what's a good pet for the working programmer?
scotch_drinker: If you think any pet is low maintenance, you are confused.  Even cats, the lowest of the cute and cuddly variety, are notoriously high maintenance.  You have to change litter boxes regularly or they will find new places you can't get to.  They are mainly nocturnal and will often want to be fed at 4AM.  They scratch furniture. Mind you, my wife and I have four and I love them but they are not low maintenance.All pets require a reasonably high level of maintenance, especially those in the cute/cuddly genre.  For you to get a pet and expect otherwise would probably be detrimental to the long term health and happiness of the pet.