My little sister has just turned 9, and she is anmal mad (she wants to be a vet she says when she grows up). She has been asking since she was a toddler for a pet, but my mum has said no until she can contribute to its care herself. Now she is a little older, my mum had said she could have a pet for her 9th birthday (knowing that my mum herself would be doing the majority of the caring for it - it wouldnt have been abandoned or anything, even if my sister lost interest), she decided she wanted a guinea pig so mum got her a book on guinea pig care for her to read first. After a good week with her face stuffed in the book she has said that guinea pigs sound like they need a lot of looking after and she doesnt think she is ready, she doesnt want to get one and make it sad by not looking after it properly, so could she just get a goldfish and when she's a big adult in her own house maybe then she'll get a guinea pig. What a clever girl, I wish every child thought the same way! x