Pets

[Nasher]

Fish are a much more "advanced" hobby than most people think. You need to get the balance right or they'll just get ill and die, or eat each other. It can get really expensive too.

 

[koolpc]

Crocodile?

 

[Tee Hee Johnson]

Budiges, we have a couple and they are very entertaining.

 

[wedrum]

growing up my mate said his dad had a bear that lived in the loft that used to pump iron on his uncles weights and could jet ski too.

true story apparently.

so get a bear.

 

[glenimp617]

guinea pig with a funny hair do

 

[Janesy B]

My wife has tropical fish and even though she loves them, she's been through a lot of deaths and stress with them dying for reasons unknown, unidentifiable diseases etc. One of the worst things was coming to the tank one afternoon and the three shrimps had been torn apart by something, each snapped in half. We never found out what it was, it was brutal. The fish are beautiful but I don't know if their attractiveness outweighs the issues experienced at the end of the day.

Shrimps shed so that it looks like they snapped in half but really it's their old skin, legs and all.

I keep fish but you need to keep to weekly water changes, cleaning the tank and replacing filter media etc. Awful pets for kids.

 

[Azza]

Chickens?

 

[Lysander]

Shrimps shed so that it looks like they snapped in half but really it's their old skin, legs and all.

I was waiting for someone to say this: they hadn't shed - my first thought was that they were shrimp skins but no, all three had been snapped in half and their insides had gone lightly pink like prawns, that's how you know they're dead. It was very weird.

 

[HoneyBadger]

Get a Kraken. That way you can legitimately say "Release the kraken" which means you're cooler than cool.

 

[Janesy B]

I was waiting for someone to say this: they hadn't shed - my first thought was that they were shrimp skins but no, all three had been snapped in half and their insides had gone lightly pink like prawns, that's how you know they're dead. It was very weird.

Fair enough, I have ghost shrimp so a shell looks a lot like a dead body. I've had two shrimp go after a poorly fish and they tore it to bits, was quite disturbing.

 

[robfosters]

Bearded Dragon?

They're more interesting than a tortoise while still being fairly child friendly.

Great pets, but the kids might not be too keen on their food.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Crocodile?

^This!
You can always make it into a belt and matching boots when the kids inevitably get bored of it!

Get a Kraken. That way you can legitimately say "Release the kraken" which means you're cooler than cool.

Not worth the hassle of sourcing food, as virgins are in short supply, and there's always some Greek scrote round the corner who'll turn it to stone for a laugh.

 

[Street]

Cats don't need you to be home much, do they?

I think our cats would actually prefer it if we only turned up when it was feeding time!

 

[Fubsy]

Yea don't discount cats, very low maintenance. Just need to be fed, give fuss when they demand it and some play interaction if they don't go out much. They also bring "gifts".

A sane cat cat however, will ensure it stays far away from the children. They can't be bothered with them.

 

[Sirrel Squirrel]

Cats are super easy but they don't particularly like hanging around children or they just go out all day and night and you only see them for food.

What about a couple of rats (same sex), they're pretty fun and smart too.

 

[Junglist]

^^ I've never kept rats but I know plenty of people who swear by them. As far as rodents go it seems they actually are rather sociable with humans and enjoy the companionship. As opposed to the Russian dwarf hamsters and gerbils I kept as a child who seemed hell bent on running under the nearest bit of heavy furniture

How about a house rabbit? An old friend of mine had one that was really tame and would go toilet in the corner of his cage.

 

[Mr Badger]

I'm not really a cat person but they seem easy enough to look after:

 

[secretspy]

Cats are super easy but they don't particularly like hanging around children or they just go out all day and night and you only see them for food.

Agreed. We got cats when I was 8/9 and my sister was 13/14 so they were ok with us but I think 4 and 6 is too young really. They are fairly low maintenance though.

My sister re-homed a cat. Her youngest child is 6 but the kids are so loud that the cat decided to climb up the tree in their garden and wouldn't come down for hours
To be fair I don't blame him. I get a headache just sitting in the same room as the kids for half an hour lol

 

[Dis86]

Dupe

 

[Dis86]

^^ I've never kept rats but I know plenty of people who swear by them. As far as rodents go it seems they actually are rather sociable with humans and enjoy the companionship. As opposed to the Russian dwarf hamsters and gerbils I kept as a child who seemed hell bent on running under the nearest bit of heavy furniture

How about a house rabbit? An old friend of mine had one that was really tame and would go toilet in the corner of his cage.

Rabbits are a big investment. Really wouldn't advise on them as a first pet. They're a 10 year commitment minimum.

I say this as someone with 3 house rabbits.

 

[Dis86]

Dupe.

 

[Junglist]

Rabbits are a big investment. Really wouldn't advise on them as a first pet. They're a 10 year commitment minimum.

I say this as someone with 3 house rabbits.

Think you mean you say that as someone who is owned by 3 house rabbits!

What about the slightly bigger, and probably more self-confident, rodents like a Degu or Chinchilla?

Or a Budgie!! I loved my grandmothers Budgie and Cockatiels