Which animal would you get for your child's first pet??

Question

We have had dogs and cats but my daughter has never had one of her own animals to take care of and she really really wants one.. we went to Petland and we saw a bunch of ideas she absolutely loves the dwarf hamsters!!! Excuse the horrible picture my camera is cracked LOL

I was curious to see which animal you think would be easy as a first pet!!

What animals did you guys have growing up or get for your children??

I was curious to see which animal you think would be easy as a first pet!!
What animals did you guys have growing up or get for your children??

Answer

I’d get whatever **you** would actually be okay taking care of since that would likely be reality 😂

Answer

Everyone is probably going to hate on this comment but I’d actually get my kid rats or a lizard as his first pet. The reason why is because hamsters can be quite vicious, even though they’re really cute. Depending on the child, they might not like feeding a snake a live mouse. As well, birds and bunnies tend to smell and make a mess, so there’s a lot of cleaning involved. 
Ferrets can be equally vicious, guinea pigs also smell, etc. 
Rats (which are best kept in pairs) actually have the intelligence of two-year-olds, they’re quite clean, despite what people think, and can be litter trained, and they are pretty much a better version of a hamster just with a bad rep. Domesticated rats are a totally different ball game. You can build obstacle courses with recyclables and they just love it. 
I’d also consider a lizard because they are fairly low-maintenance, so I’d base it on my child’s ability to take on responsibility, and they live a long time.

Answer

A fish, lmao

Answer

Birds can live a long time, so I would be sure you are ready for a possible 10+ year commitment. I had a rabbit that lived to be 9 so that’s another long commitment. My son’s first pet was a hamster and he lived about 2 years. Which I would say is just right for a first pet.

Answer

DO NOT GET A BUNNY. Please. I use to rescue bunnies, and they are not easy Pets! They need so much more care than you’d think.

Answer

I wouldn’t get any new animals instead I would teach her to care of the ones y’all have now

Answer

If you're willing to get a pet, I think you should require your daughter to do her own research to decide what to get. She should be able to tell you:
How to care for the pet
What supplies you will need
The pet's ideal living environment and how it will work in your house
How she will prove she's responsible enough to care for the pet
Life span, diet, general care requirements, etc.
Give your daughter ownership of the decision and support her, but let this be an opportunity for her to demonstrate responsibility.

Answer

i’d get her a puppy. she’ll love it while it’s small and then is a great addition to the family/protector as it grows. they’re also less smelly and less upkeep then most of the other options, just as far as cleaning cages goes. it’s more of a two sided relationship than just upkeep...which would be good for a child, as you would be the one ultimately taking care of the pet otherwise. better bond with dogs. just my opinion :)

Answer

Honestly anything but a Hamster... (my experiences with Syrian hamsters)
For starters I have had 2 hamsters, my first hamster was Luna my boyfriend and I got her during my freshman year of college. From day one she was the SWEETEST hamster she never once nipped is. She loved to hang out in shirt pockets and was very Adventurous. She did get frequent UTI so each time she got one it was $75 a pop at the vets office. I truly loved Luna she was so sweet she loved to be pet and get treats. She learned some tricks even she was AWSOME 
Well I saw another hamster and thought she was cute... she was the epitome of HELL on wheels. She was very aggressive, you couldn’t pick her up, she would nip through the cage, she would even screech when you tried to put food in her cage. It wasn’t until 6 months later she FINALLY warmed up to us and the screeching would stop and she wouldn’t nip as often through her cage. Unfortunately she passed away about a month later. 
From everything I’ve heard about hamsters and my experience, Luna was an exception and not the majority. Hamsters are very territorial and feisty creatures. 
I also have Guinea pigs they are sweet but they are very nippy as well (have two females)

Answer

I started off with a cat when I was a kid, but having a fish will tell you if they can take care of a pet. They will have to clean out the tank and feed it. I had a beta and it taught me about responsibilities. Like someone else said, you’ll be the one who ends up taking care of it. Also, whatever you end up getting get pamphlets and research the best way to care for it. I sometimes look back and wish my parents would have thought me the best way to care for animals because once I started working at a shelter I realized everything I was doing wrong.

Which animal would you get for your child's first pet??

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