# If I wanted a pet that can outlive me... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 5, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855 "2010-02-05T22:08:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855/41 "2010-02-06T09:09:16Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I’m sure [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_rock)pet will outlive you Indeed, I’ve outlived two pet rocks. However, my current igneous friend, Rocko, appears dead set on claiming my inheritance, gathering little or no moss resorting to whatever nefarious means necessary to assure success. I wear a helmet pretty much 24/7 these days. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855/42 "2010-02-06T10:11:55Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > [Baby Midland Painted Turtle](http://www.flickr.com/photos/alumroot/37662053/). The adults have pretty colorations too, but this pic rivals kitten and puppy pictures. > > And [this baby Blandings](http://www.flickr.com/photos/alumroot/35246365/) is well on its way to becoming the next teenage mutant ninja turtle. > > Enjoy, > Steven Well, that baby turtle is cute, but I still prefer kittens and puppies. And [baby bunnies](http://cuteoverload.com/2009/08/02/candy/) are the cutest of them all. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855/43 "2010-02-06T18:21:21Z")
Buy a shrew and shoot yourself in the head. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855/44 "2010-02-06T19:07:11Z")
An elephant would be a poor pet choice, by the by… living in captivity greatly reduces their life span. Nowhere near 70, maybe more like 35 in most zoos. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855/45 "2010-02-07T12:13:14Z")
I’d think a pet Grizzly Bear would likely outlive you. Or perhaps a pet Bengal Tiger. If those are too large, then perhaps a pet Black Mamba or Gaboon Viper… ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855/46 "2010-02-07T13:33:28Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > … humans last for about two billion heartbeats. In unusual cases, over 3 billion. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855/47 "2010-02-07T13:36:44Z")
> [@Sarabellum1976](#): > > An elephant would be a poor pet choice, by the by… living in captivity greatly reduces their life span. The problem seems to be related to a poor social life. All you need to solve this would be a respectable herd of elephants and a few hundred thousand acres of suitable habitat. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855/48 "2010-02-07T18:58:51Z")
Or you could take it out on the town and show it a good time once in a while. Would that really kill you? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-wanted-a-pet-that-can-outlive-me/527855.md?page=2)