Neopets is not just a site where you can play games, chat with other people, or collect virtual items and money; it is a virtual pet site where even though the pets don’t die, they have health problems just like any other living thing and need to be taken care of, both medically and emotionally. This guide is designed to help you keep your pets in optimal health and also to help you cure your pets quickly if they get sick or hurt.
The Optimal Health Level
A Neopet is at its optimal health level if the hit points are even, it does not have a sickness, is not hungry, and has a mood of at least content. Healthier pets have higher levels and stats. Let’s go over how to get your pet to its optimal health level quickly, easily, and without breaking the bank.
First, feed your pet about every three days. If you qualify for using the Soup Kitchen, do so because it will save you a lot of money in the long run. You can also cut down on the cost of food by visiting dailies such as the Omelette or Coltzan’s Shrine.
If you don't get enough food from dailies to sustain your pets’ hunger level, use the Shop Wizard to buy cheap foods such as Tchea Fruit or Spooky Foods. If you’re having a really tough time getting food, cut back on the frequency you feed and try using the Money Tree. Also, if you really have nearly nothing for neopoints, you may visit the soup kitchen. In the worst situation you will have to go to the food stores, but in most cases this won’t happen. Remember that Neopets don’t die (even if it says "dying") so technically you do not have to feed them. If you do, however, they will train and fight a lot better. Never freak out if you’re going on vacation and won’t be able to feed your pets; and whatever you do, do not ask someone to log in for you.
Hit points are the numbers on your pet’s quick reference page and lookup. There are two numbers separated by a slash- the first is the current level, and the second is the maximum hit points your pet can have at once. You can train to raise these hit points so you will last longer in the Battledome because these hit points are basically the amount of hits your pet can take before it gets sick. The hit points change color depending on the level. Try to keep the hit points green because this is the best color of the three (green, yellow, and red.)
Your pet’s mood changes depending on how often you play with it. Whenever you create a Neopet its mood is content, which is the neutral position. There are about three levels below content and three above. To raise your pet’s mood, keep a plushie on hand and simply play with them. You only need one plushie, so don’t go overboard buying a bunch of toys which you will probably never use.
Finally, sicknesses. Neopets get sick rarely but when they do they will be sick for a while unless you buy the cure. Most of the times a Neopet gets sick are when you land on a corresponding space on one of the many Wheels. As soon as a pet gets sick you should work to heal it since many people judge users by their pets’ health.
Healing a Sick or Hurt Pet
There are two main ways to heal a sick pet. The first option is a very slow process and will cost little to no neopoints while the second option is fast but can be very expensive depending on the sickness. As soon as a pet gets sick or hurt, go to the Healing Springs. The Water Faerie will slowly heal your pet, either by adding some hit points or by bringing the sickness down a little. If you use just the Healing Springs you will not have to pay at all to heal your pet. You can also speed up this process by buying the Water Faerie’s healing potions. Remember, she might give you some when you visit her.
The second option is to go visit the Hospital in the Neopian Plaza. The page has a large list of every single sickness and its cure. Then you can either visit the Pharmacy in Neopia Central to buy the cure or use the Shop Wizard to try to find a cheaper alternative. Either way, the cure is more expensive but works right away and your pet will be healthy again.
Afterthoughts
I hope this guide has helped you and your pets out a lot. Remember, Neopets can never die. You could not care about their health and save a lot of money, but that isn’t very moral, is it? There are ways to keep your pets healthy and your bank balance high.
-Anne