If your child’s incessant pleading for a pet has finally won you over
– or worn you out – it’s time to think about what kind of critter to bring home. If dogs and cats are out, don’t despair. From cost to play time, here’s a guide to what you can expect from other small, domesticated animals.
If your child’s incessant pleading for a pet has finally won you over – or worn you out – it’s time to think about what kind of critter to bring home. If dogs and cats are out, don’t despair. From cost to play time, here’s a guide to what you can expect from other small, domesticated animals.
BIRD
Activity level: Sometimes leaves cage/tank; leaves cage/tank daily
Parental involvement needed: Always
Good for ages: 14 and up
Kid’s daily commitment: Food and water should always be available. Clean cage liner weekly or more. Clean and disinfect cage and perches regularly. Closely observe health, including state of stools and feathers, because birds hide illness well. Daily interaction important for proper socialization.
Initial cost: $20-$100+ for bird alone; $100-350 for other start-up costs.
Yearly upkeep cost: $200-$400 (food, nail trims)
They eat: Fresh pellets, plus fresh fruits and vegetables.
Life expectancy: 10+ years for finches, cockatoos and canaries; 40-60 years for macaws and parrots.
Pros: Interactive. Many species can be taught to talk.
Cons: Messy and noisy.
LIZARD/GECKO
Activity level: Never leaves cage/tank; sometimes leaves/cage tank
Parental involvement needed: Sometimes
Good for ages: 10 and up
Kid’s daily commitment: Feed daily or every other day. Change water daily. Remove feces daily, clean tank weekly, give lizard a misting shower regularly. Don’t require interaction, but observe daily to make sure they’re OK.
Initial cost: $10-$100 for the animal itself; $200-$300 for start-up costs (cage, UV lights, heat source)
Yearly upkeep cost: $190-$450
They eat: Insects, veggies, special lizard food.
Life expectancy: 10-20 years
Pros: Quiet.
Cons: Can carry Salmonella. Not
very interactive and many don’t like to be handled.
FROG
Activity level: Never leaves cage/tank
Parental involvement needed: Sometimes
Good for ages: 10 and up
Kid’s daily commitment: Feed young frogs daily, adults one or two times a week. Clean tank weekly or more if necessary. Frogs don’t require much interaction.
Initial cost: $10-$35 for the frog itself; $200-$300 for other start-ups (cage, light, heat source)
Yearly upkeep cost: $200-$300
They eat: Crickets, fruit flies and meal worms, dusted daily with a calcium supplement and weekly with a vitamin and mineral supplement. Some larger frogs eat mice.
Life expectancy: 3-10 years
Pros: Take up little room, low maintenance.
Cons: Can carry Salmonella. Not interactive.
CHINCHILLA
Activity level: Sometimes leaves cage/tank
Parental involvement needed: Always
Good for ages: 14 and up
Kid’s daily commitment: Food and water should be available constantly. Clean cage and change bedding weekly, or more as needed. No grooming necessary. Thrive better with daily interaction.
Initial cost: $150 for the chinchilla; $300-$400 for other start-up costs
Yearly upkeep cost: $200 (some develop dental issues)
They eat: Chinchilla pellets, vegetables, timothy hay.
Life expectancy: 15 years.
Pros: Quiet, clean.
Cons: Less interactive than rabbits and rats. Don’t like to be cuddled unless well-socialized. Chews things. More active at night.
TURTLE
Activity level: Never leaves cage/tank
Parental involvement needed: Always
Good for ages: 12 and up
Kid’s daily commitment: Feed once per day or every other day, depending on age and type. Clean tank weekly, more if necessary. No playing or handling necessary, but observe daily to make sure it’s OK.
Initial cost: $20-$100 for the turtle itself; $200-$300 for other start-up costs (tank, filter, heater).
Yearly upkeep cost: $50-$150 (food, vet bills).
They eat: Insects, grasses, fruits and vegetables. They can also be fed food pellets designed for turtles; the No. 1 reason pet turtles die is malnutrition.
Life expectancy: 40 to 60 years.
Pros: Quiet, take up little room, live a long time, interesting to observe.
Cons: Carry salmonella, which can be picked up by children and those using poorer hygiene techniques. The sale of small turtles, with shells less than four inches long, is illegal.
GUINEA PIG
Activity level: Sometimes leaves cage/tank
Parental involvement needed: Sometimes; always
Good for ages: 8 and up (with supervision)
Kid’s daily commitment: Keep a constant supply of food and water. Clean cage and change bedding weekly, or more as needed. No grooming necessary. Play with pet daily if you want to have a relationship.
Initial cost: $35 for the guinea pig alone; $200 for other start-up costs (cage)
Yearly upkeep cost: $635
They eat: Special guinea pig food, timothy hay, fresh veggies, fruit, plus a regular supplement of Vitamin C.
Life expectancy: 5 to 7 years
Pros: Tame, responsive, make cute noises, can go outside on a harness and leash. Easier to care for than rabbits or chinchillas.
Cons: Need more housekeeping than some other pets. Generally less interactive than rabbits and rats.
RAT/HAMSTER/GERBIL/MICE
Activity level: Sometimes leaves cage/tank; leaves cage/tank daily
Parental involvement needed: Always
Good for ages: 8 and up
Kid’s daily commitment: Keep a constant supply of food and water. Clean cage and change bedding weekly, or more as needed. No grooming necessary. Play with pet daily if you want to have a relationship.
Initial cost: $10-$20 for animal alone; $100-150 for other start-up costs
Yearly upkeep cost: $200-$300
They eat: Specially formulated pellets and chow. Can eat some grains, veggies, fruits and timothy hay as treats.
Life expectancy: 2 to 3 years.
Pros: Clean, active, take up little room. Gerbils are fun to watch. Rats are smart, interactive and can be taught tricks.
Cons: Hamsters are nocturnal and sleep most of the day. Cage can smell if not cleaned diligently. Some may bite.
SNAKE
Activity level: Never leaves cage/tank; sometimes leaves cage/tank, depending on snake.
Parental involvement needed: Always
Good for ages: 12 and up
Kid’s daily commitment: Depending on type of snake, twice a week, once a week or twice every two weeks. Replace water daily. Clean feces daily and wash tank once a week. Observe daily to make sure it’s safe and healthy.
Initial cost: $50+ for the snake itself; $100-$200 for other start-up costs (tank, heating source)
Yearly upkeep cost: $250-$450 (food, annual vet visit)
They eat: Live or dead mice (or for big snakes, rats, guinea pigs, chickens and rabbits).
Life expectancy: 15 to 30 years
Pros: Clean, quiet, take up little room.
Cons: Can carry Salmonella. Not interactive. Should not be handled a lot.
RABBIT
Activity level: Sometimes leaves cage/tank; leaves cage/tank daily.
Parental involvement needed: Sometimes; always
Good for ages: 5 and up (though not so young as primary caretakers)
Kid’s daily commitment: Food and water daily. Clean habitat and change bedding one to two times per week. One to two hours of play per day.
Initial cost: $25-$75 for the rabbit alone; $325 for other start-up costs (spay/neuter, cage, litter box)
Yearly upkeep cost: $200-$300 (food, annual vet check up)
They eat: Hay, parsley, spinach, kale. Special rabbit pellets, with apples and carrots in small quantities as treats.
Life expectancy: 7 to 10 years.
Pros: Quiet, clean, can be potty trained, good companions.
Cons: Are not a lap pet and do not like to be picked up and cuddled unless properly socialized (though owners can get on the floor and cuddle them). They chew a lot, so house should be rabbit-proofed. May bite.
