The Pet-aholic - Part Three: Flying Lottery Tickets and Others

If you've been following along with the series, you should be well on your way to earning 30 non-combat pets. If not, you can check out Part One and Part Two. While you're grinding reputation and working on daily quests, you can take some time away to try and grind for the rare-drop pets.

Whelplings

• Dark - The Badlands is the home to Scalding Whelps; In Dustwallow Marsh look for the Searing Whelps.
• Crimson -In the Wetlands, the Flamesnorting, Crimson, and Red Whelps all have a minute chance of dropping this pet.
  
• Emerald - Swamp of Sorrows is the magic spot for this type; as of patch 3.1 both the Dreaming and Adolescent Whelps will have a chance to drop your pet.
  
• Azure - The anomaly of the whelpling pets, this is the only color of whelpling that does NOT drop from a whelp. Instead, look for the dragonkin in Ashzara.

Tip: I personally know of someone who tried for the Tiny Emerald Whelpling, off and on, for about 3 years before one finally dropped. Please - don't be that guy. The loss of your sanity is just not worth it. Although it's always fun to take a stab - get it? stab? - at one of these, it's much easier to spend your time questing or farming for the gold to buy them from the AH when you see them.

Other Rare Drops

• Firefly - Drops from the Needlers in Zangarmarsh
• Magical Crawdad, from Mr. Pinchy - Rare drop from fishing in certain areas of Terokkar Forest. Look for the Mixed Brackish Pools where you might ordinarily find Furious Crawdads.
• Green Macaw - this guy drops pretty frequently from the Pirates in Deadmines. While you're there, might as well also try for the Siamese cat!
• Black Tabby Cat - the Dalaran in Alterac are hiding this cute little guy. Why not take him off of their hands? If you're not having any luck with them, try camping the rare spawn Dalaran Spellscribe in Silverpine. He has a much higher drop rate.
• Phoenix Hatchling - you'll have to put a group capable of taking on Magister's Terrace together for a try at this pet. He has a slim chance to drop from Kael'thas Sunstrider.
  
• Giant Sewer Rat - fish in the sewers of Dalaran if you're trying to catch this pet.
  

Holiday Pets

• Winter's Veil: Tiny Snowman, Tiny Reindeer, and the Green and Red Winter's Helpers all come from Greatfather Winter's gifts. Since they're BoE, make sure to open all gifts on all of your characters. You can also watch /Trade chat to barter with other players who may have received duplicates of the pet you lack.
• Hallow's End: The Sinister Squashling drops from the seasonal boss in Scarlet Monastery's Graveyard. Each group member can summon the boss once. For maximum chances at the pet, try to plan daily attempts with a group where all members can summon.
• Brewfest: One of my absolute favorite pets is the Wolpertinger. This antlered and fanged jackrabbit has been available in years past for purchase with easily obtainable quest tokens.
• Children's Week: As of 2008 there are two different quest hubs, resulting in two different orphans and two different pet rewards. Choose your favorite from each set, since it will be a whole year until you can try again.
• Midsummer: The Spirit of Summer and the Scorchling are your pets for this holiday. The Spirit is purchasable with the related holiday quest tokens, while Scorchling has a small chance to drop from the seasonal boss, Lord Ahune.
• Love is in the Air: Azeroth's answer to Valentine's Day; if you were lucky enough to loot a Truesilver Shafted Arrow in one of your Gifts of Adoration, you'll have the Peddlefeet pet.

eBAY!!

Oddly enough, there are several pets obtainable from 'loot cards' in the Warcraft Trading Card game and online auctions can be the easiest way to score them.

Take Stock

How many pets do you have now? Are you getting close to 50? Or have you already surpassed it? If so, cheers, but don't rest on your laurels! There's still the fawn at 75...

/evil laugh

**The orphan pictured above, while being a source of non-combat pets, is not a non-combat pet herself. Alas. Write your favorite Blizzard GM and petition for the release of actual non-combat orphan-pets. Do it. DO IT!!