Madagascar hissing cockroaches
Native to Madagascar, these insects are larger than other members of the cockroach family and are unique because they bear live offspring, while other roaches lay eggs. They are usually chocolate brown with orange markings on their abdomens. The males can be spotted by their horns. Only the males are aggressive, and usually they’re the ones who hiss. In male-male fights, the winners hiss more than the losers, and female cockroaches prefer males with powerful hisses. Lifespan: 2-4 years
Scorpions
Members of the arachnid family, scorpions can be found across the world, but they are native to deserts. Though they are known for their poisonous--and painful--stings, the majority of scorpions have stings that are not fatal. Scorpions are extremely hardy creatures and supposedly can survive nuclear radiation. They are usually brown or black in color, and they can live for an entire year on just one meal. Lifespan: 6-8 years
Alligators
Alligators are native to the United States and China. Though they look slow, alligators are capable of short bursts of speed of up to 30 miles an hour. They have broader snouts than crocodiles, and if you are stupid enough to get close, you’ll notice that a crocodile shows its upper and lower teeth when it clamps its jaws, whereas an alligator has a less toothy grin--it displays only its top teeth--because the upper jaw is wider than the lower. Alligators are solitary, territorial animals. They are gray or black in color and are usually more mild-mannered than their aggressive crocodile cousins. Lifespan: 4-10 years
Tarantulas
Members of the spider family, tarantulas can be found across the world. They are hairy creatures and come in colors ranging from reddish brown to black. Tarantulas do not spin webs. Some species have eight eyes, giving them forward and rear vision. Their bites can be painful, but they are not usually dangerous to humans. When threatened, they can make hissing noises by rubbing their fangs together and releasing itch-causing hair. Lifespan: females can live up to 20 years; males much less
Wallabies
Members of the marsupial family, wallaroos are stocky creatures, with shaggy fur and prominent snouts, between 35 and 40 inches long. Like all marsupials, wallaroos bear their young in a pouch. Their size is between that of a kangaroos and a wallaby. They are reddish or gray and native to Australia. Wallaroos are lively, curious creatures and need to be closely monitored or they will escape. Lifespan: 15-20 years
Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are primates native to central Africa. Researchers have found that these highly intelligent creatures have problem-solving skills second only to those in humans. Though they are generally docile creatures, there are instances in which chimps have attacked humans. They communicate through sounds, gestures and facial expressions. Like humans, they swagger, can scream and throw tantrums and spend hours grooming themselves. Unlike most humans, chimps are known to throw their feces at each other--and their unfortunate owners--in moments of anger. Lifespan: up to 50 years
Bearded Dragons
Moderate-sized lizards native to Australia, bearded dragons are quite tame. They don’t attempt to escape when touched by humans, and that makes them attractive as pets. Though they don’t usually attack, some species have mildly venomous bites. They get their names because males and females puff out their throat area to form a sort of beard when threatened or during mating.
Fennec Foxes
The smallest members of the fox family, fennec foxes are the only ones that can be domesticated. They have pointed faces and oversized ears. Their biggest “advantage†is they don’t smell as much as other foxes. Fennecs are playful creatures with high energy levels and need constant care if kept as pets. Their native habitat is North Africa’s deserts. Lifespan: 12-16 years
Burmese Pythons
Native to Southeast Asia, these non-venomous snakes are known mainly for the size they attain--between 15 and 20 feet. They have voracious appetites and are known to deplete populations of small animals, like rodents and rabbits, in the wild. Pythons come from tropical rainforests and usually need a fair amount of humidity. They are light-colored with brown leathery patches; albino Burmese pythons are white with yellow patterns. Lifespan: 20-35 years
Hybrid cats
Hybrid cats include crosses between lions and tigers, Asian leopard cats and domestic cats, often produced by artificial insemination. The males are usually infertile, but females can have offspring. Some animals are more prone to illness than their pedigreed parents. Breeders often hope hybrid cats will possess the looks of the wild animal and the domesticity of pet cats. But some breeders say the wild strain in such animals lasts till even the fifth generation. Lifespan: varies depending upon the breeds of their parents.
Skunks
With a Latin name that translated into "stinks, stinks," the skunk was once the Rodney Dangerfield of the animal world. But the perception of the Mephitis mephitis or skunk, is improving as more people adopt these native-born animals as pets. In fact, skunks are quickly becoming one of the more common of the "uncommon" pets. If bred by a reputable breeder, a de-scented skunk can make an excellent companion, and can even be considered a patriotic pet – skunks can definitely carry a "made-in-America" label. They are not found on any other continent or island unless imported there. Skunks have been domesticated for almost 200 years. The have extraordinary intelligence, memory and problem-solving ability. You cannot train or correct a skunk like any other animal. It takes patience and love. Skunks show a lot of human traits – they can be warm, funny and affectionate at times, as well as demanding, obstinate and aloof.
Pirhanas
Piranhas live up to their Hollywood reputation as vicious fish that will not hesitate to chew off the hand that feeds it. This isn't a pet for the faint of heart – only experienced aquarists should take on the piranha. In the home aquarium, piranhas (Serrasalmus nattereri) will reach about 8 to 10 inches in length if given enough room. They have a silvery-gold color, a red throat, and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth designed for tearing flesh. They are found naturally in the waters of South America and Guyana and it is illegal to import or export them in many countries. These are dangerously aggressive fish. Piranhas live in schools, which further enhances their aggression. Frenzied feeding behavior excites the fish in the school and prey can be devoured in seconds. Individual fish are less aggressive then those that live in schools, but they will still attack if they are distressed or frightened.
Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia that have been blessed with the ability to fly – glide, rather – through the trees in their natural habitats. From a good height, they can take "flights" of more than 150 feet. In their native habitat they live in the trees as family groups. This communal living appears to be critical to their survival. They have a range of vocal signals that include chirps, whirring, and clicks. They are one of six species of the family Petauridae, known as flying phalangers or flying opossums. What enables these animals to soar is a flap of skin called a patagium that stretches like a sail between their wrists and their ankles. They are intriguing animals that can be kept as pets, but if you are thinking of taking one on, think very, very carefully. Sugar gliders weigh anywhere from 95-160 grams depending on their gender and measure up to 21 centimeters long.
Pac-Man Frogs
Legend has it that once the aptly nicknamed "Pac Man" frog bites you, she won't let go until sundown, and that the bite is fatal. Fortunately, neither is true, but the ornate horned frog does have a mean bite. Just like the computer icon, this frog is ready to gobble everything in its path, and will bite cage mates, siblings, even its human handler. The Pac Man frog has an appropriately grumpy appearance to go along with his nasty temper. This is one of the larger species of frogs, with females bigger than the male. The ornate horned frog is originally from temperate southern South America. Providing its quarters are kept sparkling clean and its diet well rounded, the ornate horned frog is a very easily kept, hardy, and long-lived frog. Captive life spans of more than 10 years have been reported and keeping one for 15 or more years is probably an attainable goal.
Hermit Crabs
One of the more interesting facts about the hermit crab is that he is neither a hermit nor a crab. As a pet, he's quite sociable and does well in groups of his own species. The hermit crab, unlike true crabs, has a long, soft, spirally coiled abdomen terminating in an asymmetrically hooked tail. A true crab has a short abdomen with a large hard shell. They are nocturnal animals, active at night and least active around noontime. They don't bite, but they do pinch and can even draw blood. There are about 800 species of hermit crabs and can be found all over the world. However, there are only two species usually found in the pet trade: the purple claw crab and the Ecuadorian crab. The purple claw crab is found in south Florida, the Caribbean, Bahamas and West Indies. The Ecuadorian crab can be found along the west coast from Baja, California, to Chile. Hermit crabs are social animals, but some do show aggression toward one another.
Stick Insects
As an alternative to the usual turtle or hamster, you might want to consider getting your child a walking stick, one of the most popular insects to keep as a pet. They can hide in plain sight with camouflage that is so perfect they are nearly indistinguishable from the branches of the plants on which they feed. Blow on them and they will even sway back and forth on their long legs to mimic the movement of a twig in a breeze. There are almost 3,000 species of stick insects (or phasmids) worldwide. Perhaps the easiest to care for are called Indian, or laboratory, stick insects, Carausius morosus. They have the habit of folding their legs in when held to complete their stick disguise. Although most species are long and slender, some of the more spectacular varieties have flattened bodies and disguise themselves as leaves.
Aren't they unusual ? ? Some of them cute, some creepy, some horrible but all are exotic for sure. In my personal opinion i've mixed feelings about these unusual pets. Yes, every creature can be your friend, its a good thought. But in my opinion a pet is someone with whom you can interact, you understand him and he understands you at least to an certain extent. In short there should be a bond between you both.
But if you fancy somethin unusual like there, give a try for sure. Just be sure that you check your national laws regarding these animals and make sure its not illegal.