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7 Low Maintenance Pets for College Students

Are you looking for an animal companion that is ideal for a college environment and won’t cost you a ton to care for? Well, there are several animals that have the potential to be amazing pets for college students. While many are quite expensive to keep, a few are low maintenance and require just a little effort on your part.




When getting a pet for college, you must put some things into consideration. Firstly, it is more likely you will be staying with a roommate so you must ensure that he or she is okay with living with an animal.

You are also less likely to spend time with your pet due to classes, studying, and of course, college parties, so you should choose a pet that can survive with little attention.

With all these limitations and conditions considered, here are the 7 best low maintenance pets for college students:

  1. Fish

There is probably no better pet for a college environment than the creature that spends all its time in a bowl or tank of water. A pet fish is the best animal to have in a college dorm because it takes very little space and require little attention.




As long as you perform your duty with regards to feeding it and changing its water from time to time, you don’t need to do anything else but stare at it.

You may have to set reminders for this because fishes are quite delicate, and forgetting to feed your pet fish may lead to its death.

Not all fishes can become pets; the best species that serve this purpose appropriately are goldfishes and rainbow fishes. So don’t bring a tuna fish to your college dorm otherwise it will end up as filling for a sandwich.

  1. Hamster

This is definitely the most adorable pet you can keep in college and is also one of the best low maintenance pets that like to cuddle. For a mammal, a hamster isn’t quite as mobile as other animals in its class. This makes it ideal for a caged habitat.

Hamsters don’t need to be consistently monitored as long as their living facilities have all the necessary tools to keep them busy. You can equip your hamster’s cage with an exercise wheel, a network of tubes, and a balloon.

You only have to feed the animal once or twice a day and also clean its cage every few weeks.

  1. Hermit Crab

 

This is probably one of the non-conventional pets that are ideal for a college environment. It is an awesome pet to keep if you don’t want to engage in a daily routine of feeding.




With the hermit crab, all you have to do is feed it a few times in a week and that should do. It is also a quite private animal so it is probably not ideal for you grab it at every opportunity.

A hermit crab also doesn’t eat a lot so you won’t have to exhaust your allowance on feeding your pet. You should ensure that the temperature in its aquarium is perfect for its survival. It mustn’t be too hot or too cold.

  1. Lizard

If you’re into reptiles, in a platonic way, then an option for you to consider is a pet lizard. A lizard is among the coolest reptiles you can keep but what makes it ideal for the college environment is the ease with which it can be cared for.

When it comes to feeding and accommodation, you will probably not find a better option. Lizards feed mostly on insects so if you can’t afford to buy your pet lizard’s food, just go full-Tarzan and hunt insects on campus. You’ve got nothing to lose…well except your dating life.

With lizards being cold-blooded, they are going to be more active at night, which probably works best with your schedule since that is the time of the day you’re free.

  1. Gecko

Perhaps you aren’t too fascinated with owning a lizard despite your affinity for reptiles; then its more colourful relative may be a better option for you.

A gecko is an ideal pet for a college environment as it is able to live comfortably in a restrictive cage. It is a shy animal that doesn’t really like being handled, though, it isn’t violent either. It will eventually warm up to you once it gets used to its new home.

Like the lizard, it feeds on insects so you have to handle its feeding arrangement in a similar manner.

  1. Tarantula

Before acquiring a tarantula as a pet for your college dorm, ensure that your roommate doesn’t have arachnophobia. You don’t want to scar the individual for life, do you? If this isn’t a problem then a tarantula is definitely one of the coolest pets you can keep in college.




The creepy looking creature feeds on insects and does so a couple of times in a week. This should be perfect if you have to deal with hectic college routines. It is also more suited for a glass cage than a wired one, so don’t make the mistake of purchasing the latter.

  1. Snail

Another low maintenance pet you can keep is a snail. It can live comfortably in a wired cage and its diet is quite diverse i.e., it will eat anything.

Snails, however, need a steady supply of calcium for their shell; so ensure that the food you give your pet snail contains the element in abundance.

49's Team

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