What pet for a 1 year old...
Discussion
Well it really depends on what you are prepared to look after. I would be tempted to say guinea pigs, they are gentle, rarely bite (though they can) can be kept indoors and as long as there are two and you maintain good husbandry thry are relatively easy to care for.
A slightly more interactive pet would be a cat.
I have a 7 month old, (and a 5yr old) I have a 6kg Maine coon who is so gentle around the children (I also have a whippet - perfect dog with the children), they don't interact much but when they do she is very tolerant (7 month old is a grabber!!) obviously it is up to me to ensure she is not pushed too far, as you would with a one year old, children of that age do not understand bondaries re: pets.
When Oscar was a baby I had 3 cats and a dog (inc the Maine Coon and a different whippet) again all great re: a baby/ child.
At his age I would avoid, rats (great in a few yrs though), hamsters, rabbits, gerbils, mice etc.
Fish is another option, nice for a youngster to watch but not much else. Possibly budgies but again nice for him to look at but not really to handle etc
A slightly more interactive pet would be a cat.
I have a 7 month old, (and a 5yr old) I have a 6kg Maine coon who is so gentle around the children (I also have a whippet - perfect dog with the children), they don't interact much but when they do she is very tolerant (7 month old is a grabber!!) obviously it is up to me to ensure she is not pushed too far, as you would with a one year old, children of that age do not understand bondaries re: pets.
When Oscar was a baby I had 3 cats and a dog (inc the Maine Coon and a different whippet) again all great re: a baby/ child.
At his age I would avoid, rats (great in a few yrs though), hamsters, rabbits, gerbils, mice etc.
Fish is another option, nice for a youngster to watch but not much else. Possibly budgies but again nice for him to look at but not really to handle etc
Jasandjules said:
I may be a bit silly but a one year old isn't really going to really enjoy a pet as such? I'd say fish tank for something to watch with light/colour etc?!
Aww, you should see my 7 month old around my cat and dog, her face lights up and she will watch them for ages. My boy was the same at that age 
Jasandjules said:
I may be a bit silly but a one year old isn't really going to really enjoy a pet as such? I'd say fish tank for something to watch with light/colour etc?!
You'd be surprised. My one year old niece loves pottering around the garden with my two puppies and as Bex has said she loves watching them, brings a face full of joy.Jasandjules said:
I may be a bit silly but a one year old isn't really going to really enjoy a pet as such? I'd say fish tank for something to watch with light/colour etc?!
I wouldn't have disagreed a week ago but I'm currently staying with my in laws and watching the little ones interactions with the pets is amazing - hence knowing I'd like to replace that with something when we get back.My 20 month old grandson has been around our two dogs since birth; well Daisy not Barry as Barry is 7m old, and absolutely loves them and has interacted with Daisy way before he was a year old, his face lights up when he knows he is coming round and its not because of me and the wife; as he pulls up outside the house he says "dog, dog" and has said various forms of the word "dog" since he first started to try speaking; it was his first word.
Daisy is a French Bulldog and Barry is a Terrier, they are both extremely tolerant of him and adores him as much as he adores them.
Daisy is a French Bulldog and Barry is a Terrier, they are both extremely tolerant of him and adores him as much as he adores them.
bexVN said:
Well it really depends on what you are prepared to look after. I would be tempted to say guinea pigs, they are gentle, rarely bite (though they can) can be kept indoors and as long as there are two and you maintain good husbandry thry are relatively easy to care for.
They can and do bite, though - anything from a gentle nibble on your fingers if they think there might be food going, to a proper hard bite (fingers look like carrots, see...) or, in the case of the occasional rogue guinea pig, a full-on, "teeth must meet in the middle" attempt. I still have the scars caused by one of my guinea pigs - he'd been badly mistreated in a past life and hated people. He bit me badly on a couple of occasions, even though we were the best of friends, and nobody else could handle him. Though admittedly, he's the only one I've ever met who was that bad.In any case, I wouldn't give guinea pigs to very young children. Toddlers like to cuddle their pets and they don't know their own strength, and if the guinea tries to get away and the little one gets a grip to try to stop it, the guinea could get badly hurt. They're delicate little critters, and dropping or squeezing them can kill them.
Personally, I wouldn't give a child that age a pet at all. I'd wait until he's a bit older and can get more out of the whole experience. They love animals at that age, but they also love Teletubbies and chocolate and a million and one other distractions, and they change their minds every five minutes. So while a pet is cool to have right now, tomorrow it'll just be forgotten because something more fun has come along.
We went through this exact reasoning when our son was little, and we waited until he was 6 or 7 before he finally got a pet.
SGirl said:
bexVN said:
Well it really depends on what you are prepared to look after. I would be tempted to say guinea pigs, they are gentle, rarely bite (though they can) can be kept indoors and as long as there are two and you maintain good husbandry thry are relatively easy to care for.
They can and do bite, though - anything from a gentle nibble on your fingers if they think there might be food going, to a proper hard bite (fingers look like carrots, see...) or, in the case of the occasional rogue guinea pig, a full-on, "teeth must meet in the middle" attempt. I still have the scars caused by one of my guinea pigs - he'd been badly mistreated in a past life and hated people. He bit me badly on a couple of occasions, even though we were the best of friends, and nobody else could handle him. Though admittedly, he's the only one I've ever met who was that bad.In any case, I wouldn't give guinea pigs to very young children. Toddlers like to cuddle their pets and they don't know their own strength, and if the guinea tries to get away and the little one gets a grip to try to stop it, the guinea could get badly hurt. They're delicate little critters, and dropping or squeezing them can kill them.
Personally, I wouldn't give a child that age a pet at all. I'd wait until he's a bit older and can get more out of the whole experience. They love animals at that age, but they also love Teletubbies and chocolate and a million and one other distractions, and they change their minds every five minutes. So while a pet is cool to have right now, tomorrow it'll just be forgotten because something more fun has come along.
We went through this exact reasoning when our son was little, and we waited until he was 6 or 7 before he finally got a pet.
I doubt the OP seriously thanks his one year old will actually take care of the pet but if the owners are prepared to care for whatever pet they choose a one year old will benefit. My children have never had a home without pets and I never had a home without pets.
I have advised a guinea pig with good knowledge and experience on dealing with children and their pets over 25yrs compared to all other small pets, however the OP as a parent has to take responsibility for how they allow their child to interact with that pet.
bexVN said:
Did you miss the bit where I said 'They can though'?? And also the bit where I said right at the start It really depends on what you are prepared to look after?
No. I was just pointing out that the bites guinea pigs can inflict vary in intensity and can be severe. And that guineas can be injured by small children.SGirl said:
bexVN said:
Did you miss the bit where I said 'They can though'?? And also the bit where I said right at the start It really depends on what you are prepared to look after?
No. I was just pointing out that the bites guinea pigs can inflict vary in intensity and can be severe. And that guineas can be injured by small children.Lots of people keep small pets with very young children with no issue.
I think it's fair to say there is NO animal you might get which absolutely WONT bite. Christ I've been had by a ladybird and it hurt like a bugger! Okay, maybe stick insects and land snails.
But most things only bite in defense unless hunting and there aren't any available pets that would see a child as an actual meal. Except really big snakes and I doubt they're on the list for consideration!
V small children's grip is controlled as much by their autonomic nervous system as anything active, so i think that anything which could be hurt by it and react defensively, is a risk of some sort. So I'd be avoiding anything small and furry including guinea pigs were it me....I reckon a dog (avoiding some breeds) is probably a safer bet though it seems odd advice in some respects
Or a tiger. They're great with kids.
But most things only bite in defense unless hunting and there aren't any available pets that would see a child as an actual meal. Except really big snakes and I doubt they're on the list for consideration!
V small children's grip is controlled as much by their autonomic nervous system as anything active, so i think that anything which could be hurt by it and react defensively, is a risk of some sort. So I'd be avoiding anything small and furry including guinea pigs were it me....I reckon a dog (avoiding some breeds) is probably a safer bet though it seems odd advice in some respects
Or a tiger. They're great with kids.
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