Is a rat a good pet for a 5 year old daughter?

Question

if not what is good first pet for her

Answer 1

I would think maybe something tougher, more sturdy. Like, a turtle, fish, rabbit, and maybe a guinea pig. Little kids sometimes have a rougher time with little rodents and reptiles. Smaller pets like that can get hurt easier and generally don't like to be held or played with for long periods of time. Some larger rodents, like rabbits, don't care much if they're out of their cage and being picked up a lot. And some pets, like guinea pigs, love to be held and petted a whole lot. I would suggest looking up some website with info on many different critters. I've grown up with pets all my life, but my first one I cared for on my own was a box turtle. They're good first pets. Good luck.

EDIT:

Here's some helpful links:

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/american/box... (box turtle info)

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pag... (guinea pig care and info)

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/rabbit... (rabbit care and info)

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pag... (Fish care info)

Good luck again.  And please read up before buying. :)

Answer 2

no, get her some fish...

Answer 3

i have a 6 year old brother and I still don't trust him with his rat. I think you should wait until she's a bit more mature, but if she does well with small animals, go ahead.

ADVICE: Go to a pet store with rats and have her hold one. See what she thinks.  

Answer 4

Yes rats are great pets for any one. Just as long as you have enough time for them and they need pretty big cages. Also you cant get just one rat its cruel to keep them alone they are very social animals you would need to get 2. I would recommend you getting her 2 males as they are much more likely to be cuddly for her. If its her first pet you should watch her with them at first obviously. but rats are just amazing lil pets!

Answer 5

A rat would be good. you could consider getting a hamster, if you do try not buying dwarf hamsters. I had experience. Those hamsters are very fast. Very. I would get a syrian hamster.

Rats are a popular pet.

Some people like them and some people dont.

Answer 6

NO.I suggest a little teddy-bear hamster as a first pet.They are a nice little pet. My 2 little boys had a few of those as a pet when they were 5 and 8 years old.

A rat can bite. They can carry deceases. And personally, i just wouldn't recommend it.

My daughter  had a regular sized hamster when she was 3 years old, & it made a nice pet.

You could always do the safe simple thing, & get her a fish, bird, or reptile. Some thing that is not handled a lot.!

But, If you want a little puppy; the best breed is a full blooded Lab, or a full blooded golden retriever. Either of those breeds are wonderful with young children.! You may even consider taking your daughter along with you to pick out a pet. Its worth a try.

I wish you luck.     ~Deborah*

Answer 7

no. they're gross. get a kitten.  

Answer 8

Rats make great pets!

I have two myself.

I think that would be a great idea, as long as someone helps her clean the cage.

That can be a tricky job sometimes.

Good Luck!

Answer 9

id say yes. as long as she likes rats and will handle them nicely it would make a great pet. they are great companions and love humans and actually arent all that hard to care for. and they are the least likely rodent to bite. but for starters you should get an older rat that is decently socialized, males will do great. they are laid back and lazy so they will be easier to hold, but they need to be neutered. the hormones can get a little high and will cause aggression. females are great to but they tend to be very active and can be tricky to hold for a 5 year old. and make sure you get at least two. rats will really steal your heart. mine did.  

Answer 10

Yes, but you'll probably end up being the one cleaning the cage etc.  

Answer 11

a rat , hamster, gerbil or mouse is much to small and delicate for a 5 year old. i would get her a bunny or some fish. even a cat. they are tougher and more durable.little kids are very rough and fast at doing things. you need something that wont die the first time she drops it by mistake or grabs it too hard.

Answer 12

I'm not sure what you mean by a good pet for a 5 year old? There is not a single 5 year old that is responsible enough for a pet. If you are the primary caregiver for the rat (feeding it, giving it water, changing the bedding, etc.) then, yes a rat would be okay for her to "have", keeping in mind that she is really just looking at it. Rats have very large teeth, and they can bite, so I would make sure that it is fairly well hand tamed (by you) before you allow her to handle it.

So to answer your questions. No, she shouldn't get a pet rat at her age. But if you want to get a pet rat and allow her to observe you caring for it and occasionally playing with it then that is okay.

Answer 13

a pair of same-s*x rats would be a great pet. but you'd have to help her a lot to take care of them. a pair of same-s*x guinea pigs would also be good but they need a lot more space than rats. You could also get her a Betta (fish). My 5-year-old nephew has a Preying Mantis (your daughter would probably not like that lol) and a female Betta.  

Answer 14

If she likes rats...yes it is.  Otherwise, try a gerbil.  I've found gerbils to be better tempered overall.  They are easy to care for.

Recommendation for either one:  The younger the better.  The older they are, the less they like to be handled.  

Answer 15

yes but i also suggest a syrian hamster they r great with children and if u have a good home and leave then alone for the first day  they will be a great pet but rats r great too hope this helps

Answer 16

I Personally do not like rats because they can carry the haunta virus(Which can kill you..) And salmonella..They're just disgusting..(I personally think!) But if she likes rats..I guess..But i would recommend that you maybe wait till she's just a little bit older..And get her either a Hamster or Guinea Pig..Or whatever you want..

Answer 17

A rat probably isn't a great pet for kids under 8, but it'd probably be o.k. A better first pet would a Syrian hamster. Avoid dwarf hamsters and mice as they both tend to be very jumpy and will jump out her hands. When picking out the hamster or rat ask to hold it and look for one that doesn't jump out of your hands but rather climbs all over your arms and/or sits in your hands calmly. I would choose the hamster, but if she really has her heart set on a rat get it for her just don't let her hold it unsupervised.

Answer 18

Rats do make great pets, but I do not think small rodents are good for young children. Rats can easily be injured by a small child(being grabbed, dropped, stepped on, etc could seriously hurt them).

I have had about 50 rats in my life(used to keep about 13 at a time). Some were calm and gentle, they preferred to be held and pet. Others were wild and adventurous, they didn't have the "time" to sit still and be petted and cuddled. I have had ones that were very skittish and didn't like to be interacted with at all, they preferred being with other rats and didn't feel comfortable being held.

Rats are quick movers which makes them bad candidates for young children. Some kids get excited at the movement and can accidentally kick, hit, etc a small animal and kill injure it. I used to take my rats with me to an outdoor ice-cream place(one at a time), and the kids loved them, but many small children would try and grab them or would be way to rough while petting them. The children were not purposly trying to harm the animal, they just got excited, or didn't really understand that they were too rough(even after parents told them)

Rats are also very social animals and need quite a bit of interaction with their caregivers to remain emotionally healthy. Allowing a rat to run around on you and a 5 year old for a few minutes every once and awhile is not enough. They thrive on interaction(they are community dwellers), and need a minimum of 1-2 hours a day of interaction with people, playing and exploring out of their cage. I do not know any 4/5 year old that would be able to commit that much time.

I love rats and am only telling you all this b/c of my love for the animal. I do not think that small rodents make good pets for young children. They are too easily to injure or kill. Personally I would wait for your child to get a little older, for the sake of the animal.