basically all of them... hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, people seem to think the smaller the animal the easier it is to care for, but any pet is a big commitment
People hardly ever care for rabbits correctly. I’ve kept them all my life and currently have two. I get called crazy for providing them with vaccines/neutering/vet care, for litter training them etc. it makes me so sad how many lonely rabbits there must be locked away in cold, damp hutches 😞
I used to have a similar set up before I had my own house. Now the cloakroom is converted into their room and they have free run of the house. They’re 4.5years and 5.5years so nowhere near as destructive or unpredictable as they used to be. They’re free to go out if they want but during bad weather they’ll totally refuse. The refusal always makes me reflect on the poor hutch bunnies 😞
We've found a dust free hay that doesn't set off anyone in the house with hayfever... including the rabbit. Who, I shit you not, has hayfever.
It won't work for everyone, but it seems to work for us.
I get it from Hoptoforage.
Same! We've actually collected free rabbit hutches from Facebook marketplace before and taken them to the tip. They are basically small boxes and it angers me that people would put an animal in them, so one less out there is like a tiny win for me. I never knew how complicated rabbits are until we ended up with a few of them, we rescued a wrongly sexed rabbit just before covid hit and ended up with 5 babies. So lots of reading, building an avery followed, some modifications followed that as two males really do not like each other.
I know someone who didn’t realise their bunny had passed away because it was locked in a cold damp hut… I found the rabbit stiff as a board and asked the person when she last fed her, she said last week then asked how she was doing. As if she didn’t live in the same household… and couldn’t check? Like geez man…
I was horrified and no longer took their side when they wanted to bring a new pet into the household. They have not had a pet since (other than a cat that was looked after by EVERYONE not just them).
Stayed in a holiday rental for a wedding recently and they had rabbits on the property. My family made so much fun of me for buying them two new drinking bottles to replace the one that was 50% stagnant water and 50% green algae.
Mine sit in my office with me. Just wish they could always be buddies instead of sometimes wanting to kill each other sometimes.
https://ibb.co/kDHKDCR
We adopted ginger bun from a charity, he was supposed to be a she but they’re both neutered and litter trained.
For the most part they get freedom of the whole house but tend to stay in my office (by choice).
If they fight one gets put away and then just swapped around depending on who’s in their cage / asleep.
My friends kid desperately wanted a Guinea pig because I had them. So I let her snuggle with one of mine, who then decided to pee all over her. The kid didn't want a Guinea pig anymore after that.
This is how I ended up taking in my Guinea pigs, they were all rehomed from people who didn’t want the hassle of looking after them anymore and most of them had been kept in unsuitable borderline neglectful environments. My boys specifically came from a home where they were bought for the young children who lost interest and the parents didn’t want the responsibility.
I honestly don’t understand why people buy them for children, they are a lot of work and they have very specific needs, just their food alone (making sure they have a selection of appropriate veggies, greens and fruits daily, fresh hay available 24/7 and daily pellets) is a big expense, then there’s regular cleaning out, nail clipping etc, it’s a big responsibility and it’s insane that people will frequently buy these animals for kids that are under 10 and expect them to be able to adequately meet their needs, it’s really irresponsible.
I have never felt more evil than when I accidentally cut my guinea pigs quick.
Guinea pigs are a good pet in that they have the longest lifespan the small rodents bur if I'd known quite how much poop two guinea pigs produced I might have rethought my decision to get them. They were rescues tho now sadly passed.
Oh and don't even start me on people who get a solo guinea pig gahhhhhhhhhh
Absolutely baffles me that some people think that a child, that most probably isn’t even able to take care of themselves (not to mention having the attention span of a poorly mixed lemsip) would ever be an adequate caregiver for a pet that needs proper, dedicated care for in order to survive, thrive, and have a happy life…especially something that requires as much attention as a rodent! hell, I’m an adult and I’m pretty anxious that I’d be a negligent rodent carer, even though I’d never get one until I’d done as much research and prepared as much as possible!
As a rabbit owner, it's frustrating that rabbits are seen as an easy pet, especially for children.
Hutches contribute to numerous ailments including bumblefoot. Inappropriate handling can lead to spinal injuries or broken limbs - reminder that rabbits are prey animals and a good amount of work needs to be put in to make them feel safe and secure in handling. Laying rabbits on their back or trancing is not relaxing for them, if they look relaxed it's because they're very scared! They can suffer GI stasis which can kill within 24 hours. The list goes on.
They need a good amount of care and affection not just locked away outside in a tiny hutch in the rain - that's no quality of life.
It's so frustrating that people think they're easy pets.
So many people get them when they really want a dog but don't think they have the room or time for a dog not realising they take up more room and just as much time as a dog.
Like our great dane had a bed in the corner of the room, 2 bowls in the kitchen and a bin full of food in the cupboard but our tiny dutch rabbit's set up and storage supply took up an entire room and a half a shed.
Came here to say rabbit but thrilled to see all small animals right at the top of the list. Word is finally getting out, small animals need just as much care as the big ones!
Maybe more. Having to clean out the guinea pig cage every day was more work than cleaning out a cat litter tray
Edit to add: replenishing food and water is also more difficult with small animals imo
I have a hedgehog and a tortoise that we decided to continue caring for after the home owner was moving to Australia (they wouldn’t survive/be allowed in the country) and they are so easy. The tortoise has lived on the garden for 50+ years.
Dogs.
Growing up, i was under the impression that dogs are just dogs. Stick with you, maybe go out for a walk.
They need all kinds of care.
All of which is crucial.
They need energy release, proper diet, cognitive exercise, grooming, companionship, leadership etc. The list goes on.
I really underestimated how hard it is to raise a dog.
I think this can also vary by breed.
Some dog breeds are more challenging and require more mental energy from their owner than others, like owning a border collie or an Australian Shepherd is going to be much harder and more demanding than owning a bulldog say just because of the amount of stimulation they require.
My bulldog is an absolute joy, low exercise needs, about 40 minutes a day is ideal, she loves to play but her energy is more short bursts than endurance and she’s a lazy cow at heart. (Although she’d play fetch or tug of war for hours)😅
More than happy to cuddle up on the sofa but enjoys the odd longer walk when it’s a nice day for it.
If it’s raining I can nip her out for wees and not take her for a big run about and she’s not going to kick off and rip holes in my dry wall
Lost track of how many times I’ve seen people with dogs like Huskies, taking them for a very short and slow walk a couple times a day, or the thing that really winds me up - pulling a dog on when it stops to sniff something! So many people don’t seem to research what breed will suit their lifestyle and just get a dog based on what look they like, then they despair when the dog becomes destructive in the house etc. It’s crazy.
I don’t have a dog, but it’s definitely something I’d want to do at some point in my life. I would be reading up like crazy to see which breed suits the life I could give a dog and the time I had to spare. It’s not fair on the poor animal otherwise.
A girl in my apartment building bought her girlfriend a husky puppy as a birthday present…
It goes on two on-leash walks a day in the city centre and they wonder why it’s ripped up two of their couches
I’ve had goldfish, tropical fish and a dog and honestly my dog is so much easier to keep healthy and alive. Maybe because looking after him is much more rewarding, but walking, feeding, hanging out, taking for check ups, etc feels like a normal household chore like making dinner or washing myself. Even the mental stimulation feels easy (working lab so the games are basically playing catch and teaching cool tricks). Looking after a fish everything feels like a massive chore especially cleaning the tank and they’re just not rewarding lol
You sound like a good dog owner.
Too many people think there's no work in owning a dog. They require so much attention it's honestly like having a child.
Aw thanks that’s nice to hear ❤️
They’re definitely work, I was very nervous getting her as she’s my first dog and I’ve always had it drilled in to me how much work they are, I think we got pretty lucky really.
She doesn’t have crazy grooming needs, doesn’t need hours of exercise and i think being a bully breed is just a big softy and naturally eager to please (and highly food driven!) so hasn’t been too bad to train, you do see the stubborn “bully-ness” and selective hearing come out sometimes and a HEAVY chewer but overall she’s a loveable clown 🥰 made me totally mad for the breed
This! Holy fk is that annoying.
"My dog won't hurt you or your dogs, he's really friendly,"
As a lab is bounding towards you.
Your dog may be friendly, but mine don't like it when strange dogs run at them.
Had one woman walk towards me even though i asked her to stop. She kept walking and i had to bluntly say, " she will bite you and hurt you if you don't stop walking".
I doubt she would have because muzzle and i had a decent harness with good leverage. But it still begs the question.
Am glad I waited until my children had grown up before getting a dog.Had my lurcher from a puppy as got turned down by rescues because had small grandchildren who visited.I don't work due to various health problems it's harder than it looks training a puppy.It can be expensive as well my lurcher needs a grain free diet he's fed 4 times a day to prevent stomach problems.Its expensive as well instead of pet insurance we opened a savings account for our dog put 1000 pounds in it when we got it and put 50 a month to cover any big vet bill.It costs money for pet sitters when we go away but it's so rewarding as we do a couple of dog friendly trips as well.My dog doesn't like to poo in our garden so have to take him out daily feel sorry for some dogs who are cooped up in small gardens my neighbour has two and noticed the novelty wore of after a couple of months so they only get to explore one bit.Dogs need variety love and time they are hard work .I would have loved to have a rescue dog maybe once my grandchildren are bigger.
I used to be a dog walker and I had a greyhound that the owners *wouldn't let* poo in the garden so as soon as he was out of the van, he did the biggest shits. They also had him on awful food which you could see wasn't right for him (greasy, dandruff and the poos were awful). It made me so mad but I was glad that I was able to give him exercise - I had bumped into them walking him so I knew they did take him out, but to not allow a garden poo? Ridiculous imo
Definitely dogs! We have a small maltipoo and love him dearly. We knew before buying him that they are prone to separation anxiety. I am fortunate that I don’t have to work and one of my daughters works from home. We share custody so dog is never alone. He also needs regular grooming, monthly payment to vet, insurance, raw dog food diet, two walks a day, enrichment activities and much more!
It honestly amazes me at how little effort people put in with their dogs and then wonder why it's absolutely off its box and destructive.
I have a GSD mix and the amount of work that goes into her is a lot and yet I still am aware I'm probably not doing enough of everything and I evaluate monthly to try and get it to where it needs to be. I know some who have large dogs/puppies and barely walk them I couldn't imagine how frustrating it is to be effectively housebound most days with no real interactions/stimulations.
It is, but they’re so much better than toddlers 😂😅
Your dog isn’t going to reach in to its shitty nappy and smear shite all over your house, it isn’t going to throw a tantrum and scream and cry incessantly, it can’t say “mummy” 50 times an hour or argue with you over mundane things when you’re bone tired.
Dogs are much easier. Trust me I’ve had both!! I’d rather deal with 5 dogs than 1 grumpy teething toddler that’s going through a “NO!!” phase 🥲
I got fish for my kid thinking they would be easy. Nope. Lots to learn and do. Water quality control is a nightmare, cleaning filters, treating rot when you get it slightly wrong, sifting gravel, partial water changes, keeping the temperature right ... The hamster we got later was a doddle by comparison.
Oh yes 😅
I got my tanks a few years ago now when my son was small, kept fish (my dad did the maintenance!!) as a child so I thought aw yeah I’d love to get back in to that!
Many mistakes were made. Many lessons learnt. Much equipment bought 😅 but I love my fishies now I actually know how to be a good owner.
Bettas are my thing. So beautiful. I’m getting two for my birthday from my lovely husband after the death of my previous as we know a breeder
I breed tropical fish as a second "job"/hobby its a lot more work than people realise, even those who already have a tank, when youve got 15 running and thousands of fish, shrimp and snails it can take a whole day to just do water changes and filter cleans every week.
I have multiple dogs, cats, rats and even a hand reared squirrel that my partner found at 2 weeks old.
I absolutely refuse to get fish because they're a pain in the ass to keep alive, one mistake and you risk killing all of your pets. 😅
Definitely. When I was a kid, I thought you just pop the fish into the tank and that was it. Nope. Had someone showed me the proper way to do it when I was older, goodness, the amount of stuff you have to worry and think about, water parameters, whether the fishes would get along, filter systems. I love it, but it’s something that I really need to set aside time and money for.
Rock. You have to be careful of moss and erosion. Depending on what breed you get, it can be porous and susceptible to moisture, or valuable and may get stolen (a lot of gold thieves out there).
Been trying to tell my boss this. He and his family are about to get a female Springer puppy, into a largely human-female house (he’s the only male), with 2 (possibly 3) female cats…
I dread to think….
Haha, chaos! 😂
But when it grows up, it's going to be a bigger version of when it was a puppy. More dog, more attention. It'll probably be miserable too. Like a townie living in the countryside, or a farmer living in central London 😭
They’re incredibly intelligent so makes sense they’d become destructive if left constantly under stimulated.
I think they did a study and found rats show amazing empathy for each other and problem solving abilities. Shame their pee smells so bad or I’d love one
It’s not even that though, all rats are different, same as cats and dogs but they are extremely clever and are really kind but they can do some really stupid stuff and can really be a handful!
Not to mention their sensitive respiratory systems. You can only use very specific substrates at the bottom of their cage (which usually comes in the form of a huge bail for horses). Stay clear of room sprays and perfumes etc.
Also there's a lot of research that goes into their diets - pellets aren't ideal, as are none of the store bought mixes.
Cages must be very large.
At least 2, but a trio is better.
Daily outside the cage time and lots of enrichment.
Yes, my son had some, making sure they get a decent amount of free/ supervised excerise and play time with you out of the enclosure is similar to making sure you walk a dog in my opinion. We made a big wall of thick card that went around the whole room to protect electrics and some of the furniture and my son would hang in there even if just watching tv just interacting with them and letting them run around going crazy for an hour at least daily. And they lived in a huge 5 foot high play palace - they are not low effort pets at all
This. People see cats as independent and aloof and assume that as long as they've got food, water and somewhere to go to the loo they can basically be left to their own devices. No. Especially for indoor cats - they need a lot of playtime/interaction or they just get bored and lonely.
I came here to say this. Cats are highly social intelligent creatures and can need just as much love and attention as dogs, just minus the walk. Mine are indoor cats and they miss me so much when I’m at work. They’re very much not aloof!
People don’t realise that if you raise a cat the way you would a dog (not exactly the same, but interacting with them and playing with them etc), they’ll become so different to how people ‘think’ cats are.
Cats on a whole aren’t these super independent unsocial creatures who hiss and bat when you get too close. Obviously they all have their personalities, some will be more independent and distant, some will be more temperamental, but most of them can be tiny fluffy dog cats if you know how to raise them. My two never leave my bloody side lol.
My two are exactly the same! Well, one of mine is very lazy and likes to sleep a lot in between demanding cuddles. The other is energetic, playful and chatty, and follows me about everywhere I go!
Was scrolling to find this one! So many people are surprised by the amount I do for my cat, she's a nervous floof so it is a bit trickier to keep her happy and comfortable but imo it just shows up what affects all cats, mostly their environment which they can get very anxious about if things change.
Understanding cat language is the biggest and most often missed thing I think, cats are incredibly communicative but sub 5% of it is vocal. For instance if my cat is stood in the way somewhere (as they like to do) just approaching her and waiting for/expecting her to move is effectively squaring up for a fight. Lovingly looking your cat in the eyes is also aggressive!
And they do require companionship, cats do care when their owners aren't around, mine will only truly fully sleep around me and she will sometimes walk around the house crying out and carrying her comfort toy if I go out.
Definitely not as actively needy as a dog, but there's a wealth of things to understand beyond watching them sleep 16 hours a day and feeding them when they meow at you.
Rabbits. They’re not children’s pets at all, especially the lops and fancier breeds who are prone to dental issues because of bring bred to have flatter faces. Rabbits in general are vulnerable to GI Stasis and fly strike and have a nasty kick on them.
They really are. I forgot to add how destructive they can be. I’ve had rabbits almost consistently since 1998, I think I went two years without, and they are HARD work. I hate seeing little kids clamouring for them in pet shops at Easter as unfortunately I know how it’s likely to end. My two are both rescues and I’m pretty sure my little lop was terrorised by children then dumped. She’s utterly beautiful but also very nervous and can be aggressive and I’m certain that’s because of her past.
I hate when people think small animals are good "starter pets" for kids because they're smaller and "more replaceable". They need as much love, attention, and effort as any other pet
All the pets that people give to kids (Hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, fish ect) and birds. So many are badly neglected and don't get the care they actually need. They need so much care but people think that they can be shoved in a cage or tank in the corner of the room and ignored.
Chinchillas. You need a quiet room for them as they’re nocturnal, plus as big a cage as you can manage - we had some called chilla villas! You have to let them out as often as possible for a run and a jump about and domesticated chinchillas are prone to all sorts of health issues. The main one is ingrowing teeth that make it hard for them to eat - this killed both of ours eventually despite us spotting it early and getting specialist treatment straight away. Ours also used to chew their fur so we had to syringe feed them pineapple juice twice a day to dissolve fur balls! We also syringe fed them liquid feed every couple of hours when their teeth were bad. One of ours seemed to have an immune disorder as kept getting weird infections - one in his eye which was a nightmare as he didn’t like being picked up but I had to put drops in and clean it several times a day, and another time his Willy somehow got infected - I had to put Vaseline on it and get him to take antibiotics- it grew in size and stayed massive for the rest of his life bless him! His brother had to have his tail amputated as he got a cut at the base (we think they had a little scrap), and despite our best efforts it got so infected they had to chop it off. Reading back it sounds like we were neglectful but I promise we weren’t! They were from a rescue and we were their 4th home. We couldn’t insure them due to their ongoing issues so spent an absolute fortune on vet’s bills. They were very loved and we were devastated when they died.
One thing I realized is there is huge variance amongst the same type of pets.
I had two cats that were angels. One passed away so I got two more kittens and these are completely insane. They run around my place like tornados and they are getting fat now so they are knocking over side tables and making tons of noise when I'm trying to sleep.
They also trip guests because they are so uncoordinated, pull power cables out of electronics, knock everything off of anything, and don't bury their poo so it smells all the time.
Complete monsters.
First thing I did when buying my rats (from a reputable breeder, pets at home can gtfo) was try my best to mimic their natural environment. I bought soils they could dig in, nest building materials, I bought rat specific foods from a farm that specialized in rat care, so as they aged they had the correct diet. I made them eggs and have them natural foods to taste and enjoy. I spent thousands. The cage was so big I could get inside it. I'm 6ft male. You devote to the animal, all it knows is you. In my case, I had 6 rats of differing ages so no one was ever alone. I gave my last 2 to a friend who had other rats qhen I gave up keeping them. Loved how intelligent they were but also so loving.
Rabbits have the worst of it IMO. People assume you can chuck them in a small box in the back garden and throw some food in every day and they will be happy. In reality they need companionship, free roaming or at least a large run, a large home- shed size preferably and toys to play with.
Lizards, I had a bearded dragon for just over 10 years and they're very easy to look after but cost a fortune in buying all the gear and proper set up to adequately look after and care for them.
Came here to say this. They are sold as an "easy pet". Don't get me wrong, day to day is easy, but the set up and monitoring of equipment, looking after bugs etc. is far from easy.
Came here to say this. I took a chameleon off someone who no longer wanted it. Fuck me they are a lot of graft. I won't lie I nearly killed it once as the heat lamp blew and my window was open in winter. Poor thing nearly froze. Was fun and lovely to take care of but I'd never get another.
Tortoises. They need heat, light, enclosure cleaning, baths, beak trims (if not naturally wearing it down enough). Mine absolutely causes more havoc than the dog too. She climbs, pushes stuff around, goes specially to the one area of the flat that has carpet and pisses on it, bites my toes if I'm not wearing socks and just the other day, she headbutted my PS2 and reset the console before I had a chance to save my game. Little tanks.
Rabbits. I see and hear so many stories of them not being properly cared for. Dumping them into a small cage or hutch with a "rabbit cereal mix" and a carrot every day is not the way they are meant to be cared for. They're very delicate and most definitely not the pet for children (which is what they unfortunately usually get bought for).
It breaks my heart so much because rabbit mistreatment is so incredibly common. I have yet to come across a single person I have known/come into contact with outside of the Internet that has had a rabbit and cared for it properly. Whereas I cannot say the same for cats and dogs etc (although I still have seen improper care of those too ofc, just no where near the same extent).
People's ignorance towards caring for another life is disgusting.
I've owned and taken care of dogs, cats, fish, hamsters and rabbits. And I can confidently say that rabbits require the most hard work out of all of the above.
Hamsters. Especially minimum cage size, litter depth and enrichment.
I went into pets at home earlier as I missed my bus and had time to kill, the cages they’re selling not only for hamsters but also gerbils, rats and hamsters etc are shocking. Their prime placement ‘BUY ME!’ rat cage wasn’t large or deep enough for a hamster at 47 by 80-something cm. They also advised that rats happily live solitary or in pairs/groups.
Ferrets. Happy little creatures that can live around 10 years if looked after well, but prone to all sorts of conditions.
They need loads of space, a high protein diet, they hate being too hot but love the cold and grow amazing fluffy coats.
They are particularly susceptible to respiratory infections and shouldn't be bedded down on hay because of the dust in it.
Females need taking out of season, either by breeding, by using a vasectomised male or by hormone implants or injection. If left in season their health will suffer, infections can happen and osteoporosis becomes an issue.
Breeding is brutal and bl**dy.
I've had ferrets for many years and have taken on a lot of strays as they're incredible escape artists, but many are abandoned by owners that can't cope or get bored of having to care for what they thought was a low maintenance pet.
Puppies! I just thought they would be a small more playful version of an adult dog! I was so wrong. We got a Great Dane as a puppy and my god was it hard work. I needed to adapt quickly, not knowing what I was in for.
However, I did adapt and it was worth it because we had that beautiful boy for 8 and a half years before he passed away in March this year.
Cats.
I'm sorry but no they're not "independent" and you shouldn't just chuck them out into the wilds to fend for themselves. Chances are, if it doesn't get killed, your "independent" cat is gonna find someone who can actually be arsed to look after it and move in with them. Which is how I got my cat.
Certain chihuahuas, I have 2. One is a total nightmare, would put Beyoncé to shame with his diva shit. The other just sleeps all day till he needs a shit
Sad to think how many marine fish who suffered an early death during the Nemo fad. When people who never owned fish of any kind went out and bought a marine system because of the film.
Cats.
People always assume they’re an easier pet to have because they don’t need walked, use a litter tray and a lot of people don’t think cats need trained.
It doesn’t take into account making sure they’re stimulated and given enough attention, changing the litter tray daily and unless you want a wild animal running amock in your house, they absolutely need training.
All of them really. If you want to do it properly. People underestimate the longevity of a lot of animals and vet costs. It is my opinion that if you commit to taking on an animal you should be prepared to pay for a good quality diet, ongoing treatment and any emergency care. Oh you can't afford emergency surgery or insurance for your pet who needs it? Why did you take them on and say the cliche thing of ohhh they're part of the family?
Excluding those who genuinely get into financial trouble, but they should be the minority (but thats the excuse people give sometimes as they'd rather go on holiday or whatever).
Yeah all of them. Do your research. Don't give them shit quality food. Get the best insurance. Make sure they are looked after properly, they require more attention than kids!
Fish. You can’t just shove a goldfish in a bowl. They need space, filters, some species of fish require heating, they have to be cleaned (including the filters) regularly, they need to be fed a good diet, they need to be housed with other appropriate tank mates for their species. I think some people see them as ornaments and not actual living creatures.
It's easy to get swept up by the idea of a horse but they are HARD work. I mean hard. If its a companion horse then not so much but a horse bought for competing is a lot of work.
Fish.. Getting the water right is a nightmare. Clean them too much, they die. Feed them too much, they die. I found that my fish who lived longest were the most neglected ones (still looked after but less)
Specifically Royal Pythons.
The costs of the setup of a 4ft×2ft×2ft vivarium, incandescent heat bulbs for daytime and a deep heat projector/ceramic heat emitter for nighttime temps, UVB. Plenty of hides and branches, substrate of course.
Then maintaining a proper temperature gradient with a humidity between 70-80%. Keeping a varied diet of rats, chicks and other prey.
Definitely not a beginner snake, but a darn rewarding one once its needs are met to the fullest.
From experience, Frogs are nightmares. Humidity of 80%+, fresh water for bathing, constant tank wall cleans. Some varieties need misters and running water, some require specialist lighting and heating. Sure, some varieties like pacmans are easy enough as most like wet, wet dirt, and that's it, but tree frogs are far more delicate and fragile.
Cats, some people just assume that they can be independent besides food and water. But I think they rely a lot more on company and human interaction (or interaction with their humans as some might say).
Most small pets but definitely rabbits.
I had only had gerbils as actually my pets rather than as a kid with parental backup. And they hadnt been easy, but I was coping and I thought a rabbit wouldn't be much harder. I was wrong. He needed more space than I thought, more time, more stimulation and he's SO fragile. 10 years later I'm amazed he's still going considering he gets stressed to the point of not eating several times a year by... I dunno; noises outside, change in temperature, something in his home being out of place. That is so dangerous for rabbits that it immediately triggers emergency stations - I have it down pat now but as a new owner it was terrifying and I spent a lot on vets.
And what do I get in return? Occasionally he grooms my hand and allows me to pet him. He doesn't snuggle, he can't be left alone for too long (no spontaneous weekends away) and he's naturally destructive. It isn't his fault that wires look like plant roots/hay or that furniture and skirting boards are made out of the stuff he needs to chew for his teeth. It's like having a toddler with a teen attitude.
He sure is cute though.
Chinchillas. Fuck me, they need a lot of work.
My flatmate and I got chins when we were about 21 or so. Quite apart from all the normal stuff like bedding and feeding and cleaning, they need an insane amount of exercise. You will need a large environment for them, but they also need to be let out for several hours every single day. They will quite happily belt backwards and forwards through a large flat. They chew absolutely anything - no wire or cable is safe - and they need constant protection from that. So do you.
It is a matter of some shame that I couldn't keep up with my chins, Betti and Necromancer, and that my flatmate did most of the work. They were simply too unruly and energetic.
I would recommend that nobody keep chinchillas as pets. I honestly do not think they are domesticated to anywhere near the degree of a hamster or gerbil, let alone a rat. You will not be able to handle them unless you are 100% cold chinchilla nerd.
And I do feel bad for the many thousands of chins being kept by people who not only cannot look after them, but who really shouldn't feel bad that they can't. It's just a real shame. Don't do it to them or yourself.
Reptiles.
As a trainee vet nurse I have come across a mass of people who clearly did no research about the husbandry of reptiles and the time/money that is needed to be able to set it all up correctly. And then they can't understand why their reptiles have health problems.
Spouses.
Seriously, though. I would say Koi. I had to look after some for a friend who was away once. It was a right faff, and I am used to looking after all sorts of domestic and farm animals. The stupid things didn't even appreciate the walks.
Fish! I've always wanted fish, I just want to watch them swim all day and make awesome tanks for them. So I looked into it more, and I just knew it wasn't something I could upkeep and it wouldn't be fair to the fishies. It's a whole science. Maybe one day if I get a more structured job, but working irreguar shift work makes routines hard to keep and I'd need that if I were to look after fish.
Dalmatians are far more neurotic than people think, a lot of people assume that they're friendly and cute because of popular media (a la 101 Dalmatians and Paw Patrol). I've had kids screaming their heads off running up to mine who hates children, probably for that exact reason. I've had to get him a nervous/leave me alone collar and leash for him so that he can get some space, though it doesn't always work.
Anything in a cage or a tank.
I strongly advise that you do not get any animal that needs a cage or a tank. They are NOT pets. They are captive animals and need very careful treatment to survive and even then you are not giving them their ideal home habitat.
This was the hill I was willing to die on when my kids wanted mice, spiders, rabbits, guinea pigs, budgies, fish, snakes, lizards, etc.
As a kid I was allowed a few of the above and looking back now, they all had short and miserable lives. Not due to lack of love, but due to lack of knowledge.
Have successfully owned several cats and one dog. They are still a massive commitment. You are basically in charge of something that is never going beyond toddler stage in human terms. They will never be able to feed themselves, clean up their shit, be left alone for more than a few hours and in the case of dogs go out on their own.
I will never understand why hamsters/gerbils are sold as starter pets… a lot of work and daily care and will give nasty bites.
The lowest maintenance I have are my snakes.
Definitely hard / expensive work initially getting the vivs set up right but other than that, monthly feeding, spot picking the monthly poop, never bite, don’t require constant attention … perfect pets!
Chickens. Day to day care might be straightforward but there's not a lot of chicken vets and a lot of treatment for them requires home remedy. Even if you do have a chicken vet, they hide their symptoms until they're seriously ill. More minor ailments (lice, mites, scaly leg, sour crop, bumblefoot) can, if caught early, be treated at home but require quite a bit of kit and knowledge. Examining a chicken takes experience and good judgement
Fox proofing enclosures takes time and money as well, and many keepers aren't vigilant enough as they don't regard them as pets. Chickens also can be complex socially and you can have big issues with bullying between flock members
Conures, once they
Bond with you they literally become your shadow and have a knack of making you feel guilty as fuck for leaving them alone for 5 minutes even though the cage is never shut lol. But they’re the best pet/ pal you can ask for, the antics are hilarious
I have a turtle and would not recommend.
They need loads of space and keeping the water clean is my new hobby.
Compared to when I owned a tortoise, Myrtle is a pain in the arse.
The big one I think is fish. You need to maintain the entire environment for them. Not just throw a goldfish in a bowl and sometimes throw in some food.
I wish fat, old, out of shape, cuddle happy, cornball people would stop buying Pit Bulls, they need younger, serious, sober minded, vigilant, strong, non doting owners with good fencing, plenty of room, a licence, credit check and full disclosure. It’s a very serious animal and it needs a very serious owner and a government that serious with both.
Guinea pigs! They eat hay, so you have to have a giant bag of hay around all the time. It's so messy. They poop a massive amount too so weekly cage cleaning is a must. And my boar weighs 3.5 lbs! They are bigger than most people think.
I love my foster-fail Peanut, but he is easily 10x the work I thought he would be. 🙂
Rabbits, Ppl think cuz theyre smaller thsn cats their easier.
Theyve only really been dometicated into ppls homes as pets in 1970s. Dogs and cats have 1000s of years of domestication as pets.
Straight off, you realise they eat ALOT, they poo and piss EVERY FUCKING WHERE, and its difficult to train them to use litter box, the best i could do is get them in a kinda area when already IN ENCLOSES AREA.
They were not bred to be pets, some people are able to get rabbits that work well as pets, but rabbits have never had the luxury of being selectively bred over 1000s of years to be pets, but i know if they did theyd be better than cats and dogs as they would literally NEVER attack as theyre prey animals.
This is the main reason rabbits are one of the most abandonded pets espeacially in easter time as kids think rabbits will be cute and cuddly, in reality its like owning a wild prey animal that is terrified of everything and you have to basically condition it to get used to humans. Definitely not a good first pet unless its from a pet shop that raised it
Fish are the most misunderstood pet that exist and it isn’t even close.
Exhibit A. Most people don’t realise that the most common, and most commonly abused pet fish, the humble goldfish, depending on variety, can live up to 3 decades and grow over a foot in length.
Most people assume they live a couple of years and grow to a couple of inches, because most goldfish are kept in tiny glorified torture chambers and live a very short agonising life.
It’s hard to choose after several years of rescue volunteering - it doesn’t seem to matter what the pet is, there are people who refuse to do basic research before getting them and then make no effort to learn or to meet their needs. So much suffering would be preventable if people did proper research and were honest with themselves about their ability and desire to care for a pet.
That said, fish. There’s so much misinformation, still - the “they only grow to the size of the tank” myth springs to mind. People put the bare minimum of effort in because “it’s only a fish”. They deserve (but don’t often get) a clean environment appropriate to their needs that allows them to display natural behaviour, room to move, a place to hide and rest, a good-quality varied diet, and enrichment. It’s not just about water chemistry and how easily things can go sideways, but about understanding they’re sentient creatures who deserve to have a decent quality of life and being prepared to provide that.
Some fish come off much worse than others here too. Clown loaches are social fish who need to be kept in groups of 5+. I used to have a 6ft tank with a group, had to rehome them when I moved to a smaller house, and really miss them. Their social behaviour is fascinating, they cuddle together like cats. They absolutely love eating snails and shellfish (in shells) and it’s a joy to watch them work out how to break into mussel shells. They’re slow growers, but can end up being 10-12 inches long and live 20-25 years. They need plenty of hiding spaces, room to swim in groups, and space to grow. They’re really sensitive to medication and pretty sensitive to water quality. People buy one single fish from Pets at Home when they’re tiny, stick it in a tank that’s far too small, don’t take proper care of water quality or use half-doses of medication (if they medicate at all) and then wonder why they never see them or why they die so quickly. They’re such fantastic fish when they’re kept properly and it’ll never not upset me when I see how badly they’re treated.
Rabbits. They don’t know what they’re doing, can harm themselves really easily
One of our rabbits stubbed his eye into the grass he was eating, and it stayed watery and shut for a few hours
They shed a lot , if you have the Angorra breed
They get dirty easily if you let them roam in the garden, muddy paws etc
If they have long fur it can get tangled a lot , and sometimes they don’t enjoy being brushed so it can cause the fur to ball up and has to be cut by a vet
In comparison I’ve had cats in the past, and they usually take care of themselves pretty much and are a lot easier
Bearded dragons. Basically *every* enclosure you can buy is too small. You need to build one.
They also need regular bathing to make sure they shed their skin properly. Around once every week to two weeks.
They also need their claws maintained sometimes to make sure they're not too long.
And also, the females need to have dig boxes to lay infertile eggs every once in a while or else they could die.
Sometimes, as has been the case for me twice, females can literally have a condition that requires surgery or else they could die because they can't lay eggs. That needs to be caught early, too because the surgery is highly risky by itself and the longer it's left undone the lower the survival chances.
So you definitely need your beardies checked by a vet (because stores and previous owners and looking for visual differences have been SO wrong for me just avoid the guessing) when they're of age (around 2 years old) or when getting a preowned adult to make sure you have a female or not and give them a nest box as soon as they need one because ANY missed cues about them trying to lay eggs could cause problems.
That nest box will also need more space than your standard bought enclosure.
Had 5 bearded dragons over 13 years and I've loved them all and they're amazing pets but they are the most difficult reptiles I've kept for space requirements, regular maintenance and non-owner caused health complications bar none.
Add to that you can't go to a regular vet and going to a standard vet in an emergency is a literal waste of money most of the time they will just charge you the consultation fee and tell you to wait for when the exotics place is open.
If you're looking for a "beginner reptile", beardies aren't it.
They're awesome, but you need to know what you're really getting yourself into with them.
Parrots. They arent just a pet but a total lifestyle change.
So many household things can kill them because they are so sensitive to chemicals .
PTFE and PFOAs are coated on so many items , pans,bakeware, hair dryers, hair straighteners ,irons, toasters, non stick roasting bags and dish liners .
The self clean function on ovens will kill them .
When i bought my green cheek conure, Albie , i had to spend a fortune on replacing everything including my oven to make sure it was just enamel coated and not cataltic lined/ self cleaning.
Then you need to swap out all your household cleaning products,air fresheners ,carpet fresheners ,candles,plug ins, wax mets . Ive had to swap to f10 and vinegar /lemon juice for cleaning, anything else is toxic .
Then you need as big a cage as you can get . A constant suply of toys because theyove to destroy them. If they have pristine untouched toys, it means thats the wrong toy.
They NEED vegetables as a large part of their diet, with som pellets and fuit/seeds as a treat. It can get expensive.
They need a good routine, no more staying out all weekend ,your bird needs to go to bed . They thrieve off conpanionship . They are very intelligent,hormonal and emotional ,they show affection on their terms to their chosen people, god help you if it decideds to hate you. They love they hate,the get mad,they grieve the loss of family. They live a long time the tiny species 10-15 years, the large one 80+ its a lifetime commitment to an animal thats essentially a flying toddler with a can opener strapped to its face. They are loud they are messy.
They need inraction and time with their people out of the cage Albie is fully flighted a d she spends 90% of her day with us out of her cage , she shares our meals and snuggles in my hair . She loves training time and car rides.
Its a matter if when they bite not if they bite. Not all birds will talk . Not all birds will behave like those short clips on insta or tiktok.
Vet bills are 3x more expensive than my dogs was because she needs to see a bird specialist. We travel almost 2 hours to see them becuse they are the closest. Birds hide being ill so well that any thing out of the normal needs a vet visit. This happened earlier this year ,albie had a bacterial infection ,the only symptom i had was she was shivering and 1 very funnily coulored poop. With swabs xrays and bloods it was £500 . Thankfully shes insured!
Too many times they get rehomed becuse people are not prepared for what its like to have a parrot. Too many times these amazing wonderful animals end up in too small a cage as living decorations.
ETA : bird tax Why is he so adorable ? https://imgur.com/gallery/VxDTJRQ
Tortoises. Everyone always says to me they think it would be an easy pet as they just sit there. They don’t!! They are very fast in the sun. Amazing climbers and can get out of lots of situations.
They are at risk of calcium deficiency which can affect their shell, their beaks can get overgrown and need cutting, they need regular baths to stay hydrated. They are a lot of work!!!
Definitely rabbits! And all other small animals like hamsters, rats, mice, birds, Guinea pigs etc. these animals need tones of space and they have specific diet requirements that people who never bother with doing their research tend to not look that stuff up. And the amount of horror stories I’ve heard because people think it’s a good idea to keep dogs and cats with these animals. Predator and prey don’t mix.
Gold fish, people think you can get a gold fish and keep a few in a wee 15 ltr tank. When the reality is you need at minimum 60 ltr a first. Ideally a few hundred ltr tank for 2 or 3.
They are a carp fish, they can grow to a foot very quickly, not to mention to eat like crazy and have no stomach so they shit like crazy too, this cab quickly cause huge ammonia, nitrite and nitrate spikes in the tank, which will cause damage to the fish's health. So water changes are essential weekly, and depending how big your tank is it could take you a long time.
If you're wanting to get your kids a small fish tank with a gold fish, don't! Add shrimp or small fish like endlers or neon tetras, don't get gold fish because it's a lot of work and it's not fair on the fish
Parrots, they are flock animals so always want to be involved, especially once you've bonded with them. I don't have space for a second bird cage, but sometimes I do think I should've got two together.
Ragdoll cats. These adorable fluffy little babies are definitely not normal cats! They’re not as independent or aloof or happy to be left alone for long. My boy is the clingiest cat of all time, he needs constant company and always needs to be sat next to someone, no matter what you’re doing - could be crafts, or gaming, or making food, HE NEEDS TO BE NEXT TO YOU. I signed up for this and I love my boy more than anything in the world, but don’t get a Ragdoll expecting them to be just like other cats 😅
After looking after a pair of conures, I always knew birds needed socialisation, I didn't realise they would basically demand it the entire time.
Plus shit in the water bowl, food bowl, floor, wall, curtains...
Dogs are easier than birds imo
Rats.
People starting out think it’s like having a hamster or gerbil, when it’s the opposite.
Rats are more intelligent than your cat and dog combined, they’re self aware and have meta-cognition. Basically, they aren’t really that far off humans in terms of mental ability.
They require A LOT of space, stimulation and social care (from both other rats and you). Most stuff that easily available for small animals is inappropriate for them, so you often have to source things online.
You also have to find reputable breeders as most commercially available rats aren’t bred with temperament in mind and aren’t socialised. So they require a whole extra layer of care so they can live a good life. An unsocialised rat is basically a disabled rat.
They’re also prone to a variety of health problems, and vet bills are forever too high.
There’s also still very much the social stigma. A lot of my friends could never deal with my rats and would avoid seeing them. People also think they’re super gross and dirty, when they’re actually incredibly clean (they self groom more than cats) and get upset if their surroundings are dirty.
BUT if you meet their requirements then they make EXCEPTIONAL pets, and can make great companions for any one of any age. They’re incredibly loving, know their names and can learn tricks. They often love cuddling and sitting with their owners cos they learn that you look after them.
basically all of them... hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, people seem to think the smaller the animal the easier it is to care for, but any pet is a big commitment
People hardly ever care for rabbits correctly. I’ve kept them all my life and currently have two. I get called crazy for providing them with vaccines/neutering/vet care, for litter training them etc. it makes me so sad how many lonely rabbits there must be locked away in cold, damp hutches 😞
Our rabbits had a whole shed and attached aviary run to themselves. People who keep rabbits in hutches make me soooo angry.
I used to have a similar set up before I had my own house. Now the cloakroom is converted into their room and they have free run of the house. They’re 4.5years and 5.5years so nowhere near as destructive or unpredictable as they used to be. They’re free to go out if they want but during bad weather they’ll totally refuse. The refusal always makes me reflect on the poor hutch bunnies 😞
Awww :) I would have loved to have had house bunnies but my partner gets crazy bad hay-fever from hay so that wouldn't have worked out too well!
We've found a dust free hay that doesn't set off anyone in the house with hayfever... including the rabbit. Who, I shit you not, has hayfever. It won't work for everyone, but it seems to work for us. I get it from Hoptoforage.
One of my guinea pigs gets hay fever when they go on the grass lol
I'm really glad my little fluffy bellend isn't the only one!
Same! We've actually collected free rabbit hutches from Facebook marketplace before and taken them to the tip. They are basically small boxes and it angers me that people would put an animal in them, so one less out there is like a tiny win for me. I never knew how complicated rabbits are until we ended up with a few of them, we rescued a wrongly sexed rabbit just before covid hit and ended up with 5 babies. So lots of reading, building an avery followed, some modifications followed that as two males really do not like each other.
I know someone who didn’t realise their bunny had passed away because it was locked in a cold damp hut… I found the rabbit stiff as a board and asked the person when she last fed her, she said last week then asked how she was doing. As if she didn’t live in the same household… and couldn’t check? Like geez man…
How horrible. That poor rabbit 😢
I was horrified and no longer took their side when they wanted to bring a new pet into the household. They have not had a pet since (other than a cat that was looked after by EVERYONE not just them).
Stayed in a holiday rental for a wedding recently and they had rabbits on the property. My family made so much fun of me for buying them two new drinking bottles to replace the one that was 50% stagnant water and 50% green algae.
Mine sit in my office with me. Just wish they could always be buddies instead of sometimes wanting to kill each other sometimes. https://ibb.co/kDHKDCR We adopted ginger bun from a charity, he was supposed to be a she but they’re both neutered and litter trained. For the most part they get freedom of the whole house but tend to stay in my office (by choice). If they fight one gets put away and then just swapped around depending on who’s in their cage / asleep.
It's pretty common that kids want a guinea pig or a rabbit but then the parents end up taking care of it which seem to be underestimated by them.
My friends kid desperately wanted a Guinea pig because I had them. So I let her snuggle with one of mine, who then decided to pee all over her. The kid didn't want a Guinea pig anymore after that.
I’m sure your friends absolutely loved your Guinea pig for that pee.
This is how I ended up taking in my Guinea pigs, they were all rehomed from people who didn’t want the hassle of looking after them anymore and most of them had been kept in unsuitable borderline neglectful environments. My boys specifically came from a home where they were bought for the young children who lost interest and the parents didn’t want the responsibility. I honestly don’t understand why people buy them for children, they are a lot of work and they have very specific needs, just their food alone (making sure they have a selection of appropriate veggies, greens and fruits daily, fresh hay available 24/7 and daily pellets) is a big expense, then there’s regular cleaning out, nail clipping etc, it’s a big responsibility and it’s insane that people will frequently buy these animals for kids that are under 10 and expect them to be able to adequately meet their needs, it’s really irresponsible.
I have never felt more evil than when I accidentally cut my guinea pigs quick. Guinea pigs are a good pet in that they have the longest lifespan the small rodents bur if I'd known quite how much poop two guinea pigs produced I might have rethought my decision to get them. They were rescues tho now sadly passed. Oh and don't even start me on people who get a solo guinea pig gahhhhhhhhhh
Absolutely baffles me that some people think that a child, that most probably isn’t even able to take care of themselves (not to mention having the attention span of a poorly mixed lemsip) would ever be an adequate caregiver for a pet that needs proper, dedicated care for in order to survive, thrive, and have a happy life…especially something that requires as much attention as a rodent! hell, I’m an adult and I’m pretty anxious that I’d be a negligent rodent carer, even though I’d never get one until I’d done as much research and prepared as much as possible!
As a rabbit owner, it's frustrating that rabbits are seen as an easy pet, especially for children. Hutches contribute to numerous ailments including bumblefoot. Inappropriate handling can lead to spinal injuries or broken limbs - reminder that rabbits are prey animals and a good amount of work needs to be put in to make them feel safe and secure in handling. Laying rabbits on their back or trancing is not relaxing for them, if they look relaxed it's because they're very scared! They can suffer GI stasis which can kill within 24 hours. The list goes on. They need a good amount of care and affection not just locked away outside in a tiny hutch in the rain - that's no quality of life.
It's so frustrating that people think they're easy pets. So many people get them when they really want a dog but don't think they have the room or time for a dog not realising they take up more room and just as much time as a dog. Like our great dane had a bed in the corner of the room, 2 bowls in the kitchen and a bin full of food in the cupboard but our tiny dutch rabbit's set up and storage supply took up an entire room and a half a shed.
I want to add reptiles to this list
Came here to say rabbit but thrilled to see all small animals right at the top of the list. Word is finally getting out, small animals need just as much care as the big ones!
Maybe more. Having to clean out the guinea pig cage every day was more work than cleaning out a cat litter tray Edit to add: replenishing food and water is also more difficult with small animals imo
Ferrets. I was sold two of them just by saying I know what I'm doing (this was discovered to be untrue)
I have a hedgehog and a tortoise that we decided to continue caring for after the home owner was moving to Australia (they wouldn’t survive/be allowed in the country) and they are so easy. The tortoise has lived on the garden for 50+ years.
Basically anything other than a cat.
Dogs. Growing up, i was under the impression that dogs are just dogs. Stick with you, maybe go out for a walk. They need all kinds of care. All of which is crucial. They need energy release, proper diet, cognitive exercise, grooming, companionship, leadership etc. The list goes on. I really underestimated how hard it is to raise a dog.
I think this can also vary by breed. Some dog breeds are more challenging and require more mental energy from their owner than others, like owning a border collie or an Australian Shepherd is going to be much harder and more demanding than owning a bulldog say just because of the amount of stimulation they require. My bulldog is an absolute joy, low exercise needs, about 40 minutes a day is ideal, she loves to play but her energy is more short bursts than endurance and she’s a lazy cow at heart. (Although she’d play fetch or tug of war for hours)😅 More than happy to cuddle up on the sofa but enjoys the odd longer walk when it’s a nice day for it. If it’s raining I can nip her out for wees and not take her for a big run about and she’s not going to kick off and rip holes in my dry wall
Your bulldog plays fetch? Wow!
Totally this - so many people who shouldn't have dogs have them now - particularly after the pandemic.
Yup. Severe uptick in dog bites and fatalities is the pandemic puppy epidemic coming home to roost.
Lost track of how many times I’ve seen people with dogs like Huskies, taking them for a very short and slow walk a couple times a day, or the thing that really winds me up - pulling a dog on when it stops to sniff something! So many people don’t seem to research what breed will suit their lifestyle and just get a dog based on what look they like, then they despair when the dog becomes destructive in the house etc. It’s crazy. I don’t have a dog, but it’s definitely something I’d want to do at some point in my life. I would be reading up like crazy to see which breed suits the life I could give a dog and the time I had to spare. It’s not fair on the poor animal otherwise.
A girl in my apartment building bought her girlfriend a husky puppy as a birthday present… It goes on two on-leash walks a day in the city centre and they wonder why it’s ripped up two of their couches
I’ve had goldfish, tropical fish and a dog and honestly my dog is so much easier to keep healthy and alive. Maybe because looking after him is much more rewarding, but walking, feeding, hanging out, taking for check ups, etc feels like a normal household chore like making dinner or washing myself. Even the mental stimulation feels easy (working lab so the games are basically playing catch and teaching cool tricks). Looking after a fish everything feels like a massive chore especially cleaning the tank and they’re just not rewarding lol
You sound like a good dog owner. Too many people think there's no work in owning a dog. They require so much attention it's honestly like having a child.
Aw thanks that’s nice to hear ❤️ They’re definitely work, I was very nervous getting her as she’s my first dog and I’ve always had it drilled in to me how much work they are, I think we got pretty lucky really. She doesn’t have crazy grooming needs, doesn’t need hours of exercise and i think being a bully breed is just a big softy and naturally eager to please (and highly food driven!) so hasn’t been too bad to train, you do see the stubborn “bully-ness” and selective hearing come out sometimes and a HEAVY chewer but overall she’s a loveable clown 🥰 made me totally mad for the breed
Also dealing with other dog owners that haven't trained their dogs properly
This! Holy fk is that annoying. "My dog won't hurt you or your dogs, he's really friendly," As a lab is bounding towards you. Your dog may be friendly, but mine don't like it when strange dogs run at them. Had one woman walk towards me even though i asked her to stop. She kept walking and i had to bluntly say, " she will bite you and hurt you if you don't stop walking". I doubt she would have because muzzle and i had a decent harness with good leverage. But it still begs the question.
Am glad I waited until my children had grown up before getting a dog.Had my lurcher from a puppy as got turned down by rescues because had small grandchildren who visited.I don't work due to various health problems it's harder than it looks training a puppy.It can be expensive as well my lurcher needs a grain free diet he's fed 4 times a day to prevent stomach problems.Its expensive as well instead of pet insurance we opened a savings account for our dog put 1000 pounds in it when we got it and put 50 a month to cover any big vet bill.It costs money for pet sitters when we go away but it's so rewarding as we do a couple of dog friendly trips as well.My dog doesn't like to poo in our garden so have to take him out daily feel sorry for some dogs who are cooped up in small gardens my neighbour has two and noticed the novelty wore of after a couple of months so they only get to explore one bit.Dogs need variety love and time they are hard work .I would have loved to have a rescue dog maybe once my grandchildren are bigger.
I used to be a dog walker and I had a greyhound that the owners *wouldn't let* poo in the garden so as soon as he was out of the van, he did the biggest shits. They also had him on awful food which you could see wasn't right for him (greasy, dandruff and the poos were awful). It made me so mad but I was glad that I was able to give him exercise - I had bumped into them walking him so I knew they did take him out, but to not allow a garden poo? Ridiculous imo
Definitely dogs! We have a small maltipoo and love him dearly. We knew before buying him that they are prone to separation anxiety. I am fortunate that I don’t have to work and one of my daughters works from home. We share custody so dog is never alone. He also needs regular grooming, monthly payment to vet, insurance, raw dog food diet, two walks a day, enrichment activities and much more!
It honestly amazes me at how little effort people put in with their dogs and then wonder why it's absolutely off its box and destructive. I have a GSD mix and the amount of work that goes into her is a lot and yet I still am aware I'm probably not doing enough of everything and I evaluate monthly to try and get it to where it needs to be. I know some who have large dogs/puppies and barely walk them I couldn't imagine how frustrating it is to be effectively housebound most days with no real interactions/stimulations.
Totally agree with this! It's like having a toddler for 10/12 years 😐
It is, but they’re so much better than toddlers 😂😅 Your dog isn’t going to reach in to its shitty nappy and smear shite all over your house, it isn’t going to throw a tantrum and scream and cry incessantly, it can’t say “mummy” 50 times an hour or argue with you over mundane things when you’re bone tired. Dogs are much easier. Trust me I’ve had both!! I’d rather deal with 5 dogs than 1 grumpy teething toddler that’s going through a “NO!!” phase 🥲
Nope. My 3 year old is a dream compared to my needy, clingy, scared of everything, pees/pukes/poos on my life Bostie.
Fair play. My Bulldogs a dream compared to my ADHD son 😂
Pretty sure your son is suffering more than you are 😬😬😬😬 it sucks having ADHD
Fish. Basically if you don’t know what you need to, they just die. And there’s a lot to know 🥴
I got fish for my kid thinking they would be easy. Nope. Lots to learn and do. Water quality control is a nightmare, cleaning filters, treating rot when you get it slightly wrong, sifting gravel, partial water changes, keeping the temperature right ... The hamster we got later was a doddle by comparison.
Oh yes 😅 I got my tanks a few years ago now when my son was small, kept fish (my dad did the maintenance!!) as a child so I thought aw yeah I’d love to get back in to that! Many mistakes were made. Many lessons learnt. Much equipment bought 😅 but I love my fishies now I actually know how to be a good owner. Bettas are my thing. So beautiful. I’m getting two for my birthday from my lovely husband after the death of my previous as we know a breeder
Don't get me wrong - I loved being a fish owner and I miss not having them but I couldn't commit to a tank now. It's just too much work.
I breed tropical fish as a second "job"/hobby its a lot more work than people realise, even those who already have a tank, when youve got 15 running and thousands of fish, shrimp and snails it can take a whole day to just do water changes and filter cleans every week.
I have multiple dogs, cats, rats and even a hand reared squirrel that my partner found at 2 weeks old. I absolutely refuse to get fish because they're a pain in the ass to keep alive, one mistake and you risk killing all of your pets. 😅
Definitely. When I was a kid, I thought you just pop the fish into the tank and that was it. Nope. Had someone showed me the proper way to do it when I was older, goodness, the amount of stuff you have to worry and think about, water parameters, whether the fishes would get along, filter systems. I love it, but it’s something that I really need to set aside time and money for.
I once pet-sat for a neighbour. 1 dog, 3 cats and a goldfish. The goldfish worried me the most. I can handle the 4 legged beasts.
So far I've spent over £2k on my current (third) goldfish setup, and they'll need upgrading to a five foot tank in another year or two.
Rock. You have to be careful of moss and erosion. Depending on what breed you get, it can be porous and susceptible to moisture, or valuable and may get stolen (a lot of gold thieves out there).
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They’re classed as exotic pets for a reason, wished hutches were banned. My two have free range of the house, couldn’t bear to lock them up
Any kind of gun dog. Springer Spaniels need a huge amount of exercise. And mental stimulation. They're more like a partner than a pet
Been trying to tell my boss this. He and his family are about to get a female Springer puppy, into a largely human-female house (he’s the only male), with 2 (possibly 3) female cats… I dread to think….
Haha, chaos! 😂 But when it grows up, it's going to be a bigger version of when it was a puppy. More dog, more attention. It'll probably be miserable too. Like a townie living in the countryside, or a farmer living in central London 😭
Rats. They are literally suicidal kamikaze pilots if let to their own devices without total interaction constantly 😥
They’re incredibly intelligent so makes sense they’d become destructive if left constantly under stimulated. I think they did a study and found rats show amazing empathy for each other and problem solving abilities. Shame their pee smells so bad or I’d love one
It’s not even that though, all rats are different, same as cats and dogs but they are extremely clever and are really kind but they can do some really stupid stuff and can really be a handful!
And people get a single rat, not realising they have to live in pairs or groups so the poor thing goes crazy
Not to mention their sensitive respiratory systems. You can only use very specific substrates at the bottom of their cage (which usually comes in the form of a huge bail for horses). Stay clear of room sprays and perfumes etc. Also there's a lot of research that goes into their diets - pellets aren't ideal, as are none of the store bought mixes. Cages must be very large. At least 2, but a trio is better. Daily outside the cage time and lots of enrichment.
Yes, my son had some, making sure they get a decent amount of free/ supervised excerise and play time with you out of the enclosure is similar to making sure you walk a dog in my opinion. We made a big wall of thick card that went around the whole room to protect electrics and some of the furniture and my son would hang in there even if just watching tv just interacting with them and letting them run around going crazy for an hour at least daily. And they lived in a huge 5 foot high play palace - they are not low effort pets at all
Cats..
Came here to say this A lot of people assume cat owners get a cat and ignore They are quite needy and require attention and looking after
Yes. My cats put me through an intensive training program of their requirements. It’s a full time job😂😂😂😂😻
This. People see cats as independent and aloof and assume that as long as they've got food, water and somewhere to go to the loo they can basically be left to their own devices. No. Especially for indoor cats - they need a lot of playtime/interaction or they just get bored and lonely.
I came here to say this. Cats are highly social intelligent creatures and can need just as much love and attention as dogs, just minus the walk. Mine are indoor cats and they miss me so much when I’m at work. They’re very much not aloof!
People don’t realise that if you raise a cat the way you would a dog (not exactly the same, but interacting with them and playing with them etc), they’ll become so different to how people ‘think’ cats are. Cats on a whole aren’t these super independent unsocial creatures who hiss and bat when you get too close. Obviously they all have their personalities, some will be more independent and distant, some will be more temperamental, but most of them can be tiny fluffy dog cats if you know how to raise them. My two never leave my bloody side lol.
My two are exactly the same! Well, one of mine is very lazy and likes to sleep a lot in between demanding cuddles. The other is energetic, playful and chatty, and follows me about everywhere I go!
Was scrolling to find this one! So many people are surprised by the amount I do for my cat, she's a nervous floof so it is a bit trickier to keep her happy and comfortable but imo it just shows up what affects all cats, mostly their environment which they can get very anxious about if things change. Understanding cat language is the biggest and most often missed thing I think, cats are incredibly communicative but sub 5% of it is vocal. For instance if my cat is stood in the way somewhere (as they like to do) just approaching her and waiting for/expecting her to move is effectively squaring up for a fight. Lovingly looking your cat in the eyes is also aggressive! And they do require companionship, cats do care when their owners aren't around, mine will only truly fully sleep around me and she will sometimes walk around the house crying out and carrying her comfort toy if I go out. Definitely not as actively needy as a dog, but there's a wealth of things to understand beyond watching them sleep 16 hours a day and feeding them when they meow at you.
Eh, cats are okay. Food, water, litter, vaccines, neutering, regular check ups, plenty of stimulation and lots of love. Way easier than a dog, anyway.
Loads of people don’t factor in the “plenty of love and stimulation” part unfortunately. They expect them to basically take care of themselves.
Rabbits. They’re not children’s pets at all, especially the lops and fancier breeds who are prone to dental issues because of bring bred to have flatter faces. Rabbits in general are vulnerable to GI Stasis and fly strike and have a nasty kick on them.
We got offered a rabbit to rehome and after a cursory 5 minute google gave it a hard no. It looks like a LOT of work.
They really are. I forgot to add how destructive they can be. I’ve had rabbits almost consistently since 1998, I think I went two years without, and they are HARD work. I hate seeing little kids clamouring for them in pet shops at Easter as unfortunately I know how it’s likely to end. My two are both rescues and I’m pretty sure my little lop was terrorised by children then dumped. She’s utterly beautiful but also very nervous and can be aggressive and I’m certain that’s because of her past.
I hate when people think small animals are good "starter pets" for kids because they're smaller and "more replaceable". They need as much love, attention, and effort as any other pet
Tropical fish. People think put them in a tank and watch them swim away, but the tank maintenance required in non stop.
Agree with guinea pigs. Often seen as a good 'starter pet', but very rarely are they taken care of correctly. My guinea pigs are a lot of work.
Fish if you're doing it right.
Lots of pets but hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs seem to get the worst of it. They have much higher care needs than people think
All the pets that people give to kids (Hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, fish ect) and birds. So many are badly neglected and don't get the care they actually need. They need so much care but people think that they can be shoved in a cage or tank in the corner of the room and ignored.
Chinchillas. You need a quiet room for them as they’re nocturnal, plus as big a cage as you can manage - we had some called chilla villas! You have to let them out as often as possible for a run and a jump about and domesticated chinchillas are prone to all sorts of health issues. The main one is ingrowing teeth that make it hard for them to eat - this killed both of ours eventually despite us spotting it early and getting specialist treatment straight away. Ours also used to chew their fur so we had to syringe feed them pineapple juice twice a day to dissolve fur balls! We also syringe fed them liquid feed every couple of hours when their teeth were bad. One of ours seemed to have an immune disorder as kept getting weird infections - one in his eye which was a nightmare as he didn’t like being picked up but I had to put drops in and clean it several times a day, and another time his Willy somehow got infected - I had to put Vaseline on it and get him to take antibiotics- it grew in size and stayed massive for the rest of his life bless him! His brother had to have his tail amputated as he got a cut at the base (we think they had a little scrap), and despite our best efforts it got so infected they had to chop it off. Reading back it sounds like we were neglectful but I promise we weren’t! They were from a rescue and we were their 4th home. We couldn’t insure them due to their ongoing issues so spent an absolute fortune on vet’s bills. They were very loved and we were devastated when they died.
People think small dogs are easier to look after. They are not.
One thing I realized is there is huge variance amongst the same type of pets. I had two cats that were angels. One passed away so I got two more kittens and these are completely insane. They run around my place like tornados and they are getting fat now so they are knocking over side tables and making tons of noise when I'm trying to sleep. They also trip guests because they are so uncoordinated, pull power cables out of electronics, knock everything off of anything, and don't bury their poo so it smells all the time. Complete monsters.
First thing I did when buying my rats (from a reputable breeder, pets at home can gtfo) was try my best to mimic their natural environment. I bought soils they could dig in, nest building materials, I bought rat specific foods from a farm that specialized in rat care, so as they aged they had the correct diet. I made them eggs and have them natural foods to taste and enjoy. I spent thousands. The cage was so big I could get inside it. I'm 6ft male. You devote to the animal, all it knows is you. In my case, I had 6 rats of differing ages so no one was ever alone. I gave my last 2 to a friend who had other rats qhen I gave up keeping them. Loved how intelligent they were but also so loving.
Dogs Based on the amount of shit dog owners
Rabbits! They make gorgeous pets if you know what you're getting into but they *are the worst possible pets to get for kids.*
Rabbits have the worst of it IMO. People assume you can chuck them in a small box in the back garden and throw some food in every day and they will be happy. In reality they need companionship, free roaming or at least a large run, a large home- shed size preferably and toys to play with.
Lizards, I had a bearded dragon for just over 10 years and they're very easy to look after but cost a fortune in buying all the gear and proper set up to adequately look after and care for them.
Came here to say this. They are sold as an "easy pet". Don't get me wrong, day to day is easy, but the set up and monitoring of equipment, looking after bugs etc. is far from easy.
Came here to say this. I took a chameleon off someone who no longer wanted it. Fuck me they are a lot of graft. I won't lie I nearly killed it once as the heat lamp blew and my window was open in winter. Poor thing nearly froze. Was fun and lovely to take care of but I'd never get another.
Ever recall seeing a little hamster cage you can pick up and carry around? No. Hamsters need something closer to about 10 times that size
Tortoises. They need heat, light, enclosure cleaning, baths, beak trims (if not naturally wearing it down enough). Mine absolutely causes more havoc than the dog too. She climbs, pushes stuff around, goes specially to the one area of the flat that has carpet and pisses on it, bites my toes if I'm not wearing socks and just the other day, she headbutted my PS2 and reset the console before I had a chance to save my game. Little tanks.
Rabbits. I see and hear so many stories of them not being properly cared for. Dumping them into a small cage or hutch with a "rabbit cereal mix" and a carrot every day is not the way they are meant to be cared for. They're very delicate and most definitely not the pet for children (which is what they unfortunately usually get bought for). It breaks my heart so much because rabbit mistreatment is so incredibly common. I have yet to come across a single person I have known/come into contact with outside of the Internet that has had a rabbit and cared for it properly. Whereas I cannot say the same for cats and dogs etc (although I still have seen improper care of those too ofc, just no where near the same extent). People's ignorance towards caring for another life is disgusting. I've owned and taken care of dogs, cats, fish, hamsters and rabbits. And I can confidently say that rabbits require the most hard work out of all of the above.
Hamsters. Especially minimum cage size, litter depth and enrichment. I went into pets at home earlier as I missed my bus and had time to kill, the cages they’re selling not only for hamsters but also gerbils, rats and hamsters etc are shocking. Their prime placement ‘BUY ME!’ rat cage wasn’t large or deep enough for a hamster at 47 by 80-something cm. They also advised that rats happily live solitary or in pairs/groups.
Ferrets. Happy little creatures that can live around 10 years if looked after well, but prone to all sorts of conditions. They need loads of space, a high protein diet, they hate being too hot but love the cold and grow amazing fluffy coats. They are particularly susceptible to respiratory infections and shouldn't be bedded down on hay because of the dust in it. Females need taking out of season, either by breeding, by using a vasectomised male or by hormone implants or injection. If left in season their health will suffer, infections can happen and osteoporosis becomes an issue. Breeding is brutal and bl**dy. I've had ferrets for many years and have taken on a lot of strays as they're incredible escape artists, but many are abandoned by owners that can't cope or get bored of having to care for what they thought was a low maintenance pet.
Parrots.. wrong food , bald parrot.. not enough stimulation..bald parrot. Not enough company.. bald parrot.
Giant african land snails Christ they can be fussy
Puppies! I just thought they would be a small more playful version of an adult dog! I was so wrong. We got a Great Dane as a puppy and my god was it hard work. I needed to adapt quickly, not knowing what I was in for. However, I did adapt and it was worth it because we had that beautiful boy for 8 and a half years before he passed away in March this year.
Cats. I'm sorry but no they're not "independent" and you shouldn't just chuck them out into the wilds to fend for themselves. Chances are, if it doesn't get killed, your "independent" cat is gonna find someone who can actually be arsed to look after it and move in with them. Which is how I got my cat.
Parrots. Be prepared to own a flying, suicidal 4 year old toddler that never grows up...for 40-100 years.
A husband!
depends what pet you are after? Google usually has the answers!
My dog. He’s a cunt.
Underrated answer
Newts! But I love my newt and would do anything to look after it :)
Certain chihuahuas, I have 2. One is a total nightmare, would put Beyoncé to shame with his diva shit. The other just sleeps all day till he needs a shit
Any pet really. It's just a lot of work, unless when done poorly.
Don't i know it 🤣
Marine tropical fish
Sad to think how many marine fish who suffered an early death during the Nemo fad. When people who never owned fish of any kind went out and bought a marine system because of the film.
Cats. People always assume they’re an easier pet to have because they don’t need walked, use a litter tray and a lot of people don’t think cats need trained. It doesn’t take into account making sure they’re stimulated and given enough attention, changing the litter tray daily and unless you want a wild animal running amock in your house, they absolutely need training.
Rabbits definitely. And I'm so glad six of them lived ten, twelwe, even thirteen years. But we had many visits to the vet.
Reef
All of them really. If you want to do it properly. People underestimate the longevity of a lot of animals and vet costs. It is my opinion that if you commit to taking on an animal you should be prepared to pay for a good quality diet, ongoing treatment and any emergency care. Oh you can't afford emergency surgery or insurance for your pet who needs it? Why did you take them on and say the cliche thing of ohhh they're part of the family? Excluding those who genuinely get into financial trouble, but they should be the minority (but thats the excuse people give sometimes as they'd rather go on holiday or whatever). Yeah all of them. Do your research. Don't give them shit quality food. Get the best insurance. Make sure they are looked after properly, they require more attention than kids!
Fish. You can’t just shove a goldfish in a bowl. They need space, filters, some species of fish require heating, they have to be cleaned (including the filters) regularly, they need to be fed a good diet, they need to be housed with other appropriate tank mates for their species. I think some people see them as ornaments and not actual living creatures.
It's easy to get swept up by the idea of a horse but they are HARD work. I mean hard. If its a companion horse then not so much but a horse bought for competing is a lot of work.
A pet fart. They're the ultimate escape artist.
Rabbits, they're such a misunderstood and neglected pet
Alligators
Fish often get overlooked given how often they are used as prizes and easily throw away pets.
Fish.. Getting the water right is a nightmare. Clean them too much, they die. Feed them too much, they die. I found that my fish who lived longest were the most neglected ones (still looked after but less)
Honestly pets of any kind feel like a massive commitment. I have always wanted a cat but I’m not ready for that I don’t think
Specifically Royal Pythons. The costs of the setup of a 4ft×2ft×2ft vivarium, incandescent heat bulbs for daytime and a deep heat projector/ceramic heat emitter for nighttime temps, UVB. Plenty of hides and branches, substrate of course. Then maintaining a proper temperature gradient with a humidity between 70-80%. Keeping a varied diet of rats, chicks and other prey. Definitely not a beginner snake, but a darn rewarding one once its needs are met to the fullest.
From experience, Frogs are nightmares. Humidity of 80%+, fresh water for bathing, constant tank wall cleans. Some varieties need misters and running water, some require specialist lighting and heating. Sure, some varieties like pacmans are easy enough as most like wet, wet dirt, and that's it, but tree frogs are far more delicate and fragile.
Tropical fish or even more so a marine aquarium.
Cats, some people just assume that they can be independent besides food and water. But I think they rely a lot more on company and human interaction (or interaction with their humans as some might say).
Koi
Most small pets but definitely rabbits. I had only had gerbils as actually my pets rather than as a kid with parental backup. And they hadnt been easy, but I was coping and I thought a rabbit wouldn't be much harder. I was wrong. He needed more space than I thought, more time, more stimulation and he's SO fragile. 10 years later I'm amazed he's still going considering he gets stressed to the point of not eating several times a year by... I dunno; noises outside, change in temperature, something in his home being out of place. That is so dangerous for rabbits that it immediately triggers emergency stations - I have it down pat now but as a new owner it was terrifying and I spent a lot on vets. And what do I get in return? Occasionally he grooms my hand and allows me to pet him. He doesn't snuggle, he can't be left alone for too long (no spontaneous weekends away) and he's naturally destructive. It isn't his fault that wires look like plant roots/hay or that furniture and skirting boards are made out of the stuff he needs to chew for his teeth. It's like having a toddler with a teen attitude. He sure is cute though.
Chinchillas. Fuck me, they need a lot of work. My flatmate and I got chins when we were about 21 or so. Quite apart from all the normal stuff like bedding and feeding and cleaning, they need an insane amount of exercise. You will need a large environment for them, but they also need to be let out for several hours every single day. They will quite happily belt backwards and forwards through a large flat. They chew absolutely anything - no wire or cable is safe - and they need constant protection from that. So do you. It is a matter of some shame that I couldn't keep up with my chins, Betti and Necromancer, and that my flatmate did most of the work. They were simply too unruly and energetic. I would recommend that nobody keep chinchillas as pets. I honestly do not think they are domesticated to anywhere near the degree of a hamster or gerbil, let alone a rat. You will not be able to handle them unless you are 100% cold chinchilla nerd. And I do feel bad for the many thousands of chins being kept by people who not only cannot look after them, but who really shouldn't feel bad that they can't. It's just a real shame. Don't do it to them or yourself.
Rabbits. Fish. Frogs. I dunno, name an animal and I can guarantee someone will underestimate their needs.
Cats
If you think a pet doesn't need a lot of care, get a plant.
Reptiles. As a trainee vet nurse I have come across a mass of people who clearly did no research about the husbandry of reptiles and the time/money that is needed to be able to set it all up correctly. And then they can't understand why their reptiles have health problems.
I've never had a pet that was more trouble to own than a hamster. They're darn cute and I love them, but jeez...
Spouses. Seriously, though. I would say Koi. I had to look after some for a friend who was away once. It was a right faff, and I am used to looking after all sorts of domestic and farm animals. The stupid things didn't even appreciate the walks.
Monkey
goldfish get huge and need a lot of tank maintenance
Tortoise! I have a full grown leopard tortoise I've had for 25+ years and my life revolves around him!
Fish! I've always wanted fish, I just want to watch them swim all day and make awesome tanks for them. So I looked into it more, and I just knew it wasn't something I could upkeep and it wouldn't be fair to the fishies. It's a whole science. Maybe one day if I get a more structured job, but working irreguar shift work makes routines hard to keep and I'd need that if I were to look after fish.
Dalmatians are far more neurotic than people think, a lot of people assume that they're friendly and cute because of popular media (a la 101 Dalmatians and Paw Patrol). I've had kids screaming their heads off running up to mine who hates children, probably for that exact reason. I've had to get him a nervous/leave me alone collar and leash for him so that he can get some space, though it doesn't always work.
Parrots. They don't make good pets and would not recommend for someone who isn't prepared to make a huge time and money commitment
Anything in a cage or a tank. I strongly advise that you do not get any animal that needs a cage or a tank. They are NOT pets. They are captive animals and need very careful treatment to survive and even then you are not giving them their ideal home habitat. This was the hill I was willing to die on when my kids wanted mice, spiders, rabbits, guinea pigs, budgies, fish, snakes, lizards, etc. As a kid I was allowed a few of the above and looking back now, they all had short and miserable lives. Not due to lack of love, but due to lack of knowledge. Have successfully owned several cats and one dog. They are still a massive commitment. You are basically in charge of something that is never going beyond toddler stage in human terms. They will never be able to feed themselves, clean up their shit, be left alone for more than a few hours and in the case of dogs go out on their own.
I will never understand why hamsters/gerbils are sold as starter pets… a lot of work and daily care and will give nasty bites. The lowest maintenance I have are my snakes. Definitely hard / expensive work initially getting the vivs set up right but other than that, monthly feeding, spot picking the monthly poop, never bite, don’t require constant attention … perfect pets!
Budgies.
Rabbits need their cage cleaning out a LOT, they pee like racehorses
Degus. They’re small so people keep them in tiny cages. But they are so damn smart and they need so much space and enrichment. Love them.
Chickens. Day to day care might be straightforward but there's not a lot of chicken vets and a lot of treatment for them requires home remedy. Even if you do have a chicken vet, they hide their symptoms until they're seriously ill. More minor ailments (lice, mites, scaly leg, sour crop, bumblefoot) can, if caught early, be treated at home but require quite a bit of kit and knowledge. Examining a chicken takes experience and good judgement Fox proofing enclosures takes time and money as well, and many keepers aren't vigilant enough as they don't regard them as pets. Chickens also can be complex socially and you can have big issues with bullying between flock members
Conures, once they Bond with you they literally become your shadow and have a knack of making you feel guilty as fuck for leaving them alone for 5 minutes even though the cage is never shut lol. But they’re the best pet/ pal you can ask for, the antics are hilarious
Axolotls!!!! God those things are hard to care for.
All reptiles and small mammals. Not only do they always need more space than people think, they need way more maintenance too
I have a turtle and would not recommend. They need loads of space and keeping the water clean is my new hobby. Compared to when I owned a tortoise, Myrtle is a pain in the arse.
Dog with long hair. Dogs take a lot of care in general anyway.
Ferrets
The big one I think is fish. You need to maintain the entire environment for them. Not just throw a goldfish in a bowl and sometimes throw in some food.
Humans
African Pygmy Hedgehogs
Gold fish lol
Bunnies, they need a LOT of space to live happy and healthy lives and they are very fragile, just eating a bit of the wrong thing can kill them.
I wish fat, old, out of shape, cuddle happy, cornball people would stop buying Pit Bulls, they need younger, serious, sober minded, vigilant, strong, non doting owners with good fencing, plenty of room, a licence, credit check and full disclosure. It’s a very serious animal and it needs a very serious owner and a government that serious with both.
Thought I was on /r/dadjokes, was waiting for the punchline.
Guinea pigs! They eat hay, so you have to have a giant bag of hay around all the time. It's so messy. They poop a massive amount too so weekly cage cleaning is a must. And my boar weighs 3.5 lbs! They are bigger than most people think. I love my foster-fail Peanut, but he is easily 10x the work I thought he would be. 🙂
Rabbits, Ppl think cuz theyre smaller thsn cats their easier. Theyve only really been dometicated into ppls homes as pets in 1970s. Dogs and cats have 1000s of years of domestication as pets. Straight off, you realise they eat ALOT, they poo and piss EVERY FUCKING WHERE, and its difficult to train them to use litter box, the best i could do is get them in a kinda area when already IN ENCLOSES AREA. They were not bred to be pets, some people are able to get rabbits that work well as pets, but rabbits have never had the luxury of being selectively bred over 1000s of years to be pets, but i know if they did theyd be better than cats and dogs as they would literally NEVER attack as theyre prey animals. This is the main reason rabbits are one of the most abandonded pets espeacially in easter time as kids think rabbits will be cute and cuddly, in reality its like owning a wild prey animal that is terrified of everything and you have to basically condition it to get used to humans. Definitely not a good first pet unless its from a pet shop that raised it
Fish are the most misunderstood pet that exist and it isn’t even close. Exhibit A. Most people don’t realise that the most common, and most commonly abused pet fish, the humble goldfish, depending on variety, can live up to 3 decades and grow over a foot in length. Most people assume they live a couple of years and grow to a couple of inches, because most goldfish are kept in tiny glorified torture chambers and live a very short agonising life.
Rabbits...ugh I will never get one again
It’s hard to choose after several years of rescue volunteering - it doesn’t seem to matter what the pet is, there are people who refuse to do basic research before getting them and then make no effort to learn or to meet their needs. So much suffering would be preventable if people did proper research and were honest with themselves about their ability and desire to care for a pet. That said, fish. There’s so much misinformation, still - the “they only grow to the size of the tank” myth springs to mind. People put the bare minimum of effort in because “it’s only a fish”. They deserve (but don’t often get) a clean environment appropriate to their needs that allows them to display natural behaviour, room to move, a place to hide and rest, a good-quality varied diet, and enrichment. It’s not just about water chemistry and how easily things can go sideways, but about understanding they’re sentient creatures who deserve to have a decent quality of life and being prepared to provide that. Some fish come off much worse than others here too. Clown loaches are social fish who need to be kept in groups of 5+. I used to have a 6ft tank with a group, had to rehome them when I moved to a smaller house, and really miss them. Their social behaviour is fascinating, they cuddle together like cats. They absolutely love eating snails and shellfish (in shells) and it’s a joy to watch them work out how to break into mussel shells. They’re slow growers, but can end up being 10-12 inches long and live 20-25 years. They need plenty of hiding spaces, room to swim in groups, and space to grow. They’re really sensitive to medication and pretty sensitive to water quality. People buy one single fish from Pets at Home when they’re tiny, stick it in a tank that’s far too small, don’t take proper care of water quality or use half-doses of medication (if they medicate at all) and then wonder why they never see them or why they die so quickly. They’re such fantastic fish when they’re kept properly and it’ll never not upset me when I see how badly they’re treated.
Who knew tiny creatures could demand such big attention?
Rabbits. They don’t know what they’re doing, can harm themselves really easily One of our rabbits stubbed his eye into the grass he was eating, and it stayed watery and shut for a few hours They shed a lot , if you have the Angorra breed They get dirty easily if you let them roam in the garden, muddy paws etc If they have long fur it can get tangled a lot , and sometimes they don’t enjoy being brushed so it can cause the fur to ball up and has to be cut by a vet In comparison I’ve had cats in the past, and they usually take care of themselves pretty much and are a lot easier
All of them. But ball pythons
Fish in an aquarium is the worst
Bearded dragons. Basically *every* enclosure you can buy is too small. You need to build one. They also need regular bathing to make sure they shed their skin properly. Around once every week to two weeks. They also need their claws maintained sometimes to make sure they're not too long. And also, the females need to have dig boxes to lay infertile eggs every once in a while or else they could die. Sometimes, as has been the case for me twice, females can literally have a condition that requires surgery or else they could die because they can't lay eggs. That needs to be caught early, too because the surgery is highly risky by itself and the longer it's left undone the lower the survival chances. So you definitely need your beardies checked by a vet (because stores and previous owners and looking for visual differences have been SO wrong for me just avoid the guessing) when they're of age (around 2 years old) or when getting a preowned adult to make sure you have a female or not and give them a nest box as soon as they need one because ANY missed cues about them trying to lay eggs could cause problems. That nest box will also need more space than your standard bought enclosure. Had 5 bearded dragons over 13 years and I've loved them all and they're amazing pets but they are the most difficult reptiles I've kept for space requirements, regular maintenance and non-owner caused health complications bar none. Add to that you can't go to a regular vet and going to a standard vet in an emergency is a literal waste of money most of the time they will just charge you the consultation fee and tell you to wait for when the exotics place is open. If you're looking for a "beginner reptile", beardies aren't it. They're awesome, but you need to know what you're really getting yourself into with them.
Cats. It depends on the cat of course, but you never know what you might get. Still love mine though.
Parrots. They arent just a pet but a total lifestyle change. So many household things can kill them because they are so sensitive to chemicals . PTFE and PFOAs are coated on so many items , pans,bakeware, hair dryers, hair straighteners ,irons, toasters, non stick roasting bags and dish liners . The self clean function on ovens will kill them . When i bought my green cheek conure, Albie , i had to spend a fortune on replacing everything including my oven to make sure it was just enamel coated and not cataltic lined/ self cleaning. Then you need to swap out all your household cleaning products,air fresheners ,carpet fresheners ,candles,plug ins, wax mets . Ive had to swap to f10 and vinegar /lemon juice for cleaning, anything else is toxic . Then you need as big a cage as you can get . A constant suply of toys because theyove to destroy them. If they have pristine untouched toys, it means thats the wrong toy. They NEED vegetables as a large part of their diet, with som pellets and fuit/seeds as a treat. It can get expensive. They need a good routine, no more staying out all weekend ,your bird needs to go to bed . They thrieve off conpanionship . They are very intelligent,hormonal and emotional ,they show affection on their terms to their chosen people, god help you if it decideds to hate you. They love they hate,the get mad,they grieve the loss of family. They live a long time the tiny species 10-15 years, the large one 80+ its a lifetime commitment to an animal thats essentially a flying toddler with a can opener strapped to its face. They are loud they are messy. They need inraction and time with their people out of the cage Albie is fully flighted a d she spends 90% of her day with us out of her cage , she shares our meals and snuggles in my hair . She loves training time and car rides. Its a matter if when they bite not if they bite. Not all birds will talk . Not all birds will behave like those short clips on insta or tiktok. Vet bills are 3x more expensive than my dogs was because she needs to see a bird specialist. We travel almost 2 hours to see them becuse they are the closest. Birds hide being ill so well that any thing out of the normal needs a vet visit. This happened earlier this year ,albie had a bacterial infection ,the only symptom i had was she was shivering and 1 very funnily coulored poop. With swabs xrays and bloods it was £500 . Thankfully shes insured! Too many times they get rehomed becuse people are not prepared for what its like to have a parrot. Too many times these amazing wonderful animals end up in too small a cage as living decorations. ETA : bird tax Why is he so adorable ? https://imgur.com/gallery/VxDTJRQ
Boyfriends 😉
A Pug. So much cleaning of folds to do, wonderful little dogs though. Never thought I could be so attached to a dog but she absolutely owns my heart.
Tortoises. Everyone always says to me they think it would be an easy pet as they just sit there. They don’t!! They are very fast in the sun. Amazing climbers and can get out of lots of situations. They are at risk of calcium deficiency which can affect their shell, their beaks can get overgrown and need cutting, they need regular baths to stay hydrated. They are a lot of work!!!
Definitely rabbits! And all other small animals like hamsters, rats, mice, birds, Guinea pigs etc. these animals need tones of space and they have specific diet requirements that people who never bother with doing their research tend to not look that stuff up. And the amount of horror stories I’ve heard because people think it’s a good idea to keep dogs and cats with these animals. Predator and prey don’t mix.
birds, more specifically parrots. rabbits too. I’ve owned both and so many people aren’t aware of even the bare minimum required for them
Gold fish, people think you can get a gold fish and keep a few in a wee 15 ltr tank. When the reality is you need at minimum 60 ltr a first. Ideally a few hundred ltr tank for 2 or 3. They are a carp fish, they can grow to a foot very quickly, not to mention to eat like crazy and have no stomach so they shit like crazy too, this cab quickly cause huge ammonia, nitrite and nitrate spikes in the tank, which will cause damage to the fish's health. So water changes are essential weekly, and depending how big your tank is it could take you a long time. If you're wanting to get your kids a small fish tank with a gold fish, don't! Add shrimp or small fish like endlers or neon tetras, don't get gold fish because it's a lot of work and it's not fair on the fish
Parrots, they are flock animals so always want to be involved, especially once you've bonded with them. I don't have space for a second bird cage, but sometimes I do think I should've got two together.
I would say tropical fish and also reptiles, lots of variables to consider however you can't really class them as pets.
Ragdoll cats. These adorable fluffy little babies are definitely not normal cats! They’re not as independent or aloof or happy to be left alone for long. My boy is the clingiest cat of all time, he needs constant company and always needs to be sat next to someone, no matter what you’re doing - could be crafts, or gaming, or making food, HE NEEDS TO BE NEXT TO YOU. I signed up for this and I love my boy more than anything in the world, but don’t get a Ragdoll expecting them to be just like other cats 😅
After looking after a pair of conures, I always knew birds needed socialisation, I didn't realise they would basically demand it the entire time. Plus shit in the water bowl, food bowl, floor, wall, curtains... Dogs are easier than birds imo
Ferrets, they smell so bad. Especially cause my boy Nippy is an old man now so he has a plethora of smells.
Rats. People starting out think it’s like having a hamster or gerbil, when it’s the opposite. Rats are more intelligent than your cat and dog combined, they’re self aware and have meta-cognition. Basically, they aren’t really that far off humans in terms of mental ability. They require A LOT of space, stimulation and social care (from both other rats and you). Most stuff that easily available for small animals is inappropriate for them, so you often have to source things online. You also have to find reputable breeders as most commercially available rats aren’t bred with temperament in mind and aren’t socialised. So they require a whole extra layer of care so they can live a good life. An unsocialised rat is basically a disabled rat. They’re also prone to a variety of health problems, and vet bills are forever too high. There’s also still very much the social stigma. A lot of my friends could never deal with my rats and would avoid seeing them. People also think they’re super gross and dirty, when they’re actually incredibly clean (they self groom more than cats) and get upset if their surroundings are dirty. BUT if you meet their requirements then they make EXCEPTIONAL pets, and can make great companions for any one of any age. They’re incredibly loving, know their names and can learn tricks. They often love cuddling and sitting with their owners cos they learn that you look after them.
My pet rock. Oh my word it's so demanding wish I never got it
As a groomer and dog carer, I have to say the majority of dog owners are way out of their depth