DW knows all: pet edition

[oyceter]

So. I have had pet rats for the past 7 years, and although I love them to pieces, I think their short lifespans (2-3 years) are really wearing on me emotionally. (Poor Ed-rat. I think he is getting lonely too... he is getting kind of neurotic when I play with him.)

I think I am currently looking for a pet that isn't too high maintenance or expensive. I'm not interested in getting a dog, and I'm slightly allergic to cats. I'd prefer something that can't mess furniture up. I also tend to like the older guy rats because they're lazy and squishy and cuddly, as opposed to the more energetic girl rats. I'd also like something that lives for at least 5 years.

So far, I have been thinking of either ferrets or guinea pigs, but I have no idea outside of random things I've read on the Internet. I would also not be opposed to getting a litter-trained non-kitten cat or so, but have no idea how much work cats are. I'd also prefer adopting from a rescue agency over getting a pet from a breeder or pet store.

Also, I went to a local rat adoption fair and nearly succumbed. There was a pair of one-year-old boy rats, all fat and squishy, and one of them was a black berkshire like Fitz-rat, and one of them was a black rex like Ren. SO CUTE! Especially the black rex! He was even kind of balding like Ren! I so wanted to take them home! I always get so sad seeing the adult rats in adoption fairs, because their chances of being adopted are so low, thanks to the lifespan thing. I was trying to tell myself that if I got the two boys, maybe I wouldn't get as attached to them when they died in a year or so? Ha.

Comments

[oyceter]

Nix on the ferrets then!

Woe! I so want a cat (or cats), except I am super worried about the allergies (mine have gotten SO BAD in the past few years) and the place I'm living in right now isn't the most cat-friendly place around.

[jinian]

What about fostering a cat? You can explain to a rescue agency that you haven't had one before and are concerned about allergies, and want to try it out. They're generally happy to have foster care for a cat even on a short-term basis. (Hmm, be careful with concluding it's cat issues rather than pollen, though; didn't you start having allergy trouble last spring anyway?)

[oyceter]

I would love to try that! I am just worried re: where I live though... I'm currently in my parents' condo, and I really really really don't want to do anything that might mess up their furniture.

[jinian]

Well, horrifying though this is, there are some shelter cats who have been declawed. Those poor guys really need a good home where they're indoor-only, too. It does sound like this is an awful lot of criteria to deal with right now, though. Maybe cats later.