Can You Please Help Us Choose a Pet?

[katydidthat]

My son wants something cuddly.  Not a fish, not a bird (although I would like a bird).

We live in a tiny teeny 2 BR unit ... it is not big enough for a cat or a dog.  

It would be nice if it could like happily in a large bird cage ... as I have one.  

NOT MICE OR RATS.  

TVMIA

[kengillard]

think you're right Iza

[i-need-a-martini]

A rabbit does chew a bit when bored.

My one loves anything wicker (laundry baskets, crafts baskets etc). He will also chew on the odd piece of furniture with wooden legs. I have lots of expensive antiques in the house and he has ruined the odd chair. X-(

But I now buy baskets and bits of wood and leave them around and he seems to have stuck to those things. Everything else has been removed from his reach.

When he was on our balcony he did chew through the christmas tree light cord but has never chewed on any wiring inside. But I have heard that they do that.

If you don't get them desexed, they will spray...both the males and females.

My boy has never done that. Do they do it only when you have other rabbits around?

[*mrgrizz*]

meerkat

[not_an_eloi]

ferret

[kengillard]

:^O

[katydidthat]

Meerkats and ferrets sound good to me ... what are they, how big are they, are they legal, are they affectionate?

I'd like a squirrel ... but we don't have them here, either, do we?  

[monstersinthedungeon]

There are palm squirrels available for purchase in NSW, but apparently they're really small, incredibly fast and not cuddly at all - not really suited for pets, by the sounds of it. They're also hideously expensive, something like $1200 each.

You say that your apartment is not big enough for a cat, but an older cat sleeps most of his life away anyway, all you would need to do would be to give it a litterbox. Go to the shelter and find a really smoochy older cat, when it's not sleeping 18+ hours a day, it will be happy to have lots of cuddles in your son's lap.

[sprinklespowerpuff]

Meerkats are wild and come from the Kalahari in Southern Africa. They are small but not bred for captivity and are totally unsuitable as a pet in any event. Eat scorpions, frogs, toads, lizards etc. Some zoos have them. I believe they are related to the Mongoose. Haven't you ever seen Meerkat Manor on the tele?

[*mrgrizz*]

Meerkats are wild and come from the Kalahari in Southern Africa. They are small but not bred for captivity and are totally unsuitable as a pet in any event. Eat scorpions, frogs, toads, lizards etc. Some zoos have them. I believe they are related to the Mongoose. Haven't you ever seen Meerkat Manor on the tele?

but they are cool

[katydidthat]

Awwwwwwwwwwwww, that sounds so cute, Monsters.  

BUT ... the unit is so tiny, the only place to put a litter box would be our bathroom (or my son's BR ha ha ha that might be an idea).  

The reason I don't want a cat is the smell.  The unit in total is something like 61 square metres ... I'm really intolerant of smells.  We've had cats before, but in houses where they could go outside, and the kitty litter trays were in areas away from living areas.