I've Had Over 15 Different Pets — Here's My Honest Review of Them All

Unless you like loud squeaking and a living room that smells like rodent, don't get a guinea pig.

I've Had Over 15 Different Pets. Here's My Honest Review of Them All

Hi. My name is Brittany, and if you've ever visited FamilyMinded or our related pet site, Always Pets, you've probably seen my name at the top of quite a few stories. That's not an accident. As a fellow internet user, I appreciate when authors cover what they actually know. I'm not a child psychologist, pediatrician or vet, but please allow me to present my qualifications:

Lifelong animal lover, owning 50 pets to date, including over 15 different species.
15 years of experience in pet and child sitting. Most of them are still alive and the ones that aren't died peacefully of old age. The pets, not the children. Those are, to my knowledge, all still around.
Keeper of a nine-year-old human. Still working out the ideal husbandry for that one. I've read dozens of care guides. I still have questions.

So I don't have a zoology degree, but I've tried my hand at caring for almost every pet one is legally allowed to keep. That's a lot of pets — and some of them I'd never get again. That's not to say they were bad pets, but they weren't the right pets for my family. To help you figure out which pets are the best fit for yours, I'm breaking down the pros and cons of (almost) every animal I've kept.

I've rated each pet based on how easy it is to handle, how intense the care requirements are, how much it costs (10 being the most expensive) and how kid-friendly it is. Let's go.

Snakes

How many I've had: 11

Handleability: Depends on the species, but 7ish

Care: 1

Cost: Varies, but very affordable to care for

Kid-friendliness rating: 9 (Just hear me out)

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting a Snake

You'll love snakes if: The idea of a living hose is soothing

You'll hate snakes if: Frozen rodents give you the ick

Final thoughts: Tbh, snakes are totally underrated pets. Hear me out. They're silent, only need to be fed once every week or two, poop even less often than that and holding them is like getting a free massage. Plus, there's that, "OMG, you have a snake?!" factor that's always amusing. I've had six different species of snakes so far and currently keep boas and ball pythons.

All of them have been way less work than any mammal I've owned. In over 15 years of owning them, guess how many times I've been bitten? Once. That's it. And it was a walk in the park compared to the couple of times our resource-guarding dog snapped at me. For better or worse, snakes are much more simplistic. You'll never be able to train a snake or build an affectionate relationship with one, but they're also very easy to understand. To a snake, you're either a predator, a snack or a tree. Your goal is to be a tree. The obvious downside of snake ownership is that snakes are not vegetarians and there's no kibble for snakes. They have to eat rodents, aside from a handful of species that eat live insects. Frozen food is highly recommended, but if feeding an animal mice is still too gross to handle, stick with a cute and fluffy pet instead.

Alpacas

How many I've had: 2

Handleability: 5

Care: 7

Cost: 8

Kid-friendliness rating: 5

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting an Alpaca

You'll love alpacas if: You enjoy training and grooming livestock

You'll hate alpacas if: You hate troubleshooting problems

Final thoughts: Alpacas are like the smaller, less spitty version of llamas. They're incredibly soft to pet and their curious nature and intelligence make them one of the coolest farm animals you can own. We loved the animals themselves, but there were aspects of their care that are holding us back from getting them again in the future. It's theoretically possible to keep up to 10 alpacas on a single acre, but we struggled to keep our pasture grass growing well enough to support just two. The two critters pictured above were adept at tearing it up by its roots. We sectioned off the pasture to allow part of it to grow, but we ended up relying on hay and alfalfa much more than we thought we would.

For that reason, caring for them was considerably more expensive than we had anticipated. On the upside, alpacas conveniently poop in piles rather than all over, so keeping the pasture clean was a breeze. Alpacas can also be trained to pull carts and walk on a halter. Plus, you can sell their wool or spin it into luxuriously soft yarn yourself.

Pygmy Goats

How many I've had: 3

Handleability: 8

Care: 3

Cost: 3

Kid-friendliness rating: 9

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting Pygmy Goats

You'll love pygmy goats if: You want a farm animal that's interactive and friendly

You'll hate pygmy goats if: Loud bleating drives you up a wall

Final thoughts: Goats can only be kept in rural areas but they're pretty fun pets if you have a huge, fenced-in yard. They're outgoing and will gladly run up to anyone who comes to the gate if they bring a handful of grain for them to snack on.

I loved feeding our goats when I was a kid. Plus, you can show them at the county fair if that's your thing. They're pretty low-maintenance, too. The only downside is that if you live somewhere remote enough to own goats, you probably live somewhere with wildlife that likes to eat them. If you get goats, you should also get a good dog or an amazing fence.

Sheep

How many I've had: 1

Handleability: 3

Care: 4

Cost: 3

Kid-friendliness rating: 3

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting a Sheep

You'll love sheep if: You would actually use their wool

You'll hate sheep if: You don't want to deal with fencing

Final thoughts: Sheep are very cute, but they're also stronger than pygmy goats and just as stubborn. Our sheep liked to lean on the fence until it fell over. We then had to go driving around the neighborhood looking for our sheep and goats. Have you tried to catch a sheep in the middle of the highway? I have. It wasn't fun for anyone involved, and the fence we had to install to keep her from breaking out wasn't cheap. We also still have bags of dusty, hay-infused wool that we thought we'd spin into yarn. We did not. That was over a decade ago.

Dogs

How many I've had: 5

Handleability: 10

Care: 10

Cost: 10

Kid-friendliness rating: 9

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting a Dog

You'll love dogs if: You enjoy non-stop companionship

You'll hate dogs if: The idea of a fluffy toddler seems stressful, not cute

Final thoughts: Dogs and kids go together like peanut butter and jelly. If your kids are asking for one, it's worth considering. Having a dog is a huge commitment, but there really isn't a pet that can be more rewarding to own than a dog. The process of raising a dog and bonding with them through training, walks and quality time is challenging but fun. That said, it's much less fun if you don't have the time, energy or money to devote to their care. Adopting a dog is a lot like adopting a child. As soon as that dog comes home, you're responsible for their health and happiness 24/7. Want to go on vacation? Better have a pet care plan. Working full-time could be tough if your dog has separation anxiety.

My family is taking a break from dog ownership for this very reason. We miss both of the creatures pictured above, but you know what we don't miss? Not being able to own a rug because one of them was senile and incontinent for the last four years of her life. Also, vet bills. So much love, but so many vet bills. Our patience and wallets are not ready to sign up for that again just yet.

Cats

How many I've had: 3

Handleability: 7

Care: 6

Cost: 8

Kid-friendliness rating: 9

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting a Cat

You'll love cats if: You prefer a more independent pet

You'll hate cats if: You can't stand scratched-up furniture

Final thoughts: People talk about cats like they're alternatives to dogs when they're completely different. I loved almost everything about owning cats. Whatever reputation they have for being unpredictable is undeserved. They have different body language than dogs, but as long as you learn to read cat body language, they're just as easy to read. Our cats never once scratched my kiddo, even when she was a grabby toddler. In fact, they were more likely to snuggle up next to her during movie nights than our dog was.

A big plus of having a cat in comparison to a dog is that you can leave the house for the entire day without feeling enormously guilty. The cat will be happy to see you again when you come home without spending hours pining after you. Going out of town for a few days is so much easier with a cat than with a dog.

The downsides? Litter boxes, scratched-up furniture and the impossibility of keeping them off the countertop. Training a cat not to do something is futile. See the picture above. We had a stubborn leak in our upstairs bathroom and our cat decided it was a portal. She is no longer with us, but she is still affectionately known as ceiling cat.

Bunnies

How many I've had: 4

Handleability: 6

Care: 7.5

Cost: 3

Kid-friendliness rating: 5

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting a Bunny

You'll love bunnies if: You want a soft, fluffy pet that doesn't have free reign of the house

You'll hate bunnies if: You detest the smell of hay

Final thoughts: If you think bunnies are like giant hamsters, know that you're wrong. They're more work than cats and I had no idea. They won't scratch up furniture, but they'll eat it. They'll eat the walls too. If a piece of wooden furniture has a sharp edge, your bunny will kindly file it down for you. So sweet! Bunnies look like living stuffed animals but they each have a distinct personality and plenty of attitude. When they're happy, they "binky," leaping in the air and flinging their legs out in all directions. They also flop over on their sides to relax when they're really comfortable with you. It's super cute — just not as easy as people imagine.

I didn't realize that keeping them inside would mean constantly sweeping up hay because keeping pieces of hay inside a wire hutch is literally impossible. Bunnies also shouldn't be kept inside a small cage 24 hours a day. They need time to run around and they should be supervised that entire time. If not, they'll chew cords, plants and literally anything else they come across. They are also highly social animals that are best kept in bonded pairs. Solo rabbits need much more human attention. Either way, expect to care for a rabbit more like you'd care for a dog than a gerbil. Bunnies have fragile spines that can be easily broken if they jump out of a child's arms or are handled roughly. Children should be supervised with them at all times until they're old enough to hold them securely.

Guinea Pigs

How many I've had: 2

Handleability: 5

Care: 7.5

Cost: 2

Kid-friendliness rating: 5

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting a Guinea Pig

You'll love guinea pigs if: You want a small pet with more personality than a hamster

You'll hate guinea pigs if: You hate cleaning and can't stand pet odors

Final thoughts: Guinea pigs are one pet I would not get again. Sure, they're cute at first but the ones you see at the store are babies. They triple in size ... and in smell. Unlike rabbits, they can't really be litter box trained. Their entire cage is their bathroom, so spot cleaning is nearly impossible. Instead, you have to clean it at least a couple of times a week to keep the odor down. Getting rid of the smell entirely is a losing battle.

Guinea pigs are prey animals, so you'll also have to handle them regularly to earn their trust. A poorly socialized guinea pig is fearful and skittish. It's entirely possible to end up with a pet that flees at the sight of you if you don't spend enough time with it, rendering you an unpaid rodent janitor. These animals are also very active and bits of paper bedding inevitably end up on the floor outside of their cage.

Hamsters

How many I've had: 1

Handleability: 5

Care: 3

Cost: 1

Kid-friendliness rating: 5

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting a Hamster

You'll love hamsters if: You want a cute pet that's mostly for show

You'll hate hamsters if: Snuggling is a priority

Final thoughts: Hamsters are arguably one of the best first pets anyone could get. They don't take up much space and they're small enough that they don't produce much waste. For a fluffy animal, they're very low maintenance. They're pretty easy to handle too and most of them don't bite if handled consistently and gently.

Kids can learn to feed them on their own and help with their care to develop a sense of responsibility before graduating to a more demanding pet. The downside? They don't live for more than a couple of years. And if they get lost in the house, you'll need a lot of luck to find them.

Mice

How many I've had: 1

Handleability: 4

Care: 4

Cost: 1

Kid-friendliness rating: 3

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting a Mouse

You'll love mice if: Honestly, you probably won't

You'll hate mice if: You're expecting a hamster

Final thoughts: If you want a small pet, just get a hamster. Though mice are about the same size, they're not as cute, smell more and prefer to live in groups. You can handle them, but they tend to be squirmier than hamsters and they're more likely to vanish under the couch. The only benefit of mice over rats or hamsters is how dirt cheap they are.

Chickens

How many I've had: 3

Handleability: 2

Care: 4

Cost: 2

Kid-friendliness rating: 5

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting Chickens

You'll love chickens if: You like fresh eggs

You'll hate chickens if: You can't handle being chased by a fat pigeon with anger issues

Final thoughts: I don't know what it is about being chased by a bird that's terrifying, but it is. Roosters are notoriously protective of their hens, so maybe just get hens unless you'd like to raise chicks too. You'll still get fresh eggs, just no chicks. Similar to the issue mentioned with goats, chickens are easy dinner for wildlife, so invest in a secure, heavy-duty hutch before you bring home your flock.

Betta Fish

How many I've had: 3

Handleability: If you're holding your fish, we need to talk

Care: 4

Cost: 2

Kid-friendliness rating: 4

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting Betta Fish

You'll love betta fish if: You want something pretty to look at that doesn't take up much space

You'll hate betta fish if: You get bored easily

Final thoughts: Unpopular opinion, but betta fish are a nightmare. I've owned much more expensive fish that were labeled as "difficult," but betta fish are problematic in their own way. Betta fish are popular because of their striking fins, but do you really think that's what their fins look like naturally? Heck no. Wild betta fish have much shorter fins with much less color variation. They were bred selectively for the most desirable colors and patterns, plus increasingly large tail fins. As beautiful as the results are, the resulting animals are much less hardy than their wild counterparts. Their fins are also fragile, easily tearing on aquarium decor.

One betta of mine got its fins stuck to the intake valve of the aquarium's filter before I covered it up with mesh. Once a fin is torn, it's more likely to develop fin rot, a potentially fatal bacterial infection that gradually erodes the fins. Sometimes, bettas can become so frustrated with the drag caused by their oversized fins that they develop a habit of biting their own fins. Yikes. You might luck out and end up with a betta that lives for a decade, but it's all too common to have a betta fish that's plagued with health issues. It's also important to remember that just because they're capable of breathing from the surface doesn't mean it's healthy for them to live in an unheated, unfiltered bowl. They still need at least three gallons of space to be comfortable and it's easier to maintain water quality in a larger tank.

Large Tropical Fish

How many I've had: Too many to count

Handleability: Again, what?

Care: 5

Cost: 7ish

Kid-friendliness rating: 2

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting Tropical Fish

Discus, multi-colored cichlids in the aquarium

You'll love tropical fish if: You like long-term projects

You'll hate tropical fish if: You can't deal with stress or commit to consistent maintenance

Final thoughts: For five years, I kept a 75-gallon tank of discus fish and they were the best fish I ever kept. They'd happily eat frozen worms and shrimp from a set of tongs and the way they moved was so peaceful to watch. The only reason I don't still have a tank of discus fish is that big fish need big aquariums. Discus, along with most cichlids, need to live in groups of at least six. A 75-gallon tank is the bare minimum.

If you're wondering what happens if a tank like that springs a leak, I'll tell you. Think of the last time you spilled a glass of water. A measly eight ounces somehow covers half the kitchen floor. Now multiply that by 1,200. My 75-gallon tank once sprung a leak. It was on the third floor. While it rained aquarium water through the floor into the kitchen, I had to scramble to put all of the (expensive, I might add) fish into whatever containers I had on hand to keep them alive while I ran out searching for a massive fish tank available the same day.

They also need a special filter, pristine water conditions, a heater and a sandy substrate that's a challenge to keep clean. Beautiful, but high maintenance.

Dwarf Shrimp

How many I've had: Too many to count

Handleability: Again, N/A

Care: Either 1 or 10, with nothing in between

Cost: Varies

Kid-friendliness rating: 2

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting Dwarf Shrimp

You'll love dwarf shrimp if: You like colorful pets

You'll hate dwarf shrimp if: You have no interest in obsessively checking water parameters

Final thoughts: Dwarf shrimp are incredibly cool and frustrating at the same time. They're only about an inch long and come in a number of bright colors. I loved that they could thrive in a small planted aquarium and they're so much fun to watch. However, I struggled to keep them happy. I tried to perfect their water parameters, but they'd seem to be thriving and then would suddenly crash.

Few things are as disheartening as seeing several of your pets suddenly die for no apparent reason. Troubleshooting is possible, but time consuming. I'd try them again, but likely in a larger tank to help with the stability issue. Although large tanks take up more space, they're much harder to mess up due to the larger volume of water. I also had Mexican dwarf crayfish, which are just as cool if not cooler.

African Dwarf Frogs

How many I've had: 4

Handleability: 0

Care: 2

Cost: 2

Kid-friendliness rating: 4

What I Wish I'd Known Before Getting an African Dwarf Frog

Closeup of an African Dwarf Frog in a lake

You'll love dwarf frogs if: Your fish tank is too unoriginal

You'll hate dwarf frogs if: You'd like to keep your pet

Final thoughts: Basic community fish tanks can be a little boring, so why not throw some freshwater frogs in the mix? They're small, cute and compatible with similarly-sized fish as long as they're not particularly aggressive or competitive. African Dwarf Frogs are pretty hardy too, so what's the problem? They're escape artists.

They can sneak out of the smallest hole in the lid of your aquarium, including the gap along the side of the filter. They're fun critters to keep, but an adult has to be around to supervise feeding and make sure all gaps are covered afterward. Otherwise, you'll find your beloved frog on the floor, most likely after they're beyond saving. Learn from my mistakes.

Human Children

How many I've had: 1 of my own

Handleability: Really depends on the age

Care: 10

Cost: 10

Kid-friendliness rating: Depends on the day

What I Wish I Knew Before Having a Human Child

You'll love kids if: You enjoy the feeling of loving something with all your heart and wanting to strangle it at the same time

You'll hate kids if: You like money and silence

Final thoughts: Don't judge me. Fellow parents, or literally anyone who's been around kids for more than three minutes, you know what I'm talking about. Nothing is a greater test of your patience and maturity than looking after another human being, especially one that's a miniature version of yourself. Having a kid is nothing like caring for any other creature. They walk. They talk. They argue. Sometimes, they'll even be right.

They'll also beg for at least a few of the creatures listed previously. Will they ever take care of them like they promise to? No. Not without some combination of positive reinforcement, consequences and parents losing their s**t first. That said, my daughter is by far the coolest, most fascinating, most magical creature I've ever encountered.

At the end of the day, having kids or adopting a pet is an extremely personal decision. The perfect pet for one family is a terrible choice for another, so take your time researching before you bring home a living, breathing creature.