Fun Facts

You want a pet but not something like a cat or dog. You want something more exotic. There are many choices but today we are going to look at the fish and the ferret.

A Fish

There are many types of exotic fish. Some are fresh water and some are salt water. Either way, you are going to need a tank big enough for your fish. A good pet store will no longer allow you to put a fish in a small bowl. I found it amazing how much water a single fish needs. And what if you get more than one? You also have to make sure you put the right type of rocks in the bottom. And then there are the plants that help to oxygenate the water. You have to make sure you get the right types for your fish. Of course there are also the chests and other things for the bottom of the fish tank. But remember, you will have to change the water on a regular basis so the more things that are in your tank, the more things you are going to have to remove. Then there is the food for your fish. Make sure you get the right type for your fish. The best way to get everything right is to go to a quality pet store like Petco or PetSmart. They can also help you to pick out your fish. Some fish do not get along well with others so you need to be careful. If you are only getting one, this will obviously not be a problem. Make sure you have everything you need for your fish before you leave the store. Also make sure you know how to care for your new pet. It would be a shame to spend all of that money only to have your fish die.

A Ferret

There are only two types of ferrets: male and female. Choose one. You will need a cage big enough for your ferret to sleep, eat, eliminate, and play. Ferrets like to sleep curled up inside something or in a sling (hammock). There is special ferret food but they will also need greens. And ferrets love to play. Make sure you buy toys made for ferrets. You will also be taking your ferret out to play with you. Make sure you learn how to handle your ferret safely. Ferrets have teeth and may bite you if you do not know how to handle it safely. Again, going to a good pet store like Petco or PetSmart is your best bet for learning about ferrets. Ferrets are social animals and often want a companion. That may be you or another ferret. Be careful if you get a male ferret and a female ferret – you will have little ones on the way. You could keep them in separate cages except for play time.

So both exotic fish and ferrets cost money and require a lot of care. It is your choice.

ThisOrThat ferret, fish, pet

You want something green in your house. What type of plant is best for you? Let us look at two.

A Cactus

This kind of plant needs little care. If you are not someone who wants to do a lot regarding your “green” thing, this may be the plant for you. If you are not good with a schedule, this is definitely the plant for you. If you forget to water a cactus, it will be fine, for a while. It does need water at least twice a month or it will die. Yes, cactuses do die. It does not need special food, something many house plants need. If you want a cactus with a little more “wow” get one that flowers. A cactus does not need a lot of sun nor does it mind if it is in the shade. A dark room would not be the best place for it though. It does need some light. A cactus does not do well in extreme temperatures, especially cold. But a temperate climate like that of your house should be just fine. Cactuses come in many varieties: small, large, smooth, prickly, non-flowering, flowering. Some people choose to have cactus gardens with several different types of cacti. The care is the same for all of them. A little water, a little light, and a little care.

A Jade

This kind of plant needs a lot more care. You need to be good with schedules. It will need water once a week, preferably on the same day each week. It will need plant food on a monthly basis, preferably at the same time each month. You feed the plant when you water it. So, basically, every four weeks you will be feeding and watering the jade. It will also need to be groomed. This means taking the dead leaves or stems off the plant. This is only done when such things exist. Your jade needs light. Not necessarily sun but a well-lit room during the day. If you buy a small jade, do not expect it to stay small. Jades can grow to be quite large so you will need to repot it from time to time to make sure the roots have enough room to grow. Do not be surprised if some of the roots come above the soil to form shoots. This is normal. You can also split your jade into different plants and pots but this will require more care on your part because now you will have more than one plant to care for each week. Of course, you could give the newly potted plants to friends as gifts. But make sure they are going to good homes and the new owner knows how to take care of the jade.

So, if you want something that will be green but cause little trouble on your part, go with the cactus. If you want to try out your green thumb and put some work into it, try a jade or another plant that requires more care.

ThisOrThat cactus, house plant, jade

Now that you can buy ready-made tree houses for your yard, you, as a parent, may be trying to figure out which is better for your child or children. For argument’s sake, we are going to be talking about the deluxe swing set, one that has several different types of swings, a swinging bar or rings, a slide, and a jungle gym. That way the tree house and the swing set are comparable in price.

So, let’s look at this. What is your back yard like? Is it full of trees that would make sense for a tree house or is it sparse in vegetation that would make it more suitable for a swing set? If you don’t have a tree, a tree house doesn’t make much sense but is not out of the question. If you have any low-hanging trees, a swing set might not be a good idea, unless you can put it someplace that would not interfere with the trees. You also have to think about your grass. A tree house is not going to have much impact on your grass. But a swing set may turn your grass into dirt, from where the kids are running around to play on it. If this is something you don’t want, then a swing set is probably not a good idea.

The next question, and maybe the most important question, is what kind of activity level do you want your child or children to have? With a tree house, there will be some kind of stairs or cargo net to get up into the house and a pole or slide to get out of it. These do not offer a lot of activity for your child or children. A swing set, on the other hand, has swings that strengthen your child’s legs, a bar or rings that strengthen your child’s arms, a jungle gym that strengthens all their muscles, plus they’ll be running around it which gets their heart rate up which is good for their body. If you want your child or children to be ready to go to bed at night because they have spent all of their energy, then the answer is obvious: the swing set.

Another question is what does your child like to do? Is your child the active type where a swing set would be a good choice? Or is your child more into exploring and making plans where a tree house would make better sense? If your child likes to go off on his or her own and have a place to call his own, a tree house makes perfect sense. There your child can be alone or invite friends, or even you, to join him. Your child can make a club house out of it and have passwords for entrance.

Only you can make the choice of which is better for your child or children but you could ask them what they want. You may be surprised.

ThisOrThat swing set, tree house