Best first pet?

[Slache]

Tell me about what made a great first pet for your child, what age they were and what made it a good choice.

Thank you.

[Catwoman]

We always had dogs and cats in the house, even before ds was born.  ?

[JustEm]

We are a dog family.  The kids all take wonderful care of our two dogs and have been responsible for feeding them since my oldest was 3.  Obviously, at 3 he needed to be reminded twice a day but he always loved doing it.  Now it is habit for the oldest 3 to take care of it.  My 4th, who is 3 now will start learning from her siblings any day now.  They also take the dogs out regularly and play with them when they need it.

They have lost interest in other animals that have entered our house randomly, like the fish, snail, clam, caterpillar, etc. After a week they are done taking care of them and we let them free. 

[Arcadia]

Guppies in a 10 gallon tank - low maintenance and some chance of kids overfeeding, my husband did the tank cleaning

Hamsters - if you are willing to help with changing the bedding and cleaning the cage, nocturnal even though my aunt’s hamsters were active during the day as well. 

Turtles - low maintenance and unlikely to overfeed. 

Rabbits - my friend and her husband did the hutch maintenance, her kids did everything else.

Many of my neighbors chose a dog when their youngest child is two to three years old. My immediate neighbor has a Maltese since their only child was in kindergarten. 

[ScoutTN]

The yellow lab in my avatar pic was 7 when dd was born and was always available to be tackled, drooled upon, hugged, kissed, dressed up, snuggled with, to walk, listen to books, etc. all through my kids' younger years. Ds would pull up on her, then cruise around the house holding onto her. She was a classic lab: loved everyone, ate everything she could get, played in the water, fetched for hours if someone would throw the ball, and was eager to please. Perfect for kids. 

Not sure I'd do a lab pup for a first pet, though. Too much work. One over 3 yrs  and under 8, from a good home, yep. 

[Dmmetler]

An adult corn snake was a nice, easy pet for DD at 7. The Frog tadpoles she got a year earlier, not so much. 

[Slache]

2 minutes ago, dmmetler said:

An adult corn snake was a nice, easy pet for DD at 7. The Frog tadpoles she got a year earlier, not so much. 

Why adult?

[Annie G]

We are a cat family and don’t declaw so the kids had to learn to treat the kitty kindly or get scratched. Kids and grandkids learned that lesson really quickly. 

Cats are good because they need some care but not daily walks like dogs, and they live longer than fish and rodents. We didn’t want to deal with pet death. 

Our 17 year old cat is very dog like. He loves to beg for treats and comes when you call him, and wants to be with people ALL the time.

[Frances]

Adult golden lab from Humane Society. We didn’t get her until our son was in middle school, but I think it would have been fine earlier. Friends who cared for her for up to three weeks at a time when we vacationed had a baby shortly after we got her. She was wonderful with all kids, and our friend’s youngest learned to walk by pulling up on her and cruising around with her. She was sweet and gentle and loved everyone and was always up for an adventure. But at home, she was very mellow and my son loved sleeping with her. Personally, I wouldn’t want a puppy because of the work, high energy, and you don’t really know what you are getting. An older dog from a good rescue organization would be my recommendation. We’re on our second golden lab, and they have both been amazing.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Frances

[happypamama]

Kitten was good for DD when she was about 5.  We already had had an older cat since we adopted him as a kitten about 18 months before we had DD, so she was used to cats.

 

A leopard gecko was a good pet for her when she was 4, obviously with help.  Leos are somewhat social, fairly easy to take care of, and don't climb.  The setup isn't cheap, and they do need live food, which can be a hassle if you don't live near a pet store, but they're fun to watch and hardy critters.

 

DD is 16 now.  The gecko is 12.  The kitten we got when she was 5 is now 11 and is still a companion to her.  Nice that both pets have survived a long time.

[GoodGrief]

Probably going to depend on the kid, but I haven't been a fan of any of the small animals we brought into the house as pets...aquatic frogs, fish, snails, a non-aquatic frog, isopods in a tank, guinea pigs...I'm probably forgetting something. They were all long-lived, and the kids lost interest in them relatively quickly. Dogs are the ones we keep getting and enjoying.

[Lady Florida.]

1 hour ago, Catwoman said:

We always had dogs and cats in the house, even before ds was born.  ?

Us too. Ds hasn't had a moment in his life when we didn't have cats, dogs, or both. 

By the time he was seven the last of our dogs had died (we still had 2 cats) and we got him a puppy for his 7th birthday. We were well aware that giving a puppy to a seven year old meant we'd be taking care of it (or supervising the care) and training it in the early years, but it was such a good choice. They became best buddies. They even did dog agility together and ds became a junior handler. I think the dog saw him as a littermate. ? It was tough when we had to have him put down 2 years ago and ds was really torn up about it but we have no regrets.

 Cats are great. I love both dogs and cats but I think dogs give a child more understanding of unconditional love and teach them how to care for a living being.

 

Edited August 22, 2018 by Lady Florida.

[Slache]

We are a dog family and we live in an apartment. He wants something that's his and I'm not getting each kid a dog. I don't want more pets and I'm concerned about a caged animal's excitement wearing off. I don't want to get him anything but I don't want to deny him the opportunity to have his own pet as a child.

What I want is a 3-5 year investment that can live in a 10 gallon tank sized cage happily. I didn't say that because I wanted unbridled answers.

Thank you for your thoughts. Keep 'em coming!

[Liz CA]

1 hour ago, Slache said:

We are a dog family and we live in an apartment. He wants something that's his and I'm not getting each kid a dog. I don't want more pets and I'm concerned about a caged animal's excitement wearing off. I don't want to get him anything but I don't want to deny him the opportunity to have his own pet as a child.

What I want is a 3-5 year investment that can live in a 10 gallon tank sized cage happily. I didn't say that because I wanted unbridled answers.

Thank you for your thoughts. Keep 'em coming!

 

A dwarf rabbit. Mine lived in a cage but I had him out every opportunity I got. The more you play with them the more they get trained. He knew his name and came (when he wanted to), learned how to hop up and down stairs.

Maintenance: Wire cage with removable bottom, bedding and hay for food or pellets and an occasional treat. Average lifespan 5-8 years - some may get older.

Bunnies seem to be partial to kids and not overly reactive; many like to cuddle.

I would advise against hamsters, only because the average lifespan is 2-3 years and then comes the funeral...which was heartbreaking when I was 8. After that my mother refused to get another hamster so I got a bunny a few years later. He lived until I moved out. 

[Ausmumof3]

Budgies!  Try to get one that has been handled a lot or even hand raised.  They are born social and are incredibly friendly and rewarding for a low cost and easy to feed friend.  They do obviously make a bit of mess but it’s not like a bigger bird.  

Obviously not a good option if you already have a cat or something though. 

[Dmmetler]

10 hours ago, Slache said:

Why adult?

Hatchling snakes are very fragile, and much more likely to be difficult to get to eat. An adult is more durable, so easier for kids to handle safely, and you can get one that is an established feeder on frozen/thawed prey and used to being handled. Both of DD’s snakes came from kids who were heading out to college.  

[Dmmetler]

9 hours ago, Slache said:

We are a dog family and we live in an apartment. He wants something that's his and I'm not getting each kid a dog. I don't want more pets and I'm concerned about a caged animal's excitement wearing off. I don't want to get him anything but I don't want to deny him the opportunity to have his own pet as a child.

What I want is a 3-5 year investment that can live in a 10 gallon tank sized cage happily. I didn't say that because I wanted unbridled answers.

Thank you for your thoughts. Keep 'em coming!

A male Kenyan Sand Boa, Rosy Boa, or Western Hognose would work, although all have longer lifespans than 3-5 years. Sand boas and rosy boas are mostly fossorial, so can sometimes seem like having a pet box of dirt, but they are easy to handle and manage. They’re fat little snakes. They tend to like curling up in a pocket :). Hognose can be a little more tricky (they feed on toads in the wild, so you definitely want an established feeder), but can be a lot of fun to watch, and usually easy to handle. They will be less likely to sit and cuddle than the boas. They are technically slightly venomous, but non-injurious to humans. (Or, actually, mammals). All of these species are live bearers, and females are much larger than males, so you want a proven male if you want it to be happy in a small enclosure.

On the lizard side, Leopard Geckos would work, but require live insects. They’re adorable. 

A pac-man Frog or fire bellied toad would also be an option, but, again, live insects. 

 

[SamanthaCarter]

A kitten or a patient mostly-adult dog. 

[Wheres Toto]

Another vote for corn snake, although we got ours as a baby about 6 weeks old.  She's actually crawling around me right now.  ?

She's extremely handleable, likes people, native to our area of the country so no crazy humidity or heat requirements.  She does need an under tank heat pad for when she eats, but even if we lose power she's fine as long as she hasn't eaten recently.

[Slache]

39 minutes ago, dmmetler said:

A male Kenyan Sand Boa, Rosy Boa, or Western Hognose would work, although all have longer lifespans than 3-5 years. Sand boas and rosy boas are mostly fossorial, so can sometimes seem like having a pet box of dirt, but they are easy to handle and manage. They’re fat little snakes. They tend to like curling up in a pocket :). Hognose can be a little more tricky (they feed on toads in the wild, so you definitely want an established feeder), but can be a lot of fun to watch, and usually easy to handle. They will be less likely to sit and cuddle than the boas. They are technically slightly venomous, but non-injurious to humans. (Or, actually, mammals). All of these species are live bearers, and females are much larger than males, so you want a proven male if you want it to be happy in a small enclosure.

On the lizard side, Leopard Geckos would work, but require live insects. They’re adorable. 

A pac-man Frog or fire bellied toad would also be an option, but, again, live insects. 

Live food is fine. I'd like to avoid pinkies. Can any of the above live in a 10 gallon tank forever? Is a hatchling a terrible idea if mom is heavily involved in the beginning? How does one acquire a healthy adult snake? My mom does not reptile so I've never had such a thing. Can we leave them if we go on vacation?

[SKL]

I'm sure a dog is a great pet.  We don't have one because some of the adults don't want a big furry animal running around the house.  We can't have a cat because someone is allergic.

I think a guinea pig is a great pet.  Easy to care for, very cute, and you can actually play with it.  Previously we started with fish, but they are no easier and don't interact much.  Then parakeets, but they are not so easy to interact with either.  Our first was sweet and loved people, but we think it ate something bad while it was flying around free and it died suddenly.  Then we got 2 so they could have company, but they hated each other and us.  We had to separate them so they wouldn't peck each other to death.  Later we tried letting one out to interact with us, but it mysteriously died days later.  So now we have one left who talks more to our guinea pig than to us.

As far as age, I waited until the kids were 8 before we got our first pets.  I wanted them to be able to keep them alive with a bit of guidance.  We are super busy and I didn't want or need a pet earlier.  But I guess any age is fine as long as the adult is committed.

[Katy]

We're also a dog family, though we have had cats too in the past. We have a few with cat allergies now though, and I'm unwilling to pay for a ragdoll (the breed the family doesn't seem to be allergic to).  If a pure bred ragdoll became available through the rescue organization we adopted the last couple through, we might get another one, though I'm not looking very hard.

[Miss Tick]

Rabbits are very quiet, don't shed much, eat unexciting (not live!) food, and will cuddle. Con: prodigious poopers.

[livetoread]

My son got his hatchling corn snake when he was about seven. He’s now 20 and off to college. I was misinformed about how long they live, lol, but that’s okay, I’m actually quite fond of the snake. He is an Okeetee and very beautiful. 

We leave him for vacation and just have someone check and change his water every 3-4 days or so. He eats a thawed large mouse every week, but he doesn’t have to. Everything I’ve read says you can keep adult corns in a 20 gal long, but I snagged a 55 gal on Craigslist, and he seems to enjoy it. We also switched from newspaper to aspen bedding and he loves tunneling in it. They do need something to hide in to feel safe. 

I think corn snakes are great pets if you don’t need a relationship with your pet. He’s not like our dog who loves us, but he’s also way less work!

Editing to add Madagascar hissing cockroaches seem to fit your criteria

Edited August 22, 2018 by livetoread

[Pen]

Dogs and cats preceded dc. Usually a right dog (Labrador, Golden, etc. types, who tend to like being hugged and frolicked with) seems to bond better, but some cats are very patient and take to children.  

Ds’s first personal pets were chicks. I can’t recall how old he was, maybe around 9. 

[Dmmetler]

4 hours ago, Slache said:

Live food is fine. I'd like to avoid pinkies. Can any of the above live in a 10 gallon tank forever? Is a hatchling a terrible idea if mom is heavily involved in the beginning? How does one acquire a healthy adult snake? My mom does not reptile so I've never had such a thing. Can we leave them if we go on vacation?

All three will be fine in a 10 gal set up. They’re small snakes, usually only about 12-18 inches long even fully grown. A hatchling will require pinks or even reds, and may require relatively involved means to feed at all. By adulthood, a small adult mouse would be appropriate. In general, it’s safer to feed frozen because an adult mouse in an enclosed space can do a lot of damage to a snake (and it’s pretty scary for the mouse, too). 

Adult snakes can be had through rescues, or by letting people know you’re interested. Breeders often have ones from the prior year who didn’t sell or who are being rotated out of breeding to avoid inbreeding. In general, finding an adult snake is mostly a matter of letting people know you want one. It’s kind of like finding a kitten to adopt. 

An adult snake can easily go a week or two without food. Hatchlings need to feed more often. 

[Dmmetler]

2 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

I've read that box turtles actually will be stressed out their whole life if you take them home. They only roam like a mile their whole life and if they can't find "home" it will stress them out. Even if that's an exaggeration I would hate to risk it. 

If you suspect allergies look into that. I already knew that ds acted allergic to some animals and I discouraged dh from bringing home a pet but he did and now we're trying to rehome mainly because of the allergies. 

 

It’s usually illegal to keep wildlife. Some states are more flexible than others. In mine, Box turtles are actually protected beyond that due to overharvesting in the 1980’s for the pet trade in many states. And federal law makes selling turtles below 3” illegal (also due the 1980’s ninja turtles craze), so finding a good breeder for smaller turtles is difficult, because they take years to get to that size. Water turtles are recommended to have 10 gallons of water/space per inch of shell, and most get pretty big. 

[Slache]

14 minutes ago, dmmetler said:

All three will be fine in a 10 gal set up. They’re small snakes, usually only about 12-18 inches long even fully grown. A hatchling will require pinks or even reds, and may require relatively involved means to feed at all. By adulthood, a small adult mouse would be appropriate. In general, it’s safer to feed frozen because an adult mouse in an enclosed space can do a lot of damage to a snake (and it’s pretty scary for the mouse, too). 

Adult snakes can be had through rescues, or by letting people know you’re interested. Breeders often have ones from the prior year who didn’t sell or who are being rotated out of breeding to avoid inbreeding. In general, finding an adult snake is mostly a matter of letting people know you want one. It’s kind of like finding a kitten to adopt. 

An adult snake can easily go a week or two without food. Hatchlings need to feed more often. 

Is there anything you recommend that never graduates from crickets?

I'm a princess. Sorry.

[Mom25girls]

We loved our bunny but cats and dogs are much easier. 

[Dmmetler]

3 hours ago, Slache said:

Is there anything you recommend that never graduates from crickets?

I'm a princess. Sorry.

Leopard geckos. And some other lizards, but Leos would fit your size requirement. Insectivorous snakes tend to be fragile and hard to manage, and few larger snakes eat insects as a regular part of their diet (except for copperheads, who love cicadas, but they aren’t exactly a good pet!) 

[Slache]

1 hour ago, dmmetler said:

Leopard geckos. And some other lizards, but Leos would fit your size requirement. Insectivorous snakes tend to be fragile and hard to manage, and few larger snakes eat insects as a regular part of their diet (except for copperheads, who love cicadas, but they aren’t exactly a good pet!) 

Thanks for all the help!