Welcome back to the Acoma Animal Clinic Blog! We can confidently say that the most common animals in households are cats and dogs. With this in mind, the blog today is going to take things a step further and focus on some odd pets to own. These extraordinary animals might not be easily kept as pets. There are rules and regulations that must be followed when owning some of these creatures.
Odd Pets to Own in Your Home
Scorpion
Living in Arizona, these guys are extremely well known…but not necessarily as pets. Because they are so common here, you come across them all the time. Whether you are hanging out in your backyard or cleaning your home, scorpions can appear almost anywhere.
After coming across a scorpion, your initial reaction probably isn’t “I want to keep this as a pet.” However, if you have the impulse to capture it and keep it, you have to be careful. They are poisonous, so you must not touch them. You would have to keep them in an aquarium with sand, heat, and rocks and just observe. They can be dangerous so be sure you are careful!
As a kid, something fun to do was go searching for these creatures. If you have a UV light and aim it at a wall or the ground at nighttime, the scorpions will glow. Their fluorescent color is hard to miss! It is definitely something to try out if you’ve never done this before.
Tarantula
Have you ever seen the movie Home Alone? If you have, I’m sure you can recall the scene with the tarantula, the burglars, and Kevin (the young boy). This part of the movie perfectly depicts the two kinds of people in the world– those who are extremely scared of spiders and those who aren’t phased at all.
There are many people afraid of spiders… especially big spiders. An abundance of questions will fill the minds of the frightened. “Are they poisonous? Can they bite me? Will it hurt me?” If you are one of these people, know you aren’t alone.
Tarantulas are not devastatingly harmful to humans by any means. They have this stigma or myth about them because they look intimidating. However, there are other spiders out there that are actually deadly. Like most creatures, tarantulas have a defense mechanism that can cause irritation to people, but generally does not last longer than a couple days.
Hedgehog
On social media, you found some cute videos of hedgehogs running around their owner’s home. You watch these videos on repeat and decide that you want one. Is it illegal? Can you actually have a hedgehog as a pet? The answer varies upon which state you currently reside. Even if the state you live in has this restriction, oftentimes you can get a permit that will allow you to own a hedgehog.
Hedgehogs have those prickly needles on their back as a way to defend themselves against predators. Something to know before owning a hedgehog is when they come across new scents, they often try to camouflage with it. They will create a spit ball and throw it behind them onto their spines in order to distract predators.
Capybara
You might be wondering, “What the heck is a Capybara?” Pretty much, this animal is a very large (around 140 pounds) rodent or giant guinea pig that can swim. So, why would somebody want this as a pet? Well, Capybaras are known to be very social and sweet animals. They have high intelligence and are interactive with others surrounding them. However, because they are so sociable, they generally need to be kept in pairs or groups. Capybaras also have dry skin, so they always need to be located near standing water.
Capybaras are not legal to own in most of the United States, so be sure to check the laws before trying to get one of these as pets. There are ways to get permits to house one of these animals, if need be. It’s important to truly understand their lifestyle and see if it is compatible with yours.
All in all, pets are fun to own, but can be a major upkeep. The animals listed above are very unique and odd to have, but people in this world do! If interested in owning an exotic creature, be sure to create a habitat that they will survive in and provide the right necessities for them. Also, get the correct permits and paperwork filled out to stay out of trouble. If it turns out these animals aren’t a good fit for you, then you can always visit these creatures at the local zoos instead!
