8 Great Pets That Aren’t Cats Or Dogs

Bearded dragons

These small reptiles with beards of scales make good pets for a number of reasons. They have a gentle temperament, can live a long life (eight to 15 years), are intelligent and can even show you signs of affection.

Hedgehogs

According to Hedgehog World: “Owning a pet hedgehog can be an incredibly rewarding and fun experience. They’re cute, cuddly (even with the quills), and super unique!”

Sugar gliders

Sugar gliders are native to Australia and New Guinea. They are considered good pets—small, playful, lively, and curious. Like kangaroos, they are marsupials, so the mother sugar gliders carry their young in a pouch.

Chinchillas

Known for their soft, dense coats, these large rodents don’t smell and have strong hind legs that enable them to jump more than two metres (six feet) into the air.

Skunks

You may think that this idea stinks but skunks can be pets too. Wild skunks can be difficult to handle, but domesticated ones that have been de-scented are good pet material.

Fennec foxes

Fennec foxes are smaller than a house cat, and have big, perky ears and extra fur on their feet, providing them extra protection from the heated desert sand of their native North African homes.

Salamanders

Some claim that salamanders, along with newts, are among the most popular amphibian pets in the world. These small, colourful creatures do best in high humidity and heat, and usually need both dry and water areas in an aquarium.

Land crabs

While land crabs may not spring to mind as a possible pet, they are worth considering. They are colourful and easy to keep, but more for watching than handling.

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