The World's Most Peculiar Pets

Often a comforting companion or an example of unconditional love, pets of various kinds

are popular throughout the world. A typical pet is usually an animal that has long been
domesticated (used to living with or working with humans), such as a dog or a cat.
However, there are some pets found in numerous countries that are quite unusual and
not the sort of creatures many people would consider when choosing a pet.

Wallabies
Although it is not recommended to have wallabies as pets, many
people around the world have fallen for the charms of these small,
hopping creatures. Wallabies need large areas of land in order to
roam, preferably with natural grasses that they can eat. They are
quite intelligent and captive wallabies are well known for escaping
their enclosures. In the United Kingdom, there have been several
wild, red-necked wallaby populations that have developed over the
last century that have escaped from private owners or closed zoos.
Subsequently, there have been a large number of sightings of wild
wallabies around many places in the UK, such as Sheffield, Cornwall
and the Chiltern Hills west of London.
Pythons and Large Snakes
Snakes of varying species and size are popular as pets throughout the
world, despite being experts at escaping their vivariums (a special
enclosed cage typically made of glass and wood). In July 2019, the city of
Cambridge was buzzing with news of an escaped reticulated python
that was almost 3 metres in length. The local police chose not to search
extensively because it was deemed harmless to humans. Over a period
of four days, there were various sightings, jokes and social media posts
about the loose snake until he was found safe and sound in a tree near
his home. However, not all large snakes are safe to own as pets. There
have been several instances, including one in the UK, where various great
snakes have proved dangerous and deadly to humans. Large snakes are
hard to control, extremely strong and adept escape artists.
Big Cats
Numerous people from around the world have adopted many different
kinds of big cats, such as lions and tigers, as pets. Some owners have even
purchased vast private lands where these graceful and powerful creatures
can live alongside other animals. However, not all owners have adequate
space for these large animals. In 2014, a pet bobcat that was notorious for
escaping and running loose through its New Jersey, United States
neighbourhood was sent to a local zoo by court order (a decision that is
made by a court about a particular situation). Overall, experts do not
recommend keeping them as pets due to several factors: their size, strength,
hunting instinct and need for space and exercise.
Disclaimer: This resource is provided for informational and educational purposes only. As far as possible, the contents of this resource are reflective of professional research as of February 2023. It is
intended to offer general information and should never be taken as advice for interactions with an animal.

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 The World's Most Peculiar Pets

Bears
Sometimes portrayed in films as friendly and
cuddly, real-life bears are far from it. Real
bears are actually quite hazardous to humans:
they are wild, extremely strong, astonishingly fast
and they have sharp claws and teeth. These factors
have not stopped several people from keeping
different species (a group of animals similar in
appearance that can reproduce) of bears as pets.
In Canada, a man with over 40 years of experience
with bears kept a polar bear as his pet for over 20
years. In Bozeman, Montana, USA, the owner of a
bear and wildlife park has also adopted and raised
a pet grizzly bear for almost 20 years.

Squirrels
With teeth sharp enough to crack nuts and seeds and
claws perfect for clinging onto thick tree bark, squirrels
aren’t a typical choice for a pet. Despite this, a man in
Florida, USA found a newborn squirrel abandoned on his
driveway and decided to raise it himself. After several
months of raising it indoors, he built a house for it in his
back garden where it now resides with a squirrel wife
and family. There are also well-known pet squirrels in
London, Ontario, Canada and several in New York, USA
with similar background stories. Most owners agree that
their situations are unique and would not recommend
trying to tame an adult squirrel.

Good for a laugh, a cuddle or company, most pets

are largely harmless and tame. Nevertheless, many
people across the globe choose to own something a
bit different to most normal pets!

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