When you have children, there can be many requests for getting a pet, especially if you have a child that is a little animal-mad. But not everyone has the time or the money, let alone the space for a large pet that can be a little more high-maintenance like a dog. But there are a lot of benefits to owning a pet; you just have to make sure that you find one that works for you and your family. If you are thinking about a pet, but looking for one that is going to be a little lower-maintenance for your family and children, then these ones are ideal.
Rodents: Hamsters, gerbils or mice
Small rodents like hamsters or mice can be a lot of fun to have, and they respond to you, being interactive with you. They are small, so don’t take up too much space, and they are relatively easy to look after. They will need food and water each day, along with a good-sized cage for them to play and sleep. Something like an exercise ball is a good idea for them too. Plus, a pet like hamsters tends to sleep a lot during the day, which is great if you are all out at school and work in the day time, and will be more lively around dusk when you’re all in the house. They also have a fairly short life span, around two years, so it can be a way to introduce the reality of life and death to children.
Small birds
There are some small birds that don’t need to have too much human interaction in order for them to be happy and healthy as a pet. They need a cage with room for them to fly, some food, some water, and a few toys and something to sharpen their beaks. Examples of good small birds are finches or canaries, as they don’t need too much time out of a cage. Parakeets or cockatiels need a little more time out and about to fly.
Goldfish / Tropical Fish
Getting a fish as a pet is something that is very low maintenance, simply because they don’t need to be played with. As long as you keep their water clean, change the water a lot, get the right kit for the tank from somewhere like Swell UK, then you can make your fish happy. Of course, there is food that is needed, but being low cost and needed minimally, it isn’t something that is going to cost a lot. Overfeeding can have adverse effects, so make sure that don’t do that. Treated well and looked after, they can also live for quite a while.
Reptiles
There are some reptiles that are certainly not low maintenance. But getting something a little different like a bearded dragon, gecko, or terrapins can be a low maintenance option. With warmth and safety, as well as having somewhere clean to live, then they can survive really well. If you’re new to getting a reptile, a leopard gecko can be the best idea, simply because they don’t need too much attention, and they’re pretty slow-moving and docile, which is what you’d want with children around.
When did you first have the pet discussion? Did you look into low maintenance pets?
This is a collaborative post
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