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Original poster

DD to get guinea pigs for her 3rd birthday, good idea???

25 replies

Redlorry75 · 14/08/2006 15:31

DH and I have almost decided we are getting DD 2 female guinea pigs for her third birthday at the end of September.

It's not more pieces of brightly coloured plastic cluttering the house (yes I know humbug)!
Everyone has been asked to contribute toward them by either buying an item for the hutch or giving cash (for the more generous grandparents etc)
We hope it will give her a lesson in responsibility (we really do hope).
It will become part of the daily routine to care for them and bring them out for a cuddle and a play. I just wondered what the rest of you thought about this, especally those who have also bought pets for younger children?

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 14/08/2006 15:33

She must be a very mature 3-year-old.

I hope you like guinea pigs, b/c they'll be yours to care for for the most part.

proudofmyboobs · 14/08/2006 15:35

A 3yr old doesn't need a lasson in responsibility! When does she get to be a 3yr old if she has to be responsible!?

Anyway, we have 2 gerbils and they are a pain in the ass to clean etc (I do it every week) They belong to my almost 5yr old who doesn't give a flying toss about them

Roobie · 14/08/2006 15:36

I'm sure she'll love them but, unless you particularly fancy having them as a family pet, personally I'd wait until she was old enough to look after them herself.

fennel · 14/08/2006 15:39

My 6yo has a hamster, she loves it and does look after it after a fashion. My dd2 is promised a guinea pig for her 6th birthday. I'd have thought 3 is too young, not fair on the animal. little animals get very stressed at rough handing and most 3 year olds just can't really be gentle consistently.

Original poster

Redlorry75 · 14/08/2006 15:44

Okay so perhaps responsibility was'nt the word I should have used.

Dd is very caring of the cats which were part of the family before she arrived and pesters me to remind me they need feeding and let her hold them etc which they dont even let us adults do as they are both very stand-offish.
But she's played with guinea pigs at the local childrens farm several times and was very good and gentle with them.
As for looking after them I am more than happy to lead on this activity as I am hoping it will be something we can do together.
I would not even contemplate letting her handle them or do anything with them without adult supervision.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 14/08/2006 15:45

I want a hamster. Badly.

And a guinea pig as well. I like how they squeak.

My sister has 3 and I'm jealous.

But her kids are 9 and 12 and do lots of work.

YellowFeathers · 14/08/2006 15:56

I really really wouldn't bother but its your call!

The novelty of cleaning them out will wear off and ask yourself, do you really want to be wandering off into the garden in the colder months, freezing your hands off whilst you scrape out guinea pig poo, clean and wash them out etc.

I don't doubt that your dd will love to have them but I don't think she'll be all that fussed about doing anything else with them apart from the holding etc and again will you be letting her do that when its peeing down with rain or will you have them in the house?

Not that its the same but we have just bought our dd a goldfish as she is mad about them. Loves sealife, pays a real interest. Well I gave in and bought her one goldfish (well she picked it) got the works and the only attention shes given it is a name. So poor Nemo the goldfish is loved only by dh and I

madmarchhare · 14/08/2006 16:00

I have seen many friends ending up looking after their childs pets. I look upon it as one of the benefits of being the last one out of all your friends to have kids.

Chandra · 14/08/2006 16:03

I would wait, DS is 3 yrs old and I have lost the count of the number of times he has been sent to the noughty step for being too rough on the dogs (and also how many times I have yelled at the dogs for getting a bit impatient with DS)

TBH, if the dogs had not arrived 4 yrs before DS I would have happily let them go. Too much work to keep an eye on them all (child included)

wannaBe1974 · 14/08/2006 16:58

Imo she's too young. DS is 3.9 and has two goldfish named donald and Douglas. He's very good with them in terms of remembering to feed them but the rest of the work is done by dh. But he's constantly being shouted at for winding up the dogs as well, and I certainly don't want another animal that I'll end up looking after, because after a while even the novelty of stroking and petting will wear off.

I would tell her that the cats are the family pets and that when she's older, i.e. about 7 or 8, she can have a pet of her own. Dh has so far this week asked me if he can have,

a rabbit, a parrot, and a kitten (we already have two cats) my answer to all of which has been ... not a chance.

wannaBe1974 · 14/08/2006 16:59

oops ds I mean not dh lol.

southeastastra · 14/08/2006 16:59

as long as you look after them, they will be great pets, don't think she's too young tbh

Bugsy2 · 14/08/2006 17:25

My children have Guinea Pigs and I would say your dd is too young. My youngest was nearly 4 when we got them and lost interest very quickly, whereas older DS adores them and loves helping with their care.
I'd seriously consider leaving it for another year if I were you Redlorry.

wannaBe1974 · 14/08/2006 17:34

Imo it depends who you are getting them for. if you're getting them for your dd, then she is too young. If you're getting them as family pets but just with dd in mind, but they'll essentially be your pets that dd will be allowed to stroke, then I would just get them but not as a birthday present.

Personally I am against giving pets as presents anyway but that's a topic for a different discussion.

vickiyumyum · 14/08/2006 17:35

please don't unless you are prepared to take them on as your own pets! we brought ds2 guinea pigs for his 4th birthday earlier this year, after approx one week the novelty had worn off and he showed absolutley no interest in them anymore, refusing even to put veg in their run or hutch, so unless your dd is very animal orientated and has shown long term interest in other animals i personally wouldn't bother.

FioFio · 14/08/2006 17:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

southeastastra · 14/08/2006 17:36

i suppose it depends on the child, some are natural animal lovers

Original poster

Redlorry75 · 14/08/2006 20:21

So many people seem against the idea....
But I did like the suggestion that perhaps we get them as family pets, and not as a birthday present. Play time with them will be with me and DH and always supervised.
DD is animal fanatic, prior to her arrival as already mentioned we had cats and not mentioned, fsh. She helps with all aspects of their care -as much as her age will allow and I would'nt expect any more of her with any other animal to join our household.

Wonder what you're all going to say when I tell you I am expecting baby no.2 in December???? :O

OP posts:

proudofmyboobs · 14/08/2006 20:24

I'm going to say:

congratulations I have 2 December babies!!

Xena · 14/08/2006 20:32

My 4yo DD was desperate for a couple of guinea pigs. When we went to a shire horse centre they were doing animal holding she waited for ages to hold one (DS1 and DD2 had a rabbit to hold for about 15 minutes before DD1 got her turn with the guinea pigs, I was trying to convience her that rabbits were cuter but no she had been on about GP's since she was 3) anyway her turn comes they put the GP in her hand and it bit her and so she literaly threw back at the handler and hasn't wanted any small animal since. (about 6mths ago now)

gooseegg · 14/08/2006 20:48

We bought two male guinea pigs mainly because ds(just 4) adores them when he visits them at a local farm park, but also because I childmind and they are a learning resource for me.
Caring for them is on our daily rota, but I know that they are my responsibility and am fine with that. I don't mind doing the guinea-pigs who are lovely, as long as Dh does the womery - yuck.

Chandra · 14/08/2006 23:10

Another baby in December? congratulations!!!

I'm getting a picture in my mind of a mum with a breastfeeding baby on one arm trying to catch one of the GP with the other hand before cat gets to it, just before you realise that DD has placed the other one in the baby's laundry basket and the poor thing has managed to chew some clothes and poo at a corner before being rescued from there

Pesimist moi? nooooo

Best of luck, if you still like the idea of not giving them as a birthday present wait until baby is here and then, just then decide if you still want them.

brimfull · 14/08/2006 23:18

I'm in agreement with the others that 3 is too young for a pet.Most kids lose interest at much older ages so at 3 I would give her a few weeks at most.
As a family pet yes ,but if I was you I'd wait until 8yrs when they're definatley old enough to do the chores that go with it.Then it is a valuable lesson.

fennel · 15/08/2006 09:57

I would wait til after the new baby when things have settled again before adding any pets. I find I hate my cats when I have a new baby, they just seem an inconvenient chore. but now my youngest is 2 I'm quite fond of the cats again.

am sure we'll end up eventually with a home zoo. besides the cats, fish and hamster we have plans for future guinea pigs, chickens, another kitten and possibly dog. BUT we aren't having any more babies.

Original poster

Redlorry75 · 18/08/2006 13:29

Dear Everyone who responded.

Just to let you know - although I hate admitting I was wrong - I have decided to stall the idea of guinea pigs for at least a year. My daughter does love our cats, but hearing one squeak the other morning as she gave a bit of an over afectionate hug was enough to convince me she's not quite ready for them yet. And as for me, as much as I'd love to add them to our family, a new baby is arriving in December and it's a fine balancing act that would allow me to look after two children, two fish, two cats, DH and two guinea pigs and it would'nt be fair on them. Thanks to everyone who wrote on this thread because you really helped us make the decision. Now if you can just suggest another impressive birthday present instead, that's not toys, or books, or outdoor things, or clothes we'll be laughing!
Thanks everyone.
Redlorry75

OP posts:

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