Pets: Ordinary and unordinary pets

Having a pet can be fantastic.

A good pet becomes a good friend – someone you can talk to and play with, cuddle and love. A cat will curl up on your lap in the evening for a cuddle while you are watching TV, and a dog will play ball in the park and learn tricks that you can show off to your friends.

But sometimes everyone finds themselves wondering what would happen if they had a more exotic pet, something a bit different from the usual cat, dog, hamster and or gerbil. Here is a guide to some of the more unusual pets you can get. Important: Pets Are Not Toys. Remember, though, that any pet you get will be a living creature, not a toy that you can put away in the back of a cupboard when you get bored with it. You will need to feed, exercise and pay attention to your pet for the whole of its life. Some pets need more attention and care than others, so if you think you won't have the time to look after something, choose a pet that doesn't need much attention, or think very carefully about whether you are ready to be a pet owner at all.

Oink!

If you decide that you definitely are ready to have an unusual pet, there are plenty to choose from. To start with, if you want something similar to a dog but a bit more unusual, think about getting a pig instead. A lot of people keep pot bellied pigs as pets. Pigs are loving and intelligent animals that can be trained, just like dogs. Although they have a bad reputation, it is not true that pigs are dirty and smelly – a happy pig will be as clean and smell-free as a cat or a dog. Pigs can also be leash-trained, so you can take them outside.

Pigs are great fun, and their intelligent minds make them interesting pets. But their intelligence also means that they can teach themselves how to open fridge doors, and cupboards, and pigs are always looking out for food, and can make a mess while they are searching. Pigs must also be trained, like dogs, so that they know that the humans in your family are the boss, otherwise they might try to boss you around instead!

Creepy crawlies

Although some people are scared of them, the truth is that some creepy crawlies make excellent pets. The easiest insects to have as a pet are stick insects – they live in a tank and they don't need much attention. Stick insects have great camouflage, so it can be fun trying to spot where yours are hiding in their tank.
For people who aren't afraid of spiders, tarantulas are good pets. A lot of people think that tarantulas are very dangerous biting creatures, but the truth is that they only attack when they are very scared, and no pet should ever be very scared in its home. Tarantulas can look very beautiful as well, with their long, stripey and furry legs, and they are quiet pets that don't need a lot of space. However, you shouldn't try to pick up or cuddle a tarantula, not because it's dangerous for you, but because tarantulas don't like it.
If you like slimy things, think about getting a Giant African Land Snail. These giant snails have beautiful shells and they are very easy to look after. They need a tank that will keep them nice and warm, but luckily you don't have to take you snail for a walk – that would take ages! Most snails like being handled and stroked, if you take care not to hurt them by accident.
Having an unusual pet means that you will always have something interesting to talk about, whether you are at school, meeting friends in parks or even on celebrity cruises. For example, leopard geckos are very interesting pets, and they are small, and don't need very much attention. They are also beautiful, with a wide range of lovely patterns on their backs. Geckos like eating insects such as crickets and meal worms, which must be bought live for them to catch and eat. They also like wax worms as a special treat, but not all the time as they will get fat.

Hisssss….

Snakes are also a good scaley, slithery pet to have. Remember though that you will probably have to feed them little mice, so they are not a good choice if you mind seeing dead mice every day, or if your parents don't want to keep dead mice in the freezer! Snakes are also really good at escaping from their tanks and hiding, so it is really important to make sure they can't get out of their tanks, and to keep them closed up tight.
If you want a pet that will keep you company for the rest of your life, get a tortoise. Some tortoises can live up to 100 years! However, tortoises are not the easiest pets to take care of. They need lots of space for their slow walks, and they can grow to be quite large. Hermann's Tortoises are a good species to get, as they don't get very big and and they are nice and friendly.
There are plenty of different unusual animals out there to keep as pets. Some people like unusual pets simply because they are a bit different, whereas other people are allergic to cats and dogs so they need to look for something a little less furry. Whatever the reason, choosing an unusual pet can be a fun and rewarding experience.

Have fun with your favorite pets on Hellokids too: learn how to draw PET step by step, print the most beautiful PET coloring pages and read the Pet reports for kids we have written for you.