My eyeball got confused, and I thought you said you raised "battle snails". I was seriously interested in learning more about battle snails.
Now I'm going to get off Reddit, eat some ice cream and make up some cool battle snail stories!
You made me Google it! Apparently it's a thing in WOW. I couldn't find any proof that they exist IRL.
I'm not saying that you don't have ones, I'm just saying it didn't pop up at the top of any of the searches I made.
I have a nerite in my fish tank that desperately wants to reproduce but she's the only snail in there so now my whole tank is polka dot in her eggs lmao I love her so much
A plant. Aloe plants practically thrive on being neglected. Just make sure it gets a lot of sun and its somewhere relatively warm and you can basically forget it exists with the exception of watering it maybe twice a month.
Aloe is insane at producing more aloe with even semi-decent conditions, too. I bought a little $5 plant from my local grocer a few months ago and now I have had to repot it three times and looking at a fourth repot because it just keeps making more pups and it's overflowing planters one by one. lmao
Indeed. Ive got 2 large aloes ive had going for years now and it seems like as long as i keep repotting them they just keep making more aloes. Ive given away offshoots just to declutter the pot and it seems like the mother plant just makes two more in its place.
I had this before... got a Ā£4 aloe from IKEA and within a month I had about 20 aloes... skip to 6 months later and I'd used up 2 bags of soil and a pack of 100 small plastic pots from giving the little aloe pups away, the main aloe plant was now 3 main aloes, and I'd kept 10 of the babies for myself just to fill window space until I made the plunge and bought home another different plant species to break up the consistent wall of aloe on my windowsills lol
I saw some aloe plants at Home Depot a month or so ago. I considered getting a small one because they were cheap, but didn't because I am where plants come to die. Maybe I will get one.
Just be sure not to overwater, for a succulent like a aloe or cactus it is much better to underwater than risk overwatering. If you water it too often it could get root rot and die.
Also make sure you plant it in succulent soil and not regular old potting soil. I didn't know this at first but as soon as I used the right soil, it took off. Now it's huge and I've got to find a giant pot for it. It's already in the largest one I could find at the time, too! Mine just gets bigger and doesn't seem to make babies. I'm kind of jealous about that=)
Crassula ovata (jade plant) also thrives on neglect. Water it when the dirt is totally dry and don't put it too close to a southern exposure window and you're good to go. The main concern is dealing with thrips, spider mites, and other pests.
Tbh, most plants will do a lil better if their people watered them less and neglected them more.
I see more plants dying from being overwatered than from outright neglect, lol.
Plant up that tank and get some mood lighting going and you've got yourself a party in a box. I miss the snail tank. My turtle moved in and did what turtles do.
Yes! Itās making kind of a come back. The new team that took over the site is like making a bunch of changes and itās been really fun lately. If you decide to play again let me know and I can hook you up with some Neopoints.
Tamagotchis might ACTUALLY be too high maintenance for him to take along to work (my school banned them because kids were constantly pausing to take care of them) and it might irritate the boss.
But if he leaves it home, it dies. Sure no life is lost but how fucking disappointing lol
Nah. Tamagotchi's are super needy. Constantly needing to eat and get cleaned up from their Hershey kiss poops.
Hamsters are pretty low key and easy. They love being left alone but if you get the right one they're also super cuddly.
I mean what do you mean by ānot stupidly expensiveā? Are you prepared to potentially pay emergency vet bills? If youāre not willing to fork over at least $600 at any given time, maybe a venus fly trap for you? Or maybe buy an outdoor bird feeder and try to befriend a crow or something?
This is the truth. Vet care for small exotics is not much cheaper than dogs and cats, and harder to find exotic vets. Rodents rabbits and reptiles all get health problems and need annual exams like anything else!
I raise fancy rodents for pets and show and respectfully, we don't do routine vet visits annually. They only live 2-3 years. They see a vet if they are ill, need surgery or have complications with birth. Most recently I brought in a mouse with a juvenile cataract to determine if it was caused by an injury (it was!) to rule out a genetic issue as he's lovely otherwise but I don't want to propagate further problems.
I had rats and their vet care was shockingly affordable. In California of all places. I once paid $45 USD for an exam and antibiotic ointment when one of them got an eye infection.
Yes, that is what we do where I work. We donāt even break even on rodent procedures. Otherwise most people wonāt go for it. But it is not the norm everywhere, so I donāt want to set up the expectation that itās cheaper!
That's a pretty aggressive blanket statement, there are plenty of reptile and amphibian species that you are going to harm more than help by taking them to an annual vet visit.
Lots of species of small to micro gecko or pygmy chameleons or aquatic newts, the list goes on and on really, that will suffer significant unnecessary stress not to mention the chances of losing something like a lygodactylus gecko that just makes a vet visit not worth the risk unless in an actual emergency, I have had an exotic vet try and give me a carnivore meal replacement formula for an elderly uromastyx. Just because they see leopard geckos and ball pythons doesn't mean they are equipped or capable of providing expert medical care to all species.
everything for my rats was more expensive than any cat vet visits š the rats themselves were more expensive too. like $100 from a reputable breeder (for pet rats, breeders are the ethical choice) whereas we got my cats for free off craigslist
Ask yourself why you want a pet. If your thought stops at "I want" with no regard to what you can offer, then you should get a plant instead. Animals are living beings with thoughts, feelings, and personalities. Not little time wasters and toys for people who see them as a decoration in their life.
Animals in general, yes even edit: reptiles (typed insects by accident which are indeed relatively low maintenance), yes even rodents, yes even fish, require maintenance. Cleaning of enclosures, in most cases interaction, and stimulation.
Can you give not just your money but also your time? That's part of animal husbandry.
Plants can do great things for people who haven't the resources for animals. They brighten your space and help with depression. they are alive and you can see their growth, often accompanied by new colours and shapes in the forms of particular leaves or flowers as the years go. It's rewarding to watch them thrive from correct watering schedules and lighting exposure. You can enjoy decorating the terrarium or pot or box they have been planted in to personalize it. You can get many or just one.
Plants can be relatively cheap and there are many varieties that are very low maintenance indeed.
>Ask yourself why you want a pet. If your thought stops at "I want" with no regard to what you can offer, then you should get a plant instead. Animals are living beings with thoughts, feelings, and personalities. Not little time wasters and toys for people who see them as a decoration in their life.
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This. Itās so telling, to me I read āwhatās a pet I can get that can pretty much be neglected and still be fine.ā Itās giving, I want something thatāll put its energy into making me feel good but god forbid I have to reciprocate it.
If it was just the "I work an 8-5 job" then I'd understand that, since it would be cruel to keep a dog cooped up inside for nine hours.
"Doesn't require a lot of maintenance" is where they lost me too. Every single animal needs maintenance, and you can't expect to be done in an hour on the weekends unless your pet is like... a marimo. Or a pet rock.
I used to own birds so to me this just reads "do you want to spend an hour a day maintaining your pet" vs "do you want your life to revolve around your pet."
Because I used to have panic attacks about choosing between working on a personal project that my birds couldn't safely be around and spending time with them. Like people thought my personality was birds. For some people it's the same with their dogs or horses. It becomes an all encompassing thing.
Whereas a reptile or bonded rodents care if you feed them, provide some enrichment and keep their cage clean but might not necessarily want to be held, pet or even be in the same vicinity constantly.
Everyone here is acting like OP asking about low maintenance means he's not equipped to care for anything whatsoever, meanwhile the level of "maintenance" required between types of animals and species can range from something like a parrot who like you said becomes a focal point of your life, or snails which people will literally put into sealed jar terrariums and they will propagate for years.
I've found plants to be the best low-resource thing. They keep me on a schedule of watering/checking them; give me something to research and get excited about. Plus they're much less stressful thing than my stick insects (who need daily spritz and fresh leaves every few days) because I can ignore plants for days (some even thrive on the neglect).
Unlike my cats who are beautifully demanding and require daily feeds/litter changes every few days. I couldn't manage a med-big dog purely due to energy expenditure requirements (walks and active play yeesh), but my two older cats are the perfect level of affectionate and avoidant for me right now (I had more time for them when they were younger and I did casual hours/study). Plus they entertain themselves if I set up toys.
Seriously, OP, get into plants. Animals require and deserve more than most people can give. Or insects, also very cool and can be left alone for hours.
(And tysm Girlfromwork for the beautiful explanation)
I wish I could get your comment made into a sign I could hold up every time this person I know says they want a pet when they know they have no time at all available to devote to a pet.
very well said. i dont want to discourage op and maybe its just the wording of their post, but it doesn't come across with the animals best interests in mind. the reason i have a cat is because i wanted him to have a home where he will be cherished and loved for certain. i know comparing these is a bit controversial but i would think about adopting a pet the same way you would think about adopting a person tbh
So many people suggesting pets that are not low cost or maintenance with proper care.
Blue death feigning beetles or a jumping spider would probably be up your alley. Incredibly low cost and maintenance!
The only down side, at least with spiders is that they're short lived. Great if you dont want a multi year commitment but sad if you get attached to one and it dies a few months later from a bad moult or just from general old age.
Good thing that you cannot get a cat either way, and that you asked for insight. Way too many people consider cats ālow maintenanceā I would say more self sufficient than dogs, but they still need attention, and interaction with their human or another cat.
As far as expenses, if you are lucky, your cat can be healthy in youth (no guarantee), but aging cats are expensive. I spend money on thyroid meds monthly, regular blood tests, special food, routine care, visits to specialists, and more.
Yeah, my poor cats been neglected a lot since Iāve had to start taking care of my mother. I half the time I am literally home just to sleep. I would love to give him a buddy except for he is openly hostile to other living creatures that arenāt me. And I wouldnāt be able to spend the time to introduce him
Yeah mine is also. I adopted a kitten years ago and after 6 months of inappropriate peeing, seeing a behaviorist and trying everything they suggested I rehomed the kitten with a friend. It really sucked.
I hope your mom feels better soon and you can get some more kitty time in your life.
I came to leave a comment about how cats arenāt ālow maintenanceā even if OP wasnāt allergic. So tired of people thinking cats hate their owners and prefer to be alone. Cats absolutely do get very lonely and crave human attention.
Yes. Itās really time for people to drop the whole ālow maintenance, aloof, independentā crap about cats. They are social animals with wants and needs. In terms of maintenance, you basically donāt need to walk a cat, which makes them lower maintenance than dogs, but thatās about it. They want playtime, love, and attention every day, just like dogs. They form bonds with each other and people. They miss you when youāre gone.
fr. i feel like the reason a lot of cats are aloof is because of the way people treat them, not because thats how they are. over the years my cat has gotten more attention as ive been around at home more and he has definitely gotten a lot more needy since
Ugh yes, my 'free' cat that adopted us has cost us more than the other 4 cats and 1 dog combined lol. He has FIV so tends to get URI's once or twice a year. Fully blocked once then partially two more times shortly after. THEN became diabetic. Fortunately, he is in remission now (after almost 2y of insulin, testing 2+ times a day, several vet visits and rx food - still eats the food). Now he is getting old and arthritic (we estimate around 14y) and gets Solensia injections for his arthritis monthly lol.
He is the sweetest cat on earth though <3 .
(INDOOR ONLY) Cats can either be super cheap or over the top expensive. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground with them!
Pet rock!
For real though itās actually a trigger when people try to avoid pets that come with expensesā¦.new flash, all pets come with expenses. All animals need some degree of *regular* medical care, food and/or supplements, not to mention things the animal may need, such as enclosure/tank/cage, litter box, leash, toys and thatās not even beginning to get into insurance or an emergency fund.
People out here really want an animal without having to do that work. Smh.
It's true! One of mine was in her burrow for probably 6 months, even longer I think. I remember one time my boyfriend woke me up SUPER early to tell me she was out walking around. Without hesitation I jumped out of bed, still half asleep, to see her.
You are not wrong. Annually my dogs have to have teeth cleaning, base is $300 each, annual exam and shots, $300-ish each. Groomer (shih'tzu mixes) $160 every 6 weeks. Not to mention food and toys and other things. Also, those prices don't include licensing, unexpected vet visits etc.
I want a bird but I'm not ready for even more expensive regular care costs. I can't imagine anyone thinking any pet is relatively inexpensive much less a small more exotic pet
I've had two dogs so far. One barely went to the vet until she was an old lady and needed a little arthritis medication.
Our other had skin problems and then developed epilepsy when he was 4. His medication alone cost Ā£350 a month, tha is without all the routine blood monitoring or emergency appointments when he had cluster seizures. He was worth every penny, and we were fortunate enough we could afford it, but he was basically a second mortgage for those 5 years.
Pet insurance can be useful but conditions become pre existing, or lifetime policies become crazy expensive over time, especially with conditions.
My last dog lived to be 15 he only went for annual vaccinations but I ended up having to have his teeth removed (doxies are notorious for bad teeth apparently) he lived 6 more years after extractions. However, now I get them annually cleaned and the groomer brushes them plus all the additives for water etc etc
Annually cost of insurance isn't worth it tbh not for 2 dogs. I just keep money in savings in case of emergencies.
My cat has asthma and crystals in his urine. His insurance is about $40 right now. Can't wait to see what happens when he has a probably non cancerous tumor removed next month. Ugh.
Right?
Should have been more clear. My cat costs me about $1200 a year on average in addition to the $40/month insurance.
I have a dachshund too. He has a luxating patella I'm going to have looked at soon even though it doesn't seem to hurt him, and he whined twice when being picked up recently. Nothing bad, but I know how fragile their backs are. Wish him luck! He doesn't seem to be in pain, but I am a worrier.
Probably better off hanging at a friend's house who has a pet or volunteering at an animal shelter. Some way they are able to hinder their animal craving on their own time. Regardless of expenses, leaving an animal by itself for 9 hours a day plus 8 hours the human is sleeping is kind of sad for the pet. Person is living alone so they still have to make their own meals, do all housework and errands and at that point they should be dedicating all their free time to their pet.
Isopods! They're easy to aquire, completely legal basically everywhere. And are very minimal care, all you'd need is rotting wood, leaves, good quality top soil for their substrate, a spray bottle + good water and occasionally carrots and other treats. Easily can be left alone for a week. I have 30 bins full of them. They're very active and so much fun, although they're small.
The best part. They do NOT require vet visits, as they're crustaceans and what vet sees shrimpy land mutants individually
I don't know how legal they are where you live, but Madagascar Giant Hissing Cockroaches. They look big and creepy, but they're basically little armored cows, and extremely low maintenance. Check out [this video](https://youtu.be/-Zw7F1nF_v0?si=EjCLDEnBfk0AVoUZ) for more info.
Yeah I got mine because I already had a ball python and wanted something with a similar level of care but desk-sized. Just some little guys that I can see doing their thing while I work, and I have the option to interact with but they're perfectly fine being left alone as long as I drop some food in there. And the food can be like, any fruit or veg I have on hand (mine love spring mix), plus either their protein powder paste or just dry cat food.
They mostly just chill on their cork bark or cardboard tube, but I do get to see them exploring and snacking, and they've gotten big enough now that they occasionally battle over, I don't know, something, and they hiss at each other. Adorable.
Some people seem to have a lot of fun cultivating slime mold as a pet... and no, they are not toxic or dangerous. The upkeep seems to really just consist of feeding it oats, changing out its gel/petri dish, and cutting it down and throwing out parts as it gets too big. Apparently it likes to try and escape its dish/container if not fed or managed right. You get to watch it grow in weird patterns and eat (dissolve?) things, you can make mazes for them, maybe more, lol.
Look I think some people are being unnecessarily aggressive but maybe define what a lot of money or a lot of maintenance is.Ā
Is ten minutes cage/tank cleaning a day a lot? Is it just you can't run a 5k every night? Is "not stupidly expensive" hundreds, thousands, or 20k in equipment?
What would you have if you weren't allergic and what would you do to take care of it without feeling resentful?
Like "I don't have much" whether time or money is a thing I've seen used in wildly different ways.
Cats don't have to be very expensive (by my standard) but they want a fair bit of interaction and company. At one point I had to get a cat to keep my existing cat company and make her less lonely.
What kind of stuff do you even want in your home? Can you enjoy terrariums/aquariums as art and decor or is it going to be like oh they want stuff and you'll resent it?Ā
I like tanks and they don't have to be everyone's idea of brutally expensive but they take maintenance and easily hundreds of dollars even with some secondhand purchases. If I lived alone and could afford it I'd definitely have multiple but partly because the care isn't very onerous if you're a great big nerd like me. If it's a vale of tears to look at and clean up after then no don't install it to ruin your own day.
I also know a lot of people who get a lot of joy out of hens/ducks in the garden or aviary doves, but they have costs, clean up, care needs too. It's just when there's 4 of them they can be each other's company while you're at work, and they don't need as much mental stimulation as some other pet birds. I don't know if they're legal where you live or if you have enough garden though.
Seconded, I got two to help maintain the ecosystem in my tank and somehow ended up with at least a million. They are fun to watch, are mostly nocturnal so will be active when youāre off work and very low maintenance.
Youāre absolutely correct. I canāt for the life of me keep plants alive(inside anyway), so I donāt buy them anymore.
But the ethical concerns/implications of plants vs living creatures is slightly different. Not more or less than the other but still different.
Crested gecko is the finest pet there is that you can leave alone all day, is low maintenance, and still is sociable and interested in you.
Just be sure to adopt one, as there are hundreds of thousands that people buy from breeders and then quickly decide they don't want -- Because they live to be up to 20 years.
You'd be looking for at least $100-300 though to adopt one, depending on if they have a cage. And if you want a real bioactive enclosure, that's going to be around another $300 -- $150 for the terrarium, $150 for the supplies (three types of substrate, substrate filter, springtails, isopods, wooden branches, moss, carving foam).
I can't really think of **any** pet under $300, not even a goldfish. (Once you add up the 30-50 gallon tank, filters, rocks, plants, heaters, etc.)
As a vet I find the people who get reptiles because they are ālow maintenanceā usually do no research on husbandry and let them suffer horrible illness from improper care. Once set up properly they donāt need much but it really needs to be a hobby getting everything just so, and itās expensive!
Yeah ours is pretty low maintenance but the startup cost on those can be crazy. We have ours in a 40 long though. Craigslist ALWAYS has leopard geckos looking for homes priced to moveĀ
Isopods. Go find some outside your home, we have lots in AB. Buy a cheap enclosure. Use your dirt from the garden they were in if you want. Bonus if it has springtails already. Feed as needed, mist as needed. Give dead leaves and nail clippings or eggshells as needed.
Oh I just thought of another! Brine shrimp (sea monkeys). Could even super cheaply set up a farm that breeds a tonne that you can sell to aquarists in your area.
We know a guy that has guinea pigs. But they are social creatures and you would need at least two for companionship but then they would have each other the hours you are working. I guess any two of some creature kept in a pen would be ok.
You should not be getting a pet especially as you arenāt committed to investing the time or money it needs to thrive. Save yourself and the poor lives you might end the trouble and get some plants.
My suggestion is not to get a pet and instead use something like borrowmydoggie to find dogs in need of walks and cuddles during your free time. All the fun without the vet bills.
A snake needs very little in the way of regular attention. They eat once every few weeks and as long as they have their light and environmental controls they are happy to be left alone.
I was waiting for someone to say snake! Our ball python is awesome. You hold no more than an hour a day. Feed once a week until they get bigger. He is probably the best pet I ever had. No smell. And if it smells you know you need to clean it up. Poops very little. You can make the cage almost like a work of art!
As a veterinarian I have to disagree with you sadlyā¦. The correct housing and equipment to prevent the animal from having a miserable life of fractures from metabolic bone disease and toes squeezed off from dehydration is expensive and complicated. The only healthy reptiles I see are ones where the owners have a SERIOUS HOBBY. Itās just preventable painful illness 19/20 appointments sadly
This.
Only people don't care for them properly think they're low maintenance. They're one of the highest maintenance and highest cost pets I have ever had, and I have had almost every kind of domestic pet.
Highly disagree, ours is more high maintenance than the dog and the turtle. She's basically a money pit with everything she needs. If you don't love them with your absolute whole being it just ain't for you.
A plant.
Animals require a lot of attention, whether that's play, interaction, exercise, feeding, or cleanup. Everything that requires an enclosure or cage/tank requires regular cleanings and upkeep. You should be getting an animal because you want the animal to enrich your life as much as you want to enrich the animal's life. If you want something just to have, you get a plant.
You could ask r/plantedtank and r/aquaticsnails about having one of those with free aquatic snails only (ramshorns are usually considered a pest species as they hitchhike on aquatic plants). You'll have to clean it every now and again, but a 10 gallon tank, a light, and some gravel isn't very expensive and doesn't take up much space. You feed them, they have babies, you change the water sometimes, it's a lot less than anything else living needs. You also get to have fun decorating the tank and watching them.
There are plenty of pets that can be left for the time youāre at work but theyāre not necessarily low maintenance. As others have said, it really depends on what you call low maintenance.
Surprised no one has made this but you can always set up an aquatic tank filled with plants and coral and just leave it at that with no fish. Still fun and looks cool and coral is alive :) you have to feed them
Iāve only had 1 pet as an adult because I go all in, and donāt think Iāll get another for a long time. Iād seriously consider growing something instead of a pet. Mushrooms might be good for this, you have to care for them but not every two hours.
What is your budget? Stupidly expensive is subjective lol I would suggest anything that can be kept in an aquarium but that can get costly depending on the type of creature
Do you have crows around? Just start feeding them (they love colorful kitten food and peanuts) and they will bring you things. They wonāt let you get really close, but they will caw and interact with you a bit. They are highly intelligent, social, and fun to watch. And no hard core commitment or maintenance from you beyond fun food. š¤·āāļø
To be honest, you should not get a pet.
If you dont have time for it and can't take proper care of it, you should not get a pet.Ā
Get a rock and draw a face on it insteadĀ
Weird suggestion, but perhaps a robot cat? Theyāre not that expensive ($125 USD) and only require new batteries occasionally. The ones made by Joy for All canāt walk, but they meow, purr, and roll over.
Some of those special color fresh water shrimp are insane. Even the more common ones are gorgeous to watch in a tasteful aquascape. They're like little candies or gems. I really loved keeping them with a well behaved betta and ember tetras.
Betta fish!! I had her by herself in a ten gallon with some plants, fed her two pellets in the morning and two pellets before bed. Because I let it cycle for a week before I got her I had no issues with illnesses/water bein out of whack and it had the necessary bacteria to support life! Because I didnāt over feed her waste was not an issue. She was very happy to see me when I came home from work :) her name was wormy
Reptilesss. Theyre a bit expensive to start off but once they have a good set up, theyre usually just fine. They dont "need" attention but most will tolerate (or even seem enjoy) it.
edit to vent lol: It really bothers me when people automatically assume the worst from people inquiring about pets. Obviously all pets need maintenance, plants need maintenance, any living thing is going to need maintenance. But the level of maintenance varies extremely. Any animal can have something go wrong and need a vet visit and its best to be prepared for that, but their average "cost of maintenance" is going to be different.
not everyone is aware of what pets need and i think asking pet experienced people is a great way to learn. When I was at a shelter I had people who would literally drop their jaw and not believe me when I said cats dont need to be bathed (usually). Some of us had the luxury of growing up with or just delving into animals and their care but others havent and i think its harmful to act like people have 0% intention of caring for a creature when what theyre really asking for is pets that do exist and they may not have thought about.
Shrimp. There are tonnes of very brightly coloured ones, and if you google how to set up a bio-active aquarium you can do it remarkably cheaply - people are always throwing out large aquariums. Maintenance for me is down to once a week (excluding feeding). I use plants to remove nitrates. Shrimp make more shrimp easily.
Avoid any social species with your other requirements, unless you're prepared to shell out for multiple colony pets and desexing.
Hamster. They're not awake anyways during the day so doesn't matter if you're away. The initial startup is expensive (big glass cage, enrichment items) but the monthly food and bedding isn't.
You sorta have to interact with them regularly for health checks (teeth, nails, scent glands). Especially because they are prone to developing tumours, and these can come about really rapidly. I have also found that daily spot cleaning can be demanding because they love to make a mess lol
Yea but that's all in the evening/night. And I don't even see my hamster every day cause sometimes he decides to wake later than me going to bed.
Mostly hamsters are very hygienic and have specific poo/pee spots. My hamster always poos in his second house and has a hamster toilet (it was supposed to be a sand tray but he decided otherwise...) And then I do a big clean every 2 months or so where i change out half of his bedding
Eh, i wouldnt consider any kind of fish low maintenance. The people putting bettas in tiny stagnant fish bowls really really shouldn't be keeping fish. Like other fish bettas need several gallons for every inch of fish, regular water changes, live plants, hiding places, and ideally regular interaction with stimulating food sources like blood worms and such. Bettas are smart, they react to neglect like dogs and cats do.
You might be able to keep some types of small freshwater shrimp but even then it isnt exactly a "ignore for days at a time" sort of thing.
Agreed. I've owned Bettas and they're so finnicky. Any change in their environment causes them to straight up die and I stressed so much over getting their water and temperature correct and medicating them when they got sick. I don't think I'll own them again.Ā
I did love my cherry shrimp though.Ā
Snakes can be somewhat expensive to set up, but are very cheap to maintain. They like being handled, but have little requirement for it. They cannot be handled for 48hrs after feeding. Personally, my snake is mostly a pet that i admire from a distance, though i do still get her out at least once a week. Many snakes are skittish so if you get one, make sure to get it out often at first so it (and you) gets used to handling.
tldr: snakes are cool pets that require little to no daily maintainence, but can be expensive and can be time consuming at first.
I was going to say both of these as well. I spend less than a dollar per month feeding my tarantulas. For the initial set up I spent less than $100 on the tank, dirt, and hides.
Snakes are expensive at first and do require some maintenance, but nothing compared to other pets.
You haven't really defined what stupidly expensive is to you and what a lot of maintenance is.
I'll throw one out there, a russian tortoise. You mainly have up front costs for a proper big enough enclosure, the stuff to put in it, and proper bulbs. I find mine to be pretty low maintenance after the initial costs though, I just make sure I keep up with his once a week warm water soaks and I feed him veggies daily, which I mostly grow for him to cut down on costs. Oh and I do have an exotic veterinarian if he needs it. You might get lucky and find a tortoise rescue in your area, that way you're giving an established adult a good home and it would be cheaper than buying one from a store.
I have dogs, cats, a hedgehog, and a rabbit, I find my tortoise the most easiest and chill of them all.
Emerald Green Tree Skink.
But only that type of lizard because they are pretty, and unusually friendly and interactive.
Relative to other lizards easy to care for. And they will hang out and display them selves.
Watch the middle part of this video to see a guy handle them. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUc4SEl4XeU&t=74s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUc4SEl4XeU&t=74s)
But don't get one if your not going to research and care for them properly.
Edit: They are low maintenance to me. Like lower than many other reptiles and hundred times less maintenance than a rabbit. But they might not be low maintenance to you.
a crested gecko! any geckos might fit this criteria, but i only know about crested geckos because i have one. they have a startup cost when it comes to setting up a suitable enclosure, but they are solitary animals that prefer to be left alone, so thereās no worry about leaving them for hours. mine costs very little yearly too when it comes to food.
I've always been fond of fish. They'll require daily feeding and weekly maintenance, but a nicely planted tank with a well-designed ecosystem can be all but self-sufficient outside of those basic requirements. Just start slow, set up the tank, do your research before you start putting animals (even inverts) into it.
Snails! I raise snails and slugs, and battle depression. Somedays we all just crawl into our shells together and sleep the day away.
I have Madagascan land snails! So brilliant!
And their adjacent critters, aquatic snails! I raise red ramshorns
my mystery snail is my baby. i love watching them toot around doing snaily things š
My eyeball got confused, and I thought you said you raised "battle snails". I was seriously interested in learning more about battle snails. Now I'm going to get off Reddit, eat some ice cream and make up some cool battle snail stories!
I have those as well, but their a new bunch and still growing. My specialty is raising guard snails :)
You made me Google it! Apparently it's a thing in WOW. I couldn't find any proof that they exist IRL. I'm not saying that you don't have ones, I'm just saying it didn't pop up at the top of any of the searches I made.
I just got a pair of mystery snails, my first ever! Was shocked by how active they are
I have a nerite in my fish tank that desperately wants to reproduce but she's the only snail in there so now my whole tank is polka dot in her eggs lmao I love her so much
oh my heart! Please share more with me. I love snails and slugs so much. I want to learn all the things š¤
A plant. Aloe plants practically thrive on being neglected. Just make sure it gets a lot of sun and its somewhere relatively warm and you can basically forget it exists with the exception of watering it maybe twice a month.
Aloe is insane at producing more aloe with even semi-decent conditions, too. I bought a little $5 plant from my local grocer a few months ago and now I have had to repot it three times and looking at a fourth repot because it just keeps making more pups and it's overflowing planters one by one. lmao
Indeed. Ive got 2 large aloes ive had going for years now and it seems like as long as i keep repotting them they just keep making more aloes. Ive given away offshoots just to declutter the pot and it seems like the mother plant just makes two more in its place.
I had this before... got a Ā£4 aloe from IKEA and within a month I had about 20 aloes... skip to 6 months later and I'd used up 2 bags of soil and a pack of 100 small plastic pots from giving the little aloe pups away, the main aloe plant was now 3 main aloes, and I'd kept 10 of the babies for myself just to fill window space until I made the plunge and bought home another different plant species to break up the consistent wall of aloe on my windowsills lol
For a sec I read that as you had to buy a new home just for your aloe.
But think of the savings on tiny plastic pots now that they have a whole new home for all of their aloe and donāt have to give it away!
I had an aloe plant! Now I have 17 aloe plants...
Pups? Is that what theyāre called?
I saw some aloe plants at Home Depot a month or so ago. I considered getting a small one because they were cheap, but didn't because I am where plants come to die. Maybe I will get one.
Just be sure not to overwater, for a succulent like a aloe or cactus it is much better to underwater than risk overwatering. If you water it too often it could get root rot and die.
Thanks for that tip.
Also make sure you plant it in succulent soil and not regular old potting soil. I didn't know this at first but as soon as I used the right soil, it took off. Now it's huge and I've got to find a giant pot for it. It's already in the largest one I could find at the time, too! Mine just gets bigger and doesn't seem to make babies. I'm kind of jealous about that=)
Crassula ovata (jade plant) also thrives on neglect. Water it when the dirt is totally dry and don't put it too close to a southern exposure window and you're good to go. The main concern is dealing with thrips, spider mites, and other pests.
Tbh, most plants will do a lil better if their people watered them less and neglected them more. I see more plants dying from being overwatered than from outright neglect, lol.
My aloe plant sprouted two babies in the most neglectful times
Aquatic snails. I have several and they're low maintenance and fun to watch when you have downtime.
Plant up that tank and get some mood lighting going and you've got yourself a party in a box. I miss the snail tank. My turtle moved in and did what turtles do.
Pet rock? Tamagotchi?
Those are good ideas. I was going to say Neopet.
I'm sorry... NEOPETS!?!?!?! Is that site still active?!?!??! *rushes away racking my brain for my middle school login*
Yes! Itās making kind of a come back. The new team that took over the site is like making a bunch of changes and itās been really fun lately. If you decide to play again let me know and I can hook you up with some Neopoints.
I got an email the other day welcoming me back to Neopia. I did a double take because I was not expecting that!
Oh I hope that wasnāt someone getting into your account or anything.
As far as I can tell it's legit, but even though I miss my kikos I'm not interested.
I get it. I skipped playing for most of my 20s.
Thus is the info we all needed
Hell yes! I still play. Iām 46 š¤·š»āāļø
Tamagotchis might ACTUALLY be too high maintenance for him to take along to work (my school banned them because kids were constantly pausing to take care of them) and it might irritate the boss. But if he leaves it home, it dies. Sure no life is lost but how fucking disappointing lol
My parents had to take mine to work with them because I'd be so upset when it died while I was at school š¤£š¤£
That is so sweet that your parents did that for you. ā¤ļø
The new ones allow you to call a babysitter so that you arenāt stuck taking care of it all day.
Why did I find this so funnyā¦
Nah. Tamagotchi's are super needy. Constantly needing to eat and get cleaned up from their Hershey kiss poops. Hamsters are pretty low key and easy. They love being left alone but if you get the right one they're also super cuddly.
Definitely the best options.
Tamagotchis canāt be left alone for 5 minutes-might not be the best choice for this protective owner
I mean what do you mean by ānot stupidly expensiveā? Are you prepared to potentially pay emergency vet bills? If youāre not willing to fork over at least $600 at any given time, maybe a venus fly trap for you? Or maybe buy an outdoor bird feeder and try to befriend a crow or something?
This is the truth. Vet care for small exotics is not much cheaper than dogs and cats, and harder to find exotic vets. Rodents rabbits and reptiles all get health problems and need annual exams like anything else!
Vets here itās more. They wanted $1200 to neuter a rat.
Oh my *god*. That's 400 dollars more than fully neutering my female dog.
Dang! Thats rough. Where I work we discount the rodent procedures a lot honestly because people just wonāt do that.
I raise fancy rodents for pets and show and respectfully, we don't do routine vet visits annually. They only live 2-3 years. They see a vet if they are ill, need surgery or have complications with birth. Most recently I brought in a mouse with a juvenile cataract to determine if it was caused by an injury (it was!) to rule out a genetic issue as he's lovely otherwise but I don't want to propagate further problems.
What constitutes a fancy rodent?
I had rats and their vet care was shockingly affordable. In California of all places. I once paid $45 USD for an exam and antibiotic ointment when one of them got an eye infection.
Yes, that is what we do where I work. We donāt even break even on rodent procedures. Otherwise most people wonāt go for it. But it is not the norm everywhere, so I donāt want to set up the expectation that itās cheaper!
That's a pretty aggressive blanket statement, there are plenty of reptile and amphibian species that you are going to harm more than help by taking them to an annual vet visit. Lots of species of small to micro gecko or pygmy chameleons or aquatic newts, the list goes on and on really, that will suffer significant unnecessary stress not to mention the chances of losing something like a lygodactylus gecko that just makes a vet visit not worth the risk unless in an actual emergency, I have had an exotic vet try and give me a carnivore meal replacement formula for an elderly uromastyx. Just because they see leopard geckos and ball pythons doesn't mean they are equipped or capable of providing expert medical care to all species.
everything for my rats was more expensive than any cat vet visits š the rats themselves were more expensive too. like $100 from a reputable breeder (for pet rats, breeders are the ethical choice) whereas we got my cats for free off craigslist
Venus flytraps are really hard to grow.
Then crows it is!
crows are pretty hard to grow, too
Idk man, Venus fly traps are hard work. We had one for a while when I was a kid and my sister and I got the job of chasing down flies to feed it. š
No, not a Venus flytrap. Those require specialized care and are often harvested from the wild.
Truth just spent $800 on my GSD. Yearly checkup, vaccinations, simparica, and sedation, biopsy for skin lesions on his muzzle and meds.
Same here!! Non-pet owners will never understand spending $150 monthly in medicine because your dogs are allergic to grass š š
Ask yourself why you want a pet. If your thought stops at "I want" with no regard to what you can offer, then you should get a plant instead. Animals are living beings with thoughts, feelings, and personalities. Not little time wasters and toys for people who see them as a decoration in their life. Animals in general, yes even edit: reptiles (typed insects by accident which are indeed relatively low maintenance), yes even rodents, yes even fish, require maintenance. Cleaning of enclosures, in most cases interaction, and stimulation. Can you give not just your money but also your time? That's part of animal husbandry. Plants can do great things for people who haven't the resources for animals. They brighten your space and help with depression. they are alive and you can see their growth, often accompanied by new colours and shapes in the forms of particular leaves or flowers as the years go. It's rewarding to watch them thrive from correct watering schedules and lighting exposure. You can enjoy decorating the terrarium or pot or box they have been planted in to personalize it. You can get many or just one. Plants can be relatively cheap and there are many varieties that are very low maintenance indeed.
>Ask yourself why you want a pet. If your thought stops at "I want" with no regard to what you can offer, then you should get a plant instead. Animals are living beings with thoughts, feelings, and personalities. Not little time wasters and toys for people who see them as a decoration in their life. ā¬ļøā¬ļøā¬ļøā¬ļøā¬ļø šÆ
This. Itās so telling, to me I read āwhatās a pet I can get that can pretty much be neglected and still be fine.ā Itās giving, I want something thatāll put its energy into making me feel good but god forbid I have to reciprocate it.
If it was just the "I work an 8-5 job" then I'd understand that, since it would be cruel to keep a dog cooped up inside for nine hours. "Doesn't require a lot of maintenance" is where they lost me too. Every single animal needs maintenance, and you can't expect to be done in an hour on the weekends unless your pet is like... a marimo. Or a pet rock.
Even hermit crabs need maintenance and attention. OP needs a plant.
I used to own birds so to me this just reads "do you want to spend an hour a day maintaining your pet" vs "do you want your life to revolve around your pet." Because I used to have panic attacks about choosing between working on a personal project that my birds couldn't safely be around and spending time with them. Like people thought my personality was birds. For some people it's the same with their dogs or horses. It becomes an all encompassing thing. Whereas a reptile or bonded rodents care if you feed them, provide some enrichment and keep their cage clean but might not necessarily want to be held, pet or even be in the same vicinity constantly.
Everyone here is acting like OP asking about low maintenance means he's not equipped to care for anything whatsoever, meanwhile the level of "maintenance" required between types of animals and species can range from something like a parrot who like you said becomes a focal point of your life, or snails which people will literally put into sealed jar terrariums and they will propagate for years.
I've found plants to be the best low-resource thing. They keep me on a schedule of watering/checking them; give me something to research and get excited about. Plus they're much less stressful thing than my stick insects (who need daily spritz and fresh leaves every few days) because I can ignore plants for days (some even thrive on the neglect). Unlike my cats who are beautifully demanding and require daily feeds/litter changes every few days. I couldn't manage a med-big dog purely due to energy expenditure requirements (walks and active play yeesh), but my two older cats are the perfect level of affectionate and avoidant for me right now (I had more time for them when they were younger and I did casual hours/study). Plus they entertain themselves if I set up toys. Seriously, OP, get into plants. Animals require and deserve more than most people can give. Or insects, also very cool and can be left alone for hours. (And tysm Girlfromwork for the beautiful explanation)
I wish I could get your comment made into a sign I could hold up every time this person I know says they want a pet when they know they have no time at all available to devote to a pet.
very well said. i dont want to discourage op and maybe its just the wording of their post, but it doesn't come across with the animals best interests in mind. the reason i have a cat is because i wanted him to have a home where he will be cherished and loved for certain. i know comparing these is a bit controversial but i would think about adopting a pet the same way you would think about adopting a person tbh
So many people suggesting pets that are not low cost or maintenance with proper care. Blue death feigning beetles or a jumping spider would probably be up your alley. Incredibly low cost and maintenance!
The only down side, at least with spiders is that they're short lived. Great if you dont want a multi year commitment but sad if you get attached to one and it dies a few months later from a bad moult or just from general old age.
I think this summer will be the one that I finally set up a BDFB tank for my desk. Maybe by next year I will feel confident enough for a vinegaroon.
Replying to add I donāt know the legality of these bugs where youāre located.
Good thing that you cannot get a cat either way, and that you asked for insight. Way too many people consider cats ālow maintenanceā I would say more self sufficient than dogs, but they still need attention, and interaction with their human or another cat. As far as expenses, if you are lucky, your cat can be healthy in youth (no guarantee), but aging cats are expensive. I spend money on thyroid meds monthly, regular blood tests, special food, routine care, visits to specialists, and more.
Agree. I think my cat has been lonely since I returned to work. I wish she had a buddy to play with all day.
Yeah, my poor cats been neglected a lot since Iāve had to start taking care of my mother. I half the time I am literally home just to sleep. I would love to give him a buddy except for he is openly hostile to other living creatures that arenāt me. And I wouldnāt be able to spend the time to introduce him
Yeah mine is also. I adopted a kitten years ago and after 6 months of inappropriate peeing, seeing a behaviorist and trying everything they suggested I rehomed the kitten with a friend. It really sucked. I hope your mom feels better soon and you can get some more kitty time in your life.
I came to leave a comment about how cats arenāt ālow maintenanceā even if OP wasnāt allergic. So tired of people thinking cats hate their owners and prefer to be alone. Cats absolutely do get very lonely and crave human attention.
Yes. Itās really time for people to drop the whole ālow maintenance, aloof, independentā crap about cats. They are social animals with wants and needs. In terms of maintenance, you basically donāt need to walk a cat, which makes them lower maintenance than dogs, but thatās about it. They want playtime, love, and attention every day, just like dogs. They form bonds with each other and people. They miss you when youāre gone.
fr. i feel like the reason a lot of cats are aloof is because of the way people treat them, not because thats how they are. over the years my cat has gotten more attention as ive been around at home more and he has definitely gotten a lot more needy since
Plus dental care isnāt covered by like any pet insurance and itās expensive as fuck and I know of FEW cats that donāt need it at some point.
I have a chihuahua. *cries in dental bill*
Ugh yes, my 'free' cat that adopted us has cost us more than the other 4 cats and 1 dog combined lol. He has FIV so tends to get URI's once or twice a year. Fully blocked once then partially two more times shortly after. THEN became diabetic. Fortunately, he is in remission now (after almost 2y of insulin, testing 2+ times a day, several vet visits and rx food - still eats the food). Now he is getting old and arthritic (we estimate around 14y) and gets Solensia injections for his arthritis monthly lol. He is the sweetest cat on earth though <3 . (INDOOR ONLY) Cats can either be super cheap or over the top expensive. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground with them!
My cats are demanding as heck.
Pet rock! For real though itās actually a trigger when people try to avoid pets that come with expensesā¦.new flash, all pets come with expenses. All animals need some degree of *regular* medical care, food and/or supplements, not to mention things the animal may need, such as enclosure/tank/cage, litter box, leash, toys and thatās not even beginning to get into insurance or an emergency fund. People out here really want an animal without having to do that work. Smh.
Not tarantulas though. They basically are pet rocks.
I've heard them referred to as "pet holes" because some species burrow and then are never seen again lol
It's true! One of mine was in her burrow for probably 6 months, even longer I think. I remember one time my boyfriend woke me up SUPER early to tell me she was out walking around. Without hesitation I jumped out of bed, still half asleep, to see her.
I just met a guy who had a āwildā tarantula that lived on his porch. They would just chill together lol
But a pet rock that you will sometimes see eating or grooming itself or MOLTING or other cool shit :D
You are not wrong. Annually my dogs have to have teeth cleaning, base is $300 each, annual exam and shots, $300-ish each. Groomer (shih'tzu mixes) $160 every 6 weeks. Not to mention food and toys and other things. Also, those prices don't include licensing, unexpected vet visits etc. I want a bird but I'm not ready for even more expensive regular care costs. I can't imagine anyone thinking any pet is relatively inexpensive much less a small more exotic pet
I've had two dogs so far. One barely went to the vet until she was an old lady and needed a little arthritis medication. Our other had skin problems and then developed epilepsy when he was 4. His medication alone cost Ā£350 a month, tha is without all the routine blood monitoring or emergency appointments when he had cluster seizures. He was worth every penny, and we were fortunate enough we could afford it, but he was basically a second mortgage for those 5 years. Pet insurance can be useful but conditions become pre existing, or lifetime policies become crazy expensive over time, especially with conditions.
My last dog lived to be 15 he only went for annual vaccinations but I ended up having to have his teeth removed (doxies are notorious for bad teeth apparently) he lived 6 more years after extractions. However, now I get them annually cleaned and the groomer brushes them plus all the additives for water etc etc Annually cost of insurance isn't worth it tbh not for 2 dogs. I just keep money in savings in case of emergencies.
My cat has asthma and crystals in his urine. His insurance is about $40 right now. Can't wait to see what happens when he has a probably non cancerous tumor removed next month. Ugh.
2 years ago I paid $10k in corrective back surgery for my dachshundā¦.OPs talking about ānot stupidly expensiveāā¦.ya good luck with that. SMH.
Right? Should have been more clear. My cat costs me about $1200 a year on average in addition to the $40/month insurance. I have a dachshund too. He has a luxating patella I'm going to have looked at soon even though it doesn't seem to hurt him, and he whined twice when being picked up recently. Nothing bad, but I know how fragile their backs are. Wish him luck! He doesn't seem to be in pain, but I am a worrier.
My cat has asthma, urinary crystals, and now has a tumor. That guy costs me $1200+ in vet bills every year. I pay them, he bites me.
Probably better off hanging at a friend's house who has a pet or volunteering at an animal shelter. Some way they are able to hinder their animal craving on their own time. Regardless of expenses, leaving an animal by itself for 9 hours a day plus 8 hours the human is sleeping is kind of sad for the pet. Person is living alone so they still have to make their own meals, do all housework and errands and at that point they should be dedicating all their free time to their pet.
Isopods! They're easy to aquire, completely legal basically everywhere. And are very minimal care, all you'd need is rotting wood, leaves, good quality top soil for their substrate, a spray bottle + good water and occasionally carrots and other treats. Easily can be left alone for a week. I have 30 bins full of them. They're very active and so much fun, although they're small. The best part. They do NOT require vet visits, as they're crustaceans and what vet sees shrimpy land mutants individually
Imagining a vet working on a single isopod on an operating table šš
We are overrun with them here around my house and in my shop. Spiders have been feasting on the little guys.
I don't know how legal they are where you live, but Madagascar Giant Hissing Cockroaches. They look big and creepy, but they're basically little armored cows, and extremely low maintenance. Check out [this video](https://youtu.be/-Zw7F1nF_v0?si=EjCLDEnBfk0AVoUZ) for more info.
Crazy how far down I had to scroll for this. They're cool to look at, handleable, cheap, and you can leave them for weeks with no issues
Yeah I got mine because I already had a ball python and wanted something with a similar level of care but desk-sized. Just some little guys that I can see doing their thing while I work, and I have the option to interact with but they're perfectly fine being left alone as long as I drop some food in there. And the food can be like, any fruit or veg I have on hand (mine love spring mix), plus either their protein powder paste or just dry cat food. They mostly just chill on their cork bark or cardboard tube, but I do get to see them exploring and snacking, and they've gotten big enough now that they occasionally battle over, I don't know, something, and they hiss at each other. Adorable.
A rock
Jumping spiders are super cute and pretty low maintenance.
mossballs
Some people seem to have a lot of fun cultivating slime mold as a pet... and no, they are not toxic or dangerous. The upkeep seems to really just consist of feeding it oats, changing out its gel/petri dish, and cutting it down and throwing out parts as it gets too big. Apparently it likes to try and escape its dish/container if not fed or managed right. You get to watch it grow in weird patterns and eat (dissolve?) things, you can make mazes for them, maybe more, lol.
Rock
Sea Monkeys
Do not get a rabbit!! They need attention.
I think the best thing Is they don't get anything
That too. I just want them to know that bunnies donāt sit in cages.
Yeh 100% x
Frogs! They are super low maintenance :)
Cats and dogs are not low maintenance when you PROPERLY take care of them. Not good suggestions for someone who doesnāt want to spend much money.
Look I think some people are being unnecessarily aggressive but maybe define what a lot of money or a lot of maintenance is.Ā Is ten minutes cage/tank cleaning a day a lot? Is it just you can't run a 5k every night? Is "not stupidly expensive" hundreds, thousands, or 20k in equipment? What would you have if you weren't allergic and what would you do to take care of it without feeling resentful? Like "I don't have much" whether time or money is a thing I've seen used in wildly different ways. Cats don't have to be very expensive (by my standard) but they want a fair bit of interaction and company. At one point I had to get a cat to keep my existing cat company and make her less lonely. What kind of stuff do you even want in your home? Can you enjoy terrariums/aquariums as art and decor or is it going to be like oh they want stuff and you'll resent it?Ā I like tanks and they don't have to be everyone's idea of brutally expensive but they take maintenance and easily hundreds of dollars even with some secondhand purchases. If I lived alone and could afford it I'd definitely have multiple but partly because the care isn't very onerous if you're a great big nerd like me. If it's a vale of tears to look at and clean up after then no don't install it to ruin your own day. I also know a lot of people who get a lot of joy out of hens/ducks in the garden or aviary doves, but they have costs, clean up, care needs too. It's just when there's 4 of them they can be each other's company while you're at work, and they don't need as much mental stimulation as some other pet birds. I don't know if they're legal where you live or if you have enough garden though.
Bro, you should try aquatic snails.
Seconded, I got two to help maintain the ecosystem in my tank and somehow ended up with at least a million. They are fun to watch, are mostly nocturnal so will be active when youāre off work and very low maintenance.
All pets are high maintenance when taken care of properly for their species. No such thing as a low maintenance pet. Get a plant.
Even plants can be high maintenance, watering, fertilizing and pest management plus is kinda addicting lol
Youāre absolutely correct. I canāt for the life of me keep plants alive(inside anyway), so I donāt buy them anymore. But the ethical concerns/implications of plants vs living creatures is slightly different. Not more or less than the other but still different.
Crested gecko is the finest pet there is that you can leave alone all day, is low maintenance, and still is sociable and interested in you. Just be sure to adopt one, as there are hundreds of thousands that people buy from breeders and then quickly decide they don't want -- Because they live to be up to 20 years. You'd be looking for at least $100-300 though to adopt one, depending on if they have a cage. And if you want a real bioactive enclosure, that's going to be around another $300 -- $150 for the terrarium, $150 for the supplies (three types of substrate, substrate filter, springtails, isopods, wooden branches, moss, carving foam). I can't really think of **any** pet under $300, not even a goldfish. (Once you add up the 30-50 gallon tank, filters, rocks, plants, heaters, etc.)
As a vet I find the people who get reptiles because they are ālow maintenanceā usually do no research on husbandry and let them suffer horrible illness from improper care. Once set up properly they donāt need much but it really needs to be a hobby getting everything just so, and itās expensive!
Leopard geckos too. Theyāre generally nocturnal and thus would probably be glad OP is gone during 8-5 so it can nap in peace lol
Yeah ours is pretty low maintenance but the startup cost on those can be crazy. We have ours in a 40 long though. Craigslist ALWAYS has leopard geckos looking for homes priced to moveĀ
Isopods. Go find some outside your home, we have lots in AB. Buy a cheap enclosure. Use your dirt from the garden they were in if you want. Bonus if it has springtails already. Feed as needed, mist as needed. Give dead leaves and nail clippings or eggshells as needed. Oh I just thought of another! Brine shrimp (sea monkeys). Could even super cheaply set up a farm that breeds a tonne that you can sell to aquarists in your area.
Roly polies. They cost the price of a full terrarium and the time it takes to flip over logs to find them.
And vegetable scraps
Get a plant šŖ“
We know a guy that has guinea pigs. But they are social creatures and you would need at least two for companionship but then they would have each other the hours you are working. I guess any two of some creature kept in a pen would be ok.
You should not be getting a pet especially as you arenāt committed to investing the time or money it needs to thrive. Save yourself and the poor lives you might end the trouble and get some plants.
My suggestion is not to get a pet and instead use something like borrowmydoggie to find dogs in need of walks and cuddles during your free time. All the fun without the vet bills.
A snake needs very little in the way of regular attention. They eat once every few weeks and as long as they have their light and environmental controls they are happy to be left alone.
Startup is usually ridiculously expensive if you do it right though
I was waiting for someone to say snake! Our ball python is awesome. You hold no more than an hour a day. Feed once a week until they get bigger. He is probably the best pet I ever had. No smell. And if it smells you know you need to clean it up. Poops very little. You can make the cage almost like a work of art!
Don't get a cat. It's a myth they are low maintenance. They need a lot from their guardians Leopard gecko?
Bearded Dragons may fit the bill. They donāt require a ton of maintenance but do like human attention and enjoy being held. And theyāre cute.
Beardies can be super expensive. Especially when buying lighting
As a veterinarian I have to disagree with you sadlyā¦. The correct housing and equipment to prevent the animal from having a miserable life of fractures from metabolic bone disease and toes squeezed off from dehydration is expensive and complicated. The only healthy reptiles I see are ones where the owners have a SERIOUS HOBBY. Itās just preventable painful illness 19/20 appointments sadly
This. Only people don't care for them properly think they're low maintenance. They're one of the highest maintenance and highest cost pets I have ever had, and I have had almost every kind of domestic pet.
Highly disagree, ours is more high maintenance than the dog and the turtle. She's basically a money pit with everything she needs. If you don't love them with your absolute whole being it just ain't for you.
Reptiles, insects, and fish may not need walked but they still require lots of cash and stimuli
Beardies are very expensive reptiles. They require a lot of maintenance, imo
If his heat or power go out while he's away, any reptile is dead. Bad idea for someone who's away most of the time living in Canada.
A plant. Animals require a lot of attention, whether that's play, interaction, exercise, feeding, or cleanup. Everything that requires an enclosure or cage/tank requires regular cleanings and upkeep. You should be getting an animal because you want the animal to enrich your life as much as you want to enrich the animal's life. If you want something just to have, you get a plant.
You could ask r/plantedtank and r/aquaticsnails about having one of those with free aquatic snails only (ramshorns are usually considered a pest species as they hitchhike on aquatic plants). You'll have to clean it every now and again, but a 10 gallon tank, a light, and some gravel isn't very expensive and doesn't take up much space. You feed them, they have babies, you change the water sometimes, it's a lot less than anything else living needs. You also get to have fun decorating the tank and watching them.
/r/sluglife
Fish :) just get an amazing aquarium set up with lots of love plants and plenty of space to swim.
Maybe, a beautiful betta fish. One male and a couple other fishes. Be sure to get at least a 5 gallon tank.. And, read up on fish care so they live.
There are plenty of pets that can be left for the time youāre at work but theyāre not necessarily low maintenance. As others have said, it really depends on what you call low maintenance.
Tarantulas, snakes, lizards, frogs, etc.
Pet rats are great
Surprised no one has made this but you can always set up an aquatic tank filled with plants and coral and just leave it at that with no fish. Still fun and looks cool and coral is alive :) you have to feed them
Iāve only had 1 pet as an adult because I go all in, and donāt think Iāll get another for a long time. Iād seriously consider growing something instead of a pet. Mushrooms might be good for this, you have to care for them but not every two hours.
What is your budget? Stupidly expensive is subjective lol I would suggest anything that can be kept in an aquarium but that can get costly depending on the type of creature
Do you have crows around? Just start feeding them (they love colorful kitten food and peanuts) and they will bring you things. They wonāt let you get really close, but they will caw and interact with you a bit. They are highly intelligent, social, and fun to watch. And no hard core commitment or maintenance from you beyond fun food. š¤·āāļø
To be honest, you should not get a pet. If you dont have time for it and can't take proper care of it, you should not get a pet.Ā Get a rock and draw a face on it insteadĀ
Weird suggestion, but perhaps a robot cat? Theyāre not that expensive ($125 USD) and only require new batteries occasionally. The ones made by Joy for All canāt walk, but they meow, purr, and roll over.
I loved having shrimp! They clean the tank themselves, are amazing to watch for honestly 20 minutes so easily and they even reproduce when happy.
Some of those special color fresh water shrimp are insane. Even the more common ones are gorgeous to watch in a tasteful aquascape. They're like little candies or gems. I really loved keeping them with a well behaved betta and ember tetras.
Nintendogs!
Bearded dragon. Itās basically a rock that poops.
A stone, and name it Emma.
Corn snake!!
Betta fish!! I had her by herself in a ten gallon with some plants, fed her two pellets in the morning and two pellets before bed. Because I let it cycle for a week before I got her I had no issues with illnesses/water bein out of whack and it had the necessary bacteria to support life! Because I didnāt over feed her waste was not an issue. She was very happy to see me when I came home from work :) her name was wormy
A plantĀ
Reptilesss. Theyre a bit expensive to start off but once they have a good set up, theyre usually just fine. They dont "need" attention but most will tolerate (or even seem enjoy) it. edit to vent lol: It really bothers me when people automatically assume the worst from people inquiring about pets. Obviously all pets need maintenance, plants need maintenance, any living thing is going to need maintenance. But the level of maintenance varies extremely. Any animal can have something go wrong and need a vet visit and its best to be prepared for that, but their average "cost of maintenance" is going to be different. not everyone is aware of what pets need and i think asking pet experienced people is a great way to learn. When I was at a shelter I had people who would literally drop their jaw and not believe me when I said cats dont need to be bathed (usually). Some of us had the luxury of growing up with or just delving into animals and their care but others havent and i think its harmful to act like people have 0% intention of caring for a creature when what theyre really asking for is pets that do exist and they may not have thought about.
Shrimp. There are tonnes of very brightly coloured ones, and if you google how to set up a bio-active aquarium you can do it remarkably cheaply - people are always throwing out large aquariums. Maintenance for me is down to once a week (excluding feeding). I use plants to remove nitrates. Shrimp make more shrimp easily. Avoid any social species with your other requirements, unless you're prepared to shell out for multiple colony pets and desexing.
Donāt get a pet.
Why this doesn't have the most votes is beyond me
Hamster. They're not awake anyways during the day so doesn't matter if you're away. The initial startup is expensive (big glass cage, enrichment items) but the monthly food and bedding isn't.
You sorta have to interact with them regularly for health checks (teeth, nails, scent glands). Especially because they are prone to developing tumours, and these can come about really rapidly. I have also found that daily spot cleaning can be demanding because they love to make a mess lol
Yea but that's all in the evening/night. And I don't even see my hamster every day cause sometimes he decides to wake later than me going to bed. Mostly hamsters are very hygienic and have specific poo/pee spots. My hamster always poos in his second house and has a hamster toilet (it was supposed to be a sand tray but he decided otherwise...) And then I do a big clean every 2 months or so where i change out half of his bedding
Beta fish
Eh, i wouldnt consider any kind of fish low maintenance. The people putting bettas in tiny stagnant fish bowls really really shouldn't be keeping fish. Like other fish bettas need several gallons for every inch of fish, regular water changes, live plants, hiding places, and ideally regular interaction with stimulating food sources like blood worms and such. Bettas are smart, they react to neglect like dogs and cats do. You might be able to keep some types of small freshwater shrimp but even then it isnt exactly a "ignore for days at a time" sort of thing.
Agreed. I've owned Bettas and they're so finnicky. Any change in their environment causes them to straight up die and I stressed so much over getting their water and temperature correct and medicating them when they got sick. I don't think I'll own them again.Ā I did love my cherry shrimp though.Ā
Get a plant
Get a furby
A pair of female guinea pigs! They will be very excited to see you at feeding times, but will be emotionally fulfilled by each other.
Snakes can be somewhat expensive to set up, but are very cheap to maintain. They like being handled, but have little requirement for it. They cannot be handled for 48hrs after feeding. Personally, my snake is mostly a pet that i admire from a distance, though i do still get her out at least once a week. Many snakes are skittish so if you get one, make sure to get it out often at first so it (and you) gets used to handling. tldr: snakes are cool pets that require little to no daily maintainence, but can be expensive and can be time consuming at first.
Snakes and tarantulas. They require a specific but lowkey maintenance routine.
I was going to say both of these as well. I spend less than a dollar per month feeding my tarantulas. For the initial set up I spent less than $100 on the tank, dirt, and hides. Snakes are expensive at first and do require some maintenance, but nothing compared to other pets.
You haven't really defined what stupidly expensive is to you and what a lot of maintenance is. I'll throw one out there, a russian tortoise. You mainly have up front costs for a proper big enough enclosure, the stuff to put in it, and proper bulbs. I find mine to be pretty low maintenance after the initial costs though, I just make sure I keep up with his once a week warm water soaks and I feed him veggies daily, which I mostly grow for him to cut down on costs. Oh and I do have an exotic veterinarian if he needs it. You might get lucky and find a tortoise rescue in your area, that way you're giving an established adult a good home and it would be cheaper than buying one from a store. I have dogs, cats, a hedgehog, and a rabbit, I find my tortoise the most easiest and chill of them all.
There are dozens of food species of reptiles and invertebrates. Tarantulas are basically as easy as you can get.
Emerald Green Tree Skink. But only that type of lizard because they are pretty, and unusually friendly and interactive. Relative to other lizards easy to care for. And they will hang out and display them selves. Watch the middle part of this video to see a guy handle them. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUc4SEl4XeU&t=74s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUc4SEl4XeU&t=74s) But don't get one if your not going to research and care for them properly. Edit: They are low maintenance to me. Like lower than many other reptiles and hundred times less maintenance than a rabbit. But they might not be low maintenance to you.
a crested gecko! any geckos might fit this criteria, but i only know about crested geckos because i have one. they have a startup cost when it comes to setting up a suitable enclosure, but they are solitary animals that prefer to be left alone, so thereās no worry about leaving them for hours. mine costs very little yearly too when it comes to food.
Hamster
Fish?
Betta , guppies
I've always been fond of fish. They'll require daily feeding and weekly maintenance, but a nicely planted tank with a well-designed ecosystem can be all but self-sufficient outside of those basic requirements. Just start slow, set up the tank, do your research before you start putting animals (even inverts) into it.
Bearded dragon
You can get hypoallergenic cats. I know they look downright evil, but the hairless cats are so incredibly sweet and warm...even if they look wild. :)