5 Great House Pets

Sure having a dog is nice, but what about other house pets? Not everyone is a cat person. And even then, some people like neither dogs cats. Here are my five favorite pet animals. This is a list based on my opinions and experiences with these animals. I hope this helps you in choosing a furry (or scaly or feathery) little friend.

Dogs
Yes, I did just say that dogs aren't for everyone, but some people downright love them. The great thing about dogs is their variety. There is a dog for everyone. If you have a busy lifestyle and sometimes can't be at home with your dog a lot, I recommend taking a more inactive dog, such as greyhound or whippet. Poodles, are also a great choice here. Dogs such as english cocker spaniels and pugs are a good choice if they get proper training in order to keep them from ruining your relationship with your neighbors. If you have a more active lifestyle, more free time, a dog of the hunting variety will keep you up and about. If you have kids, a labrador retriever is a great choice as they are very compassionate and love to play.

Cats
If you dislike dogs, trying taking a cat. The great thing about cats is that they are content to sit and laze the whole day. However, a pice of string can keep them entertained for a long while. Cats are nice as they don't require active maintenance. Leave out food and water and remember to empty their litter box, and you're set to go. The only downside to cats is that their demeanors widely range. Some cats love being picked up and petted while others will scratch your eyes out the moment their feet leave the ground. Kittens, however, tend to like to cuddle and are a great choice for small children.

Turtles
The ultimate stress free pet. Course they may not be amazingly fun to play with, but I still like to have them around. Turtles are more fun to observe and watch. As such, they make great pets for kids, so long as the children know not to put them in their mouth. Give your turtle a block or ball or drop something in their tank and observe as they are fascinated with their newfound play thing. This thread from allturtles.com has a couple good ideas for playing with turtles.

Birds
Birds make great pets. They can be very social and fun. They aren't a "hands-on" animal like dogs or cats, but still make great pets. The website Bird Feeder Secrets ranks parakeets, cockatiels, sun conures, parrotlets, and African greys as the top five birds for pets. I have never owned a bird, but a couple of my friends do and they love them. From the time I've spent with their birds, they are indeed a very fun animal. A word of caution, however, birds can be extremely noisy, but luckily there are quite breeds for you apartment dwellers.

Hamster
Hamsters are cuddly little animals which many people view as a "beginner pet". They are nocturnal which means they'll sleep throughout the day and wake up in the evening. Perfect if you aren't going to be home for the day. Another plus about hamster is that they are perfectly fine with keeping themselves entertained. Grab them a running wheel (a must) and a couple toys and they'll live on happy and content. That being said, as with any animal, they still like you to interact with them.

Choosing the last spot on this list was hard and as such I decided to add a "runner up" list.
Snakes: Once you get over the "my God, its going to eat me" mind set, snakes can make good pets. They do require some money and knowledge to be effectively cared for, but they do make your life interesting.
Fish: To me, fish are more like artwork. They are low maintenance and all, but watching them get boring after a while. I prefer pets who you can touch and play with, but that's just me.
Lizards/Geckos/Iguanas: Again, these animals are harder to play with and thus more like artwork. But hey, if you're a reptile person who's content with just watching, these guys are great.

Got an animal who you think would make a great house pet? Comment and let me know!

Sources: Personal Knowledge
Author Unknown,"The Five Best Bird Pets" Bird Feeder Secrets