nocturnal, permitting them to keep safe from searing heat and predators during the daytime, and are found in the African Sahara Desert and the northern Sinai Peninsula.
In nine months, they reach sexual maturity, and the life span of this species is 10-14 years.
During the mating season, the male fennec fox occupies their territory by providing the signal with urine and seems aggressive.
The primary specialty of their kidney is that it assures the water loss in their daily lives at the minimum.
Despite this unusual animal kept as pets by most families, it bears numerous threats from predators such as eagle owls, jackals, and domestic dogs.
It can travel 25 miles per hour. This species has gone under trading massively for its beauty throughout the globe.
2. Miniature donkey
| Scientific name | Equus asinus |
| Lifespan | More than 25 years |
| Dimension | Three feet in length |
| Weight | 200 to 350 lbs |
| Diet | Hay, grains, clean water, and a block containing salt |
| Suitable habitat | One acre of space to roam and graze |
The nature of the Miniature donkey (Equus asinus) looks pretty fascinating. It could not survive being lonely.
Unless it has its friends around them, it feels lonely and cannot socialise. Despite their smaller size, it requires large rooms.
The physical characteristics of this species entail three feet in length. Since it is regarded as a pet animal, most children feel a friendly environment with this species.
Since they think of massive companions with the children who spent time with them, they do not possess any threats.
For this reason, too the families mainly select them for keeping them as their pet animal.
The miniature donkey was considered a pet animal in the 1950s in the United States. The term ‘miniature’ is enough to understand that this species is small, and the life span is more than 25 years.
Concerning the weight, it possesses between 200 to 350 lbs. They are slate grey commonly. The primary food it prefers is hay, grains, clean water, and a block containing salt.
They require a wide range for thriving since walking and shelter to avoid the rain, snow, and other natural causes.
The crucial thing you should understand while keeping this species as a pet is their requirement to trim the feet every two months and complete vaccination.
The miniature donkey is considered an intelligent animal. Those who keep it as a pet achieve considerable merits from this species. They use it primarily for hiking and pulling a cart since they carry many packs.
The biting and kicking by the donkey seems very rare. Due to its comprehensive character, most families prefer to keep miniature donkeys as their natural pets.
3. Skunk
| Scientific name | Mephitis mephitis |
| Lifespan | 7 years in average but could live up to 10 years |
| Dimension | 8 to 19 inches |
| Weight | 198 grams to six kilograms |
| Diet | fruits, vegetables, cooked grains, fishes and chickens |
| Suitable habitat | Woodlands, deserts, grasslands and forest edges |
The skunks (Mephitis mephitis) bred in captivity are very loving, and people prefer to keep them as their pet in the home.
In 17 states of the United States, such as Florida, Ohio, South Dakota, Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, and many more, the government has granted permission to own the domesticated skunk.
Domesticated skunks do not possess scent glands that could spread up to large distances. The pet skunk travels large miles per day.
It could find its way to the home where it has been residing. Due to the lack of scent glands, they have no idea how to defend against their predators.
Although people keep them as their pet animals, it has been undergoing several threats from human interventions such as vehicle accidents, diseases, and the rabies virus.
The primary diet of the skunk entails fruits, vegetables, and cooked grains. Besides this, it may prefer the fishes and the chickens.
It is believed that the skunk pet owner should provide sufficient time for their care and rearing.
Keeping a pet has been controversial since it could spread the smell to other areas through scent glands. Thus, there are two options to get rid of it.
The first is that it should be confined to a limited geographic area only, or the other should highly supervise and monitor it while it is outdoors.
Some of the skunk personal traits entail being very stubborn. The primary fact that the pet owner has an interest in keeping the skunk is this animal learns to open the drawers, cabinets, and sometimes refrigerator in an easy way.
It seems very friendly and social to other pet animals in the same house, such as cats, dogs, and ferrets.
Once they feel threatened, it may bite, and the most worrying thing about having them as a pet is it could spread the rabies disease through the saliva.
4. White Bengal tiger
| Scientific name | Panthera tigris tigris |
| Lifespan | 12 years in average |
| Dimension | 240 – 310 cm in length, 90-110 cm in height at the shoulders |
| Weight | 220-650 lb |
| Diet | Mostly ground beef, non-live rabbits in captivity |
| Suitable habitat |
Considering the case of the United States, roughly 5000 White Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) reside in captivity as approved from the legal action.
Pet owners and captivity owners keep them as surprising pets and make their own. You could see the thrill of owning the white Bengal tiger as the pet animal. It is considered an unusual pet animal since it looks challenging to rear and care for.
At once, it consumes around 88 pounds of meat. The habitat of this tiger entails the wideness of 40 square miles since they are grown up in captivity since their birth is supposed that they be very friendly to the families and have coexisted peacefully.
Although the pet owner rears them perfectly, keeping them as their unusual pet might have some worries.
These large cats require high-security enclosures. It may be considered a unique pet animal in the United States since there is a high chance of the attack from this animal on the people.
Declawing the tigers is not considered wise since they use the claws for walking purposes.
Eradication of their large teeth in the white Bengal tiger could undoubtedly impact consuming the food resources and facing the digestion problem.
Despite the people’s interest in serving the white Bengal tiger as a pet animal, one unusual small bite could take the owners and the peoples’ health.
Once they reflect the unusual behavior while having them as a pet animal, you could understand quickly that they are still wild animals in nature.
It may escape from captivity or the private zoos. They are confined only to a small area for thriving.
Thus, they tend to run from the artificial areas and shift towards the natural surroundings to have better miles of land and extensive access to move, jump, and climb freely.
A tremendous amount of beef and the associated items are required for the white Bengal tiger as kept by the owners privately.
The Big Cat Rescue Organization pointed out that within two years of white Bengal tigers residing in captivity, 98 % of the large wild cats are death victims. It could, without doubt, influence rabies, feline, and much more.
5. Alligator
| Scientific name | Alligator mississippiensis |
| Lifespan | 60 to 75 years |
| Dimension | 3.4 to 4.8 m in length |
| Weight | 230 kg |
| Diet | Carrion, fishes, small mammals, turtles and snakes |
| Suitable habitat | Rivers, marshes and swamps |
It’s genuinely terrifying that the alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) has been kept as a pet by various house owners.
It is an unsealed pet animal because they are a deadly reptile in several states of the United States.
Mostly the family pet owners are interested in purchasing baby alligators. It is generally less than a foot in length and considered harmless.
Most troublingly, the researchers reveal that once they do not get the proper diet from the pet owners in the adult phase, they may target the pet owners as their delicious meals.
Thus, keeping the alligators as pet animals seems unusual since it may attack and harm people when it reaches maturity.
Due to its unusual behavior, only five states in the United States have received the permission legally.
These states entail Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and Alabama.
Several reasons make you realize that keeping an alligator is not a perfect act. These reasons include a long life span, growing a foot each year, high feeding, special vet care requirements, hard-to-feed the veggies items, and much more.
6. Llama
| Scientific name | Lama glama |
| Lifespan | Approximately 20 to 25 years |
| Dimension | 1.7 m to 1.8 m tall, 1.8 to 2 m |
| Weight | 18 to 31 pounds by birth |
| Diet | Native grasses, grass hay |
| Suitable habitat | Healthy shelter to keep them from changing weather conditions |
Llama (Lama glama) is inferred as the most selected pet animal. Due to its loyalty, affection, and clean behavioral states. Considering such a situation, the government has made it a legal act.
This herd animal comprises low-maintenance since it covers the ample outdoor space for its roaming and herding.
A fascinating fact about having this species as the pet by the pet owners is it acts as a guard dog upon chasing away the predators.
Their companion level is always regarded as superior. It requires a healthy shelter to keep them from changing weather conditions. It could not survive being lonely.
Thus, it always expects to have one friend as a companion. Their weight comprises 18 to 31 pounds by birth. The average lifespan of this loving animal is considered approximately 20 to 25 years.
Due to its social behavior, it is preferred by most people. Once they heard the stranger’s noises nearby, the Llama members felt threatened.
They alert all their friends and the family members by a warning gray. The warning gray acts as a crucial communication approach.
Despite having them as pet animals, they could be the victim of notable diseases inferred by the name ‘overreacting disease’ types C and D. It requires proper care and affection while keeping them as pets.
7. Sugar gliders
| Scientific name | Petaurus breviceps |
| Lifespan | Maximum 17 years |
| Dimension | 150-480 mm |
| Weight | Around 0.19 grams at birth |
| Diet | Spiders, insects, and small birds |
| Suitable habitat | Tropical and cool-temperate regions |
Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are regarded as one of the pet owners’ most preferred and unusual pet animals.
It can be kept in a pocket thus, known as the pocket pet. The owners believe that it is one of the tiny creatures which create joy in spending the family life. They seem very cuddly.
Due to its loyalty and playful creature, it leads in the top position among the unusual pet animals throughout the globe.
They have an excellent ability to learn several tricks with ease. Both the children, older and single, consider it best.
Its eyes and ears are large with a long tail. Sugar gliders are nocturnal. It spends most of its time staying up at night. The legal regulations have allowed anyone to own it as a pet animal.
8. Common boa/Red-tailed boa
| Scientific name | Boa constrictor |
| Lifespan | Ranges from 25 to 30 years |
| Dimension | Length having 4 to 7 feet |
| Weight | Nearly 60 pounds |
| Diet | Pigs, monkey and birds |
| Suitable habitat | Cultivated fields, and open savannas |
It is pretty much apparent that snakes naturally are inferred with as the most dangerous snakes in the name of venom production.
Snakes could not be considered as the best pets for the owners. Fortunately, a snake known as common boa (Boa constrictor) seems very friendly compared to others. They are unique, heavy, and safe creatures.
People mostly think about the available space in their home before purchasing and letting the boa constrictors as their pet animal. Its growth is enormous.
Boa constrictors are nocturnal, which bask during the daytime. Its life span ranges from 25 to 30 years.
Before adopting them as genuine and new family members, multiple things need to be considered. It loves to have sufficient humidity.
The habitat could range from 82 to 90 degrees during the daytime and 75-85 degrees at night.
All the Boa constrictor which the owners purchase is from captivity. Thus, it’s very friendly to human contact, and due to this, it is mainly preferred as an usual pet animal.
9. Capybara
| Scientific name | Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris |
| Lifespan | 8 to 10 years |
| Dimension | 1.3 meters in length |
| Weight | 27 to 79 kg |
| Diet | Aquatic plants and fresh grass |
| Suitable habitat | Grazing and water accessible areas |
Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is regarded as one of the largest rodent species worldwide, growing up to four feet in length and over a hundred pounds.
Many states are free to keep this species as their pet animal. It requires adequate rooms and ponds to thrive.
Naturally, they are elusive. It does not reflect aggressive behavior. Undoubtedly, they utilize their sharp and dangerous teeth upon the predators and feel threatened.
It could remain with the other animals as well. Due to their peaceful behavior and the highest companion level with human contact, they are considered the poet animal by the owners.
10. Monkey
| Scientific name | Cercopithecidae |
| Lifespan | 40 years |
| Dimension | Depends upon breed |
| Weight | Depends upon breed |
| Diet | Fruits, insects and leaves |
| Suitable habitat | Tropical or savanna regions |
It’s blatant that monkeys have been considered one of the most favored pet animals worldwide.
Multiple restaurants and hotels have been keeping them as pets for several years. Undoubtedly, monkeys resemble tiny human creatures which seem very cute naturally.
But the crucial thing to be borne in your mind is it requires adequate care and affection by the pet owners. According to the Primate Rescue Center its lifespan is 20 to 40 years.
It is very legal in the United Kingdom to keep the monkey their pet animal. Roughly 5000 primates have been marked as pets in this country. But the controversy is too much about whether to keep the monkey as a pet or not.
Likely human monkeys are considered a brilliant and social animal. They require more space and food to consume.
The monkey owner should have considered several aspects while having them as a pet.
For instance: special diets, hygienic activities, caring for both the monkey and the owner, temperature, and much more. In the United States it is considered legal to own a monkey as a pet animal.
There are nine monkey breeds which the owner keeps as pets all across the globe. These are Tarsier, Tamarin, Squirrel monkey, Chimpanzee, Capuchin, Macaque, Spider monkey, Marmoset, and Guenon.
Tamer monkeys are regarded as the best caretakers. It could improve the quality of life for sick and injured humans. Thus, most people prefer to keep the monkeys as their pets throughout the globe.
Wrapping up
It’s not certain that all the states could own the unusual pet animals. Some require permission to permit keeping the unusual pet animal.
You could consider any one of the aforementioned unusual pets. So, without delay let’s consider it and enjoy yourself spending quality time with the unusual pet animals.
(Last Updated on May 6, 2022 by Sadrish Dabadi)
