Guinea Pigs, Wallabies, Cats. OH MY!……Wait that’s not how it goes.

Many of us living in the lavish beach community of Manhattan Beach are accustomed to seeing the usual dog or cat. You could see many types of dogs walking on the strand. If you were to see anyone walking a cat, it would be strange and you might wonder, what they are doing on the strand with a cat on a leash? But if that’s weird, it would be even more odd if you were to see the same thing but with Iguana.

Apart from the percentage of people that only have dogs and cats in Manhattan Beach, there is a small percentage of people that have “exotic” animals for pets, which range from hedgehogs to tarantulas. You may not see these “exotic” animals every day, but many of these animals are considered pets.

For example: It is actually legal to own a wallaby… What?… Yea, you heard it right, A WALLABY. I know its crazy, but you can actually own an Australian Native and it is protected by law. And how much does this majestic animal cost? Only an arm and a leg, which is equivalent to around $3,000. Seems like a good deal considering you will have a piece of Australia living with you.

But if you can’t swing $3,000, there are cheaper alternatives, like a tarantula. I mean who wouldn’t love a giant hairy spider crawling around the house…. But if you aren’t feeling the joy in owning an eight legged friend, why not a Guinea Pig? They are considered “exotic” and you can have a furry little friend for around $35. Plus an upside to having a Guinea Pig is you don’t have to take it for a walk! I mean unless you want to…

So next time you see a person walking a hedgehog on the strand, don’t think they are weird, just think they are taking care of the exotic animal.