(Newswire.net — July 29, 2022) –These days, having a pet isn’t limited to cats, dogs, and hamsters. With the internet and access to veterinary care in most cities, it’s now easier than ever before to have an exotic pet. Here are five surprising exotic animals you can have as household pets.
1. Wallaby
This marsupial species rears its young in maternal pouches. Similarly, most pet wallabies are reared by their owners in specially-designed pouches they can wear on their bodies. This forges a bond between the owner and the wallaby, which is important for making sure the animal exhibits pet-quality behavior as an adult. The most popular wallaby subspecies in the pet trade is Bennett’s wallaby.
2. Fennec Fox
In recent years, fennec foxes have risen in popularity for their cute looks and tiny, manageable size. Unlike the stereotypical red fox, fennec foxes are relatively docile and clean. Some dedicated owners have even successfully trained their pet fennec foxes to use litter boxes and walk on a leash. This animal’s chihuahua-like size also makes them perfect for life as an indoor pet.
3. Coatimundi
Cousins of the raccoon, and coatimundis can be affectionate and precocious pets as long as they’re given the proper care. With adults topping out at ten pounds, it’s important to provide a large enclosure that’s tall enough to satisfy their love of climbing. As a clever, carnivorous species, coatis can thrive in almost any environment. This makes the animal very competitive with many types of wildlife. Pet coatis that escape or are released into the environment can devastate the local ecosystem. For this reason, coatis must be purchased from licensed, reputable breeders.
4. Hedgehog
Reaching a maximum size of one pound, hedgehogs are good tank pets that provide a lot of entertainment and affection for their owners. They are nocturnal by nature, so they spend most of the day burrowed under their substrate. In the wild, the tiny animals can run several miles in one night. Pet hedgehogs can satisfy their urge to run with a running wheel. Their diet requires high levels of protein, which is easy to recreate in a captive environment. Most pet hedgehogs will eat a diet of cat food, mealworms, crickets, and vegetable scraps.
5. Marmoset
Marmosets are tiny, pocket-sized monkeys that are widely beloved as pets. However, they are not beginner-friendly as far as exotic pets go. With an average lifespan of twenty years, owning a marmoset is essentially a lifetime commitment. Like most other primates, marmosets are highly intelligent and can become destructive when bored. Therefore, marmoset owners need to provide a lot of daily enrichment with toys, hammocks, and direct interaction to keep their pets from getting bored. To become suitable pets, marmosets should be hand-raised as babies and trained from an early age. They are used to living in colonies in the wild, so a pet marmoset will be happiest in the company of its owner and family members.