What kind of pet should we get?

[someguy]

My girlfriend and I have wanted a pet for a while now, but cannot agree on what to get.

First, let me say that we live in an attached condo, so there is no yard for our creature to run around in, it would basically be inside at all times unless we took it out somewhere with us.

She wants the typical cat or dog, more specifically a Pomeranian 'cause "ooh! They're so cute and cuddly!!!". Her sister has one now and all it does is run around like Speedy Gonzales and **** and piss everywhere. Real Cute. You should see her carpet.

Besides the obvious downside to a monster like that, I am allergic to pet dander (read: cats and dogs) so we might be better off with some other less common type of pet.

I was thinking something more unique like an iguana. Our place is small enough so it could run around on its' own (no cage) once it was large enough - maybe 1+ ft long. I don't know too much about iguana's but I think it would be cool to have one.

We haven't really considered anything else, but what other animals make good, relatively inexpensive pets?

 

[devilot]

I was thinking something more unique like an iguana.

We haven't really considered anything else, but what other animals make good, relatively inexpensive pets?

Never owned one myself, but I've known someone who had two at the same time. One died rather quickly and the other got sickly so they took it to the vet. Apparently, they weren't providing the right environment.. after taking the necessary measures, it most definitely was not inexpensive at all.

Pets are like children-- unforeseen costs. Never had kids meself.

 

[someguy]

Never owned one myself, but I've known someone who had two at the same time. One died rather quickly and the other got sickly so they took it to the vet. Apparently, they weren't providing the right environment.. after taking the necessary measures, it most definitely was not inexpensive at all.

I heard somewhere that they need 80ºF or higher temperature environment to digest their food. Can anyone confirm this? Could I just get a heating rock or something because it's cold in my place!

Pets are like children-- unforeseen costs.

Well, hopefully we will only be having pets soon.

 

[devilot]

Can anyone confirm this? Could I just get a heating rock or something because it's cold in my place!

Sometimes a quick and simple search can yield great results. Note: some iguanas can live for as long as 20 years, sounds like having and caring for a kid, to me. You and the gf plan for in case y'all don't make it together for that long?

 

[smokeyrabbit]

I think cats can be the perfect apartment pet. They ilke living in a cave, if you keep them fed their natural instinct is to lie around and groom themselves all day long. Of course at night they tear around like demons for the first couple years. I'm allergic to cats, but when we get a new cat it takes only a few weeks to develop a tolerance for them as long as they don't walk on my face. Same thing with rabbits, as they groom themselves similarly.

Freshwater fish can be cheap. Saltwater fish are beautiful, but with their short life spans and questionable collection methods, it's more fun to sit down in front of your toilet and flush $200 down.

Captive-bred poison arrow frogs come in all kinds of electric colors and aren't poisonous if they don't eat a particular type of ant found in the rainforests.

Little yippy dogs are so not cute (to me). I have an employee who has an English Mastiff (from PetSmart, of all places ) that is 10 months old and chews their house apart unless it's locked in it's cage, sorry, crate, all day long because no one's home with it. They think he may need a pet psychologist to deal with his separation anxiety. I think he needs a family that doesn't abandon him for 12 hours at a time. If both of you are gone for long periods, don't get a pet that needs company.

Birds can be nice, but it seems like they try to kill themselves in the waterer more often than could be coincidence.

What about one of those robot dogs from Japan? Or maybe just a Roomba? You can program it to come out at dinner like a dog and pretend it's looking for it's food bowl.

 

[someguy]

Sometimes a quick and simple search can yield great results.

This is where I first read that they require the higher temps, but I was hoping someone with personal experience could verify and offer some insight.

Note: some iguanas can live for as long as 20 years, sounds like having and caring for a kid, to me. You and the gf plan for in case y'all don't make it together for that long?

At least it'll be like having a kid that never cries, or screams, or needs a babysitter, or requires putting my girlfriend through labor to have.

If we don't last as long as the iguana, I'm so taking it.

f it is not kept under UVB lighting, it can develop metabolic bone disease.

Does this mean all the time or just on a regular basis? I was thinking the iguana (if that's what we even bought) would have it's own "area" with a heating rock, proper lighting, etc. that way it could be there whenever it wanted and I wouldn't have to pay obnoxious heating bills.

~snip~

Thanks for all the ideas!

Cats - No, I'm way too allergic. I grew up with a dog and a cat and never developed a tolerance at all in 19 years.

Fish - Maybe! I think a shark would be cool! The only downside is it would be able to sit in our laps or be petted. Is petted a word?

Birds - Meh.

Robot dog from Japan - Now you're talkin'!

There is rarely a time when 6-8 full hours pass that no one is home. I might be working more this summer, but even then there's usually someone here.

 

[devilot]

I think cats can be the perfect apartment pet.

Re-read the OP.

This is where I first read that they require the higher temps, but I was hoping someone with personal experience could verify and offer some insight.

Does this mean all the time or just on a regular basis? I was thinking...

My first post touched upon it briefly, basically the friend w/ the two iguanas? Yeah, they had a UV lamp on only when they thought it was cold enough. Those buggers like it toasty. All. The. Time. But that and those links are the extent of my iguana knowledge.

You might wanna re-think cats, depending on the severity of your allergies. Plus, it can vary wildly from cat to cat. Seriously. Shoot, just caught your edit. But FYI, each cat is different. A past friend swore he was allergic to all cats, but wasn't to mine. Shrug.

 

[spicyapple]

A hampster, perhaps? I'm serious. They provide many nights of enjoyment.

Gerbils would be the next step up. Avoid rabbits, they are indiscriminate with their pooping habits. Argh.

 

[Nickygoat]

You might wanna re-think cats, depending on the severity of your allergies. Plus, it can vary wildly from cat to cat. Seriously. Shoot, just caught your edit. But FYI, each cat is different. A past friend swore he was allergic to all cats, but wasn't to mine. Shrug.

Short hairs tend to cause fewer reactions than long hairs. Can't remember the name for it ATM.

A neighbour of ours used to have an iguana - slept in the bathtub and sunned itself on the porch. This was in Saudi Arabia though which was a bit warmer

 

[mcarnes]

Reptiles in general will need a heat lamp and some artificial sunlight if not allowed outside. Both are very important, the first for metabolism, the second to synthesize vitamins. They are cold blooded which means their body temperature is the same as the room, so they regulate their body temperature, and hence their activity, by moving in and out of hot or colder areas. All you need is a heat lamp and the animal will go under it to digest their food as needed. But I wouldn't let the general room temperature drop below 70 F. Temperature under the heat lamp should be much higher.

Just pick up a basic reptile book at the library or pet shop. There is a lot more to know than can be typed here.

 

[someguy]

FYI, each cat is different. A past friend swore he was allergic to all cats, but wasn't to mine. Shrug.

I have come across a stray cat or two that didn't seem to bother my allergies much, if at all, but this is definitely a rare thing.

I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could find a cat that was acceptable in this area, but I'm not sure if we want a cat that badly. My girlfriend's really got her mind set on a Pom, and I really really don't! I'd really rather not have anything with fur until we move into an actual house and can let the creatures outside to do most of the shedding and whatnot.

A hampster, perhaps? I'm serious. They provide many nights of enjoyment.

Gerbils would be the next step up. Avoid rabbits, they are indiscriminate with their pooping habits. Argh.

I had a hampster once. Lost it in my room one day and when I found it, it was so hyper from all the running around that it latched onto the end of my finger and wouldn't let go for anything. That was the most fun I had with it the whole time I owned it. Someone about having an caged animal as a pet just doesn't appeal to me. I want it to be able to run around, but not want to run around too much.

Anyone know if iguana's are lazy?

A neighbour of ours used to have an iguana - slept in the bathtub and sunned itself on the porch. This was in Saudi Arabia though which was a bit warmer

We have a balcony it could relax on in the summertime, but if it wanted to, it could leap off and run away so maybe that won't work. Kind of goes back to whether or not it's going to be lazy or hyperactive.

Reptiles in general will need a heat lamp and some artificial sunlight if not allowed outside. Both are very important, the first for metabolism, the second to synthesize vitamins. They are cold blooded which means their body temperature is the same as the room, so they regulate their body temperature, and hence their activity, by moving in and out of hot or colder areas. All you need is a heat lamp and the animal will go under it to digest their food as needed. But I wouldn't let the general room temperature drop below 70 F. Temperature under the heat lamp should be much higher.

Just pick up a basic reptile book at the library or pet shop. There is a lot more to know than can be typed here.

Thanks for the info! I don't mind giving it what it needs as long as that doesn't require keeping my place 85ºF!

 

[juanster]

lol you do n t need to keep your place so hot just have a hot plate for you iguana or any other lizard, snake etc, would nto recommend you an i guana for a first time lizard pet they r hard to take care of specially when theyr young afterwards its all good,, what about a ferret? tho se guys are different AND really cool too, come on man they sleep in hamocks....

 

[CorvusCamenarum]

lol you do n t need to keep your place so hot just have a hot plate for you iguana or any other lizard, snake etc, would nto recommend you an i guana for a first time lizard pet they r hard to take care of specially when theyr young afterwards its all good,, what about a ferret? tho se guys are different AND really cool too, come on man they sleep in hamocks....

I'll second the ferret idea (had 3 at one point, now down to 1), but if you don't own any other fluffy-type animals I'd highly recommend getting a pair as they're quite social animals and don't do as well in isolation. You just have to keep an eye on them when they're out of their cage as they can get into just about anything. Mine sleeps in a cube though.

 

[juanster]

i wish i would have more space for more pets, i have a pitbull, two red belly piranhas and a ball python.. if i could I d also have ferrets, but i kno my dog, so i know it's not a smart idea...

 

[adk]

What about a rabbit? Is it possible to litter box train them so they could run around the condo all day?

 

[juanster]

What about a rabbit? Is it possible to litter box train them so they could run around the condo all day?

you could try to potty train them but it will be very hard and you will have to go throught lots of carpets and rugs before it actually learns, and also, if they pee somehwere and it starts to dry it is veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery noticeable, they pee is usually redish when it dries...and stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinks more than most animal....

 

[someguy]

you could try to potty train them but it will be very hard and you will have to go throught lots of carpets and rugs before it actually learns, and also, if they pee somehwere and it starts to dry it is veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery noticeable, they pee is usually redish when it dries...and stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinks more than most animal....

This is my biggest concern (other than expense) with getting a pet. Our condo is new, which means the carpet is currently next to spotless. I'd flip if something pissed all over the place, especially if it didn't come right up. I realize that iguana's pee and poo like anything else, but considering the whole idea of it having it's own "area", I don't think it would be as bad.

I think a rabbit would be neat for a while, but given my current interest in one I don't know how long I'd be into it.

If I could have anything besides an iguana, it would be a big pitbull or rottweiler. Obviously, I wouldn't want to have such a big dog in such a confined place, but maybe a few years down the road when I buy a house...

...which reminds me, allergy shots. I've heard there are shots you can get that rid you of your allergies. I can't find much about it online, but does anyone know if there is anything like this available? Most of what I've read pertained to children getting the shot(s). Do they work for adults? Do they work at all?

 

[smokeyrabbit]

you could try to potty train them but it will be very hard and you will have to go throught lots of carpets and rugs before it actually learns, and also, if they pee somehwere and it starts to dry it is veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery noticeable, they pee is usually redish when it dries...and stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinks more than most animal....

Maybe that varies with individual rabbits. The rabbits I've had were mostly potty trained. My Netherland Dwarf (yes, he was "Smokey") was allowed out for a few hours every day and he only left a few presents for us, but never peed on the carpet. We didn't do any training, he just naturally used a corner of his cage and not really anywhere else.

 

[Mammoth]

Get some rabbits because they're funny.

 

[ErikCLDR]

I wouldn't get a cat. They're not loyal at all and you can't really train them other than litter box training them. They're very mischievous too.

I would get a small dog.

 

[someguy]

Get some rabbits because they're funny.

Do they tell jokes or something?

I wouldn't get a cat. They're not loyal at all and you can't really train them other than litter box training them. They're very mischievous too.

I would get a small dog.

I don't particularly want a cat and definitely don't want a small dog.

As far as loyalty goes, I think cats in general are pretty loyal, but you have to give them a lot of attention and affection. They are like clingy women.

Dogs aren't loyal at all in my experience. Whoever's got the treats or is dropping food beneath the dinner table to them is who they love the most.

That said, loyalty isn't a big concern of mine, as long as whatever I buy isn't going to snap at me everytime I try to pet/handle it. I know with dogs and cats, that's kind of a toss up. Most domestic animals are going to be nice as long as they are used to being around people, but some of them are just always snappy and mean. Does anyone know if iguana's are general gentle and well-behaved?

 

[Mammoth]

Do they tell jokes or something?

Well they have weird ears.

 

[srf4real]

I love my iguana, Eli. He was only six inches long when I got him... and he is very needy for proper feeding and habitat. I keep him in a six foot tall screened enclosure that he really seems to like. Before, he was in a 100 gal. aquarium tank but always struggled to escape. Now he just chills. I reccommend one if you are willing to keep the commitment. He also sticks up for himself with children and pets, that tail has quite a whip and his claws are razor sharp unless trimmed.

 

[someguy]

Well they have weird ears.

I love my iguana, Eli. He was only six inches long when I got him... and he is very needy for proper feeding and habitat. I keep him in a six foot tall screened enclosure that he really seems to like. Before, he was in a 100 gal. aquarium tank but always struggled to escape. Now he just chills. I reccommend one if you are willing to keep the commitment. He also sticks up for himself with children and pets, that tail has quite a whip and his claws are razor sharp unless trimmed.

I'm so jealous.

How aggressive is he to people trying to pet/handle him?

 

[srf4real]

I'm so jealous.

How aggressive is he to people trying to pet/handle him?

Only bites when he's hungry - cut me on the finger once. Now handling him is a different story... I mean it when I said his claws are razor sharp. I'm the only one who handles him, likes to sit on the top of my head. I often end up bleeding, because I don't trim his claws but any dog nail trimmer is very effective in keeping them manageable. When he doesn't want to play he will hide behind some crevice or under the furniture, and is never agressive toward anyone, ever. Nobody else seems to want to hold him.