Good for children?

[Cavy Chick]

I was having a look at piggie on petfinder and it mentioned that guineas were good pets for children??

Maybe I read it wrong..

[DnLnEsMom]

I think they are wonderful pets for children. That is why we got ours. My kids are 6,5 and 2.

[fourbwabbys]

I think they're good pets for children as long as the parent knows they are the prime caregiver.

[DnLnEsMom]

Oh, yeah. I do most of the care, but I make them help me. They fill the water bottles and food bowls, give her her veggie treats, talk to her, play with her all under close supervision of course, but like with the rest of our pets, they have to help take care of them.

we have a dog, a cat, 2 firebelly frogs, a hamster, and a guinea (soon to be more, she was bought pregnant)

[FoolOnTheHill]

I got my first pigs when I was around eight years old; I looked after them every single day mostly by myself, but how I thought was best. IE, they lived outside in a hutch with a cereal-type food, had carrots, celery and cabbage every day and lived on wood shavings. In this respect, they definitely aren't a good pet for children, because a young child doesn't know what's best and would be likely to let them live in a dirtier environment than an adult would, might not handle them correctly, might not notice health problems (though not of that applied to me thankfully!)
However as long as an adult did the main looking after I think they're a good pet for children to be around. They rarely bite and are a nice shape and weight to cuddle on the child's lap. The child can learn about the vitamin C requirement, how hay wears the teeth down, that they need fresh water and so on.
And of course you'll be teaching them how best to look after a pig, which they should take on board and remember when they are adults.

[Jennicat]

As long as they are a "family" pet and not a "child's" pet, I think they have the potential to be one of the better pets for children.

[zambonigirl]

Yeah, I think as long as the parent doesn't say, "Now, you know, this is your responsibility" and then leave the pig in the child's room, never to be heard from again until little Johnny and Susie run screaming from their dead, neglected pet, then it's a good pet for a child. If the parent works it right, they can teach the child respect for animals, and how to be gentle with them.

Dn'smom-have you found information to help you with your pregnant girl yet? Please keep us posted on how she's doing. There are a few folks around here who inadvertently got a pregnant sow, so I'm sure that they can offer lots of help on how to increase the chances of everyone living through the event.

[smartorl]

I think guinea pigs and sheltand ponies are the perfect size for kids but require more care and attention that a child can provide. I think if it is a family project with the adults overseeing care and handling constantly, not just periodically, then that is great but an animal can decline rapidly over a short period of time. It is often hard to spot illness as an educated adult, I really think that is too much responsibility for a child. GP's are thought of as hardy but are relatively fragile animals.

I think pets for kids are great, I think it teaches kids compassion and responsibility but the parents need to be willing to take that pet as their personal project to enforce proper care. Legally, parents are responsible for their children's pets. I see so many emaciated, weak animals surrendered, the reason the people give, 'it is the child's pet and they didn't take care of it'. I think these people should be prosecuted and I am never nice under these circumstances. To allow a child to own an animal is to assume the animal yourself.

[PiggieMamaKelly]

I agree with what most have said. I think if I had a child preschool aged or older, a guinea pig would be the pet I'd be most comfortable with. Dogs are so big, cats scratch and bite sometimes, hamsters are too quick. Guinea pigs are perfect. Especially if you have some like mine who don't bite and will sit still for hours. But I would never leave a child unattended with a guinea pig or keep the guinea pig cage in the child's room.