First pet for 12 year old

[Christopher Jon]

My niece is 12 years old and her parents are finally willing to let her get her first pet. They asked me for recommendations. I am thinking a gerbil, hamster or guineau pig.

Anyone else have any suggestions or experience with this?

[cookingVeg]

I suggest that she go to the humane society and see what they have available. The humane society near me typically has rabbits and guinea pigs.

[Fyvel]

If you're looking for something of the rodent-type variety, I'd have to recommend rats (plural because they do much better in pairs or groups than alone). They're very intelligent and social and are lots of fun :yes:

Check and see if there are any rescue groups in your area for whatever type she decides on. The previous mention of the humane society is a good one! :up:

[Kiz]

I think she should, within reason, decide for herself. I mean, as long as it's not an elephant or a poisonous snake or something.

[Dutchabbey]

I really agree with Kiz in that she should decide for herself. I'm still traumatized by gerbils I had as a child :\ And I know if anyone had given me a rat as a child...well, my reaction probably wouldn't have been one of great joy. No offense to rats and rat lovers intended but I'm a bit rodent phobic.

[Fyvel]

My niece is 12 years old and her parents are finally willing to let her get her first pet. They asked me for recommendations. I am thinking a gerbil, hamster or guineau pig.

Anyone else have any suggestions or experience with this?

(emphasis mine)


I was under the impression the parents were looking for ideas or suggestions on what would make a good pet to present to the child as ideas. Maybe I was wrong in that assumption?

[Kiz]

Or maybe she as a secret hamster fetish or something. I had a cat fetish as a kid (guess I still do) but my parents kept giving me birds and fish. They were all very cool and I loved them and all but they just weren't cats! :p

[hoodedclawjen]

If you're looking for something of the rodent-type variety, I'd have to recommend rats (plural because they do much better in pairs or groups than alone). They're very intelligent and social and are lots of fun :yes:

Check and see if there are any rescue groups in your area for whatever type she decides on. The previous mention of the humane society is a good one! :up:

:yes: rats are great. fascinating little people, they are.

[Minibean]

If the 12-year old is going to be the sole caretaker, I would recommend none of the above. If at least one of the parents also wants the pet, and is willing to help out with (and potentially take over completely) the care, and foot the bill (including vet bills), any number of pets could be suitable, as long as they do their homework beforehand and know what they're getting into (ie. cost, care, lifespan). I guess it really depends on what they are looking for. One thing to keep in mind is that some small animals, like rats and guinea pigs, need to live in pairs or groups. Ditto the advice on adopting rather than buying.

Out of the animals you mentioned, I've only had guinea pigs. They're a quite lot of trouble, especially when they have chronic health problems. If a rat or hamster has health problems, it won't be as expensive because they don't live as long. With a guinea pig it can be 8 years of vet bills. But, guinea pigs can be great pets as long as you're prepared. :)

Good guinea pig info is at www.guinealynx.com and www.guineapigcages.com

[Kiz]

That is true. If you get rats, guinea pigs etc that is what you are getting. Rats and guinea pigs, not "a rat" or "a guinea pig".

Mice are pretty good pets, too. Just don't get both genders!

[rabid_child]

I'm with Minibean on this one. It really needs to be a family decision with the parents knowing that they're going to be "back up" if the child is unable to care for it properly, and to pay for food/supplies/vet bills. As long as the whole family is on board...

The problem I have with "pocket pets" (hamsters, gerbils, mice, etc..) is their short life span. Also the average person would go get one from a pet store, so I don't know how much influence you have for them to find a rescue, but blah pet stores. Moving up slightly to guinea pigs and rats -- they have slightly better life spans, and might be easier to find rescues. I personally think cats are a great, easy to care for, interactive pet. A young adult cat won't need so much "start up" at the vet -- should come pre-fixed and vaccinated, though of course, this isn't an appropriate pet if it's something the family wants to, say, confine to the child's room. (And there's cat barf and litter boxes, and the possibility of the furniture getting clawed)

[margaret h]

Guinea pigs make excellent pets, easily handled, easy to feed them from the vege kitchen, they are very hardy as long as you do some research into how to keep them, two together is best and never with rabbits.

[Christopher Jon]

I really agree with Kiz in that she should decide for herself. I'm still traumatized by gerbils I had as a child :\ And I know if anyone had given me a rat as a child...well, my reaction probably wouldn't have been one of great joy. No offense to rats and rat lovers intended but I'm a bit rodent phobic.

Why were you traumitized by gerbils?

[Dutchabbey]

Why were you traumitized by gerbils?

My parents decided to adopt a pair of gerbils that were no longer wanted in a local school. I guess they thought they would be ideal for me to help take care of because I really wanted a pet. I had been thinking kitty but my parents wanted to start smaller to teach me the responsibilities of having an animal.

The two 'females' turned out to be a breeding pair and, within a short period of time, they reproduced. I walked in one day after school to see Mom gerbil consuming one of her babies after having apparently eaten the rest of her litter. That was such a horrible sight, to this day I still shudder when I see one. My rodent phobia probably started that day and wasn't helped by living in NY at the height of their rat problem.

[Fromper]

This may sound odd, but I'll recommend NOT getting a rabbit if they're looking for something easy. Most people don't realize that bunnies are high maintenance pets, much like cats and dogs.

But I'll definitely recommend going with pets that are available from a local shelter.

--Fromper
:juggle:

[SomebodyElse]

Pet Rocks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_rock). Low maintenance, and they live forever. I still have mine. :p

[VeggieLizzie]

How about having her volunteer at the local Humane Society or ASPCA? The bonus would be she would get hands-on training and decide what she wants. A pet isn't a decision to be made lightly. The ASPCA takes kids 14 and up and under 14 as long as they paired with a parent or guardian. Also, if she decides on a dog, different breeds have different temperaments and exercise requirements and the parents need to do some research into this and she may meet the kitty or dog of her dreams :)

There are so many cats and dogs without homes. My mom does lab rescue and its really devastating how many people buy the cute lab puppies (probably from puppy stores) then decide they have too much energy (its a puppy, Einstein) and get rid of them. She has fostered some wonderful dogs, trained them well and placed them into warm and appreciative homes.

At her age, this will be a family responsibility, I agree. Perhaps check into the local rescue organizations for cats and dogs (if she isn't into rodents). Generally they want experienced people to foster but you never know. I still think the ASPCA Or Humane Society volunteering would be a good idea. She is at a good age for a pet, not too young.

My family has a good amt of experience with rescue, breeds,and breed temperaments if you have any questions. Particularly good, lower maintenance dogs who are known to be excellent with children are newfoundlands- they call them the gentle giants for a reason. And they aren't super high energy. They do drool,but I consider it part of their charm :) and newfy rescue groups abound!

[VeggieLizzie]

Oh and if she does decide on a dog or cat and doesn't find the one for her at one shelter, Petfinder.org has links to all the local shelters and she can browse online. They will tell you if the cat or dog is good with kids, other pets, if they are trained, etc. Bonus is they have all their shots and are usually spayed/neutered so as not to breed more unwanted animals.

[counting_hours]

I wrote out a long reply, that didn't post with pros and cons of certain animals. However, ultimately summed up it looked a bit like:

Ok choices:
Rats

Good choices:
Silkie chicken
Rabbit
Hamster
Cavy

Poor choices:
Gerbil
Reptile or amphibian
fish
Hedgehog


Favorite choice:
Silkie chicken, kept single or in a pair in an appropriately sized enclosure, indoors.

I you have any questions on why I ranked the way I did, just ask :). I actually love ALL the listed animals, and have shared my life with all of them. I wanted to say rat, as I have 4 furry boys at home now, however, I think they are friendly, affectionate, cuddly, but not great as a first pet, and they require SO MUCH vet care.

[DMZdogs]

I think that the parents of that 12 year old should think long and hard about what kind of pet they themselves would like to have. The 12 year old won't be 12 for long...she'll be going off to college/university..not places known for tolerance towards companion animals. A lot of places require freshmen to live in a dorm...dorms that permit animals are likely extremely rare. I've never even heard of one. If she can decide to live off campus, she will be faced with trying to find housing in a college town which is hard enough when you don't have to add in finding a place that will permit animals and THEN there are the pet rents and pet deposits to think about. Not something a college student can generally easily afford.

I know this first hand because that's what I faced when I went to university...I had a cat and I didn't even have a choice about leaving her with my parents. She had to come with me. She was my cat and I loved her and thought it all worth it, but it WAS a lot of trouble and cost a lot of money. I was one of the very few people I knew who had even bothered to bring her animal companion....most of them got left at home with the parents.

So, what kind of pet would the parents like?

[Christopher Jon]

Her parents have forbade her getting a cat or dog.

They have basically told her some type of small rodent.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

[hoodedclawjen]

^^ sensible parents- puppies and kittens are cute and appealing when they're small, but walking the dog twice a day can get old really fast, and taking a middle aged cat to uni is a challenge most 12 year olds haven't considered.

[Minibean]

I just hope they understand that taking good care of a small rodent will be every bit as much trouble as taking care of a cat or dog, and quite possibly more, depending on what type of animal they end up with.

[counting_hours]

I just hope they understand that taking good care of a small rodent will be every bit as much trouble as taking care of a cat or dog, and quite possibly more, depending on what type of animal they end up with.

This. My rats are SOOO much more expensive in terms of vet bills, and they require a lot of specialized care. On of my ratboys was rescued ill. Over the course of the 6-7 months he was alive I spent over 300$ treating his illnesses before finally having to have him euthanized. One ather rat, still with me, has cost over 150$ and he just turned one year old on October first. Overall, over this last year I have spent over 500$ on vet care between 3 rats alone. That is not counting the 100-150 dollars for food, 150 dollars on housing, 50 dollars on bedding, 100 dollars on other supplies, 50 dollars in adoption fees. And I did not just start out with rats this year, I already had many things they would need. Plus they require an enormous amount of attention and high level of care. Small pets does not equal less money or less reponsability. So many small animals are "cheap" to buy and live unhappy lives in cramped quarters with insufficent care. I am not saying this is going to be the situation in this case, just make sure they know that small animals are ALOT of work, just like any other species, and in some cases, even more work and more expensive than a cat or dog.

[DMZdogs]

This. My rats are SOOO much more expensive in terms of vet bills, and they require a lot of specialized care. ....... just make sure they know that small animals are ALOT of work, just like any other species, and in some cases, even more work and more expensive than a cat or dog.

I only wish that were true in my case....I spent over $2,500 in vet bills in the month of August for my two dogs. I have no idea how much I spend on food as they eat a lot of the same food I do....and I'm fairly certain they eat more than a rat. Even if they have a perfectly healthy year, just keeping up with required vaccinations can be rather expensive. Are rats required by law to have vaccinations? Also, dogs live longer, and therefore, have more time to accrue large vet bills. Over 15 years or so (the average life span for the breed of dog I have), even small vet bills add up to a large number. I'm not saying rats are cheap to maintain, but please don't say that they are so much more expensive than a dog or a cat unless you have actual numbers to back it up.

I think that one of the reasons the parents might be wanting a "rodent" (how I hate that word) of some sort might be simply that they don't have as long of a life span. Less commitment (in that way) for them and the 12 year old who will be going off on her own life soon (though probably not within the lifespan of a rat). I hope they choose to rescue a rat and not purchase one.