Meet Lucy. She's my new gerbil. I picked her up at petsmart earlier and she's cute as a button (though very ADD)She's called Lucy after the Beatles song.. yes... because she has the little diamond on her head. She's a little skittish still though ... probably confused as to how she ended up here... I picked her and everything she needed to be a happy lil' pet for under a $100.

So if you or one of your kids wants a pet... that's a little more cool then a fish... and fuzzy... i would say gerbil or mouse. (or other small rodent) They are cheaply priced - live a few years, and nearly everthing you need for them is in bulk (think of the size of a gerbil to the pack of foods you can buy) and they are entertaining.

Plus if you have cats this is much more entertaining then the fish....