5 Best Low-Maintenance Pets For Apartment Living
These pets don't require much to be happy.
shutterstock / alena ozerova Being on your own in an apartment is nice, but it would be even nicer if you had an animal companion to keep you company. Once you've decided you're ready to bring a pet into your home, if your living space isn't exactly pet-friendly, there are some low maintenance pets that will make having a pet fun and easy.
Best Low-Maintenance Pets
Keep in mind, these pets are not ones you can leave alone for many periods of time, they just don’t require as much attention as an animal like a dog or rabbit would. Make sure you take some time out of your day to give them your love and they will give you a great time.
1. Cats
Cats are known for keeping to themselves most of the time and can be entertained with the simplest items (such as a cardboard box, toilet paper roll, string, a laser, etc…). They don’t make so much noise unlike other animals and they clean themselves often (that doesn’t mean never wash them, they just don’t get dirty as often).
Cats require a litter box that needs to be cleaned out regularly (you will need to replace the litter at least once a week), and keep in mind cats are picky about their litter. They also need to be fed either wet or dry cat food and clean water.
2. Birds
This doesn’t mean all birds are great for apartments — the ones you need to look at are parakeets, cockatiels, and canaries. The only thing they need (along with food and water, of course) is a big enough cage that will allow them to fly around throughout the day.
You will also need to let them fly around outside of their cage occasionally so they can stretch their wings. Just make sure there isn’t a way for them to escape and they won’t be in danger.
Also make sure to clean out the cage daily, such as changing the cage liner, cleaning their food and water dishes, and wiping down surfaces.
3. Leopard Geckos
Leopard Geckos can grow up to 10 inches in length and usually live for 10 years, with some maybe living as long as 20 years.
To be kept in the home, they need a 10-gallon glass or plastic tank that has things they can hide in, paper or other gecko-friendly substrates, a water bowl, and a heat source to keep one section of the tank between 75 and 88 degrees. They eat worms, crickets, waxworms, and mealworms that have been fed on chick or hog mash.
4. Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs are very sociable, inquisitive, and easy-to-care-for pets that don’t need much space. Their cage needs to be an 8-foot square cage with timothy hay for bedding and a food and water bowl to hang on the outside of the cage.
When feeding them, they need dry food, hay and fresh greens and have clean water every day along with removing any soiled bedding or droppings daily. Guinea Pigs also need some time outside of their cages, just make sure you can see them at all times and that there isn’t anything that can hurt them.
5. Betta Fish
Betta fish come in many colors and patterns.
Important: if you are getting more than one, keep them separate! They are known to be very aggressive with their own species, so if you want more than one fish in a tank, think about getting a catfish or some guppies.
If taken care of correctly, Betta fish can live up to two or four years. These fish will need a 5-gallon tank with 77- to 86-degree water and need to be regularly fed pellets of fish food and insects, such as fruit flies, freeze-dried larvae of mosquitoes and bloodworms and if possible, ants or houseflies.
Isabell Tenorio is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, love and relationship topics.