Worst First Pets for Children

The decision to adopt your child's first pet can be a difficult one, especially if you have genuine concern about the well being of the animal that you'll be adding to the family. All too often, inexpensive pets are treated as disposable commodities, to be adopted or purchased only as an experiment to fascinate your child's interest for a few days or weeks. Even more often, these pets end up being neglected, or die quickly because of neglect or improper care.

The following common choices should be avoided at all cost as first pets, unless the child and parents already have a strong, established understanding of how to properly feed, house, and care for the animal.

Goldfish

Although it is a classic, the lowly goldfish is one of the worst choices a parent can make for their child's first pet. Goldfish can not and will not thrive-- or even live very long-- in a fish bowl. To aquarists, the goldfish is notorious for producing massive quantities of ammonia- and nitrate-laden feces, and they require at least twenty gallons of well-filtered water and frequent water changes if they are to survive.

A goldfish purchased as a first pet, and then kept in a bowl, will quickly disappoint your child when it dies just a few days or weeks after coming home. While they can be enjoyable pets if properly cared for, no five-year-old is equipped to manage the water testing, filter replacements, and aquarium cleanings that are necessary for having a long-lived goldfish.

Reptiles

Because some reptiles, like Asian box turtles and green anoles, are reasonably inexpensive, they are another popular choice for parents seeking a good first pet for their child. However, reptiles require significant care in order to thrive in captivity, and even the best-kept iguanas usually die prematurely due to inadequate care.

Additionally, the diet of most reptiles is extremely deficient in captivity, and most captive reptile species require diet variation, heat-controlled terrariums, and biannual visits to the vet for calcium injections. It is nearly impossible to create healthy environments for reptiles in captivity, especially if it is a child who is primarily responsible for their care.

Birds

Some soon-to-be pet owners fail to realize that birds, especially large, tropical species, are as intelligent as cats and dogs and require as much personal attention and bonding time. Birds who are emotionally unsteady become very destructive, often biting or otherwise attacking their owners if they feel neglected. Polly might take a huge bite out of little Jimmy's finger if she's not getting enough attention.

Furthermore, most bird species are highly sensitive and require specialized care, frequent cage-cleaning, and a non-polluted environment. Birds are very prone to respiratory distress and even death if they inhale the residue of cleaning products or cigarette smoke. If the bird doesn't die prematurely from maltreatment, it is often much more of a commitment than a parent would want a first pet to be: Jimmy may not want to care for Polly thirty years from now, and this should be considered.

Hermit Cras

Like reptiles, hermit crabs are deceptively inexpensive, so many parents don't realize how much attention they actually need. A hermit crab's diet must be varied, and it must be given a well-stocked, well-heated cage with a selection of shells that match precise descriptions and measurements. Hermit crabs also require "bathing" in dechlorinated water several times per week, and often starve themselves to death if they are kept alone.

Hermit crabs are also very unfriendly compared to many other pets, and are quite likely to pinch the little hands that hold them, even if your child is trying to bond with his new pet. A hermit crab's pinch can be extremely painful, and it takes quite a bit of effort to get them to unhook themselves without taking a chunk of flesh with them. Your child isn't likely to enjoy his new pet after the first or second time that this occurs.

Hermit crabs, as well as most species or reptile and a few species of bird, can actually threaten children's lives by unintentionally carrying and transmitted salmonella, a deadly infection that children contract very easily from their pets. While this is still a somewhat rare complication, salmonella in children can be life-threatening, and the potential benefits of a high-maintenance first pet are not worth the very real dangers.

The decision to buy a child his first pet should not be made without careful consideration of the child's well-being as well as the pet's. A child's first pet should be an opportunity for him to learn responsibility, compassion, and ethical care. The best way to teach him these virtues is to lead by example.