Hamsters; The Perfect Starter Pet

As a parent, you want to be able to give your kids everything that they want in life.

Unfortunately, giving your child everything he or she wants is not always in your child's best interest and caving in at your child's every whim is almost certainly a bad idea. You don't want to deprive your child though, so what do you do when your little boy or girl comes up to you with those adorable little brown eyes and asks you for a puppy or a kitty (or a ferret, parrot, snake, alligator, etc.)? With a household pet comes many responsibilities, and you as a parent are likely the one to decide who takes those responsibilities initially. Will you refuse your child telling them about the inherent duties of having a pet? Do you point out that having a puppy requires you to pick up after the dog, take it for walks, feed it twice a day and so on? This will probably be your initial reaction sure, and the child's initial reaction will be to assure you that he/she will take care of those duties, they'll feed it, walk it, play with it, give it all the attention it needs and love it like no puppy or kitty has ever been loved before. Well, you, being a loving parent rather than a heartless gargoyle, can't keep up that wall of resolution indefinitely, so, whether it is the next day, the next week or the next month, eventually you are going to cave and adopt that pet for your child (though hopefully not the alligator). Then you begin to notice a couple weeks have gone by and the amount of care given the pet by your child seems to be waning while you suddenly seem to be doing all those things your diabolically cute offspring promised you to do. You can't nag the child forever though, or perhaps you can, but in the meantime you'll have a scrawny little pet two days away from starvation and a backyard lined wall to wall with pet doodie.

So now YOU are the primary caregiver and you silently curse the adorable brown eyes of your devil spawned young. So the answer is to not adopt a pet right? Not necessarily. There can be a compromise for you and your child. And the compromise isn't to share a dog with two other families so that you have it on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the third Sunday of every month. No, you can get your child a real life actual pet. And what pet can you get your little bundle of joy? Consider getting him or her a hamster (either one syrian or two dwarf hamsters). Why hamsters? Hamsters are a fantastic pet for kids depending on the type you adopt (Chinese Hamsters tend to be jumpy and are thus not a good idea for small children). Hamsters are small and furry and never lose that degree of cuteness that a child covets, secondly, they are so easy to take care of they are practically automated (notice that I said practically). Hamsters don't smell that strongly either, they may smell stronger than a cat (unless your cat frequently pees on your bed or on the living room carpet) but they aren't nearly as stinky as a dog can be. What's more, they are almost like a toy in that they can be played with and cuddled and handled and then when the child is done with the pet they can be put back in their cage where they can play and entertain themselves (the hamsters not your children). Of course a hamster is not free of responsibilities, the cage needs to be cleaned weekly or it will begin to smell, of course hamsters need to be fed, and they should get adequate attention if you expect them to be friendly and tame to your family and friends. But the amount of energy (and money) you and your child MUST expend to take care of a hamster is far smaller than that of a larger animal such as a dog, and they don't shed like cats, they are quiet (though their exercise wheels may not be), and they are just a joy to handle and have around. So when your little boy or girl comes up to you and begs you for that cute little puppy in the pet shop tell them maybe later, but for now, let's start a little smaller.

Andy Markison is an illustrator, graphic designer, animal lover and pet owner living in Germany. His website, ZapGraphix.com, sells fun and humorous pet related merchandise.

---

Three Important Litter Box Considerations

There are three important litter box considerations to account for... Read More

Improve Your Dogs Health With a Natural Diet

It goes without saying that your dog needs suitable nutrition... Read More

Tips on Hamster Breeding

Hamster breeding can sometimes be confusing for a hamster owner.... Read More

Got Fleas?

Author of Keep Fleas OffStill using all the chemicals you... Read More

Pet Bird Home Hazards - Keep Your Feathered Friend Safe

Interacting with a pet bird outside of it's cage is... Read More

New Puppies-The Cure For Insomnia-What You Can Do To Help You New Pupppy Adjust

Puppies have a natural instinct inside that causes them to... Read More

Disaster Preparedness for Pets - A Guide for Pet-Care Business Professionals

June is Disaster Preparedness for Pets month ? but if... Read More

Dog Aggressive Training: Understand & Eliminate Your Dogs Aggressive Behavior

Aggression behavior in a dog is a normal form of... Read More

Declawing Your Cat

This is a very controversial topic which has a lot... Read More

Essential Oils and MRSA

Natural preventative pet care isn't a new thing but it... Read More

Feeding Bettas

Knowing how to feed your betta is fundamental, because doing... Read More

What You Should Know About Your Puppy And Play Biting

The main ways a puppy will play with another dog... Read More

Bark Collars: Stop Unwanted Dog Barking

Bark CollarsMany pet owners become lost as to what to... Read More

Dogs and Old Age, How To Care For Your Aging Canine

Now that you're dog has shown you so much love... Read More

How to Teach YOUR Cat to Use a Litter Box - Secrets to Litter Tray Success

Even the most dedicated cat lover has little patience with... Read More

Does Your Dog Have An Irritating Jumping Habit?

Do you have a puppy that jumps on you, company... Read More

A Cat Tale

My son and I have a cat. Her name is... Read More

Protecting Yourself From Online Pet Classifieds Scams!

Internet Fraud, Classifieds Scams, Abuse and Suspicious Replies are world... Read More

Does Your Bichon Frise Eat His Own Poop?

Hi,I'm Janet CombsMy mother bred and raised Bichon Frises for... Read More

Horse Training Gets A New Face Lift From A 108 Year Old Horse Training Manual!

If you have a passion to learn all you can... Read More

Does Your Dog Have Allergies?

Many people don't realize that their dogs, just like human... Read More

Preparing For Your New Dog - What You Need to Know Before He Comes Home

Preparing yourself and your household before, during, and after your... Read More

Can Cats And Dogs Live Together As Friends?

Can cats and dogs live together without constantly being at... Read More

Attacking the Pit Bull Problem in Los Angeles-MuttShack Animal Rescue Launches Grassroots Campaign

Twenty-six percent of the dogs at the six Los Angeles... Read More

Is Your House Killing Your Dog?

You love your dog. You would do anything for your... Read More

Why Should I Adopt A Pet

Over the past couple of years, animal rescues have been... Read More

Pet Containment: Keep You Pet in the Yard and Out of Places You Dont Want Them to Be

Pet ContainmentIf you just recently became a pet owner or... Read More

Does Your Dog Miss You Too Much?

Your dog seems to be driving you up the wall... Read More

Is A Premium Dog Food Really That Much Better For Your Dog?

==========The Scoop on Premium Dog Food========If you're interested in premium... Read More

Get Educated Before Buying Your Pomeranian From A Dog Breeder

Buying a purebred dog is not something that should be... Read More

Birdie Body Language

Most parrot people are aware of some of the basic... Read More

Wormy Dogs? - Understand Dog Worms Infestation and Their Symptoms

Until a very recent period, dog worms were thought to... Read More

Train Your Buddy To ?Walk? & ?Dance? - Warning: Not All Dogs Can Do It!

Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that... Read More