Best Low Maintenance Pets

21 June, 2023

Discussing What Are Some Of The Best Low Maintenance Pets You Could Own

Being a pet owner is a truly wonderful experience for a wide variety of reasons. However, some pets require more care and attention than others. If you want to be a pet owner, but have a busy lifestyle and are not home for long periods of time, then you should consider a low maintenance pet. This article will cover some of the best pets that are considered low maintenance. We will also go over their basic needs and what makes them great pets in general.

Beginner

These types of pets are great for first time pet owners. They require very little care and interaction. But, they are still fun pets to have around in general.

Betta Fish

Betta fish, also known as Siamese fighting fish, are freshwater fish native to Southeast Asia. They are commonly found in places such as Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Betta fish are considered one of the easiest fish to care for compared to other fish species. They don’t require a large fish tank and should be the only fish in their tank due to aggression. They are beautiful fish to look at and make a great addition to any home.

Hermit Crabs

Hermit crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. These fascinating creatures have adapted to occupy the empty scavenged shells of mollusks/snails to help protect their delicate exoskeletons. Hermit crabs are not true crabs because their outer shell never hardens like crabs. However, they do bear similar characteristics such as their mandibles.

Land hermit crabs (the most common hermit crab in the U.S.) are omnivores and will eat practically anything. You can feed them fish, meat, vegetables, citrus fruit, oak leaves, and even tree bark. They are relatively small creatures and don’t require a large tank to live in. Besides food, all they need is fresh water to drink, saltwater to swim in, and sand to dig in. They also like to climb on things such as stumps or rocks.

Intermediate

These types of pets are still considered overall low maintenance, but they do require a little more care than the aforementioned pets. This list of animals typically require larger tanks or cages and these tanks/cages need to be cleaned more regularly.

Snakes

Snakes are easily one of the most misunderstood animals in the pet world. They are very recognizable for their elongated and limbless body that is covered in overlapping scales. Snakes are carnivorous reptiles that either poison or suffocate their prey. They do not chew, but instead swallow their food whole.

Despite being associated with evil and villainous intentions, they are actually quite beautiful. They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns making them mesmerizing to watch. Snakes are super easy to care for because they are very quiet, don’t require exercise, only eat about once a week, and produce little waste to clean up. For first time snake owners, we recommend either a corn snake or a ball python.

For more information about the best kinds of snakes for beginners, check out ReptileMagazine.com.

Goldfish

A very commonly known, yet low maintenance, pet is the goldfish. Goldfish are freshwater fish that belong to the Cypriniformes family. They are native to China and are considered to be one of the most popular pet fish in the world. They are most recognizable for their distinct yellow/orange colors.

Goldfish make excellent pets because they require little care and are very social creatures. They get along well with other fish and are generally friendly fish. Despite common misconceptions, goldfish should not be kept in a fishbowl or small tank. The size a goldfish will grow actually depends on the size of their environment. The average indoor goldfish will grow to be around 1 to 2 inches, maxing out at 6 inches. We recommend at least a 20 gallon tank with an additional 10 gallons per additional goldfish.

Guinea Pigs

One of the most adorable and low maintenance pets in the world is the domestic guinea pig. Guinea pigs are a species of rodents that belong to the Caviidae family. They are herbivores that typically eat grass, hay, spinach, carrots, and pellets fortified with vitamin C. Guinea pigs typically weigh around 1.5 to 2.5 lbs, grow to be 8 to 10 inches in length, and have a life expectancy of 5 to 8 years.

Guinea pigs make wonderful pets because they are both cute, sociable, and interactive. They can be easily held and pet without making them feel uncomfortable or frightened. Guinea pigs typically only need to be fed once a day as long as they always have access to hay. They spend most of their day eating, which means they generate a lot of poop. Because of this, a guinea pig’s cage should be spot cleaned once a day and deep cleaned once a week.

Advanced

These types of pets are also considered low maintenance, but do require daily care. Although they are convenient pets to have, we recommend these for experienced pet owners only.

Bearded Dragons

Despite their name, bearded dragons are not actual dragons and they do not have actual beards. Bearded dragons (also called Pogona) are actually small to medium sized lizards. Their “beard” is a reference to the underside of their throat which can puff out and turn black when threatened or under stress.

Bearded dragons make excellent pets because of their friendly and highly sociable personality. They are very curious yet gentle creatures that are relatively easy to train. Although they are low maintenance pets, we still recommend bearded dragons for more experienced pet owners as they can live for an average of 10 to 15 years.

Rabbits

Our final entry on our list of low maintenance pets is the rabbit (a.k.a. bunny). Rabbits are small mammals and are part of the Leporidae family. There are a total of 49 different breeds of rabbits officially recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). Rabbits are well known for their big ears and powerful legs that allow them to move exceptionally fast.

Rabbits are very social creatures that often develop strong bonds with their owners over time. They love to play, frolic, and be pet. Although they are relatively low maintenance pets, they still require a lot of socialization and exercise in order to stay happy and healthy. We only recommend this pet if you are home at least once a day so they have a chance to socialize and exercise.