09.28.2020 Drozd Nikolaevich Animals Pets not only bring a special atmosphere to the family, but also help the children who care for them learn responsibility. If you don't want to get a cat or dog, and if you don't have much space in your apartment, then you should think about smaller pets.
There are many cute little animals in the world that can become your pets. But before you bring such an animal home, you should carefully study their character and habits. Not all of these creatures can be hugged and held close.
You should also choose a pet for your child based on how old your offspring is. Of course, children can learn responsibility through caring for and interacting with an animal, but experiments can end disastrously for both the pet and your child.
That is why we offer you a list of ten furry and not so potential candidates for the role of a pet for your child. All you have to do is read the information provided and choose the pet that suits you most.
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are the cutest little animals that actually require minimal attention from you. However, it is worth keeping in mind that if you rarely have contact with such a pet, then the hedgehog can become quite aggressive, bringing a lot of problems.
Hedgehogs are for you if you like independent animals. They are loners by nature and usually lead a corresponding lifestyle. It is better to keep a hedgehog in a cage (like for rabbits), but do not forget - they are great at climbing, so why not close it with a lid so that the hedgehog does not escape.
Hedgehogs mainly eat food for cats or dogs, but it is necessary to periodically add eggs, insects, vegetables and fruits, and cooked meat to the diet. In addition, hedgehogs need to be bathed regularly to keep them clean.
You should also know that hedgehogs are very susceptible to various diseases (at least compared to many other animals), so you should exercise caution. Hedgehogs make great pets for older children. If hedgehogs are given more attention, they become quite obedient and sociable.
Top pets
The first place among domestic pets is the cat.
There are quite a lot of breeds. Some people have, for example, British cats, while others love hairless sphinxes. Everyone chooses an animal according to individual parameters. Cats are highly intelligent pets, some even believe that they have the ability to cure some serious diseases.
For a child, of course, it is better to have a small kitten, which will captivate the baby at first sight. This little bundle will not let you get bored, and most importantly, it requires little care and a small amount of time.
Care rules will include feeding, timely supply of water to the animal, periodic cleaning of the tray and washing the animal. However, this pet, when it grows up, will probably be less interesting, since cats mostly walk on their own, and she will no longer play with a child at an older age.
Guinea pigs
Guinea pigs are hardly unusual pets. These cute creatures, which are often kept for their very friendly and sociable nature, are also one of the largest rodents.
Adult guinea pigs can reach a length of up to thirty centimeters. They are very sweet and love to interact with their owners and other guinea pigs. They live on average from five to ten years. These are the best animals to start teaching children of any age about care and responsibility.
Guinea pigs are much less temperamental than hamsters, for example, and are much less likely to bite you. However, they require constant care. The pigs' diet should consist of special granulated food, hay, as well as vegetables and fruits.
Pet stores sell portable guinea pig cages that can be equipped with various accessories (houses) to give your pig a place to hide. However, the installation of a wheel is not recommended for guinea pigs, as your pet can easily injure its legs and back.
Hamsters and rats: a little night serenade
It is quite natural that a poor little animal hides from harm during the day, away from the eyes of large enemies - and expresses itself in the dark. Darkening the master's mind. Organizes actions like “freedom for my people.” He gnaws the twigs and sings the Marseillaise.
In this sense, guinea pigs behave most culturally. Or, rather, it’s reasonable: why would you be scared to make noise when the sapiens are sleeping anyway? That's when they come into view - that's when the pig joyfully throws all the available caps into the air - and actively wants love, attention and to devour. Yes, the smartest animal: the opening of the refrigerator is greeted with a joyful squeal. He understands everything, you understand!
(Here’s an additional educational point for you: for peace and quiet in the house, it’s important not to inspect the refrigerator at night, when the forces of sausage reign supreme).
Hamsters
Hamsters are extremely popular as pets due to their cute appearance, fluffy fur and relatively low maintenance costs. They usually allow themselves to be handled easily, although some of the smaller species can be quite restless, especially the females.
Larger species, such as the Syrian hamster, are more peaceful and better suited for your children, who will likely want to babysit them. In addition, large types of hamsters are not so gentle, quite obedient and, so to speak, more well-mannered.
On the other hand, hamsters are also quite self-sufficient loners, so they need cage features such as tunnels, passages and a wheel to stay healthy. Plus, they don't necessarily need partners.
However, the disadvantage is the short life span of hamsters - from two and a half to three years. This means that you need to be mentally prepared for your child’s experiences due to the death of a pet. By the way, hamsters are predominantly nocturnal, hibernating most of the day.
A small dog
A dog is a wonderful friend of man. Many people dream of having a dog, but without enough space, this desire fades into the background. But don’t despair, you can get a small dog. Today there are a lot of breeds that are not inferior in devotion and affection to their large brothers.
Advantages:
- The dog is suitable for people who like to spend a lot of time outdoors.
- The dog is very devoted to its owner, so you will not feel lonely.
- Don't need a lot of space.
Flaws:
- The dog does not like to be alone, so if you spend a lot of time at work or traveling, it is better not to get such a pet.
- If you don’t have time to walk your little pet, then it’s better to get another pet.
Rats
Perhaps a rat is not the first thing that comes to your mind when your child suddenly expresses a desire to receive a pet as a gift. In vain. The rat is a highly sociable and intelligent animal that requires minimal care.
In addition, they are very playful and love to tinker with all sorts of toys, balls, strings, and can even play with a roll of toilet paper to their delight. So rats are the perfect little pets?
It turns out that it is so. In addition to being friendly, intelligent and sociable, they show great affection for their owners. In other words, be prepared for the fact that your children will also be inflamed with reciprocal love.
Rats have amazing memories for such small creatures. They are very unpretentious in food, although you can also purchase the most suitable food for them in the appropriate stores. However, like hamsters, rats have a very short life cycle of two to three years.
Gerbils
Gerbils are collective animals that form colonies in their natural environment. That is why it is recommended to keep them in small groups - from two to four individuals. But don't be alarmed - they are very inexpensive to maintain.
They prefer a mixed diet, very often storing quite large reserves of food (if the opportunity arises). You can pick them up and stroke them, but you should do this very carefully, since gerbils are extremely gentle creatures and can easily be harmed.
There are a very large number of species of gerbils, but the so-called Mongolian gerbil is often kept at home. These animals are very clean animals and practically do not smell. Unlike hamsters, gerbils are not nocturnal animals.
They are quite independent creatures, so they can easily entertain themselves for long periods of time. The life expectancy of gerbils is quite short - from three to four years, for which it is worth preparing mentally in advance.
Ferrets
Ferrets are extremely active, terribly inquisitive and extremely agile animals. At the same time, they are very cute to look at and have a fluffy coat that is very pleasant to the touch. They live longer than many of their smaller counterparts - from eight to ten years.
As soon as you let your ferret out of the cage, he will immediately start running around the house, exploring every nook and cranny, so you shouldn’t leave them outside the cage unattended. If the ferret is outside, someone must look after him, otherwise you will be tired of looking for him later.
They definitely need more attention than rats or hamsters, as they don't feel very comfortable if they are in a cage all day. It turns out to be a rather paradoxical situation - ferrets should not be left unattended outside the cage, but it is also undesirable to keep them in the cage all day, even if you are not at home.
Ferrets are willing to be handled. They will not bite you, unless, of course, you accidentally harm them. These animals can play with you or your children all day long. They acquire their cute special attractiveness somewhere closer to three years.
Chinchillas
Of all the furry pets offered on this list, chinchillas are the fluffiest. Their fur is thick and silky. Thanks to this, chinchillas are probably the most pleasant to hold and stroke.
On the other hand, chinchillas don't really like being cuddled. It's better to give her the opportunity to run around your home. An adult chinchilla reaches a length of up to 30 centimeters or even more, and females are larger than males.
Chinchillas practically do not emit an unpleasant odor. And even their secretions do not smell for several days. These cutest animals live from 10 to 15 years. The color of the fur of these creatures varies from the lightest tones to soot black.
Chinchillas do not require much attention. They eat special food, which can be freely purchased at pet stores. It is better to keep male chinchillas in pairs. But the females of these animals are solitary, so they can be kept alone.
Cancer hermit
The hermit crab is not the most common pet on this list of recommended pets. However, they are very well-mannered and very inexpensive to maintain, so they are perfect for this role.
To keep them, they need an aquarium with 15 centimeters of sand with pebbles on the surface so that your pet can move around by climbing. The hermit crab can be held freely, but it is quite capable of doing without the tenderness of a calf.
This is a very peaceful, calm animal, not at all like those pets that you want to pick up and stroke. It is better to watch the hermit crab from afar as it moves slowly in its aquarium, burrowing into the sand to hide its delicate muzzle there. These little creatures are quite sociable and are quite capable of helping you brighten up a lonely evening in their company. Sometimes you can even hear the hermit crab making characteristic sounds.
Hermit crabs can live up to thirty years without needing any special attention. However, crayfish love variety in their diet, so they may not really like it when food is repeated. If you fed them fish, then next time it is better to give them special food or fruits and vegetables.
In addition, they should be given fresh dechlorinated water and salt water in separate containers. Hermit crabs have a habit of hiding in empty shells. They need calcium, so it is worth adding shells of a suitable size to their aquarium from time to time.
In general, hermit crabs are omnivorous scavengers, so along with their regular food, you should feed them fish remains. But vegetables and fruits must first be washed well in the same dechlorinated water.
Hermit crabs should be handled with extreme care. Despite the fact that this animal does not spend a lot of time on itself, hermit crabs are sociable animals, so they should be kept in groups of three or four individuals.
Have you heard how cats sing?
Well, you know that wild cats don't meow as adults. This man developed them, teaching him to attract attention and read Shakespearean monologues “I am the least fed cat in the world, oh fateful night.” Perhaps, if the furry animal is fed continuously, it will one day reach the stage when it can only lie down and mutter complacently: “Tahiti-Tahiti, we have not been to any Tahiti.” But it might burst earlier, so to hell with it, let it meow, you have to somehow drown out the neighbor’s TV.
And the cats stomp. Yeah, these very soft little paws with special velvet pads.
parrots
Parrots are one of the most popular pets, and for good reason. They are very playful in nature and love to interact, not to mention their attractive appearance.
There are many different types of pet parrots, ranging from plain gray to rainbow-colored. Parrots have a long life cycle. Some individuals are able to live up to 80 years or more!
These sociable creatures are known to have the ability to copy various sounds they hear. You should be careful with words, otherwise your children may learn a couple of new words from parrots, which will greatly surprise you!
Parrots need a cage that is large enough for them to spread their wings as they fly from one perch to another. These birds are very fond of nuts and salty crackers.
Their cage must be kept clean regularly. Despite their sociability, you cannot avoid being bitten by their beak on your fingers, as they do not particularly like to be handled (especially by strangers).
Parrots are very active pets. They can be quite noisy, emitting high-pitched screams for several minutes until attention is paid to them. If you have purchased such a pet, then you need to be prepared for lifelong care for them.
What kind of pet is better to have in an apartment?
Living conditions are of the utmost importance when it comes to finding a pet friend, because in small apartments it is not always possible to comfortably keep large animals (for example, large dogs).
A four-legged friend in the apartment, understanding the owner perfectly and fully directing his energy to him, will give a lot of pleasure.
What do dog lovers need to be prepared for? The need to walk your pet every day. If you want to teach your pet any skills, be prepared for some serious training with him. You will also have to buy food, toys, do the necessary vaccinations and other procedures. Also, despite the fact that dogs in an apartment do not need a cage or enclosure, the dog should still have his own place with a bed and a place to play.
No less comfort will be required if there is a cat in the house. They are affectionate and with their rumbling help with depression, treat neuroses and heart disorders. If you want to give your cat the opportunity to walk in the yard, she does not need your presence nearby, just open the door.
Change the contents of the tray in a timely manner and your domestic cat will not cause any problems. Sterilizing the animal will help avoid such problems as marked corners of the apartment. High-quality toys will help you avoid chewed, scratched and torn things. Your cat will be happy to play with the scratching post and will leave the interior of the apartment alone.
Another problem is wool, which appears literally everywhere. This can be avoided if you properly design the place for the animal and take care of its fur. Even a small “cat place” should be comfortable, then it will not cause any problems. Like dogs, mustachioed tabbies need special shampoo and parasite repellents.
Hamsters, mice, rats and other rodents outside the cage can also leave traces as waste products and chew on whatever they like. They tend to sometimes stock up on food in the most unexpected places. To prevent unpleasant odors from the presence of a rodent in your home, you just need to clean their cage on time.
If you decide to place birds in your house, you will need to monitor their food and water, and clean their cage. To prevent canaries and parrots from waking you up in the morning, simply cover the cage with a dark cloth.
An aquarium in an apartment has a special aesthetics. This is a stylish interior element. The disadvantage of this choice is the lack of tactile contact.
