New pet

[Amaranthus]

I have a 60x40 (in cm) unused tank and I want to get a pet to put in it.
I was thinking about getting a leopard gecko, but I'd have to buy a lot of stuff to make that work, and my mom really doesn't want it, so that's off the table.
Any ideas?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Considering what forum you're on? I'd say the answer is obvious! A turtle! (A small one like a box turtle or wood turtle maybe?) Interestingly, I also have an empty tank, a ten gallon one, and was thinking of getting a small critter for it. it's already got some gravel and other stuff, a tank light top, and a lid, though that might need to be replaced. Hubby suggests a tarantula. I want a turtle or small lizard. Can't decide.....

[Amaranthus]

Considering what forum you're on? I'd say the answer is obvious! A turtle! (A small one like a box turtle or wood turtle maybe?) Interestingly, I also have an empty tank, a ten gallon one, and was thinking of getting a small critter for it. it's already got some gravel and other stuff, a tank light top, and a lid, though that might need to be replaced. Hubby suggests a tarantula. I want a turtle or small lizard. Can't decide.....

Those tanks are way too small for a turtle. I'm probably getting shrimp.
If you're going for a lizard I suggest a gecko or something. No idea how big a 10 gallon tank actually is but it's definitely not big enough for a turtle.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

"Standard" size aquarium. Like the ones you see in pet shops. They use them for everything from snakes and lizards to mice, fish, spiders, and everything in between.

[Candy Kappa]

If you want a leopard gecko, and feel that you are responsible enough to take care off a pet, you should have a proper talk with your mother about pets and leopard geckos. Off what I've read, they are relatively easy to maintain and care for and have several websites dedicated to their care and needs. And your tank seems to be within the limits for a leopard gecko's home.

As for turtles, they can be quite costly depending off what turtle you get. And you're gonna have to get a new tank, by your measurements I assume it's a tank under 100 liters (circa 75l)? A good minimum tank would be 150 liters, or 40 gallon for a single turtle. And the tank should have some length to it. And aquatic turtles require filters which is something that have to be invested into, minimum a external filter intended for a aquarium three times the size. I use a Fluval Fx5 which is intended for 1500 liter tanks. And most turtles don't stay small for long, so it's good to look into how big each breed gets.

personally, I'd recommend a box turtle or a tortoise and avoid filter units and water changing.

As for other reptiles, bearded dragons are really cool, and they can be very social and easy to pet with.

[Amaranthus]

"Standard" size aquarium. Like the ones you see in pet shops. They use them for everything from snakes and lizards to mice, fish, spiders, and everything in between.

I have no idea what standard size is. Loggerhead musk turtles are about the smallest turtles you can get and they need 80x40 at least.

[Amaranthus]

If you want a leopard gecko, and feel that you are responsible enough to take care off a pet, you should have a proper talk with your mother about pets and leopard geckos. Off what I've read, they are relatively easy to maintain and care for and have several websites dedicated to their care and needs. And your tank seems to be within the limits for a leopard gecko's home.

As for turtles, they can be quite costly depending off what turtle you get. And you're gonna have to get a new tank, by your measurements I assume it's a tank under 100 liters (circa 75l)? A good minimum tank would be 150 liters, or 40 gallon for a single turtle. And the tank should have some length to it. And aquatic turtles require filters which is something that have to be invested into, minimum a external filter intended for a aquarium three times the size. I use a Fluval Fx5 which is intended for 1500 liter tanks. And most turtles don't stay small for long, so it's good to look into how big each breed gets.

personally, I'd recommend a box turtle or a tortoise and avoid filter units and water changing.

As for other reptiles, bearded dragons are really cool, and they can be very social and easy to pet with.

Box turtles and bearded dragons both need more than 60x40. I mentioned leopard geckos in the OP and my mom won't let me get one. Shrimp will end up saving me a lot of money and they're still awesome.
http://www.hobbykwekers.nl/images/stories/Garnalen/Neocaridina/Neocaridina%20heteropoda%20Vuurgarnaal2.jpg

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Pet rock. Very easy maintenance, and they can survive for MONTHS if you forget to feed them.

[Amaranthus]

Pet rock. Very easy maintenance, and they can survive for MONTHS if you forget to feed them.

If I get a rock it'll be to bash your head in with it.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

20x13 in or 50x33 cm rectangular tank. The size most commonly used for displays in pet shops- hence "standard" size. Have you ever seen the fish tanks they use? That size- maybe not a turtle for that size, though I'd love to get one. (I don't really have room for anything bigger we live in an apartment, and space is minimal with furniture and such.)

[Candy Kappa]

"Standard" size aquarium. Like the ones you see in pet shops. They use them for everything from snakes and lizards to mice, fish, spiders, and everything in between.

10 gallons is way too small for a turtle. Bare minimum is 40 gallons, preferably a breeder tank.

[Amaranthus]

20x13 in or 50x33 cm rectangular tank. The size most commonly used for displays in pet shops- hence "standard" size. Have you ever seen the fish tanks they use? That size- maybe not a turtle for that size, though I'd love to get one. (I don't really have room for anything bigger we live in an apartment, and space is minimal with furniture and such.)

That should be enough for at least a few housegeckos. Not enough for 4 though.

[Powder]

If I get a rock it'll be to bash your head in with it.

If that's your response to an innocent joke, you probably aren't the kind of person who should even have a pet.

[Amaranthus]

If that's your response to an innocent joke, you probably aren't the kind of person who should even have a pet.

Yes because I obviously really want to bash his head. Violent responses are my gimmick.
:)

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Yes because I obviously really want to bash his head. Violent responses are my gimmick.
:)

I got exactly the reaction I wanted.

Besides, if he tried to bash my head in with a leopard gecko, it's hurt the gecko more than me. I think a pet rock is safe for him.

[Amaranthus]

I got exactly the reaction I wanted.

Besides, if he tried to bash my head in with a leopard gecko, it's hurt the gecko more than me. I think a pet rock is safe for him.

Reminds me of some pretty funny comics a friend of mine once drew.
I can PM you them if you want. They're hilarious.

[PangolinFeets]

I've had a ton of tank pets.

Little lizards like geckos and anoles are nice, but they pretty sensitive and have a habit of just dying out of nowhere for a myriad of reasons. I found turtles and snakes to be hardier. Amphibians are good for small tanks because they usually don't get big and the tanks only usually require a good filter for water sections. Plus then you can splash in friendly fish or other species and maybe have a bitty terrarium. Spiders also make pretty hardy pets, just be prepared if you have a female. Males have a super short lifespan, but females can live 10+ years.

I guess it depends on what you're interested in. But a shrimp sounds great. Just be careful to keep the water level low. I had one that used to escape its tank. XD

[Amaranthus]

I've had a ton of tank pets.

Little lizards like geckos and anoles are nice, but they pretty sensitive and have a habit of just dying out of nowhere for a myriad of reasons. I found turtles and snakes to be hardier. Amphibians are good for small tanks because they usually don't get big and the tanks only usually require a good filter for water sections. Plus then you can splash in friendly fish or other species and maybe have a bitty terrarium. Spiders also make pretty hardy pets, just be prepared if you have a female. Males have a super short lifespan, but females can live 10+ years.

I guess it depends on what you're interested in. But a shrimp sounds great. Just be careful to keep the water level low. I had one that used to escape its tank. XD

I'm getting at least 10.

[PangolinFeets]

I'm getting at least 10.

I realized I meant crayfish. Lol I've never had shrimp.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I'm getting at least 10.

If you get tired of taking care of them, you can eat them.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Eat your pets?! What kind of monster ARE you?! :teek:

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Eat your pets?! What kind of monster ARE you?! :teek:

A carnivore, obviously. With an appetite for seafood.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

You're disturbed.... In a good way, lol.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

You're disturbed.... In a good way, lol.

:twink:

If he got frogs as well, he could make a nice Cajun gumbo with frog legs as an appetizer.

[IndigoErth]

If you're eating the pets, then I just suggest a ton of pet gummy worms. :P (Or gummy anything.)

Shrimp sound interesting. Fancy guppies could be nice for a small tank if you're into aquatic critters. Maybe both as long as the shrimp aren't small enough for the guppies to eat (although they might help keep the population down if the shrimp try to breed).

[ProactiveMan]

I've seen some really neat shrimp setups at the aquarium shop I used to frequent. They had some neon coloured shrimp in a little waterfall tank on the front counter.

A friend of mine kept marron, which is a kind of freshwater crayfish. They're cool, but they're bastards. One of them waited until the other was malting, and then pulled all its legs off. They're quite messy too if memory serves, and they stink up the place if you feed them too much, or don't have a good enough filter.

[Metalwolf]

I used to keep fish when I was younger, but they'd often die after about a month or two. I would try to treat the water, change it, add plants, take out plants, fiddle with the filters, all to no avail. After a while I thought I just sucked with fish, I'd always be amazed at the people who seemed to have some knack for keeping their fish alive past a month, so eventually I quit trying and gave the tank to my brother. He started to have the same 'bad luck' as I did, a pet fish he had for year or two died a few months after it was put into this tank, then a pet lizard after that. Nothing would stay alive. After a while me or my brother came to the conclusion that the tank itself must have some poisonous chemical or residue (probably in the glue or sealant) that was killing whatever was put into the tank, he (being a better fishkeeper then I) couldn't even keep his critters alive in it. Sometimes this happens with tanks during their manufacturing, and it happened to be that I ended up being the unlucky recipient of one of these.

Hope you don't ever find out you got one of these tanks during your first aquaculture attempts. They are such a motivation killer if there ever was one. :ohwell:

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Yeah that'scsome thing to watch for. If you keep losing critters, despite all effots, ditch the tank and get a new one. Personally, I'm tired of fish. Had them all through my growing up years, and they just got kind of boring after a while. And a hassle. I'm thinking a land critter.

[Mew]

I'd get a tarantula.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I'd get a tarantula.

Eew. You'd have to be REALLY hungry to eat one of those.

[IndigoErth]

I dunno, on a grill and burn all the hair off? Might not be bad. Maybe as part of kabobs, but not sure they'd have much meat on them though. lol

Always thought tarantulas were sorta cute (I mean it's a spider, but it's big and furry enough how it is not cute), but I could never feed it what it needs to eat. Loved crickets and other little critters as a kid - not to eat! lol - I could never feed them to something as live food. :ohwell:

Yeah, fish are nice but they're harder than they look and both ease and enjoyment really depend on the species. (Reminded me I have a 30 gal. to go clean shortly... My weekly workout.)

The only land critters I've had (at least what were strictly mine and not family pets) were gerbils and hermit crabs. Gerbils are cute and easy enough. I don't recommend them in a bedroom if the wheel is noisy. Mine sometimes found themselves removed to the hallway in the middle of the night or the wheel taken out. lol

The hermit crabs were fun, but aren't easy to keep imo. (Though my larger one once clamped down on my thumb nail and refused to let go for a while... so I just held it in my hand and went and did stuff I needed to get done at home, one handed. :lol:)

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I dunno, on a grill and burn all the hair off? Might not be bad. Maybe as part of kabobs, but not sure they'd have much meat on them though. lol

Always thought tarantulas were sorta cute (I mean it's a spider, but it's big and furry enough how it is not cute), but I could never feed it what it needs to eat. Loved crickets and other little critters as a kid - not to eat! lol - I could never feed them to something as live food. :ohwell:

Yeah, fish are nice but they're harder than they look and both ease and enjoyment really depend on the species. (Reminded me I have a 30 gal. to go clean shortly... My weekly workout.)

The only land critters I've had (at least what were strictly mine and not family pets) were gerbils and hermit crabs. Gerbils are cute and easy enough. The hermit crabs were fun, but aren't easy to keep imo. (Though my larger one once clamped down on my thumb nail and refused to let go for a while... so I just held it in my hand and went and did stuff I needed to get done, one handed. :lol:)

You make a good point...

Some pets eat some pretty nasty stuff. Turtles eat pellets that come in a green and yellow plastic can. I imagine shrimp eat pretty non-nasty things, too.

And what do WE eat? Anything we want! Top of the food chain! :tparty: :tpizza:

[IndigoErth]

lol Us? All that processed junk we dare call food.

Fortunately the grossest thing my fish eat are the tubifex worms, but at least those are just little freeze dried blocks.

Press them against the glass for them to nibble at, but anymore I have to put up at least two because they both figured out how to purposely tear the whole thing off the glass and steal it all for themselves. Do you see what I live with? lol

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Sounds like some of my fish in the past. I mostly kept mollies, sharks, swordtails, tetras, and guppies- and over a dozen bettas. Mostly males, but I had about four or five females, too. The males each had their own bowls (they are SO easy to keep you don't even need filters or aerators!) to avoid fighting, but I kept the females together. They don't fight. We also had gouramis, cichlids, more tetras, danios, and a huge placostamus(sp?).

[Amaranthus]

Sounds like some of my fish in the past. I mostly kept mollies, sharks, swordtails, tetras, and guppies- and over a dozen bettas. Mostly males, but I had about four or five females, too. The males each had their own bowls (they are SO easy to keep you don't even need filters or aerators!) to avoid fighting, but I kept the females together. They don't fight. We also had gouramis, cichlids, more tetras, danios, and a huge placostamus(sp?).

Bettas are healthier when you use a proper setup though.

[Amaranthus]

Just finished setting up my tank. Feels good mang.

[Metalwolf]

Yeah that'scsome thing to watch for. If you keep losing critters, despite all effots, ditch the tank and get a new one. Personally, I'm tired of fish. Had them all through my growing up years, and they just got kind of boring after a while. And a hassle. I'm thinking a land critter.Yeah, I learned that the hard way, plus I stopped wanting to have fish after all that trouble (my fish kept dying so much, my stepfather started calling me the Fish-Hitler. :ohwell: ) I think I'd love to grow and keep aquatic plants, along with some snails though, as anything more then that (frogs, fish, or turtles) would be too much hassle, and the cat would constantly be trying to get to them to eat them.

I'd get a tarantula.I used to have hissing cockroaches, but I dunno if Aramathus's folks would go for those (or the giant spiders.). They aren't hard to keep, but they would creep some people out :P

[Ecto Jedi]

http://a.abcnews.com/images/Lifestyle/gty_pet_rock_150401_4x3_992.jpg

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Bettas are healthier when you use a proper setup though.

Actually, as long as you keep the bowls clean, they don't need any of that, since they also breathe air. In fact, in their native habitat, they are known to survive for weeks in stagnant puddles no more than a couple of inches deep. They are some of the hardiest fish you can keep, and mine were being kept for breeding purposes- which, unfortunately, is the HARD part of keeping bettas. Little did I realize at the time, but males can be as violent toward the females as toward each other, though for different reasons. Mating can be a brutal affair, and most of my females either never mated (several were killed in the attempt) or if they did, the eggs were promptly eaten- by BOTH parents. (Males are SUPPOSED to retrieve and guard them in the bubble nest- another reason they DON'T need an aerator, since it can break up the nest. Unfortunately, my males never got the memo....)

[Amaranthus]

Who missed me?
Buying my shrimp today.

[Amaranthus]

They're in the aquarium now.
Already have some pregnant females.

[tuffchicky]

I just got 2 hedgehogs like 2 months ago they are so cute :)

[senpai]

Actually, as long as you keep the bowls clean, they don't need any of that, since they also breathe air. In fact, in their native habitat, they are known to survive for weeks in stagnant puddles no more than a couple of inches deep. They are some of the hardiest fish you can keep, and mine were being kept for breeding purposes- which, unfortunately, is the HARD part of keeping bettas. Little did I realize at the time, but males can be as violent toward the females as toward each other, though for different reasons. Mating can be a brutal affair, and most of my females either never mated (several were killed in the attempt) or if they did, the eggs were promptly eaten- by BOTH parents. (Males are SUPPOSED to retrieve and guard them in the bubble nest- another reason they DON'T need an aerator, since it can break up the nest. Unfortunately, my males never got the memo....)

My bettas always thrived in a small heated tank. If they were in bowls, they would get ick and die. That happens when the water is too cold for them. I know that bettas survived in puddles but that's surviving not thriving. I think keeping them in small bowls is cruel. But this is coming from someone who believes any caged animal is cruel. As much as I love animals, I'll never have a caged animal again.