Let's say I want a pet.

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doomdragon6

doomdragon6

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What should I get?

My lifestyle:

I live in an apartment. Currently, I can get anything that can't get up and walk across the room on its own. Which really means, anything in a cage.

Even if not now, I'm considering future pets. Here's what I've thought of so far:

1) Some type of Rhino Beetle-- I forgot which one I liked the most, but I think it was a Hercules beetle. The pros are that they are really easy to take care of and are nearly impossible to kill. They're really interesting, as I like bugs, and I call always tie my furniture to it and watch it rearrange my living room. The biggest problem, and the ONLY reason I haven't gotten one yet, is that they do not live long at all. Their maximum lifespan once they reach the adult stage is 6 months. And I just can't get attached to something that's going to die in 6 months. If anyone knows a beetle that'll last longer, lemme know, but I really don't want to replace my pet every half year.

2) Pygmy Hedgehog - This has been my "wanted pet" for at least 6 years. If nothing else, I'm going to get one someday just because I'd wanted one for so long. They're cute, cuddly(ish), and their spines won't -always- hurt you. The cons are, I can't just pet the thing. I have to "trick it" into letting me pet it. Because it HAS SPINES. Also, it enters the "tiny mammal" stage where it could be very easy to accidentally kill it through neglect or accident, and I just can't take that. I know I'm responsible enough to take care of it, but I also have a crippling worry that I might not be able to.

3) Dwarf Hamster - I'd never even considered these things as something in my universe before, until my girlfriend was looking at fish at the pet store. My eye caught a little furry bastard just digging as frantically as his teeny li'l legs would let him at the bottom of his glass cage. I did an inward squee of joy and proceeded to watch him do other entertaining restless critter type things for a good 5 minutes. The same "fear of killing" cons as before. Pros: Good starter pet?

4) A crow. Supposedly these things can live for up to 110 years, so the fucker will outlive me. I kind of like the idea of having a lifelong companion that can sit on my shoulder and just be a dirty son of a bitch. They're fairly intelligent too, so it'd be nice to have a pet that can think a little bit. Apparently my girlfriend had one once (died of bird flu. Go fig.). She said that it could "talk," not necessarily like a parrot, but halfway repeat half-words every now and then.

5) Parrot - Same as the crow, but more colorful, more friendly, and able to "talk." Can pretend to be a pirate.

Bird cons: NOISY AS DICK AT NIGHT.

Thoughts?
 
Cajungal

Cajungal

Staff member
Get a Myna bird. They're frickin cool.

---------- Post added at 07:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:29 AM ----------

My dad had one that could impersonate his blender and the doorbell perfectly. Instant fun!

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doomdragon6

doomdragon6

Staff member
Oh yeah! I just completely disregarded those as pets and cast them as exotic "non-ownable" birds.

Myna birds are pretty kickass.
 
Cajungal

Cajungal

Staff member
If you don't mind birds, they're pretty awesome. I almost killed mine it pissed me off so bad... so I'd go with something a bit quieter and probably cuddly. But yeah, those things can be entertaining. You can play tricks on your friends. :D
 
L

lafftaff

Just say no to the dwarf hamster!! Those bastards always bite. Of course, I have a hate for hamsters in general.

The hedgehog sounds like the best. Rats also make good pets. Birds can be nice but very noisy. My parakeets were super loud. Food for larger birds like parrots tends to get expensive.
 
doomdragon6

doomdragon6

Staff member
Yeah, the GF also has parakeets at her parents' house, as did two other friends of mine. Anytime I stay at their houses I am driven to madness by their incessant tweets at night.

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Wait, no, those were cockatiels..

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Cajungal said:
Don't want a ferret?
Click to expand...
CRAZY, RAVENOUS BASTARDS!

Er, I mean um..

Nah.
 
Cajungal

Cajungal

Staff member
YOU smell!

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Sorry, I'm regressing today...
 
Covar

Covar

Nah its fine.

My roommate used to have ferrets, those little smelly shit factories are more trouble then they're worth.
 
Vytamindi

Vytamindi

I have a Teddy Bear hamster, and he's pretty resilient.

As far as hamsters go, they only last two years. And the bigger the hamster, the nicer it is.
 
Cajungal

Cajungal

Staff member
doomdragon6;271549][quote=Cajungal said:
What about a snake or a lizard?
Click to expand...
Nah, I like pets I can pet and connect with.

Reptiles are just boring little bastards that don't actually know you exist.[/QUOTE]

That's what I thought too, but my best friend back home was able to make a real connection with her python, Piccolo. It would actually cuddle with her... go figure. But then she could draw the sweetness out of an enraged wild hog. I wouldn't get a snake, but yeah. Some people love em. Just throwin things out. The hedgehog sounds kind of cool, actually.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

For the record:

Ferrets that are sold in most reputable stores have 1 of their 2 "smell" glands removed by operation, reducing their "smell" to nothing more than any other small mammal pet. There is a liquid you can put in their water that will reduce the smell of their poop and if you maintain their area properlly (clean it once a week) there will never be a lingering smell. Hell, they're "potty trained" from birth. They'll always poop in the same little corner if they have access to it, making clean up a breeze.

On that note, I don't recommend them as pets unless they're going to be the focus of your attention for the most part of the day. They require total attention if they're awake, as they're capable of ANYTHING. Hell I wouldn't leave your auto keys lying around unless you want them to have a Ferris Bueler's Day Out.

Another thing to know, is that having one by itself is almost widely considered to be a big no-no. Unless you're going to be around it 24/7 it can get very lonely and depressed whenever you can't give it attention, and a playmate or two can truly add to it's lifespan. As well as making life more fun/difficult for the owner.

I'm just so tired of hearing people say "Ferrets are mean and smell bad, because my friend had a ferret and etc" Everytime I hear that, the "friend" was just a poor Ferret parent. :mad:
 
North_Ranger

North_Ranger

Staff member
I say get a myna bird and teach it to repeat Blackadder catch phrases.

Or get a cheap parrot from a brothel, although there's some inherent dangers:
When your GF comes to visit: "Too young, too young!"
When your mom comes to visit: "Too old, too old!"
When your dad comes to visit: "Line up, girls! Asses out!"
 
W

Wasabi Poptart

I agree, Shego. I had 2 ferrets. Neither of them smelled nor did they bite. I kept them and their cage clean, and trained them not to bite from the time they were little. My ferrets were awesome! They aren't for everyone. I always say my 2 were training for having a two-year-old child because of the short attention span and how hyper they can be.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Wildsoul: They're wonderous pets, really, but you gotta KNOW what you're getting. There are just WAY too many people who get them expecting one thing and not ready for the reality of it. The bite training though..... I still have scars from the kit nipping. :eek:rly:

sixpackshaker: Our dog is actually more entertained by our aquarium than the cat......
 
S

SeraRelm

Ferret's do smell, a lot. They produce a hefty amount of musk. If you have them de-scented,then you don't have to worry about it as much.
 
O

Oddbot

How bout a guinea pig? I used to have two of em, they were great pets. They're fairly intelligent and definitely have their own personalities. Like ferrets they also poop in the same corner too for easy cleaning (cept my hyperactive one would run around the cage like a maniac spreading all around anyway >.>)
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

I own/have owned alot of pets. Mice, Scorpions, Fish, Ferrets, Cats and Dogs. While they all have their pros and cons, I think in the end, a dog is really the best choice. Nothing gives itself over so completely and so deeply as a dog does.

Oh and for birds? I have to post:
 
Siska

Siska

15 years ago I knew a guy who had a white with yellow plumes, female, cockatoo. It is the friendliest and nicest bird I have ever seen. Not territorial at all and actually liked meeting new people. It wasn't particulary loud either (atleast not while I was there) and accornding to wikipedia they like to sleep in.

Back to this bird... He would have it's wings clipped, so it could walk around freely without him worrying it would get away. Sometimes he would bring it with him outside in his yard (he liked to eat lunch there) and the bird would explore the surronding area and shamelessly beg for food now and then.

I don't recall it ever talking. It's possible it was unable to because of a permanently damaged beak (dog bite) tha needed to be tended to by a vet, regulary.
 
doomdragon6

doomdragon6

Staff member
Shegokigo said:
I own/have owned alot of pets. Mice, Scorpions, Fish, Ferrets, Cats and Dogs. While they all have their pros and cons, I think in the end, a dog is really the best choice. Nothing gives itself over so completely and so deeply as a dog does.

Oh and for birds? I have to post:
Click to expand...
HOLY SHIT AMAZING *WANT*

Ehem.

I mean, uhhh, neato.

I like all the suggestions, guys. In the end, whenever I do wanna commit to a "starter pet" I'll go for the Hedgehog.

Like I said, I'd love something like a Rhino Beetle as a pseudo pet, but I just couldn't find any that would live long enough.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

The problem with insects and arthopods is that they require very tuned and delicate conditions. I lost a scorpion because I simply could not give him the heat AND humidity he required no matter how hard I tried (spent money). :eek:rly:
 
R

rabbitgod

My dog sleeps about 20 hours a day and the other 4 he just lays there looking at us, does that help?
 
K

Kitty Sinatra

ooh, ooh! Pick me! Pick me!


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Or: I'd vote for crow if this was a poll.

(y'all thought I was gonna go for the parrot, right? Yarrrr!)
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

It's a shame you can't get a dog. I've had a few different kinds of pets as well, and none of them compare to my dog. The bonding and loyalty in a dog just isn't found anywhere else.

If it has to be kept in a cage/enclosement, I'll go ahead and throw in a vote for dwarf hamster. They're cute, they're fun to watch, they're fairly easy to care for, and if you get them young and put effort into handling them and getting them used to humans, they won't bite.
 
CynicismKills

CynicismKills

Also with some birds you can just toss a blanket (a thick-ish one) over the cage and they'll normally quiet down. I think it makes them think it's night or something.

I'd also recommend skipping lizards. My roommate has 3 and I just don't get it. They barely know he exists save for the bugs dropping from the sky once a day.
 
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