Friday, October 26, 2012

Pets

I miss having a pet. 

I always lived with at least one cat until Ken (Mr. Allergic) moved in.  Since then I've had to make do with houseplants.  There was that one winter when a snail lived in one of the potted plants that we brought in from the patio.  Sammy.  He was a good boy.  He went back outdoors in the springtime and we never saw him again.

Then there were the Sea Monkeys, but they were neither cute nor cuddly.  They were mainly a pain in the rear.

If Ken and I move into a bigger home next year, I'll be able to have a pet.  We can designate a room for my hobbies, and Ken can stay away from it if there are furred or feathered creatures in there that make him sneezy.  I've been considering my options.

1)  Guinea Pig


Oops - wrong picture!
I meant:



Aw, isn't he/she cute?  GP's are adorable, and unlike some other rodents they are sensible and do their sleeping at night.  They are social animals, so if you want happy guinea pigs you need to put at least two together in the cage.

2)  Bird:


I like the idea of having a really smart bird and teaching it to talk.  On the other hand, I'd feel bad leaving such an intelligent creature locked up in a cage with nothing to do all day. I wouldn't be as interested in having a bird of ordinary intelligence.  I prefer a pet that I can interact with.  If I can't snuggle it, it had better be able to chat with me.

3)  Hedgie


These guys are super-cute, and have some very handy qualities.  They're not rodents, so you can let them out of their cage to have a stroll without worrying that they're going to make a beeline for your computer desk and chew through all the cables.  Also, some of them can learn to use a litterbox.  (Unfortunately you can't tell until you try if your hedgie will be cooperative in that department.)  Also unfortunately, they are nocturnal, so you don't get much facetime during the day.  Fortunately, however, they are solitary animals, so they don't mind hanging out all by themselves.

4) Chubby-face Fish


I just want to moosh this guy's blobbulous cheeks.  I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy keeping fish.  I'm a little concerned that the novelty might wear off pretty quickly and that tank-cleaning duty would be a hassle.  On the other hand, they are beautiful and soothing.  They are quiet, they don't scratch or chew, and they don't shed.

You tell me: which pet should I get?

8 comments:

Jenski said...

Or a bunny! You can litter train them! Birds can live a LONG time, so I say bunny or guinea pigs. Either you can probably adopt from a shelter too.

DarcKnyt said...

I vote fish. They are a pain to set up, but once established, tanks can be pretty easy to take care of. Like any other pet, the care and cleaning is a chore, but unlike other pets, when they die it's a simple thing to send them body surfing down the tubes.

Fish!

Warped Mind of Ron said...

How about a goat??? If nothing else they can help with the yard work by eating weeds and shrubbery.

Adam said...

coincidentally enough, I'm getting my first fish today (if I find one I like that is). I was shocked to find out that goldfish bowls are not suited for goldfish.

Most fish need 19 gallons per fish at the very least, requring a pretty hefty tank. Has something to do with their oxygen levels. I then found out that Betta fish can breath the air we do, so they are recommded for smaller tanks.

So I already have a 1.5 Gallon tank, with the gravel, a betta approved log, betta food, water heater, water filter, and water cleaner.

Hopefully if Petsmart or (I hope I don't have to go down there) Walmart has a Betta fish I like then I'm getting it tonight.

G. B. Miller said...

I'm almost afraid to ask where you found the pic of deep fried guinea pig, but a guinea pig makes a great pet.

Our family has had loads of them throughout the years, and they're pretty good to have around.

Lynn said...

Hmm...cat? They're easy.

Lynn said...

Oops - sorry - now I see Ken is allergic. :)

DarcsFalcon said...

I miss pets too.

Have you considered a poodle? I don't know how severe Ken's allergies are, but many people with them choose poodles because they don't have fur (it's hair) so they don't have the dander issues.

If that's not an option, I vote guinea pig. Birds can be really messy, and g.pigs are more cuddly than fish. :)

Have fun choosing!