How to Pick a Cheap, Easy First Pet for Your Child

So your child has been begging you nonstop for a pet the last few months. You probably can't even get through a meal without them presenting evidence on why they deserve a pet (i.e. their best friend just got his second dog; the class gerbil was always happiest with your child). Well, I like to think that every child deserves a pet, but there are definitely good and bad first pets. Read on for a guide on how select the perfect first pet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A willing child
• A pet store

1. For a young child, I would generally advise against buying a cat or dog. Cats aren't big cuddlers and generally don't respond well to the usual rough-housing and heavy petting kids will impart to their pets. Also, they are some of the quickest to take a good swipe at people. Dogs, I think, are too much responsibility for a young child. If this pet is going to be a family pet, by all means get a dog, but if this is intended to be your child's pet, you want to get something that he/she will be able to take care of (mostly).

2. Sea monkeys are a great starting pet. They're cheap, can be bought at Walmart, and readily easy to replace. Your child can really take pleasure in growing their own little sea monkeys in about a week (through a series of adding different life stage packets). Watching the little critters can keep your youngest children occupied for hours. They're also very low maintenance, and kids will get a kick out of feeding them packets like "Banana Treat, Sea Monkey Dessert." Unfortunately, these little guys are not very hands-on oriented and may only hold a child's attention for several months. But they are a great stepping stone.

3. 
    
   A Real Stunner

   Moving up in the world of aquatic animals, we have betta fish. These are loner fish that are frequently sold in pet stores in little bowls. They come in a huge variety of colors, so your kids will really enjoy getting to pick out their very own! My childhood beta lived for about five years, which is pretty good as it's always tough when a pet dies. After a month or so they can become fairly interactive. Mine would swim to the top and flick his tail whenever I came over. And it's not too hard for kids to remember to feed them twice a day. Prevent over feeding by using the weekly medicine pill boxes to dispense just the right amount of food each time. Fill it up every three days for your kid and you never have to worry about a mountain of food in the bottom of the tank. (I also suggest keeping the food flakes away in a cupboard where little hands can't get to them). The tank only has to be cleaned every other week, and it takes less than 10 minutes. Overall, the betta is a wonderful first-time pet.

4. 
    
   Dumbo the Pet Rat

   On to the fuzzier creatures. Many parents opt for hamsters but they have a short life span and are nocturnal and so are not the best choice. They're relative the gerbil, however, is well-suited for children because they like to play during the day and generally live longer. Rats are ideal for similar reasons (if the parent can get over the initial ick factor) and also tend to be very clean, smart animals. Of course, both of these will require maintenance than the critters from steps 2 and 3, but your child will also be able to enjoy cuddling with his pet gerbil or rat.

5. 
    
   An Adorable Pet

   The world of shelled animals offers a number of good first pets. My favorite is turtle. They're fairly easy care as long as you provide them with a source of basking light and water to bathe in as well as a land mass to sleep on. Cute and engaging animals, your child is sure to bond with its first turtle. The biggest caution on buying a turtle is being aware of the fact that depending on the species your cute, little turtle can grow quite large. Ask what the species is and if the pet shop owner doesn't know, they are not well informed enough to be buying from. Research that species to see if they're full grown size is something you can handle (including diet and habitat).

6. 
    
   A Friendly Crawler

   Another great shelled pet is the hermit crab. These are similar in care to the turtle and can also be interactive. Kids will really enjoy watching their hermit crab crawl around and will also be able to take them out to play with them (secure and clean the area first). They will even climb up your kid's shirt! Don't forget they will grow like the turtle so be sure you are ready for a full size hermit crab. You will also need to purchase shells of different sizes as they grow.

7. Hope you can find the perfect first pet for your child that is both easy to care and inexpensive! Happy pet hunting :o)

Tips & Warnings

• Don't forget that even though this is your child's first pet (and he or she will certainly introduce it as such), the pet is ultimately your responsibility. Discreetly watch your child with the pet to be sure he or she is not be too rough with the pet when you're not around. For the first month of ownership, be sure to ask your child if he or she fed, played, walked, etc the pet that day.
• Be sure to thoroughly research the care of any pet you are thinking of purchasing. While I provided a few tips here, they are by no means the full extent of what you need to know to care for your animal. Be a responsible pet owner so you can teach your child to be one as well. There are numerous informative ehow articles on how to care for various pets.

[FranticMommy]

on 9/5/2009 We just went thru a similar dilemma and we settled on a fish. We love our fish but I would advise against goldfish. Even though they are cheap, they are die easy. We have two black Moors and love them. Good tips!

[cakewalk]

on 8/19/2009 great article for parents!

[harrisdy]

on 8/19/2009 very good article... nice pics too! 5*

[gahazeleyes]

on 8/18/2009 Very good. Thanks

[mweise]

on 8/15/2009 These are some great suggestions!! Passing this on to my daughter for the grandkids.