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Childs pet: does this exist?

AudioHeart

Young Bun
Hello,

I'm a long time lurker on here (hello!:wave:), but a regular on the sister site (piggie forum) but I have a bunny related dilemma and I was hoping someone on here might help....?

Agh.

My OHs friend popped over tonight with a few q’s for us animal mad folk as he was hoping we might have a good suggestion for a childs pet:?. He has a little sister whose been begging her mum for a pet for a good few months now.

Now originally she wanted a kitten but her mum thinks this will be too much hard work and has promised her that instead she can have a rabbit (!) and this weekend they’re going to PAH to get one. :?:cry:

Well myself and my OH tried in vain to put them off getting a bunny, as both of us have had a lot of experience with buns. I explained that they aren’t the type of pet that you can pick up and cuddle and my OH explained about when he was little his mum fostered and took in bunnies and every bun comes with a hefty vet bill, and can live ten years +. We talked about financing, housing but nothing not a sausage.

They’re getting a hutch/cage from preloved, and I dread to think what will happen to this bunny if they get one. (I can't imagine them having two)

I was thinking tonight about this predicament and how to resolve it....I was considering letting them foster Percy-Roo and tabby, my bonded sow and boar piggies for a week. I’d supply them with their hutch (not too much stress just a car journey and then they’d be back in their hutch) and I’d go round every day to help them with the piggie care. I think if the mum is willing to cooperate piggies do make better ‘lap pets’ (personally speaking) than rabbits but they do need supervising when handled as they aren’t hardy creatures, and she’ll need to teach her daughter about responsible pet ownership. I was also thinking that maybe after a week the excitement of owning a pet may wear off, and if it doesn’t I can supply a 5ft by 2ft single hutch for them, and keep an eye on them and if the piggies does become unwanted in years to come I could offer my home for the piggies.

We’re really struggling putting them off a bunny though, apparently piggies are flightly (true but not with time and effort) and dull and her daughters looking forward to a fluffy bunny. :(

Does anyone have any literature/ websites for me to pass on?

And is any animal a ‘childs pets’? :(
 
I don't think any species is a child's pet, however, there are individuals who can be more comfortable with children than others.

Instead of trying to put them off, maybe suggest that they go to a reputable rescue. Explain that baby rabbits often have a total personality change when their hormones arrive which can mean they are not the rabbit that they know, however, those from reputable rescues are spayed/neutered and bonded and because of that, the family know exactly what they are getting and the rescue would hopefully match them with the right rabbits for their needs AND hopefully educate them along the way and also provide backup for if the rabbits are not wanted anymore.

If she is definitely going to do it, then doing it in the 'best' way possible would be desirable.

I have an article about where to get your rabbits which I can PM you if you wish? It looks at the pros and cons of all types of places.
 
:wave: I think having pets for the kids is absolutly fine as long as the parents take responsibility and dont expect the children to do everything for them. We got Poppy and Daisy for my little girl who is 5...she loves watching them and picking dandilions for them but as she is only 5 so I let her do the bits she enjoys (such as the picking of dandilions, carry the water bottle and then filling water bowls, sitting in the run occasionally etc etc etc) and I knew that the rest would fall to me...they are ultimatly my responsibility. :thumb:
 
I don't think any species is a child's pet, however, there are individuals who can be more comfortable with children than others.

Instead of trying to put them off, maybe suggest that they go to a reputable rescue. Explain that baby rabbits often have a total personality change when their hormones arrive which can mean they are not the rabbit that they know, however, those from reputable rescues are spayed/neutered and bonded and because of that, the family know exactly what they are getting and the rescue would hopefully match them with the right rabbits for their needs AND hopefully educate them along the way and also provide backup for if the rabbits are not wanted anymore.

If she is definitely going to do it, then doing it in the 'best' way possible would be desirable.

I have an article about where to get your rabbits which I can PM you if you wish? It looks at the pros and cons of all types of places.

I know, I think the best 'pet' is a cuddly toy for kids. :(

Ahh good plan, we probably did seem a little defensive on the bun front. I think i was just a bit shocked at the thought of a bun making a fab first pet, and from experience when i was younger i wasn't too keen on my first pet rabbits (however my mum adored them!). I'll certainly give them a list of reputable resuces to go too, perhaps contact numbers too?

Yes please! That would be wonderful, i'll send her a friendly email tonight. :)
 
I think the only suitable child's pet is a stuffed one or an electronic one to be honest.

I would say guinea pigs are less flighty than rabbits TBH and also less likely to scratch, and less likely to cause damage if they do. I would think a cat would actually be the easiest pet to look after and they are very hardy. I have a friend who has 4 little boys and their dad is always buying them pets against her wishes. They've had hamsters. gerbils, rats, bunnies, hedgehogs, snakes and a dog and the only one that's made it long term is the cat, I think all the small furries died of stress within a few months although the kids aren't doing anything bad, they're just so noisy and boisterous.
 
I know, I think the best 'pet' is a cuddly toy for kids. :(

Ahh good plan, we probably did seem a little defensive on the bun front. I think i was just a bit shocked at the thought of a bun making a fab first pet, and from experience when i was younger i wasn't too keen on my first pet rabbits (however my mum adored them!). I'll certainly give them a list of reputable resuces to go too, perhaps contact numbers too?

Yes please! That would be wonderful, i'll send her a friendly email tonight. :)

There's a list on rabbit rehome. You could even offer to go with them :) I'll PM you now.
 
:wave: I think having pets for the kids is absolutly fine as long as the parents take responsibility and dont expect the children to do everything for them. We got Poppy and Daisy for my little girl who is 5...she loves watching them and picking dandilions for them but as she is only 5 so I let her do the bits she enjoys (such as the picking of dandilions, carry the water bottle and then filling water bowls, sitting in the run occasionally etc etc etc) and I knew that the rest would fall to me...they are ultimatly my responsibility. :thumb:

I do agree that children should grow up with pets, but at the end of the day the parent needs to look after the pet, and the way things were going she wanted something that was easy to look after (ie: her daughter has a cuddle, play with the animal and then she puts it away at the end of the day). She thought cats were too much fuss....yet our cat is the easiet out of all our pets!

:(
 
I think the only suitable child's pet is a stuffed one or an electronic one to be honest.

I would say guinea pigs are less flighty than rabbits TBH and also less likely to scratch, and less likely to cause damage if they do. I would think a cat would actually be the easiest pet to look after and they are very hardy. I have a friend who has 4 little boys and their dad is always buying them pets against her wishes. They've had hamsters. gerbils, rats, bunnies, hedgehogs, snakes and a dog and the only one that's made it long term is the cat, I think all the small furries died of stress within a few months although the kids aren't doing anything bad, they're just so noisy and boisterous.

If the parent doesn't want anything to do with the pet then yep, i think stuffed is the way too go but if the parent is willing and wanting to be proactive with the pet then id love to help find them the perfect pet to suit them and their lifestyle.

I always wanted a bunny when I was little (five) and my mum and dad discussed it and got us a bonded pair of bucks. I wasn't too keen on them after a couple of months as I couldn't walk them on a lead but my mum loved them and cared for them, and nursed them when they became ill and eventually died of cancer.

Haha! I agree, we have a cat, a dog, five chickens, a cockerel, four guinea's, a hamster and two rats. Out of them all the cat is the most independant out of them all and is very easy to maintain!

There's a list on rabbit rehome. You could even offer to go with them :) I'll PM you now.

Oooo! I love that idea....but.....I'd be dangerous! The last time I went to help at a rescue I had myself on the reserve list by the end of the day!!
 
My friend wanted to get her kids a pet and I let her children look after two guinea pigs for a fortnight, by the end of the second week mum was cleaning them out and the children were not interested. It put them off:thumb:

My boys are fab with pets and do 90% of the work, but I am always there overseeing it, making sure everythings done and also helping out. Poppy is my sons rabbit, I clean her litter tray during the week but he gives her pellets, hay and changes water every day. He cleans her out on a weekend. Its very positive as long as everyones on board:D
 
I agree with what everyone else has said, cats are probably the easiest pets. I accidentally acquired one and she doesn't need nearly as much work as the chinchillas or rabbits or hamster. She's on the same level as the bearded dragon. Needs a spot clean and feeding every day and a good clean every now and then. In fact, the cat is probably easier because the beardie needs his (live) food looked after and fed and he needs a bath every few weeks.

I'd go with the cat. Tell her she'll have hay everywhere with a rabbit, be cleaning them out every day and they don't like to be cuddled as a rule. Although some do. And I also agree with going to a rescue, they can make sure they do get rabbits that like a cuddle and a home check will mean they are fully prepared.

Plus rabbits need a LOT of space. Much more than people realise. A six foot hutch and six foot run minimum. That's almost 40 square feet that they need to access to at all times. Do they have that space? Rabbits are most active at night so they can't be put in a cage at night. If they want the rabbit in a cage in the kid's bedroom the kid won't get any sleep. :lol:

A cat can share your space where as generally rabbits need their own due to being so destructive. If they can rabbit proof a room that is the ideal way to have a house rabbit but they will go through wires eat furniture etc, etc.

Gotta love em. :love:
 
The best child's pet would be a dog I think, as they cope well and dont get scared if the kids are a bit boistrous, although obviously you have to be careful with dogs and young kids. And dogs are one of the most demanding pets because of all the walking :lol:

Cats are the lowest maintanence pet. Another pet would be a single fish, I'd say a betta (siamese fighting fish) as they tend to prefer living alone and also like to interact with their owners, definately not goldfish as they need massive 100litre+ tanks.

A rabbit is one of the worst childrens pets. Even if you take away the issue of welfare of the rabbit. Rabbits are flighty, often scratch/bite, dont like loud noises and quick movements and generally dont like being picked up. They are also expensive and an awful lot of work.

I think letting her borrow your piggies would be a good idea, if you trust they will look after them, because a lot of people dont realise that it will be a fair bit of work, what with having to clean them out every day. I'd let them have them for a good two weeks, to give time for the novelty to wear off. I'd also make sure they do all the cleaning out etc.

Let them know that rabbits cost about £1000 a year to care for, plus vets bills, housing and any treats/accessories etc.
 
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