据《北京晨报》报道，人们最常选择的宠物就是猫和狗。不过在中国，越来越多的人更青睐蓝环章鱼、水蛭、箭毒蛙、蛇等其它另类宠物。
Cats and dogs are the most common choices when it comes to pets. But in China, more and more people prefer the blue-ringed octopus, leeches, poison-dart frogs, snakes and many other unconventional companions, Beijing Morning News reported.
根据该报的调查显示，这些另类宠物流行起来的主要原因是价格较低、外观奇特和较易照料。
The main reasons behind the rise of these unusual pets are their lower cost, exotic appearance and less demanding care, according to the newspaper's investigation.
一名名叫秦奋的大学生表示，他拥有一条蛇和变色龙的最初动机是出于虚荣心，因为他希望自己显得和同学与众不同。
Qin Fen, a senior university student, said his initial motivation for owning a snake and chameleon was out of vanity, because he wanted to appear different from his classmates.
他表示，自己在大一那年，在北京的花鸟鱼虫市场--官园市场，花了200元买了一条蛇。随着蛇越养越大，家里人也表示反对，他最后偷偷地把蛇放到了城西北的香山中。这一决定让他现在感觉很内疚。
He said he spent 200 yuan to buy a snake at Beijing's Guanyuan Market, a pet market for fish, birds and insects, in his freshman year. After the snake got bigger and his family opposed it, he secretly let it go in the Fragrant Hills in the northwest of the city, a decision he feels guilty about today.
另一名名叫橙子的宠物爱好者，曾经饲养过蜘蛛、蝎子，但现在对变色龙情有独钟。
Chengzi, another pet lover, used to keep spiders and scorpions, but is now most interested in keeping a chameleon.
李丹是一名普通的白领，她在家中饲养了两只水蛭作为宠物。李丹表示，她已经养了这种软趴趴的、吸血的、中国老一辈人都有着不愉快记忆的生物半年了，并喂它们鱼吃。
White-collar professional Li Dan keeps two leeches in her home. Li said she has kept the wriggling, blood-sucking creatures -- a species that left unpleasant memories for China's elder generation -- for half a year and feeds them with fish.
她补充说道，自己是一个拥有30人的痴迷水蛭的微信群中的一员。虽然家里特别反对她的这一爱好，并称其为‘变态’。但是李丹说道，她发现自己对这种宠物有一种莫名的感情，所以仍会坚持养下去。
She added that she is a member of a mobile app WeChat-based group that has more than 30 members who are fans of leeches. Although her family objects to her hobby and calls her a "freak", Li said she found a kind of mysterious connection to the pets and will certainly keep them.
2004年起开始饲养另类宠物的金龙表示，另类宠物市场变化非常快，一些五六年前流行的宠物可能很快就会失宠。
Jin Long, who has kept exotic pets since 2004, said the market changes very quickly and some pets popular five or six years ago may soon fall from favor.
几乎所有的另类宠物饲养者都表示"怕被举报"，因为警方很可能将宠物没收。目前我国尚没有针对另类宠物饲养的法律法规。
Almost all keepers of unusual pets said they are afraid of being reported to authorities, as it's highly likely that police will take the pets away. China still lacks laws or regulations on keeping unusual pets.