ZooLab's Top 10 Favourite Pets

17 minutes ago
3 min read

It's Love Your Pet Day! Animals are a passion of ours and many members of our staff own animals of all types, so we thought we'd share some of our top pets! All the pictures in this blog are also real animals owned by members of our team, so get ready to see some really cute animals!

ZooLab's Top 10 Favourite Pets

1) Frogs

It wouldn't be a list of our favourite pets without talking about frogs - they're on our logo for a reason! Every member of our presenting team owns at least one frog and they're a big hit at our workshops too! It is believed that frogs have existed for around 200 million years and there are over 6,000 species worldwide.

2) Dogs

Dogs are the most popular pet in the UK, with 30-36% of the population keeping them as pets, and this is definitely similar among our staff. They were first domesticated over 20,000 years ago and come from a species of wolf that are still around today!

3) Rabbits

It's always a good day when we get pictures from staff of their pet rabbits in the work group chat! Rabbits can make great pets when cared for properly, they are clean, sociable, and gentle. Rabbits are happiest when kept with other rabbits and they can even play tricks on each other!

4) Geckos

Geckos are another core member of our animal team, and we love keeping them as pets. There are approximately 1,000 species across all continents except Antarctica. They enjoy warm climates, and they use their tails to store fat.

5) Snails

Snails may seem like an odd choice to keep as a pet, but they're a firm favourite among our field team, especially Giant African Land Snails. Snails have existed for hundreds of millions of years and can even slow down their metabolism to survive months (and sometimes even years) without food.

6) Cats

Around 11-25 million cats are kept as pets in the UK, with increasing numbers of them being non-pedigree breeds. They're also very popular among our staff, in both the office and presenter teams! There's nothing quite like seeing them snoozing in the sun or curled up on a comfy bed, and cats can sleep up to 12-18 hours a day!

7) Katydids

Ranger Emily has been wowing her local area with her collection of Katydid pets! They are in the same family as crickets and have an excellent ability to disguise themselves as leaves! Rarely, pink versions of katydids will be born and this usually only happens to 1 in 500 katydids!

A bearded dragon in a light blue plastic crate with wooden walls in the background, peering over the edge. There's a digital timer nearby.

8) Bearded Dragons

As of 2024, between 300,000 and 800,000 people in the UK kept lizards as pets, with bearded dragons being among the most popular. This is due to their gentle nature and being active mostly through the day. Their name comes from the spiny scales that surround their head.

A gerbil standing on shredded bedding in a cage, next to a red strawberry-shaped house. The setting is cozy with a playful vibe.

9) Gerbils

The number of small animals being kept as pets in the UK is slowly rising, with gerbils numbering around 300,000 in 2024. They are a particular favourte among staff and customers, as many of our fluffy animals are! They're happiest in groups with lots of fresh bedding to burrow down into.

10) Snakes

Snakes are another animal that sometimes gets a bad reputation, but we love them here at ZooLab. The species that we keep as pets are friendly and inquisitive, making them perfect for our animal meet and greets. Many people think they are slimy, but their scales are actually extremely smooth and dry!

Did you know you can meet some of our animals in person? Get in touch with us to book your own animal meet and greet!