Your email address will not be published. Guinea Pigs . While we’re on the topic of young families, this leads us nicely onto our next reason to keep fish… 3. It'd be nice to have someone to keep me company. This is to be used with common sense however - no 10 inch fish in 10 gallon (37.9 L) tanks! Guinea Pigs, Hamsters and Gerbils: When you’re thinking about a first pet, it’s often good to start small. Also, be sure to click here to check out great items to get your new pet set up! But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Follow Pets at Home's easy fish points guide to match species to your first fish tank and ensure a happy and healthy aquarium. (March 4, 2011)http://www.ant-farms.com/taking-care-of-your-ants.html, ASPCA. Ant-Farms.com. (March 3, 2011)http://www.childrentoday.com/articles/pets/the-beautiful-betta-fish-1824/, Adopting a Pet Can Be Hard; We Have 8 Tips to Make It Easier, Tips for Introducing Your Pet to a New Baby, 10 Tips for Finding Family-friendly Hotels, Flemish Giant Rabbits Are Docile Snuggle Bunnies. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. If your child is pestering you for a pet but you don’t really want the responsibility of caring for a puppy or a kitten, perhaps a fish - or some fish -is a good compromise. A bird may also make a good first pet. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. You must also alter this guideline for territorial fish, as even if the tank is properly stocked numbers-wise, it might not work if all the fish need a big territory! Find fish for sale in the UK via Pets4Homes - The #1 free pet classifieds site to buy, sell and rehome fish in your local area. Older dogs and cats might adjust better to new people. There’s nothing more exciting than bringing home your very first pet. They are also very easy to care for. (February 28, 2011)http://www.rasarescue.org/photos/hamstercare.pdf, The F.U.N. Do a lot of research before deciding, because you don't want to cause another living being to suffer. Wondertime.Com. Some brightly-coloured fish can also intrigue your child and entertain him. 10. A good pet store will answer your questions directly and honestly, rather than giving you a misleading answer because it is what they think you want to hear or because it will improve sales. (March 1, 2011)http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/small-pet-care/guinea-pig-care.aspx, Bertrand, Lynne. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. "Ten reasons to adopt an older cat." Unlike other pets, fish are completely silent. Pets make good decoration. Let’s dive in (fish pun absolutely intended!). Betta fish (also known as Betta splendens or the Siamese fighting fish) are a long-time favorite pet for both beginner and veteran fish keepers because of their colorful finnage and spirited personalities. BirdChannel.com. Named for their striped bodies, zebra danios are tough fish. "First Pets: Rats!" Guinea pigs are usually extremely friendly. Unlike many species, zebra danios mate for life. Platy’s are very hardy fish, and are good beginner fish, but are in no way limited to those who have just started keeping fish.They have great personalities and love exploring the entire tank. "Hermit Crabs." For choices of good beginners' fish beyond those listed here, and for expanding once one has moved beyond the beginner level, local aquarium clubs and friends who are aquarists can be very good sources of information. It was an angel fish that I received my local pet store owner in exchange for two small hamsters. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. Platies range in many different colors including red, orange, yellow, white, blue, and black. Ultimately, the price most bettas pay in the pet trade is their very life. Chances are that your Oscar will learn to feed from your hand and will jump for food. (February 28, 2011)http://cfhs.ca/athome/ten_reasons_to_adopt_an_older_cat/, Discover-Pet-Rats.com. A lot of kids are fascinated when a hermit crab changes its shell. Pets at Home is the UK's largest pet supplies store. Find out the key essentials you need to know to successfully keep your first betta fish. There are a number of factors by which a fish can qualify for inclusion in this select list of finned friends. The name comes from the rough spiny skin under their throats, which can look like a beard. ChildrenToday.com. Ideal for. An ant farm lets your child view how a small community works together. Tell us what features and improvements you would like to see on Pets4Homes. https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/10-great-first-pets.htm Yes, fish do need a certain amount of maintenance, but as far as pets go, especially fish, the Betta fish, generally speaking, requires a very low amount of maintenance to keep happy and healthy. Danios: Zebra, Leopard, and Pearl Danios are good. "Choosing the best pet reptile." When it comes to good first pets, not everyone considers fish. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. "Hamster/Mice/Gerbil Care." The best part about them is that they are pretty darn cheap . If this is your first-ever home aquarium, and you have never kept fish before, this article is going to be the best possible starting point. (March 2, 2011)http://www.discover-pet-rats.com/pet-rat-care.html, Kauffmann, Melissa. A fish is one of the best pets for toddlers since all it takes is clean water and food at regular intervals. You have your own lifestyle and you want to be sure that the pet you get is a good fit. Although bettas may be regarded as easy to care for by some, they need highly specialized care. And under the right circumstances, fish can also be good "starter pets" to teach children the responsibility of caring for a pet. Consider a smaller type of lizard for your first pet. (March 3, 2011)http://www.reptileknowledge.com/articles/article21.php, Davis, Ken. Good First Fish . Disadvantages. It would liven-up my home. Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. Pro tip: It's possible that you shouldn't get a pet. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Why 13? Bearded dragons have a gentle nature and are great first pets for kids. It would be cool to have a pet to play and cuddle with. They can thrive in a variety of water temperatures, even into the low 60s. In fact, some of them would make very good first or second fish. Living beings with unique needs and wants should never be sold like property. A fish may be the perfect “starter” pet for a child, but not just any fish will do. It is important to make sure that you are feeding the right kind of food to your fish, and feeding it in the right quantity is absolutely necessary. (February 28, 2011)http://www.birdchannel.com/kids-bird-club/great-birds-for-kids/best-pet-birds-for-kids.aspx, Kennedy, Alix. Should You Have Pet Fish? I was allergic to hamsters and wanted to get rid of them. Decorating a fish bowl is almost as fun as watching your fish. This colorful and lively fish is able to adapt to a variety of water conditions which is one of the reasons they are so popular. Learning Opportunity for Children. Betta Fish, photo by Dvortygirl 10. February 2002. "The best pet birds for kids." The Pet Quiz is here to help you take a look at yourself and decide: What pet is right for you? One of the biggest reasons why a Betta fish is the perfect first pet for kids is because they are fairly easy to take care of. Barbs: Cherry, Gold, Rosy, Ruby, Purple, and Tico Barbs are good. Children Love Fish as Pets. "Reptiles as Pets for Children: Advice for Parents." Bearded dragons are desert animals, so require a warm, dry habitat, and eat a mixed diet of live insects (such as crickets or wood roaches, available in-store at Petbarn) and vegetables. Parrots also may become vicious if mishandled. Beast Academy Review: Why We Switched from Singapore Math to Beast Academy, Simple Story Map Printable for Kindergartners. "Taking Care of your Ants." Keeping fish is a fantastic learning experience for children. He gave me the fish in return, which I thought was a pretty good trade. This test will tell you whether a reptile, bird, cat, dog or other small mammal would be the best pet for you. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. Please answer this question. Popular starter fish include tetras, danios, mollies, platys and gouramis. We want to hear your opinion! Other animal-care professionals promote birds or fish as ideal first pets for children. I still remember getting my first one. (February 27, 2011)http://www.thefunplace.com/house/pets/hermit.html, Watkins, Anne Culbreath. But here are six reasons you should: One, fish require less work than other pets. Fish make truly wonderful pets for people who don't have the time or physical space to devote to a higher-maintenance companion animal. 37.9 L ) tanks, white, blue, and Pearl danios are fish... Pet Quiz is here to Check what is a good first fish pet five reasons we think a bowl... Your browsing experience its shell example of a child 's first pet for.... Different colors including red, orange, yellow, white, blue, and danios... 'Re ok with this, but they can live for 60-70 years larger tank, or at least larger! Division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1.. Bringing Home your very first pet for you a number of factors by which a fish an! 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