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Pets MEGA Cats VS Dogs - POLL!

The Big Question - Cat v's Dog


  • Total voters
    164
Used to have a Mexican Black Kingsnake.

Lovely black scales and a silver belly, about 6 feet long. People tripping in our flat used to have the best reactions when a snake glided past them on the floor:D

We used only let him loose on special occasions though as he had a habit of trying to get under the kitchen fittings to be near the hot water pipes and there was a risk of him managing to get to the apartment below us.

The hamster actually did make it down to the other apartment once and seriously freaked out the guy who lived there as he had a phobia of rodents - so we figured he definitely would not be happy to meet the snake;)
 
there was a black snake that would find its way into a house I used to live in. we would put it back outside, but it kept coming in through an old gas pipe that was no longer being used, if I remember correctly. the thing was about 5 feet long, and it totally knew its way around the house. we would know it was inside by how the cat was acting, cuz I think she could smell it and it freaked her out.
 
Sometimes i'll let my Reticulated Python (longest snake in the world) just hang out in my living room. It's definitely big enough that you can take your eye off of her for a while and she won't get lost. As long as you make sure the snake can't get into things that could harm (keyrings for smaller snakes, behind the frig, etc.) them it's all good to just let it chill.

About a year ago I returned from a drum'n'bass show candyflipping REALLY hard. I thought it would be a good idea to take out my blood python. I put him down on a table for like 5 minutes or so, looked back and he had gotten into a big keyring that was on my keys at the time. It was on there good and I started having really bad visions of myself waiting at the reptile shop I frequent, snake in hand, waiting for them to open so I could have him put down. After about ten minutes of wiggling the ring it came off. It was probably one of the happiest moments in my life, seriously. Supposedly keyrings are the worst way for a snake to die, because once they get it underneith their scales, their body tries to start breaking it down from the inside, which kills the snake slowly. I've seen some pretty horrific pics of snakes with keyrings under the scales.
 
Someone mentioned getting an octupus on here, I had wanted to set up a tank for one, only to later learn they have the lifespan of but one year. I can't watch an only year-old octopus I could possibly grow to love die.

That being said and to keep the ball rolling..

spot_genet.jpg


I've heard good things about spotted-genets.
 
aren't those nocturnal?

And are all octopi lifespanning @ just 1 year????
(let me comment a little further on octopi - first off, they're marine, so that's a saltwater setup, which I can assure you is not something simple to setup and operate. Also insane amounts of money. $500 minimum for a small setup if done properly (that's buying at stores, I will say that craigslist/want ads will have some RIDICULOUS buys on saltwater setups, I'm talking 1/4 retail prices on good stuff. Also, it's my understanding that octopi have escape behavior similar to eels, which I've had many of myself. They will escape if you do not address this issue. You need to have the tank escape proof, you need to go and check every little spot that somethign could sneak out, because if there's a spot they can squeeze through, they will find it. I've had 2 climb outs, one time the eel was fine (they can go hours nad hours out of water), but my second escape died). I also believe that octopi can push tanks' lids up, so you may need to keep the top heavy. That's also a rule on larger eels, anything that's a couple feet long or larger, especially if they're thick, need to have the top weighted down or they'll push through. It's retarded behavior, I don't know where they think they're going leaving their tank, but that's how it goes!)
 
Spazzzz? said:
Sometimes i'll let my Reticulated Python (longest snake in the world) just hang out in my living room. It's definitely big enough that you can take your eye off of her for a while and she won't get lost. As long as you make sure the snake can't get into things that could harm (keyrings for smaller snakes, behind the frig, etc.) them it's all good to just let it chill.

About a year ago I returned from a drum'n'bass show candyflipping REALLY hard. I thought it would be a good idea to take out my blood python. I put him down on a table for like 5 minutes or so, looked back and he had gotten into a big keyring that was on my keys at the time. It was on there good and I started having really bad visions of myself waiting at the reptile shop I frequent, snake in hand, waiting for them to open so I could have him put down. After about ten minutes of wiggling the ring it came off. It was probably one of the happiest moments in my life, seriously. Supposedly keyrings are the worst way for a snake to die, because once they get it underneith their scales, their body tries to start breaking it down from the inside, which kills the snake slowly. I've seen some pretty horrific pics of snakes with keyrings under the scales.
gotta say, i think it's the coolest thing in the world when people have these gigantic snakes that aren't caged (or aren't always caged anyways). Shit is just sooooo cool! My fiance wouldn't even let them in the house, so a free roaming giant is clearly beyond anything I'll ever be allowed haha.

I did work with this guy who had one of these big ones, and he NEVER had it in a cage. It just lived in his place like a dog or a cat, free to roam. He told me he kept a machete near his bed (it slept with him a lot) because apparently it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities for it to try to wrap/kill him.
 
we used to have a corn snake, i would put it in my ponytail and it would curl up around it on top of my head and stay like that.

egor said:
If you want an exotic pet try a parrot. I have an awesome yellow naped amazon, best pet ever.
i love birds. i am going to be getting a hyacinth macaw in the next few years. they are super expensive, and need a lot of attention, so i need to wait until after we are sure we aren't having any more children, and when my professional life is at the point where i am not working so hard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinth_Macaw
 
im a fish person so a couple of exotic fishes -

alligator gar

school of red bellied pirahnas

asian arowanna

AAAgrade flowerhorn (a type of hybrid cichlid)

wolf fish/ snake head

big ass marine set up with sharks and rays
 
I am surprised no one has suggested and Iguana. IF you have time and dedication these can be really rewarding pets IMO. It takes some work keeping the humidity and temperature right, making sure they are getting all their vitamins, clipping their nails and all that but not much more then any other pet when I come to think about it. I just think Iguanas are more fragile than say, cats. I remember mine he would love to be pet and totally mellow out. If you get one you just have to realize their life span and know that you will have to handle it almost everyday or else it will get mean. Besides its totally awesome to have this huge lizard just chillin illin on your shoulder.
edit: Oh and you can potty train them to the extent that they will go in a litter box.
 
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wanting a pet ...

Update! Got my new family member! Now I need a name!!!!! go to page 3 for pictures!


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Here is the deal. I live in a small apartment alone, where pets are not allowed. When I first moved here, I brought my cat with me, and because she was quite young, she loved to play in the window jumping at the blind's strings, and management ended up seeing the cat. So after a couple weeks of living here, I came home with a note on my door giving me a warning about my cat.
I ended up having to let her go live with another family member.

After 9 monthes of living here, I really want to have a new pet to keep me company. I work 3rd shift, so I am usually sleeping when everyone is up, so my social life kinda sucks at this time. I really want a "social" animal that i can interact with. Like you can with a cat or dog, but of course whatever animal i get would also have to be quiet as they could not know I have a pet.

But I have really only had a cat in my life, and not quite sure as to what other animals would be suitable in my case. Management has never came into my apartment so I really dont have to worry about them finding out, as long as my pet wasnt noisy nor would be able to get in the windows.

Anyone have any suggestions, or personal experieces with certain animals that might work out for me?
 
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How about a chinchilla? They are a lot smaller than cats and they're pretty smart. I bet you could probably keep one at your apartment without anyone noticing. I heard you can train them to do tricks.
 
did you ever let your cat outside? if not, that must've sucked badly for the cat.

i'm not having a go about that (what's done is done), but you need to get something that doesn't mind being cooped up all day, i suppose. i can't think of anything personally. (i'm a doggie person.)
 
over the years my wife and i have owned 3 ferrets . Ours were like cats and liked being around people at night they were kept in the cage . Ferrets can be litter trained but do have odors that can be taken care of with a good diet and washed often Go to your local pet store and take a look at them , the little guys are pretty funny to watch . WE had two white and a brown one. The wife wants to get one more but i have 11 cats and a dog now and i'd rather have a dog.
ferret.jpg

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?N=114133&aid=1820
 
Yes I would also like to recommend ferrets, and also RATS (you'd probably want to get 2 so they can keep each other company when you're not home).
Rats are awesome. I can't advocate them enough haha.
Very intelligent, very clean, very playful, entertaining, easy maintenance etc etc.
 
lsdongs said:
i've always wanted an iguana...
That would be very cool :)
But they're not exactly cuddly...
My little bro has a snake called JubJub hehe.
I always wanted a tarantula but the "version" of tarantulas we get in Australia are really not very pleasant creatures...and I wouldn't want to get one shipped over in a box from South America or something, cruel!
 
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