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Household Pets for the Common Geek?

batobin asks: "I just moved into my first apartment that allows pets, and am looking forward to finally getting some sort of animal companion. My question to the Slashdot community is this: are there any pets out there that are especially conducive to a nerdish personality/lifestyle? I was looking into hedgehogs before I found out they're illegal in my state, but ferrets are starting to look fun too. Which pets are especially trainable? Which will be entertained by (yet not intrusive upon) a typist with a flashing screen in front of them? Is cable-gnawing an issue? Something tells me I can do better than simply a dog or a cat."

3 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. One word... by WolfWithoutAClause · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Aibo. Obviously!

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    -WolfWithoutAClause

    "Gravity is only a theory, not a fact!"
  2. cats, if you actually want a companion... by tongue · · Score: 4, Insightful

    if you're just looking for a fixture around the apartment, go with something like a guinea pig or a fish... ferrets stink. literally. i mean, given that you're on slashdot, your chances of getting a girl to voluntarily come over are already halved, but if you do by some miracle score one for the home team, ferret-stink is a big turn-off.

    if you're really looking for a companion with some personality, go with a cat, or to a lesser extent, a dog... personally, i'm a dog kinda guy, but its hard to find a good sedate breed of dog that won't get in your way while coding. if you do opt for a dog, definitely get obedience training. its indispensible for any dog owner, coder or not.

  3. Can "do better" than a dog or cat? by Wakko+Warner · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yes, because a pet is a status symbol. All your friends will think you are uber-leet for having a marmoset.

    What a moronic Ask Slashdot question.

    - A.P.

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    "Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"