Harpersgirl Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Now we've found our permanent home we'd like to get the kids a pet as they're missing our pets from home badly. I was thinking a cat or a rabbit but read something about cats no being good for Aus so don't want to add to any problems and haven't seen any about either come to think of it! Sort of wonder whether rabbits might not be too great then either...:unsure: So what's a typical Aussie pet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ph0en1x Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Now we've found our permanent home we'd like to get the kids a pet as they're missing our pets from home badly. I was thinking a cat or a rabbit but read something about cats no being good for Aus so don't want to add to any problems and haven't seen any about either come to think of it! Sort of wonder whether rabbits might not be too great then either...:unsure: So what's a typical Aussie pet? Cats are fine, no issue at all, the only issue we had was when we brought our Bengal over with us as they have not been domesticated for many generations. We are a cat and 2 dog family :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 There are millions of cats in Australia so don't know where you got that idea. We've always had cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpersgirl Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 A cat would be my preferred pet...I've always had cats too :smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I think some areas have cat restrictions/curfews and the like. I read some people can only let them out between certain hours. Others are now total house cats. Personally I'd say never to get a rabbit or any animal needing a hutch outdoors. Mainly as the hutches are always too small and so are the runs. Plus rabbits like company living in groups in the wild and so being stuck in a box on its own for its life is a miserable existence. Even being put in a run daily isn't much as most of them confine the rabbit to a few hops either direction. Guinea pigs also like company to live with. Same sex sharing obviously. When I kept rabbits we used to have them indoors also and they just free ranged sort of thing. We had a secure garden and they used to come and go pretty much. Just go in their cage/run at night or when we were out. One would follow us all round the house and sleep by our feet. We would often find him asleep in the cat bed. O and there is also the mite problem with any animal living outside in heat in a cage. If you do get a rabbit or guinea pig get as big a hutch/cage as you can find and a large run for them. In my experience most kids get bored or lose interest in this sort of pet quite quickly and it often falls the the parent to then care for the rabbit or G pig. Consider rabbits can live up to 10 years and thats a long time to have a pet in a box. If you can keep a cat then perhaps consider this. At least because a cat can live alone and be a self contained pet and needs less care in terms of no hutch etc to clean out. What I understand is the reason there are curfews and restrictions in place on cats in some places is because of the negative impact they are having on native Aussie wildlife and feral cats are a bit of a problem also. Personally I'd go for slightly more interesting (in terms of being in the house and therefore visible and of more interest to kids hopefully) and short lived pets. I used to keep gerbils for years, into adulthood. Great pets and while needing cleaning and so on can be very happy in a large fish tank with lots of shavings to burrow in and loo roll tubes to chew on. I also had an indoor run for mine made so they could really zoom round daily. I plan on getting my son a couple in a few years when he is old enough to care for them himself (and if he wants them). Hamsters can be too nasty if not handled enough and sleep too much in daytime to be much interest for kids. Degu's are a bit bigger and more lively also but will need a much bigger cage space therefore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpersgirl Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 Gerbils are great!!! My older girl had a gerbil for years. Bless little Sausage :animal-mouse: yeah I know its a mouse but still there's a resemblance :wink: I get what you're saying about hutch pets. And tbh I hadn't thought about the heat so will probably rule that out. No chance of a back yard possum then???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Our council now has a cat cerfuw. All cats have to be inside between 8pm and 6am. You can be fined if you cat is caught out at night. Although in practice no one has been fined since it was introduced. I think the curfew is a good idea and my cat stays in at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 If you go for gerbils get a couple as again they like company. They live in social groups in the wild. Great pets for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Or get a cat and a gerbil and let them play together... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 If you go for gerbils get a couple as again they like company. They live in social groups in the wild. Great pets for sure Unfortunately you can't get Gerbils or Hamsters in Australia, and you need to watch with rabbits as there are some states that they are not allowed Queensland is one. As long as you get the cat as a kitten and it is use to being indoors from day one you will have no problem, it's when a cat has been use to having the freedom that your problems start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Cats are fine, no issue at all, the only issue we had was when we brought our Bengal over with us as they have not been domesticated for many generations. We are a cat and 2 dog family :biggrin: I am sorry but I don't understand this comment at all, to get your bengal in to Australia it would have to be an F5 onwards as nothing from F1 - F4 is permitted in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 How about a ferret my brother has fifty of them, they run the ferret rescue here in Melbourne. They do take a couple in the house and they use a dirt box just like a cat. They do have funny smell though, still some people like them, not allowed in Queensland. We have three cats and they have to be confined to our property 24 hours a day. They are not supposed to go wandering these days and if they do you can bet they wander into the person's place that hates cats. :spinny: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ph0en1x Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I am sorry but I don't understand this comment at all, to get your bengal in to Australia it would have to be an F5 onwards as nothing from F1 - F4 is permitted in Australia. It is beyond F5, we lost the pedigree papers and had to track them down from the breeder for AQIS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 It is beyond F5, we lost the pedigree papers and had to track them down from the breeder for AQIS You shouldn't have had to prove the case then, mind you it depends how long ago you moved over. Can I ask who the breeder was? I have done lots of studies worldwide with the breed and know it very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ph0en1x Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 You shouldn't have had to prove the case then, mind you it depends how long ago you moved over. Can I ask who the breeder was? I have done lots of studies worldwide with the breed and know it very well. This is the breeder http://www.kittenlist.co.uk/breeders/out.php?cat=jabbawocki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 This is the breeder http://www.kittenlist.co.uk/breeders/out.php?cat=jabbawocki So have you got Jean Mills cats in the lines then (Millwood)? She is a wonderful lady and I have met her on a number of occasions. Sorry I should get back on topic now.:wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ph0en1x Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 So have you got Jean Mills cats in the lines then (Millwood)? She is a wonderful lady and I have met her on a number of occasions.Sorry I should get back on topic now.:wubclub: She is a snow spotted and certainly likes to leap :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 No gerbils Awww ah well. We are not cat people, well, I like them but having a cat and it killing birds and wildlife is the downside to keeping one for me. All our ones in the past have done this. Its natural for the cat but it also continues wild animal decline. I love my songbirds in the garden and as I've gotten older my priorities toward such things have changed. Also I don't like keeping them in the house 24/7 so simply decide to no longer keep them as pets. I am also annoyed that certain neighbours cats use our garden as their litter tray. I'd not mind normally it happening occasionally but as I have a young child and am currently pregnant the health risks are real. The cats keep crapping in the gravel and soil isn't good. And being pregnant and having to clean it up is also not ideal :mad: I know the argument of its a cat so it wanders and so on is valid, but for those who don't keep cats or don't want them in their garden it can be an issue. If I see a cat in our garden now I shoo it away. If I have a hose in my hand I'll spray water over them. Hopefully they'll get the idea they are not welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpersgirl Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 So.... Cats have to kept inside because they are not good for the Australian enviroment. Its too hot for rabbits and guinea pigs. Gerbils and hamsters aren't available Down Under. Ferrets smell. After reading all the responses it leads me back to my original question... What is a typical Aussie pet?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 So.... Cats have to kept inside because they are not good for the Australian enviroment. Its too hot for rabbits and guinea pigs. Gerbils and hamsters aren't available Down Under. Ferrets smell. After reading all the responses it leads me back to my original question...What is a typical Aussie pet?! You could always cat proof your garden. A typical Aussie pet is probably a dog but you could look at a snake, mouse (they stink), lizard, turtle, bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 As I said there are millions of cats in Australia. You can have a cat, just keep it in at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 We have two cats, but they are indoor cats. We have a reasonably big house with lots of hiding places, and they have never shown the slightest interest in going outside so they don't. We had a cat in the UK, but left her with the in laws because she was very much a going outside day and night sort of cat and we felt it would be wrong to bring her to Australia and keep her in. Imo, cats are great pets. They aren't too much bother, but still interact with family life. Our neighbours on both sides have dogs which just seem to stay in the garden the whole time. That seems a bit pointless to me. Two of the neighbours across the road have cats which they allow out, but they have never been a nuisance to us although we do see them from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boganbear Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 On Better Homes and Gardens the other week good Dr harry was showing off spiders and gekos as pets. Our neighbour has a guinea pig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpersgirl Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 You could always cat proof your garden.A typical Aussie pet is probably a dog but you could look at a snake, mouse (they stink), lizard, turtle, bird. Hmmmmmm thought you'd say dog....that's what the older ones would like but having had to leave our Gypsy in the UK with friends I didn't want replace her. The others aren't very cuddly are they? lol :huh: No wombats then? :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Typical Aussie Pet to have is two and they are maltese cross dogs that is all I see these days. My neighbour has a Rottweiler and she is such a lovely dog but she gets little attention and I feel for her. They look after her fine but she is just so alone. I used to have three dogs and three cats but after the last two dogs passed away we just kept the cats , they do not mind being left if we go away. As long as they have a comfortable bed, food they are anybodies :laugh: We have moggies as I adopt them from the RSPCA but a lot of people opt for a pedigree pet these days. I love the British shorthairs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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