What is the easiest to look after pet?

I would say Hamsters or Guniea pigs. My brother and I both had hamsters when we were growing up although if I were to buy a pet for my children it would be a guinea pig I think. I'm getting a puppy once R goes to school! I always wanted a tortoise when I was younger.

What about a kitten? They are pretty much hassle free, we always had cats in our house and they were good with kiddies. Once they are toilet trained they just go about their own business. There's hamsters but they don't live for very long. Guinea pigs?

Giant Snails?

Iv got a cat, lovely little thing , very friendly and likes lots of cuddles. apart from feeding it (and getting up in the night to let it in when its raining) thats all i have to do. he goes outside for a poo so no litter try changing

My mum got a tortoise for Christmas a few years ago from my brother, and then just after Christmas she went and bought another one as they sell them at our local aquarium shop - they are called Mary and Noah. They were about the size of 50 pence pieces at first but now are about the size of my hand (with fingers stretched out). They're relatively easy, just have dry food and then top up with veg bits and pieces, the problem with them is the cost upfront for the tank etc. I dont know what I think of them though, my mum leaves the door open in the summer and they walk all around the house.

Pip! I thought they'd stopped selling them! Oh I wonder if I could get some around here. I'd still really love one!

This is going to sound like a stupid question, but do you get pet insurance/big vet bills for things like hamsters and guinea pigs? I'm guessing you do with cats the same as dogs, and that is one thing that is putting me off those sorts of animals, because I don't want to be tied to paying big vet bills or a monthly insurance debit. We just can't afford that right now. Am I being naive, or do you have the same sort of bills no matter how big or small your pet is?

I love tortoises - my gran had one since she was little and he was quite fun. They hibernate over winter don't they so sort of a part time pet! Sounds good.... I'll investigate that one.

Giant Snails! - Where do you keep them MN? What do they do? Do you have some?

I don't have any but I know a girl that does ? She keeps them in a large tank. They brought them into nursery once and Amy adored them....she didn't leave them alone. She even held them in her hand and had them squirm up her arm. I know she had to spray them with water every now and then. And feed them lettuce. I don't suppose they need much

No I wouldn't get insurance for smaller pets (hamsters/guines pigs) ,mainly because they don't tend to live as long as cats and dogs and therefore if there were anything seriously wrong with them a vet would normally advise you to put them to sleep.

My friend had a gecko. that was cool.

I had rats, 2 little girly ones and they were ace! They are really intelligent and a lot cleaner than you think.

Problem with hamsters is that they are nocturnal, and children aren't!!! This is why they quite often nip or bite, they are cranky coz you woke them up!

I also had rabbits and guinea pigs which were easy enough to look after.

Oh and cats... they do whatever the hell they like!!!

We have a dog (a large one) and it's hard work. I think cats are good as they tend to look after themselves and are very independent. I'd recommend pet insurance for both.

I didn't like rabbits as the ones I had tended to be moody and scratchy

My (adult) friend had gerbils which were fun

I wouldn't bother with pet insurance for smaller animals like rabbits/gerbils

My cats are great pets. Very easy to look after, pretty much look after themselves. They are there to cuddle when I need a hug, and they are soooo funny at times. They have a yearly vet visit for immunisations and check ups, but that's about all the maintenance they need. They get brushed every so often, but that's hardly a chore.

Cats seem to be winning here. I have to say I am more of a dog person that a cat person, I'd never really considered cats before. I quite like the idea of a rabbit or tortoise though. Will think on...

Thanks all ?

Goldfish I reckon...no peeing on the carpets for a start!

Just realised you said no fish. Gah! Ok, a hamster. I had one and looked after it at 12 so reckon they are fairly easy! x

Please think carefully before getting a tortoise and do A LOT of research. A prev poster said about giving them dry food, letting them run around the house and keeping them in a tank. If you carry out some reasearch you will find that this sort of tortoise keeping is not recomened by such people as the Tortoise Trust. There is a bit of work and expense initally when you first get them, but once they are set up they really are low maintenance. If you would like to learn more about tortoise I would recomend www.shelledwarriors.co.uk for research. I'm not an expert but have had a tortoise a couple of years, so feel free to send me a message if you would like to ask anything, and i will try my best to help.

Thanks BB, if I can convince H to let me have one I'll check out that site.

We got our daughter a giant african land snail, it lives in a tank with dirt in , a few decorative bits n peices, and eats all sorts of fruit n veg, just neeeds spraying with water each day, they dont bite , dont smell, and are cheap to keep, they can also get quite friendly, and if you get one that is big enough , they are quite suitable for little people

Small world! I know Sarah, the owner of SW! Was about to say tort keeping isn't about dry food and veg - far from it. The damage people cause to their beloved tortoise without researching them can be awful

Anyway - I've had a lot of different pets in my lifetime; Big and small dogs, cats, leopard geckos, crested geckos, bearded dragons (Which I used to breed), Turtles, corn snakes, Royal pythons, Rats, mice, chinese water dragon, african grey parrot, fish (Cold water and tropical), hamsters (Used to breed them too), Giant african land snails, cockroaches (Which I also bred), guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens.

I wouldn't reccommend a cat if you don't have much spare money to play with. My 3 cost me a small fortune.. You need to get them spayed/castrated, first years injections, flea and worm treatment, pay for litter, toys, bed, food etc. Then if you go away you'll either need someone to care for them in your home or pay a cattery. Mine cost £800 in cattery fees last year! Then vet fees for other things; one of mine has sensitive ears and requires treatment quite often for infections, which is £50 a time, prob every 4 months. Another of mine needed a trip to the vet when a scratch from fighting on his leg had a slight infection, antibiotics cost another £50.

Giant african land snails would be good. Well, one if you don't want babies. They breed like mad and can have hundreds of babies at a time which you may struggle to find homes for and it's illegal to set them free in your garden lol. Just keep them humid in a tank on 'Eco Earth', not too cold, make sure they have cuttlefish for strong shells, feed/water them and you have an interesting pet. They LOVE cucumber and it's amazing to watch them eat, you can see their mouth moving and hear them if you listen carefully.

Here are some pics of the ones I had:

I have a tortoise and he is the easiest thing to look after ever. I also have a Vivarium for sale with all the lighting etc if anyone wants it ?

I did want to add though that they are not for Children to play with etc. Mine likes to be left alone to do his own thing and would hate to be picked up all the time!

Thank you for this bettyb, I promise I will be a responsible pet owner! That's why I don't want to get tied into something I know I can't finance/look after properly. Proper research will be done. If we go for a tortoise I will take up your offer of advice, thank you ?

I really like the look of the snails as well.

he he i try not to!

Sea Monkeys. They. just. don't. die. ?