Have Your Own Pet Rock
A pet rock is a great pet as it does not need to be fed, walked, groomed, showered, nor does it ever disobey, get sick, or die. Many people love pet rocks because they are good for people who don't have enough room for a bigger pet. This how-to will tell you how to help out and live life with your pet rock.
Contents
- 1 Steps
- 1.1 Finding a Pet Rock
- 1.2 Painting Your Pet Rock
- 1.3 Naming Your Pet Rock
- 1.4 Making Your Rock a Pet Rock
- 1.5 Making a Pet Rock House
- 1.6 Making a Travel House For Your Pet Rock
- 1.7 Bathing Your Pet Rock
- 1.8 Holding a Party With Your Rock
- 1.9 Taking Your Pet Rock To School
- 1.10 Having A Sleepover With Your Pet Rock
- 2 Related Articles
Steps
Finding a Pet Rock
- Find a good location which has a large variety of stones to choose from. Go to your local park or beach. Look around in the grass. There are so many rocks to choose from. Look at each rock; if you think one is interesting, why not pick it?
- Think about your everyday lifestyle and its requirements. If you like running around and are sporty then it's probably best to get a smaller rock that you can fit in your pocket. However, if you are a more studious type then it would be nice to get a larger rock, maybe about 8cm, which will give more decorating options. You can even put it on your desk and look at it as you work!
- Make sure you do not get a tiny pebble. They can easily get misplaced or fall out of your pocket. Get something big, but not so big, just enough so you can easily find it if it gets lost in your room. Also, do not get a rock that is as big as say a boulder, because your roommate or parents might think that you are strange if you try to take a boulder around with you.
- Pick a rock with a color that you like. Remember, it is going to be your special pet for a long time, and you will have to enjoy looking at it. You can also get rocks in shops with a variety of colors- blue, green, and even pink!
Painting Your Pet Rock
- Choose a color scheme. This should reflect your personality. You should also take into account how nice it will look with any other rocks you have. Choose one to three. If you don't want to paint your rock, you don't have to paint him. You can also try to add googly eyes to make it look cute.
- Gather paintbrushes & paints of the colors you chose. It should be quite thick - not water colors! Water colors may wash off!
- Put on some old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.
- Put down newspaper on the space you will be working on. This makes clearing up much easier.
- Paint a base color all over your rock. You might need to do two coats or wait for one side to dry before you paint the other. For a quick method - dip the rock in paint.
- Add other colors to your rock. You need to decide how you want to do this, whether you have half each color or paint spots, stripes, etc. Be creative.
- Crayons and colored pencils work too but may rub off over time
- Use a thick felt tip or gel pen to add extra details like an elegant pattern, clothes or facial features. This extra detail looks good in metallic colors.
- Leave the rock to dry and then you're done! Remember that some rocks look nicer unpainted! Unpainted rocks can be dressed with either varnish or a can of clear High Gloss spray. Also glitter can be applied before the clear for that special touch.
Naming Your Pet Rock
- Look at the rock's markings. If there is a black splotch surrounding his eye, consider a name like Spot. Also, consider the traditional but cute name "Rocky".
- Pick a name that everyone in the family will like. If this will be a family rock, make sure to consider the kids' choices too. If Bob wants to name the rock after himself, well, you might not want to take him up on his suggestion. But if Joe thinks of "Peanuts", that's not a bad name. Have everyone make a list of three names they think are good options, then share the lists and come up with a name everyone will like.
- Pick a name that suits the rock's personality. If the rock is always hiding, he could be "Bashful".
- Consider a historical, mythological, fictional or famous name. There are many interesting and unique names available in these categories. For example Agamemnon, Hephaestus, or even Athene.
- Don't give it an embarrassing name! If you tell your friends (or someone else) the name, they might start making fun of you.
- It is not ideal to name your pet rock after one of your friends. For example, if you had a friend named Jack and you named your pet rock Jack, it would be confusing for both your friend and your rock because they would not know who you would be referring to.
Making Your Rock a Pet Rock
- Find a pebble that is smaller than your pet rock but not too small, preferably one that is not entirely round. It is also nice if it is a similar color to your pet rock but this is optional.
- Decorate your pebble using things such as pieces of felt (good because they are furry like a pet). Don't decorate too much, you might just need to give it some little dots or spots.
- Make a leash for your pebble from a piece of string. You might want to glue the collar onto the pebble so it doesn't fall off but leave some unstuck or even better make a loop for the lead part to go through. This also means you can take the lead off when you like.
- Name your pebble.
- Give it to your pet rock. Put it in a small box and hand it to your pet rock as a present (a good idea for birthdays).
Making a Pet Rock House
- Find a suitably sized box. A box from a pair of shoes may be best. Smaller rocks may fit in chocolate boxes or even matchstick boxes (good for pet rock pets).
- Paint the outside of the box. Make it nice with ivy growing up the wall and a front door. Or you could cover it in wrapping paper for a funky and stylish outside.
- Stick material on the floor. This is the carpet(or as a rug).
- Make a bed out of a small pot filled with cotton wool. Beds like those humans have are not very comfortable for rocks (they often fall out).
- Make a dining area. Chairs can be made out of small blobs of cotton wool. Make a basic table by bending down two opposite sides of a rectangle cut deftly from poster-board or other cardboard.
- Add luxury items for those wealthier pets. This should perhaps be added in at a later stage as rewards for good behavior or for birthdays.
- Create a jacuzzi out of a small plastic pot and fill it with water. Be sure not to fill it too much though, or your rock will get annoyed and upset.
- Draw grass and other plants on a piece of rectangular cardboard for a lovely garden. A twig stuck into blue-tack or plasticine makes a good tree.
- Make a big screen TV out of thick cardboard and wall mount it. Stick a picture of a rock on the screen if you like, it's your rocks house.
- Toys and any other furniture can be made from clay, plasticine or just furniture from doll houses.
- Cut a square out from the side of the box to create a window. You can cover the space with cling film if you are worried about drafts.
Making a Travel House For Your Pet Rock
- Get a box that is a bit bigger than your rock. Make sure it has a lid.
- Paint the box a nice color, you don't need to be too artistic. You may want to draw some caravan windows on it though or/and some grass at the bottom.
- Fill the box with bits of material and cotton wool to make it comfortable.
- Stick an even smaller box inside the house (so your rock can use them) to carry some of your rocks possessions for their trip.
Bathing Your Pet Rock
- With a damp towel, (One you don't mind getting dirty.) take off any chunks or dirt that can clog your drain.
- Be mindful of their eyes--if you glued Googly Eyes onto it, then the glue might come off. It is the same story with most markers. Use permanent glue/markers.
- Use soap to get rid of any extra germs. Conditioner can also help.
- Rinse off all the soap, you don't want a slippery rock (Trust me).
- If you think you could make it an extra bit better, try rubbing a little Vaseline on its skin. That should give it a unique shine. You could also try a girl's fruity lip balm.
- If Vaseline is a problem, spend some money on varnish and paint over your rock. This should make him/her shine really well.
Holding a Party With Your Rock
- Set up a space for your party. Preferably a doll house or corner. Take out most of the furniture in the house. (a bed and sofa, TV, and stereo you can keep) Pet rocks can't party when they're not in the mood for it.
- Make a guest list and invite your friends pet rocks.
- Make party hats and balloons. You can make party hats by taking a small piece of paper (1 inch long, and 2 inches tall) and roll it up into a cone. When it is almost rolled up, put tape on the sides so that the cone stays. Color the party hats in decorative and festive colors. Make holes on the sides and put string through. At the party, the guests tie their own hats.
- Party until the night is done and just sleep with your pet rock.
Taking Your Pet Rock To School
- Find a small purse or bag that is the right size for your rock. Drawstring bags that jewelry has come in are a good size. Make sure the bag is comfortable. Perhaps get a bag that is slightly too big, and line it with cotton wool so your rock will be warm.
- When you get to school, put your rock and bag into your locker(or possibly backpack or desk), in a prime position so that it can see everything when you open the locker. In between periods, visit your rock! Introduce your rock to your friends so they will say 'hi' to it as well.
- Take your rock with you at recess and lunch breaks, as rocks like the sun.
- If you're in a school with classes changing throughout the day, you can take your rock with you and keep it out of the teacher's sight, but the rock might feel left out of the classroom experience and run away.
- Be careful! If the teacher sees your rock, he/she might take your pet rock away until the end of class if he/she sees it as a possible distraction.
Having A Sleepover With Your Pet Rock
- Ensure that you are having the party for the right reasons, i.e. you want to have fun with your rock.
- Play your rock's favorite music. Put an MP3 player by your rock's house/living area for an awesome garden party. Alternatively, put the earphones inside the house (while plugged in and working) for cute mini speakers.
- Invite your friends and their pet rocks too. It's good if you want to introduce your rock to new people and their pet rocks.
- Have plenty of small food to nibble on, crisps, nuts and biscuits are ideal. You can usually buy these "home brand" for not much money at all. These are also good ideas for your rock's breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Remember that the rocks can party much longer than you can. Don't keep playing with them after you're bored or you may start to resent it. If you play with your rock regularly but for a shortish amount of time then you may well keep him or her for years. Don't forget to care for your pet rock. Have Fun!
Related Articles
- Paint Your Pet Rock
- Care for Your Pet Rock
- Get Started With Your Pet Rock
- Start a Pet Rock Orphanage
- Be Best Friends With Your Pet Rock
- Make a Portable Home for Your Pet Rock
- Make a Cool House for Your Pet Rock
- Create a Travel House for Your Pet Rock
- Make a Playground for Your Pet Rock
- Make Clothes for Your Pet Rock
- Make a Pet Rock Hat
- Make a Pet Rock Family
- Bring Pet Rocks Back in Style
- Make a Pet Rock Kit to Sell or Keep
- Make Your Pet Rock a Comfortable Bed
- Take a Pet Rock to Space
- Decorate Your Pet Rock's Home