PRINTThe real cost of pets
How much do you pay for your friends?
May 7, 2009 | 12:00 a.m. CST
A pet can be a big responsibility. Between feeding, playing, grooming, cage cleaning, water changing and poop scooping, it can seem more like a chore than a companion. From the puny goldfish destined for the sewers to the Labrador in the suburbs, owning a pet is going to cost you.
GOLDFISH
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For the couch potato of a pet owner, goldfish are easy to take care of. And with proper care, they can even live a couple of years, making your 13 cents stretch a long way.
Purchase: 13 cents to $5 Food: $3.49 for a medium-sized can at Petco
Grooming: Weekly tank cleanings
Time: Daily feeding and cleaning the tank
Boarding: With daily feedings needed, it would be best to have a friend feed the fish while you are gone.
Ego: Keep in mind that the lovable family goldfish is destined to end up in the toilet. It might be good to have a story ready about a subterranean goldfish heaven if the kids start asking questions.
Yearly: $15
FINCH
The finch is a pretty simple animal to own and perfect for those who want to bring the soothing sounds of nature and song into their homes ... at all hours.
Purchase: $12 to $100 for the bird, $30 to $90 for cages
Food: $7 to $25 for one bag at Petco
Grooming: The newspaper in the cage should be changed weekly.Time: Cleaning the cage, feeding the bird and replacing its water
Boarding: Recruit a buddy to feed it when its food and water bowls are empty.
Ego: Owning a bird means sometimes listening to its sass. Some can beg for food, insult your friends and mouth off worse than a child. Stick with finches: They don’t have that brainpower.
Yearly: $30
HAMSTER
These furry pals would be great for parents who want to make sure their kid can handle an actual pet.
Purchase: $10 to $20 for the hamster, $20 to $120 for a cage, $6 to $20 for bedding
Food: $5 to $15 for one bag at Petco
Grooming: Change bedding once a week
Time: Changing bedding, handling, feeding
Boarding: Free, assuming your neighbor likes to look after it when you’re gone.
Ego: Two things hamsters are known for: running on a wheel and mercilessly devouring their young.
Yearly: $110
PERSIAN CAT
For those willing to put up with cat puke and hairballs for the perks of an independent pet, the feline is just right. Add a carpet cleaner to speed dial.
Purchase: $100 at the Central Missouri Humane Society, $800 to $5,000 at Cozy Kittens Cattery, $7 to $200 for a litter box, $8 to $45 for litter
Food: $10 to $45 a bag
Grooming: $50 at All Dogs-N-Cats grooming
Vaccines: $35 for the first round of shots and deworming, $25 for the next two rounds at Columbia Pet Hospital
Time: It is best to keep an eye on kittens. Once they get older, cats can take care of themselves.
Boarding: $8 a night at Columbia Pet Hospital
Ego: Mr. Kitty’s paw licking is a constant reminder of his affection ... for himself. Don’t be offended by his narcissism. Yearly: $860
LABRADOR RETRIEVER
The Labrador is the perfect dog for the aspiring Cleaver family: energetic enough for a play session with the kids and smart enough to retrieve the newspaper.
Purchase: $100 to $120 at the Central Missouri Humane Society, $400 at Sundance Kennel
Food: $20 to $50 a bag
Training: Base puppy training level is $120, and $120 for each additional level at Teacher’s Pet.
Grooming: $15 to $70
Vaccines: $50 for first round of shots and deworming, $25 for the next two rounds at Columbia Pet Hospital
Time: At least 20 minutes of walking or play a day
Boarding: $14 a night at Columbia Pet Hospital
Ego: Remember, any dog will love you so much that it might leave gifts around the yard (or dining room). That, along with occasionally wanting to “be” with your leg.
Yearly: $1,280
CORN SNAKE
The person who owns a snake is someone who has no problem with the laws of the wild. Too bad for the mouse.
Purchase: $25 to $50 depending on age of snake, $10 to $30 for a 10-gallon aquarium, $20 to $45 for under-tank heater, $5 to $15 for bedding, $6 to $30 for hides
Food: 69 cents for frozen mice to $2.50 if it likes the chase
Grooming: Removing the skin from the cage, changing bedding weekly
Time: Depending on the snake’s size, feeding can be done weekly or more often. Cleaning the cage should be done weekly, too.
Boarding: Snakes can go a long time between feedings. Unless the owner is gone for a long while, a snake will usually be OK on its own.
Ego: Owning a snake is like owning front-row tickets to a miniature gladiator match between a cute, furry fighter and a big slithery one. But watching the cute little guy lose every week might take its toll on the winner’s owner.
Yearly: $150
*Yearly totals are based on average price of food, bedding, vaccines and once-a-year grooming when applicable. Totals do not include initial cost of pet and one-time purchases.
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