Pottermore are recreating every magical creature from Newt Scamander’s textbook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in new and imaginative ways. Today, we’re looking at unconventional wizarding world pets.

Runespoor

Why on earth would anyone want a Runespoor for a pet, you ask? After all, according to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this is an African three-headed serpent that can reach a length of six or seven feet. Not great if you’re trying to save space. However, the creature has garnered popularity with Dark wizards, ‘no doubt because of its striking and intimidating appearance’, theorises Newt Scamander.

Crup

A Crup may seem like an innocent Jack Russell terrier, but if you look closely, you’ll realise he’s got a little forked tail. To ensure Muggles are none the wiser, a young Crup should have its unusual tail removed with a painless Severing Charm.

Kneazle

Again, on first inspection, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Kneazle was simply a flamboyant cat – but it is so much more. Kneazles are great little detectives and can sense suspicious activity nearby, like Crookshanks could whenever he was near Scabbers.

Streeler

A creature that resembles a giant snail might not be everyone’s idea of a pet (especially considering Streelers leave behind venomous trails that shrivel and burn vegetation) but they are, at the very least, aesthetically pleasing. Streelers can change colour on an hourly basis, so it’s pretty much like owning a living lava lamp.

Niffler

Although Hagrid would advise against it (‘they wreck houses, Nifflers’), a lovely Niffler sounds like a great pet choice. Known for their keen interest in anything glittery, Nifflers are known to be ‘gentle and affectionate’, according to Newt Scamander. Sure, they may get you into trouble every now and then, but how could you stay mad at that little snouted face?

Bowtruckle

Bowtruckles may be small, but they are also rather resilient. These little twig-like creatures are usually found protecting wand wood trees, and are known to gouge out the eyes of tree surgeons, woodcutters and the like. But as we see in the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, one tiny Bowtruckle can’t bear to leave the side of Newt Scamander – showing these guardians can also make for good friends. Just stay away from their trees...

Puffskein

Fluffy, adorable Puffskeins are found worldwide, and seem pretty peaceful, easy-to-care-for creatures. Despite their enjoyment for sticking their tongue up sleeping wizards’ noses and eating their bogeys, they are very popular pets in the wizarding world. Better than owning a three-headed dog, we suppose.

These models are created by artist Andy Singleton. To see more of Andy’s work, check out his take on beasts that live in the Forbidden Forest.