Next animal?

[ShrekDawg]

I've had aquariums for tropical fish but never had much luck keeping them alive. I have chicks that I just moved outside, yesterday and will begin incubating eggs possibly next spring. I am also interested in raising quail down the road. I'm trying to become self-sufficient in the near future.

Yeah mine were just bettas. I’ve yet to try tropical fish although I’ve always wanted to. Chicks are so fun and quail are amazing!!! And yeah, I would love that eventually too! I want goats and sheep haha

 

[ShrekDawg]

And my next animal will most likely be a savannah monitor I love them. I actually got to meet one up close and personal when I went on vacation a few years ago and I was in love the first second I met it!

That’s amazing

 

[ShrekDawg]

Dawg, you could always do what I do and get the heat mats that go under the tank instead of using a heat bulb. I absolutely hate heat bulbs because my cat knocked one down last year and almost lit our bed on fire.

You still need a light with UVB and UVA usually for any reptile. They only need to be on during the day not at night.

I am more of a bearded dragon or water dragon type of person because they are a lot friendlier from my experience. Every gecko that we have had has been very skittish even from being little. Our gecko now is a leopard gecko and he is eight years old, and he still hates us Every day when I give him his bugs he will bite my finger and it’s just been kind of a jokevery day when I give him his bugs he will bite my finger and it’s just been kind of a thing we do daily doesn’t hurt but he is just a grump.

Guinea pigs, hamsters, rats they all need to be cleaned pretty much every day or the tank will start smelling.

I clean out my lizards cages every other day. You can do what I do for bugs and just get a tote with air holes all around the top and put Dubai roaches in it. I feed mine every other day because I give them big portions of lettuce. They also have special roach food that I give them and I just fill up their bowl when it gets low.

Bunnies are cute but a lot of work. Just remember the bigger the animal you get the more poop you are going to clean and the more maintenance they will need.

most animals who are in a tank need to be clean pretty regularly or the tank will start smelling. just keep that in mind.

I don’t do birds in my house anymore because I am quite allergic to their dander!

Thanks for all the info! That’s really helpful! I hadn’t thought of a heat mat before!! I kind of moved away from the indoor rodent thing because of the cage cleaning and stuff. I’m much better at farm/outdoor animals haha fish tanks for the same reason. Hated water changes. Although I would love to have gerbils eventually but I heard they’re really dusty so with my asthma I don’t think it’s a good idea.

I had a rabbit in high school but he just had a regular cage cause I didn’t know better. I did let him out/play with him a lot though but if I did it again I would have one free roaming 24/7 or at least a large x pen. But I think I would be allergic to bunnies too or the hay. Idk.

I really want a beardie or corn snake eventually haha

But I just have way too much going on to add more animals right now. I’m actually trying to reduce. Mostly with the chickens hah

I love love love my parakeets though and I loved my quail so I want like a big huge aviary eventually LOL maybe not huge but with a bazillion in it

I want another dog eventually too but I’m happy with Brew for now.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I really really want a beardie or corn snake though and I feel like they wouldn’t need as much interaction or whatever as rodents? But still time, money, energy, etc. that I don’t have to set it up.

 

[TheDuckGuy]

So for some reason today I was thinking about all the different animals we could possibly get next and I just figured I would make a post on it.

Now, before my mom was joking about how we could be self sufficient and I was thinking of other animals we could raise to that extent, like a mini cow or goats or rabbits but this is more the pet side and I was just thinking this in my own head. And, I will admit, I do think about the next animal quite often and I change my mind on what that should be often too BUT it's always the same few to choose from and over the years I've done research on most of them and most all would fit so it's not like I'm really changing my mind drastically or anything.

Anyway.

I obviously have the chicks right now and they're still babies and I am going to follow through on an idea for once but I don't know, I'm just always thinking of new ideas ha

So anyway, I'm not really sure why I made this thread but I guess I was sort of hoping that I WOULD be able to get another animal soon or eventually and that I could maybe get some more info on them and opinions on what is better OR, at the very least, pictures of your own cuties if I can't get any.

Now, another farm animal is a huge task, but I'm going to be making a list of all the animals I'm considering so I may as well include them too. Also, yes I know that pets are work too, perhaps even more, but I simply mean livestock is a bigger monetary and structural commitment. They're usually more expensive to buy snd stuff plus I'd have to build a whole other area instead of just buying a cage or building a much smaller enclosure. Though pet supplies do add up.. Haha

But okay, sorry, I know I've rambled a lot and haven't even gotten to the point or listed the animals yet and I know most people probably won't read this but oh well. Also it's like almost 2 AM so that's another reason this likely doesn't make sense so sorry.

Anyway, here are the lists along with concerns for each.

PETS:

Guinea pigs - number 1 option right now. Heard a lot about vitamin C problems though and that does concern me. And the big pen but that's easy and they'll probably be outdoor if I make something secure.

Rabbits - I love them, used to have one when I knew nothing, but house rabbits require so much space and attention. I know if they have a friend it's better but it's still a lot of time and training. Plus it makes me nervous letting it run loose with the dog. I know outdoor rabbits are an option but to me, that's almost MORE work because you have to make sure they're getting the proper attention and care even though they're outside. They'd also have a decent enclosure for exercise whether indoors or out but still. Meat rabbits are possibly an option but I don't think I could ever bring myself to do it and my mom thinks even meat chickens are gross/sick let alone a cute little rabbit. These are like almost number 1 except all these problems. Unless they're easier?

rodents - I would LOVE rats but that will never happen while at home but then I thought recently maybe mice and I could sneak them home but my mom hated mice just as much and would probably find them eventually anyway. For a while a few months ago I was really into hamsters then gerbils but now I don't think I'd want a hamster. They just don't seem that interactive. I don't know. And gerbils are ADORABLE but I've heard they're a little flighty or fast but I don't know.

birds - for a while I was in love with parakeets or cockatiels and still am but I've decided that house birds are probably too much work. Mixing fruits and veggies for them and all the poop and attention commitments and stuff and I don't know. I then briefly thought about an outdoor aviary and it would be cool (anyone ever done an Australian thing like at the zoo with cockatiels and parakeets and i think cockatoo and stuff?) but it's still work with the different kinds of seeds and fruit mashes and all that junk. But I guess the guinea pigs would need it too and chickens would get that stuff as treats too

Reptiles - I would LOVE a corn snake but my family HATES snakes. I'd love a leopard gecko or bearded dragon too but the bugs and lights and stuff puts me off, seems like lots of work. Snakes seem easier but probably still work. Forgot to add this last night: I've thought about turtles or tortoises too but turtles are just as much or more work than a fish and a tortoise could work but wasn't sure if they were boring and they live soooo long. Same for birdd actually

Possible but not likely:

I've alsp briefly thought about ferrets, bigger or more intelligent parrots like macaws or African Greys, hedgehogs, chinchilla briefly, etc. Etc. But my mom thinks ferrets are gross and smell too much (do they? Possible outdoor area but even so I don't like the feeding them raw thing. Wanted to try for dog but for some reason weirded out or too much work for ferrets), decided the big parrots are wayyy too much work, and hedgehogs and chinchillas I don't think I know enough about and I heard hedgehogs have some spit some people are allergic too.

Livestock

This should be easy haha not gonna list cons for this one.

Goats
Cows
Pigs
Horses
Donkeys
Ducks
Rabbits (like for meat/breeding/farm purpose not pets)
Sheep
Alpaca
Llama

All those could be mini or full size.

Oh and also under pets I forgot that I've also wanted another cat or dog. Dog probably too much work but cat was another number one idea before today.

And a project is I was gonna build a cat enclosure next. And this hoop coop idea I've thought of so many applications from housing livestock to storage to a greenhouse.

DUCKS I LOVE DUCKS 2ND WOULD BE REPTILES 3RD IS A BIRD

 

[ShrekDawg]

DUCKS I LOVE DUCKS 2ND WOULD BE REPTILES 3RD IS A BIRD

I got two parakeets last March they’ve been amazing still no reptiles or ducks though. I did get a dog though this March

 

[ButtonHoarder]

I got two parakeets last March they’ve been amazing still no reptiles or ducks though. I did get a dog though this March

You have parakeets?! Can I have pics?!

 

[ShrekDawg]

You have parakeets?! Can I have pics?!

I do!

 

[ButtonHoarder]

I do!

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Awww . What are their names?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Awww . What are their names?

Pride and Disaster aka Dizzy lol