Pet
- This page is about domestic animals. For several meanings of the acronym PET, see PET.
A pet or companion animal is an animal that is kept by humans for companionship and enjoyment, rather than for economic reasons. The most popular are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics or their beautiful appearance or song.
While in theory one could keep any animal as a pet, in practice a small number of species of mammals, especially dogs and cats, and other animals such as birds have dominated the pet scene for a very long time. Fish have joined them more recently. Many of these are domesticated while others, often considered novelty pets, are not. With the exception of iguanas and non-venomous snakes, few reptiles and amphibians make good pets.
The glofish, a genetically modified zebrafish with a bright red fluorescent color is the first genetically modified (GM) animal to be engineered as a pet.
Pets can provide their owners with many health benefits. The keeping of pets has been proven to help remove stress. Walking a dog can also provide its owner (as well as the dog!) with exercise, fresh air, and the opportunity for social interaction.
A pet can be acquired from a pet store, an animal shelter, a breeder, and sometimes from people who have too many due to births. See also Dog adoption.
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Pet species
Mammals
- Horses
- Dogs
- Cats
- Rodents, including hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, gerbils, chinchillas, degus, flying squirrels and rats
- Rabbits
- Ferrets
- Hedgehogs
- Alpacas
- small pigs
- Monkeys
- Donkeys
- Skunks
Birds
- Budgerigars (parakeets)
- Cockatoos
- Macaws
- other parrot species
- Canaries and other finch species
- Doves
- Cockatiels
Reptiles
- Lizards
- Iguanas
- Snakes
- Turtles
- Crocodilians, including alligators, crocodiles, caimans, gavials (can usually only be kept as pets when they are young)
Amphibians
- Frogs
- Toads
- Salamanders
- Newts
- Caecilian, a wormlike amphibian that lives underground
Fish
See: Aquarium
Arthropods
Mollusks
- Octopodes (see also Aquarium)
- Cuttlefish (see also Aquarium)
Rocks
- Pet rocks (a type of toy treated as an actual pet)
See also
External link
- Wikibooks:How to choose your pet and take care of it
Categories: Pets