the holidays are coming up, and as someone who works in a pet store there are some things i want everyone who plans on getting animals as gifts to remember:
fish tanks need to be set up and running for at least one week before fish can be put it. all fish need treated water and bacteria supplements.
fish can only survive in a plastic bag for about an hour.
THE ONLY fish that can go in a bowl is a BETTA. all other fish, especially goldfish, will die/be very unhealthy in bowls.
goldfish are supposed to live for up to 20 years. donât get all high and mighty for keeping one alive for a few months. they have long life spans when taken proper care of.
hamsters cannot live together. when they grow up, they become incredibly territorial and aggressive. they are asocial creatures that do not get along with each other.
guinea pigs canât go in hamster wheels or balls. they get spinal injuries from being in a curved position and sometimes die.
rats and guinea pigs do better in groups/pairs.
hamsters, mice, rats, guinea pigs, cats, and pretty much every single animal canât live inside a sealed box. they will die. donât do it.
puppies get destructive. they break things and make messes and are loud. they need to be trained. donât get a puppy if you donât want to deal with training a large animal.
donât fucking take kittens and puppies away from their mothers prematurely just because theyâre cute. it can affect them forever.
cats will scratch your furniture and knock things over. declawing cats is a physically harmful and scarring process that literally permanently mutilates their paws. donât get a cat if you arenât willing to be patient with them.
birds are LOUD. SO LOUD. and incredibly messy. and they bite.
most lizards can get up to two feet long. some can live for 20 years. donât get a baby bearded dragon and expect it to stay that small forever. they reach their full size within a year.
pets are real and they have needs. their needs are not luxuries. donât treat them like they donât matter.
