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Anonymous
Need help choosing what kind of pet to get. Im moving into a big apartment and Ill be able to have anything up to a small-sized dog.

Basically Im looking for something that doesnt require care and attention every 10 minutes of my day and I can leave it alone at home for several hours at a time. Im thinking cat as my first choice followed by a Chinchilla second. What do you guys think are my choices?
>> Anonymous
> Basically Im looking for something that doesnt require care and attention every 10 minutes of my day and I can leave it alone at home for several hours at a time.

Cat. Cats need attention, but they are very flexible about when they need it. I'd be a dog person myself except I'm a grad student and sometimes spend upwards of 30 hours at a time at work. The cat is okay with this as long as I spend time with him when I get back.

(Before "OMG you shouldn't have gotten a cat!", the cat was given to me by his dying stray year-old mother. Had I gotten a dog in the same way, I would have been forced to give him to a pound. He has plenty to do at home by himself, and for most of the year I end up with roommates with their own cats for him to play with.)

Chinchillas are expensive.
>> Anonymous
>>119592
Anything that lives in a cage requires more than minimal attention, plus they don't socialize as well as cats/dogs tend to. I don't think they make very good pets for most people.

Dog probably isn't good if you're going to be leaving him alone often and for hours at a time... unless you can get two.

Go for cat. Independent, clean, sociable.
>> Anonymous
hamster or small rodent
>> Anonymous
tomagotchi.
>> Anonymous
>>119607

Tamagotchis require a lot of care.
>> Anonymous
Cactus
>> Anonymous
>>119604

Not necessarily true. Rats socialize extremely easily. They are intelligent, require little care when compared to pets like cats and dogs, and enjoy interacting with humans. I found that an hour or so of outside-the-cage play per day kept all of my rats happy and loving.
>> Anonymous
>>119631
Agreed, though the 'hour a day' part probably won't work for OP. I used to keep rats as a kid. They're great if you're lucky enough to get a social one, but they make miserable pets if they're timid.

Curious if anyone here has owned a chinchilla and can shed some first-hand light on their general disposition.
>> Anonymous
cats aren't social, they're selfish bitches.
>> Anonymous
>>119648

Lucky enough? I've had probably fifty or sixty over the past ten years, and only three of them were incurably shy. If you handle them daily, they are typically tame and begging for attention within a week.
>> Anonymous
>>119649

Get a good breed and cats can be very affectionate while remaining independent. But it really depends on the individual cat, and many ARE quite social, if not most.
>> Anonymous
I'd say go for the cat! Kittens are absolutely adorable, and don't require as much attention as most other pets. Generally they're pretty independent, but can have big personalities. One of mine wakes me up every morning for pets, and can be a complete spaz. Most kitties are still pretty affectionate.

Aside from making sure they have fresh food and water (And are up to date with vet check ups), there's basically just cleaning the litter box. A scented clumping cat litter keeps the odor pretty well contained too :P
>> Anonymous
>>119592
If you want the least amount of attention possible, then get a hermit crab. They're cheap, and the only real care required is that you make sure they have food and water. Then you don't have to fuck with them for a week. They're clean, they don't carry disease, they don't eat much, they don't usually smell, and they don't make sounds (except for the rare quiet croaking sounds they make). I have one, and he's perfectly independent.
>> Anonymous
For the love of god, if you get a cat, get one that's a couple of months old. As cute as kittens are, nothing is more hair-rising than listening to one yammering for HOURS on end for its mother because they were separated too early.
>> Anonymous
Goldfish (I'd suggest an oranda)
get a 20gal tank
2 goldfish so they will have company.
They don't need a lot of attention, and they are beautiful creatures.
>> Anonymous
>>119804
If you have more than one, make sure that there's an acceptable amount of shells for them to get in. They will fight to the death over a shell.
>> Anonymous
Get a tarantula. Requires food once a week and just keep up with the water. Otherwise, don't need to do anything with it.
>> Anonymous
>>120098
That's awesome! Get the hermits crabs.

Then, shape their habitat to resemble the Coliseum and put only ONE shell in the middle.

It'll be a gas.
>> Anonymous
>>119912

Seconded. I have three cats, and the cat I rescued at three weeks of age never got over her kittenish behavior. She's loud, clingy, and needs constant attention, just like a dog. Not to say I don't love her, though!

Most kittens aren't good when left alone for long periods of time, but cats are fine. I'd adopt a lazy, fully grown cat who likes to sleep!
>> Anonymous
>>120088

Thanks for being awsome and giving your goldfish 10 gallons per fish! I can't count the number of morons who try to put them in a teeny bowl.
>> Anonymous
>>120141
I know the feeling anon. I want to throw a tank at their heads.