Unusual Pets – and Where to Find Them

There was a time that the word ‘pets’ was synonymous with cats and dogs. You were either a cat person or a dog person, but those days are long gone. Nowadays, if someone tells you they have a pet, you won’t be too surprised if they tell you they are keeping an iguana or a pet cobra – and they don’t need to be a multi millionaire bitcoin trader either. But there are other unusual animals some people keep as pets – and though we’re not endorsing it, these include:

Capybara

It’s not difficult to get the feeling you are watching a giant guinea pig when you look at a capybara. This world’s largest rodent is known to weigh as much as 140lbs. It is a semiaquatic animal and can be found near bodies of water in the Savannah and dense forests of South America. A capybara does well as a pet due to its intelligence. You can train it to do tricks and walk on a leash.

Serval

Serval cats are found in central and southern Africa grasslands. They resemble leopards but are not much larger than a medium-sized dog. They are strong and fast and are known for their high success rate in hunting prey in the wild. As a pet, you’ll need to prepare zoo-like areas to house serval cats. They need enough space to climb, swim, hunt and explore their environment.

Wallaroo

Native to Australia, wallaroos area mix of a wallaby and a kangaroo. Although they are shy, they are curious creatures and tend to bond nicely with people when they are treated positively and well socialized. But you have to place them in a large yard or pen because they love to jump, run and exercise.

Degu

Degus are curious social animals. In the wild, they live in tunneled holes mostly in the Andes Mountain range in Chile. These animals are intelligent creatures and they are known to bond with and occasionally groom their owners. They’ll look to you for some belly rubs or play. You need to place an exercise wheel and hang some cotton ropes in a large cage so that they can exercise. You also need to ensure that their cage is made of metal since they can chew through wood and plastic.

Genet

Genets are feliforms that can live up to 20 years. They originated in Africa and can be found in Savannahs and forests. If you plan to keep a Genet, you will need a tall cage. This is because they rival squirrels when it comes to climbing, and they need enough room to play and forage. The cage needs to be well built and sturdy. If it has a gap, a Genet can squeeze through it as long as its head can fit through the gap.

Genets are known as aloof and independent. As such, they are best suited for people who do not want cuddly pets. A Genet can let you hold it, but it gets to decide when you do and for how long.

Sugar Glider

Sugar gliders originated in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. They can be found in tropical forests and can live for 10 to 15 years. Sugar gliders have something in common with kangaroos in that they both carry their young in a pouch. But something that makes them stand out is the skin membrane between their front and rear legs. This skin membrane is able to stretch to allow the sugar glider to glide in the air. When in the air, the sugar glider n can glide for up to 150 meters without needing a break. As a pet, the sugar glider is known to be curious, affectionate and playful. Once it bonds with you, you can expect it to seek your attention from time to time.