4 Starter Pets for a Newbie Pet Owner

April 13, 2016

I’ve had pets for as long as I can remember. Some of the them that I had as a kid passed away due to my lack of understanding on how to take care of them. It’s very important to thoroughly understand each pet that you take into your care, no matter how old you are. To make things a little simpler, I’ve compiled a list of pets that are great for those who are new to owning pets or are just busy with things like school and social lives.

#1 The Hamster

Hamsters make great starter pets because usually they are very good tempered. They also do not require a lot of attention and play time. They are perfectly happy if you leave them alone, actually. On a tight schedule, they could actually do just fine if only a few minutes of your attention per day (i.e. to fill water, food, etc.) On the downside, they tend to be excellent escape artists so it is important that you read up on the types of things you should have for their home.

#2 The Parakeet

Parakeets are actually very social and are quite entertaining for a first pet. What makes them great for being a starter pet is that they can be quite inexpensive as far as upkeep is concerned. However these are not great pets for those who truly enjoy peace and quiet on a daily basis. Yes, they are very entertaining as they can learn up to 100 words but they are very chatty.

#3 The Beta Fish

The Beta fish are very beautiful with their vibrant colors and long flowing fins. They prefer a small tank as they are used to only living in small puddles in the wild. They also do not like the company of any other fish. What makes them perfect as starter pets is that they are quite simple to care for, even more so than a goldfish. On the downside, you may feel as though the fish needs a companion (it doesn’t!) or you may want a second fish. If that’s the case you’d have to get a seperate tank for it.

#4 Turtles

Turtles make excellent starter pets because they don’t require a lot of attention and they are very quiet. Another reason they are great starter pets is because they are sort of uncommon as pets so it would be interesting to have one. They can also live for such a long time! On the downside, they aren’t going to appreciate your cuddling. They’d be neutral at best… but you can always pretend they like it, so long as it’s not a snapping turtle.

by: Lissa Fehr