OSRS Menagerie Indoor vs Outdoor Which Is Best for Your POH

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), the Menagerie is a unique player-owned house (POH) room where you can store and interact with your pets, adding a fun and functional element to your virtual home. Whether you’re a pet collector or just want a cozy spot for your in-game companions, deciding between an indoor or outdoor Menagerie can be tricky. Both variants require 37 Construction and 30,000 coins to build, but they offer distinct features that cater to different playstyles. In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the differences, benefits, and drawbacks of indoor versus outdoor Menageries to help you make the best choice for your POH.

The Menagerie is a specialized room in your POH designed for storing and showcasing pets, from cats and pet rocks to rare boss pets like the Chaos Elemental Jr. It requires level 37 Construction and costs 30,000 coins to build, making it accessible to mid-level players. You can only have one Menagerie at a time, but you can switch between indoor and outdoor variants at no additional cost by attempting to build the opposite type on a door hotspot. This flexibility ensures you can experiment without losing your investments in pet houses or feeders.

Key Features of the Menagerie

Pet Storage: Store up to 30 pets depending on the pet house tier, keeping your bank clutter-free.
Pet Feeder: Automatically feeds hungry pets, including kittens, saving you time and resources.

Scratching Post: Allows cats to play and some pets to trigger unique dialogue.
Arena: Exclusive to outdoor Menageries, lets pets “battle” for fun.
Habitat: Outdoor-only feature to customize the environment (e.g., grassland, desert).
Pet List: Displays all stored pets for easy management.

Indoor Menagerie Features and Benefits

Osrs Xp Table Level Cabinets Matttroy

The indoor Menagerie is a cozy, enclosed space that fits seamlessly into your POH’s interior layout. It’s ideal for players who prefer a compact, streamlined house or want their pets to roam in a controlled environment.

Advantages of an Indoor Menagerie

Space Efficiency: Fits neatly into a multi-room POH without requiring external garden space, perfect for smaller house layouts.
Aesthetic Consistency: Blends with other indoor rooms like the Study or Bedroom, maintaining a unified house theme.
Simpler Construction: No need for additional tools like a watering can, unlike outdoor habitats.

Pet Interaction: Pets roam freely indoors, creating a lively atmosphere as they interact with the pet feeder or scratching post.

Limitations of an Indoor Menagerie

While the indoor Menagerie is practical, it lacks some features exclusive to the outdoor variant:

No Arena: You can’t stage pet battles, limiting interactive fun.

No Habitat Customization: You’re stuck with a default indoor look, missing out on scenic options like polar or volcanic habitats.
Less Immersive: The enclosed space may feel less dynamic compared to the open, themed outdoor version.

Outdoor Menagerie Features and Benefits

10 Best Goals For New OSRS Members NovaMMO

The outdoor Menagerie transforms a garden space into a vibrant pet sanctuary, complete with customizable habitats and a battle arena. It’s perfect for players who want a more immersive and interactive pet experience.

Advantages of an Outdoor Menagerie

Habitat Customization: Choose from five habitats (garden, grassland, forest, desert, polar, volcanic) to create a themed environment for your pets. Each requires specific Construction levels and a watering can for some.

Arena Feature: The arena lets you pit pets against each other in playful battles, adding a unique interactive element.

Immersive Experience: The open-air design and habitat variety make the Menagerie feel like a real pet sanctuary.
Outdoor Layout Synergy: Pairs well with other garden-based rooms like the Superior Garden or Spirit Tree, optimizing your POH’s outdoor space.

Limitations of an Outdoor Menagerie

Despite its flair, the outdoor Menagerie has some drawbacks:

Space Requirements: Takes up a garden plot, which might compete with other outdoor features like a Fairy Ring or Pool.

Additional Resources: Building habitats requires a hammer, saw, and watering can, adding minor complexity.

Less Cohesive with Indoor Rooms: May feel disconnected if your POH is primarily indoors-focused.

Comparing Indoor vs Outdoor Menagerie

To help you decide, let’s break down the key differences in a comparison table:

Feature	Indoor Menagerie	Outdoor Menagerie
Construction Level	37	37
Cost	30,000 coins	30,000 coins
Pet Storage	Up to 30 pets	Up to 30 pets
Pet Feeder	Yes	Yes
Scratching Post	Yes	Yes
Arena	No	Yes
Habitat Customization	No	Yes (5 options)
Space Type	Indoor room	Outdoor garden
Additional Tools	None	Hammer, saw, watering can for habitats

Switching Between Indoor and Outdoor

One of the best aspects of the Menagerie is the ability to switch between indoor and outdoor variants without losing your built items. To swap, simply attempt to build the opposite Menagerie type on a door hotspot (not via the house viewer, as this only moves the room). Your pet house, feeder, and other upgrades will transfer seamlessly, making it easy to test both setups.

Which Menagerie Should You Choose

Your choice depends on your playstyle, POH layout, and priorities. Here are some scenarios to guide your decision:

Choose Indoor Menagerie If:

You have a compact POH with limited outdoor space.
You prefer a simple setup without extra tools or customization.
Your POH is indoors-focused, and you want a cohesive aesthetic.
You don’t care about pet battles or themed habitats.

Choose Outdoor Menagerie If:

You want a more interactive experience with the arena and habitats.
You have spare garden space and enjoy outdoor POH features.
You love customizing your POH with unique themes like volcanic or polar habitats.
You collect pets and want a dynamic, immersive space for them.

Player Preferences from the Community

Community discussions on platforms like Reddit reveal varied preferences. Some players opt for outdoor Menageries to complement their garden setups, integrating them with pools or spirit trees for efficiency. Others stick with indoor Menageries for simplicity or because they prioritize indoor rooms like the Portal Nexus. For example, a 2023 Reddit poll showed a slight preference for outdoor Menageries among voters, though indoor setups were favored by players with minimalist POHs. Ultimately, the choice is subjective and depends on how you use your POH.

Tips for Maximizing Your Menagerie

Regardless of which Menagerie you choose, here are some tips to get the most out of it:

Upgrade Your Pet House: Build higher-tier pet houses (e.g., Mahogany at 67 Construction) to store more pets, up to 30 slots.

Use the Pet Feeder: It auto-feeds kittens and other hungry pets, saving you from manual feeding.

Experiment with Habitats: If you go outdoor, try different habitats to match your favorite pets (e.g., polar for penguins).
Check Pet Interactions: Some pets have special dialogue when using the scratching post—perfect for lore enthusiasts.
Combine with Other POH Features: Pair your Menagerie with a Kitchen for Construction boosts via tea (+3) or a Portal Nexus for quick access.