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Alternative pet to dog

  • 11-08-2014 9:19pm
    #1
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭


    Kid has become obsessed with getting a dog since a friend got one. A dog isn't an option as both adults work. Anyone got a good suggestion for a low-maintenance alternative pet for a 7 year old? He's pretty mature and responsible for his age but obviously would be supervised in care of pet. Living in suburban Dublin with typical Dublin garden.


Comments

  • #2
    zef
    Closed Accounts Posts: 947 ✭✭✭zef


    ID suggest a cat cos I'm biased but in reality you would be responsible for litter trays etc. How about a rabbit?
    The big huge Flemish bunnies are cool, minded one for a while, more personality tHan smaller ones IMHO.


  • #3
    thegreatgonzo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭thegreatgonzo


    I think 7 is very young myself no matter how responsible they might seem. All pets need a consistent amount of care even if it doesn't seem like much from day to day. A lot of the time when small mammals like rabbits etc come to the vet, they are at advanced stages of illness because their owners are small children.


  • #4
    zef
    Closed Accounts Posts: 947 ✭✭✭zef


    Missed the line about both parents working. Flemish bunnies are pretty social- the one we minded developed some kind of crush on my 6kg orange cat and would lop around the house after him.
    Even a small bunny left on his own all day might not be the friendliest for handling. So I retract my bunny rec.
    If there is no one home for long periods of time maybe an aquarium might be more suitable?
    Hamsters can be a bit nippy for a 7yo imo.


  • #5
    abutler101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭abutler101


    A pair of guinea pig might be a good idea. They are more work than most might think and their cages need to be pretty big (min 7.5 square feet for a pair) but they are great pets. Or maybe a couple of chickens, they can be good pets if you handle them daily and there is the added bonus of eggs.


  • #6
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    abutler101 wrote: »
    A pair of guinea pig might be a good idea. They are more work than most might think and their cages need to be pretty big (min 7.5 square feet for a pair) but they are great pets. Or maybe a couple of chickens, they can be good pets if you handle them daily and there is the added bonus of eggs.

    Thanks. Can guinea pigs live outside all year round ? I take it they need to be in pairs?

    How much space do chickens require ?


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  • #7
    _Brian
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,600 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Get two chickens.
    Take very little care, ya get eggs and it's also no bother getting someone to look after them when your away.


  • #8
    abutler101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭abutler101


    Bigcheeze wrote: »
    Thanks. Can guinea pigs live outside all year round ? I take it they need to be in pairs?

    How much space do chickens require ?

    It's not usually recommended but I don't see why not if you give them plenty of bedding and the hutch is secure. Yes they need to be kept in pairs of the same sex.

    Chickens need about 2 square feet each in their house and 10 square feet each in their run. A small flock of 3-4 would be ideal for a small garden. If you want them as pets and still want them to lay for most of their lives you would need to get purebreds like Rhode Island Reds or light Sussex because the standard hybrid hen will only lay for 2 years.


  • #9
    Knine
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭Knine


    I keep guinea pigs. I would not recommend them as an outdoor pet. Summer is fine but they do not do well in cold damp weather no matter how much bedding you give them.

    They are such a friendly interactive little pets that it would be a shame to have them in a hutch in a garden all year.


  • #10
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    Knine wrote: »
    I keep guinea pigs. I would not recommend them as an outdoor pet. Summer is fine but they do not do well in cold damp weather no matter how much bedding you give them.

    They are such a friendly interactive little pets that it would be a shame to have them in a hutch in a garden all year.

    ok. how large a cage would a pair need indoors?


  • #11
    abutler101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭abutler101


    7.5 square feet or .7 square meters is the minimum for a pair of guinea pigs but bigger is always better. There are very few pet shop cages that are big enough for guinea pigs. Look up c&c cages online, they are very good cages that are easy to make and much cheaper than pet shop cages. The skyline maxi xxl cage for sale on zooplus is one of the few that I have found that are big enough.


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  • #12
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    Went for a Syrian hamster in the end. Meant to be easy to handle compared to other hamsters. Kids delighted. Annoyed at the pet shop because they sold me a cage less than half the minimum size recommended by the RSPCA. I asked twice in the shop if it was big enough. Have now ordered a suitable cage from Zooplus.


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