BOB.T

Hi all

I'd quite like to get a pet but need suggestions, a couple of points to bear in mind are;

• I live alone and can often be out for nearly 11 hours with no way of getting home in that time.
• I'd love a bear but even I can see that not happening, would love a Staffy but think 11 hours away is too much, or is it?
• I want something to engage with, not a cat
• Not fish
• Not too expensive to maintain, not messy
• I'd prefer for it to not be able to kill me / scare off new wimmins

Does that leave owt?

SunnySideUp

A couple of rats ....

Honestly, best pet you can have!! But buy two - they need companions or its just cruel.

Don't bite, don't smell, live 30 months and keel over, you can leave for 2 weeks and go on holiday they look after themselves ..... cheap as chips to feed.

fatherpierre

Goldfish.

Anything needing your attention wouldn't be good, or fair.

Gordo

Do you mean you don't think cats are engaging, or you just don't like cats?

ScoobyWon't

A rampant rabbit so the new wimmins can entertain themselves for the 11 hours you're at work

Although, on second thoughts, it may not be very engaging for you...

Parrot?

I reckon chinchilla's are cool

BOB.T

Rats, not a bad idea, used to have gerbils years ago.

I don't really like cats plus I get a bit allergic with them.

I have a fish and it's crap.

When I say engaging, it's nice to come home to a dog and it's all mental and pleased to see you, like it's the best thing that's ever happened to it! Does anything other than a dog do that?

Sonic'

Shouldnt that be carp and not crap

Oh and the only other thing that will do the above like a dog is a new girlfriend for about a week

Lady T

Lol erm dogs are probably the most friendly and excitable, I would love to have a pet to and am looking at a similar criteria as you.

Maybe a rabbit or something... they are pretty low maintanence

if you dont like it you can always eat it! Only kidding! I wouldnt dream of it, not my kind of thing

Snazy

Rats, I would agree too. Been keeping them 5 years now. On our "second wave", and thats just coming to an end now.

Keep them clean (which is not hard) and they are excellent, to watch and to interact with

Tam the bam

Steve beat me with the carp crap

Agree about the Rats though Bob, they do make great pets, get 'em young and handle often and they'll become very affectionate, also there is nothing funnier than answering the door to a salesman with a Rat on your shoulder Although it does work two ways, either they freak out, make their excuses and **** off, or they are used to Rats and chat away about them rather than the **** they are trying to sell

I've got two young rats atm (well they're my lads) most I've had is 4 at one time and it was mayhem lol, best stick to just the two

fatherpierre

Only a dog will give you that welcome, Bob.

WhatswiththeR

iTrader: (1)

omg i can't belive people are suggesting rats as pets, i hate vermin that includes mice, hamsters, gerbils guiena pigs (sp) although i like squirrels. only time i would touch a mouse or rat is to feed it to a snake or cat, and also theres quite a few wimmins that are scared of rats and might think your a bit weird for having one. i saw someone mention a parrot thats not a bad idea and you can teach it to talk

SunnySideUp

Rats show you are a real man .............. not a nancy

ScoobyWon't

I really want a chinchilla now I've looked at them on the web

WhatswiththeR

iTrader: (1)

call me a nancy if you want if i see a rat i'm running or i'll let my mates snake out

little-ginge

11hrs is far too long to leave a doggy - wouldn't your employers let you have it in your vehicle or is that space needed for people??

Rats - ew ew ew ew ew ew.. thats all I have to say on the matter

I've always liked the look of Chinchillas - Cheeky Chinchillas - Looking After Your Pet Chinchilla

Snazy

Aaah get over it. They are excellent lil animals. Intelligent, try to be clean, fun to interact with, and an amazing amount of people like handling them once they have overcome their initial fear.
Low maintainance, self supporting, cheap to keep.... what more could you ask for

Snazy

They are fantastic, and really funny to see running around your lounge lol

LG, lol bless ya

Townie, a lot of people tend to keep them in cages unless people around you want to have them out. lol

little-ginge

I'm worried now.

Will

A woman, they are fantastic pet.

They can clean, cook and foock!

filfy

Simple just get a couple of ferrets
Get yourself a nice size pen/cage for them.they sleep most of the time up to 20 hours,but when you want to play with them they are awesome just jump around being very silly
We have 8 in a big run out side and when i go in they just go mental for half an hour or so and that's them knackered and then off to sleep again.
Get them spayed or neutered and they loose a lot of there smell.Also if reared from kits they should not bite,but no big deal if they do.
They really do make lovely pets,i would not be without mine

Turbohot

Bet they do. Specially when they go mental on you, and creep up and down your trousers Apologies to Snazy and others, but the thought of a rat as a house mate is quite frantic to the likes of me.

I'd say you should get a cat, Bob T. Ok, you have to make an effort with them (same as you would; with women) But they are really cool. They are independent, they can go in and out of the cat flap, they don't moider you something chronic, and they spread joy (and their hairs) all over the place, just with their mere presence.
Allergies are for Nancy Reagans. You can breathe a few hairs up your nose if you are a man as SSU says.

wwp8

tapeworm??

Snazy

Turbohot, lol serious they aint that bad. Ours are in the other room anyway, but I could sit and watch them for hours.
Its one of those things that we grow up believing carry the plague, are dirty and will bite you....... but in reality, they are lovely.

Not everyones cuppa I appreciate.

Tam the bam

I think your mate may get a bit grumpy if you try and release his snake, although maybe not, each to their own and all that!

ScoobyWon't

Why?

stara

a parrot. they can be messy though and stinky.

Lee247

What's wrong with Cats. They are superb pets

BOB.T

OK, so you put a shelf up, a dog would be 'wow, amazing, that's the best shelf I've EVER seen!!!' a cat would be 'well, I'm not putting my books on it'... hmm, sounds so familiar

A rat / chinchilla would be 'wtf is a shelf?'

Would chinchillas be less off putting for the new wimmins (that I'm only gonna keep for a week at a time )?

chrisUK300

iTrader: (10)

Cant leave a parrot on its own all day though, they are very demanding and require constant attention. Leave them alone for long lengths of time and they will develop behavioural problems eg biting,screaming etc.

Our parrot is much more demanding than our dog, would only recommend one to people with a lot of spare time and dedication. (They can live a long long time 25+ years)