Minimal maintenance

Oh, the "Ahhhhniversal" appeal of pets. Kids beg for them. Grown- ups yearn for them. Seniors remember them well.

But life is hectic at the close of the '90s. Not every family can deal with the long-term, time-consuming commitment that goes with owning a dog.

Are there other creatures poised to fill the animal niche?

"Of course," says Bobbi Cypher, manager of Newport's PetSmart, "almost anything in the `small and furry' category would probably qualify as low-maintenance pets."

Habitat-contained rodents, like hamsters and guinea pigs, require only weekly upkeep. Fill the food dish, top off the water bottles, change inexpensive cage bedding and you're good-to-go for another seven days. Hamsters live for about two years; guinea pigs, about five.

Hermit crabs are another easy-care option, according to Cypher. "They don't eat very much," she says, "and they really only need a clean tank and water."

But beware. Hermit crabs are temperature-sensitive. Without a steady climate of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, this exotic shelled animal may not survive. If correctly cared for, however, life expectancy of a hermit crab is about five years.

Ready for something really unusual?

"Try the cockroach," says Australian Web master and roach fan Ralph Davis (www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/5588/roch.html).

All you need is a fish tank, about 4 inches of sand, ideally moist on one side and dry on the other, and roach food. Some exotic breeds need special kinds of leaves to survive. Those featured in most pet stores will eat dog food and bits of fruit.

Craving a more traditional pet?

"Cats are fairly low-maintenance," Cypher says. "Give them food, water and a clean cat box and they pretty much take care of themselves. They also don't require a lot of attention the way a dog would. And when they do, they'll always let you know."

Diane Rasmussen, outreach specialist for Spokane Humane Society, agrees. "If you don't have to clean a cage everyday, I guess the pet might be considered lowmaintenance," she says. But she wonders if prospective pet owners obsessed with the minimal effort are really ready for pet ownership.

"You shouldn't get an animal if you don't have time to take care of it," Rasmussen says. "If you do get a pet, you should be prepared to make a commitment for the entire lifespan of the pet, whether it's a rat that will live three or four years, or an exotic bird that could live to be 75."

Rasmussen suggests carefully researching the pets you like best, long before you actually make your final decision.

"Go to the library and get books," she says. "Go to the pet stores and discuss all the advantages and disadvantages with the people you meet."

Talk to the person buying crickets for a frog rather than a pet- store employee, Rasmussen says.

She even suggests a dialogue: "Say, `Hello, I'm thinking about getting a pet like yours, can you tell me what it's really like having that pet?'"

If you discover you're not quite ready to bring a pet into your everyday world, Rasmussen says, spend some time in theirs.

"Visit your local shelter and volunteer to help with their animals," she says. "Because the lowest-maintenance pets are the ones you don't own."

Copyright 1999 Cowles Publishing Company
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