Ask HN: what's a good pet for the working programmer?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=886697

by seldo • 17 years ago

25 85 17 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

So, here's the deal: I'd quite like a pet of some kind.

I'm a programmer. I work quite long hours sometimes, and I'm not keen on taking things out for walks, so I don't want anything that's very high-maintenance. I have my own apartment, so no roommate drama, but no garden, so no outside poop-space. I want something that's small, low-maintenance, isn't going to chew cables or scratch out the eyeballs of visitors, and is ideally cute and/or cuddly.

What pet do you have? Does it fit well with your lifestyle?

PieSquared• 17 years ago

Well, iguanas used to be very popular pets. Just let one roam around your apartment!

eam• 17 years ago

I currently have a small dog, very independent, but does require the occasional walk.

I think a hermit crab might be ideal for you.

pyre2• 17 years ago

It's important to realize that even with something as 'generic' as a dog, there is much variation between breeds. Some breeds like the Bichon tend to be very needy and don't like being alone for extended periods of time.

billswift• 17 years ago

NO dog likes being alone for long, they are pack animals after all; some just put up with it better than others. Generally, smaller breeds tend to be needier and more annoying. The best ones are working or sporting breeds, beagles are the best smaller breed, though I generally prefer retrievers. Avoid breeds that have been overbred as show dogs - the American cocker spaniel was ruined by this in the 70s and 80s and still hasn't recovered, though the British cocker is still good.

yannis• 17 years ago

Just to state the obvious a Penthouse Pet will probably be the best option, since you living alone (might be high maintenance though). Second best I would recommend a cyborg beetle http://discovermagazine.com/2009/may/30-the-pentagons-beetle...

Third best will be a cat as long as you understand that you can never own a cat, she will own you.

gaius3• 17 years ago

I once told this girl I didn't really think of her as a person, more as an exotic pet (because it was true, I did). She wasn't happy about that.

scotth• 17 years ago

What made you think of her that way?

bobbyi• 17 years ago

I have a cat and it works very well except that he does chew cables.

pyre2• 17 years ago

Suggestions: * A pair of rats * Fish

Either way there will be cage/tank maintenance, but it might be more frequent with the rats.

{edit} A tarantula could be good too {/edit}

Todd• 17 years ago

A pet rock may be the best choice.

learnalist• 17 years ago

Fits the criteria.

You could use it as an excuse to visit an exotic location to find the perfect pet rock.

( this suggestion made me laugh. Thank you for that )

cperciva• 17 years ago

I am owned by a cat. He generally sits quietly and doesn't interrupt while I'm working, and has learned to leave cables alone; however, he often wakes me up in the middle of the day to demand that food be presented or doors be opened.

Overall, however, I'd rather be owned by a cat than have some other animal around.

jf• 17 years ago

Some "instructional videos" that pretty describe what it's like owning a cat: http://www.youtube.com/simonscat

guitarjunkie• 17 years ago

"wakes me up in the middle of the day". that's awesome.

sdave• 17 years ago

i recommend a frog, specially if it can talk too. because a talking frog is cool.

(in case you give up programming ,you can kiss it & turn it into a beautiful princess) ;-)

jawngee2• 17 years ago

Cat for sure.

Kittens need a lot of attention though, as do strays you've adopted. But they are the lowest maintenance of any pets.

Dogs are great but are like having developmentally disabled children; they require a lot of attention, patience and forgiveness.

And it is possible to find a cat with a lot of dog like qualities. I had an awesome cat who passed away unexpectedly a couple of years ago that was pretty much a dog. He liked to be walked (on a harness) outside, loved water, playing fetch and other things. He turned a lot of my anti-cat friends into cat owners, he was that kind of awesome. RIP Johnny.

weaksauce2• 17 years ago

I have a cat that I took in that is just like that too! It cracks me up when she plays catch and brings the ball back.

I agree with jawngee that a cat is the way to go. The problem with adopted cats is that if the cats do not get human interaction when they are fairly small most times they will not grow to be very affectionate. They will not be mean but they will be very nontrusting of people in general. Also, kittens will chew cords that are around them so you will probably lose a few corded devices that you forgot to hide. Though, they do seem to grow out of this trait as far as I can tell.

Good luck!

tyrmored• 17 years ago

Upvote for cat. Cats have the hacker nature, after all. :)

axod4• 17 years ago

Going round neighbors houses 'hacking' meals by attacking bins causing racket all night? 'hacking' the toilet by simply doing it in neighbors gardens? 'hacking' their scratching urges by hacking random trees, railings, decking etc to bits in neighbors gardens? Do not like. :)

I'd love to setup some automated webcam -> nerf gun system to automatically hit any cat in the head if they enter my property. Maybe a project for when I'm old and bitter and have time on my hands :)

If you live anywhere near other people, a cat is probably the most antisocial pet to have. (Assuming you let them out on their own)

KevBurnsJr• 17 years ago

I miss my fuzzy purring lap warmer.

JustAGeek2• 17 years ago

Cat, agreed. However, if you leave it alone a lot and if it can't be let out, then you need two cats so there's always somebody to play with and the cat doesn't get bored causing it to develop odd behavior.

As for the sex of the cat, I'd suggest tomcats. If female cats get in heat, it'll get quite annoying for both you and the cat and the only way out is sterilization. It's a routine operation, yet much more invasive than castration of a tomcat.

drp• 17 years ago

Are you kidding? Unless you're a breeder it's socially irresponsible not to fix your pets.

araneae2• 17 years ago

Yes, females going into heat is very annoying. That's why there's spaying. Wild cat populations are a big problem, so not only does it save you from listening to the howling when she goes into heat, but it's also the right thing to do.

zacharypinter• 17 years ago

Cat's are definitely the best for low maintenance.

I highly recommend Litter Robot (http://www.litter-robot.com/). I've tried 3 other automatic litter boxes and this is the only one that doesn't make a mess of things. I can leave it alone for several weeks with no smell and then just swap the bag and add some litter.

For an automatic water supply, I recommend the 360 Drinkwell (http://www.amazon.com/Drinkwell-D360WB-RE-360-Pet-Fountain/d...). Stay away from any water fountains that require you to take them apart to clean/refill. With the drinkwell, I just pour in a cup of water every week and clean every 2-3 weeks.

For food, I've been happy with one of the simplest dispensers out there: http://www.amazon.com/Doskocil-Petmate-Café-Feeder/dp/B0002D.... No need for a timer or anything like that. My cat did overeat a bit initially, but I switched him to light food and it's been great ever since.

Good luck!

philf• 17 years ago

Honestly, the litter robot makes me think of what a toilet in the death star might look like.

jawngee2• 17 years ago

Thanks for the litter robot tip, just ordered one.

yason• 17 years ago

Long walks are definitely good for a programmer who works quite long hours smoetimes.

novum• 17 years ago

Hamsters are the best. I had several growing up.

They're personable - you can "cage-train" them and they learn not to bite. They're hilarious when they roll around in their ball -- and remember to cover your stairs! They do the cutest thing with stuffing food into their cheeks. You can easily build elaborate living environments for them using cheap tubing.

You do have to change their cage at least once a week, but it's easy - dump it out and pour in new mulch.

Think of the cheeks.

robotron4• 17 years ago

I've had several over the years but did get tired of losing them due to their short lifespans.

thechangelog• 17 years ago

If you're getting something small and furry, like a rat or rabbit or hamster, be sure to get two and give them some living space. If you're not able to give them a lot of time, at least let them socialize with their own kind.

We had one rabbit, then two, and the difference in the original rabbit's (OR) personality after getting the second was unbelievable.

robotron4• 17 years ago

Please be careful when introducing two hamsters together. I have had them kill each other - it was sad and not very pretty. They were even siblings but had been separated then brought back together.

I suppose getting two at the same time that were living together at the pet store would be the best option. Make sure you know their gender first or you'll end up with more hamsters.

jonke• 17 years ago

Well I don't think that you really should get a 'pet' (yet). Maybe you could use setup a Cichlid Aquarium http://cichlid.infocrux.com/Cichlid-Aquarium.html, http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cichlid/first.php

If you need something more fury there always are hamsters. http://www.hamsterific.com/SelectingAHamster.cfm

(For the record, I have the highest-maintenance sort of pets, three kids, who all want additional pets)

CaptainMorgan2• 17 years ago

Given your parameters, I highly suggest a cat, fish or both. When programming, I've found that my companion of a cat (two tiger striped male and female, 6 yrs and 4 yrs old) are fantastic mood enhancers, that is when they're not crying like babies for food. Barely any maintenance when compared to a dog, but the only downside for me personally is cleaning the litter box (could always get the automatic litter box that cleans itself), but it's extremely necessary if you expect your pet to be clean, which translates to a more hygienic living space for you too.

Fish are also great mood enhancers but can be a bit more work in my opinion than cats, at least for the initial setup and routine tank cleaning. But overall - just sitting back, reflecting on some code while staring at the fish tank has worked wonders for me producing small epiphanies.

weaksauce2• 17 years ago

You could always teach your cats how to defecate in the toilet. (don't teach them how to flush though as they will continually flush to the chagrin of your water bill and mother nature.)

CaptainMorgan2• 17 years ago

The latter part of your post is largely why we didn't go with this option, although it would be nice if they could take care of their waste themselves.

Not all at the same time, I grew up with cats, dogs, iguanas, fish, ferrets, hamsters and rabbits. By far for me cats have been the most worthwhile investment. Dealing with the small inconvenience of the litter box is something I shouldn't complain about since simply having my cats around for companionship has paid off such valuable dividends.

randallsquared2• 17 years ago

The automatic litter boxes aren't that much better, in my experience. Sure, some days you won't have to pay attention at all, but every few days you'll have to completely take it apart and clean it, because the mechanism is easily clogged. This was true both with a straight rake box and a circular rotating pan, but maybe some brand has got this right by now (it's been a few years).

df2• 17 years ago

I have a python named Sid. A beautiful and surprisingly affectionate critter. Low maintenance and a great conversation starter ... "my kids came back from school with it one day, they were all like: it followed us home Dad can we keep it!?"

shard2• 17 years ago

My cornsnake fits the OP's description (well I think he's cute even if my wife doesn't), is smaller than a python when full grown (5' last I measured, about a half dollar diameter), learned 1 trick (which was one more than I expected), and is much lower maintenance than the dogs and cats (and even fish) I had previously.

araneae2• 17 years ago

And plus you get to watch them eat, which can be pretty cool even if you feed them frozen (once I warmed the mouse up, wiggled it around, and my cornsnake attacked with such vigor that there was a smear of blood against the cage.)

I really want to know what this one trick was.

icey3• 17 years ago

Depends on the type of python. I have a ball python that's maybe 4 feet long and he's full grown. They live quite awhile as well - mine is 14 years old now and he doesn't seem to be any different than when he was 4.

strlen• 17 years ago

I also wanted to get a a ball python and name him Perl.

frossie• 17 years ago

I have rabbits. Note that keeping an animal in a cage as a pet seems kinda besides the point, so my rabbits are house rabbits. Rabbits are trivially litter trained (see www.rabbit.org) and are active mainly at dawn and dusk, so are good for working people as they are most active when you get home. If you rescue a (neutered obviously) bonded pair (you can pair rabbits yourself but it's tricky), they will have their little social life while you are away anyway. They don't make noise so are very apartment friendly, they are clean, and they are less likely to make visitors allergic (they don't trigger cat and dog allergies - people with rabbit allergies are fewer and generally allergic to horses too). Rabbits live 7-10 years when well cared for, depending on the breed.

The one big caveat is that rabbits do eat cables. There is a genetic drive to do this, probably because they have evolved to keep their warrens clear from tree roots. Geeks with rabbits need to engage in some serious cable management, and supply distractions. The cable management isn't that bad - you only have to do it once, or you can board off very cable-heavy areas, and everything looks neater as a result anyway. Also, don't go for rabbits if you have antique furniture - some rabbits will attack wood furniture (not all do).

GeneralMaximus• 17 years ago

I have an English Cocker Spaniel. Needs a walk twice a day, but I don't really mind that. Very affectionate, very intelligent. Also, the ears.

The one downside of Spaniels is that they steal socks and underwear and hide them. Ah well.

cromulent• 17 years ago

I'm a working programmer, and we have a dog. We used to have 2 but one died recently after a long and happy life. Dogs are great, and very rewarding. There is effort required, but it rewards you, like with many things.

We have boxers. They suit us. If you take a dog, you should research the breed before deciding. Some breeds will suit you more than others.

Dogs need to be walked daily. If humans were pets, they would say the same about us. It works out for the best.

klaut• 17 years ago

By reading your post and all the requirements you have for a pet i think you're not ready. i mean, it looks like you are buying a gadget or something. a pet is a living being and thus requres love and attention. you should get a pet guided by your hart and not by the specs written on a box. just pop down your local shelter and spend a day with the animals there. i am sure you will find a special one that you won't be able to leave :)

jordyhoyt• 17 years ago

I have my girlfriend's family's 13-year-old cat, and she fits my lifestyle perfectly. She's fine while I'm off at work, and is always there to greet me when I get home (usually because she's hoping for some milk). She's cute and cuddly (to a point, she also likes her space) and is a great friend to have around as I'm currently living alone.

I see you've gotten lots of other suggestions for cats, but I hope I can add a bit of info for you. From what I've been told, male cats really like to be let outside from time to time so they can go hunt/explore/whatever, while females are usually content with napping, bathing, and watching out a window. Further, longer haired cats are more mellow, while short haired cats can be a bit wild.

What I have is a longer-haired female cat, she is totally great. Good luck, hope you find what you're looking for in a pet!

zzkt• 17 years ago

ferrets. several.

almost• 17 years ago

In an apartment with no garden/yard? Is that a good idea?

Apart from that, +1 for the general awesomeness of ferrets :)

dejv• 17 years ago

you need to get female ferrets if you want to keep them indoors. Male ferrets stink (a lot).

There is no problem keeping them in aparments.

jlees• 17 years ago

Another programmer. He doesn't need feeding that often and he's quite well toilet trained...

andrewljohnson• 17 years ago

Get a dog. Take it for a walk. Leave your desk. Better programming will ensue. I have a golden retriever.

Nothing like a good walk to get over a tedious bug in your code.

maxklein• 17 years ago

An African grey parrot. Then you can teach it to say things like: "Don't rewrite, refactor!" or "Should you REALLY be doing that?"

They are expensive, but they are low maintanance and quite intelligent.

icey3• 17 years ago

The thing to remember with a parrot is that it may be around for the rest of your life. They are seriously long-lived animals. It's quite a commitment if you aren't positive you want one.

jacquesm2• 17 years ago

Any animal is quite a commitment.

A guy I know bought two dogs because it seemed so 'nice', then he found out how much work it is to have two dogs (and how much it costs), so he ended up giving them away to some lady.

Some people make these decisions much too light and I'm quite happy that the OP takes it serious and is not going on the spur of the moment.

Dogs especially can get very attached to people, if you don't want to make a dog-life-long commitment then please don't get a dog.

axod4• 17 years ago

Fish are pretty cool and relaxing to watch not too cuddly though, Rabbits great fun to have about, and Guinea pigs good for petting. They're all awesome (We have loads of fish, 2 Rabbits, 3 Guineas).

Here's a pic of one of our cute rabbits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rollered/3896940499/

She's called 'Poppy', but I affectionately call her 'two face' (Batman villain).

henriklied• 17 years ago

My girlfriend and I are basically pondering the same thing, although we've more or less decided: The Hungarian Vizsla (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vizsla). Very smart and playful dog, requires absolutely no grooming. In many ways it's very much like a cat: Long claws, licks itself clean, loves to cuddle in your lap.

You'll have to enjoy running, though, as this dog requires (once fully developed) about two 1hour instances of jogging/running every day.

kniwor• 17 years ago

Duck. Rubber duck actually... ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging )

chanux• 17 years ago

squirrel. My Girlfriend has one. And I envy her for that. Apparently the squirrel loves to hang with the master when (s)he works.

edw519• 17 years ago

I'll tell you what I'll get, man--Two cats at the same time.

Damn straight, man. I've always wanted to do that. I figure if I were a hacker, I could hook that up. Cats dig guys who can code.

icey3• 17 years ago

A) Hilarious Office Space reference

B) When did you overtake nickb on the leaderboard? Congrats!

csomar• 17 years ago

A dog, but not any dog.

It's a white one, I found it lost when he was 2 weeks old and took care of it.

They are loyal and make lot of fun when you are alone.

NB: I have a garden

scotch_drinker• 17 years ago

If you think any pet is low maintenance, you are confused. Even cats, the lowest of the cute and cuddly variety, are notoriously high maintenance. You have to change litter boxes regularly or they will find new places you can't get to. They are mainly nocturnal and will often want to be fed at 4AM. They scratch furniture. Mind you, my wife and I have four and I love them but they are not low maintenance.

All pets require a reasonably high level of maintenance, especially those in the cute/cuddly genre. For you to get a pet and expect otherwise would probably be detrimental to the long term health and happiness of the pet.

jrockway• 17 years ago

You don't have to do any of this. You can leave food out for them (which is what I do), and you can use clumping litter, which involves about 30 seconds of scooping a day. Then you will have a happy cat that only annoys you when she wants to sleep on your face.

Devilboy• 17 years ago

Axolotl for the cool name and '+1 regen' ability.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotl

jacquesm2• 17 years ago

this sounds like it fits your description perfectly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuW6tQ0218

or maybe a mechanical_fish ?

kiba• 17 years ago

Time for some anarkitty! http://anarchyinyourhead.com/2009/10/15/lapsteading/

Well, it does fit the hacker culture's disdain for authorities.

mark_l_watson• 17 years ago

I have a small Myers Parrot - he is most of the time pretty cool, although he occasionally de-evolves into a miniature raptor. I usually work out of my home office, and he is usually happy enough sitting on my shoulder while I work.

Parrots are not low maintenance though, requiring lots of attention. I took yesterday afternoon off work and my wife and I took my parrot to a local park (Sedona Red Rock Crossing - google it, then click images, you will be glad you did :-)

Anyway, my bird was so happy getting a ride in the car (he loves the car) and a few hours in the park, that he will be a "good boy" for a day or two.

The point of this little story is: parrots are good pets if you give them lots of attention and don't let them get too bored (they are reasonably intelligent).

jkuria• 17 years ago

I say fish! I used to have a small acquarium with a couple goldfish

codnik• 17 years ago

Cat. I have five. No need to go for a walk, won't disturb you, will use the litter box on their own (you don't have to teach them to do that)... Just adopt an adult cat. Two of my cats were adopted already grown and they're just as affectionate as the others (which is greatly affectionate, btw). It really comes from their personalities plus your input. Don't forget to neuter/spay the cat.

Ask HN: what's a good pet for the working programmer?

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