Low maintenance pets pllease lock mods

[Catsplat18]

The only rules are nothing weird/creepy or could potentially eat her cats/puppy. So no snakes, skunks, wild animals, rats (which arent exactly low maintenance anyways), and no birds.

What is defined as "creepy"? Snakes and rats? And are these animals she finds creepy, or you? What animals would you not want? Because this will affect people's recommendations (ex. someone mentioned mice and gerbils, but why would these be fine and rats "creepy")?

Also, I think people are taking the "don't want to clean fish tank" as "don't want to clean." But... water changes are so annoying, more annoying than cleaning up after other pets. It's just such such a hassle, and if you do it wrong and upset the nitrogen cycle... well, bad things occur. There aren't really any other pets that straight up die if you clean their tank wrong. You don't become a fishkeeper, you become a chemist. I mean seriously you need a kit with pH strips and different chemicals to test the water, which you do with every water change. There is no other pet where cleaning is such a delicate affair. So I totally agree with you about not wanting to deal with a fish tank, and I disagree that this implies you wouldn't be able to take care of a caged animal.

I aint gonna answer all your questions cause there's a lot; i do think right now just due to space and cause i'd rather not have to move a big ol glass tank when i do i think a sea monkey would probably be the most logical option (and also i dont think a shrimp would really care if i had to move it in about 4 years).

You have a lot of really useful and fleshed out questions and I absolutely appreciate it since some of them I didnt think about

These are great questions and it would be very helpful for us to make better recommendations, and many of them are one word responses or yes/no questions. Ofc you don't need to answer them right now or all at once, but it would really help us pick the best pet for you ^^

Anyway, I'm going to recommend arthropods/bugs. They are the easiest to take care of by far, and there are so many to choose from. They all have different requirements but there's something for everyone.

* = look don't touch (venomous)

Eats live insects: tarantulas* (their poop looks like bird poop and is annoying to clean if it gets on the glass/acrylic/plastic of their tank btw; look for lists of beginner-friendly ones, ex. many in the Aphonopelma and Brachypelma genera), scorpions* (small U.S. natives like Uroctonus mordax or exotics like the dune scorpion, or big black ones like emperor, dictator, Asian forest), tailless whip scorpions (ex. Damon genus, Phrynus genus), giant vinegaroon, jumping spiders (ex. Phidippus genus), mantises (ex. Chinese mantis, Carolina mantis, giant Asian mantis), centipedes* (the only thing on this list I'M scared of and wouldn't keep lol)

Does not eat insects: isopods (sooo many to choose from), U.S. native rhino and stag beetles (sadly we don't have access to the huge ones popular in Japan), U.S. native darkling beetles (including blue death-feigning beetles!), walking sticks and leaf insects, millipedes (ex. bumblebee, scarlet, Florida ivory, Narceus genus, Orthoporus genus, Tylobolus genus), cockroaches (ex. Madagascar hissing, green banana, Death's head, etc. So many to choose from. This entire order of animals is demonized because of a few pest species! So unfair).

[FerretMonarch]

The only rules are nothing weird/creepy or could potentially eat her cats/puppy. So no snakes, skunks, wild animals, rats (which arent exactly low maintenance anyways), and no birds.

What is defined as "creepy"? Snakes and rats? And are these animals she finds creepy, or you? What animals would you not want? Because this will affect people's recommendations (ex. someone mentioned mice and gerbils, but why would these be fine and rats "creepy")?

Also, I think people are taking the "don't want to clean fish tank" as "don't want to clean." But... water changes are so annoying, more annoying than cleaning up after other pets. It's just such such a hassle, and if you do it wrong and upset the nitrogen cycle... well, bad things occur. There aren't really any other pets that straight up die if you clean their tank wrong. You don't become a fishkeeper, you become a chemist. I mean seriously you need a kit with pH strips and different chemicals to test the water, which you do with every water change. There is no other pet where cleaning is such a delicate affair. So I totally agree with you about not wanting to deal with a fish tank, and I disagree that this implies you wouldn't be able to take care of a caged animal.

I aint gonna answer all your questions cause there's a lot; i do think right now just due to space and cause i'd rather not have to move a big ol glass tank when i do i think a sea monkey would probably be the most logical option (and also i dont think a shrimp would really care if i had to move it in about 4 years).

You have a lot of really useful and fleshed out questions and I absolutely appreciate it since some of them I didnt think about

These are great questions and it would be very helpful for us to make better recommendations, and many of them are one word responses or yes/no questions. Ofc you don't need to answer them right now or all at once, but it would really help us pick the best pet for you ^^

Anyway, I'm going to recommend arthropods/bugs. They are the easiest to take care of by far, and there are so many to choose from. They all have different requirements but there's something for everyone.

* = look don't touch (venomous)

Eats live insects: tarantulas* (their poop looks like bird poop and is annoying to clean if it gets on the glass/acrylic/plastic of their tank btw; look for lists of beginner-friendly ones, ex. many in the Aphonopelma and Brachypelma genera), scorpions* (small U.S. natives like Uroctonus mordax or exotics like the dune scorpion, or big black ones like emperor, dictator, Asian forest), tailless whip scorpions (ex. Damon genus, Phrynus genus), giant vinegaroon, jumping spiders (ex. Phidippus genus), mantises (ex. Chinese mantis, Carolina mantis, giant Asian mantis), centipedes* (the only thing on this list I'M scared of and wouldn't keep lol)

Does not eat insects: isopods (sooo many to choose from), U.S. native rhino and stag beetles (sadly we don't have access to the huge ones popular in Japan), U.S. native darkling beetles (including blue death-feigning beetles!), walking sticks and leaf insects, millipedes (ex. bumblebee, scarlet, Florida ivory, Narceus genus, Orthoporus genus, Tylobolus genus), cockroaches (ex. Madagascar hissing, green banana, Death's head, etc. So many to choose from. This entire order of animals is demonized because of a few pest species! So unfair).

My sister and her bf have 2 cats so things like mice and gerbils not only does she find creepy cause she doesnt like rodents but they would probably find their way into a cat's stomach. Also she said no snakes cause she doesnt like them (something i didnt realize) and she's worried about her pup becoming a snack.

As for the fish water changes would suck cause not only do i have a horrible memory, but I also have a shoulder that regularly likes to become numb while i'm holding things and that plus a glass tank means probably not alive fish and a broken tank. Or at least a 5 gallon bucket of nasty fish water spilled everywhere which is not my cup of tea. Personally i would love something like a mouse cause they're super intelligent and small enough to where i would be able to interact with them and not worry about having tropical plants, but unfortunately, she dont like em and i aint keeping something that'll be stressed if a cat happens to wiggle in. (Sometimes i keep my door open if i know i'll be able to keep an eye on if a cat wiggles in.)

Personally i cant stand spiders (ome crawled on my face when i was sleeping as a kid and now i'm real wary of them) so it wouldnt be fair to either of us for me to have one. I wont go near a jumping spider and accidentally lifted the gate at my parent's house of the hinge cause there was a junping spider smaller than my pinky nail on it. Wasn't close to me but didnt have to be. I typically stay away from any arachnids cause of it.

Oh gods i forgot about bugs! I love mantises!! Personally i wouldnt keep cockroaches (because of the stigma against them and i will literally get sick at the mere thought of them so again not fair to them or me)

I had a mantis on my shoulder and while everyone else got nervous (it was eyeing my ear pretty well and they got some mean mantibles on them) i was just estatic i got to touch it. I had followed this mantis around all day so i could pet him. He was in the garden and i rescued him before my dad saw him eating a leaf. I thought creepy millipedes were poisonous or is it just centis?

Wait not all cockroaches are the nasty apartment ones?

[PinkAngel]

My sister and her bf have 2 cats so things like mice and gerbils not only does she find creepy cause she doesnt like rodents but they would probably find their way into a cat's stomach. Also she said no snakes cause she doesnt like them (something i didnt realize) and she's worried about her pup becoming a snack.

-If you keep the gerbil/mouse in your room, will your sister still be worried that her cats will eat the rodents? If she is worried about that, then does that mean she is still worried about the cats accessing your plants? (If the cat can still access your pets in your room, then they can still access the plants)

-There are snakes small enough where eating a dog is not possible. Hognose Snakes, Cornsnakes, Milksnakes, etc are relatively small and eating something the size of a chihuahua or tea-cup yorkie is unlikely. Plus, I would not recommend letting your snake wander around the house with other animals as the other animals pose a bigger threat, they’re fine inside their habitat or on a table if you want to feed them pinkies. (probably not your hands if you feel that you would drop them). Keep in mind, some snakes are mildly venomous like hog-noses, but it’s unlikely to put you in the hospital.

As for the fish water changes would suck cause not only do i have a horrible memory, but I also have a shoulder that regularly likes to become numb while i'm holding things and that plus a glass tank means probably not alive fish and a broken tank. Or at least a 5 gallon bucket of nasty fish water spilled everywhere which is not my cup of tea. Personally i would love something like a mouse cause they're super intelligent and small enough to where i would be able to interact with them and not worry about having tropical plants, but unfortunately, she dont like em and i aint keeping something that'll be stressed if a cat happens to wiggle in. (Sometimes i keep my door open if i know i'll be able to keep an eye on if a cat wiggles in.)

-If you have bad memory, are you worried about forgetting to feed any pet you get? Worried about forgetting to check that it has water? Worried that you’ll forget to clip its claws/that it’s teeth are not growing too long? (though usually you can get chew blocks for rodents)

- Are you worried about dropping any animal you get? Will you just hold it with your good arm?
——
So far it seems you are unable to have (from what I read from your responses, apologies if I added something you can have at your sisters)
1. Dog
2. Cat
3. All/Majority rodent species
4. Fish
5. Spider
6. Snake
7. Bird
——-
Bugs are also a good idea, you can find bugs where you can create an entire eco-system and they will thrive with minimal care. But things like mites can also be harmful and require you to pay close attention for signs of mite infestation as it can greatly harm your colony of insects. Mites will require you to deep clean your tank.
Though, I assume your sister would find bugs creepy?

Have you ever talked directly to your sister regarding pets she is alright with you having in her house? The only one I seen confirmed was a frog.
———
Please don’t see my questions as being aggressive/mean as it is hard to interpret meaning/tone through text. Just things to take into consideration and think about.

[FerretMonarch]

My sister and her bf have 2 cats so things like mice and gerbils not only does she find creepy cause she doesnt like rodents but they would probably find their way into a cat's stomach. Also she said no snakes cause she doesnt like them (something i didnt realize) and she's worried about her pup becoming a snack.

-If you keep the gerbil/mouse in your room, will your sister still be worried that her cats will eat the rodents? If she is worried about that, then does that mean she is still worried about the cats accessing your plants? (If the cat can still access your pets in your room, then they can still access the plants)

-There are snakes small enough where eating a dog is not possible. Hognose Snakes, Cornsnakes, Milksnakes, etc are relatively small and eating something the size of a chihuahua or tea-cup yorkie is unlikely. Plus, I would not recommend letting your snake wander around the house with other animals as the other animals pose a bigger threat, they’re fine inside their habitat or on a table if you want to feed them pinkies. (probably not your hands if you feel that you would drop them). Keep in mind, some snakes are mildly venomous like hog-noses, but it’s unlikely to put you in the hospital.

As for the fish water changes would suck cause not only do i have a horrible memory, but I also have a shoulder that regularly likes to become numb while i'm holding things and that plus a glass tank means probably not alive fish and a broken tank. Or at least a 5 gallon bucket of nasty fish water spilled everywhere which is not my cup of tea. Personally i would love something like a mouse cause they're super intelligent and small enough to where i would be able to interact with them and not worry about having tropical plants, but unfortunately, she dont like em and i aint keeping something that'll be stressed if a cat happens to wiggle in. (Sometimes i keep my door open if i know i'll be able to keep an eye on if a cat wiggles in.)

-If you have bad memory, are you worried about forgetting to feed any pet you get? Worried about forgetting to check that it has water? Worried that you’ll forget to clip its claws/that it’s teeth are not growing too long? (though usually you can get chew blocks for rodents)

- Are you worried about dropping any animal you get? Will you just hold it with your good arm?
——
So far it seems you are unable to have (from what I read from your responses, apologies if I added something you can have at your sisters)
1. Dog
2. Cat
3. All/Majority rodent species
4. Fish
5. Spider
6. Snake
7. Bird
——-
Bugs are also a good idea, you can find bugs where you can create an entire eco-system and they will thrive with minimal care. But things like mites can also be harmful and require you to pay close attention for signs of mite infestation as it can greatly harm your colony of insects. Mites will require you to deep clean your tank.

———
Please don’t see my questions as being aggressive/mean as it is hard to interpret meaning/tone through text. Just things to take into consideration and think about.

To be honest I've tried explaining that there are snakes out there that get no bigger than a gardner snake and that (i've directly referenced a hognose) they are literally unable to eat anything bigger than an decent sized mouse. I think that she finds them 'creepy' and thats that. The animals she has are unable to access my room unless I keep my door open which i refuse to because of my plant.

I ain't worried about forgetting to feed it or anything like that cause I would be able to see it and as long as its not 'out of sight out of mind' i'll remember and also its hard to forget a whole creature you're responsible for.

My arm is funky, but the most problem is when im holding something in a certain position for an extended amount of time and unless its heavy i can ignore the fuzzy feeling it gets. I wouldn't drop a pet unless its a big fat pet and i'd keep it close to my chest anyways to minimize any potential falls anyways. The most problem would be something like a 5 gallon bucket or a full metal container of MCD's sweet tea. It's just the stiff position being held in place where things get wonky. (I really need to go to the doctor for it, but i'm getting off my parent's insurance becuase i moved addresses so it'll have to be real fast if i do. But i'm scared something big is going to be wrong with it.)

Also yep that seems to be all the animals i cant have. Though i want to ask her why about the rodents/snakes cause teeny snakes exist and they're cute and stupid

[PinkAngel]

Some people have an aversion to snakes/rodents. Either learned or caused from negative experience. And sadly, there isn’t much that can be done to change the persons mind, unless they are willing to seek exposure therapy/or are open to slowly introducing themselves to the object which elicits fear/disgust until that feeling is no more/tolerable. (but telling someone to get therapy can often be taken in the wrong context. i am not saying your sister needs therapy, more so just explaining what helps people get over fears)

My relationship-partner’s mother is terrified of snakes, it doesn’t matter the size of the snake. But that is because she had a negative encounter with snakes as a child which caused the fear to follow her in adulthood. There are times when they find their way inside her house, and the snake is a small garter snake or rat snake. Yet her reaction is that of a monster manifesting in the house. The size of the snake doesn’t matter.

My friend is disgusted with mice and rats, but I remember their mother being disgusted when her cat brought a field mouse inside. I remember going to a pet store and the mother being dramatically-outspoken about how disgusting rats are. My friend is the same way, but also with bugs. (I would be lying if I didn’t feel disgust towards bugs, it’s not rational, but it’s an uncontrollable feeling)

If a child sees their parent/peers panic over a bug/snake/rat/or any thing really. It could cause the child to fear what their parents/peers fears, even as they progress into adulthood, the same goes for a parent/peers being disgusted by something.

Some fears and feelings of disgust are illogical, (and that’s okay so long as it doesn’t prevent one from living life or cause harm to oneself or others). Some fears and feelings of disgust are subconscious, where we cannot answer why we fear or are disgusted by specific things.

———————————————
I think it would be a good idea to ask your sister to make a list of what pets she is alright with you owning inside her home. That way it will save you time on doing research on an animal she may not allow you to have.

You could also make a list of animals you would like to own, and give them to your sister, allowing her to cross off what she does not want inside her house. It could also allow you the ability to communicate with her why she doesn’t want the pet inside her house and her concerns. Communication also can help lead to compromise.

Communication with your sister is more important than what other players and I can share. Suggestions and advice could be given, but they all could be for naught if your sister disagrees/has different opinions. :3

I do wish you all the luck on getting a pet that fits you. This will likely be my final message on this topic.

[bubblegumjello]

idk if anyone has suggested it but what about a bio-active self sustaining jar? you can get a couple of snails and some other critters as well as plants in there.

ive been seeing them on tiktok a lot and kind of wanted to do one myself.

the best part is you can make it as small or as large as you would like, ive even seen people even do water ecospheres with them. but yeah thats something you could look into :D


i noticed you said you did not want to have to worry about a big tank but if you end up changing your mind in the future, leopard geckos are probably the chillest lizards you can get. they do live a long time though, so keep that in mind c:

[Catsplat18]

Oh gods i forgot about bugs! I love mantises!! Personally i wouldnt keep cockroaches (because of the stigma against them and i will literally get sick at the mere thought of them so again not fair to them or me)

I had a mantis on my shoulder and while everyone else got nervous (it was eyeing my ear pretty well and they got some mean mantibles on them) i was just estatic i got to touch it. I had followed this mantis around all day so i could pet him. He was in the garden and i rescued him before my dad saw him eating a leaf. I thought creepy millipedes were poisonous or is it just centis?

Wait not all cockroaches are the nasty apartment ones?

Mantises don't eat leaves or plants, they only eat live insects. So if you had one as a pet you'd have to have a supply of other bugs to feed it. Most mantises only live one year. When I had mine I fed it crickets I bought at the pet store. I also bought waxworms from the pet store and let them turn into moths, which I then fed to my mantis. I ordered black soldier fly larvae online and once they turned into flies I fed those to my mantis too. I also fed her flies and moths I caught outside, but if you live in a place with a lot of pesticides/insecticides, don't do that.

Millipedes are poisonous, so don't eat them and wash your hands after touching them and there's no danger of getting sick. Centipedes are venomous and their bites will cause complications. Millipedes will never bite you, but even if they did, nothing would happen, since they have no venom.
Poisonous = if you bite the animal you get sick
Venomous = if the animal bites you, you get sick

There are 30 pest cockroach species worldwide, and only 12 of those are found in the U.S. There are 4600 species in the world. If 0.0065% of cockroach species are bad, it's unfair to label their whole group as bad. However, if you are afraid of them, that's okay. We can't control what we are afraid of. But if you are curious and want to see some pretty ones, you can look up these for fun:
Pseudoglomeris magnifica -- this one is emerald green
Eucorydia aenea -- this one is blue-green and orange
Polyzosteria mitchelli -- this one is blue and yellow


I could also recommend garden snails as pets. They eat fruits, veggies, and salad.

[FerretMonarch]

So a wee update; my plant is dead cause i dont have a green thumb and a kitten was dropped off at my parents house, so now i'm getting a kitten

So if the mods wouldnt mind locking this that would be great