Looking for a fuzzy, sociable pet

[mainbutter]

Snakes, fish, and lizards are great. REALLY great, I adore them all.

Sometimes though I think it'd be really satisfying to have a sociable creature to keep me "company", something more of a companion and a little less living decoration.

I'm compiling a list of things that fall into that category so I can do some pros/cons and find a fuzzy friend that is a good fit for my current living situation and such.

I've only ever had a cat before, and it was really my sister's, so I don't have much experience with warm-blooded pets.

So far I'm considering:
-cat
-dog
-rabbit
-guinea pig
-rat
-hedgehog(? a little less fuzzy, but so cute)

I'm extremely hesitant when it comes to the idea of a dog. I think in the end what I really want is a dog, but I'm pretty sure that I do not have a good living situation for one. If I did get one, I'd hit up a shelter for an older dog. I also live in a 2 BR apartment, which isn't best for dogs either.

In addition my girlfriend is allergic to cats, so that might knock that out of the possibilities category.

Would you guys give some input on this one? I'm really looking for something that enjoys human companionship, which generally means something like a dog or a cat being the best choice, but I'm expanding my options to possibly solve the aforementioned problems.

thanks

Also, feel free to suggest animals I haven't thought of yet!

[likebull1]

If we could only find a way to breed a furry snake...

[Lupe]

Chinchillas are cute and so are ferrets, though a little smelly...

[Sarin]

Ever thought about a bird? They are very intellegent, cuddly, playful, and soft.

Cockatiels are a parrot that are really easy to care for and not known to be too loud so they should be alright in an appartment. I used to breed cockatiels for a few years and have nothing but goodthings to say about them. If you're interested I can answer any questions you have about them or parrots in general...

[ThyTempest]

I think if you are aiming for a little less work and want to go with something caged, a rabbit, rat or guinea pig are all good choices. A small dog is probably what I would recommend though. I always had big dogs growing up, and I still have a soft spot for them, but since my girlfriend and I have had our two little rascals, it is hard to imagine dealing with a big dog again. Small dogs are easier, especially in an apartment situation. We have a shih tzu male and a lhasa apso female and we love them both. They just had puppies last week.

[Lolo76]

Definitely a guinea pig!! I had 3 piggies at one time, and they were wonderful pets... much less smelly than a rat or bunny, more sociable & easier to care for than a chinchilla, less noisy than a bird, and they just do the cutest things. Mine would "wheek" any time I opened the refrigerator (in anticipation of veggies), and "popcorn" when I gave them something exciting - like a fresh handful of Timothy hay. I miss my guinea pigs, but couldn't get into them again after losing Jinji to cancer @ 5 years old.

Jinji


And here's the whole crew... Jinji, Pepper (black) and Cleo (white/black). Fyi, you would want 2-3 guinea pigs, since they become very lonely without companions.



Of course I also love dogs & cats, and will always have both in my house... but it seems like you're not quite ready for those, so my recommendation for now would be GPs.

[Lolo76]

P.S. If you do end up getting a guinea pig, or rabbit for that matter, let me know if you want the plans for that cage... I made it myself (with the help of an online forum) out of coroplast, and it was fabulous. It gave them tons of room to run/play, without giving me a cleaning hassle. And if you don't have cats or dogs in the house, you won't even need to use the screen cover - I only used that to keep curious cats away.

[cinderbird]

i LOVE my cats, i have 2 of them, and they're awesome. I used to not be a cat person, but they really changed my mind. They actually have a lot of personality if you get the right cat.

one of mine was from a rescue situation, and the other i adopted from the local kill shelter. The black one i got as a 12 week old kitten, and he has REALLY warmed up. he's very much a people cat. The grey and white one is kinda odd.. he's like a dog in a cats body almost.

Even though i got them at two different times they're very bonded and sociable. you just have to not mind never having a piece of actually hair-free clothing ever again.

dont mind the text on the pics, they were for something else. i haven't had time to take new pics of the kitties. :/ For perspective, ollie is 10 pounds, and dexter, who i call fatty is 17

[reptidude1]

Im sorry but Im deathly in love with my cats and ive had them from when i was like 4 (im 14 now)

[AaronP]

Guinea Pigs!!!

I have 1: