Love the quick, curious energy of squirrels but want a pet that fits life indoors? You’ve actually got a few options that capture that same spark. Some small mammals—chipmunks, degus, and even certain rats—bring squirrel-like traits like nimble movement, cheek-pouch snacking, and that lively curiosity, but they’re way easier to care for at home.
You can totally get a pet with squirrel-like behavior and charm without having to keep a wild squirrel.
In this post, I’ll walk you through some popular choices that feel familiar if you’re into squirrels. I’ll also mention a few unusual rodents that might surprise you with their squirrel-like looks or habits.
Take a look at the care tips and comparisons ahead. Try to match your lifestyle, space, and time with the right lively companion.
Popular Pets and Animals Most Similar to Squirrels
You’ll find small, striped, burrowing, and even gliding rodents that act a lot like squirrels. Each animal below brings something unique, so if you’re thinking about care, behavior, or just spotting them in the wild, here’s what you should know.
Chipmunks: Active Squirrel Lookalikes
Chipmunks are small, fast, and striped mammals. People often mistake them for tree squirrels. You’ll mostly see the eastern chipmunk or the least chipmunk in North America.
Other types—like Allen’s chipmunk, alpine chipmunk, lodgepole chipmunk, and Sonoma chipmunk—show that same compact body and those adorable cheek pouches. They love to store food in their burrows and cheeks, so you’ll see lots of foraging and stash-building.
If you’re considering a chipmunk as a pet, remember they need space to dig and hide. They can seem shy around people at first, but with regular, gentle handling, they become bolder.
Chipmunks eat seeds, nuts, fruits, and even insects. You’ll need to offer a varied diet and plenty of enrichment—think tunnels and nesting material.
Marmots and Groundhogs: Larger Relatives
Marmots and groundhogs belong to the same rodent family as squirrels, but they’re a lot bigger and prefer the ground. You might run into the hoary marmot, Vancouver marmot, yellow-bellied marmot, Alaska marmot (Marmota caligata), or the common groundhog (Marmota monax).
These animals dig huge burrows and hibernate when it gets cold. They need a totally different habitat and seasonal care than tree squirrels.
Most folks don’t keep marmots as pets. You’ll probably see them in parks or up in the mountains.
They feed on grasses and plants and can get pretty bold around human food, so you might want to keep picnic areas locked down. Their size and digging habits actually shape the local soil and plants way more than small squirrels do.
Prairie Dogs: Social Squirrel Cousins
Prairie dogs are super social rodents that live in colonies called towns. You’ll see species like the black-tailed prairie dog, white-tailed prairie dog, Gunnison’s prairie dog, and Cynomys leucurus.
They’re famous for complex vocal calls and team efforts—shared burrow maintenance, sentry duty, that sort of thing.
If you’re thinking about a prairie dog as a companion, be ready for lots of social interaction and mental stimulation. They bond deeply with each other and with people, but if you keep one alone, it can get stressed out.
Their diet is mostly grasses and hay, with some veggies thrown in. They chew all the time, so you’ll need to give them safe wooden toys and digging spots.
Flying Squirrels: Glide-Loving Rodents
Flying squirrels glide with a skin membrane called the patagium that stretches from wrist to ankle. They’re relatives of tree squirrels and are mostly nocturnal.
Flying squirrels look like regular squirrels but with bigger eyes, flatter tails, and that silent, gliding flight between trees.
If you keep one as a pet, you’ll need a tall enclosure, branches for launching, and dim lighting to match their nighttime habits. Their diet includes insects, fruits, nuts, and some specialized foods.
They bond with gentle, consistent handling but can get stressed easily. Their gliding and nocturnal routine set them apart from the daytime tree squirrels you might be used to.
Other Unusual Pets and Rodents Resembling Squirrels
Some animals share squirrel traits—bushy tails, compact bodies, climbing habits—but their care and behavior can be very different. Check out the details on appearance, housing, and common pitfalls so you can compare them to pet squirrels.
Nutria and Muskrats: Aquatic Squirrel Lookalikes
Nutria (or coypu) and muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) have chunky bodies and fur that might remind you of a squirrel at first. Both love wetlands.
Nutria have big orange front teeth and webbed hind feet. Muskrats have a laterally flattened tail. These features make them swimmers, not climbers.
If you’re eyeing one as a pet, be aware of legal issues. Nutria are invasive in many places and often restricted or banned. Both need big, watery enclosures, diets high in plants, and secure fencing to prevent escapes.
They can carry parasites and need a vet familiar with semi-aquatic rodents.
Key differences:
- Nutria: bigger, strong teeth, more destructive to plants.
- Muskrat: smaller, builds lodges, flatter tail for swimming. Check your local laws before you even think about getting one.
Exotic Small Mammals: Bushy-Tailed and Rocky Rodents
Some exotic pets look a lot like squirrels. Bushy-tailed woodrats and giant bushy-tailed cloud rats, for example, fit the bill.
Woodrats love collecting stuff and build dense nests in rocky areas. Cloud rats have long bushy tails, live in trees, and stick to a mostly vegetarian, nocturnal lifestyle.
Gundis (sometimes called comb rats) and anomalures (scaly-tailed gliders) also share squirrel-like bodies or gliding habits.
Housing needs can be pretty specific. Woodrats and gundis want rocky hides and chew-proof cages. Cloud rats need tall enclosures with branches and a quiet, night-friendly setup.
Anomalures require high cages and space to glide. Their diets range from seeds and fruits to leafy greens.
Find a vet who knows each species, and always check if it’s legal to own them where you live.
Tiny Rodents: Mice, Shrews, and Hamsters
Some tiny animals can really look like little squirrels if you’re not paying close attention. Plains pocket mice (Perognathus flavescens) have furry cheek pouches and surprisingly small tails.
Short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda) and other shrews eat mostly insects. Their tails are short, and their metabolisms run fast—seriously, these little guys never seem to slow down.
Hamsters (subfamily Cricetinae) are what most people think of when it comes to small pets. They’ve got chunky bodies and those adorable cheek pouches for stuffing food.
Care differences? They matter a lot:
- Pocket mice need a sandy substrate and lots of seeds. You’ll almost never see them as pets.
- Shrews eat insects and need food pretty much all the time. They’re really not for beginners.
- Hamsters are everywhere, honestly. They need things to do, a place to burrow, and you’ll want to remember they’re nocturnal.
Thinking about a small, squirrel-like pet? Hamsters are the easy answer. If you’re after something unusual, like pocket mice or shrews, you’ll need to deal with special diets, possible permits, and finding a vet who knows wild or exotic rodents. Good luck with that!
