Common types

While many people have kept many different species of animals in captivity over the course of human history, only a relative few have been kept long enough to be considerd domesticated. Other types of animals, notably monkeys have never been domesticated but are still commonly sold and kept as pets. There are also inanimate objects that have been kept as "pets", either as a form of game, or humorously.

Domesticated

Domesticated pets are the most common types of pet. They have consistently been kept in captivity over a long enough period of time that they exhibit marked differences in behavior and appearance from their wild relatives.

Mammals

• Horses
• Dogs
• Cats
• Rodents, including hamsters, guinea pigs, fancy mice, gerbils, chinchillas, plains viscachas, and fancy rats
• Rabbits
• Ferrets
• Skunks

Birds

• Budgerigars (parakeets)
• Cockatoos
• Macaws
• Canaries and other finch species
• Doves
• Cockatiels
• Other parrot or conure species
• Peafowls
• Chickens

Wild

Wild animals are often kept as pets. The term wild in this context specifically applies to any species of animal which has not undergone a fundamental change in behavior to facilitate a close co-existence with humans. Some species listed here may have been bred in captivity for a considerable length of time, but are still not recognized as domesticated. Many of these pets, like insects and fish, are kept as a hobby, rather than for companionship