6 Unique Apartment Pets

By Jeff Swett

Nothing makes apartment living fun like a playful pet. Fido and Felix bring a number of new elements to an apartment other than the additional smell. On any given day pets add companionship, humor, personality, and tons of fun to even the most monotonous dwellings. Although dogs and cats lead the pack of domesticated pals there are a number of untraditional, unique, and exotically extravagant creatures available. So, if you are seeking a cute, small, or just out of the ordinary companion check out the little buggers that round out my list of Top Six Unique Apartment Pets.

6) Pot-Bellied Pigs- While slightly destructive at times, Pot-Bellied Pigs can be as easy, if not easier to train than dogs. They’re playful, curious, caring, surprisingly odorless, and they don’t bark. Natural “rooters” and highly intelligent, these pets can get quite stubborn in their desperate search to feed their addiction to food, learning to open cabinets, drawers, bins, and find their way into making a real mess of the kitchen. Keeping food locked up is only a fraction of commitment to caring for these lovable little oinkers. Pot-Bellied Pigs may require much care, financial, and time commitment, but make an extremely fun pet and incredible family member.

5) Hedgehog- Although not a very social animal, a tamed hedgehog can make a nice furry friend. With a life-span of 4-6 years, Hedgehogs are relatively easy to care for and are easy to feed with high quality cat food. When they feel threatened these animals will roll into a ball, poking out the prickly spines on their back. These spines are not a big danger, but getting a hedgehog used to human handling is one of the biggest steps in making them comfortable and you avoiding getting poked. A seemingly quiet animal, they don’t require a lot of attention and are great at entertaining themselves.

4) Chinchillas- Pets don’t get much softer or cuddlier than one of these very soft, furry creatures. Like most exotic mammals on this list, if handled from a young age Chinchillas bond very closely with their human owners. For a smaller animal they have quite the extensive life span, lasting about 15 years. An active and playful animal by nature, having a spacious cage and many toys available for the Chinchilla will add to their happiness and natural comfort level. Surprisingly, these little guys bathe in dust to keep their coat silky and smooth, so having a dust bath is a necessity. Does anyone else see the irony in the fact that an animal can bathe itself in dust to maintain a clean, shiny coat of fur?

3) Ferrets- A very mischievous animal, Ferrets can be highly entertaining. One of the more common animals on this list, Ferrets are known to sleep long hours (up to 18 hrs/day) and be very active during dawn and dusk. Most will adapt their sleeping and active times to fit that of their owner’s schedule. While they do have a reputation for having a musky smell, Ferrets are typically fixed and descented before being sold. Ferret owners should always try to be aware of the whereabouts of their pet as a ferret’s curiosity can lead it anywhere in the home. Living roughly 6-8 years, Ferrets make a really awesome and extremely fun apartment pet.

2) Prairie Dogs- One of the most social, playful, and active animals on this list, Prairie Dogs can make incredibly fun pets for an apartment. If trained very young to be around humans, these furry creatures become affectionate and very caring to their owners. With this need for affection, they require a good amount of attention. Feeding on rabbit pellets, hay, and the occasional treat, it’s fairly easy to keep a Prairie Dogs’ belly full. Make sure to have many chewable toys available as they do like to chew on things and you don’t want them to chew on you.

1) Sugar Gliders- This is the ultimate apartment pet. Sugar Glider’s are extremely social and bond naturally with their human owners. This in mind, these animals do require quite a bit of daily attention and interaction as without it they can at times become depressed or even die. A marsupial, the Sugar Glider is quite comfortable hanging out in a shirt pocket all day, cuddling close to its owner. They are a very endearing and non-aggressive pet that typically lives 12-14 years, so will make a wonderful long time pet that’ll connect well with its owner. Being small, fun, and easy to care for makes the Sugar Glider the perfect apartment pet!

That rounds out the list of Top Six Unique Apartment Pets. There are an increasing number of viable pet options for apartment dwellers out there, so make sure and look around and weigh those options to find the perfect pet for you and your place.

Visit ApartmentHomeLiving.com for more information on apartments and living for fun!

Jeff’s just a regular guy with a funny goatee that really enjoys people and life. On top of that he is a bit of an expert on apartments, living in them, and getting the most out of the apartment living lifestyle.

As a Managing Partner of Apartment Home Living, Jeff wants to help you find the right apartment by getting to know you. Not only where you want to live & what you want to pay, but what you like. This way, we can help you find an apartment that fits your personality, not just your budget.

At AHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info & tips on apartment living, read Jeff’s entertaining blogs/stories, find Answers to a wide array of apartment related questions, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others. Don’t forget to go and set up your own MyPlace page to really get the full Apartmentite experience!

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6 Responses

  1. Dennis Anderton
    | Reply

    My picks in this list are hedgehogs (i’ve seen one on Youtube and its sooo cute!!) Sugar-gliders are too small for me though. I might squeeze them by accident. And I tend to get very connected to my pets. and for the pot-bellied pigs…umm i think they’re a bit scary to put in an apartment. I might also find trouble with my landlord:( Great list you have here..thanks!!

  2. Anne
    | Reply

    I’d like to correct your article in saying that chinchillas are cuddly pets. They ARE NOT cuddly. The would much rather prefer bouncing around their cage or a room all day. Most put up a fight about picked up and held. There are some who will cuddle for a short period of time but it is very hard to socialize them to this point.

    Even though they are not very cuddly animals they sure are fun!

  3. nik
    | Reply

    Another correction, sugargliders are NOT easy to care for, in fact they are rated as one of the most difficult pets to keep. They require a VERY specialized and fairly expensive diet and many hours of bonding time with their owners everydat. If these dietary and emotional requirements are not met, sugargliders will become VERY sick, usually fatally. Sugargliders also have an incredibly loud bark, they throw their food out of their cages when they eat it and bond with their owners by peeing on them. It takes a lot to own a sugarglider, pretty much like having a child. Whoever wrote this article has obviously not done their research. I suggest readers go elsewhere for their information.

    • JPM
      | Reply

      Where are you getting your information? A lot of what you’re saying is outdated – their diet is not VERY specialized – pelletized food and calcium-centered vitamins are readily available, and, contrary to popular myth, insects are not required. It would also take a startling amount neglect for a glider to die of lonliness, and it’s certainly not usual. They’re social creatures, and do require bonding, but nothing like the intensive ordeal being suggested. They bark, but it’s only loud relative to their size. Sugar gliders cannot be potty-trained, true, but they are very clean creatures and they’re elimination habits can easily be adapted to.
      The main pitfal in buying a sugar glider is not getting one from a USDA-liscened breeder. They must be adopted while young – younger than four months usually, if they are to bond with their owner. Once they have they’re a member of the family. Whomever wrote this response has obviously never owned a sugar glider or, if they have, it was, for whatever reason, not bonded well to them. I suggest readers go elsewhere for their hearsay.

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