my younger son wants a pet he has asked for a Iguana or a parrot which one is better for a 8yr old?

Answer 1

Neither is right for an 8 yr old sorry. I've owned both and they are huge responsibilities! Parrots live longer than we do, so you have to literally will them to someone in case you die, and birds are too fragile and expensive to leave to an 8 yr old. They can bite to the bone! I am scarred on my hands to this day from my parents parrot they got when I was little, like 7 or 8 yrs. old. They will stick their fingers ino the cage eventually and they will get bit. The cleanliness is a real factor, there is a deadly bacteria that grows in some bird feces and too much exposure can make you ill.
Iguanas are less fragile, but can be a little more complicated as far as lighting, heat, diet, vitamins, the size the grow to etc. They get big, very big and sometimes mean, mine used to whip me with his tail each time I'd try to feed him. The cleanliness is also a factor, if they forget to wash their hands after playing with reptiles and feeding them they can get salmonella easily.
I would whole heartedly recommend a pet rat for an 8 yr old. Not too expensive, won't live way too long, won't give him horrible illness'. Rats are cheap, extremely loving, clean, sweet little guys. They can live 5-8 yrs. The don't bite like hamsters and gerbils, they aren't noisy like guinea pigs, and aren't nocturnal like a lot of other small pets. I have had 4 pet rats and loved each of them dearly. They would ride on your shoulder and lick and kiss your earlobes. They make for a nice conversation peice too, and if he's going for shock value with his friends nothings better. Clean them 1-2 times a week, feed and water daily and they will love you forever, always ready to play and be held. Love snacks!

Answer 2

Well...if it's a choice between the 2, personally I'd go for the iguana. But keep in mind...You'll be taking care of it. Parrots are loud, live longer than most average humans, and their beaks are made for cracking walnuts, etc. Perfect for chomping on little 8 year old fingers that werent as gentle as they should've been. If he wants a bird maybe you should get him a parakeet or a cockatiel. theyre much smaller, dont live near as long (5-10 years, sometimes less, sometimes more). And when they bite, the damage wont be NEARLY as severe. A parrot could take a chunk of his finger out, a parakeet or a cockatiel might break skin, if theyre really pissed, but it wont require a trip to the E.R (like a parrot bite could) Also have you priced a parrot lately? If you go for that, be prepared to drop 1500-3000 dollars on a bird that your kid will probably get bored with a month or 2 later. (parakeets are about 20-40 dollars, cockatiels are about 70-100 dollars)

Whatever you decide on, do some research online to make sure its a suitable pet for a child. Good luck

Answer 3

it is a tough decision. The main problem with iguana's is they can sometimes turn violent in the blink of an eye. i knew a guy who had an iguana, and he was just holding it one day and it was just fine. then suddenly, the iguana honestly took a chunk out of his ear. iguana's also generally need a pretty big enclosure. with parrots, the only problem with them is the fact that they can live for such a long time and sometimes, they take a while to warm up to the owner. parrots are notorious for only liking one member in the family, but with time and effort, a parrot can be won over. i would have to say the parrot because once you have the birds trust, they can be the greatest companion

Answer 4

Ummmm....that's a good question. If the whole family would be responsible for a parrot that would be a better choice. Parrots need at least 1 and a half of attention a day or else they get upset and start to pick their feathers off. (you don't want that) An iguana might be a little too....how do i put it....advanced. But like i said. The parrot can be expensive. And he needs to be talked to and held EVERY DAY! But they are fun to spoil and watch. I hope this helps.

Answer 5

Neither sound like a very good pet for an 8 yr old.
Unless you are ready to take care of it most all of the time. Both of these animals are damn expensive to care for too. with a parrot, they are very very noisy, messy, and with there large beaks they can be a dangerous pet for a child. And with the iguana you will need a big cage, prob atleast a 50 gallon tank when full grown. you will also need to feed it live food, and keep a certain temperature in there cage, and you will need heaters and lamps and such. reptiles are awesome and cool to watch, but are not the best pets, they are not friendly and would much perfer to be left alone. so I definately dont think they would be a good choice for a kid, as he is probably expecting a friendly pet he can play with.
but if he realy is set on a lizard, I would recomend a Leopard Gecko. they are so much easier to keep. I have one, they are realy neat, but again they are not friendly. they also require heating and stuff like the iquana but they can be kept in a 10 gallon. I think a rat would make an awesome pet for a kid, they make great pets and are easy to care for. they are very clean and friendly, and they rarely bite. I have had a few rats and they are actually one of my fav pets. If you wanna know more or have questions about leopard geckos or rats, email me id love to help! [e-mail]

Answer 6

parrots take a lot of work and attention so for an 8 year old i would suggest an iguana instead. parrots are usually vicious and iguanas aren't. although an iguanas have long sharp nails so be careful and wear gloves. iguana's eat lettuce which doesn't leave a mess unlike bird seed and feathers. i have a bird and i clean it every week and there is still a mess. also iguanas don't need as much attention and they are more interesting to a young boy.

Answer 7

go for the parrot iguanas can carry salmonila(sp) and be passed on to kids and the elderly. my iguana was over 6 foot long from head to tail tip. if not trained properly the tail is worse then being at the end of a bull whip. i suprised mine once and was greated with a bite that was taken down to the bone in 3 places. they are very tempermental.
so go with the parrot or even a hamster is a good way to start

hahler

Answer 8

I had a parrot, and he was not clean at all. An iguana you can keep in an aquarium, and clean it once every couple of weeks. My parrot needed to be cleaned every three days, and they get verrrrrrrrrrrrry noisy if they still liking their owner. They are social animals, and once a bond is formed, they become very needy, and constantly need the attention of their owners. If you neglect to do so, they start screaming till they are given their attention. Iguanas, thank god, are not that noisy. If you prefer noise get the parrot, otherwise stick with an iguana.

Answer 9

neither
iguanas carry salmnonella and parrots are a really high maintenance pet for a kid

something like a guinea pig, or cockateil is more the speed of an 8 year old

cockateils can talk, are tameable and affordable and a great alternative to a parrot(they are int he parrot family but i gather he wants a large bright parrot)

remember also iguanas live 20 years and need veryh specific dietarty requirements, and get 6 feet,
when he goes off to college in 10 years youll still have 10 lizard years left

parrots live 80 years and bond to nly one person, plus the vet bills are out of the universt, and they can bite, scream and are not going to be in fashion when girls are so you are looking at 70 parrot years

GUINEA PIGS DIE AT AROUND 4-6
COCKATIELS ALSO LIVE 20 YEARS BUT THEY ARE NO BOTHER REALLY

Answer 10

I'd have to say neither... Parrots and Iguanas require EXTENSIVE amounts of care and attention-- they are very expensive and need special diets. Iguanas need big crates (for the size of a dog) and parrots need huge cages...

-Often times BOTH of them are very temperamental and fast jarring movements (that of which a child would do) easily upset them and they are prone to attack. They prefer calmer enviornments and honestly do not like the erraticy of children....
+ Rather try and get your son a Bearded Dragon Lizard or a Parakeet-- he'll still be getting almost exactly what he wanted but will have a safer animal that will be easier, cheaper and more fun for him!