Best Pets for Kids
Giving Time - Teaching Skills for Life
So what are the best pets for kids?
Over the years we have had quite a few pets, some have proved to be great pets for kids.
So are your kids nagging you to get them a pet?
What will you choose?
Perhaps you are looking for a pet as a companion to your kids.
Perhaps you have decided that giving your child a pet will help them to develop responsibility.
Like us you may have decided that giving your autistic child a pet to care for might help them to bond to something.
We thought long and hard about this, giving our autistic daughter a guinea pig to care for has been a good decision.
It has enabled her to develop imaginative play (we think it may be because she talks to the guines pig).
She plays in a much more caring way as a result of caring for her pet.
This has worked for us as we are able to monitor her all the time with the guinea pig.
As with all animals don't get a pet if you think your child will hurt it.
Check out our essential reality check on our
pets for kids page
So what are the best pets for kids will you choose from one of the following pets for kids?
How about a rabbit
Rabbits live for around 7 years, they need careful handling. Rabbits may bite.
These days people keep rabbits either in a hutch outside or even indoors.
Rabbits need large hutches and plenty of space for exercise.
Fancy Rats
These make great pets for kids, they are very curious and make really good companions.
Life span is about 2-5 years
Fancy rats are generally kept indoors and need a very large cage.
Rats need to be handled a lot.
They need to be kept in a busy room in the house so they can be part of the family.
Guinea Pigs
Guinea Pigs live for around 4 to 7 years
They are very friendly and seem to enjoy being handled
Guinea Pigs are tamed easily.
Our guinea pigs live indoors and go into a pen outdoors during the day.
Guinea pigs can live outdoors in a hutch
In cold weather they need to be moved into an indoor area or porch area.
More best pets for kids
Dogs for kids
Dogs can live for around 12 years or so.
Dogs love company and become good friends with the owners.
You need to be careful on the breed of dog you choose.
Don't allow the kids to tease or hit the dog.
This can make dogs aggressive.
Dogs should never be left unattended with your babies or young kids.
Fancy mice
Mice can live for around 2 to 3 years
Mice are cheap to buy and to keep.
They are very lively and easily tamed.
Mice like to live with another mouse and people.
Mice are more active at night
Goldfish
Goldfish can live up to 25 years.
They should be kept with other Goldfish
They are easy to look after
Goldfish don't cost much to keep.
Ferrets
Ferrets can live around 7 years
Ferrets like to live with another ferret
They can be very tame if handled a lot.
Ferrets need a lot of space.
Ferrets can give nasty bites and give off a musky odor that is quits strong.
Hamster
Hamsters can live up to 2 years
Hamsters can bite until they are tamed by handling regularly
Hamsters are awake mainly at night
Hamsters like to live on their own.

Cats
Cats can live up to 15 or so years
Cats are independent
They are easy to care for and are clean.
Cats can wander off and get run over
They can scratch your furniture and bring you dead mice and birds.

Budgerigar
Budgies can live between 5 and 10 years
They like to live with other birds
Budgies should be kept where they are able to fly
Budgies can be trained
Budgies are generally happy little things

Pony
Ponies live for up to 20 or so years
They need to live with other ponies or donkeys or goats
Ponies need a lot of room.
They need daily routine
Ponies can be very time consuming.

Goats
Goats live up to around 15 years
Goats give milk
They are very intelligent.
Goats need routine and need supervising
They are escape artists.
- Before you choose from best pets for kids do some careful thinking about what your family can take on.
- All of our best pets for kids take a reasonable amount of care.
- Although some pets are cheap to buy, their cage set up and vets bills if they become ill can mount up.
Once you have decided enjoy pets can be wonderful company and a joy to the whole family.
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