What pet is right for me?

Squattingdog · 02-09-2011, 01:30 PM

I'm looking to buy/adopt a pet. I'm open to nearly all suggestions besides ferrets and chinchillas. Just a little about myself... I'm 24 years old, I own a house in the woods, I work full time and I do go out on the weekends at night time. I have a fair amount of free time to dedicate towards a pet and I have enough income to afford one. At first I really wanted a dog, but I'm getting nervous about getting one due to lack of time I could spend with it. So what pet do you think would suit me best?

ripdisc · 02-09-2011, 02:21 PM

cats are a little more independant. if you work full time and go out a lot on weekends you wont get to spend as much time with a dog as the dog would like. fish are a funny hobby/pet.

**shunut** · 02-09-2011, 02:56 PM

Cats are more independent than dogs, and since you have a litter box, leaving them for extended periods of time would be easier. Cats love companionship, so if you were to get a cat, I might suggest you get 2, so that when you are not home, they aren't lonely and have someone to play with.

Fish are cool, don't require a TON of work (freshwater fish, saltwater can be a little more work) and don't care if you aren't there for a while, as long as they are getting their food daily. Fish don't really do anything though. When you come home from work at the end of a long day, they do greet you at the door and don't get excited to see you.

A bird may be a viable option. Some sort of parrot, African Grey, Macaw, Cockatoo, etc. Birds don't require much work, feed them, give them water, clean their cage, but you get a little more feedback from them than you do fish, especially if you get one that talks (African Greys are the smartest).

Hope that helps a little.

ripdisc · 02-09-2011, 04:17 PM

with birds definatly consider two as well. they arent much work but birds like a lot of interaction. our bird eats like crap and plucks his feathers if you leave for a couple days...

do you want something cuddly or just something to watch or what?

capncarl16 · 02-09-2011, 10:33 PM

Lizards ftw

Get bunkered (Banned) · 07-11-2012, 09:12 PM

I have a fully setup saltwater reef tank 30 gallons all the best equipment fish rock and sand its also for sale pm me its not that hard to keep care of perfect for your scenario

vitaniya · 07-12-2012, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ripdisc

cats are a little more independant. if you work full time and go out a lot on weekends you wont get to spend as much time with a dog as the dog would like. fish are a funny hobby/pet.

Yep~~~~~cat is a great choice!

Angel_Owner_188200 · 07-12-2012, 02:11 PM

As an adult my son wanted a Cat, so we got 2. They were awesome no worries only to feed them and clean their boxes...

Now my daughter and wife have to ****zu dogs.. ugh i hate dogs, He pisses all over and She is chewing up everything...

So cats are better than dogs....

T1tanrush · 07-12-2012, 02:46 PM

It depends if you want something to cuddle, a display animal, what interests you? I have 2 cats, a rabbit, rat, 3 hampsters, cockroaches, 3 snakes (11 foot, 12 foot, and 14 foot long ea), and a 4.5 foot lizard. As soon as I move into my new house at the start of next year I'm getting a puppy too.

For me, I don't really enjoy the cuddly things. I hate cats, I just happened to have ended up with 2 I really enjoy- but I got them mainly for my fiance. When I wanted a pet, I looked for something that could keep my interest, be a challenge to keep, and potentially give me a little bit of adrenaline handling. I ended up with a lizard that will hit 6-7 foot long, and she's a great display animal, but she didn't feel "dangerous" enough for me, I didn't have to try to really take care of her. Ended up moving into big snakes, and they keep me on my toes, give me an insane workout (muscles getting ripped bro), and provide me some adrenaline as well as having wonderful display animals..

Identify what you're looking for in a pet, then go after that pet, it makes it so much easier to do it that way than just decide what to get.

Elo160 · 07-13-2012, 03:26 AM

If you want a pet that eats babies then get a caucAsian Shepard.
No but seriously, you could get a blonde lab. Mine is so calm. And see the dog in my avatar? Thats one of mine. They are very playful but for the most part are calm when you want them to be.

comom · 07-13-2012, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elo160

...No but seriously, you could get a blonde lab...

I think you mean a yellow Lab. Labs only come in three colors- black, chocolate and yellow. What most people refer to as blonde, is really a light yellow. Not trying to be snooty- the white/blonde/golden/champagne/silver thing is one of my pet peeves.

Back to the topic at hand- how about a couple of rats? They're smart, trainable, social and can be just as affectionate as a dog. And, like cats, there is no need to find someone to let them out. Obviously, tho, if you go on vacation, you'd have to find someone to feed and water them.

T1tanrush · 07-13-2012, 02:12 PM

Rats suck. Everyone says they don't bite, but they do.

comom · 07-14-2012, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T1tanrush

Rats suck. Everyone says they don't bite, but they do.

Not neccesarily- just like with dogs, some are nippy, some aren't. The two biggest things to keep in mind is that they don't see well, and are prey animals.