 Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Sarah Mandler ]
#215955 - 11/13/2008 09:52 AM |
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Reg: 12-04-2001
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Loc: Michigan
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Guinea pigs make a good pet for a small child. Rats are nice too,but can develope tumors. Be sure and check your local animal shelter or humane society. Many times a small pet is waiting for a new home.
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Cheryl Gee ]
#215957 - 11/13/2008 10:12 AM |
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Reg: 09-22-2007
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Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I think we will have to decide between a guinea pig and a rat.
And Cheryl, thanks for the reminder about trying a shelter first; I would not have thought of that for a small animal...
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Lynne Barrows ]
#215958 - 11/13/2008 10:17 AM |
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If you are to get either a rat or a guinea pig, I would strongly urge you to get two. The reason why these species make such great pets is the same reason dogs do: they are "pack" animals.
So, your rat or GP will surely bond to you if it is by itself. But what happens when you aren't there? I would venture to say my rat is smarter than many people's English bulldog or Afgan hound. They need attention and stimulation, so it is really better to get a pair.
That said, my rat is alone, I just play with her a lot!
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Lynne Barrows ]
#215959 - 11/13/2008 10:18 AM |
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Reg: 08-16-2007
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Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Tonnes of small animals in shelters!
There may also be small-animal or species-specific rescues with rats or guinea pigs (the rabbit rescue I volunteered for took in other small animals, and I got the GP brothers from a guinea pig rescue. Both rescues pulled from shelters and accepted owner surrenders).
Teagan!
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Jennifer Mullen ]
#215973 - 11/13/2008 10:51 AM |
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Reg: 12-04-2007
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I would vote rat, mouse, guinea pig, and finally it depends on the kid.
Rats are generally all around good pets, they're big enough to handle, usually enjoy human contact, and are fairly intelligent. There can be an odor and cleanliness factor with rats.
Mice are small, quiet, but are more difficult to handle for a kid with limited manual dexterity. There can be an odor issue with male mice.
Guinea pigs are easy to handle, great to interact with, but can be noisey, required more specialized care, do much much better in groups, and also can catch common respiratory bugs from people. Like the stuff kids bring hom from school.
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Melissa Thom ]
#215976 - 11/13/2008 10:58 AM |
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Reg: 10-16-2007
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Loc: Galveston, TX
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I would vote rat but dimond is coming around I can stick my hand in her cage now without worry.
Well mouse I mean.
I think that would be ideal gunipigs are way to much trouble
My little rose bud |
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Melissa Thom ]
#215978 - 11/13/2008 11:14 AM |
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Reg: 10-30-2005
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Loc: South Dakota, USA
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Rats are generally all around good pets, they're big enough to handle, usually enjoy human contact, and are fairly intelligent. There can be an odor and cleanliness factor with rats.
Mice are small, quiet, but are more difficult to handle for a kid with limited manual dexterity. There can be an odor issue with male mice.
I am glad someone touched on the size factor. Mice can also be easily "lost" if they get away. Rats (at least mine) would wander but always come back. She never ventured very far anyway. Probably because she knew I had snakes in the house...LOL
Mice are also more fragile as well.
Someone also mentioned something about getting two....IMHO, there is really no need for this if the animal is treated like a pet and time is spent with them. Plus...if you accidentally get a male and female....YIKES...watch out, they breed like bunnies.
My feeders (for the snakes) used to fight as well, so I had to make sure I only had so many in one space or they would get crabby. (I used 55 gallon fishtanks for about 8 rats and about 16 mice and seperated the males and females, had a separate tank for breeding as they would eat each others young)
Misty was one of my feeders and she was just so dang sweet that I turned her into my pet. I fell in love with her.
Until The Tale of the Lioness is told, the Story will Always Glorfy the Hunter |
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Carol Boche ]
#216014 - 11/13/2008 03:04 PM |
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Reg: 03-16-2008
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I also have rats. 5 females and 1 male. They are my pets, but their offspring become feeders for my snakes. If you get them at a young age, and handle them often, they can make great pets. They can also be litter trained if one so desires (I do not). You can also get rats in some pretty cool looking colors these days, not just your "wild rat color" of brown or grey. The biggest thing with keeping rats healthy is a varied diet of not only pellets you buy at the stores, but fresh food. Veggies, fruits, breads, and proteins. They can eat pretty much any leftovers after dinner, in moderation of course. Give them too much at once, they get the runs. Oh and they love chicken bones every now and then. Yes mine are spoiled.
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Laura Dobson ]
#216016 - 11/13/2008 03:16 PM |
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Reg: 12-14-2007
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Loc: Kentucky
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Don't limit it to rodents. Some reptiles, amphibians, or birds are great too.
Bravo Vom Buchonia |
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Re: Small pet for a 6 year old...
[Re: Matthew Thurston ]
#216017 - 11/13/2008 03:33 PM |
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Loc: South Dakota, USA
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I thought of that too, however, I think a 6 year old might be a little young for a creepy crawly to get loose.
The parents HAVE to be able to handle them as well without being nervous about them.
AND the fact that no matter how cool reptiles, birds and what not are, they do require quite a bit to keep them correctly so that they do not get sick, get mouth rot, mites, develop self-mutilating issues (birds mainly) and so on.
Just my opinion though.
Until The Tale of the Lioness is told, the Story will Always Glorfy the Hunter |
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