10 Tips on How to Properly Customize Your Neopets!

1. Be creative!

Creativity is an important quality to have when customizing pets. Ways to increase your creativity include thinking of an idea for a pet's customization THEN customizing them, putting together unrelated items for a unique look and using Jellyneo's item database or other sources to get ideas.

Also, if there's a Neocash item you like and you can't get it, you can be creative by substituting a Neopoint item in its place! Examples include the Spring Path Background instead of the Tunnel of Trees Background, the Long Silver Wig instead of the Premium Collectible: Opalescent Wig, and the Thieves Hood instead of Kanrik's Collector's Cloak and Cape. There are many more examples and substitution guides can be found all over Neopia.

2. Don't overdo it.

You don't want your pets to look like a hoard of Meepits attacked them! (Or, maybe you do. In that case, I won't judge. *shifty eyes* Or maybe I will.) Basically, don't use a TON of items. Also, don't use a lot of expensive items JUST to show them off. Use items because they look good on your pets and you like them, not because of their price or value, period.

Use items that work well together because, ultimately, it looks quite silly when a pet is customized as follows: Autumn Jack O Lantern Staff, Glowing Ona Handheld Plushie, Artwork Display Garland, Bogshot Background, Clockwork Eyepatch Facepaint, Watermelon Shoes, Altador Cup Fan Shirt Dress, and Whipped Frosting Wig. No... just no.

3. Go for a theme...

Sometimes it's fun to customize your pets according to a theme. For example, you could customize your pets based on a fairytale, a movie, or even a type of career. I've seen some great themed pets around Neopia! However, a theme is NOT necessary. Themes are often a good place to start when first learning to customize, however.

4. ... But DON'T use complete Superpacks.

Superpacks are often really pretty, but by using the whole pack you're taking away the whole point of customization! Don't get me wrong, using some items from a Superpack is completely fine. However, using a whole Superpack is boring. It won't look like you put much effort into your pet's customization, and there will be lots of other pets around Neopia with the same exact look as your pet.

5. Use a pet that is easy to customize.

Not all pets are easy to customize. Bipedal pets are generally the easiest to customize because the items look best on them due to the shapes of their bodies and the fact that they are standing up on two legs. However, that's not always true! My favorite types of pets to customize, in order, are: Kacheeks, Draiks, Gnorbus, Ixi and Kougras. Try these pets out and see if you like customizing them, too! Also, definitely experiment with species. You may like a species that's not on this list, and you may be better at customizing that particular species.

6. Use the Money Tree.

This is a relatively new feature. When generous Neopians buy NC Upcycle Fortune Cookies from the NC Mall, they can donate NC items to the Money Tree. If you can't afford NC or just want to snag some free Neocash gifts, then head over to the Money Tree! The NC items don't look any different from the regular Neopoint items at the Money Tree. I suggest reading up on the items that NC donators are likely to give away, look out for those and click quickly! By using this new feature, you will be able to increase your wardrobe which, in turn, will allow you to create even more customizations.

7. Three words: Paint Brush clothing.

Neopet colors such as Baby, Pirate, Stealthy and Royal often come with special Paint Brush clothing. This Paint Brush clothing can ONLY be used on a Neopet of the same species. For example, if you have a Royalgirl Acara, you can only put her Royal Girl Acara Hat on Acaras.

This can create some really cool customizations due to something called cross-painting. For example, you could paint your Chomby Royalgirl THEN paint her Rainbow (painting in the correct order is important). You get to keep her Paint Brush clothing, so now you have a Rainbow Chomby with Royalgirl Chomby clothes!

However, here's an important reminder: some colors, such as Baby, can only wear clothing made specifically for that color.

8. Trade your Neocash items!

Sometimes items get old. You always want to use items you enjoy, or else customizing your pets won't be any fun. Sometimes if you use an item often enough, it becomes boring to you. Sometimes you'll want newer, SHINIER items. And sometimes you just have TONS of doubles from Mystery Capsules. *cough*

Anyway, trading items is a great way to change up your wardrobe and help you create new and unique customizations! Give it a try sometime. All you need is an NC item, a Gift Box, and a willing trader.

9. Save up for that White Paint Brush.

Or whichever Paint Brush you want for your pet. This is optional but still fun to do! Pets often look better painted certain colors. By changing your boring Starry Kacheek to a pretty White Kacheek, you've opened the door for new and better looking customizations for your pet. To see if your pet would look better as a certain color, check out Dress to Impress and view them as the color you are thinking they would look best as. Do they look better in their outfits now? If so, it might be time for a new Paint Brush color!

Some great colors for customizing pets include White, Chocolate, Biscuit, Pastel, and Desert. There are, of course, many other colors that look great; these are just some of my personal favorites!

10. Have fun!

This is ultimately the most important tip! If you're not having fun, is there even any point? If you find yourself having less fun with customizing your pets, ask yourself why and try to fix the problem. Are you running low on Neocash? Save up for some Neopoint wearables! Are you bored with the pet you've been customizing? Transfer over a pet from a side account!

Hopefully this guide has been of some use to you! Neopets are wonderful creatures that are a lot of fun on their own, but are even more fun when customized. So why are you still reading this? You should be customizing your pets!