Just imagine it — you invite your friends over for dinner, and when you open the door, they’re greeted by a skunk, sugar glider or bearded dragon! Although it can seem exciting and cool to own (and show off) unusual pets, it’s also important to understand how to care for one properly. Additionally, laws on owning exotic pets vary from state to state, so always do your research first.
Here are just a few of the more popular exotic pets, how much they cost, and how to care for them:
- Potbellied Pig
If you want an intelligent pet that can do tricks, use a litter box and love you like a dog would, then you might enjoy having a potbellied pig. Fully grown, a potbellied pig can reach up to 125 pounds and live as long as 20 years, so make sure that you have the room and time for one of these big guys.Potbellied pigs eat a variety of foods and aren’t picky. Instinctively, pigs tend to “root” for food and may need a firm tone in order to teach them to stay out of the garbage can. Be sure you have plenty of time to train your pig early to ward off any aggressive tendencies.
If you decide to bring one home, buy or adopt one from a reputable breeder. A potbellied pig can cost up to $600.
- Wallaroo
It looks like a kangaroo, but this miniature version requires much less room and care than its full-sized counterpart. Common and native to Australia, wallaroos live up to 19 years, can reach up to 56 inches in length and can weigh up to 100 pounds.Wallaroos eat mostly grasses and shrubs that you might find tricky to locate, and do require a designated space to jump around, like a good yard with a fence at least 6 feet high. Wallaroos cost between $1,000 and $4,000, and specialty foods, grasses and shrubs can cost around $300 per month.
- Bearded Dragon
If you want a hilarious pet who makes you crack up on a regular basis, then you might want to invest in a bearded dragon. “Beardies” often sit straight up, can cast human-like expressions and even give you kisses from time to time. The initial setup can cost a lot because bearded dragons require special heat lamps, flooring, perches and thermometers.Their diet requires large amounts of crickets, which you can purchase from a pet store. The dragons themselves cost from $50 to $75 for a juvenile to around $100 for an adult, and they can live up to 10 years in captivity.
- Capybara
Did you ever think you could own a rodent as big as a dog? The capybara stands around two feet tall and can weigh up to 150 pounds, making it the largest rodent in the world. Although native to the forests of South America, you can own a domesticated capybara as a pet for around $500 to $1,100. As a word of caution, capybaras tend to mark their territory as a familial greeting, and can deliver a massive bite if they feel threatened.
- Sugar Glider
If you have a lot of space and plenty of time to spare, a sugar glider can become your next best friend. They can live up to 15 years and weigh less than half a pound. While you’ll need room for your sugar glider to jump and glide, her cage only needs to be around 3 feet square.They bond to your smell and will emotionally attach to you like a dog would, so it’s important to spend a lot of time with your glider while she’s young in order to “tame” her. Sugar gliders can cost up to $150 and eat a steady and varied diet of fruit, vegetables, insects, eggs and dry pet food.
- Tarantula
Does the idea of owning a gigantic spider sound appealing? If so, you might enjoy owning a tarantula! You can keep a tarantula in a 10-gallon terrarium, in which you will need to set up a heating pad, a dry side and a wet side to maintain the right humidity. Tarantulas cost between $15 to $40 and can grow to 6 inches in length. Male tarantulas only live up to 5 years, while females can live up to 20 years. As carnivores, tarantulas eat a diet of crickets, wax worms, cockroaches and mealworms, which you’ll need to keep in constant supply.
- Boa Constrictor
If you want a boa constrictor, it’s important to purchase one used to human contact. Boas live up to 30 years and can grow up to 13 feet long. This type of pet does require larger prey, like live mice and frogs, which they constrict, or squeeze, to kill.
Boas can cost between $60 and $200, and should be kept in a warm terrarium with a hot spot that’s around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Your tank, which should be between 6 and 8 feet long, might take up a lot of space in your living room.
- Pygmy Goat
With their human-like expression and tone of voice, pygmy goats can make great companion animals. Shorter in stature than other types of goats, the pygmy can grow to around 22 inches high and can weigh up to 35 pounds.You’ll need to put together a fenced-in outdoor goat shelter, measuring at least 20 square feet per goat, and provide them with fresh hay or straw to relax and sleep on. Goats like to play and climb, so you should also set up a few strategically placed boulders. This may seem like a lot of work, but once you set it all up, your little pygmy goats can eliminate the need for a lawn mower and provide you with fresh milk!
- Skunk
Many people are familiar with the distinctive aroma of a skunk, so you might be surprised to know that you can actually keep one as a pet. Although a skunk in the wild will release its “perfume” through scent glands, a pet will have these glands removed by a veterinarian at 4 weeks old.Pet skunks cost from $150 to $500 and actually make very entertaining pets! Skunks in captivity can live up to 15 years and eat a variety of plants, insects, worms, eggs and rodents. They can weigh up to 18 pounds.
Do you own an unusual domesticated pet not listed here? Share your story in the comments!
Thinking of purchasing an insect as a pet? Check out these Unusual Pets and Creepy Crawlies!
Kelly Sundstrom is an award-winning journalist, author and artist. As the caretaker of two dogs, five cats and a bearded dragon, Sundstrom understands the importance of picking out the right pet for your lifestyle. Follow her on Twitter.
