Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 19:06     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Anonymous wrote:OP, think of it as a pet for your 8 year old for the first 2 days, and then a pet for you for the rest of the animal's life. Make this decision carefully.


Absolutely! DS had been asking for a dog. We got a cat.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 19:02     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Anonymous wrote:Whatever you get, please get 2 of them. Rodents are social and need to have a friend in with them. They will be happier and therefore you will be too.


Make sure they are the same sex!

OP, has your kid been asking for a pet?
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 19:00     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Just get her one of those 25 cent goldfish at Petsmart that die within a few days. She will be bored with a pet after a week (personal experience here) and do you really want to have to take care of a hamster or guinea pig or gerbil the next three years yourself?
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 18:57     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
All rodents smell if their cages aren't cleaned at least weekly, bedding replaced, and wiped/bathed regularly.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 17:32     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Beta fish.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 16:30     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
OP, think of it as a pet for your 8 year old for the first 2 days, and then a pet for you for the rest of the animal's life. Make this decision carefully.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 16:29     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Anonymous wrote:Whatever you get, please get 2 of them. Rodents are social and need to have a friend in with them. They will be happier and therefore you will be too.


This does not appy to non-dwarf hamsters.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 16:11     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Hamsters also have short lifespans, usually 1-3 years.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 16:10     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Whatever you get, please get 2 of them. Rodents are social and need to have a friend in with them. They will be happier and therefore you will be too.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2014 16:08     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Hamsters are also nocturnal. You won't want to keep them in the bedroom because they will noisy while your child is sleeping. Hamsters are also nippy.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2014 16:46     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Cat!
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2014 16:34     Subject: Re:considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
A small breed dog.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2014 16:25     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
Okay...
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2014 14:26     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
a rock, serously they will be done with it in a weeek and you are stuck doing all the work or try a hermit crab.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2014 14:25     Subject: considering a pet for 8 year old. Suggestions, pros/cons, etc.
We are considering an animal for our family, particularly 8 year old daughter. We are specifically thinking of a mouse, hamster or gerbil, but other small animals along these lines are also possibilities. I think we've ruled out guinea pigs because of their smell.

Can you help me consider what is possible/the best fit for our family? Interested in feeding, cleaning, smell/allergens (I tend to be a little allergic), lifespan, etc. There's probably other things I'm not considering. I seem to remember for instance that gerbils are is nocturnal for instance- not sure if that would have a huge impact for daughter?