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Original poster

What is the best pet for a 6yo boy?

37 replies

LynetteScavo · 08/03/2009 20:45

We seem to have produced a budding vet, as DS2 adores all animals and I was thinking of intoducing a new pet to the family for his b'day.

We have 2 cats already, a dog is not practcal atm, and I don't do rodents.

Do that only leave gold fish and giant african land snails?

OP posts:
Ronaldinhio · 08/03/2009 20:47

newts stick insects
frog spawn to taddies v interesting to watch

LittleB · 08/03/2009 20:51

I had stick insects when I was 7, they were pretty good. i also had lots of rodents too though.

MadMazza · 08/03/2009 20:54

We've just set up a gold fish tank for our two sons aged 4 and 7. They love it and take turns feeding them. After setting the tank up one weekend they were so excited that the following weekend we would be choosing the fish! They chose two fantail goldfish each and one for Daddy! They named their own fish and spend ages watching them eat and chasing each other! The great thing is that when the novelty wears off, they are not a huge amount of work to maintain (I'm just hoping and praying they won't die too soon!)

MitchyInge · 08/03/2009 20:56

a tarantula? pretty minimal care

noonki · 08/03/2009 21:00

maybe instead of a dog contact the local animal sanctuary and see if you can 'borrow' a dog for walks, our local one loves it.

As for pets -I feel sorry for lots of the ones I used to have (rabbits, rodents, birds, fish)

we too had stick insects and I doubt they were too traumatised!

MitchyInge · 08/03/2009 21:04

I want one of these

ingles2 · 08/03/2009 21:05

I know you say you don't do rodents Lynette, neither do I usually but we have some dwarf russian hamsters who are very cute and tail less which helps.
They did try to kill each other when they were homed together which wasn't so cute but I have to admit I've become quite fond of them.
Ds2 is 7 and adores them.

ingles2 · 08/03/2009 21:08

ours looked like this..

FlorenceDaphne · 08/03/2009 21:10

Possibly contentious, but I think that six is too young an age to have a pet of one's own.

It's probably obvious, but I think people need to recognise that you cannot give a child sole responsibility for an animal. I'm not aiming that comment at you, Lynette, just remarking that lots of pets must lead pretty sad lives when the novelty's worn off.

But I must stick in my two pence worth and suggest a rat. They're intelligent, cute, lively, and not too delicate! They need a LOT of attention, though.

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 08/03/2009 21:23

Sugest away FlorenceDaphne - but a rat will not be living with us!

I would give in to a hamster when DS can look after it himself (which will probably be when he's over 18 )

I totally realise I will be doing all the care!

noonki - I didn't know that about walking dogs. I will investigate as DS would love nothing more.

OP posts:
floaty · 08/03/2009 21:27

I know they are rodents but I would def recommend guinea pigs,gentle,don't smell,don't scurry,can live outside,keep your grass down and can be held very comfortabley on a six year olds lap

wannaBe · 08/03/2009 21:29

My ds is six and he has two fish, a budgie and a rabbit.

The majority of care of course falls to me, but ds does feed the rabit/the fish and he regularly lets the budgie out of his cage to fly around the room - the budgie is very tame (I had to spend the hours taming him though) but ds can pick him up on his finger to get him out.

I am slightly more animalcentric than most though as the rest of my menagerie consists of two dogs, two cats and a parrot!

Rats are vermin though and as much as I love animals no rat will ever be allowed over my threshold either.

Milliways · 08/03/2009 21:31

Would you do Gecko's?

We holiday sat one once and DS loved it. I did not love feeding it maggots & grasshoppers though!!!

wannaBe · 08/03/2009 21:39

I don't think that children should keep reptiles. In fact if I'm honest I don't think that most adults should keep reptiles. Reptiles actually require more care than people tend to realize which is why so many of them end up with health problems/weak skeletons/mineral deficiencies etc.

The rule in my house is that I won't allow any animal that i am not personally prepared to handle.

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 08/03/2009 21:46

Ok, so it seems there is now perfect pet ahve never heard of

I'm leaning towards goldfish at the moment.

Would it be more fun to give him just the tank and let him choose the fish, or just to give hime the fish do you think?

OP posts:
hellymelly · 08/03/2009 21:51

Oh rats are much better than hamsters,rats are so intelligent and they will come when they are called and do all sorts of really cute stuff,honestly they are fantastic pets.Why not a ratty? you can get very nice colours if a brown one would be too much for you,they even come in a curly coated variant,like a rat with a perm.Fab.I would love a rat but I have a terrier....so no.

ingles2 · 08/03/2009 21:53

oh fish are so boring Lynette and the die really regularly!
My Fil has fish, he's always flushing them down the loo.
But if that's they way you're going, Pets at home have a sponge bob tank my ds's love the look of.

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 08/03/2009 21:59

Shut up about rats! My friend has some and I refuse to visit her now. She reckons they will only live for another 18 months, and I'm quite looking forward to being able to go to her house again.

OP posts:
ingles2 · 08/03/2009 22:01

go on get a hamster! ds2 can't play with a fish!

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 08/03/2009 22:11

I think the cats would be too interested in a hamster.

OP posts:
StercusAccidit · 08/03/2009 22:16

A ferret
Female and speyed
Or Male and castrated AND descented

THE best pet And interesting. In the house or an outside pet whichever.

Good luck choosing x

wannaBe · 08/03/2009 22:20

rats are incontinent though .

And the common pet rat is still descended from the common sewer rat.

kid · 08/03/2009 22:21

Another vote for guinea pigs, they are so cute and cuddly too.

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 08/03/2009 22:21

My mum told me last week mice are incontinent, and leave dropping every where,but rats aren't and do dropping in piles.

OP posts:
kid · 08/03/2009 22:25

I know someone that had 2 rats. One died and the other one ate some of it in a short space of time. She was too scared to remove the dead rat so was waiting for someone else to do it for her

I had rats when I was younger, agree that they make better pets than hamsters, gerbils and fish. My fish live on average for 2 weeks.