Turn That Frown Upside Down: Keeping a Neopet Happy

You may have noticed that your Neopets are a bit more moody lately. In the past, if you left them for the weekend without putting them in the NeoLodge, you would return to find the same happy-looking pets you left. However, as of December 20th, all of this has changed. A small section in the news for that day declared that it had become "a bit easier to tell when your Neopets are sad, angry, or just ate a bad omelette."

Immediately, the Neoboards were abuzz with concerned users wondering why their pets were crying. After some experimenting on the part of users, it was found that there were now four possible emotions for pets to express: happiness, sadness, anger, and sickness.

With this addition, users became aware of their pets' moods, health points, and illnesses. Still, sometimes it can be difficult to placate a grumpy pet. This brief guide may help explain some of the common causes of unhappy pets and suggest some remedies.

1. Hunger: "Hungry" or worse

Hungry pets show up with tears in their eyes. They typically have tears in their eyes and look quite pathetic. Neopet hunger ranges from "dying" to "very bloated." (Remember that Neopets WILL NOT die, even if their hunger status is "dying!" They're just a melodramatic bunch.) If your pet is anything below "hungry," it might be time to give it some food. You can visit the Giant Omelette in Tyrannia, or visit the Soup Faerie if you have fewer than 3,000 Neopoints. In addition, there are LOTS of inexpensive foods. Omelettes on the Shop Wizard are generally very affordable, as are jellies. (Though Fyora only knows where those come from! It's not as though there's some mystical land made of jelly.) Keeping your pet well fed--whether it is with gourmet food or Omelette--is one of the first steps to keeping a pet happy.

With a selection from Apples to Zeenana Peels, you're sure to find a food your Neopet doesn't mind eating.

2. Mood: "Unhappy" or worse

Neopet moods range from "miserable" to "delighted." Once a Neopet's mood drops below "content", it will begin to cry. Often, pets become unhappy because they have not been played with in a while. Therefore, the remedy for this is to simply play with your Neopet! If you have any old (non-Magical) plushies lying around, pick one up and play with your unhappy Neopet! Some inexpensive plushies include Headless Von Roo Plushie, Yellow Lupe Plushie, and Blue Aisha Plushie. If you like, you can even try to find a plushie to match your pet!

Grooming can also help an unhappy Neopet. Some Nail Varnish or a Sparkly Brush my be just the thing for your sad Neopet! After you've fluffed and polished, you might want to buy a mirror so that your pet can admire his or her good looks.

Whether you pick playing or grooming, it may take a while for your pet to become happy again. If you continue to play with your pet or groom them, you will definitely begin to see an improvement in their mood.

An alternative cure for a down-in-the-Meridell-dumps pet is to bring him or her to the Roo Island Merry Go Round or go on a Mystery Island Tour. These cost 50 NP a piece and are a quick way to boost a pet's morale. (Just like vacations make owners feel better, Neopets like to get out and see the world they live in!)

1 NP or a few million... it's simple to find a toy to your pet's liking!

Perhaps if you groom her enough, she'll be ready for a spot in the Beauty Contest!

3. Low Health Points

When a Neopet's Health Points, also known as HP, go down, he or she tends to look angry. Try bringing your pet to the Healing Springs every 30 minutes, or use one of the many varieties of Healing Potions available from the Magic Shop and user shops. Healing Potions I-XIX, as well as Dewberry Reviver, Essence of Everlasting Apple, Super Strength Healing Potion, and Bubbling Healing Goo, can all be used outside of the Battledome to bring your pet's HP back up to normal.

You can sometimes get these for free from the Healing Springs.

4. A Sick Pet

Sick pets look distinctly worn down. Click on your active pet on the left side of the screen to get to your Quick Reference page, and scroll down to see what your pet is suffering from. Then visit the Hospital to see what item you need to cure it. Sometimes, the cure will be fairly inexpensive. However, some remedies cost more than 99,999 NP. If you find that your pet is suffering from an expensive disease, it is probably easier and cheaper to visit the Healing Springs every 30 minutes with your sick pet as your active pet. It may take a while to cure your pet, but remember that pets won't die so there is no need to panic and/or beg for people to give you the cure. ;)

Neopox or Ugga-Ugga... either way, your pet feels and looks quite ill.

If all of this is too much trouble for you, and you'd just like to continue on with your restocking or chatting or whatever it is that you're doing, you can always put your pets in the Neolodge. There they will keep your pet well-fed and (usually) quite happy. Still, you should keep an eye on the moods of your Neopets, because sometimes not even a stay in the AstroVilla hotel with all the extras (including Neopian Times Delivery) can keep a fickle pet satisfied. While in the Neolodge, you can play with your pets, but will not be able to feed them.

Paying attention to your pet's needs, and the way it communicates with you, is important when trying to keep a healthy, happy Neopet. Thanks to their new emotional faces, it has become even easier to tell when they need you. Your best bet is to feed your pet every day, play with it, groom it, and take it to see all of the best sights in Neopia. Taking good care of your Neopet is easy and fun, and will keep your pet smiling and upbeat!