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What kind of pet should we get?

Aeolius said:
We have 6 kids; 3 the old-fashioned way and 3 born in China. Add to that some dogs, cats, a bird, fish, horses, sheep, goats, alpaca, donkeys, chickens, a squirrel, snake, and lizard.

If I was in an apartment, I'd still go with fish. Setting up a saltwater reef aquarium is both rewarding and educational.

Mind you, it requires a great deal of patience; set up the tank, plumbing, heater, pumps, and lighting. Mix the saltwater and add to the tank. Add some live sand and liverock. Leave the tank alone for awhile. Add some "clean-up critters" (hermit crabs, snails, sea stars, sea cucumbers, etc). Leave the tank alone for awhile. Add some soft corals and possibly heartier fish (you can buy tank-bred fish and corals, if you are opposed to taking them from the wild). Leave the tank alone for awhile... Well, you get the idea. ;)
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they sure do look great but for a beginner with aquariums i d say start with a freshwater tank and some hardy fish at first.... saltwater tanks can get complicated when problems arise,(red algae and other stuff like that)
 
Betta fish are nice hardy fish. They can be kept in a small tank, around 2 gallons. I have one in a 2 gallon tank. A lot of people keep them in small vases, but IMO, they are happier in a larger tank. But only get 1 betta per tank, they do not get along with each other!
 
I very much would suggest a dog to anyone. Have had one all of my life.
 
a few thoughts.

A rabbit is a possibility. I had one and he ran around my apartment, doing what bunnies do, occassionally coming to me for a quick snuggle or scratch between the ears. You can litterbox train them very easily. They may not seem to be very intelligent, but they are. And they've got personality to boot! Be sure you pick one that doesn't seem too timid and seems to be curious. A fearful bunny is not a good pet.

Also, you can look into hairless cats or the special hypoallergenic cats and dogs that have been bred. They'll be a little more expensive, but it'll make your girlfriend happy to have the cat or dog she wants.

Consider a ferret as well, maybe even a couple of them. They're mischievious and need attention and love, but they make wonderful pets.
 
tattoolady14 said:
A rabbit is a possibility. I had one and he ran around my apartment, doing what bunnies do, occassionally coming to me for a quick snuggle or scratch between the ears. You can litterbox train them very easily. They may not seem to be very intelligent, but they are. And they've got personality to boot! Be sure you pick one that doesn't seem too timid and seems to be curious. A fearful bunny is not a good pet.

Also, you can look into hairless cats or the special hypoallergenic cats and dogs that have been bred. They'll be a little more expensive, but it'll make your girlfriend happy to have the cat or dog she wants.

Consider a ferret as well, maybe even a couple of them. They're mischievious and need attention and love, but they make wonderful pets.
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Oh, and forget the fish idea. I've had plenty of fish and they are never as rewarding as any other pet. They die too easily and really don't have any personality traits to speak of. They only have a memory that lasts roughly 3 seconds. How boring.
 
juanster said:
they sure do look great but for a beginner with aquariums i d say start with a freshwater tank and some hardy fish at first.... saltwater tanks can get complicated when problems arise,(red algae and other stuff like that)
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Careful or you'll get your very own localized red tide!

NO FUN!
 
I recommend birds. We have nine.


They are smarter than you think. Our Quaker parrot, Bezoar, can say more than a hundred words (we stopped counting). He knows the context to use certain words, and definitely has a personality. His antics are hilarious to watch.

Low cost, cage is a little messy though, but not unmanageable. We put a plastic tablecloth under it and we vacuum it weekly. No fuss, no muss.

We also have lovebirds, and some finches. Finches are very low maintenance, but they don't interact with people. Fun to watch only. The lovebird has a strong personality, they either love or hate you. Ours is the latter.

We do love Bezoar, though. He is definitely worth the $0.00 it cost to adopt him, plus his nice cage!

Best of luck deciding!


~X
 
ErikCLDR said:
My experiences with cats is that they rub up against you, you pet them, they act all happy, and then they scratch you.
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My cat NEVER scratched me. Neither did my parents two cats.

Some dogs bite, but just because some do it doesn't mean all dogs bite. Our dogs never bite us either.
 
someguy said:
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?
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Please do not get an iguana, if you have never had a reptile before, do not get it, it is very hard to take care of. I suggest a leopard gecko, it is small and can stay in a tank, great beginner reptile and is fine with being handled. Although, rats and ferrets make great pets too. What size lizard would you want? They need to be in their tanks for most of the time because they need their heat and UVB or they can die.
 
bhingsto said:
What about a pet skunk?
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Yes, a nice docile animal, without the stinker.

funny-pictures-use-a-skunk-when--1.jpg
 
Oh, and I forgot to mention, you will need a full room for them (can't let them roam), it will cost thousands of dollars, you will need to research for hours to give them the proper care, and you will need a tree and a mister for the whole room, and a bunch of other stuff, only hardcore reptile enthusiasts get them. A bearded dragon would be great for you!
 
Snakes make fantastic pets. They eat once every 7-10 days, don't smell, don't make noise, no hair, don't leave landmines all over the place (again, since they don't eat often, they don't "bomb" often), and make a great conversation piece.

My wife has one that lived in her classroom for years. The kids loved it.
 
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