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Name: mspeachpit
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when is the best age to get your child their first pet and what makes the best first pet?
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Name: saxton_emma | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 5:21 PM
how old is your child now ? 

Name: mspeachpit | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 5:38 PM
she just turned a year old at the beginning of october. i know she's too young right now, but i dont know when is the right time. 

Name: Nicola | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 6:17 PM
I have a rabbit and 2 guinea pigs and some fish. Well we've had the guineas 1 year and Stu the bunny for 2 years. The bunny was more of a pressie for me though. I love rabbits and this one is definatley the sweetest yet. You throw a ball and he runs after it which provides so much fun for my girls. They like the gpigs. They are inside at the moment because one broke her leg, though we dont have a clue how and the weather has turned really nasty anyway. They love it because everymorning they wait to be fed and climb up the bars of their cage and squeak angrily at us. I wouldn't reccomend getting an animal until you are ready to clean it out and everything, I would start with a "low maintence" like a rabbit or gpig but they require cleaning at least once a week and can be very expensive once youv taken out a hutch and run and the fresh greens everyday. I buy supa rabbit excel and supa guinea excel food which is £3.99 a bag and they go through a bag each a month to thats almost 8 quid a month just on their food which may not sound alot but it is for me! I buy a shedload of greens aswell but Im a bit of a veggie buff so I always have plenty. I think it is good for a child to have a pet. My girls are almost 15 months old so not too much older than yours. Alhtough it is getting harder and harder to find the time and energy to clean out the animals. But altogether it is very rewarding. Stu is ltiter trained and pees in 2 corners of his hutch which I put trays in so its cheaper and easier to clean out. I wouldn't reccomend a dog although I am looking into getting a spaniel, well my mum is anyway because I think it would be great excercise for us all to get out and about more. My bought me my bro and sis a fish tank each when we were around 5, I was 6 when I got a hamster and so on, I think any age is alright as long as you don't get a violent animal, there are so many nasty stories on the telly recently, especially that rottweiler who pulled that 5 month old baby girl's face apart. My auntie has a rottweiler crossed with an alsation, sounds a nasty piece of work but she is the lovliest friendliest dog in the world. Saffy is a little crazy though, she loves nothing more than running up and down the stairs at her house, even though she is walked almost constantly! Good job my aunties son is 21 and not a toddler just finding their feet! 

Name: mspeachpit | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 6:26 PM
we do have a cat now (had her since b4 baby) and we're trying to teach her not to beat up on the cat but not having much luck. 

Name: saxton_emma | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 6:51 PM
to be honest id say something simple like maybe a goldfish or something. then it will be easy to teach her about feeding it first, then maybe whens shes about maybe get her something a bit bigger like a hamster or something along that line.
we have got cats and dogs we had them before my little girl was born shes now and is still giving them beats. hehe but they are big softie animals they would never hurt her.
hope that helps a litlle 

Name: mspeachpit | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 6:56 PM
i dont know how well that would work since i cant even keep a stupid fish alive. lol 


Name: Nicola | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 6:57 PM
I know its pretty bad aint it. kids can be so violent. But wev had ours for as long as they can remember but this sumemr my gran came down with her collie, Kyle and teh poor thing was often punched.With Affection though. Now they tend to squeeze nextdoros springer called Sprinkles. He's a boy and I came to my own conclusion as to why he is caled sprinkles... 

Name: mspeachpit | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 7:03 PM
lol. thats funny nicola. my daughter tries to lay on my cat all the time, but my cat also tries to lay on my daughter all the time, too. 

Name: Nicola | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 7:45 PM
I love it when this other little boy who i look after sometimes called Glynn- odd name, they aren't welsh at all!- he is the prettiest boy I have ever seen, he looks nothing like his parents. I didnt mean to sound rude there, tho i suppose it sounds it. Anyway at our old house we had a fish pond which Glynn loved! He used to run out screaming "FISHYITSTHEFISHY!" so quickly it was barely audible! Now he just rushes around the garden or garding as my two call it with his hands on his head. He's almost 4 but is quite behind. His mother doesnt spend as much time with him as she should. I took him up the lane with mine last weekend to see the pony and asked him what colour it is, he replied "GLLEEEENN!" and the yellow slide was also "Gleen" as were his red shoes.
Mine are starting to nkow colours, I love just sitting with them with the picture book and just pointing out the animals and balls etc and saying the words. I used this book when i was little with my mum. There's this page with a butterfly on one side and a spider on the other and I got confused and started calling butterflies spiderhys until i was about 4! I called gloves scubs, I said woof instead of wolf, so did my lil sister tho and did until 2 years ago! I said Wiff instead of if, fuuuge instead of huge. lol 

Name: mspeachpit | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 7:54 PM
my older sister used to call motorcycles "mohoggles". lol. i dont think i had any funny names for things. i did teach myself to read when i was four, though. 

Name: bluies101 | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 8:29 PM
If you are wanting your child to take the responsibility then the right age may be 16 but if you are doing the work you could start now with just a gold fish or betta. I work at petsmart and have seen families come in with their kids and buy a tank and some fish and think its wonderful but it just depends on what level of care you are wanting to give, And in my opinion the best pet for a five or six year old is a fancy mouse. they are less hyper than a hamster or gerbil but are friendly and easily trained But always remember suporvision is the key with any pet. 

Name: atomic snowflake | Date: Oct 25th, 2006 9:25 PM
My toddler loves our cat and also our guinea pigs. He also enjoys watching my fish swim around their tank. The guinea pigs are best as he can pet them and they don't bite him. The cat is a little tetchy and sometimes swipes at him.

Anything will do as long as it's not a hamster or a pitbull. 

Name: Nicola | Date: Oct 26th, 2006 9:59 AM
DId you grow up with a pet everyone? Just wondered how many of you had a best buddy in the form of a pet...I hould think itll be most of you! I think having a pet teaches a child responsibility and kind behaviour so it is a good idea, if you have the time and patience. 

Name: Nicola | Date: Oct 26th, 2006 9:59 AM
And money and love! 

Name: Hiddy | Date: Oct 26th, 2006 10:17 AM
Get one early....and get a dog.....cats are too impatient

Studies show that babies and toddlers who have had a dog in the household have less risk of developing asthma 

Name: Nicola | Date: Oct 26th, 2006 12:01 PM
Yeah I read that too Hiddy in the doctors last week! my bro has asthma, so do most children it seems in "Todays society". I'm not a cat lover I'm afraid. I'm a dog person. And bunnies! lol What animals do you have Hiddy? 

Name: mspeachpit | Date: Oct 26th, 2006 12:26 PM
i think my baby may be allergic to dogs. we used to have one and she would always get these red blotches on her face and was constantly messing with her nose. but, i dont know. 

Name: Nicola | Date: Oct 26th, 2006 1:38 PM
yeah my brother is allergic to cats and dogs, even the rabbit if he's malting, the rabbit I mean not my brother! He's also allergic to dusmties and all thigns fluffy, flowers. He sneezes constantly! lol, but he doesn't have any skin problems as a resulty, mostly just sneezing fits, that are so intesnse I sometimes think he's gonna blast off some place! 

Name: mspeachpit | Date: Oct 26th, 2006 1:50 PM
i have seasonal allergies and am allergic to kittens but not grown cats. if i sneeze in front of my baby she laughs at me. lol 

Name: PAWZ | Date: Oct 26th, 2006 1:54 PM
Lot of things to consider:
1) what type of pet do you want- another cat, dog, fish ect
2). with a baby do you have the time for a second pet - even fish take time for tank cleaning
3). Does everybody in the family want a second pet?
4). What type of money do you want to spend for a pet
5). Puppy/Kitten breeder or shelter?

Pets are great things to have except for 4 years of my life I have always had dogs and cats, my children from day one have had pets in their life. I have always made sure that there was no wailing of pets happening by babies or mugging of babies by the pet. If you feel your daughter may be allergic to dogs, consult with your physcian. That said when tested for allergies I tested positive for feathers and fur...never slowed me down. As a child I had a cat, parakeet, gerbils and a dog, growing up I rode horses, right now I have 5 cats and 3 dogs, have never had a problem. A friend has strong allergies to cats...they have 2. Also a baby can grow out of allergies. 

Name: Tracy | Date: Aug 19th, 2007 3:01 PM
atomic snowflake, I read your comment and I where I see your concern, I assure you that the vicious breed they are made out to be is not always accurate. I have two toddlers and a pitbull!! My husband and I took alot of time in researching good breeders. We found the right one and brought him home. 2 week later I found out I was pregnant with my first child. Now I will admit to being sceptical about the situation. Some training was done with our beloved doggie and when my daughter was born I counldnt have asked for anything better. 14 months later my son came along and still to this day our dog, well actually according to the kids, its thier dog is and has been nothing but gentle, kind and protective of the family and kids. He cuddles with them and is extremely gentle with children. The problem with this breed is not just the media hype but iggnorance of "wanna be breeders". And those owners who mistreat them. All they need is alot of love and attention and they will be as loyal to you as any animal or human for that matter could be. I know this is long response, I just feel that these poor animals are completely misunderstood. If bad breeding and mistreatment would end, we would not have these issues today. 

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