land animals

[ThatFishGirl6231]

ok so while fish are AMAZING to watch and stuff, you can’t hold them or really interact with them. i have a dog but she’s a family dog. i want my OWN pet. i really want a pet that i can interact with and i’ve done research on different snakes, lizards, frogs, geckos, rats, bunnies, bird, guinea pigs, chickens, tarantulas, hissing cockroaches, etc. if it’s an animal and you can have it as a pet, i’ve done endless research on it. problem is, my dad has specific things he wants in a pet. here’s the list:

-not smelly
-not noisy
-not too big of cage
-not messy

oh well then i should get some sort of snake or insect or something right? wrong. it also can’t be:

-a snake
-a spider
-any animal that is considered a creepy crawly

oh so maybe i should get a giant african land snail right? nope they’re too gross and slimy. at this point i’m just trying to find a pet that my dad would approve of. i know i might seem irresponsible because i am willing to have any pet, but i do research, and to me, all animals are equal. help me i want a pet.

oh also i’m 13 so i would want a pet that lives like 5-10 years, so i don’t have to deal with it during college.

 

[OliveFish05]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I have heard gerbils are interactive, social, smell so much less than hamsters, are quiet for the most part, live maybe 5 years (not quite sureee on that) and you can have 3 or 4 in a moderately sized inclosure (Which, depending on the design of the enclosure, shouldn’t be messy at all. I’m actually designing a cage for my hamster so that after he dies I can have gerbils)


A cat could potentially be a good choice too! It would need a small area for a litter box, small climbing structure with scratching post and bed/hide house, food and water dishes, and other minor things. As long as a cat has mental stimulation and exercise it shouldn’t damage furniture.


A rabbit could be a possibility, but I will tell you their urine is awful. They need to be trained to use a litter box, then you need to diligently maintain the litter box. They have so much personality though and are definitely worth consideration (I can tell you all about my experience with rabbits if you wanted)

 

[Boundava]

Cats can live up to 20 years, so that is out. Gerbils and hamsters are very smelly, they piss as they walk. Had a childhood friend that had a few and it was about as smelly as a rabbit.

Guinea pig? Though they can be smelly if not maintained.

Is a frog slimy? You could get a frog terrarium, dart frogs live 10-15 years.

Good luck in your search.

 

[OliveFish05]

Cats can live up to 20 years, so that is out.

There are always cats in shelters, of all ages. The op may be open to adopting a grown cat, if that is the best choice for them, their situation, and their family. I figured it was at least worth mentioning?

 

[Boundava]

There are always cats in shelters, of all ages. The op may be open to adopting a grown cat, if that is the best choice for them, their situation, and their family. I figured it was at least worth mentioning?

Yes that is correct, I have 4 cats, 3 adopted (2 at 3 and 4 years, one at 6 months) and one street rescue kitten (big trouble in little kitten-holds true even at almost 2 years-she's the cat in my avatar). Not many 13 year olds want a mature cat unfortunately. Not to say OP wouldn't but my experience volunteering at a no kill shelter showed how hard it was for the older cats to find homes. Sorry if my reply seemed curt, not my intention.

 

[Sgooosh]

a budgie?
i dont think they need a big cage as they're always out of the cage following u around.


nice to see another 13yr old in ca!

 

[Lajos_Detari]

In my opinion, most animals are smelly unless you can keep them really clean.
The bigger the animal, the bigger is the poo, the worse is the smell and the harder to keep them clean.

Animals can carry diseases and pest with them.
Animals that have hair, fur, feathers can carry mites, fleas with them. And mites and fleas can even transmit disease to human.
Animals such as dogs and cats need to be dewormed and you will need to bring them to the vet for health check every now and then.

That is why I'm keeping "only fish".
But even with fish, I must ensure that my tank water is change frequently and the water has zero ammonia and nitrite to prevent any smelly tanks.
Also, remove as much algae as possible as algae smell can be quite strong.

When I was young, I kept some very small spiders(not the big spiders).
Some are very colourful with red, yellow, silver and some have dark green colours which are beautiful.

Anyway, my advice is keep only fish and maintain the tanks frequently.
Treat your aquariums like your televisions and you will be satisfied.
Lastly, keep only beautiful and intelligent fish.

Let me know if you need suggestions of fish species.

 

[Sunnyspots]

I know you've looked at rats, but what about a pair of females? They're not smelly if you keep them well cleaned out, wash their hammocks and bathe them. They don't want a noisy wheel. If you have high enough sides on their cage they won't make a mess. But they do need a reasonable sized cage. So it depends what your dad considers to be big.

I used to rescue rats. They are fantastic pets. One used to groom my eyebrows!

 

[NannaLou]

Definitely rats over a hamster, gerbils or mice. Less smelly (from memories of children promising to clean them out) and much more sociable. George used to get into my dressing gown pocket, come downstairs, share a biscuit (not the same one) while watching tv in the evening and then back in the pocket to go back to bed I think I spent more time with him than my son did

 

[Fishmanic]

How bout a bearded dragon

A Guide to Caring for Bearded Dragons as Pets

Bearded dragons are popular pet lizards, even for beginners. Find out how to properly care for these sturdy, fascinating-looking reptiles.

www.thesprucepets.com

 

[NannaLou]

How bout a bearded dragon

A Guide to Caring for Bearded Dragons as Pets

Bearded dragons are popular pet lizards, even for beginners. Find out how to properly care for these sturdy, fascinating-looking reptiles.

www.thesprucepets.com

They have to be fed the “not allowed” creepy crawlies

 

[OliveFish05]

a budgie?
i dont think they need a big cage as they're always out of the cage following u around.


nice to see another 13yr old in ca!

Budgies are awesome, so much personality and color packed into such a small, easy companion, but man are they LOUD. My sisters have 4 in their bedroom and they giggle and squawk at eachother all night long, and I have my own in my bedroom (he gets play dates with the others so he isn’t lacking entirely in social interaction) and he sings to himself all day long.

 

[Sgooosh]

Budgies are awesome, so much personality and color packed into such a small, easy companion, but man are they LOUD. My sisters have 4 in their bedroom and they giggle and squawk at eachother all night long, and I have my own in my bedroom (he gets play dates with the others so he isn’t lacking entirely in social interaction) and he sings to himself all day long.

yeah...
that's a bummer...
a pair would make a racket lol
i always wanted a bird.
budgie is the perfect size bird!

 

[Uberhoust]

I would vote for rats as well though often the males are friendlier. I have had rats myself and our kids have had them. As far as the mess and smell goes, keeping the cage clean helps a lot. I haven't been bitten by a rat but I have a particular memory of a hamster hanging onto my thumb by its teeth. Rats are super affectionate once they know you, and they like to play.

Budgies are also very personable, and intelligent, with them you have to keep on top of the dust. The boys each had one of them as well. One budgie would go on bike rides with the kids.

I have had many reptiles/amphibians over the years, though most have been rescues, and they just do not have the same bonding to you that even my fish seem to have. There could well be friendlier ones I just never had one.

I fully understand your fathers point of view though, because often the parent ends up having to deal with the inevitable issues. I am not saying that is the case in your household but consider are there ever times when you are asked to deal with something from your fish your parents do not like? pump noise, spilt water, smell of gravel in a pail from the last cleaning... The more those issues are dealt with sooner by you the more receptive most parents would be to allowing a pet into the house. The bargaining to keep more pets does not get better when you are older, I still have to make a case to my wife before getting new fish or a tank because she has to live in the house too and what I do affects her life as well.

 

[Sgooosh]

I would vote for rats as well though often the males are friendlier. I have had rats myself and our kids have had them. As far as the mess and smell goes, keeping the cage clean helps a lot. I haven't been bitten by a rat but I have a particular memory of a hamster hanging onto my thumb by its teeth. Rats are super affectionate once they know you, and they like to play.

Budgies are also very personable, and intelligent, with them you have to keep on top of the dust. The boys each had one of them as well. One budgie would go on bike rides with the kids.

I have had many reptiles/amphibians over the years, though most have been rescues, and they just do not have the same bonding to you that even my fish seem to have. There could well be friendlier ones I just never had one.

I fully understand your fathers point of view though, because often the parent ends up having to deal with the inevitable issues. I am not saying that is the case in your household but consider are there ever times when you are asked to deal with something from your fish your parents do not like? pump noise, spilt water, smell of gravel in a pail from the last cleaning... The more those issues are dealt with sooner by you the more receptive most parents would be to allowing a pet into the house. The bargaining to keep more pets does not get better when you are older, I still have to make a case to my wife before getting new fish or a tank because she has to live in the house too and what I do affects her life as well.

itd be cool to ride a bike with a bird!!!!!