Suitable pet in a flat
littlebooties
Posts: 2,320 Forum Member
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I am after a pet but live in a forth floor, one bed flat so don't want to get anything inappropriate. I can't have a dog or cat due to allergies, but don't have any experience of keeping anything else.
Fish don't really grab me as I'd like something I can handle and interact with.
Has anyone been in the same position and what pet would you recommend?
Fish don't really grab me as I'd like something I can handle and interact with.
Has anyone been in the same position and what pet would you recommend?
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Comments
Birds
My children were the ones that kept them and they loved them (when we found a quiet cage!) no idea about gerbils although I did have a friend with a house rabbit which worked out well for her once she had rabbit proofed her flat!
I second the rat. Allot of people normally hear rat and go ewwwww! I was one of them people a long time ago, but my friend kept rats and she made me hold one once and you learn how sweet and charming rats are. Since then I’ve been hooked.
Great little companions and apart from the initial start up cost they are relatively cheap as you can make toys out of pretty much anything, just yesterday I found some wool in a cupboard and knitted the rats a nice hammock, save myself a £10
My ex neighbour used to have some.
You buy them quite small and they grow to about the size of a squash ball when they are fully grown, which is quite quickly, i.e. a few months to a year.
All they need is an aquarium type enclosure with damp soil or peat at the bottom, plus a ventilation cover at the top, some cuttle fish bone and be fed on vegetable matter, e.g. cucumber, lettuce etc.
They are pretty low maintenance, e.g clean the enclosure and replace the soil/peat every couple of weeks, keep the conditions damp etc., but not exactly very interactive. However, at least you can pick them up, unlike fish.
Your local pet store may stock them.
Other than that, what other people have suggested.
If you are renting, check whether pets are allowed.
hamsters, mice, gerbils, rats etc. are quite good as you can interact with them (with hamster wheels, if they squeak, put a nice big dollop of vaseline onto the pin and it should stop it)
snakes and lizards are easy enough, cou can handle both of those
rabbits and guinea pigs if you can let them free-range in your flat for an hour or two each day, however rabbits are as bad for allergies ad cats and dogs
I agree with the rat.I had one myself many years ago and he was a great companion.
Ferrets are kleptomaniacs! They do make good pets but if you get a jill they need to go on the pill when their lady bits show.
Lizards
Snakes
Terrantula
Giant African Land Snails
Frogs
Hamster
Guinea Pig
Rabbit
Ferret
Dagu
Chinchilla
Gerbils
Rats
Mice
Birds
The ones in bold get only if they wont set off your allergies
if your allergic to cats and dogs then maybe you'll be allergic to other animals like rabbits, guinea pics and hamsters cos they still have fur :eek: x
One of my neighbours has a parrot and some budgies and you hear the parrot chattering away (it likes to mimic cats meowing) and the budgies singing can be quite pleasant but the parrot is getting loud at the moment as he has lots of guests staying and they can't keep the noise down so the parrot is getting a bit agitated.
Some I've never heard of, let alone would have thought of myself. Time to do some further research. If I pick something with fur, or even without, will definately check if I'm allergic to it first.
I rent but am able to have a small pet.
Same here, we have a cat
And what ones haven't you heard of before may I ask?
You can get wheels that have ball bearings rather than run on a spindle that are nearly silent.
Silent Spinners
But even normal wheels can be made quiter by taking them apart, and putting a thin smear of vaseline on the shaft,
Let us know what you choose.
or a Tortoise.