You'll pay about $15-20 for the hamster, another $20-50 for a cage, $7-8 for an exercise ball, $10 for the first bag of food and another $10 for the first bag of shavings. Although a slightly more niche option for insect enthusiasts, ants can be an intriguing pet to own. They can live longer depending on goldfish type, the size of the tank, and how often their water is Geckos enjoy eating live crickets and worms, and weekly food expenses run from $5 to $10, depending on the size of your gecko. Iguanas are some of the most prominent victims of inadequate care for their presence as cheap animals in chain pet stores. Kids are always mesmerized by Sea-Monkeys, making them the perfect pet; they'll just sit and stare at them for hours. Also, since they are natural predators, it may take some time to make friends with other animals in the house. Not only that, but these reptiles can live up to 20 years or more as pets, so they're perfect if you're not looking to say goodbye to your animal too soon. 100 Irish Baby Names That We're Totally Going to Steal, 12 Pet Memorial Gifts to Give After the Loss of a BFF (Best Furry Friend), Parents: Activating Your Yes-Brain Will Be Your Tantrum Reducer Superpower. Ferret makes excellent pets for owners who take the time to bond with them. They fill their cheekbones with seeds and nuts and take them to a borough where they are stored for later use. Supplies for having a pet rat can add up to $100 and more, depending on how thrifty and industrious you want to be. According to the Entomologists' Society, the main requirements these critters need are a secure enclosure that can be maintained at an appropriate humidity and temperature of around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A 15- to 20-gallon tank can easily hold two to three leopard geckos, and they have a normal diet of crickets, wax worms, and mealworms. Snakes probably are not the first animal that comes to mind when considering a pet but they are surprisingly easy to maintain and can make great companions, if not conversation-starters. The 20 Least Expensive Pets to Own. Your email address will not be published. Dr. Nelva Bryant, DVM, is a highly accomplished veterinarian with three decades of professional experience in animal welfare, public health, and zoonotic diseases. These animals are a pet that requires little maintenance and space. "And the truth is, we only walk him about 30 minutes a day, and play fetch or tug of war for about 10 minutes, and that's enough to keep him in shape." These fuzzballs often whistle, purr, and squeal to express emotions, which makes them one of the best choices for people who like to know their pets are happy. But at the same time, she is quite funny, curious, and very interested when something new happens at home. And their life span is roughly two years, which is also an ideal length. But what about the cost to buy this insect? Gerbil. Cool pets to have in California - IPS FAM, Natural Rat Control | Shield your Home from Rats, Professional Dog Grooming Equipment for Sale, How Much Home Cooked Food to Feed Dog Vets w/ Pets. Lives 5 to 8 years. With an ant farm, the ants do most of the work. Cages should be large and airy and owners should expect to put up with some noise. These are fairly low maintenance, a diet consisting mostly of insects. If stick bugs and praying mantises are not satisfying your child's pet needs, you can always go bigger (and creepier) with a scorpion. Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=d6a81bc2-bca8-428b-9de6-25d5b884bf8c&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=1271192797602887479'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); They are skilled at playing the whistle and can often be taught to play the whistle. The eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) is the largest deciduous forest in eastern North America. Hedgehogs are not social. Goldfish: $1 to $40. Snakes are not everybody's cup of tea, but they do make for an easy-to-care for pet. However, if you choose to get a tortoise you must be diligent about their diets as some species require a fair amount of vegetables, while certain breeds of turtles eat meat. Plus, their diet consists of small pellet or powdered food. But many rat owners say the furry little animals are cuddly if handled often from a young age. 13 Cheap Pets That Are Easy to Take Care Of. These animals, among the easiest of their species to own, live for about eight to 15 years and are relatively inexpensive compared with other popular pet birds such as parrots. High Because of their high intelligence, pot-sand pigs respond very well to clicker training. In most common species, the body length is 8 to 16 cm say (3.1 to 6.3 inches), and the tail length is 6 to 14 cm say (2.4 to 5.5 inches). They like to chillax in a tropical habitat and love to eat crickets and worms. When it comes to fueling your pork adventures, its important to provide a healthy diet. They make excellent apartment dwellers because they sleep most of the day while the owner is away for the day. Chinchillas are nocturnal animals, but they make beautiful pets because they are low maintenance, quiet and odorless, with beautiful soft fur. Pig Dirty This idea cant stay far from the truth. They are social and do best when placed with other hermit crabs if their tank is spacious enough. Getting a pet is a simple way to add a different dynamic to your home. Kids will love feeding them, but because goldfish have such short memories, they tend to overeat if youre not careful. These small rodents typically live for five or six years and only need the basics to survive: a cage, bedding, food, and water. Degu: $1020. xhr.send(payload); Chipmunk (Tamias species) is a large internal cheekbone used for food transport. As McLeod explained to The Spruce Pets, they have a docile nature that makes them easy to get along with and play with, but they also don't need a lot in terms of care. Eastern chipmunk is an alternative with two gray-brown stripes and two white stripes. 40 Rare and Unique Exotic Pets. Pigs communicate in a range of very voices, squeals, oinks, and whines. Mmm. } else { Axolotl: $1535. Goldfish are active all day and make the perfect viewing shelf pet that is absolutely low maintenance for any pet owner. Butterflies are a pretty sight to see outside, but they're also a good insect for inside your home. But if you do want to bring a precious pooch into your family, consider a more low-maintenance breed. Obtaining ants is as easy as buying an ant colony or a fertilized queen ant, or collecting one from nature. A corn snake is displayed in a vivarium in Sasali natural life park in Izmir. However, they can entertain themselves when you are not around to play, leading to some mischief and problems if they are not supervised. Pull out these PG jokes anytime you need a wholesome laugh. Local laws also might prohibit certain exotic animals. "For hygienic purposes, one simple tank wash a month should do the trick as well. Remember, while pets are kid-friendly, your kids should be properly supervised when handling them. Leopard geckos eat live insects and worms and only grow up 10 inches in length. You can make your own home for them with things around the house or buy a butterfly kit. All you need to do, according to Allie Layos of Wide Open Pets, is keep a temperature of somewhere between 60 to 70 degrees, cover the ants at night, give them sufficient water with either a damp cotton ball or a few drops, and provide foods like small pieces of fruits and vegetables. Hamsters Image Credit: Lichtpuenktchen, Pixabay Hamsters are one of the small pets that many people would think of immediately when asked to name a low-maintenance pet. "Betta fish are stunning, really hardy, and you can have an awesome low-maintenance setup," Adams says. Behind this cotton will be the ant queen and her offspring. Ask a Pediatrician: How Do I Know If My Child Is Ready for Kindergarten? The small, spotted creatures may be shy at first, but after some love and care they'll sweeten up to your touch, just like other pets. Pet goats require little to no grooming however they can be destructive to fences and gardens and can call loudly, which neighbours may find a nuisance, British animal charity the RSPCA warns. Pets An iguana is the most popular pet lizard. The domesticated Budgerigar is the most popular of all pet bird species, according to BirdLife International. Fish are often "seen as low-maintenance pets" until people realize just how much work needs to be put into 2 Pugs. Lives up to three years. But one thing to note is that turtles can live for a while. However, their curiosity sometimes leads to their mischief, and they can even be destructive. 10 Cheap Exotic Pets - PetHelpful. Fish are often "seen as low-maintenance pets" until people realize just how much work needs to be put into them, says Christopher Adams, founder of ModestFish. In terms of diet, turtles are easy, as they "don't need to be fed every day." Their vision is surprisingly sharp and allows them to distinguish between people it will eventually learn who you are, so don't be surprised if a day comes when your fish swims over to ask for food when you're nearby. The best age to dry and neutral pot-pigs in months. They eat live insects, which you can purchase at a pet store, as well as limited portions of fruits, vegetables and greens. Lianne McLeod, DVM, is a small animal and exotic pet expert with over a decade of experience writing about veterinary care. All they need for a home is a small tank "at least twice as wide and three times as tall" as their body. Lives 5 to 8 years. While everyone knows what a porcupine is, many have not seen or heard of the funny-looking, tree-dwelling, 2. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. Most are social animals that want to keep you company. Great for beginner pet parents. They require a cage with soft bedding. This might sound traumatic to any big city dweller, but hear us out. It may seem strange to keep insects or spiders as pets, but these are unique animals that are interesting to look at. Great for beginner pet parents. Anoles can live more than five years and grow up to 8 inches long. If you want a cute, cuddly pet, but aren't ready to commit to a pup, consider a rabbit instead. Does My Pet Secretly Resent Me for Being Home All the Time? You will need to make sure your home is ferret-proofed to prevent escapes or unsafe hiding spots (like in the oven). Bearded dragon The domesticated Budgerigar is the most popular of all pet bird species, according to BirdLife International. African Dwarf Frogs Hamsters aren't the only easy-to-care for rodents you can consider for your home. All that, alongside the small size of pugs, make them one of the most low-maintenance dog breeds. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Evenly tempered, these guys get along with other cats, dogs and children. Hedgehogs. Raising butterflies is fairly easy and requires little space and time, though most kits guarantee only that some of the few caterpillars they send will reach maturity, so you'll need to consider the cost of more than one. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb, Pets aren't limited to furry creatures or fish. Agouti. A thriving ant colony seen inside a formicarium enclosure. A drawback is that there are some parts of the U.S. where they are illegal or require permits; check yourstate laws on exotic pets before you adopt one. Smith Collection/Gado /Getty Images 13. If youre not committed to having a pet for the long haul, their lifespanfrom caterpillar to fully formed butterflyis only six to eight months. "We've never taken him into a dog groomer. And since their hair isn't as long as other cats', they only need to be brushed two to three times a week to get rid of loose hair. Top 13 Best Pets To Have At Home Or In An Apartment. Cheapest Low-Maintenance Pets Hamsters are small and low-maintenance and can entertain themselves with a wheel or other toys. Once they have all that, they don't need much else. Rats are friendly, quiet, and intelligent animals. Ferrets, hands down, are the most sociable small pets. Fish are often "seen as low-maintenance pets" until people realize just how much work needs to be put into 2 Pugs. Their enclosures are also a manageable size. Kids can take them out of their cages to gently play with them every once in a while, but as long as they have the basic necessities, they're happy. 13 Cheap Pets That Are Easy to Take Care Of. Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach-Watermelon-Blueberries-Cucumbers-Celery-Lettuce? Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine. There are nearly 50 breeds of rabbits that people like to keep as a pet. Cheapest Low-Maintenance Pets They don't need much cage spacea 15- to 20-gallon tank should doso they're a good option if you don't have room for an elaborate vivarium setup. 21 Best Pets For Kids (By Age Range Their tank needs to have enough room for them to be able to swim around and come up for air when needed. Males and females are less picky than goldfish, and aside from a need to change the water in the bowl and daily feeding, these make for lo- maintenance pets that don't interfere with your time. Low-Maintenance Pets Their small size and relatively easy care make them perfect for smallerhomes. Small Pets Let's face it, dogs aren't ever really low-maintenance pets. It 2. In addition to mice, Dumerils Boas like to eat small rabbits and fowl. Male, The teeth of male pigs grow throughout their lives, much like hamster teeth, and require regular shaping by their veterinarian to keep them in top shape. Fruits, vegetables, and cat or dog food are young, healthy, in a good mood, and perfect. Unlike other animals, scorpions need a hotter tankanywhere from 80 degrees Fahrenheit at the coolest to 90 degrees at the warmest. (Painted shells are controversial there's a risk of using a toxic material that will hurt the crab.) The very essence of a turtle is to be cool, calm and collected, and maintaining them is just as easy. The vet expenditures are minimal, and she eats basically hay and stale bread with sometimes a carrot or an apple. Male tarantulas grow from two to ten inches, and most species only live up to seven years long, according to the experts at Petco. These rodents cost between $25 and $50, and a proper habitat adds about $75 to the initial cost. Fruit can be given occasionally as a treat. Owners can easily rest with complete nutritional assurance on every meal their piggy enjoys. If the lifespan of a turtle intimidates you, go with a hermit crab instead! Cats also groom and wash themselves and the British Shorthair is particularly easy as it has an undemanding personality, easygoing temperament and molts far less than other cats, Cattime.com recommends. Thus, making a hedgehog seems to be not a subject to the separation anxiety, but this pet is fitting for those who travel. Guinea pigs crave socialization and are typically easy to handle. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. They also don't require a lot of water but will need to have a bit of it around. Exotic pets can be beautiful, unique, and some can be trained to do tricks, talk, or retrieve items for you. WebGuinea Pig. They also don't mind being held and pet. 5 Perfect Pets for Kids with Allergies. Some breeds like the brown house snake or the California king snake even go two weeks without eating and some become friendlier the more they get used to being handled. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); Chipmunks are not low-maintenance pets, but they are great companions. Their short, smooth, glossy coat needs minimal maintenance and their smaller size means they don't require hours of walking a day, the American Kennel Club says.