Pets

[MumOfTwoBoys]

My 6 y.o. DS started asking for a pet. We are very busy full time working parents so a dog is out of the question. My DH is against the cat as he is a bit sensitive about the furniture and upholstery. What low maintenance pets would you recommend? I'm afraid that fish will be nice for us but my son will get bored with it soon. Any suggestions? Thanks

[FourAngelKisses]

I would not recommend fish, unless you are prepared to clean the tank ALL the time. I only have 1 fish in a 16L tank, it needs cleaning about twice a month. Not just the water being changed, I have to clean the stones, change the filter wool and scrub the scum off the sides.

We have a cat, but he is an outdoor cat, so he doesn't scratch the furniture. I was never a cat person until we inherited him after DH's grandmother died, but now I would like another one.

But for other pets, mice are good (just get 1, or 2 of the same sex). Guinea pigs aren't too bad, as are rabbits. And budgies are low maintenance.

[SassyMummy]

DO NOT GET MICE!

While fish might get dirty bowls/tanks...mice cages not only LOOK dirty...but within a couple of days, they smell feral. (Especially if you have 2 male mice). They demand A LOT more attention than a fish does (IMO). Also, your son might want to take them out and play with them...they're fast runners and easy to squash...and they sometimes bite.

Why not get something like a rabbit or a guinea pig? They're a bit more "interactive" than fish are (which are quite...well...boring really), but they don't need as much love and affection as dogs or cats. You WILL need to clean the hutch, but you can keep it outside (or inside a shed/garage at night if it's cold) so the smell won't bother you. The hutch-clean could be done fortnightly on the weekends...something to do with your son perhaps? (Teaching him about responsibility too). Just make sure to only get same sex pets if you're going to get more than one - guinea pigs get pregnant from like...2 seconds of sex!

What about a Duck or a Chicken? They MAY lay eggs, he can watch them grow up, the don't cost too much to take care of...and they're cute. He can pat them too...if he wants. If it gets used to human interaction at a young age, he'll probably be able to touch it easily when it's older too.

What about a hermit crab? You can get cool shells for them to live in...they're a bit "cooler" than fish...IMO. Providing he's not scared of it though (DP's neices are - they're 6 and 9).

Um...a bird? Though they can be SO NOISY and usually bite.

You could always get him a "toy" pet too. A "furby" is reasonably interactive, but doesn't require real feeding. A tamagotchi is a cool toy for kids...though YOU might end up babysitting sometimes (and maybe littlier kids might get said if it died...). What about sea-monkies? They're kinda cool too...and you can get the whole set-up for about $15 I think. Your son will be able to watch them grow...from TINY dots to 1cm-long little "aliens". Or what about those robo pets? You can get T-rex ones...? Maybe he wants a REAL pet though...I dunno.

[Baby Girl]

We have a rabbit and she is lovely. I was never a rabbit fan but DD1 kept asking for one so I finally gave in. We spent alot of time with her when se was young, handling her and patting her and brushing her and she is fine with the girls, never scratches or bites intentionally - there has been a couple of times DD has been giving her something to nibble on and she hasn't let go quick enough and the bunny has nibbled on her finger but is has never been major, more like a red mark or a scratch. She is in a hutch in our back yard and we have an old play pen that I let her out in through the day so DD can go and play with her easily and bunny can also eat the grass without having to pull it through wire!!

Our next mission is training her to use a cat litter tray so she can come in the house - once she gets that down pat I will have to bunny proof the whole place which takes a lot more work than baby-proofing by the looks of things but not all bunnies need to be indoor bunnies...ours doesn't NEED to but being so cold DD hasn't been spending as long outside with her and has asked a couple of times if she can come in because she wants to play with her but it is too cold, so we are going to see what happens.

[MumOfTwoBoys]

Thanks Ladies. You gave me plenty of good ideas.