We have (thanks to my wife) 3 dogs,1 cat,3 birds, 10 tortoises, 2 aquariums and a pot bellied pig. Every animal requires attention and makes their own particular mess. Birds throw seed and stuff out of the cage and make a mess up to about 6 feet away from the cage. They also live a long time. Get a pet with a short life expectancy. The kids get bored with it after the first week and mom and dad have to pick up the slack. Battery operated pets are the best.