Pet for 4 year old suitable for working family

gym_mom

My 4 year old is absolutely besotted with animals. Her eyes light up when she sees anything.. dogs, cats, horses etc.. We've put off getting a pet for the older children because we're not there from 8.30 to 5.30 daily and it wouldn't be right to have a dog.

Personally Im not an animal lover, couldn't have a cat in the house due to the smell, hairs etc.. but I feel so guilty depriving the child of a pet when she loves them so much. The 7 year old is also very fond of animals, 10 year old not so much. What pet would be most suitable for our family that wouldn't suffer from us not being there all day (must be something she can hold and play with). Thanks

RedXIV

We had dwarf hamsters when we were kids (6,10,11) we did ask for two of the same sex so they'd have company but the staff gave us a couple by accident and then we had 24

very easy pet to look after and you can take them out and play with them. Make sure you get a suitable cage though. When we had the babies we had to take the dad out and we put him in a big cardboard box while they grew up and he managed to escape. didn't find him for two weeks when he sped across a counter top.. Kinda miss them now thinking about it, we had the mother nearly 5 years and they aren't really supposed to live past 3 we were told

kildare.17hmr

iv got dogs at home but the other half wanted something small for the kids so we got them a dwarf rabbit, very easy to look after and they can take it out the back garden and let it run around and play with it in the evenings. no smell and no mess, he lives in his cage in the dining room and they live about 8 years

rainbowtrout

gym_mom wrote: »

My 4 year old is absolutely besotted with animals. Her eyes light up when she sees anything.. dogs, cats, horses etc.. We've put off getting a pet for the older children because we're not there from 8.30 to 5.30 daily and it wouldn't be right to have a dog.

Personally Im not an animal lover, couldn't have a cat in the house due to the smell, hairs etc.. but I feel so guilty depriving the child of a pet when she loves them so much. The 7 year old is also very fond of animals, 10 year old not so much. What pet would be most suitable for our family that wouldn't suffer from us not being there all day (must be something she can hold and play with). Thanks

To be honest I'd say you should think of it in terms of 'What sort of pet is suitable for you?' because while it may be your daughter's pet, ultimately you will be responsible for feeding it, cleaning out its cage etc, especially if the children get bored with the responsibility after a few weeks or months.

You said your 10 year old is not interested, but your 4 and 7 year old are. So realistically you will be looking after the pet.

So if you're not an animal lover, what kind of pet would you be happy to look after if you are left with the responsibility of it in the long term?

Personally I would be going with something small like a gerbil, hamster, mouse etc

evilmonkee

I would suggest you consider if you want a pet, as was already said you will be the one caring for the animal and it is extremely stressful on an animal to have to be rehomed, it is also extremely stressful on the child.

Also remember to check out how long the animal can live for - I've had 3 fish for almost 14 years, most people think of them as maybe a 5 year pet, so research that.

If you decide that YOU want a pet and are willing to care for it, I would suggest pet rats.
They're a lot calmer than gerbils/hamsters/mice (who are very prone to nipping), they're also much less likely to panic and stresss the way rabbits can. This is great for children who may accidentially hold them too tight or give them a suprise.
They're very clean and do not smell. They don't eat a lot and can be extremely friendly.

Be aware that almost all small animals you can have as pets will need to be kept indoors where it is warmer.

gym_mom

No I wont be looking after the pet, as i said Im not an animal lover, hence the reason we dont have one till now. I'll feed it and all that but wont be bathing anything or having it in my living room. Obviously it wont be the 4 year old doing the work. My husband loves animals and he'll do the looking after, he doesn't mind what he has to do, so the question is what can we get for her, that will be good for kids and that can be left alone from morning till 5.30 each day.

Liking the small rabbit idea. I think she would love them. Does he have to live inside or can he live in a cage outside? Preferably looking for something to keep outside.

kildare.17hmr

you can get rabbits that will live outside in a hutch no problem

andreac

gym_mom wrote: »

No I wont be looking after the pet, as i said Im not an animal lover, hence the reason we dont have one till now. I'll feed it and all that but wont be bathing anything or having it in my living room. Obviously it wont be the 4 year old doing the work. My husband loves animals and he'll do the looking after, he doesn't mind what he has to do, so the question is what can we get for her, that will be good for kids and that can be left alone from morning till 5.30 each day.

Liking the small rabbit idea. I think she would love them. Does he have to live inside or can he live in a cage outside? Preferably looking for something to keep outside.

Sorry, but i really dont think you should get any sort of pet.... If all the family are not on board with this, it becomes a problem.

All animals smell in some way and make a mess and if this is going to be a problem for you then i really dont think you should get a pet for the hosue hold.

falabo

gym_mom wrote: »

No I wont be looking after the pet, as i said Im not an animal lover QUOTE]


dont give in, dont get a dog if you're not an animal lover. I can see this ending in tears. the novelty will wear out and you wont even look after the dog. a dog is for life. learn to say NO to your children.

evilmonkee

gym_mom wrote: »

No I wont be looking after the pet, as i said Im not an animal lover, hence the reason we dont have one till now. I'll feed it and all that but wont be bathing anything or having it in my living room. Obviously it wont be the 4 year old doing the work. My husband loves animals and he'll do the looking after, he doesn't mind what he has to do, so the question is what can we get for her, that will be good for kids and that can be left alone from morning till 5.30 each day.
.

Honestly, judging by your reaction to the replies people have posted I do not think you are a suitable home for a pet, sorry.

Everyone needs to be onboard and as the adult you need to either agree that it will ultimately be your responsibility (as well as your OH's) or elso do not get a pet.

You can keep a pet in the garden 24/7 but it will not be a proper part of your family, it can get attacked, it may suffer from the cold etc.

TooManyDogs

gym_mom wrote: »

Liking the small rabbit idea. I think she would love them. Does he have to live inside or can he live in a cage outside? Preferably looking for something to keep outside.

A rabbit is not a good pet for a young child, they don't like to be held very much or cuddled which is what most children want to do. Rabbits are very sociable animals and do not live happily on their own outside. They have very powerful hind legs that they use to kick when restrained potientially hurting those handling them and sometimes resulting in breaking their own backs.

If you only want a pet to live outdoors and not be part of the family indoors then I strongly suggest you don't get one, or get something like hens who live outdoors but can become very friendly with regular interaction. Or set up lots of bird feeding stations and bird baths and the kids can watch them.

rainbowtrout

andreac wrote: »

Sorry, but i really dont think you should get any sort of pet.... If all the family are not on board with this, it becomes a problem.

All animals smell in some way and make a mess and if this is going to be a problem for you then i really dont think you should get a pet for the hosue hold.

I'd agree. Considering even how poor our weather is in the general scheme of things, your child will not want to go out in rain or cold weather to play with the animal and when it's outside, it will be a case of out of sight out of mind. I think if you're not willing to allow the animal into the house then don't get an animal at all.

If you do get a rabbit for outside, what will do you with the rabbit if we get a winter like the last two? Or if your husband is away for any reason, will you look after the animal as it will be your responsibility?

username123

Im inclined to think you shouldnt get a pet. You yourself have no interest and unless a pet is considered a family member you will have an unhappy animal.

As a child I had 2 rabbits (at different times), the experience put me off ever having an animal in a cage/hutch again. Children will get bored playing with the pet, there will be times when the latest xbox game is far more enthralling and the animal will be left caged for long periods without social contact - its not fair to subject an animal to this. I strongly believe (based on my own experiences) that this is just animal cruelty.

gym_mom

Look the family loves animals. I'll put up with it but wont do the cleaning out of the cage but my husband will. Big deal. there are 4 other people who will look after it. A mess outside in the garden is no deal at all, as long as it's not a mess in my living room thats fine.

God these boards are just full of people who have nobody else to lecture it seems sometimes.

I like the idea of the rabbits anyway so thanks for the advice.

andreac

gym_mom wrote: »

Look the family loves animals. I'll put up with it but wont do the cleaning out of the cage but my husband will. Big deal. there are 4 other people who will look after it. A mess outside in the garden is no deal at all, as long as it's not a mess in my living room thats fine.

God these boards are just full of people who have nobody else to lecture it seems sometimes.

I like the idea of the rabbits anyway so thanks for the advice.

Put up with it?? Sorry but thats not how pet ownership works im afraid. The family doesnt love animals, you said it yourself so i dont think you should get a pet giving all the details and info you gave us.

We arent lecturing, you asked for advice and we have given it to you.

A pet is not suitable for your household, far from it.

How can you like the idea of a rabbit, you dont like animals

Please do not get a pet as i can see the poor thing been left outside or given away after a few weeks as its causing too much mess, smell, hassle etc etc....

TooManyDogs

Well if you're going to ignore the advise you came on here to ask for and get rabbits anyway then make sure to get 2 so at least they'll have company while they're being ignored during the winter

gym_mom

Thanks, that's great advice. I'll do that.

evilmonkee

andreac wrote: »

Put up with it?? Sorry but thats not how pet ownership works im afraid. The family doesnt love animals, you said it yourself so i dont think you should get a pet giving all the details and info you gave us.

We arent lecturing, you asked for advice and we have given it to you.

A pet is not suitable for your household, far from it.

How can you like the idea of a rabbit, you dont like animals

Please do not get a pet as i can see the poor thing been left outside or given away after a few weeks as its causing too much mess, smell, hassle etc etc....

I completely agree with the above post.

your home is not suitable for an animal and it would be extremely selfish of you to have one.


You came onto this forum asking for advice and your getting it, your acting childish by kicking up a fuss because it did not go the way you liked.

Instead maybe you could try asking for idea's with how you would go about keeping the animal happier outside eg. converting a garden shed to a giant house for a rabbit with heat lamps, toys and an outdoor run also.
Or you could bend on the not having one in the house.

Don't get snappy with people for trying to help. it is the opinion of many people here that your CURRENT situation is not suitable for an animal. Maybe if you asked how you could improve the situation then you would not feel so pressured.

Either take the advice your given and deal with the fact your not a suitable pet owner or ask for advice to improve the situation so you would be.

Don't attack people here for trying to help.

ppink

OP people respond on here guided by the experience of the issues that arise here.

One of those is all the family not being on board when getting a pet.

If your husband cant get off work will you be able to take the animal to the vet if it needs to go?

username123

A pet should not be considered a toy that can be left outside so it doesnt generate a mess in the sitting room.

Animals are living creatures who are messy eaters, excreters, shedders and can make noise. Thats the deal - its a living creature. I dont think our climate is suitable for a rabbit outside in a hutch. I dont think a hutch is a suitable living environment for a rabbit. I dont think a single rabbit would be happy as he would be lonely.

I think you are fooling yourself and refusing to take responsibility by stating that there are 4 other people in your family who will clean out a pets living environment. 3 of these people are children, one of them is 4 years old - children are not capable of taking on that kind of responsibility without adult supervision and encouragement. What will you do if your husband is ill or away and the kids are too busy with their own friends or toys to clean out the living environment - just leave it?

What will you do when one of the kids wants to bring the rabbit into the sitting room and it widdles on the carpet - this is the reality of having a pet? Will the rabbit be banished outside and the children only allowed to play with it outdoors? I can see the attraction of playing with the rabbit quickly wearing off in the months from october to may in Ireland - its too cold.

Realistically how much time would the children spend with the rabbit daily? 1 hour? Half an hour? If they have to go outside to play with it will you be complaining that they are letting the heat out, to come inside, they are risking getting a cold etc...?

It just doesnt seem like a practical thing for you or anyone else to do - get a pet for young children, a pet that will be left outside and not allowed to make a mess in the house - it doesnt make any sense. A rabbit for a 4 year old is probably not a practical choice of animal either. Rabbits bite, kick and are very fragile, they can die of shock from being dropped, frightened suddenly etc.. Male rabbits do not like being held and cuddled. Rabbits shed a huge amount of fur, there WILL be hairs on the furniture, if the children handle the rabbit there will be hair on them, their clothes, transferred inside to the furniture, carpets, bedding.

Who will look after the practical necessaries of health care for the rabbit? They have very sensitive eyes, teeth and nails need regular filing, and can be very expensive for vet bills (2 years ago my sibilings rabbit cost them 7k at the vets).

I dont think you are being lectured here on the practical realities of pet ownership - I think you are being given very sensible advice. If you choose to have a strop as a result of not hearing what you want to hear then thats your choice and perhaps you yourself are not mature enough for pet ownership.

runawaybishop

lol, as if she has to love animals to get one for her kids. She's already said her husband will ensure it is fed properly.

Take your soapboxes elsewhere - shes not looking for a lecture.

Tea Cup

Why not start with a simple gold fish. Once its cleaned every few days you'll have no smell. See how the kids do feeding him etc ( under supervision ) if they can handle the responsibility then you can progress to a hamster or even a rabbit.

Zapperzy

OP instead of going off in a strop at least go away for a day and come back with a clear mind and read all of these comments again. People here have experience with all sorts of animals and we do not try to discourage people from getting a certain animal for the fun of it, we do it for your sake, your kid's sakes and of course the animal's sake.

I had a rabbit years ago, got him when I was about 13, like you my parent's wanted to get me a pet but due to renting and work commitments couldn't get a dog or cat. Ended up getting 1 on his own and had him in a hutch outside, every single evening he was brought inside into the sitting room and then put out again at night, I absolutely adored that rabbit. About a year later we moved house and of course because it was a new house poor rabbit didn't get as much indoor time as before for fear of chewing the wood or peeing on new floors (:rolleyes:). He was an intact male and a few times did show aggression, we planned on getting him neutered to curb this aggression but before we could he was attacked by a mink one night because he was kept in a hutch (with a big run) in the garden.

As teenage girls do a friend of mine decided she just had to have a rabbit also. Got the same breed as me and also got an intact male. This rabbit was kept outside nearly all the time with only interaction at feeding times. Result= one incredibly aggressive rabbit that bit, kicked and charged at us many times. I'm not sure if you've ever seen a rabbit's teeth but they give a very very nasty bite.

Moral of the story? Only get a rabbit (preferably 2 because they are very socialable animals) if you will put the time and effort into handling them every single day and not just an hour in the evening. They make great house pets, can be litter trained and are very clean so there's no excuse for not allowing them into at least 1 room in the house with supervision if your worried about woodwork. Both males and females have to be neutered and due to the anaesthetic this is very expensive compared to cats and dogs. Vet fees are on par with cats and dogs so they are not just a cheap pet.

Just to add in my experience with hamsters (both dwarfs and syrians) and gerbils are they in my opinion are not suitable for a 4 year old. They move too fast, are too fragile and can give a nasty nip (for my hands so can only imagine what they'd do to a 4 year old's hands) when startled or handled too roughly.

andreac

runawaybishop wrote: »

lol, as if she has to love animals to get one for her kids. She's already said her husband will ensure it is fed properly.

Take your soapboxes elsewhere - shes not looking for a lecture.

She asked for advice, which is what she got, its obviously not what she wanted to hear... so because it wasnt, we are lecturing?? hmmmm

Funny how the people who are telling us to get off our soap boxes etc and are agreeing with the idea of her getting a pet anyway regardless of her not being an animal lover, are not regular posters in API...:rolleyes:

Fluorescence

Why don't you just get some fish for the kids instead? Not much required besides feeding them daily and cleaning out the tank once a week/fortnight. They're so much less work than rabbits, so if it does end up being you taking care of them it won't be a big deal.

Rabbits are a fair amount of work. If I were in your position, I wouldn't get them until the kids and OH had proved they will take care of an animal (ie the fishies) without your help. Besides, I'd be waiting til the 4 year old was a little older. If she were to grab onto the rabbit in a manner it didn't like she could end up with some nasty scars.

Tea Cup

Advice can be given in a nice way!!!

Fluorescence

Tea Cup wrote: »

Advice can be given in a nice way!!!

I thought nearly all of the advice here was given in a neutral fashion, and certainly not in a cruel or mean way

are you serious

I most certainly would not recommend a rabbit or any outdoors animal at all.

If however your definitely set on getting a pet for the kids I would recommend a terrapin/newt very low maintenance and they wont smell, the kids can take them from the water and get to learn more about hem, there's no hope of them running away ever and they dont smell at all.

You could bring the kids to the petshop and give them a choice in what they wanted between the 2, I remember that was my first choice when i was getting a pet! That said I'm a dog lover now and wouldnt go back

andreac

Tea Cup wrote: »

Advice can be given in a nice way!!!

It was, we werent nasty in any way, straight to the point.

Tea Cup

That was my exact point it was given in a nice way and some times people can take it up wrong

ppink

runawaybishop wrote: »

lol, as if she has to love animals to get one for her kids. She's already said her husband will ensure it is fed properly.

Take your soapboxes elsewhere - shes not looking for a lecture.

you know I for one am getting fed up to the teeth of people saying this.

Sorry, you should ...........

I am inclined to think ...............

Maybe you should not................

Have a think about it............

My experience is..................

All of the above were said to the OP and I cannot for the life of me, having read and re-read this thread, see where anyone has lectured the OP on getting a pet.

People give the benefit of having been there and done that to avoid unnecessary stress on OP, their Family and the Pet they chose.