By Cadie Carlson
Ella McAfee is known for her pet gecko.
She said everyone who visits her apartment wants to meet Apollo, a spotted yellow lizard, not to be confused with the green mascot of GEICO’s insurance commercials.
“I also love show and tell with him, like teaching other people about geckos and about how chill they are,” McAfee said. “We had a birthday party for one of my roommates and everyone’s like, ‘I heard there’s a gecko.’”
McAfee, a junior studying risk management and insurance at the University of Georgia, bought her leopard gecko five years ago after her brother got one for his birthday.
“I was so jealous, I was like ‘I want my own,’” McAfee said, adding this is her first year caring for Apollo at college.
Geckos are a relatively cost-effective pet because most of the expenses are paid upfront, according to McAfee, who said the supplies needed to care for a gecko include a terrarium, heating lamps, food, cage lining, water dishes and logs to climb on.
McAfee estimated she spent about $150 to set everything up for Apollo, who cost $50. She now spends only about $4 every other month buying food for Apollo.
While a gecko was the right pet choice for McAfee, most people prefer dogs or cats. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 44.5% of U.S. households own dogs and 29% own cats. There is an even higher concentration among college-aged pet owners, with 86% owning dogs and 81% owning cats.
Ellie McCurry, the assistant manager at Pet Supplies Plus, a pet store located in Athens, Georgia, said dogs are among the most expensive pets. According to MarketWatch, the average annual cost of owning a dog in Georgia is $1,843.
Owning a dog, for example, requires more routine costs throughout the dog’s life, including treats, toys, veterinary visits, flea and tick medication, poop bags, and additional expenses such as grooming, pet boarding and training.
However, one cost that both McAfee and other students who own pets must endure is the pet fee charged by most apartments. McAfee said the $500 monthly pet fee she would have been required to pay at her first apartment prevented her from bringing Apollo to live with her. Her new apartment now only charges a one-time $20 fee.
According to Forbes Advisor, college-aged pet owners are most likely to spoil their pets with items such as costumes. McCurry said an easy way for college students to keep pet costs down is to limit this unnecessary spending.
While the costs of owning a pet can certainly add up, McCurry said there are also many benefits that come along with owning a pet.
“It’s such a good relief to come home, to have someone waiting for you, someone who cares about you, just having a companion,” McCurry said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, owning a pet can be linked to several health benefits, including decreased blood pressure, decreased feelings of loneliness and anxiety, and increased opportunities for exercise.
McAfee said she uses her gecko for mental support when there is no one else to talk to.
“My little gecko’s someone to talk to,” McAfee said. “Whenever my roommates aren’t here, or I’m just sad, I just take him out and just like to talk to him, like complain.”
She said being able to vent to her gecko helps her realize that her problems are not that big of a deal.
“He’s like my little therapist,” McAfee said.
Cadie Carlson is a journalism student at the University of Georgia
