What's a good first pet for a 3 year old girl?( I know I'll be doing all the work) (not a fish)?

Question

something she can handle
not too big
not a fish because she try's to get them out of the water
or maybe it's best to wait a few years?

Answer 1

how about a cocktail.Its a small bird.It stays in a cage unless you get a escape art-est .They can learn to say a few words and they don't make to big of a mess.

Answer 2

Well, it would be best to wait a few years but for a 3 year old, i would say a Guinne Pig or a hamster. These are very nice kid friendly rodents that are pretty cute to adults. haha, well also they are hard to keep up with, you have to clean out there descusting bedding, change their food and water bottle, and deffinantly socialize with them. So i guess an animal is a very big commitment and I didnt want to say this but a fish would probably be best because of the easy care. I also would suggest maybe a butterfly to look at and hold. But dont kill its pollen off its wings! You maybe could also try spiders, which are kind of descusting but she may find them neat at that age. For my best answer, I would think that you should wait a little longer like 2-4 years more but you never know, a three year old could be very smart and gentle with animals but like I said, you might want to wait, it could turn out for the best, you never know, just talk to her and see if she wants an animal right away or if she CAN wait awhile. Thank you!!!!!!!! for your time reading this answer! If you wanted to try it, rabbits make good pets but it is a lot of work!!

Answer 3

A cat requires food, water, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, a clean litter box, and a lot of love. Three year olds are great at the love part, and can learn to help with the litter box, food, and water even if they can't be made responsible for it.

I'd suggest going to the local humane society with your little girl and checking out the adult cats they have up for adoption. Usually there are ones of mild temperament waiting for homes. You get to take a while in a private room with the animal and see how the animal really behaves when it's with you and your daughter.

The cat and your daughter may go through a small adjustment period where the cat loses a whisker or two and your little girl gets the occasional scratch before they sort out what each other considers acceptable behavior from each other. Let them sort it out.

Answer 4

I got my daughter a Netherland's Dwarf rabbit when she was six - they are the smallest domesticated rabbit species. It was a really good pet. Rabbits can use litter boxes, so they're easy to clean up after. Purchase it from someone who has handled it a lot so it will be tame, but you will still need to teach her the proper way to hold it or she could hurt it. It would also help to get it spayed or neutered just like a dog or cat so it will be more even-tempered. My daughter's was a female and apparently when she was in heat she got a little cranky.

Answer 5

I was going to suggest a guinea pig but maybe your daughter is kinda young for this type of a pet,guinea pigs are really cuteBUT,you cannot cuddle up to them because they are very fragile animals.A three year old could accidently drop one if one is given to her to hold.Take it from me,Ive raised guinea pigs for about 15 years now and I know what I am talking about.These cute animals have short lifespans they dont live for mor than 3 and a half years,and if they should get sick they usually dont recover. after youve had one thats over two years of age.Either wait a few years or try gettinhg a parakeet , rubberstampr

Answer 6

Small Diamondback Terripan turtle, Small Bird (i.e. Chickadee, Goldfinch), A rock (seriously, they can be fun for kids who are learning to imagine), a worm (help your child dig it out of soil [ they are easy to handle]), mice, guniea pig or wait a few years to make a pet worthwhile. Do whatever suits you (and your child) the best. Maybe your child will mistreat the pet. But maybe she'll show her worthynessand possibly if she does buy her a nice cat or dog.

Answer 7

I would say a dog, but if your not ready for that how about a guinea pig. They are very gentle(a little hyper when you try to pick them up) and rarely, if ever bite. I had 2 of them and they were very fun, but of course you have to be on top of cleaning the cage weekly. You would have to always watch when she is handling it but at least you can put it back in the cage when she's done playing with it.

Answer 8

It needs to be something sturdy enough to take a little abuse (not intentional - it's just that toddlers don't have complete motor control over their bodies yet and don't always know how to judge how firmly they can pet or hug someone).

You know your daughter - is she more the rough-and-tumble sort, or the very-gentle-and-sensitive type? Be honest here, because kidding yourself will only get you an injured daughter or pet.

How about this -- you take time to get your daughter ready to have a pet. You go to the book store or library and read about animals - dogs, cats, etc. You rent dvd's about pets (there are many books and dvd's aimed at young kids about animals). You go the zoo, to a local dog show, to a cat show, etc. You tell your daughter than you and she are on a treasure hunt for just the right pet for you both, because your new pet will be a member of the family. This is important stuff!

When she seems to have a favorite, you buy her a STUFFED animal of that sort. You let her give it a name, and practice petting it, feeding it, brushing it - interacting with it the way she will her pet.

Take advantage of that marvelous imagination little kids have to teach her the skills you'll both need. When she goes to the doctor, have her bring her "pet" and ask your pediatrician to look in its ears, listen to its heart (tell your pediatrician you and your daughter are practicing while you get ready to have a pet of your own).

Meantime, you keep visiting pet fairs and shows, looking into what kind of dog (for example) is best for you (I'm a huge fan of shelter dogs - but it still helps to know what size/kind of dog will fit in best with your family. My husband loves laid back hounds, while I'm a smart-hardworking-Shepherd type. We have one of each).

The pet has to fit into your family and lifestyle. What do you want to do with the pet - sit on the couch and watch movies? Take walks in the park? How much space do you have? How much time? If you're thinking about a dog, the AKC web site and Pedigree dog food web site have interactive questionnaires to help you narrow down what you're looking for. Breeders at dog shows are usually happy to answer questions about their breed - they know not every dog is for every family and want to keep dogs from ending up in the shelter. Rescue groups (and there are groups for every breed) are also great at helping you figure out if their breed is for you.

At some point, you will know that your daughter is ready for the responsibility of interacting with her pet safely, and by then, you'll know just what kind of pet is best for your family, including your daughter. Thank you so much for thinking ahead about all of this - your pet will be lucky to have you!

Answer 9

The best pet for a 3 year old girl is a puppy not a fish and i think i know what you mean when you said you'll be doing the work is when the dog does somethin' somethin'.

Answer 10

A couple of pets come to mind: a kitten or maybe a hampster at that age . A hampster might be more entertaining to her, as she would probably like to see it running round and round that wheel they play on. bettyk