10 Most Popular Pets Besides Cats and Dogs

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Curious about the most popular pets besides cats and dogs?

Maybe you have allergies, space restrictions, or some other reason that makes the top two pets a less-than-ideal fit.

Don’t worry; that doesn’t mean your family can’t enjoy a fun companion animal or two in your household.

Here are some of the coolest alternatives!

You may also like: Top 10 Reasons Why Guinea Pigs Make Good Pets

10 Most Popular Pets Besides Cats and Dogs

One quick note- these aren’t in order, as beyond “cat” and “dog,” those “most popular types of pets” lists vary significantly and depend on who was asked and where they’re from. 

That said, these fun companion animals below appear on just about all of them; they vary by ranking.  

Oh, and if you’re squeamish about spiders, you may want to skip #10! Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Bearded Dragon

The bearded dragon is one of the most popular pets that aren't cats and dogs

 Bearded dragons are a moderately-sized type of lizard, originally from the deserts of central Australia.

The average adult size of a bearded dragon is 16-24 inches in length. These critters have an average life expectancy of 4-10 years.

Bearded dragons are docile, easygoing, gentle, inquisitive and sedentary. According to Petco, “Bearded dragons make great pets because they are easy to care for and have sociable personalities.”

Betta Fish

Betta Fish are one of the most popular pets that aren't cats and dogs

 Betta fish, also known as Siamese fighting fish, are small, colorful fish that originated in Southeast Asia. They are the National Aquatic Animal of Thailand.

The average adult size of a betta fish is 3 inches long. These fish have an average life expectancy of 2-3 years.

Males cannot be kept together in the same tank unless you use a divider.

However,it’s fine to put females together without any sort of division in the tank.

Cockatiel

Cockatiel, a popular alternative to cats and dogs

 Cockatiels are one of the small species of parrots that are a popular choice for a pet bird.

The average adult size of a cockatiel is 11-14 inches, from the top of the head to the end of the tail. These birds have an average life expectancy of 15-20 years.

Cockatiels are friendly, intelligent, low maintenance, playful and quiet.

One cool thing that these birds do is to mimic household sounds such as doorbells, microwaves and telephones.

 

Ferret

Ferrets are the domesticated form of the European polecat and are part of the Mustelidae family, which also includes badgers, minks, weasels, and wolverines.

The average adult size of a ferret is 13-16 inches in length. These critters have an average life expectancy of 8-11 years.

Ferrets are active, curious, entertaining, playful, and smart.

Guinea Pig

What are the most popular guinea pig breeds? If you're wondering the same things, I've got you covered today! Read on for the top 13!

Guinea pigs are a species of rodent that originated in the Andes Mountains of South America.

There are 13 types of guinea pigs that are recognized by the American Cavy Breeders Association (ACBA), with the American breed being the most common and most popular choice for a household pet.

The average adult size of a guinea pig is 8-11 inches long.

These rodents have an average life expectancy of 5-7 years. Guinea pigs are active, easy to care for, friendly, lively and robust.

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Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are one of the most
popular pets that aren't cats and dogs.

 Hedgehogs are spiny mammals, with the African Pygmy hedgehog being the most common species (out of a total of 17 species) sold as household pet.

They’re also referred to as four-toed hedgehogs and white-bellied hedgehogs.

The average adult size of a hedgehog is 5-8 inches long.

These mammals have an average life expectancy of 3-6 years. Hedgehogs are docile, low maintenance, non-aggressive, quiet and sensitive.

Rabbit

Rabbits are wonderful pets that aren't cats and dogs.

Rabbits are small mammals that have been kept as household pets since the 19th century in Western nations.

The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognizes 49 breeds of rabbits, with the most popular breeds including the Californian, Dutch, Holland Lop and Mini Rex.

The average adult size of a rabbit is 2-20 pounds, depending on the breed.

These mammals have an average life expectancy of 5-15 years, depending on the breed.

Rabbits are affectionate, intelligent, playful, social and tame.

Red-Eared Slider Turtle

Red-eared slider turtle

 Red-eared slider turtles are medium-sized, semi-aquatic turtles, also called red-eared terrapins, slider turtles and water slider turtles.

They are one of three subspecies of the pond slider, a freshwater turtle with an upper shell, also called a carapace.

Native to North America, these turtles are the most popular pet turtles in the United States.

The average adult size of a red-eared slider is 6-12 inches. These turtles have an average life expectancy of 20-40 years.

Red-eared sliders are friendly, mild-tempered, outgoing, personable and are strong swimmers.

Syrian Hamster

Hamsters are great alternative pets to cats and dogs!

Syrian hamsters, also called golden hamsters, is the most popular choice as a household pet.

The average adult size of a Syrian hamster is 5-9 inches in length.

These rodents have an average life expectancy of 2-4 years. Syrian hamsters are docile, easy to tame, fun to watch, inquisitive and low maintenance.

An Interesting fact about Syrian hamsters- they have 4 toes on their front feet and 5 toes on their back feet.

Tarantula

Tarantula

 Tarantulas are members of the spider family, which are the largest order of arachnids.

There are approximately 984 species of tarantulas, although not all of them make good pets.

According to The Spruce Pets, the Chilean rose tarantula is one of the most common and popular pet spiders.

They call it “a hardy spider native to Chile that’s generally easy to care for.”

Other names for this species include the Chilean fire tarantula, the Chilean red-haired tarantula and the rose hair tarantula.

Male tarantulas have an average life expectancy of 2-5 years, while females can live up to 20 years. Tarantulas are calm, docile, easy to care for, noiseless and submissive.

These are just some of the top pets that aren’t cats and dogs.

Obviously, not all of them are for everyone (#10, I’m looking at you!) , but you should be able to find a wonderful companion animal from this list.

What do you think of these most popular pets that aren’t cats and dogs? Share below!

D T
D T

Deanna is a passionate animal lover. She is the mom of several guinea pigs and sugar gliders.
When she’s not writing, Deanna loves listening to country music, or watching Dancing With The Stars.
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