Stephen Johnson contributed to this story. All Rights Reserved. These animals, among the easiest of their species to own, live for about eight to 15 years and are relatively inexpensive compared with other popular pet birds such as parrots. 4. When it comes to fueling your pork adventures, its important to provide a healthy diet. And their life span is roughly two years, which is also an ideal length. In addition, cockatiels have a reputation as gentle and unpretentious birds who enjoy petting and keeping. Temperatures of 80 to 85 degrees can be maintained using a tank heater or a heat lamp. House an individual in a 10- to 20-gallon tank. Fruits, vegetables, and cat or dog food are young, healthy, in a good mood, and perfect. Their vision is surprisingly sharp and allows them to distinguish between people it will eventually learn who you are, so don't be surprised if a day comes when your fish swims over to ask for food when you're nearby. 1. Let's face it, dogs aren't ever really low-maintenance pets. A corn snake is displayed in a vivarium in Sasali natural life park in Izmir. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. As with other reptiles, green anoles require special heating, lighting and humidity in their living environments, so make sure you're well-informed before taking these babies on. They dont require too much spacea 15-to 20-gallon tank will do the trickand they feed on crickets, wax worms and meal worms. Chipmunks are not low-maintenance pets, but they are great companions. Goats are low maintenance and eat grass, hay, grain and pellet feed. Gilles Ventejol, founder of Animal Patient, recommends rabbits as a pet owner, despite being a specialist in cat and dog health. Although they make excellent pets for beginners, Bearded Dragons have specialized diets composed of fruit, vegetables, and insects. Bearded dragon According to Lianne McLeod, DVM, with The Spruce Pets,their bodies only grow from one inch to six inches, and in captivity, they only have a life expectancy of up to one year. Hermit crabsare alow-commitment pet. So, while fruits, vegetables, and healthy treats are great for rewarding your pork cub for good work, a salad is provided because unruly eaters can only eat their favorite bites as a result of their main meal. "And the truth is, we only walk him about 30 minutes a day, and play fetch or tug of war for about 10 minutes, and that's enough to keep him in shape." 1. Once you set them up with the appropriate heat, light and humidity, bearded dragons make for easy pets. They are social and do best when placed with other hermit crabs if their tank is spacious enough. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Science in Plant Biology from Ohio University. It guarantees the same level of protein and vital nutrition that pigs want. Guinea pigs, rabbits, and ferrets love to cuddle with humans. Dik Dik. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); Green Iguana: $1525. For small children or those looking for a beginners pet, a pack of sea monkeys could be the perfect first pet. These animals are a pet that requires little maintenance and space. Tarantulas are quiet and typically only need a 10- to 20-gallon aquarium to thrive. A second small, popular, and inexpensive fish to consider, Bettas (also known as Siamese fighting fish) are aggressive by nature and need to be kept in isolation. Kids will love feeding them, but because goldfish have such short memories, they tend to overeat if youre not careful. (Painted shells are controversial there's a risk of using a toxic material that will hurt the crab.) "And once your tank is ready, you only need to feed them once a dayor get an automatic fish feederand replace 15 percent of the water each week.". Scorpions only need to be fed every other day, and their diet consists of insects like crickets, small mealworms, and wax worms. Speaking of which, food is the only catch with this strange pet: Praying mantises eat live insects, which can cost about $100 per year, while the creatures themselvestypically cost around $25 each, and you can buy eggs and nymphs for much less. Examples of animals that you can have as pets include Bearded Dragons, Budgies, Asian Palm Civet, Chacoan Maras, and Garden Eels. Goldfish: $1 to $40. However, that's usually because people pick the wrong kinds of fish. 4 Low-Maintenance Rodent Pets 1. After buying a multilevel cage ($50 to $150) and some other supplies ($100), you can expect to pay between $65 and $125 yearly on food for each degu (guinea pig food works fine), depending on its appetite. Not the type to help you save on car insurance, but the type to make long-term, easy-to-care-for pets. Hamsters aren't the only easy-to-care for rodents you can consider for your home. Lives up to three years. Similarly, pets like pot-bellied pigs might be naturally inclined to burrow and damage a rental property. Also, be careful not to move the ant farm once ants have built their tunnels, as it might cause a collapse, which could kill or injure the ants. Thus, making a hedgehog seems to be not a subject to the separation anxiety, but this pet is fitting for those who travel. However, when you're a busy person, it's just not possible to spend every waking moment looking after a pet. Anole This cool lizard boasts a colorful neck pouch and is a great choice for novice reptile pet parents. Marketed somewhat nonsensically as the worlds only instant pets, Sea-Monkeys is the brand name for a type of brine shrimp that issold in novelty kits, usually to children. So, overall, they're inexpensive, low-maintenance and getting one is certainly not a big commitment.". They only require 30% to 40% humidity, but as diurnal reptiles, they need at least 12 hours of sunlight and a heated basking area set at Learn how to create a happy, healthy home for your pet. Hermit Crabs: Less Than $10. For the most part, hamsters do well on their own. These are fairly low maintenance, a diet consisting mostly of insects. Gerbil. Binturong. But not always. Blacker says they can live off a "diet of blackberries, oak, rose, and ivy.". Their diet mostly consists of regular fish food, though theyre known to have a particular palate for frozen bloodworms. The one thing to remember about these creatures is that they need to be kept in a dark part of your room, away from sunlight. A rat doesn't seem like the most cuddly choice, but if handled from a young age they can make very affable companions. Degus, which come from Chile and are a type of rodent similar to a guinea pig, make surprisingly easy pets when socialized from a young age. Let's face it, dogs aren't ever really low-maintenance pets. And in terms of diet, they have a variety of foods they eat: fruit flies, smaller mantids, moths, house flies, and the occasional cricket or mealworm if your mantid is larger. However, domesticated and bottle-fed wallabies are gentle and humble animals that can be accompanied by great affection. They live in an aquarium, where the water quality should be checked at least once a week and changed every two to four weeks. Adults grow to up to 12 inches. In Captivity For in The Wild, Box Turtle Food | Guide | Chain | Chart List, Norwegian Forest Cat vs Maine Coon | Size and Price | Black Grey Orange White. Smith Collection/Gado /Getty Images 13. Mmm. Physical Characteristics: Two bulging eyes; strong, long, webbed hind feet used for leaping and swimming; smooth or slimy skin; colors are varied. In most common species, the body length is 8 to 16 cm say (3.1 to 6.3 inches), and the tail length is 6 to 14 cm say (2.4 to 5.5 inches). Know which species you can keep in your town or city before bringing them home. However, hedgehogs get a little nervous and roll into a ball when threatened or picked up. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Sea monkeys live up to two years and only need to be fed once a week. Cats are notoriously independent. 4. They make a "wheek" sound as a vocalization, but it is not loud enough to disturb neighbors in an apartment setting. Among the most popular pets, cocktails are interesting, friendly, playful, active, and mimic speech. Hens can provide a household with 250 fresh eggs every year and can live up to 10 years. Leopard and house geckos are among the best choices for reptile pets, especially for beginners. Hamsters are relatively small, being only 5 to 7 inches long. They don't need much cage spacea 15- to 20-gallon tank should doso they're a good option if you don't have room for an elaborate vivarium setup. How to Pet Proof Your Home in 10 Easy Steps. Web1. Rats require a wire cage, bedding and toys. Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade and has reviewed more than 200 articles for The Spruce Pets for factual accuracy. Good Pets for Kids-These Are the Best Pets for Kids at Each Age, How Much White Maltese Dog Hypoallergenic ! High Because of their high intelligence, pot-sand pigs respond very well to clicker training. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Crabs are social creatures so it's a good idea to keep more than one. After caring for animals in her veterinarian practice, Lianne went on to study biology and research water quality and chronic disease at theUniversity of Saskatchewan. All that, alongside the small size of pugs, make them one of the most low-maintenance dog breeds. As with other animals, it's important that you conduct thorough research and talk to appropriate experts before you adopt a low-maintenance pet because these little guys are just as worthy of all the love you can give. They can easily adapt to any environment but do need a yard. But at the same time, she is quite funny, curious, and very interested when something new happens at home. A Hedgehog is seen at the San Francisco Zoo. Leopard geckos tend to be the most commonly available pet geckos, but house geckos They like the thrill of the chase and constricting their prey on their own. Learn more about the anole 2. Breeds like the African sideneck or the eastern box dont grow beyond a foot long, so they can stay happy and healthy in a well-appointed terrarium. Behind this cotton will be the ant queen and her offspring. The team at Star Milling Co. provides the best nutrition for our pet parents and their products, such as piglets. WebHermit crabs are one of those small pets that are not very common, but nevertheless quite well mannered, insanely cheap, and make for great pets. Like other pets allowed to roam in your home, make sure there are no exposed wires or toxic plants and protect wooden fixtures. You only need to feed your turtle four to five times a week, and most turtles generally eat insects, fish, and dark, leafy greens. Betta Fish: $5 to $25. They are skilled at playing the whistle and can often be taught to play the whistle. Hamsters Image Credit: Lichtpuenktchen, Pixabay Hamsters are one of the small pets that many people would think of immediately when asked to name a low-maintenance pet. The best age to dry and neutral pot-pigs in months. Hermit Crabs: $535. Physical Characteristics: Short tails, stubby legs, and small ears; color variations include black, grey, brown, white, yellow, red, or a mixture of several colors. ), so theyll need a spacious terrarium. Their size requirements are just one of the reasons why they make great pets for small spaces. While the idea of rats draws forth troubling images of sewers and dirty corners, pet rats are anything but dirty animals. They need a lot of love, attention, and affection. Greyhounds can cost thousands of dollars to buy outright but many are now a popular rescue choice and can be adopted for free. 40 Rare and Unique Exotic Pets. Although they may be a larger dog, they are a low energy breed and don't require excessive amounts of exercise or food requirements. Talk about hands-off. They are naturally calm, friendly, friendly, and intelligent as well as timid! Length: 1 inch to 24 inches (smaller lizard species); up to 6 feet (common pet snakes), Weight: 0.5 ounce to 1 pound (smaller lizards); 1 to 5 pounds (common pet snakes), Physical Characteristics: Cold-blooded; scales instead of skin; come in a variety of colors. Ants live in colonies and setting up a colony enclosure, called a formicarium, is probably the most challenging part of ant ownership. Emily Estep is a biologist and fact checker focused on environmental sciences. No need for constant trips to the groomers! Pig Dirty This idea cant stay far from the truth. As McLeod wrote for The Spruce Pets, these adorable creatures actually prefer not to be held that much, so if you're looking for a pet you can keep at arm's length but still love, this may be the one for you. Length: 9 to 11 inches, plus a tail of 7 to 9 inches, Physical Characteristics: Slender bodied with a pointed head, large eyes, and prominent, thinly furred ears; colors variations include brown, black, tan, gray, white, Siamese, blue, silver black, silver fawn, lilac, cinnamon, black-eyed white, cinnamon pearl, lynx, silver agouti, silver lilac, and blaze. They dont require too much spacea 15-to 20-gallon tank will do the trickand they feed on crickets, wax worms and meal worms. Hedgehogs are very quiet and low-maintenance pets. The glass test tube should be filled with sugar water capped with cotton wool. Adults grow to up to 12 inches. Adults grow to up to 4 inches plus a 4-inch tail. They are also just as fun and loving as traditional pets like dogs and cats. These clean and cuddly rodents also require at least an hour of daily exercise out of their cage, in a rat-proofed room (think removing plants that may be toxic), so this also has to be taken into account when making the approximately 2.5-year commitment, which is the usual lifespan of these animals. You will need to buy a spacious cage (wire, not aquarium), as well as plenty of toys, bedding, a box to nest and hide in, a water bottle, quality food, a carrier for safe transport to the vet, as well as budgeting for vaccinations and neutering. You will need to make sure your home is ferret-proofed to prevent escapes or unsafe hiding spots (like in the oven). Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. Venus fly traps are unique in that they have a special mechanism that's able to close rapidly on insects unlucky enough to land on their lobes. They are also intelligent, and their playful antics are fun to watch. Water should be changed every week or two. A pet chipmunk may not play catch like Fido, but he can surprise you with simple tricks or use you as a perch. They make excellent apartment dwellers because they sleep most of the day while the owner is away for the day. These little guys are the quintessential pick for people who want to have something to look at without having to constantly interact. Unlike many other lizards and reptiles, the leopard gecko is a friendly and sociable choice for a pet. } ); Sea monkeys only need to be fed every five to seven days and outside of ensuring that their tank is in great conditions, you dont have to worry about them. } else { Your children can get the joy of a pet they can play with, but it doesn't take much money or work on the parents' part. Snakes probably are not the first animal that comes to mind when considering a pet but they are surprisingly easy to maintain and can make great companions, if not conversation-starters. Eastern chipmunk is an alternative with two gray-brown stripes and two white stripes. One drawback to keeping rabbits is that they like to chew and dig. Importantly, hermit crabs require a few different sized shells during their lifetime and enough sand to bury into when they molt, according to the Hermit Crab Association. These rodents cost between $25 and $50, and a proper habitat adds about $75 to the initial cost. 3. A classic easy first pet, a goldfish is an animal that adds life and beauty to the room without requiring much attention, time or maintenance from its owners. Lives 5 to 8 years. These fish will need a tank filled with water, fish pellets and decoration inside the tank. The ideal tank size for most frogs is a 10-gallon or 20-gallon tank. They're not "generally a lap cat" but will stay close by, and can get along with both dogs and children. Then, take a look at these top ten interesting pets and see what you like. Snake species that do not require large enclosures include corn snakes, king snakes, milk snakes,and ball pythons. Hedgehogs are not social. Being active and playful requires a variety of toys to keep them busy, especially chewing gum. Occasional vet visits run more than $50. It 2. Smith Collection/Gado /Getty Images 13. Axolotl: $1535. Pull out these PG jokes anytime you need a wholesome laugh. WebHermit crabs are one of those small pets that are not very common, but nevertheless quite well mannered, insanely cheap, and make for great pets. Seeing as most praying mantises are taken from the yard outside the home and brought in, there's usually no cost at all! They're typically gentle and generally solitary. To accommodate their playful nature, provide them with a large cage. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=d6a81bc2-bca8-428b-9de6-25d5b884bf8c&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=1271192797602887479'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); The leopard gecko is a surprisingly friendly and sociable choice for a pet. Hamsters are relatively small, being only 5 to 7 inches long. Best price ! 10 Cheap Exotic Pets - PetHelpful. Norway rats are the most common species of pet rat, and they only live two to three years, and grow nine to eleven inches long. Degu: $1020. The small swimming critters are ideal for children who cannot take care for other live animals. Pigs are opportunistic omnivores which means they like snacks! That doesn't mean you don't deserve to bring an animal into your homeyou just have to find the right one. With an ant farm, the ants do most of the work. Binturong. Although a slightly more niche option for insect enthusiasts, ants can be an intriguing pet to own. Hedgehogs are not social. Tarantulas just need a suitable terrarium to roam around in, and they eat live insects like crickets, mealworms, super worms, and roaches. Not only are they colorful and beautiful to look at, but they are also perfect for smaller spaces since they dont require large aquariums. All you need is some fruit and vegetables to feed them and a tank that gets an adequate amount of moisture. If stick bugs and praying mantises are not satisfying your child's pet needs, you can always go bigger (and creepier) with a scorpion. Hedgehogs are not social. It is the size of a medium to large breed of dog. Not for the faint of heart, but snakes can make for very easy pets to have around the house. High-quality pot-bellied pork food should closely reflect the natural food of an animal. They should be kept in a clear terrarium, and you can house multiple snails together, with one to two inches of soil, says Anne Woods with Pets on Mom. JP, owner of beloved Instagram pug Aji, says that pugs are one of the easiest dog breeds to own. In addition to mice, Dumerils Boas like to eat small rabbits and fowl. Don't forget about the geckos! Hermit crabs are interesting to watch; they move from one shell to another. Their tank needs to have enough room for them to be able to swim around and come up for air when needed. These crabs can be kept in a humid, five gallon-terrarium. WebGuinea Pig. 1. The traditionally small goldfish fishbowl doesn't provide enough oxygen and has been banned in several countries. Plus, their diet consists of small pellet or powdered food. 1. Hermit Crabs: $535. They of course need and deserve the same amount of TLC youd give Fido, but these animals can be left to their own devices without (too many) worries. These funny jokes will help you turn your frown upside-down. Fruit can be given occasionally as a treat. Lianne McLeod, DVM, is a small animal and exotic pet expert with over a decade of experience writing about veterinary care. This popular parrot makes a great choice for those who live in small spaces. Leopard geckos have a lifespan of about 20 years and can easily cohabitate with each other. The quintessential low-maintenance "pet" if ever there was one. Guinea pigs and ferrets enjoy being held. All they need is a cage, fresh water (which can be distributed with a drinking bottle on the side of the cage), hamster food (alongside small pieces of fruits and veggies), and a hamster wheel for them to play and exercise on. Amazon Tree Boa The Amazon tree boa is a stunning snake with a need to climb! They are low maintenance, only need food every other day or so, and do not mind if you are not around much. African Dwarf Frogs A hermit crab will need a 10 gallon tank filled with plenty of sand to burrow in and other items to provide stimulation such as tree branches. If the lifespan of a turtle intimidates you, go with a hermit crab instead! Their diet consists of small bits of apples, carrots, and cucumbers with chalk, egg shells, or cuttlefish bone for calcium to "strengthen your snails' shells." Goldfish are active all day and make the perfect viewing shelf pet that is absolutely low maintenance for any pet owner. The corn snake is fairly docile, only grows two to five feet in length and primarily eats small rodents. Generally, pets that require a large enclosure and outside-of-cage time like parrots need a space more extensive than a small apartment for free-flying. Daily food fees are minimal, but fish need a proper tank and setup costs about $100. However, they need much attention and care, including the right temperature, humidity, and lighting. , And you'll need to remember that pet hermit crabs need water to drink, bathe, and replenish their shell water.