I DECLARE ‘TANK’RUPTCY! Tropical fish are the priciest power pet, adding £385 a year to energy bills, while leaving the heat on for dogs adds £146
Tropical fish are the biggest energy guzzling pet, with the heating, lighting and pump costing up to £385 a year to run[1]
Leaving the heating and TV on for dogs while owners are out at work can add £206 a year to energy bills[2]
Rabbits that live outdoors are the best for low power bills, requiring no extra expenditure on energy
Households can keep an eye on what they’re spending on their pet with free mobile app Utrack by Uswitch, which offers ways to save money on energy.
It’s offishial… Fish are the priciest pet when it comes to energy bills – with tropical and marine tanks adding £385 a year to household costs due to heating units, pumps and lights[1], reveals research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Tropical and marine fish are used to hotter ocean temperatures, with some salt-water tanks requiring a 200W heater to maintain the right heat for the fish. The heater and 90W lights are only on half the day, but a 7W pump keeps the water moving 24/7[1].
Surprisingly, their less exotic cousins living in fish ponds are the second-most expensive pet for energy bills, with constantly running 95W pumps adding £241 a year to electricity bills[3].
The extra energy costs for furry friends like cats and dogs depend on just how pampered they are. Owners who leave the heating on every day when they leave for work may be adding £2.45 a week to their energy bills[2].
And those who keep the TV running to keep their pet company will be adding 28p a week to their bill. Opting for the radio bumps up costs by only 8p[2].
But cats narrowly lead dogs in the energy bill stakes once a constantly running 15W water fountain is added to the bill. Leaving the heating, TV, radio, and water fountain on adds £4.48 a week to bills[2].
Exotic pets like reptiles, snakes, and tarantulas need a lot of heat to match their tropical and desert surroundings, with many terrariums needing 100W lights that run 12 hours a day. Tarantulas narrowly edge out reptiles, however, for those owners who leave the home’s heating on and provide some extra warmth from a 7W heating pad[4].
The only animals that don’t add to energy bills are those that live outdoors, making rabbits and guinea pigs the teacher’s pet.
Households can keep an eye on how much they’re spending on their pampered pets by tracking their energy consumption with free mobile app Utrack by Uswitch.com, which offers detailed insights into usage and ways to save money on energy.
Natalie Mathie, dog owner and energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Pet owners are used to spending a lot on food, grooming and vet bills, but many might not have considered what their beloved animals are doing to their energy costs.
“Fish fans may be surprised to see that they’re spending the most on energy of any animal-lovers, and the cost gets higher the more exotic they are.
“For cat and dog owners, it may be tempting to leave the heating on so they don’t get cold, but remember that they’ve got a furry coat which does that job very well. Alternatively, turn down the radiators in all the rooms that they won’t go in during the day.
“You can’t always tell if changing your habits is making a difference until you see your bill – unless you track your usage. People using the Utrack app, which connects to their smart meter, can see the impact on their bills over time, with hourly graphs comparing gas and electricity use by day, week, month, and year.”
Track your energy usage with Utrack by Uswitch here.
Notes to editors
1. A Juwel 190-litre tank suitable for marine or tropical fish comes with a 200W heater, 90W lights and a 7W pump. Assuming the pump runs 24/7 and the heater and lights run 12 hours a day, energy costs in a year = 365 x £0.29/kWh x 24 x (0.007kW + 0.2kW x 0.5 + 0.09kW x 0.5) = £386.
2. Leaving the heating on for eight hours extra a day adds 7kWh to bills. 7kWh x £0.07/kWh = 49p. A 100W TV running for eight hours a day for five days a week = 0.1kW x 8 x 5 x £0.29/kWh = £1.16 a week. A 30W radio costs = 0.03kW x 8 x 5 x £0.29/kWh = 35p a week. A 15W water fountain allegedly preferred by cats running 24/7 costs = 0.015kW x 8 x 5 x £0.29/kWh = 17p a week. Six baths a year for a dog, costing 94p in hot water, add up to £5.64 a year.
3. For an outside fish pond, a 95W pump running 24/7 costs = 0.095kW x 24 x 365 x £0.29kWh = £241.
4. Heaters for terrariums range from 50W to 150W. A 100W heater running for 12 hours a day costs = 0.1kW x 12 x £0.29/kWh x 7 = £2.44 a week.
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.