Lil Game Hunter for the Thrifty

Ah, non combat pets or vanity pets, both definitions are perfectly acceptable. For many people collecting these little guys is a passion (even before the introduction of achievements and the new storage system for them.) There is SUCH a variety of them that just about ANYONE can find a little friend they would enjoy. But how to GET all those pets with out breaking the bank? That is our topic for today.

To begin, finding out about the plethora of pets available can be daunting, but some of these avid collectors have created websites that will help you. The VERY BEST one in just about everyone's opinion is Warcraftpets.com. This site attempts to catalog EVERY vanity pet Blizzard has EVER created for the World of Warcraft universe. I am not going to list ALL the pets, just those that can be FAIRLY easily obtained by the average person.

Quests:
Jubling - "Spawn of the Jubjub"Darkmoon Faire
Mechanical Chicken - "Find OOX-09/HL" (Hinterlands), "Find OOX-22/FE" (Feralas), "Find OOX-17/TN" (Tanaris) (pet IS BoE) must complete all 3 quest chains.
Miniwing - "Skywing" in Terokkar Forest
Smolderweb Hatchling - "En-Ay-Es-Tee-Why" in Burning Steps/Lower Black Rock Spire
Worg Pup - "Kibler's Exotic Pets" in Buring Steps/Lower Black Rock Spire

Argent Trounament -
Ammen Vale Lashling - (Alliance Only)
Dun Morogh Cub - (Alliance Only)
Durotar Scorpion - (Horde Only)
Elwynn Lamb - (Alliance Only)
Enchanted Broom - (Horde Only)
Mechanopeep - (Alliance Only)
Mulgore Hatchling - (Horde Only)
Sen'jin Fetish - (Horde Only)

Seasonal -
Captured Flame - Midsummer Festival quests provide the Burning Blossom to buy this pet.
Egbert - Children's Week "Back to the Orphanage" in Shattrah City
Mr. Wiggles - Children's Week "A Warden of the Alliance" in Stormwind or "A Warden of the Horde" in Orgimmar
Peanut - Children's Week "Back to the Orphanage" in Shattrah City
Speedy - Children's Week "A Warden of the Alliance" in Stormwind or "A Warden of the Horde" in Orgimmar
Willy - Children's Week "Back to the Orphanage in" Shattrah City
Wiskers the Rat - Children's Week "A Warden of the Alliance" in Stormwind or "A Warden of the Horde" in Orgimmar

Alliance Only-
Argent Squire - "A Champion Rises" in Ice Crown
Sprite Darter Hatchling - "Becoming a parent" in Feralas
Westfall Chicken - "Cluck" in Westfall

Horde Only -
Argent Gruntling - "A Champion Rises" in Ice Crown
Farm Chicken - "Cluck" in Tirisfal Glades

Trade Required -
Chuck - Daily fishing quests from Old Man Barlo in Terokkar Forest
Muckbreath - Daily fishing quests from Old Man Barlo in Terokkar Forest
Snarly - Daily fishing quests from Old Man Barlo in Terokkar Forest
Strand Crawler - Daily fishing quests from Marcia Chase in Dalaran
Toothy - Daily fishing quests from Old Man Barlo in Terokkar Forest
Tranquil Mechanical Yeti - Pattern can be obtained by ENGINEERS after completing "Are we there Yeti?"

Drops -
Azure Welpling - Blue Dragonspawn, Blue Scalebane, Draconic Magelord and Draconic Mageweaver in Azshara
Black Tabby - (Horde Only) Dalaran Shield Guard, Dalaran Spellscribe, Dalaran Summoner, Dalaran Theurgist in Alterac Mountains
Crimson Whelpling - Crimson Whelp, Flamesnorting Whelp, or Red Whelp in Wetlands
Dark Whelpling - Scalding Whelp Bad Lands or Searing Whelp in Duskwallow Marsh
Disgusting Oozeling - ANY of the ozzes found around the old world
Emerald Whelpling - Adolescent Whelp and Dreaming Whelp in Swamp of Sorrows
Firefly - Bogflare Needler in Zangarmarsh
Hyacinth Macaw - Bloodsails and "Pretty Boy" Duncan in Strangethorn Vale
Sprite Darter - (Horde Only) Sprite Darters in Feralas

Dungeon/Raid Drops
Green Wing Macaw - Defias Pirate in Deadmines
Mojo - Zul'Aman
Phoenix Hatchling - Kael'thas Sunstrider in Magister's Terrace
Siamese Cat - Cookie in Deadmines

Seasonal -
Father Winter's Helper (Green) - From Gaily Wrapped Present on Christmas
Father Winter's Helper (Red) - From Gaily Wrapped Present on Christmas
Peddlefeet - Gifts of Adoration during Love is in the Air
Scorchling - Lord Ahune in Slave Pens during Midsummer Fire Festival
Sinister Squashling - Headless Horseman in Scarlet Monastery Graveyard or by Trick or Treating
Spring Rabbit - Either as a drop from Noblegarden egg or buy with candies from the eggs
Tiny Snowman - From Gaily Wrapped Present on Christmas
Winter Reindeer - From Gaily Wrapped Present on Christmas

Trade Required -
Giant Sewer Rat - Fished up from Dalaran's Underbelly
Lifelike Mechanical Toad - WORLD DROP Engineering schematic
Lil'Smoky - (Engineering Only) PLANS Drop off of Arcane Nullifier X-21, Crowd Pummeler 9-60 and Mekgineer Thermaplugg in Gnomeregan
Mechanical Squirrel - WORLD DROP Engineering schematic
Mr. Pinchy - Fished from Highland Mixed schools. Then you must get him as one of your "wishes"
Pet Bombling - (Engineering Only) PLANS Drop off of Arcane Nullifier X-21, Crowd Pummeler 9-60 and Mekgineer Thermaplugg in Gnomeregan

Achievement Rewards -
Kirin Tor Familiar - "Higher Learning"
Little Fawn - "Lil Game Hunter"
Stinker - "Shop Smart, Shop Pet...Smart"

Limited Issue -
Spirit of Competition - 2008 Summer Olympics
Vampiric Batling - Prince Tenris Mirkblood in Karazann during the Lich King Invasion of 2008
Baby Blizzard Bear - Blizzards 4th Anniversary

Vendors -

Reputation Based -
Cobra Hatchling - Requires Revered Rep with Oracles to get Mysterious Egg which HAS A CHANCE to drop it.
Pengu - Requires Exalted Rep with Kalu'ak
Proto-Drake Whelp - Requires Revered Rep with Oracles to get Mysterious Egg which HAS A CHANCE to drop it.
Tickbird Hatchling - Requires Revered Rep with Oracles to get Mysterious Egg which HAS A CHANCE to drop it.
Tiny Sporebat - Requires Exalted Rep with Sporeggar
White Tickbird Hatchling - Requires Revered Rep with Oracles to get Mysterious Egg which HAS A CHANCE to drop it.

Neutral Vendors -
Ancona Chicken - Magus Tirth in Thousand Needles
Blue Dragonhawk Hatchling - Dealer Rashadd in Netherstorm
Brown Rabbit - Dealer Rashadd in Netherstorm
Cimson Snake - Dealer Rashadd in Netherstorm
Cockatiel - Narkk in Stranglethorn Vale
Cockroach - Dealer Rashadd in Netherstorm
Mana Wyrmling - Dealer Rashadd in Netherstorm
Senegal - Narkk in Stranglethorn Vale
Siamese Cat - Dealer Rashadd in Netherstorm
Tree Frog - Flik with Darkmoon Faire

Alliance Vendors -
Blue Moth - Sixx in Exodar
Bombay Cat - Donna Anthania in Elwynn Forest
Cornish Rex - Donna Anthania in Elwynn Forest
Great Horned Owl - Shylenai in Darnassus
Hawk Owl - Shylenai in Darnassus
Orange Tabby - Donna Anthania in Elwynn Forest
Silver Tabby - Donna Anthania in Elwynn Forest
Snowshoe Rabbit - Yarlyn Amberstill in Dun Morogh
White Kitten - Lil Timmy in Stormwind
White Moth - Sixx in Exodar
Yellow Moth - Sixx in Exodar

Horde Vendors -
Black Kingsnake - Xan'tish in Orgrimmar
Brown Snake - Xan'tish in Orgrimmar
Cockroach - Jeremiah Payson in Undercity
Crimson Snake - Xan'tish in Orgrimmar
Golden Dragonhawk Hatchling - Jilanne in Eversong Woods
Prairie Dog - Halpa in Thunderbluff
Red Dragonhawk Hatchling - Jilanne in Eversong Woods
Silver Dragonhawk Hatchling - Jilanne in Eversong Woods

So there you have it. Happy Hunting!