Please tell me, those of you out there who are parents, please tell me what we should get Jamie for Christmas! We don't want to dissapoint him.
2006-12-06 09:36:03 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
You could get one of those cat sized dogs...in my experience they are very cat like except they can be trained (unlike cats).
2006-12-06 10:15:08 · answer #1 · answered by JordanB 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love guinea pigs BUT many people who are allergic to cats are allergic to them as well. I would recommend your husband go with you and spend at least a half hour with any animal you plan to buy. Also going to a breeder (even for guinea pigs, gerbils, etc) ensures you get a healthy animal which will be better and cheaper in the long term, and is even sometimes cheaper up front.
I live in Canada and here pet-stores sell guinea pigs for $24-$30 well some breeders I interviewed sell "non-breeding stock" (their markings aren't perfect so they can not be show animals. For $15. You could also consider getting something from a rescue agency. Believe it or not they often have rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils and sometimes even fish.
Does your son have any preference. Birds can be fun, rodents, reptiles. Even fish. They all have good things and bad things about them. I think it would be best to discuss this with your son. Take him to a pet-store/rescue agency and show him the options, obviously you have the ultimate decision though.
2006-12-06 17:45:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your not freaked out by rodents I suggest a rat, they're cleaner and have a kinder disposition than mice, hamsters or gerbils, even turtles and birds bite (not to mention reptiles and birds and mice can carry many diseases). I've had all of the above at one time or another and (female rats especially) are the cleanest and easiest to train to behave. We got one for our daughter who is 3. I was 5 when I got my first rat. They help not only to teach your child responsibility in keeping a pet clean, fed and watered, but help to teach animal affection and respect. Not to mention they are known as "short term pets" or "fast pets" because their life expectancy is shorter, this helps in that if you can't handle a very long term commitment for a pet, their life expectancy is usually 1-3 years (although with proper love and care I've had rats live to be 5-7 years old) and if and when they do die this helps your child learn (and I know this is sad to think of but only a part of life) dealing with death and loss. I never regretted any of my pet rats.
2006-12-06 17:46:29 · answer #3 · answered by Ashly S 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do NOT get him a bird!!!
If your husband has allergies, thats the "worst" thing you can put in a home!
I know, I have allergies and for years I coughed my fool head off, and then my Son developed allergies and went to a specialist. (I couldnt go, because I am a heart patient and on alpha blockers, so the test wouldnt work on me).
My Wife asked the allergist about me, and she asked if there was a bird in the house, there was, a cocketiel, she said get rid of it and his cough will go away... Sure 'nuff, the bird went and I havent coughed from that ever since!
A hamster of gerbil may provoke the same reaction, its unknown... (I dont know if your husband is an asthma sufferer like I am or not)
A pet pot bellied pig maybe? (yea, I know its absurd, but, you dont want allergies to kick in and they "say" that they are quite intelligent).
I wouldnt go with the snake routine, as they are not "user friendly"...
A ferret is nice for kids, and they are good house pets, (my Daughters girlfriend has two of them, and she adores them...I wont have them in the house because they look like elongated rats to me :)
I wish you well...
Jesse
2006-12-06 17:51:52 · answer #4 · answered by x 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My 7 year old loves Hermit Crabs. They can even decorate there shells with paint or hot glue and what ever fits. They are a hipo alergenic pet so it is good for pet alergies. Another good thing is they are very easy to care for and so odd that they just love them. they can hold them and mine even plays Dolls with hers.
Another good thing is they are very inexpencive. You should be able to get one for under $20 then you would need an aquarium and everything. Depending on what all you want I would say it will take about $50 to get everything started.
2006-12-06 17:46:01 · answer #5 · answered by JustAsk'n 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have to agree with the goldfish suggestion.
My brother always had goldfish from a very early age, and he loved them....unfortunately the poor things got named after Thomas the Tank engine characters, but he was only little, bless him!
Failing that, maybe a guinea pig, or a hamster, I dunno...is he ready for a pet?
2006-12-06 17:43:43 · answer #6 · answered by ♥Pamela♥ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Start with some goldfish. Get a nice bowl and some treasure chests and other little things to put in the bowl. Some food and a fish net for getting the fish out when the bowl needs to be cleaned.
2006-12-06 17:39:46 · answer #7 · answered by Ryan's mom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a turtle, they are nice for young children, no gerbils or hamsters, they bite, and bad too. buy a fish or lizard. I wanted a gerbil so bad, and when I had it for awhile I couldn't wait till it died. It bit me all the time, and it broke out of it's cage.
2006-12-06 17:40:08 · answer #8 · answered by fourcheeks4 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just try and maby persuade him for another thing.
it may work.
i mean maby you could go to a pet shop and show him what puppy's look like....
2006-12-06 17:43:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hamster, rabbit, bird, fish, frog, turtle!
2006-12-06 17:38:45 · answer #10 · answered by s_sill 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋