Getting Kids to Take Charge of Their Pets

Many consider hamsters, mice, and other little rodents as 'kid' pets. I imagine this mentality comes from the idea that because they don't require quite as much attention as, say, a dog or cat, and they are fairly inexpensive to acquire, they make good 'starter' pets. While there is some logic to this, there are still some things parents need to consider before they purchase a pocket pet for their child.

The main point to consider is how much of the animal's care you expect you child to do. Most parents want the answer to be "all of it", but unless you child is a teenager it isn't a realistic expectation. For that matter, even teenagers may need reminders about their furry fried when life gets busy. Depending on their age, a child may or may not be ready to take care of a pet alone. Obviously, the younger the child, the more assistance they'll need form you. You're the best judge of what your child can handle. Even so, kids are famous for promising way more than they can deliver. Parents need to keep in mind that no matter what the child says they'll do, you as the parent will likely need to be involved in some aspects of the pets care as well. These little guys have just as much of a right to a clean cage, fresh food and water, playtime, and yes, even veterinary care, as any other bigger or more expensive pet would. Even with the best of intentions, children tend to be impulsive. A quiet, undemanding pet could easily be forgotten between school and all the other activities kids juggle today.

I don't mean to imply that the child shouldn't be the one primarily responsible for their pet's care. One of the goals of allowing them to have their own little rodent buddy is to help them learn about responsibility, and what it means to make a commitment. I'm only saying that many parents make assumptions about what their child is doing to care for their pet. By all means, ask, "Did you feed Fluffy today?" and keep them accountable that way, but also physically check on the little critter once in awhile. Does it look healthy? Does it have clean bedding, food and water? How often you need to check up will depend on your child and how they adjust to their new responsibility. Once they've proven themselves you can back off, but it's good to always stay involved at least a little bit. It's easy for to get lax when the fun and novelty has worn off. That's when those lessons about responsibility and commitment come into play. You don't need to be a nag - just remind and encourage.

A great way to prepare you child for the job of caring for a pet, and learn something together too, is to make a trip to the library. Check out some information about the type of animal your planning to get. Read them together if your child needs help and it can be a fun family event. The knowledge they acquire may help your child take the responsibility seriously.

One last note - if things aren't going well remember, as the grown-up, the animal's welfare is up to you in the end. If unforeseen circumstances arise such that your family can't care for the pet then you'll need to find a new home for it. We once had a woman bring a pet rat into our clinic. Her sons had cut off the end of the poor creature's tail. She did the right thing by immediately taking the animal away and seeking a better place for it. Abuse gets no second chances. Even these little rodents have rescue organizations that may be able to help out. You can do an online search for whatever type of animal you need to re-home and add 'rescue'. These are also great resources for when you are looking for a fuzzy friend to adopt. At http://petfinder.com, you can also list a pet available for adoption. Just like dogs and cats, some of the best pocket pets are rescues.