Getting a Pet, ideas?

Goldy · December 2007

Well, relatively cheap is a big thing. no dogs, cats, hamsters, snakes or rats. (pretty much just wanted a rat, but, yeah. no.) So the animal needs to be: x fairly in-expensive x social -ish x not smelling at all (or very low odor) - well i need to convience my mom to say yes. if you have any pointers let me know. so. oh and btw she said i could get a beta, but i'm not really intested in fish. i reserve all rights.

HelpTheDogsII · December 2007

bunny, females do not smell that bad and they are very smart

Goldy · December 2007

no bunny. my friend has one (well three) and they have to keep them outside 'cause they smell so bad. i think my mom would even let me get a hamster over that. but then again, they never clean cages. but that'd be a no with my mom. she'd never understand that concept. thanks though. it was thoughtful. if only my mom wasn't so stubborn.

a-sap · December 2007

Leopard geckos are great pets. They are small, cheap, and don't stink. They are very tame, and handable.

Goldy · December 2007

maybe. do you know how much they normally run for? like a step up and animal, food costs, stuff? the works, yeah.

HelpTheDogsII · December 2007

okay i tried.

A bird is good too. A cockatiel is what i want.

they are just loud unless you keep them in a good room

a-sap · December 2007

They usually sell for 15-25 dollars, for a normal colored one that is. Food costs around 2 dollars a week for crikets. Cages you can get for 10-15 dollars as well. A shelter, which can be homemade out of a small plactic container, around 3 dollars Not too much more is needed for them. Depending on the climate where you live, you might need a heat source. If you want, I know a whole bunch of great sites for caring and buying leopard geckos

UnknownDreamland · December 2007

I have two tiels. Keets are nice too.. :P But.. unless you could spend alot of time with it taming a cheap store bird, I wouldn't recommend it. I did that with my male and now he's a sweetie. I'd recommend the males though.

Goldy · December 2007

that'd be cool asap :0 i kinda was leaning towards a bird, but it can't be vocal. and again with the smell. i would perfer a mammal to a reptile, but maybe not over birds. they seem like a lot of work. i just dunno XD thanks guys -squee-

EricaLee · December 2007

Get a lizard xD I know nothing about them, cause my parents won't let me have one, but go for it xD

UnknownDreamland · December 2007

Meh.. My birds aren't bad. The thing that stinks is when the go in there water and I forget to change it. But that's just me being to lazy to change it right then and there. My keets aren't to loud. There are moments, like if they're hungry. But they shut up when you feed them.

a-sap · December 2007

This sight has helped me alot when I got my first gecko: <a href="http://www.geocities.com/geckodistrict/leopard.html"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.geocities.com/geckodistrict/leopard.html</a> I agree with all the information on the sight

ParanoidThoughts8 · December 2007

anoles? theyre little lizards, theyre fairly cheap they come in green and brown and stuff

Goldy · December 2007

that sight was helpful. i'm considering one of those. i know the pet shop here probably has one or two. my uncle has an anole. maybe. i'm really just not into lizards. i kinda wanted a little box turtle, but they aren't real social as far as i know, and i think they tend to smell a lot. ?

UnknownDreamland · December 2007

We had some tree frogs. they were cool. But when they get bigger, they eat mice I think..

DoodleBugHolding · December 2007

I had a baby turtle.. box turtle. And its fun to watch them chase food 0.o :D

Goldy · December 2007

do box turtles cost a lot? i want like, a mini turtle...like a super small one. anyone know of any certain 'breed' of turtles that are small?

DoodleBugHolding · December 2007

Well I heard that turtles stay as small as the cage you keep them in when they are younger. Like a regular empty aquariuam I put mine in and he stayed the size of a quarter for the two years I had him. I think I bought him for 20$ or something of a reptile site.

Boz · December 2007

Not sure if this was said but about about gerbils? They're social little animals

I have both my rabbits in the house and there's little/no smell. If there is, you clean the cage and it's gone. Simple ;] And if someone's rabbits stink that bad that, then they're not cleaning the cages often enough. Either that or the rabbits are sick o.o

Muddy Paws · December 2007

Iguana's... Before you say "no" to one... Due to their size, you can "control" their size, on how big you keep their habitat. I had a female iguana (I'd recommend a female, as males do tend to become a bit more aggressive as they mature) for about 10 yrs. And she only reached a max of 14 inches. This was because we had kept her in a 3x2 ft. long plastic tote. They're very inexpensive (if bought as babies), and can eat a lot of what you do. Such as; spinach leaves, lettuce, carrots... And I did feed my female macaroni and cheese... A few people feed them other things as well... But they cannot have citrus fruit. They dont smell, and if handled for short periods of time as youngsters, will be great pets as they age. They also do good roaming around the house. I had fake trees around the house for the iguana to climb in when we were gone incase she wanted to escape from the dogs or cat. They do, do well with other cats and dogs (as long as the animals dont try to hurt them), but if they try to, they've got good defence (i.e) their tail, which is pretty tough. You can use a clicker to train it to do tricks (tail slap, head bob, hiss, etc.) there's endless possibilities really. We also taught her to use a "litter box" but putting newspaper in said litterbox is a better idea. Cant have cedar chips, or any type of wood chips, as they do tend to eat them, and can choke... And they dont digest the wood too easily. In our female's habitat, we just had newspaper down incase she did make messes outside the litterbox, and just had a heat lamp, as well as a flourescent (sp?) light, and we also used a heat rock that she'd sleep on. They're very easy to care for, dont take too much time to really do anything. Dont really have to handle them, but if you want a good socialized pet that's great when being handled, or around other people, handling it a bit everyday and gradually increasing the time as long as you have it is a good idea. If anything else is needed... Please let me know.

Muddy Paws · December 2007

And to the turtle question... These are just a few turtles I've had over the years. Painted Turtles- 5-8 inches in diameter Bog Turtles- 3-4.5 inches in diameter Mud Turtles- 3-6 inches in diameter Musk Turtles- 3-5 inches in diameter (NOT recommended if you dont want a stinky turtle...) Spotted Turtles- 3-5 inches in diameter And my fave. are Box Turtles... I currently have 3 of these... They do tend to live to 100-120 yrs. if cared for right, and get anywhere from 5 to 8.5 inches in diameter. If not cleaned properly... All these breeds do tend to smell (i.e) not cleaning the habitat once a mo. or so... Which is recommended to keep bacteria from food, and excretement at a minimum.

UnknownDreamland · December 2007

Hehe. PT wouldn't want my dream turtle. ^-^ Get big...Very big.. Well, in my view. They actually start out extremely small! <img src="http://z.about.com/d/exoticpets/1/0/u/A/1/squirtres011.jpg"; alt="http://z.about.com/d/exoticpets/1/0/u/A/1/squirtres011.jpg"; class="bb-image" /> But get big.. I'm trying to find a pic example.. I'll edit. Bah, I can't find any good pics. But this gives you an idea...

What type of HABITAT do red-eared sliders need? Red-eared sliders need a large aquarium filled with water 1.5x deeper than the turtle is wide. When a red-eared slider is full-grown, it will be at least the size of a dinner plate! Turtle owners will need to consider investing in a 72 gallon tank, although even more space may be needed depending on the number of turtles and their size. A UV spotlight and a large flat rock or worn driftwood are important parts of their home. Red-eared sliders will haul out on these objects and bask in the light. The water temperature should remain between 23-28ºC. A fully submersible water heater can be used if needed. These animals are quite active and strong, and any added equipment must have a protective casing. In addition to their activity levels, red-eared sliders are incredibly messy eaters. Powerful water filters and regular water changes are important for managing the water quality in their home. Partial water changes are required every few days, and every month the entire habitat must be thoroughly cleaned. Due to the messy nature of these animal, and the bacterial concerns associated with many reptiles, attention to cleaning schedules for the animals as well as personal hygiene for the pet-owners, should receive special notice. What do red-eared sliders EAT? Red-eared sliders eat mostly fish and insects, but when full-grown will eat a small amount of fruit or vegetables to supplement their diet. Turtles should never be fed hamburger or chicken, raw or cooked. Just like humans, pets can also be effected by the dangers of Salmonella poisoning! Red-eared sliders should be fed 3-4 times per week (every other day), including the addition of fresh fruits and vegetables. Romaine lettuce, carrots and skinless grapes are popular foods for pet turtles. Be careful not to over-feed a red-eared slider. A diet too high in protein may lead to health conditions, including shell deficiencies. How long will the red-eared slider LIVE? On average, red-eared sliders can live for 30-70 years. There are some cases that claim these animals have lived over 100 years! How much does it COST to keep a red-eared slider as a pet? Some municipalities have created bylaws to prohibit the availability of red-eared sliders for purchase in pet stores. These bylaws reflect the increasing incidence of unwanted pets, and their subsequent release into wild wetlands. However, if you have done your research and are prepared for the long-term commitment, you may manage to acquire rescued red-eared sliders from local animal shelters. The equipment to care for these demanding animals can cost between $400-700. This includes the tank, heater and filtration units. The grocery bill for a red-eared slider can range from $5-10 per week. How does the PET TRADE affect red-eared sliders? Red-eared sliders are not good pets for young children due to the risk of Salmonella poisoning. Proper hand washing is essential both before and after handling any turtle. You must also be prepared for a long commitment! The natural range of the red-eared slider is the Southeastern U.S.A., however new populations are now found throughout the U.S.A. and Canada because of people who have released their unwanted pets into the wild. This action is illegal and there are heavy fines associated with this type of species introduction. This type of activity can have a devastating impact on local ecosystems.

Goldy · December 2007

Boz, i can't have a gerbil for sure 'cause my mom places them in the same catagory as hamsters (which are a no). and I know they aren't like hamsters (a few of my friends had them) but it is all what she thinks >< i saw some real cute turtles had the pet shop. they were brown and really small, and they seemed like they were smiling. but they were like 150 bucks i think. i might get one if i can learn some more about them. i need to remember to ask what kind of turtle's they are. yeah. well i know my aunt/uncle/cousin never did clean their rabbit cages much, so that's why my mom is set on the fact that they do in fact smell horrible. which they do if you don't clean their cage for months on end. yuck. i have a real small room. which is were i'd have to keep it. so if i got a pet, the size of the cage at the largest would have to be like 10 maybe 20 gallons. i'm kinda afraid of iguana's. i'm not gonna lie. i don't even know why. i'm not real particular about getting one. but i dunno. i know our pet shop sells them for a really cheap price. Dreamland, i hope you do get your turtle. then you can ride it. just kiddin'

UnknownDreamland · December 2007

LMBO! That cracked me up. Hehe. I love reptiles/big turtles and all dem kinda things. I just hate to feed the live or frozen mice and such. I would if I had one, I couldn't starve it.. but yeah.. I still have more reading to do on the type o' food. But yeah. Iguanas.. Ooh.. You guys are making me want another pet! Of course, I always do. But you're making me want it over a second rabbit! Hehe

DoodleBugHolding · December 2007

Doodle wants to ride a turtle :shock: Hehe I want a Galapogos Giant Turtle 0.o And the iguanas sound like a good idea to me to. But watch out for salmonella.

EricaLee · December 2007

What IS the smallest kind of turtle you can have as a pet? I kindof want one... xD Are they easy to keep and stuff? Sociable? If they stay small, are easy to keep, and sociable I can probably convince my parents to let me get one :]

UnknownDreamland · December 2007

Doodle_Bug wrote:

Doodle wants to ride a turtle :shock: Hehe I want a Galapogos Giant Turtle 0.o And the iguanas sound like a good idea to me to. But watch out for salmonella.

lmbo I'm actually starting to research them. Making 'plans' for things like rescuing.. I never knew much about them. Hehe. I really like the looks of them.

UnknownDreamland · December 2007

Erica wrote:

What IS the smallest kind of turtle you can have as a pet? I kindof want one... xD Are they easy to keep and stuff? Sociable? If they stay small, are easy to keep, and sociable I can probably convince my parents to let me get one :]

<a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061112152716AAuViS0"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 716AAuViS0</a> Look at some info on those breeds of turtles.

DoodleBugHolding · December 2007

I use to have 20 turtles at a time, rescued them off the roads xD and then I had a large medium sized white pickit fence cage I made in teh backyard for them. Where I would regularly give them crickets, fresh fruit, and vegetables. BTW Box turtles love cranberries like the sweet ones, or even the gelly. Its the wierdest thing ever. And if you give them slugs it gives them the hiccups.

UnknownDreamland · December 2007

Aw.. That's sweet! You don't do that anymore?

Goldy · December 2007

Paranoid wants a turtle. i decided. now i need to decide on a small-ish one to get ^^ help

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Getting a Pet, ideas?

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