My boy is 6, and has been gassing for a pet for a long time. We want to get him something, but our parameters are pretty narrow:
- Can’t be a cat or dog (allergies)
- No rodents/mustelids (wife: ew)
- No snakes (wife: ew)
- No birds (wife: ew)
- No Arthropods (Wife: ew)
Reptiles/frogs/amphibians are ok in our books.
Ideally, I would like something he could physically handle on occasion but that’s not a deal breaker.
Fish are cool, but kind of boring to a 6 year old maybe.
Crabs are cool, but seem kind of cryptic.
Would be amazing if it didn’t break the bank and was somewhat easy to care for
Thoughts appreciated if you have any.
I worry that whatever you choose, your son will be dissatisfied. Maybe your kid is different, but most the kids I’ve known wanted a pet they could bond with. They’ve wanted a pet that was interested in what the kid does, that silently listened to the kid expressing their issues, and that offered things to do, like: “feed me”, “pet me”, or “play!”
Rabbits might work, but they might be too interested in one another. Even if they weren’t forbidden, you’d run into the same issue with social birds like cockatiels. The only pets I can think of that give kids the attention a kid craves are the animals that have lived with humans for hundred if not thousands of years. Basically: dogs and cats. After that you get into cows, pigs, chickens, goats, and the like. Goats are wicked smart, but the males stink to high heaven unless neutered young. If you raise geese from goslings, they will love you forever and ask for cuddles whenever they see you – but they have to stay outside and do make a mess. Someone else might correct me, but I doubt you want a pig – partially just because they end up getting so big (I’m told there’s no such thing as a teacup pig).
If the only issue with dogs is allergies, you could consider a low-allergenic breed. Dogs are simply the ideal pet for people with the time and space for them. They’ve lived with humans nearly forever and do all the stuff a young boy wants from a pet. Cats require less attention and can be caring and affectionate if they want to, but that depends on the particular cat. I’ve had turtles, ferrets, parrots, fish, and lots of other animals as pets and only the parrots and ferrets held a candle to dogs and cats. Fish-wise, I found the most exciting to be South American Cichlids – but mostly because I had a Green Terror who fell in love with a Blue Acara overnight such that the two of them tried to kill everything in the tank in the span of 10 hours. I got them their own tank where they raised many babies.
Really good input here, and I suspect you’re right on the disappointment factor. At least with fish, care is somewhat easy if you don’t get crazy spp, so I’m not stuck with a high maintenance pet he didn’t want in the first place if things go south.
A low allergenic dog would probably thrill your kid, and even if it didn’t, I’m betting the adults in the house would quickly fall in love. I’d avoid Schnauzers because they are harder to train (they’re smart enough, but will test whether they should actually listen to you or not – whereas Basenjis are hard to train because they aren’t that bright). Wheatens and other similar terriers are likely to have similar stubbornness issues. Maybe an Irish Water Dog or Lagotto Romagnolo? I don’t know those breeds but I see them listed as low-allergy. I hate to link to reddit, but their LR sub says they really are pretty safe.
I’m looking at Bichon/poodle crosses right now. They look like a good candidate: small, and hypo x hypo cross (versus a golden doodle which is large and only side is hypo).
Water dog looks good too. I think the commentator above (you?) hit the nail on the head. Why try to talk ourselves into something we don’t really truly want? We love dogs around here, just not the allergies and have treated that as a non-starter. Perhaps we were being too rigid, but we really want to avoid having to give up a dog because my wife and youngest can’t breathe and their eyes feel like they are being maced
All dogs are different (even allegedly hypo ones) and all people’s allergies trigger on different things. Make sure all housemates spend a few hours with a dog or cat you are thinking of adopting before you commit. Contact your local animal rescue and they will be happy to help you meet a few animals. You may even be able to foster-to-adopt to make sure it’s a good fit. I would recommend against spending a lot of money on an allegedly allergy-free designer dog. And of course, please spay or neuter your pet.
Yeah, for sure. We will do our research but it was more of a lack of starting point that triggered this post.
Sounds stupid I know, we just assumed a dog was really just never in the cards for us, and left it at that.
definitely do not buy a mixed breed dog. rescuing one is totally legit, though! or find a poodle or bichon through a reputable breeder if you want to go that route. some breeders have young adult dogs (2-3 years old) that are done with the show ring and ready for pet homes. if you go through a reputable breeder, they will always take the dog back if it doesn’t work out. if you go through a rescue, the same applies. some even have trial periods (the rescue i help out with does two weeks).
why you shouldn't buy a mixed breed dog
there is no such thing as an ethically-bred mixed breed dog. dogs are bred to perform specific tasks, and anybody making more dogs without that in mind is only doing them a disservice, as we have a huge overpopulation problem. i volunteer for a border collie rescue, and we consistently find more dogs than we can actually help out.
- Can’t be a cat or dog (allergies)
- No rodents/mustelids (wife: ew)
- No snakes (wife: ew)
- No birds (wife: ew)
- No Arthropods (Wife: ew)
Just have another kid.
Me: ew
Just get a divorce already…
Kidding. But it sure makes it tough. I’d suggest a gecko or a tortoise
Maybe a half terrarium & aquarium? Stock with turtles, frogs and some of the alge eating fish (placos?)
put in a shrubbery or two
That’s a cool idea!
Do guinea pigs or rabbits qualify as “rodent”? Most of the people from the ew-faction have a specific dislike for long, naked tails, which neither of those two have. Worth a look, at the very least.
If you do decide on either of those, please get minimum 2, they will die if kept in solitude.
Rabbit was a maybe. Good to know about the needing 2
If you do decide on either of those, please get minimum 2, they will die if kept in solitude.
I had guinea pigs for a while, got two males. One wasn’t a male. We ended up with many guinea pigs.
Fun pets, but don’t keep them in a bedroom, they are way too loud for that.
I had two adults, they were near silent. Though they were left to roam the house at all times, in the end I never really knew where they spent most of the night. Their cage was in my bedroom though, and that was the only place where they got food.
Rabbits and guinea pigs can be fun, I’d toss out chinchillas as another interesting option though those might be harder to find.
How do the wife and kiddo feel about live feeding? Plenty of reptiles need things like mealworms and crickets in addition to their flakes or pellets. Turtles, at least types you’ll find in pet stores, will typically get live feeder fish in addition to their pellets as well.
i was going to suggest guinea pigs, too! they might be too “rodent” for wife, but honestly they’re a lot more like smaller, low-maintenance rabbits. they have personalities for sure, and as long as you handle them from a young age, they can be picked up and hang out on your lap while you watch tv or whatever.
Sphinx cat. No dander to upset the allergies and they’re kind of high maintenence which would be excellent for teaching hygiene to the kiddo. Like you actually have to bathe them. Too many boys grow up avoiding showers and baths.
Other than that though they’re generally very chill animals. As much as cats can be chill. Not recommended for an indoor/outdoor animal as excess sun can cause this breed problems.
Are birds an option? Parakeets or Cockatiel can become very tame!
No birds (wife: ew)
I don’t know how birds are ew, but I think they are off the table
Ah sorry missed that
Would rabbits set off any allergies?