Taking the pet plunge

[katyamum]

My nearly 7 year old daughter is desperate for a pet. I grew up with dogs and cats, and I do see that she loves animals and it wold be wonderful to give her a chance to show she can do this, but I am anxious about taking the pet plunge for following reasons: 1) am now allergic to most furry animals 2) have 2 other children age 5 and 2 so life is already more than hectic 3) do not want to kill any living creature through neglect and I am very bad with plants.

The other day I saw a stuffed tortoise in the Natural History Museum and it got me thinking...maybe a toirtoise is a good idea? Or a snake? I hear they are not so high maintenance.....

Advice please!!

katyamum - think very carefully before you get any pet! Yes they can be a good thing to teach kids - but that's not the reason to get one. I have 2 dogs and had posted last week for advice because my circumstances have changed etc etc. If you feel your life is full now then dont get any pet! You could end up looking after it when the novelty has worn off. It's just not the kids you need to think of - think of the animal too.

Tortoise's are quite expensive now as IIRC they are protected.

snakes are quite popular and there are lots of varieties but they may need to be fed furry things and aren't very cuddly.

could you get a cat. My dh is allergic to cats but he's more immune to our own ones, unless he handles one and then rubs his eyes!

tropical fish are easy to look after and relaxing to watch

I really think that if we do take the plunge, it would be for my daughter. You are right - we are already over stretched. That's why I am avoiding dogs/cats/rabbits/hamsters.But isn't there something so easy and low maintenance other than a goldfish?

and what is IIRC please?

if I remember correctly

a spider from the garden??? if it doesnt work you can always let it go!!

My DH is the same as fruitshoots, if he is around an animal he gets used to them, but initially he suffers quite a lot.
We have had hamsters and now guinea pigs and he is fine as long as he washes his hands after and doesn't touch his eyes.
We have a lovely old tortoise as well which was dh's as a child and had been through another family before that, but nowadays they are very expensive and you have to keep them indoors with heating etc

thanks - I thought it was a reptile protection group

I love the idea of a tortoise that goes down with generations. That's really great for you. I don't mind having anything in the house but I just don't want loads of extra hard work and hassle. I want something low maintenance. Maybe the spider idea is a good start? Or maybe I should get her some work experience in Battersea Dogs Home...!

get a worm farm! Entertaining, low maintenance and environmentally friendly!

Not a tortoise. They do take some looking after, especially now as most of them have been bred in vivariums.

And not tropical fish - too hihg-maintenance - get goldfish/coldwater fish instead.

Or a leaf/stick insect? Perhaps a madagascar hissing Cockroach [blech] - I did actually know a child who had a pair of these as pets...

One of those dodgy hairless cats or dogs - no fur issues?

my cats are less maintenance than the goldfish were, and the guinea pigs. Although you maybe unlucky to get one with rather irritating toilet habits like my persian.