人々が飼っている最も珍しいペットのトップ10、奇妙。
人々が飼っている最も珍しいペットのトップ10、奇妙。
Transcript
00:00While most people's pets are either cats, dogs, birds, or fish, there are some pets that take things to the next level.
00:07Be it big cats from the savanna or super rare species from the jungle, there are many interesting creatures that some people have as pets.
00:15So join me for today's video. We're going to take a look at 15 of the most exotic pets.
00:20Number 15. Lions.
00:22Lions are some of the most beautiful big cats out there.
00:25And it's because of this beauty that they've become popular among private collectors in everywhere from the Middle East to the Southeast United States.
00:32It goes without saying that lions are impossible to domesticate.
00:36And while they can be tamed and made less dangerous, the reality is that owners of lions run the risk of attack 24-7.
00:44If that wasn't bad enough, caring for a lion isn't exactly cheap.
00:48As to do it properly requires a lot of space and a lot of meat.
00:52However, the sad reality is that the tens of thousands of lions in captivity worldwide often live in horrid conditions.
00:59And given that practically no one can make a habitat suitable for them, I'd suggest finding a much smaller and safer cat.
01:06Number 14. Anteaters.
01:09Many people know Salvador Dali for his famous surrealist paintings.
01:14But it turns out that he was also the proud owner of a pet anteater.
01:18Native to several countries in South America, they are relatively popular as pets.
01:22As they thrive best in room temperature-like conditions and reportedly behave very similarly to cats.
01:28However, the difference between cats and anteaters is that anteaters require a lot of space to climb.
01:33And in order to ensure that they're healthy, they need to eat almost 10,000 ants and termites every single day.
01:38Unsurprisingly, it's difficult for those without special connections to source out tens of thousands of those tiny insects.
01:44And this is in addition to the fact there's very few vets who know how to care properly for anteaters outside of South America.
01:50As a result, while anteaters may be cool pets in theory, yeah, I'd suggest sticking to something that's a little bit simpler.
01:58Number 13. Kangaroos.
02:01Kangaroos are undeniably cute.
02:04This has led to many who live in rural areas to keep them as pets.
02:07And while they can hypothetically thrive on a large grassy property with lots of space for them to hop around in,
02:13I'd suggest avoiding these creatures if possible.
02:16First and foremost, the pet trade surrounding them is quite sinister,
02:20as many are neglected or left in small yards, causing them to die prematurely.
02:25Kangaroos are also social animals, so if you only buy one, they'll often acquire stress-related diseases.
02:31If that wasn't bad enough, this stress can also make them aggressive.
02:34And since kangaroos have powerful legs and strong teeth and jaws, being attacked by one is often fatal.
02:40Therefore, unless you've got a proper setup and the money to buy more than one,
02:44I'd suggest finding a pet that's far lower maintenance.
02:48Number 12. Lionfish.
02:50Lionfish are easily some of the most beautiful fish out there.
02:54Native to the Indo-Pacific region, they have since spread as an invasive species
02:58across the West Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea,
03:02and stand apart for their flamboyant brown, maroon, and white-striped pattern
03:06and the dozens of spines and soft rays that stick out of them.
03:09While this makes them a beautiful species and a prized exotic addition to many a fish tank,
03:14their beautiful spines are exactly what makes them dangerous.
03:18That's because of all those on their body, 18 of them are dangerous,
03:22and a lionfish will not hesitate to sting you if it feels threatened.
03:26By many accounts, these fish are some of the most venomous in the ocean,
03:29and while a lionfish sting likely won't kill you,
03:32it's incredibly painful and usually results in headaches, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
03:37Therefore, unless you're an experienced aquarium expert,
03:40I'd suggest staying away from those fantastic fish.
03:44Number 11. Scarlet Macaws.
03:47Of all the birds in the animal kingdom, few are quite as flashy as the scarlet macaw.
03:52Found throughout Central and South America,
03:54they usually stay high up in the canopies of tropical rainforests,
03:58where they grow to a nearly one-meter-long wingspan,
04:00and often have very bright, vibrant feathers.
04:03This appearance has caught the eye of many pet enthusiasts,
04:06and when you further consider that they're quite intelligent,
04:08after all, they're eager to learn new tricks,
04:10and can easily develop a vocabulary of 20 to 30 words,
04:14it's not hard to see why they've become popular pets.
04:17However, while scarlet macaws may be cool in theory,
04:20they can also be pretty problematic.
04:23This is because they can often fixate on one person in a household,
04:26and if not properly cared for, they may engage in self-mutilation and feather plucking.
04:31They're also extremely social, and while this makes them great at parties,
04:34it can become annoying when they constantly talk or loudly bug neighbors.
04:39As a result, it goes without saying that macaws aren't well-suited to many household situations.
04:4610. Axolotl
04:48While axolotls are a little bit strange, they are undeniably quite cute.
04:54Native to Lake Chalco and Xochimilco near Mexico City,
04:57these 25-centimeter-long creatures are a type of salamander,
05:01known for their ability to completely regrow lost limbs, organs, eyes,
05:05and even parts of their brain and central nervous systems in a matter of months.
05:10Beyond their superpowers, they're also known for being very rare in the wild.
05:14However, it appears that the pet trade has more or less kept their species up and running.
05:19Lasting for as long as 10 to 15 years in captivity,
05:21they stand apart for being very hardy animals,
05:24meaning they can be incorporated into many different tank environments without issues.
05:28Unlike many other species, they're not social animals and should generally be raised alone,
05:33and with the right care, they can be a pretty rewarding pet.
05:36However, due to their critically endangered status in Mexico,
05:39it's important to ensure that your axolotls are not sourced from the wild,
05:43and it should also be noted that they're illegal to own in many areas.
05:47Therefore, while axolotls may make reasonably good pets,
05:50I'd suggest doing your homework before buying one of your own.
05:549. Chimpanzees
05:57Chimpanzees may share 98.8% of their DNA with humans,
06:01but don't let that fool you into thinking that they're good pets.
06:05You see, while baby chimps are cute and docile,
06:08by the age of 5, a chimpanzee usually possesses about 5 to 6 times the strength of a human.
06:14And as it begins to become sexually mature,
06:16a chimp generally becomes very aggressive and territorial.
06:20This can be extremely dangerous,
06:22and a couple by the name of Sandra and Jerome Harold found this out the hard way on February 16th of 2009.
06:28That's because it was on this day that their friend Charla Nash
06:31was brutally attacked by their pet chimpanzee, Travis.
06:34Despite being cared for by the couple since the age of 3 days old,
06:38and being treated like a human,
06:40after all, he grew up playing with children,
06:42dressing himself, watching TV, and going for car rides in the neighborhood.
06:46When he saw Charla holding his Tickle Me Elmo toy, he became enraged.
06:50This led him to attacking Charla, damaging her face and limbs so badly
06:54that even post-surgery Charla's face looked unrecognizable.
06:58And while Travis would end up dying after being shot 4 times by a responding police officer,
07:02he serves as a cautionary tale as to why chimps make terrible pets.
07:11When people think of pet rodents,
07:13critters such as hamsters, guinea pigs, and gerbils are usually the first thing that comes to mind.
07:18However, in the deserts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia,
07:21one can find far more exotic things called gerboas.
07:25Having hind legs that are similar to those found on a kangaroo,
07:29gerboas move around by hopping through sand dunes.
07:32And due to their interesting appearance, many people try to buy them as pets.
07:35Now, in the United States, gerboas are banned.
07:38This is because in 2003, an outbreak of monkeypox
07:41caused the federal government to stop the import of all African rodents
07:44due to the possibility of them bringing in the disease.
07:47This has severely stunted the gerboa pet trade.
07:50Yet, despite these American restrictions, the gerboa pet industry has thrived in Europe.
07:54However, I should warn you that if you want one, you better be prepared.
07:58Since they like to hop around in hot and sandy areas,
08:01they need to have large enclosures.
08:03And ideally, this enclosure should mimic their habitat in the wild.
08:06Gerboas also don't breed well in captivity.
08:09And while Europeans have gotten a handle on it in recent years
08:12and created a somewhat sustainable pet industry,
08:15gerboas are virtually extinct in the United States
08:18due to the extreme difficulties that American breeders had in reproducing them.
08:21So, while gerboas can make cool pets,
08:24they're often difficult to find and difficult to house.
08:31Of all the big birds, few are as famous as the ostrich.
08:34Native to both sub-Saharan Africa and the Horn of Africa,
08:37these big flightless birds are known for their long necks,
08:40big plumage of feathers, and ability to run fast.
08:44And their sassy attitude.
08:46While this makes them seem like less than an ideal pet,
08:49there have been attempts to farm them for quite some time.
08:52The first of these farms sprang up in the mid-1800s in South Africa.
08:55As at the time, ostrich feathers were so valuable
08:58that their value per kilogram was more or less equal to the price of diamonds.
09:01However, while the market crashed in 1944,
09:04it began to resurface in Australia in the 1990s
09:07due to their high-quality meat and hides.
09:10Although in 2000, this eventually crashed as well.
09:13In any case, besides being a terrible investment,
09:16ostriches are also not great animals to keep around due to their nature.
09:19After all, they are very large animals that need a lot of room to run.
09:22And if you as a pet owner don't have too much real estate,
09:25then they can become agitated and unwell.
09:28Ostriches are also very strong animals,
09:31and many don't realize that their beaks and claws can cause some serious damage.
09:34If that wasn't bad enough,
09:37their liquid poop is reportedly really smelly,
09:40and due to their lack of domestication, they don't show humans much love.
09:43Therefore, while there are a few people out there
09:46that make the questionable decision to farm ostriches
09:49for their feathers, meat, or hides,
09:52I don't suggest keeping one around as a pet.
09:556. Raccoon Dogs
09:58While raccoon dogs may look like a mix between,
10:01well, a raccoon and a dog,
10:04it turns out that they're not related to either species.
10:07They're mostly related to foxes,
10:10and their thick fur is what allows them to thrive in cold areas.
10:13While native to northeastern Asia,
10:16what sets these animals apart is that they caught the eye of the Soviet Union.
10:19You see, from 1928 to 1950,
10:22the Soviet Union was looking to expand fur production,
10:25and in order to do so, they imported raccoon dogs
10:28living near the Sea of Japan to areas across the Soviet Republics.
10:31While they did poorly in some of those regions,
10:34their status as an omnivore allowed them to adapt well to many others,
10:37and as a result, they are currently found across eastern and northern Europe,
10:40with countries in their range even including some beyond the former Soviet bloc,
10:43such as Denmark, Switzerland, and Norway.
10:46In any case, there are now thousands of them located across Europe,
10:49and by most accounts, they're an invasive species
10:52that can easily damage the ecosystems of these countries.
10:55As a result, there are many countries
10:58where it's extremely difficult to keep them as pets,
11:01as you've got to have permits in order to ensure
11:04that you have the necessary capabilities to care for these animals
11:07and don't release them into the wild.
11:10However, even if you do manage to get a permit, the effort really isn't worth it.
11:13That's because despite being very cute,
11:16raccoon dogs don't make great pets,
11:19as they're shy, don't like when humans touch them,
11:22and use an extremely pungent smell to communicate.
11:25As such, I'd suggest buying an actual dog instead.
11:285. Tigers
11:31Few animals are quite as awe-inspiring as a tiger,
11:34and at up to 4 meters in length and 300 kilograms in weight,
11:37tigers are absolutely massive,
11:40and their striped exterior and muscular bodies make them
11:43one of the most impressive and powerful animals in the animal kingdom.
11:46However, despite being an endangered species and a dangerous one at that,
11:49tigers are still a hot commodity on the exotic pet market,
11:52and one Netflix series that documented this quite well was Tiger King.
11:55As per the documentary, tigers are extremely cute when they're young,
11:58and for the first 8 to 12 weeks of their lives,
12:01many are shown around in petting zoos.
12:04However, once this period is up, they're usually too big to display,
12:07and at this point, the majority are either killed,
12:10sold as pets, or displayed at roadside zoos.
12:13This brings about two major problems.
12:16The first is that due to this practice, a total of about 10,000 tigers
12:19are believed to be in captivity in the United States alone,
12:22and because they're not nearly as profitable as cubs,
12:25many are severely mistreated.
12:28Perhaps even more importantly, tigers are not meant to be kept as pets,
12:31and thus many tiger owners have been brutally attacked in the past.
12:34One such example of this came in January of 2010,
12:37when a Canadian businessman and chairman of the
12:40Canadian Exotic Animal Owners Association,
12:43by the name of Norman Buldwalda,
12:46was mauled to death by his pet tiger when he opened its cage.
12:49With this coming after a 2004 incident
12:52when the same tiger severely injured a 10-year-old boy.
12:55So, given the horrors of the pet tiger industry
12:58and how dangerous they are to own,
13:01I'd suggest not keeping tigers as pets under any circumstances.
13:08If you ever happen to journey into a swamp,
13:11then an alligator is probably the last animal you'd want to encounter.
13:14They're large enough to maul a human.
13:18In fact, they've got no place in someone's home,
13:21and yet the reality is there are many places in the United States
13:24where it's perfectly legal to breed alligators and sell them as pets.
13:27Generally located in the southeastern United States,
13:30baby alligators will cost anywhere from $150 to over $15,000
13:33if the alligator is an albino.
13:36From there, buyers then bring them to their pools and bathtubs,
13:39where they almost always have a lower quality of living
13:42than they would have had in the wild.
13:46There are more than 10,000 alligators in captivity across the country,
13:49and this is a problem for two main reasons.
13:52The first is that when people can't take care of their alligator,
13:55they sometimes release them into the wild.
13:58And if they're placed somewhere where alligators don't naturally live,
14:01they can wreak havoc on local ecosystems and endanger local swimmers.
14:04The other major problem is that they don't actually make good pets.
14:07They're likened by some scientists as being similar
14:10to keeping a dinosaur in your home.
14:14Alligators also need a lot of space and a warm environment to thrive,
14:17meaning that the pools and bathtubs they're usually kept in
14:20aren't large enough.
14:23To top this off, they have no qualms about chomping down on their owners,
14:26and many alligator owners have been killed over the years
14:29after their pets attacked them.
14:32So while these big reptiles may be cool to view in zoos or in the wild,
14:35I certainly wouldn't want to bring one home.
14:38While kinkajous are a species that's unknown to many in North America and Europe,
14:41they are beginning to pick up steam as a popular exotic pet.
14:44Also known as honeybears, they're native to Central and South America,
14:47and are a cat-sized rainforest mammal that's related to raccoons and coatis.
14:50Standing apart due to their long tails and cute looks,
14:53they are a nocturnal species that spends most of their time in trees.
14:56They're also known to be a bit of a pain in the butt,
14:59especially when they're out in the wild.
15:02They're also known to be a bit of a pain in the butt,
15:05especially when they're out in the wild.
15:08And while this may not make them sound like a great contender for a suburban pet,
15:11they have nonetheless been bought by many exotic pet owners.
15:14While they are legal to own in many countries,
15:17many are imported to wealthy countries illegally.
15:20And if that wasn't bad enough,
15:23what many people don't realize is that they're an absolute pain in the ass to look after.
15:26As a nocturnal animal, they don't like being bothered during the day,
15:29and so if you startle or agitate them by trying to interact with them when the sun's out,
15:32and so if you startle or agitate them by trying to interact with them when the sun's out,
15:35they may get agitated and bite.
15:38When they're up at night, they tend to make loud barking noises too,
15:41making a good night's sleep near impossible,
15:44and making it hard to look after one unless you're as nocturnal as they are.
15:47Since they're genetically wired to spend their nights foraging in the rainforest for food,
15:50they're not that all interested in human companionship.
15:53And since this foraging makes them curious creatures,
15:56if you don't create a great environment and secure your things,
15:59there's a good chance your pet kinkajou will sneak around your house and cause a lot of mess.
16:02there's a good chance your pet kinkajou will sneak around your house and cause a lot of mess.
16:05To top this off, they can't be potty trained and are not able to be treated by most vets,
16:08and they're prone to dental diseases.
16:11And so, unless you're a complete night owl that's okay with constantly having to entertain a small raccoon-like animal,
16:14And so, unless you're a complete night owl that's okay with constantly having to entertain a small raccoon-like animal,
16:17I'd suggest staying far away from kinkajous.
16:20Number 2. Wolves
16:23Many people keep large dogs as pets,
16:26and while some breeds sometimes look wolf-like,
16:29many believe that actual wolves may not be all that different.
16:32However, the reality is that keeping a wolf as a pet is far different than having a German Shepherd or Alaskan Malamute.
16:35However, the reality is that keeping a wolf as a pet is far different than having a German Shepherd or Alaskan Malamute.
16:38However, the reality is that keeping a wolf as a pet is far different than having a German Shepherd or Alaskan Malamute.
16:41You see, unlike dogs, wolves have not been domesticated to rely on humans,
16:44making them shy, suspicious, and very independent.
16:47As a result, they're far more similar to cats in that they like to do their own thing
16:50and aren't very interested in following human commands,
16:54making them difficult to control and train.
16:57If you do manage to do so, you'll have to use positive reinforcement techniques,
17:00and unsurprisingly, many of the training tricks that work with dogs are useless with wolves.
17:03and unsurprisingly, many of the training tricks that work with dogs are useless with wolves.
17:06Beyond the training piece, studies have shown that wolves don't tend to form close bonds with humans.
17:09Beyond the training piece, studies have shown that wolves don't tend to form close bonds with humans.
17:12More specifically, while wolves are a lot like dogs when they're puppies,
17:15as they grow older, they tend to become far more independent,
17:18and while they will still form social bonds with their owners,
17:21they won't form the bonds of dependency that a normal dog will.
17:24This, in turn, makes them hard to have around,
17:27and they will naturally want to treat you more like a buddy than an owner.
17:30To get around these issues, some people have instead opted to take in wolf-dog hybrids as pets.
17:33To get around these issues, some people have instead opted to take in wolf-dog hybrids as pets.
17:36Wolf dogs are interesting, because unlike wolves,
17:39they have some characteristics of domestic dogs,
17:42with the issue that it's a real gamble whether or not the animal will be more wolf or more dog.
17:45with the issue that it's a real gamble whether or not the animal will be more wolf or more dog.
17:48The ability to train a wolf-dog is highly dependent on this genetic outcome.
17:51Although, even if you do get a good mix,
17:54wolf-dogs still can't be treated like regular large dog breeds.
17:57After all, due to their genes, they need to be very mentally stimulated
18:00and spend a lot of time outside,
18:03must be socialized constantly to reinforce positive social behaviors,
18:06and ideally need several pounds of raw meat rather than dog food every single day.
18:09and ideally need several pounds of raw meat rather than dog food every single day.
18:12They also tend to do far better in pairs,
18:15so if you have a big family and are anxious, they'll easily tear up your house.
18:18So, unless you're up to the challenge,
18:21I'd suggest staying far, far away from wolves or wolf-dogs,
18:24and instead going for a far tamer pet, like a normal dog.
18:27and instead going for a far tamer pet, like a normal dog.
18:301. Alpacas
18:33While alpacas can be found grazing high up in the Andes in the countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile,
18:36While alpacas can be found grazing high up in the Andes in the countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile,
18:39they can also be found in the homes of many Americans.
18:42Alpacas are often confused with llamas.
18:45They are far smaller and tamer than their more famous counterparts,
18:48and it makes them a relatively good animal to have around as a pet.
18:51After all, they are generally easy to care for,
18:54fairly disease-resistant, and hardy enough to not only thrive in many weather conditions,
18:57but also use something as simple as a hedge or a fallen tree for shelter.
19:00but also use something as simple as a hedge or a fallen tree for shelter.
19:03Since they are herd animals, they need to be kept in groups.
19:06So long as you have a fair amount of outdoor space, they can be kept quite comfortably.
19:09However, despite the fact that they look cute and cuddly,
19:12many alpacas don't like to be touched and will kick you if threatened,
19:15meaning that you have to develop a strong relationship with one
19:18in order for it to allow you to get into its personal space.
19:21Alpacas also stand apart from many other animals on this list
19:24due to their history as being part of a speculative investment bubble.
19:27due to their history as being part of a speculative investment bubble.
19:30Just like reets in 2008 and crypto in 2022,
19:33alpacas were part of a cycle where they were very hyped up
19:36and then subsequently sold off in droves.
19:39You see, the first alpacas entered the United States in the 1980s,
19:42and since it was extremely difficult to import them,
19:45a rather strong business came out amongst those who bred them.
19:48At first, they were mainly kept around for their wool,
19:51but low wool prices meant that there wasn't as much money
19:54in keeping them around for this material.
19:57Instead, the real money came from breeding and selling them,
20:00and thanks to them being marketed as the investment you could hug,
20:04into the mid-2000s.
20:07While some bought into that hype, others bought alpacas for the tax benefits.
20:10Due to their status as a farm animal in many states,
20:13those who have alpaca farms get to take advantage of
20:16generous government subsidies given to small farmers,
20:19meaning that people could buy a few alpacas
20:22and significantly reduce their tax burden.
20:25The marketing and tax benefits were the perfect storm,
20:28and by 2004, alpacas were selling for between $25,000 to $30,000
20:32a piece.
20:35However, between 2005 and 2006, the bubble had burst,
20:38and things got so bad that alpacas were simply being killed,
20:41or more or less being given away for free due to their maintenance costs.
20:44And while the alpaca market has since recovered,
20:47I'd suggest only buying one as a pet if you're looking for
20:50personal enjoyment rather than an investment opportunity.
20:53I'll see you next time.
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