Our list of the cheapest pets some of whom just require food and water includes animals such as insects, reptiles, freshwater fish, and even a crustacean. Unlike turtles, tortoises need more room to roam, so be sure to invest in a spacious pen. Their tank needs to have enough room for them to be able to swim around and come up for air when needed. Pigs communicate in a range of very voices, squeals, oinks, and whines. Binturong. Talk about hands-off. For the most part, they're just a pet you observeno need to take it for a daily walk. All they need is a cage, fresh water (which can be distributed with a drinking bottle on the side of the cage), hamster food (alongside small pieces of fruits and veggies), and a hamster wheel for them to play and exercise on. And in terms of diet, they have a variety of foods they eat: fruit flies, smaller mantids, moths, house flies, and the occasional cricket or mealworm if your mantid is larger. Anoles can live more than five years and grow up to 8 inches long. Two to eight (rarely) young babies are born in the spring or summer after about a month of gestation. Unlike dogs, you don't need to worry about giving a cat lots of exercise and because they are so independent, cats can be left alone for extended periods of time provided they are left with food and water. They dont require too much spacea 15-to 20-gallon tank will do the trickand they feed on crickets, wax worms and meal worms. As omnivorous, wild food consists of roots, vegetables, nuts, seeds, berries, eggs, and small insects. Green Iguana: $1525. Web1. Goldfish are active all day and make the perfect viewing shelf pet that is absolutely low maintenance for any pet owner. Stephen Johnson contributed to this story. Does My Pet Secretly Resent Me for Being Home All the Time? Youll want to keep their habitat on the warmer side, along with a shallow saltwater dish where they can soak in. Best pets to have at home or in an apartment Their diet is also quite diverse, and they eat everything from moths and fruit flies to instars and smaller mantes (eek). Primarily nocturnal, they will not mind if you are away during the day. The vet expenditures are minimal, and she eats basically hay and stale bread with sometimes a carrot or an apple. And while cleaning their space and providing fresh water is essential, turtles actually dont need to be fed every day. She has worked with airlines and the Centers for Disease Control to improve pet travel through veterinary oversight. Since most chipmunks dont accumulate significant fat during the fall, they rely on these cached foods in the winter. Importantly, hermit crabs require a few different sized shells during their lifetime and enough sand to bury into when they molt, according to the Hermit Crab Association. This British Shorthair Cat can groom and wash itself and moults far less than other cats. Top 13 Best Pets To Have At Home Or In An Apartment. WebHermit crabs are one of those small pets that are not very common, but nevertheless quite well mannered, insanely cheap, and make for great pets. Lizard species that are good for beginners include leopard geckos, crested geckos, house geckos, bearded dragons, and anoles. Ferret makes excellent pets for owners who take the time to bond with them. Provided you have a backyard and space for a coop, chickens are a surprisingly easy choice. As a team, they are an environmentally versatile race. These animals also require a moist hideout to aid their shedding, a water bowl, and a second hideout for when they're feeling self-conscious. These small rodents typically live for five or six years and only require a cage, some bedding, food, and water. 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. You don't have to settle on a tank-living, aquatic animal just because you want a low-maintenance pet, however. 17 Low-Maintenance Pets That Are Easy They tend to be easily tamed and often like to hang out on people's shoulders or laps. A hedgehog is not related to porcupines or not a rodent, they are in a sub-family known as insectivore. Behind this cotton will be the ant queen and her offspring. 20 Baby Boomer Names That Are at Risk of Going Extinct, Nakhorn Yuangkratoke / EyeEm/ Getty Images, Alan Tunnicliffe Photography/Getty Images. They like the thrill of the chase and constricting their prey on their own. So whether you're looking for something that makes sense for your kids, for your working parent lifestyle, or for the limitations of your apartment, these are the low-maintenance pets you should consider taking home. Your email address will not be published. Small Pets 1. Snake. Their cage needs are not too demanding: about 2 cubic feet per rat. 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. 1. African Dwarf Frogs Physical Characteristics: Small, stout bodies with no tail, a large head with large and alert eyes, strong, short legs with four toes on their front feet and three on the back, all with sharp claws; color variations include black, beige, chocolate, cream, cinnamon, gold, lemon, lilac, red, silver, and white, Fernando Trabanco Fotografa / Getty Images. Many snakes are hesitant to accept thawed frozen mice. Male tarantulas grow from two to ten inches, and most species only live up to seven years long, according to the experts at Petco. Younger children may enjoy them, but the small creatures can be injured easily if play gets rough, so they're not the best choice for families with preschoolers or younger children. Chinchillas prefer warm temperatures, enjoy dust baths, and need a balanced feeding routine to have shoots and good quality grass straw. Height is not critical; they don't tend to climb, so it does not need to be taller than a foot or 18 inches. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Tarantulas are quiet and typically only need a 10- to 20-gallon aquarium to thrive. 1. Then, take a look at these top ten interesting pets and see what you like. Butterflies are a pretty sight to see outside, but they're also a good insect for inside your home. It is the size of a medium to large breed of dog. Mmm. They make a "wheek" sound as a vocalization, but it is not loud enough to disturb neighbors in an apartment setting. Cheap Exotic Pets African dwarf frogs dont need much human interaction, so its advisable to get several in a tank. Hedgehogs do not need a vast cage;a good size for an enclosure is at least 2 feet by 3 feet. The one thing you really need to remember about scorpions is the temperature of their environment. These crabs can be kept in a humid, five gallon-terrarium. As a bonus, the average hen lays 276 eggs every year, according to a survey issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kids will love feeding them, but because goldfish have such short memories, they tend to overeat if youre not careful. 4 Low-Maintenance Rodent Pets 1. If the lifespan of a turtle intimidates you, go with a hermit crab instead! Still on the search for the perfect small amphibian? 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. Their enclosures are also a manageable size. 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. "Betta fish are stunning, really hardy, and you can have an awesome low-maintenance setup," Adams says. Also, since they are natural predators, it may take some time to make friends with other animals in the house. "And once your tank is ready, you only need to feed them once a dayor get an automatic fish feederand replace 15 percent of the water each week.". They should be kept in a clear terrarium, and you can house multiple snails together, with one to two inches of soil, says Anne Woods with Pets on Mom. Goldfish are active all day and make the perfect viewing shelf pet that is absolutely low maintenance for any pet owner. Due to their small size, they are easier to control than many other parrot species. A decorated tank setup costs $20 to $35 and yearly food costs can be as low as $25. Unless won at the county fair, these animals can cost anywhere from $1 (sometimes they're considered food for other animals, rather than pets) to $40 or more. A Budgerigar perched on a branch in Queensland, Australia. These zingers are to-the-point and easy to remember. They are also quiet and require little space and attention. They only require 30% to 40% humidity, but as diurnal reptiles, they need at least 12 hours of sunlight and a heated basking area set at Riley Children's Health at Indiana University. Not the type to help you save on car insurance, but the type to make long-term, easy-to-care-for pets. 1. It 2. 4. Norway rats are the most common species of pet rat, and they only live two to three years, and grow nine to eleven inches long. The corn snake is fairly docile, only grows two to five feet in length and primarily eats small rodents. Low-Maintenance Pets Hens can provide a household with 250 fresh eggs every year and can live up to 10 years. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { The quintessential low-maintenance "pet" if ever there was one. Consider a smaller turtle that grows up to nine or twelve inches at most, like a painted turtle, if you're looking for the kind you can put in a regular-sized terrarium. Iguanas are some of the most prominent victims of inadequate care for their presence as cheap animals in chain pet stores. Most are social animals that want to keep you company. The call of the chipmunk is a sharp scream or chipping. Its no accident that their good names have become almost synonymous with eating something. The team at Star Milling Co. provides the best nutrition for our pet parents and their products, such as piglets. Although they may be a larger dog, they are a low energy breed and don't require excessive amounts of exercise or food requirements. They need an aquarium with a half foot thick layer of sand and some stones on top for them to climb and play with. Sea monkeys live up to two years and only need to be fed once a week. Green Iguana: $1525. Anole This cool lizard boasts a colorful neck pouch and is a great choice for novice reptile pet parents. Although they make excellent pets for beginners, Bearded Dragons have specialized diets composed of fruit, vegetables, and insects. Physical Characteristics: Cone-shaped faces, short legs, bodies covered in spikey hair called spines (looks like porcupine quills), can roll into a ball. 10 Cheap Exotic Pets - PetHelpful. Many snakes are hesitant to accept thawed frozen mice. Iguanas are some of the most prominent victims of inadequate care for their presence as cheap animals in chain pet stores. Length: 1 inch to 24 inches (smaller lizard species); up to 6 feet (common pet snakes), Weight: 0.5 ounce to 1 pound (smaller lizards); 1 to 5 pounds (common pet snakes), Physical Characteristics: Cold-blooded; scales instead of skin; come in a variety of colors. Similar to a stick bug, if you're looking for a low-maintenance insect, think about a praying mantis. 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.