I'm actually seriously considering getting a pet and have no idea where to start.

[PeaMcLean]

I've never had a pet before. DS would like something and I think it might be good for him.

Can't have a dog as we're never around during the day. I'm allergic to cats. Fish are boring.

So. Hamster / rabbit / guinea pig.

How do you make sure the rabbit isn't got by the foxes? Do you have to have a guinea pig with a rabbit? Don't they get lonely otherwise?

And hamsters. Is it best to have two? Are they really easy to look after?

And how easy do you find it to get someone to agree to look after them when you're on holiday?

Not sure about Pet at Home, tbh. Good for having a look round at the pets and what you need for thm, likely cost etc - but two MN-ers have bought rabbits which turned out to be sick / have bad teeth etc and had to take them back as unhealthy and...unsustainable.

degus are great really playful and friendly go to pets at home they sell them.

butwhybutwhy we went to pets at home yesterday and they were redoing the store so we couldn't see any animals - the bastards

tbh i think that you have already made up yourmind that you do not rally want a pet.

how old is your ds as if he is young it will be you who will be caring and feeding it.

hamsters are solitary animals and same sex will fight and obviously you would not want different sexes!

rats are great as i have had loads. if socialised they wont bite and love being carried on your shoulder, they come when called and are not like hamsters who will run under the sofa and eat the carpet. rats actually respond to their name.

but all pets need time and effort so i dont think you are ready at this time to take one on.

Love the idea of a rat which responds to it's name. That's great. DH's face at the suggestion of a rat was like this:

" Aaaargh!"

I agree, I don't think we're really ready for a pet. Which is a shame, I can see the advantages. And french lop bunnies are gorgeous.

DH had a couple of dogs when he was younger but he's not keen on them now. Though ahving said that, the list of pets he won't have seems quite long now I've been through this process with you all

DS is 7 btw and very nervous around animals. Wouldn't cuddle a baby bunny in case it jumped...

Anyone in Cardiff need a rabbit-sitting service for the holidays???

Really, get some fish. If you're not sure about the whole pet thing, get fish to begin with, if you can keep them alive, clean and healthy, then move on to bigger pets.

and a constantly weeing rat having the run of the house? eeewwwwwwww!

We have 2 dogs, and

Stick insects.

The kids LOVE them.

We have them in an aquarium (which we got at the recycle centre) with bird sand at the bottom and a lid/mesh at the top - they eat privet or bramble which i put in a small pudding bowl with rocks in it (so they don't drown). I clean it every week or so -which consists of getting rid of the old branches, sieving the sand, and putting new branches in.

They have just hatched babies, and the kids are really enjoying watching them.

They don't live very long either

And they don't live that long -

What I meant to say is that they don't live long....

!

mamag, which pets at home?

I know my mum has seen the big rabbits
in one store and my SIL has in another.

It was only a joke suggestion btw
I couldnt imagine people having a giant rabbit rumming around their house with kids too.

Rats!

PEa, i think you are very responsible and that is refreshing to see . Those giant bunnies are a lot of work, i have had two - both sadly died from cardiomyopathy at quite a young age They are too strong for young children too and can do quite a bit of damage with their back legs.

Maybe a goldfish then

Those rats are sweet. Do you think if I swapped the label to read "gerbils" DH would never know the difference?

Sad about the bunnies LEM.

oh, you should see the dumbo rats they do in pet world just now - cute is not the word DP and i were seriously tempted

Guinea pigs live 7 years, though, long commitment.

What about mice? We have looked after friends' mice who handled well, smelled little, very cute. Much smaller than rats (but not friendly or clever like rats).

If you go for mice, get them from breeder, not a pet shop (mostly specialise in frozen snake food mice).

What about tropical fish?

You would have to do a bit of research on it first as setting up isnt as simple as you would think but tropical fish are beautiful and you do get different characters.

I had them as a child.
My dad loves fish and he got a big tropical tank set up in the house and eventually I persuaded them to let me have one in my bedroom.

You can get little red fin sharks, only small but beautiful and lets face it....they're a shark!
Guppies, very bright and fast, plecs very slow fish that suck onto the tank with their mouth, my mum had one called Gertrude

Honestly, they are fab.

Have a chat with a local tropical shop and get some advice.

butwbw - clifton moor, york

rabbit! I have a dog, 2 cats and a house rabbit, he is the best by far! My girls love him too, he is out all day long and lords it over the other animals. Any hamsters i have had in the past have always been non biters and full of character. I would go with either a rabbit or a hamster.

Mice stink though.

It doesn't matter how often and how thoroughly you clean their cage you will never get rid of the smell.