What makes a species an ok pet?

[AnnO'Neemus]

A friend in Texas has sort of tamed/befriended a possum/opossum (what's the difference?)

 

[Edie]

I think dogs are the only pet worth having. Cats are pointless, you gotta be a mug Keeping small animals in cages or enclosures is cruel (and just a bit weird for adults to do ). People who keep creatures we rightly fear like snakes, spiders or reptiles feel like like they’ve got summat to prove, kinda ‘statement’ creatures like those dog breeds which people think makes them look hard. Birds you just gotta think what is actually wrong with you. Fish I can actually understand.

But you know I own a fucking sausage dog so what do I know. What kind of human buys a dog bred to be deformed purely because it’s cute and makes them laugh. That shits fucked up

 

[tonysingh]

I think dogs are the only pet worth having. Cats are pointless, you gotta be a mug Keeping small animals in cages or enclosures is cruel (and just a bit weird for adults to do ). People who keep creatures we rightly fear like snakes, spiders or reptiles feel like like they’ve got summat to prove, kinda ‘statement’ creatures like those dog breeds which people think makes them look hard. Birds you just gotta think what is actually wrong with you. Fish I can actually understand.

But you know I own a fucking sausage dog so what do I know. What kind of human buys a dog bred to be deformed purely because it’s cute and makes them laugh. That shits fucked up

That's not even close to why I, and every other keeper I know, has snakes, spiders or reptiles. They're fascinating animals to have and rewarding to keep if you research and put the work in, much like any other animal.


My dog is also one of them statement breeds you mention and I have him because he's spot on the right breed for me in terms of temperament, size, exercise needs, everything.

But hey, thanks for the character assassination.

 

[Edie]

That's not even close to why I, and every other keeper I know, has snakes, spiders or reptiles. They're fascinating animals to have and rewarding to keep if you research and put the work in, much like any other animal.


My dog is also one of them statement breeds you mention and I have him because he's spot on the right breed for me in terms of temperament, size, exercise needs, everything.

But hey, thanks for the character assassination.

I’m yanking your chain Tony I actually admire your knowledge about the creepy crawlies

 

[Edie]

Is maybe a leetle bit true tho? Just sayin

 

[Thora]

Given our kids are making suggestions for a rodent of some kind (only real serious contenders would be a pair of rats or guinea pigs), following thread.

Re: neutering, tbf with cats it’s not just about your individual cat but both the other cats in the locale and the legions of as yet unborn cats.


I think it has been answered that sloths would not be great pets, but the first thing to come to my mind is they only poo once a week

Guinea pigs are great pets! They’re very chatty and interactive and like being stroked and cuddled. They don’t bite.
They do poo an enormous amount though. And need a big cage and to be our every day.
Ours are quite pampered so live inside over the winter and overnight.

I don’t think they would leave if they could, they’re so domesticated they are very human-oriented. If you lost one you’d just have to open the fridge and they’d come running.

 

[tommers]

The more I keep pets the more I wonder who it's for. I used to have a lizard (a green anole) and he'd come out every day and puff out his dewlaps to attract a mate and obviously no other lizard would turn up and eventually he just got really depressed and it broke my heart.

And now we have a dog and I just think she'd be much happier running with a pack somewhere chasing down prey, having fights and just being a dog. I mean she is an odd dog but she doesn't seem to enjoy our company a huge amount. She's pleased to see us but she sleeps upstairs most of the time.

Cats never seem bothered, but maybe cos they actually get everything they want anyway.

 

[Agent Sparrow]

Guinea pigs are great pets! They’re very chatty and interactive and like being stroked and cuddled. They don’t bite.
They do poo an enormous amount though. And need a big cage and to be our every day.
Ours are quite pampered so live inside over the winter and overnight.

I don’t think they would leave if they could, they’re so domesticated they are very human-oriented. If you lost one you’d just have to open the fridge and they’d come running.

I was telling my kids about some we met that seemed to think that if they couldn’t see you, you couldn’t see them. Not the most advanced evolved strategy to danger, but thankfully they were only at risk of cuddles

 

[bellaozzydog]

I’m considering a cat but it would be a roof top terrain cat as it’s Cat flap would be two storeys up.
Wondering how a cat would work with the sea pigeon gangs on the roofs

Goes off and Google’s cats versus sea pigeons

ETA blimey that’s a real YouTube wormhole to go down

 

[WouldBe]

I was telling my kids about some we met that seemed to think that if they couldn’t see you, you couldn’t see them. Not the most advanced evolved strategy to danger, but thankfully they were only at risk of cuddles

My husky seems to think you can't see her if she stands side on behind a tree with a stupid grin on her face.

 

[Thora]

 

[Knotted]

Apparently skunks can be kept as pets and its legal in the UK.

I've heard they make good pets. I know somebody who knows somebody who had one. I've also had a talk with an exotic pet store owner who has a few. They're really easy going and lazy animals that are cute as buttons. Powerful diggers though, so difficult to keep locked up. And crucially don't spray unless really threatened. I'm too afraid of them spraying to get one.

 

[WouldBe]

I've heard they make good pets. I know somebody who knows somebody who had one. I've also had a talk with an exotic pet store owner who has a few. They're really easy going and lazy animals that are cute as buttons. Powerful diggers though, so difficult to keep locked up. And crucially don't spray unless really threatened. I'm too afraid of them spraying to get one.

Gas masks are easy to pickup from army surplus stores.

 

[tim]

Try finding longjohns for tropical fish.

I keep tropical fish in me underpants.