Raising exotic pets is gradually becoming a new trend in young people's pet choices, from hamsters to crabs, from "kapibala" to small goldfish at the workstation, the popularity of exotic pets reflects the diversification and personalization of young people's pet choices, which not only breaks the traditional pet market pattern, but also shows the diversification and personalized needs of young people for pet choices. According to statistics, there are about 17.07 million people in China raising exotic pets, with a market size of nearly 10 billion yuan, of which the post-95 generation accounts for 33.7% of the proportion, becoming the main consumer group in this market.
Exotic pets, i.e. rare and exotic pets, such as lizards, snakes, spiders, honey gliders, foxes, etc. Exotic pets were first popular in Europe, the United States and Japan, and then this trend spread to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. In recent years, the Chinese mainland market has also witnessed the rapid rise of exotic pets. Exotic pets are not only popular among young pet lovers, but also gradually occupy a place in the major offline flower and bird markets, promoting the development of related industries.
The diversity of the exotic pet market has brought a wealth of business opportunities for related businesses and entrepreneurs. Food and supplies are the main consumer markets for exotic pets, followed by pharmaceuticals and medical markets. Companies can develop diversified products, such as high-protein foods for reptile pets, specific feeds for rodent pets, and high-end, organic or customized foods and supplies, which not only provide consumers with rich choices, but also provide a broad space for the development of the market.
Why do young people prefer exotic pets?
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Compared to dogs and cats that require more care, some small, quiet and easy-to-keep exotic pets are showing their unique market potential in modern life. With the changing lifestyles of young people, exotic pet breeding is not only limited to the home environment, but also gradually expands to "third places" such as offices, which further drives the demand for exotic pets and related products.
According to the "China Pet Market Research Report", in addition to 61.74% of people who have dogs and 19.13% of people who have cats, turtles have become the third most popular pet with a proportion of 6.09%. In addition, fish, rabbits, birds, and rodents are also the choices of many city dwellers. Modern young people even keep fish at their desks, creating a "buffer zone" for themselves with a desk, a small fish tank and a few tropical fish. On Xiaohongshu, discussions about "workstation fish farming" are in full swing, with people sharing various ideas and experiences, such as using high-value glass tanks or Luckin cups to raise fish, and even some people advocate the ancient method of fish farming without changing the water, emphasizing convenience and ease.
In addition, there are also some hamster bloggers who rely on videos such as hamster eating broadcasts and hamsters changing clothes to gain countless fans, attracting many young people to line up to enter the pit. For example, Douyin blogger Picnic Xiong has gained 713,000 followers with hamster eating broadcasts, and the highest number of likes on his videos exceeds 3.48 million. In the comment area, many netizens said that they were healed by the video, and the carefree hamster became their "dream life".
So, what can different pets bring to consumers?
First of all, compared with cats and dogs, raising exotic pets will bring a certain freshness to the breeder; Secondly, exotic pets can be raised lazily, and most of them require smaller living space than dogs and cats, which are easier to raise in the city; Finally, whether it is a cat or a dog, it is essentially an emotional economy, which can bring emotional value to the public, especially, at some moments, choosing a pet with a lower cost of raising can not only provide emotional value to yourself, but also become a companion to other pets in the family.
The exotic pet market challenges and opportunities coexist
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Eli, a post-95s office worker, became interested in exotic pets when he watched "Animal World" in his childhood. In addition to the pet cats at home, she also specially made a whole wall of terrarium for raising lizards, corn snakes, spiders and other exotic pets. "In addition to the cost of purchase, the daily cost of raising exotic pets is low, and in addition, the demand for living space and the owner's energy is not high." For her, the greatest joy of keeping a pet is to see it hatch from an egg, grow from a green bean-sized larvae, and experience the magic of the Creator under her care.
There are many types of exotic pets, and the reasons for raising exotic pets also show characteristics such as diversity and individuality. Some people think that compared with cats and dogs, reptile pets are quieter and more worry-free, and some people take a fancy to the visual satisfaction and psychological comfort that chinchillas, honeygliders, etc. bring to breeders; There are also people who keep beetles with a short lifespan, and enjoy observing and recording the life cycle processes such as larvae, pupation, feathering, and hibernation. However, there are also some people who raise exotic pets out of curiosity and following the trend.
It can be seen that small, easy to raise, high-value, interactive pets are favored by young people, consumers in the choice of pets, pay more attention to the way of breeding, cost, and whether to obtain emotional satisfaction, this pragmatic consumption concept, promote the development of the pet market in a more orderly and rational direction.
The peripheral products brought by raising exotic pets have quickly become the focus of market attention. From the climbing tanks, bedding, shelter facilities and nutrients needed by cold-blooded animals such as lizards and bluetongue lizards to snakes, to the abundant peripherals of small pets such as hamsters, pet rabbits and chinchillas, these products not only meet the basic needs of pets, but also bring more fun and convenience to pet owners. Many businesses are beginning to see the exotic pet industry as a new growth point, investing business resources to develop and sell a variety of innovative products to meet the diverse needs of the new generation of young people for pet care.
However, the care and medical needs of exotic pets can be more complex than those of traditional pets. At present, there are no more than 40 exotic pet specialized hospitals nationwide, and the number of exotic pet doctors is even rarer, and they are mainly concentrated in first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. In addition, some characteristics of exotic pets may not be suitable for everyone, such as high demands on specific environments or high maintenance difficulties for novice breeders. Wang Hui, a doctor at Shanghai Exotic Pet Hospital, reminds, "Although exotic pets are highly sought after on social platforms, consumers should fully consider these potential challenges before deciding to raise them. ”
Each exotic pet has its own unique feeding method, but the current market lacks a mature breeding chain, and the exotic pet market is still in the early stage of industry development. Therefore, before deciding to keep a strange pet, consumers need to fully understand and make rational decisions to be responsible for life and avoid causing harm. Editor - Cai Yutong