Sometimes we need to have low-maintenance pets that will give us companionship and not be too hard to care for!
According to medical and animal experts, owning a pet is an excellent idea, because they not only help you be more organized and responsible, but they can also improve your mental and physical health. Unfortunately, many people can’t adopt a dog or a cat because they require high maintenance costs and have other needs that may be quite difficult for you to meet. However, the best part is obviously that you can actually adopt a pet that is right for you but doesn’t require high maintenance costs.
When you are a busy person that works all day long, you need a low-maintenance pet that can be left alone for long periods of time or that doesn’t cry for your attention. Of course, it’s important to understand that there’s a big difference between what it means to have a pet that requires low maintenance costs and to ignore their needs. In other words, no matter what pet you want to adopt, keeping one in your household is a huge responsibility.
But what’s a low-maintenance pet? Well, according to animal experts, these types of pets generally require fewer grooming sessions or not at all, fewer training sessions, you don’t have to take them for a walk twice a day, they don’t need certain living conditions such as a big garden, apartment or house, they don’t need your attention often, and vet check-ups are cheaper.
So, whether you are looking for something that will delight your children or suit your busy lifestyle or fit in your small apartment, here are some low-maintenance pets that you should definitely adopt! Read on for more info!
Turtles
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines. Many people don’t know this, but turtles are actually one of the oldest reptile groups, more ancient than snakes or crocodilians. Unfortunately, there are many species of turtles that are highly endangered.
Turtles are ectotherms (also known as cold-blooded) – which means that they change their internal temperature depending on the environment – as well as amniotes, which means that, although they spend time underwater, they breathe air and lay eggs on land.
So if you want to have a turtle as a pet, you should provide them with a stone in their aquarium because they have to periodically refill their lungs with air. In fact, some turtles will spend much of their lives on land. In general, adult turtles eat aquatic plants, insects, snails, worms, and small fish.
According to animal experts, turtles usually carry salmonella, so you should wash your hand properly before and after you touch them. Salmonella are bacteria that make people sick and the most common symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
However, all you have to do is to keep their space clean and provide them with fresh and cold water. The best part is that they don’t need to be fed every day, experts say.
Hamsters
As you probably already know, hamsters are rodents that can be kept as small and low-maintenance pets. In general, the most commonly adopted species is the golden or Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). Other species commonly kept as pets include Campbell’s dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli), the winter white dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus), and the Roborovski hamster (Phodopus roborovskii).
Hamsters are crepuscular creatures, which means that they are active during the twilight period. If you want to adopt one, you should know that their diet consists of seeds, fruits, vegetables and occasionally burrowing insects. In addition, hamsters are solitary creatures, so if you want to keep them with other hamsters, they will be more likely to suffer from chronic stress and fight.
Experts say that dwarf hamster species may tolerate siblings or same-gender unrelated hamsters, but only if you socialize them from an early age – nevertheless, even if you do this, the chances of them getting along well are minimal.
Betta Fish
The Siamese fighting fish or the betta fish, is a freshwater fish native to Thailand. This species of fish is among the most popular aquarium fish in the world, not only because they can be found in various vibrant colors, but also due to their low maintenance costs.
They are territorial creatures, so you shouldn’t keep males together in the same tank, because they tend to fight and this will usually lead to death. They can also live in low oxygen and poor water quality. They usually feed on zooplankton, small crustaceans, and mosquitoes. They can also be fed with frozen foods like brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, and so on.
Guppies
The guppy, or the million fish and rainbow fish, is among the most popular aquarium fish species in the world. They are live-bearing fish – namely that they retain the eggs in their own bodies and give birth to youngsters. Even though they are native to South America, they can be found all over the world.
The best part is that they are very adaptable to many environmental conditions. In general, males are smaller than females. Their diet consists of algal remains, diatoms, invertebrates, plant fragments, and so on.
If you want to keep them as pets, you have to provide them with a hard-water aquarium with a temperature of 25.5 and 27.8 °C (78 and 82 °F). They shouldn’t be kept alone in an aquarium because, in the wild, they live in large groups. They will eat their own young if they are not well-fed.
Parakeets
Parakeets are small to medium-sized species of parrot. In general, they have long tail feathers. Parakeets are about 115 species of birds that are actually seed-eating parrots of small size. The Melopsittacus undulatus is the most commonly adopted species of parakeet. This species of parakeet, also known as the budgerigar, is the third most popular pet in the world, after cats and dogs.
When it comes to keeping a parakeet as a pet, the best part is that they are not only beautiful birds that require low maintenance costs, but they are also very intelligent creatures that are easy to train, which makes them perfect for people of all ages.
Rabbits
In some countries, rabbits and hares are hunted for their meat, but most of the time, rabbits can also be kept as pets. According to animal experts, rabbits make excellent pets, especially for people who are usually busy or families with kids. Although they require low maintenance costs, there are some species of rabbits, such as longer-haired rabbits, that need daily grooming.
They live up to 8 years, but if you take care of them properly, they can reach 12 years. Thus, they are herbivorous animals and their diet consists of plants, bushes, grasses, weeds, and other vegetables. If you keep them in your apartment, you can use grass hay as an alternative fiber source.
They are social animals, which means that they’re super happy if they have another rabbit to keep them company. They require a hutch to live in if you have other dogs and cats around.
If you love to read stories about pets, make sure to read this amazing book with stories about hunting dogs you are going to love!
Guinea Pigs
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig is actually a species of rodent that belongs to the genus Cavia in the family Caviidae. As you probably already know, despite their name, guinea pigs are not native to Guinea (a coastal country in West Africa). Of course, they are not closely related to pigs! Researchers say that the origins of their names are still unknown.
Guinea pigs were initially domesticated as a source of meat, and unfortunately, they are still consumed as food in some countries around the world. To be more specific, in some cultures in the Andes Mountains, people raise guinea pigs for their meat. They are also still used in research, although researchers try to replace them with other species of rodents, such as mice and rats. Nevertheless, most of the time, people keep them as pets because they make good companions and require low maintenance costs.
Their diet consists of grass, but they also supplement their diet by eating their own feces. This process is also known as coprophagia or coprophagy.
Chinchillas
Well, we have to admit that chinchillas are the most beautiful rodents in the world, thanks to their amazing coat. There are two species of chinchillas, namely Chinchilla chinchilla and Chinchilla lanigera. They are crepuscular rodents, which means that they are active during the twilight period.
According to animal experts, they have the densest fur of all land mammals. Domesticated chinchillas are thought to be of the C. lanigera species. It seems that chinchillas don’t like to be held, so you don’t have to spend too much time with them. If you want to adopt one, try to provide them with chinchilla specific food – you can find it at any pet store, so don’t worry about that!
Unfortunately, both species of chinchilla are listed as endangered by official Red List of Threatened Species due to a severe population loss.
Tarantulas
All large and often ‘hairy’ spiders of the family Theraphosidae are usually called tarantulas (approx. 1,000 species). However, there are some New World species kept as pets that have urticating hairs that can cause irritation to the skin and eye damage.
Nevertheless, they make excellent pets, require little space and are easy to maintain. Some tarantulas shouldn’t be held because they have venomous bites. Experts say that the best tarantulas for beginners are usually the ground dwellers, such as the curly hair tarantula – they also tend to move slowly.
Their diet consists of crickets and other insects, as well as mealworms, super worms, and roaches. Adults should be fed once a week, while juveniles can eat every day.
Leopard Gecko
The common leopard gecko is a nocturnal lizard that has been domesticated to be kept as a pet. Leopard geckos are perfect for novice pet parents, as they require low maintenance costs. They are usually slow-moving and don’t climb walls.
If you play with them too often, they can develop chronic or acute stress. These cute geckos will use their tails to communicate and make chirps when they are hungry. If you keep them with another gecko, try to pay attention to their tail waving, because back and forth motion may indicate that they are about to fight.
African Dwarf Frogs
The African dwarf frog is an aquatic frog commonly adopted as a pet. People often confuse them with the African clawed frog, which is a similar-looking frog in the same family. These pretty species of frogs spend most of their time underwater, but they often need to rise to the surface to breathe air because they have lungs, not gills like other aquatic creatures.
They make perfect pets because they are easy to maintain and are also small in size. They can live for five to twenty years, depending on environmental conditions. They have no tongue and no teeth, so they use their webbed feet to shove food in their mouths.
According to animal experts, the African dwarf frog is very active and can get along well with other animals of their own size. However, they feed on smaller creatures, so don’t keep them together.
To hide from predators, they spend most of their time near the bottom of the water. Fish generally eat their eggs. Being social creatures, they must be kept in a group of two or more. Even though they live underwater, they still need to reach the surface of the water to breathe from time to time – so, take this into consideration when choosing and preparing their aquarium.
However, if you got your heart set on a dog, make sure you pick a breed that will thrive even in a smaller place!
