While dogs and cats are common pets in the United States, some Dos Pueblos High School families own other types of animals, including birds, turtles, and bunnies. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, in 2024, 59.8 million U.S. households owned dogs and 42.2 million owned cats, while 2.3 million owned reptiles, 2.1 million owned birds, and 0.9 million owned rabbits.
DPHS History, Government, and Economics Teacher Alison Bogatz owns a 3-year-old blue parakeet named Archy, which is short for Archimedes. She said that Archy is “really sweet,” but he can be “very loud.” She also described him as resilient and hardy.
“He’s small, but he takes up space,” Bogatz said. “He has a really big personality for such a little creature.”
Some activities that Archy enjoys include eating breakfast on the table, cuddling in bed with Bogatz, and getting a plate of greens at dinner.
“He’s an energetic but manageable pet,” Bogatz said. “I think that’s why we ended up with a bird, and now, he’s kind of just another member of the family.”
According to Bogatz, one common misconception that people have about birds is that they do not eat a lot; Bogatz said that the phrase “eats like a bird” can cause some people to assume this. However, birds actually eat their body weight in a day.
Bogatz said that parakeets are a “great first responsibility” and that they can live 10 to 12 years, making them a time commitment.
“They have really unique personalities and can definitely become part of your family,” Bogatz said.
Asher Tucknott’s (12) family got a pet turtle 21 years ago named Fred at his older sister’s baby shower. Tucknott described Fred as a low-maintenance pet, since he “takes care of himself.”
“He’s pretty chill,” Tucknott said. “If I had to put him to a person, he would be a surfer dude.”
Despite Fred’s “chill” personality, Tucknott said that he can also be a “prankster” at times.
“He does this thing where he gets stuck behind the filter, but … pretends he’s stuck,” Tucknott said. “Then, we go to help him, but he is no longer stuck.”
Tucknott said that a common misconception people have about turtles is that owning them is illegal. He clarified that his species of turtle, the red-eared slider, is legal to have as a pet in California.
With this in mind, Tucknott said he does not recommend that others get pet turtles. He said that, in his opinion, turtles should not be confined to tanks their whole lives, as they can live up to 40 years in captivity. His family is currently looking into a way to rehome Fred so that he can have more freedom.
“He’s spent his whole life pretty much swimming back and forth in a tank,” Tucknott said. “We want him to go be in a pond or something.”
Delilah Bonneau (12) has had a bunny named Otis for 3 years. Otis came from a shelter, and, when Bonneau’s mom saw that no one was taking him home, she wanted to have him as a pet.
“He’s really, really sweet,” Bonneau said. “He gives kisses when you hold him, too. [Otis] just has a lot of energy all the time and has a really big personality.”
Otis lives under Bonneau’s loft bed, and she said she can hear him running around at night. Besides being energetic, Bonneau said that Otis likes being around people.
Bonneau’s favorite memory with Otis was first getting him from the shelter. She said that it was “shared excitement” that the two of them felt that day.
“I could tell that he was excited to be somewhere besides the shelter that he was at,” Bonneau said.
Bonneau said that bunnies are “really fun” and can live eight to 10 years, making them an option for those who want a long-term pet.
“[Bunnies are] something that you can have with you for a while, which I think is really nice because it’s nice to have something special to you for a long time,” Bonneau said.
