Animal Experts Reveal What Your Choice Of Pet Says About Your Personality

Sometimes, our pets can be a reflection of us as individuals. Whether you own a cat, dog, or even a lizard, these members of the household can offer a window into our soul. Interestingly, though, little research has been done to examine whether our choice of pets shows anything deeper about our lifestyle, beliefs, or personality. That is until Scientific American Mind magazine decided to look into the subject. And what the publication found may surprise you.

10. Cold-blooded exotic pets

Naturally, pets go way beyond your standard dog or cat. World Atlas found that nearly 370,000 Americans own reptiles as of 2020, for instance. They’re actually the fourth most popular pet in the country. Interestingly, research by Scientific American Mind also found that the personality traits of owners differed depending on their gender.

Men vs. Women

Male and female exotic pet owners also had different temperaments on average compared to their traditional pet counterparts, according to the study. Men who own such pets are apparently less friendly, while women in that category like to experience new things. Perhaps that’s a reason they own less common pets in the first place?

Hard-Working

What’s more, turtle owners seem to have different personalities to snake lovers. On average, the research claimed that people with pet turtles are more hard-working than those with horses, birds and other fellow reptiles. Slow and steady really does seem to win the race, then. The Scientific American Mind study also found turtle parents are more “reliable and upwardly mobile.”

Neat and Tidy

When it comes to snake owners, you may not be surprised to learn that they are unconventional, the research claims. It added that these individuals also think of themselves as more “neat and tidy” than any other group. They also consider their slithery friends to be part of the family more than every other pet-owning group.