Pet Suggestions

nes

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NO, NOT FOR ME!!! (we have ENOUGH right now).

My sister just went to college and she's living with some other girls in an apartment. She was telling me she's really lonely for a pet (we grew up with tons of animals & I totally understand what she's going through). She has 3 cats (1 at dads, 2 at moms) but one of her roommates is allergic so she can't take them (although she REALLY wants Pink
).

Originally she wanted a rabbit, but I managed to change her mind. Not that they aren't nice pets, they just aren't cats. They don't really hop up on your bed and cuddle like cats do (ok, I know SOME of them do, but in my experience - the VAST majority don't). Plus they are fairly expensive! Even though I have most of the gear from my rabbits (we don't have them any more) i was going to give her.

I had guinea pigs at one point, I'm sorry, I HATED them. They were nice to pick up & pet and I think they make good pets for younger kids or as class pets but I'm just not a "small animal" sort of person.

Can anyone think of a good pet for her?

Her roommate has a hamster but I strongly cautioned against her getting one as inevitably they'd end up with MORE hamsters after that
.

I don't think she's really into reptiles, although my brother had a bearded dragon I loved - I don't think my sister touched it once.

She does not share my love for fish
.

I was thinking of suggesting a bird, but they can be ALLOT of work, and one of her cats (who she will eventually take in a year or two) is quite the huntress!

I can't think of another small/medium sized pet that is easy enough for a college student to take care of but not a cat.

Poodle x cat mix maybe??
.

I think a dog would be too much work & she's out most of the day at classes.
 

goldenkitty45

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How allergic is the roommate? Some of the very short hair cats may work (one cat). She can wipe down the cat daily with distilled water and that tends to help with allergies.

I'm not much help in what to suggest - growing up we had birds, fish, hamsters, lizards, dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles, quail and when I got my own full time job - I bought myself a small horse.
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

How allergic is the roommate? Some of the very short hair cats may work (one cat). She can wipe down the cat daily with distilled water and that tends to help with allergies.

I'm not much help in what to suggest - growing up we had birds, fish, hamsters, lizards, dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles, quail and when I got my own full time job - I bought myself a small horse.
Are Sphynx good for allergic people, considering that they barely have hair, and need to be bathed every couple of days? I imagine that would take care of the dander pretty well... If she is a cat person... I hear Sphynx kitties are super loving cuddly cutie pies!
 
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nes

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I bought myself a small horse.
I like that idea but she's in down-town Toronto.

I hadn't really thought of a sphinx, I'll ask about her roommates' allergy. I have a feeling my parents will freak out at her if she gets another cat instead of taking the ones she has
. I know she's rather rescue a cat then buy one, I'm not sure what the availability of an exotic breed like that is in our area.
Pink should turn out to be fairly short haired... I'd just like to see my little kitties go to family members
.

I did try to suggest a turtle but she's not really interested & again they aren't cuddly.

A rat has the same issue as the bird idea (in that Jedi would eat it). I don't know what Degus or Chinchillas are like.
 

nekochan

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I've had many types of small pets, and it really depends on what she's looking for. Some small pets are more interactive than others and some bond more with their owners.

If she likes kittens, maybe a pair of ferrets? Ferrets are a lot of fun but should be kept in pairs at least. Ferrets act quite a bit like kittens (and they also get into mischief like kittens.) The difference is they stay like kittens their whole lives! Most don't like to sit and cuddle with you though, they'd rather be running around playing chase and such. As far as being interactive they are similar to puppies or kittens, and like puppies they need to be kept an eye on when they are running free in the house because they can get into a lot of trouble if the house is not 'proofed'. Some people let them run around 24/7 but I never felt safe doing that so my ferrets got at least several hours a day where they were free in the house (but gated into the living and dining rooms which were safer) and then they a big cage for them to stay in when I wasn't ablr to keep an eye on them.

Another option if she is open minded is a pair of pet rats. Rats make great pets, they are generally very friendly and are smart enough to learn to come when called and can also learn tricks like dogs. The females tend to be more active and playful while the males are more laid-back and cuddly. I've only had females and I find them to be fun and playful. They like to sit on my shoulder and hang out. I would recommend looking for a good breeder/rattery rather than getting one at a pet store. Rats from a good breeder tend to be a lot healthier and better socialized/friendlier. Rats can be very good at defending themselves against a "predator" as well, most of my cats steer clear of the rats' cage because of this.
 
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nes

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Egh, you just gave me the shivers. I had a roommate once with a ferret and it was TERRIBLE. The thing pooped EVERYWHERE (and being carnivorous they were GROSS). I think my bad experience was related to her inability to care for it properly.

It's a good suggestion though, I'll try that one on her. You're right they are sort of fun & cuddly. I don't know how responsible her roommates are though & that is REALLY important.
 
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nes

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I did suggest my sister buy her a years supply of benadryl
.

We have several friends who are allergic to cats & we (1) don't let them out on the porch were hubby entertains his friends and (2) keep the house well stocked on the allegy meds
.
 

goldenkitty45

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Sphynx may or may not work. Problem is the if the person is allergic to the saliva and cats wash themselves, the saliva would be on the skin and you would still have a reaction.

But since they can be washed every day, it may work out.
 

mews2much

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I am allergic to cats and it never stopped me from having them.
Sphynx do cause allergies also.
I will sneeze non stop if I am around long hair cats and my eyes will be a mess.
I give my sphynx a bath once a week.
If they have toamny baths to will get oily very fast.
 

white cat lover

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Just how friendly the small animal is depends on how it was raised. I know of super social mice, rats, rabbits, ferrets, & sugar gliders. I have also been attacked by all of the above.

Buying from a pet store often means they haven't been well socialized. Has she tried looking at the "small & furry" category on petfinder to see if any local groups have any "other" animals?

I personally have "rejected school pet" gerbil who is very social. No, he's not a cat (and he's in a cat safe tank), but he's friendly enough.
 
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nes

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Originally Posted by mews2much

I am allergic to cats and it never stopped me from having them.
Yeah but that's not fair to impose an allergy on a roommate. It's not my sister's decision to make there. I talked to her again last night & she's also concerned the cat could get out very easily :S.

It sounds like she's just going to have to go with out a pet for the rest of the year
. She can always go home and visit her own cats though!

Thanks for the suggestions guys. WCL - you're very right, I've been encouraging her to adopt from a shelter not a pet store if she does decide to get a pet.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Nes

I don't think she's really into reptiles, although my brother had a bearded dragon I loved - I don't think my sister touched it once.
That's too bad. Leopard geckos make a great starter and can be fairly curious and take well to some handling. Perfect college student type pet - initial set up cost around $100-150USD (about the same as any pet will costs you right off) and after that you just pay for food and a vet when needed. They can live around 20-25 years if properly cared for - unlike rodents.
They come in several neat colors. The only problem is that they're strictly insectivorous and must have live healthy insects to eat.

You might have her look at them.
Lots of people start off getting them as pets in circumstances where they can't get anything else, then they end up addicted to them and get several more.
There's also crested geckos, though shorter lived, that are easy enough to care for and tame - they can be fed on a premade diet called "crested gecko diet" with some supplemental insects from time to time. They also like treats of fruit baby food.

Being small geckos, they don't require the amount of space a bearded dragon needs. No turtles - everyone thinks they're cute but they're hard work and tend to do best if eventually given some time outside (summer months at least).
 
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nes

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You know, a friend of mine has some geckos & really loves them. His GF is not a big animal sort of person but really loves them too. Hmmm, I'll suggest them, at least she'll have something little to talk to if not cuddle with
.

I'm sure I have an extra fish tank & I know my brother still has all the stuff from his beardie (she egg-bound and passed before anyone knew what had happened
it was very sad!)...

Hmm...
 

rahma

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Originally Posted by Nes

Egh, you just gave me the shivers. I had a roommate once with a ferret and it was TERRIBLE. The thing pooped EVERYWHERE (and being carnivorous they were GROSS). I think my bad experience was related to her inability to care for it properly.

It's a good suggestion though, I'll try that one on her. You're right they are sort of fun & cuddly. I don't know how responsible her roommates are though & that is REALLY important.
I would second the ferret suggestion IF she is uber responsible and is willing to clean their cage several times a week. I ferret sat for my friends' ferrets during college one summer, and because she didn't clean their cage regularly, it was a mess. Very very stinky. After I got into cleaning it regularly, the room started to smell better, bit by bit.

They only went to the bathroom in their cage, and were content with an hour or 2 of play time outside the cage each day.

Another thought re: having a pet in college is the cost. Does she have money for emergency trips to the vet? I know aforementioned friend spent more than a thousand dollars on emergency vet care for her ferrets in one year.
 
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nes

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Yeah ferrets are expensive.

Uh, money wouldn't be a problem for emergency vet visits.

Talking to her about the kitten she said there was a good possibility it would get out, and I know what escape artists ferrets are. I don't think it would be a good idea :S.

Maybe for other people though!
 

whiteforest

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I had a girl in my sculpture class that always had a sugar glider in her purse.


What about using Allerpet spray for the cat?
 

strange_wings

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If she's very responsible and would be willing to dedicate herself to it, a bird may be a good pet. A lot of birds bond very closely with their keepers and do cuddle.


Re: geckos cuddling... they like out to explore, any time they spend sitting on you is because you're a good vantage point and because you're warm. But if you a quiet person who is good with them you may even have a gecko trust you enough to take a nap.

Sorry to hear about your brother's beardie. They're very affectionate as far as reptiles go, and love interacting with their keepers - usually people and their beardies bond pretty closely.
I suspect his female did show some signs of being gravid, and in hindsight he probably realizes it now. They can be more subtle than a cat when ill, though.

With room mates and even the chance of moving again, I suggest any sort of pet that can spend at least half it's day in it's cage and be fine with that. She can always get other animals later, or if she feels deprived now she could volunteer at a shelter.
 
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nes

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The beardie went from eating crickets (which was strange at over a year, but she was very active) one day to stone-cold dead the next. It was really really strange. Egg-bound is just the best suggestion anyone has been able to offer.

It was REALLY sad, she died 3 years ago, and the empty cage is till in his old room at my dad's
. Falcor was a cutie-pie (he named her after the dragon from the never-ending story because I was SO scared of him when I was young... little brothers eh?
). I had a whole bunch of fresh pet-quality veggies to give out this year
(we ended up giving them to a rabbit that was later killed, not by my veggies but a stray dog, but there were a few hours people were wondering...).

A sugar-glider is an interesting suggestion, I don't know anything about them though.

I don't think a bird is a good idea just because her cat Jedi thinks they are delicious! A little parrot would probably be ok (like a senegal) but it's still a big risk with Jedi :S.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Nes

The beardie went from eating crickets (which was strange at over a year, but she was very active) one day to stone-cold dead the next. It was really really strange. Egg-bound is just the best suggestion anyone has been able to offer.
So no necropsy was done? That doesn't sound right. She should have displayed some nesting behavior and you would have been able to notice the eggs in her. Eggbinding would have only happened for two reasons 1) no nesting area was ever provided 2) the beardie was in poor health to begin with.
Normally the reptile refuses to eat and drink.

All other illnesses cause symptoms of some form, as well. The only thing I can think of that would kill a reptile, or any animal, that quickly would be poisoning.
All it would take is not washing some veggie from the store well enough. Though there is adenovirus which occasionally doesn't display any symptoms when it kills babies - it's different in semi-adults and adults.

Since there's no way to know what happened now. If your brother still has the cage and supplies, it's probably best to tell him to destroy and throw them out.
There are some diseases like "crypto" and adenovirus that are highly contagious and would contaminate any cage that beardie lived in.

Back on the original topic - anything smaller than a cat or anything that could be viewed as a prey animal, likely will be. A sugar glider would look just as tasty to a cat as a bird would - as would a lizard. The important thing is that if a small animal is brought into the home that it is kept safe - never trust a cat.
 
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