What's the safest pet for a 3 year old child? aside from a fish?

Answer 1

Golden retrievers tend to make good starter dogs because:
a. They rarely bite.
b. They are intelligent dogs.
c. They are easy to train and handle. People who have small children frequently get them. They also know that if one child develops an allergy to it, there will ALWAYS be someone willing to give it a home.

Most turtles are good if they are kept in their tank. They also are easy to pick up without fear of getting bitten, as you can grab them from the middle of their shell and back without fear of their short necks biting your hand. Remember, however, that:
a. Red-eared sliders are prone to eye infections. I'd get one only if you know how to care for one.
b. Baby turtles need a lot of care and tend to be aggressive. Many are also illegal to sell due to size. I'd get a turtle that has a shell that is slightly longer then the width of your palm in all directions, and a width that is close to the width of your palm.
c. If you plan to get two or more, make sure the tank is big enough for both of them and that they are close to the same size. (To prevent "bullying.")
d. Snapping turtles are usually meaner then other types. I'd stick with a painted turtle as a beginner pet.
e. There are these turtles known as "Grade B" turtles..... If you want to do a good deed, get them. If no one buys them, it's not uncommon for pet stores to put them in freezers. I had a Grade B turtle for about 1.5 years, and it died an early death. (She was sick.) If you get in contact with a turtle club, reptile club, etc. at a forest preserve, park district, etc. you can often get them for free. (People buy them and hand them out.) Just something to think about. ;)

-Also, remember that many mutts also make good pets. (They are just often less intelligent.) My first/childhood dog was half pit bull and half boxer, and she was a sweet dog. She only went after people if asked. (One of the few dogs that was not in a cartoon but responded to the phrase "Sic 'um.") My dog is now half German Shepherd, 1/4 chow-chow, and 1/4 border collie, and even though my can of Pepsi probably has a larger brain, she is a sweet dog. ;) Mutts also tend to be cheaper.

Answer 2

Pets For 3 Year Olds

Answer 3

Rats are good because they can be quite amusing and cute and funny sometimes, I suggest something that you are also very keen on because at that age they dont know how to be very responsible yet so as long as you can fully take care of it and make sure its loved and all. Mice are also quite good but maybe too small for the wee ones. No life should be easily replaceable though, My wee ferret just died a week ago and I'm still devastated now cause I loved him so much as a pet, they're wonderful and beautiful creatures but I do not recommend them for young children cause they can nip as kits, and they are extremely playful energetic creatures who need loooads of attention every single day and are extremely fragile so for kids that may not be good The description of the pet you want is kinda a bit too limited so I cant suggest many things else besides rodents.

Answer 4

Turtles are a poor choice because they can carry salmonella, and the small ones are illeagal because little kids put them in their mouths. I do not reccomend a turtle.
There are similar problems with other small animals, for example rats are great pets but they are also a bit too fragile for a three year old's motor skills.
Smaller animals are better for older kids.
I grew up with cats, an older, gentle, patient kitty would be the best choice. Even if the cat scratches or bites there is less risk than with a dog.
That being said, my friends who are dog people would definately disagree.
And all time with the pet should be supervised.

Answer 5

I heard from a dog expert that Golden Retievers are the best family dogs and my brother-in-law has had 2 of them since his daughter (now 3 1/2) was born. The dogs have always been very gentle with her.

Another tip I heard was a way to test a dogs sensitivity to the pulling and grabbing of a young child is to pinch the skin between their toes on their paws. That is the most sensitive part of their body and if they don't try to snap at you when you do that then they will be able to handle the rough play that a kid can sometimes display.

Hope those two bits of info help.

Answer 6

All animals have the potential to bite. I'd recommend a dog or a cat that is very very tolerant of a small child playing rough(pulling, poking, etc.) with it. A cat might be better, if they get annoyed they'll run off and hide from the child. And of course, never a child unattended with an animal.

Answer 7

um... First think you have to take in consideration when bying a pet for your three yr old is that are you willing to Take full responsability For the animal Because obviously a three yr old isn't going to be able to clean cages, pick up dog poo or walk them or change a litter box. I wouldn't choose anything too small like a hampster like some people said to Because There small and three yr olds usualy dont know how to "be nice" To them. um, your best bet would probaly be a guini pig because bunnies get mean lol. either then that if your aloud to have a dog that would be ur next thing.

Answer 8

A fish isn't tht safe either as it involves water and a glass tank. Try introducing the kid to rearing tortoises or terapins. They need less water and the fact tht you can hold them is great for a kid. Nevertheless, parental monitoring is always necessary for any kinds of pets. Imagine the kid swallowing the whole tortoise!!

As a general precaution, avoid pets with fur, sharp teeth or claws, aggressive behaviour, with risk of infection or contamination etc. Also be careful with the accessories involved with rearing such pets such as the fish tank as mentioned above.

Answer 9

wow, all 5 above me are so wrong. I'm not a pet guy, but I trusted my little girl with a cat, 'older' when we accepted her into our family, her name was minky. And a dog, that was a pup when he was adopted by us, me and my daughter, when she was 3 years old. Her and the pup grew up together, and the pup, named 'DOG' because that's what my little 3 y/o daughter named him, protected her, and one day 10 years later, back in '90 died for her, pushing her out of the way of an on-coming car. He saved her life. Ron Couch, Riverside, California


"DOG" didn't survive. He got run over that day, saving my baby girl.

Answer 10

I would suggest going to your local animal shelter and looking for a nice ,big,laid-back cat.When my nephew was three,his best friend was a former feral cat named Slim.That cat followed him like a dog.Cats are surprisingly tolerant of children,but you have to get the right cat,and of course you can't let the child be too rough with it.