Many people love the idea of having a cute companion running around the house, but many pet owners don’t consider the care, financial responsibilities, and destruction that come with these decisions. From man’s best friend to ornamental fish, these 17 pets commonly make their owners regret their decisions.
Goldfish
Many species of goldfish look angelic, swimming gracefully and adding grace to your home. However, what many owners aren’t prepared for is how large they get and the amount of waste they excrete as they grow, leading to countless regret-filled cleaning sessions.
Dogs
Dogs are by far the most popular pets in the world, but they’re also notorious for their challenges. Shockingly, Forbes reports that 54% of owners regret getting a dog due to the responsibilities and expenses that come with caring for them. We love dogs, but there’s no denying they can be exhausting.
Parrots
Parrots are smart, interactive, and colorful, and some are even able to talk, which makes them very enticing to have at home. Sadly, it isn’t until after the purchase that many realize parrots also make a lot of mess, require a lot of attention, and may be too loud for the neighbors.
Iguanas
Iguanas are attractive to any reptile enthusiast, but many people get hit with post-purchase regret after discovering how expensive they are to care for. Feeding them and keeping their terrariums at the perfect temperature is already expensive, but due to their exotic nature, vets also charge a premium when dealing with iguanas.
Dangerous Snakes
Like iguanas, snakes have specific living conditions that are hard to maintain, but this isn’t what fuels the regrets of purchasing one. First-time snake owners tend to overlook the precautions they must take when handling them to avoid being poisoned or constricted, quickly giving them a wake-up call.
Rabbits
With their seemingly calm demeanor, rabbits are often seen as the best starter pets for children. However, they’re actually very resistant to handling, and are generally high-maintenance pets. The Guardian found that they were the most regrettable pets during the lockdown period due to owners who didn’t do their research.
Monkeys
Believe it or not, monkeys are common pets in some parts of the world, but the carnage they cause can make it easy for them to regret purchasing. When they’re little, they’re so cute and easy-going, but after a few years, they become aggressively unmanageable and dangerous to both property and people.
Tarantulas
Tarantulas are generally docile creatures, but despite being relatively safe, they still shoot out barbs that cause intense pain on your skin, making it difficult to handle them. Sadly, this means most owners are limited to interacting with their tarantulas through a glass window, making them commonly regrettable purchases.
Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are nocturnal creatures, and many owners don’t seem to pay enough attention to this when making their purchase. They sleep when we’re awake and become active when we’re sleeping, so they’re pretty incompatible with our schedules, leading to many disappointed owners. Always do your research!
Chameleons
Spruce Pets explains that chameleons need specialized housing, live food, and consistent misting to keep them hydrated, yet once again, people fail to research these imperative details. What’s more, most owners regretfully discover that, sadly, chameleons just aren’t particularly affectionate pets.
Cats
Cats are independent pets that don’t require as much attention as dogs—that is until they get older. Once a cat is no longer in its prime, it’s susceptible to countless health disasters, including heart, kidney, and dental diseases. This sad fact of life causes regretful grief for many owners.
Ferrets
Ferrets can be so cute, but they also get pretty feisty with their bites, and their destructive tendencies can cause some serious damage. Many owners regret purchasing a ferret for this reason, with some even abandoning their furry friends due to their instinct to hunt other household furry friends.
Pigs
Pigs are famous for having big brains, but that doesn’t mean they’re trouble-free pets. Their instinct to dig for food leads to property destruction, and they’ve even been known to harm children and pet dogs. Sadly, there’s a long list of regrets accompanying the adoption of these otherwise sweet creatures.
Turtles
Turtles are slow, friendly, and harmless–how could anyone regret owning one!? Well, much like other reptiles on this list, turtles need specific lighting, temperatures, and water filtration to stay healthy, which gets expensive. Worse still, they can live up to 150 years, so if you regret your purchase, you’re stuck with it for life.
Rats
Domestic rats can be a bit destructive, but most owners expect this, given their wild cousins’ reputation as pests. What they don’t expect is the cost of caring for them; rats need huge cages to be happy, and it won’t be long until this takes over any spare space your house once had.
Squirrels
They’re undeniably adorable, but there’s no such thing as a “domesticated squirrel,” and many buyers get to learn this the hard way. Squirrels bite without remorse and excrete waste anywhere they feel like, making them dangerous around children and a generally regrettable pet.
Axolotls
Finally, axolotls look like something out of a fairytale, which has influenced their surge in popularity as pets. However, Spruce Pets explains that axolotls have incredibly complex health needs that go far deeper than the usual terrariums of reptiles. Even something as small as a pebble in their tank could lead to a regrettable death!
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