Best early pets

[bladefd]

So I'm considering buying a pet for my siblings. They insist for a puppy, but puppies require tons of attention & training to not pee anywhere they want. I don't think they're ready for a dog.

What other pet is fun? Parrots require lots of attention, open area & wing clipping every 6 months, ehhh nah. Fishes are no fun. Hamsters are boring creatures that you can't do much with except hold so they don't run away + sleep during the day :lol

What else is a good first pet that is fun?

[KyrieTheFuture]

Compromise and get a dog that's already trained

[sundizz]

I'd say get them 4 guinea pigs. I have em and they are so much fun to have around. They'll squeek for food, just sit in your lap and chill when you watch something on tv, are adorable and very easy to maintain.

Don't buy a cage though - build a big cage for them. They'll/you'll be much happier. They don't need much time either (10-20 minutes a day of playing with them, and maybe 30 minutes a week to clean the cage/change hay etc).

[bladefd]

I'd say get them 4 guinea pigs. I have em and they are so much fun to have around. They'll squeek for food, just sit in your lap and chill when you watch something on tv, are adorable and very easy to maintain.

Don't buy a cage though - build a big cage for them. They'll/you'll be much happier. They don't need much time either (10-20 minutes a day of playing with them, and maybe 30 minutes a week to clean the cage/change hay etc).

4 guinea pigs? I might consider 2 but not 4. How much did you buy them for and how large do they get?

Btw, dogs that are already trained would be very expensive, no?

[DeuceWallaces]

The most important thing is how old they are.

No high schooler or undergrad will be responsible enough or have adequate funds to properly care for a basic pet like a dog or a cat. Well, maybe an adult cat.

And God no, not a bird. Birds and reptiles are complicated animals and giving them to anyone, regardless of age, who has never had one or not prepared is essentially a death sentence.

[dunksby]

Get them a trained young Labrador or Bloodhound .

[Jasi]

Plankton.
Or, you can even keep a simple bowl of water and pretend it's there. If people see it and say "why do you keep a bowl of water?", you can say "it's not empty, it's full of plankton. I even think I need to get a bigger one!".

[Draz]

Don't do fish. I had a fighting fish the red one when I was in grade school. It lived pretty long. Was broken when it died.

Pets should interact with their owners. Maybe a rabbit or a hamster.