Lowest Maintenance Pets for Apartments

Looking for the best pets for apartments and a dog or cat is simply too high maintenance for your lifestyle? Have no fear – there are numerous other pets you could consider. Let’s look at some of the lowest maintenance pets for apartments.

Green cheeked conures

Small in size but big in personality, green cheeked conures are excellent exotic bird for apartment dwellers. These playful birds have charisma by the bucketload and love to engage with their owners.

They’ll require a larger cage than more common birds like budgies, and a high rotation of toys is vital to keep their intelligent minds busy. They eat a combination of seeds and fresh fruit, which combined with their need for interaction means you’ll need to give them daily attention.

Hermit crabs

A quirky and entertaining choice, hermit crabs are some of the lowest maintenance pets for apartments. Surprisingly, they can live for up to 15 years when well cared for. They’re land-dwellers that like warmth and humidity, so require a glass aquarium filled with a few inches of sand and a low-wattage light to provide warmth.

They like company and tend to be more active if there are a few crabs in the aquarium. Hermit crabs also like to climb and explore, so a few branches or rocks are a good inclusion.

A true low-maintenance pet, hermit crabs are ideal for apartment living.

Tropical fish

A gently bubbling aquarium full of colourful fish is a wonderful addition to any apartment. Tropical fish come in loads of shapes, sizes and vibrant colours, so you can create your own unique underwater world. Some species go better together than others, so do your research before combining varieties.

Fish are famously easy to care for and don’t mind if you go on holidays, but tropical tanks do require regular cleaning and equipment maintenance. Specialised water heaters and filters are an important part of creating an optimum environment for your finned friends.

Long-necked turtles

Turtles make unique, fascinating pets that are a guaranteed talking point when your friends come over. The main species kept as pets are long-necked turtles – also known as snake-necked turtles.

These animals are carnivorous, eating insects, small fish, tadpoles and worms. They only need to be fed 2-3 times a week, so are easy to care for.

Long-necked turtles need a large aquarium (at least a metre long), with a sloped sandy bottom so they can enjoy both land and water. Their environment needs to be kept at 20-28 degrees, hence a heater is usually required. 

Rats

Okay, so we know that the very word ‘rat’ might send a shiver up your spine but hear us out: rats can make wonderful pets! Especially if you’re looking for the lowest maintenance pets for apartments.

They are intelligent and can be trained to do tricks just like a dog. Seriously. They’re gentle, rarely bite and love to be patted and handled.

Despite the reputation of their pesky free-roaming counterparts, pet rats are clean animals that groom themselves much like a cat. They are nocturnal so will sleep the day away while you’re at work or school, ready to play when you get home in the evening.

You’ll need a wire enclosure with some climbing and play equipment, and at least half an hour a day to spend interacting with your rat.

That’s a wrap – lowest maintenance pets for apartments

So, there you have it. While at PD Insurance we only offer dog insurance and cat insurance at this stage, we thought we would go beyond the fur to explore more pet options for you.

Hopefully this article and our best pets for apartments article have given you the insights you need to make the best decision about your next pet.