flamesburnonthemountainside:

charmancler:

megachikorita:

dirtybrian:

prunefingers:

flyingtentacledlampfucker:

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. don’t 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 can’t 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 can’t live inside a sealed box. they will die. don’t do it.
• puppies get destructive. they break things and make messes and are loud. they need to be trained. don’t get a puppy if you don’t want to deal with training a large animal.
• don’t fucking take kittens and puppies away from their mothers prematurely just because they’re 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. don’t get a cat if you aren’t 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. don’t 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. don’t treat them like they don’t matter.

rabbits are extremely high maintenance, require fresh food every day, their area cleaned every day, need hours of exercise every day, and they chew on everything with great efficiency. Also their pee will stain tiles and fabrics. They are hard work, do not get one if you cannot ensure their basic needs.

bettas can’t really thrive in bowls. bowls are hard to keep filtered and heated because the shape of the glass makes it hard to stick or hang attachments onto.

my partner has some resources here:

http://iantojonesthebetta.tumblr.com/post/128632177315/betta-care-sheet

http://iantojonesthebetta.tumblr.com/post/88510489670/7-tips-for-building-a-simple-betta-tank

http://iantojonesthebetta.tumblr.com/post/93546470800/pet-supplies-you-need-to-care-for-betta-fish

guinea pigs need a ton of room to be able to be happy, generally 5 square feet plus two more per additional guinea pig is a good rule of thumb (and g pigs should ALWAYS be kept in pairs unless there’s a behavioral problem preventing it). also pet store guinea pigs and other small animals are often mis-sexed and/or pregnant, i recommend looking at shelters in your area and if there aren’t any, looking on Craigslist, where there will always be animals in need of homes. (really, I’ve had six gpigs and the only two who had serious health issues before the age of five were the two pet store pigs.)

guineapigcages.com’s forums and guinea lynx are both great online resources for any new or prospective guinea pig owners!

(also: gerbils also do better in pairs, and birds and reptiles Always need uv light, though the kind and amount varies.)

if you want a dog or a cat pls consider getting one from a shelter rather than a breeder!!!!!!

and ALWAYS make sure that the person you are getting the animal for actually wants a pet/has the funds and means to look after a pet