Inexpensive (But Cool) Petpets

Every Neopian has a weak spot. My weak spot happens to revolve around petpets. I can't get enough of them; I love to observe them, study them, learn how to care for them—you get the picture. I love petpets.

But, there's a problem. I like to observe. I like to study. But I really, really like to own the petpets I study. And there are a lot of cool petpets that are way beyond my budget! So, how do I remedy this problem? Well, yes, occasionally I save up and splurge, but most of the time I go with the inexpensive but cool petpets.

A few days ago, I decided to perform an experiment. How many petpets could I buy on a shoe-string budget? I saved up my money from games and came up with 10,000 neopoints. I figured I'd be able to get at least two or three petpets out of that; I've been out of the loop when it comes to the Shop Wizard for some time now and wasn't sure what to expect.

What I found kind of surprised me; there are some really cool, inexpensive petpets out there! I found a few old petpet staples, but some were new to me.

I have decided to share the results of my experiment by way of a catalogue of these precious petpets, starting with the most expensive. All of these petpets can, currently, be bought all together for less than 10,000 NP.

Name: Spyder

Low-End Shop Wizard Price: 1,500 NP

Item Description: Ohh... this Spyder is creepy... make sure your Neopet isn't afraid of it!!!

The Spyder is certainly a petpet classic. It’s been around as long as I can remember, and I’m sure there isn’t a Neohome out there without one of these lovely little ones lurking in a corner or two.

Why would you want a Spyder? Well, ultimately, it’s your Neopet’s decision. If he or she likes creepy little bundles of cuteness like the Spyder, why hold them back? Just make sure your enthusiastic little one knows how to care for their new petpet; Spyders typically eat live food—almost any petpetpet will do, along with other annoying bugs and gnats. You can keep a Spyder in anything from a simple clear container to a veritable castle, complete with petpetpet servants and a cushioned throne (but that might get a bit expensive).

Name: Airax

Low-End Shop Wizard Price: 1,300-1,500 NP

Item Description: Airaxes will perch on your Neopet's arm all day. They love to zoom up into the air and swoop around.

Personally, I love this Tyrannian petpet. I’ve gone bird-watching many-a-time in Tyrannia (sometimes for days), and this is one petpet that’s always lots of fun to watch, especially if you don’t get grossed out easily, since it’s mostly carnivorous.

An Airax would be perfect for a Neopet that loves the outdoors. If your Neohome is located in a warm climate, that’s even better. Mystery Island, Meridell, Brightvale, and of course Tyrannia are ideal climates for this amazing petpet. Maraqua wouldn’t be the best place, but if you’re up for the challenge...

Name: Stego

Low-End Shop Wizard Price: 1,200-1,400 NP

Item Description: This little guy has wings also; he uses them to fly from tree to tree when finding his favourite food - Blue Toobers.

Another old-standby, the Stego could possibly be considered one of the more interesting of Tyrannian petpets. It’s obviously not aerodynamic in the least, yet Stegos are able to fly with tiny little wings—and they do it quite well. Bird-watching enthusiasts often mistake a bulky Stego for an as-yet undiscovered Aves species (I’ve never made this mistake, of course *cough*).

Stegos need flying room, but not quite as much room as an Airax. They enjoy foraging through trees, so if your Neopet loses his or her Stego, you might try looking up! Oh, and make sure you don’t take your petpet Stego to the mountains; undoubtedly instinct will overcome your petpet and it’ll take to the cliffs to look for Blue Toobers (noted above as the Stego’s favorite food).

Name: Scarabug

Low-End Shop Wizard Price: 1,000-1,300 NP

Item Description: The flying little Petpets referred to as Scarabug make a loud humming noise and often travel in huge swarms.

Native to the Lost Desert, this petpet has gone through some major transformation, and, personally, I love it! Any Neopet who loves bright colors and elaborate designs will love the flashy hues and delicate wing design of the Scarabug.

What does a Scarabug need the most? Companionship. If your Neopet is going to be a good Scarabug keeper, they need to be with the Scarabug a lot—maybe even set up play dates with other Neopets who also have Scarabugs. You wouldn’t conclude so just by looking at Scarabugs, but they actually appreciate social contact more than a whole host of other petpets.

Name: Mallard

Low-End Shop Wizard Price: 1,100-1,200 NP (you can often find them for less)

Item Description: It looks like a Petpet, acts like a Petpet, but when frightened, it makes a loud wail like a Wocky!

Mallards. They seem plain and quite boring. In fact, I’ll be honest, if it weren’t for the price I wouldn’t have bothered investigating this petpet.

However, these Mallards are incredibly fun to watch! When you bring your Mallard home, make sure that the enclosure for the petpet has a suitable amount of water—enough to completely submerge. Mallards love the water and it’s great fun to see them splash about and enjoy themselves. Your Neopet might actually like to join them in the water, which can work wonders if you’ve got a Neopet who hates bathing!

Name: Tenna

Low-End Shop Wizard Price:1,000-1,200 NP

Item Description: These rather sad looking Petpets can't move very fast and often end up being carried by their owners.

If you’ve got a Neopet who loves dolls or playing doctor or helping his or her siblings, then this petpet will suit them. Tennas require quite a bit of attention and care and are not particularly independent. Researchers are still puzzled as to how they survive in the wild, since they exhibit such dependency in captivity.

Survival in the wild put aside, you’ll want to make sure your Tenna has access to plenty of purified water and won’t come in contact with too many toxins, since they’re semi-amphibious and easily absorb substances through their skin. There’s even some evidence that they have the ability to absorb air through their skin, so it’s possible Maraqua may be a safe place for these gentle petpets, but more research has yet to be done on the subject.

Name: Mibblie

Low-End Shop Wizard Price: 1,000-1,100 NP

Item Description: The Mibblie is often mistaken for a rock. This is a slow moving Petpet that tends to blend in to most environments.

I had never heard of this petpet until I started research for this article, and I am now a Mibblie fan! They look like squished Turdles to me, and for that I think them perfectly adorable. You can get your very own from either the Space Station or the Kreludor meteor (or the Shop Wizard, of course!).

Though this petpet is similar to the Tenna in its slow-moving nature, it is quite a bit more independent. In fact, if your Neopet doesn’t have a secure enclosure for the petpet, the Mibblie may slip out and find a dark corner or pile of rocks to camouflage itself against. This may present interesting challenges to your Neopet, especially if his or her eyesight isn’t particularly good!

Name: Altachuck

Low-End Shop Wizard Price: 900-1,000 NP

Item Description: This Petpet is quite scared of loud noises, sudden movements, and anything that starts with the letter D. It needs a kind and loving Neopet to take care of it, but it will be quite loyal to its owner for ever and ever.

Hailing from Altador, the Altachuck is ideal for any Neopet fascinated with psychology and various methods of treating phobias. Because they’re devoted, an Altachuck would be an ideal first patient, since it won’t run back to the pet shop. And, think, if your Neopet’s treatment is successful, they’ll have a non-phobia-stricken, Altachuck friend for life! I’d say that’s a good trade-off.

Name: Tencals

Low-End Shop Wizard Price: 900-1,000 NP

Item Description: This little Petpet might look fierce, but it is actually quite lovable.

Tencals are amazing creatures. They look like they could bite your head off with those long, ferocious teeth. They look like some weird gourmet food, with those wiggly tentacles. And those orange eyes... those are just scary. But that’s not what they’re like at all.

As any self-respecting Virtupets petpet, Tencals utilize everything. The long teeth? They’re used as a comb, which would be great for Neopets with long fur. The tentacles enable Tencals to perform multiple tasks at the same time. In fact, you should see this critter in the kitchen! They can sauté, fry, stir, and flip all at the same time! Wow. That’s just cool. Oh—and the eyeballs. Yeah, they’re scary, but they’re great for poking through narrow openings to spy.

And there you have it, Neopians! Nine petpets, all of which can be purchased for a total of 10,000 NP or under, if you work the Shop Wizard. The prices I provided were only there to show you than you can purchase these awesome petpets for below or at the average.

So, get out there and enjoy!