The Perfect Pet

I just wanted to post, even though this was a bit of an older question. In my experience, Rats make some of the best pets! You need to find them from a good breeder so that you know you are getting healthy and well socialized pets. They are gentle, love to be held and petted, can learn tricks, learn to come when they are called, are very very clean (they clean themselves more than cats do!) and they aren't as likely to bite as hamsters and other small rodents. They are the most intellegent of the rodents, too.

I am a member of the Rat Fan Club and R.A.T.S. so if anyone has questions on them as pets, feel free to contact me :)

Best of luck to you!

2 moms found this helpful

I've heard that Chinchilla's are fun pets. They are definately soft to pet. They live in a cage. Make sure to do a lot of research, I think they might require a little extra work to keep clean.

honestly you don't need a rodent type pet, there are hypo-allergenic dogs and they are small. my dad is SEVERELY allergic to pcats/dogs/animal dander, but they now have 4, that's right 4 shiz zuhs, hypo allergenic dogs, but they require ALOT of care such as grooming and they average out at 12 pounds so they are small and somewhat fragile so if your child is a little rough with animals this would NOT be the one for you, but it is an idea.

Hi, my nephew has severe allergies to cat and dog dander in fact my sister had to have her dog removed from her home. When I wanted to buy a dog I was heartbroken because my house was the only place my nephew could sleepover and I felt bad taking it away from him. "Silver lining" I purchased not one but two schnoodle (schnauzer/poodle - nonshedding & hypoallergenic) they run between 12-24 lbs. My nephew has slept over many times since, he does a preventive treatment just in case but has never had to leave. If it is a question whether your daugther can tolerate, do a test run. If you need that you can come visit and see how she does. I know that sounds odd but I know what it's like to be unsure of a pet and it is not something to just jump into, heaven forbid you buy a pet and then have to give them up (heartbreaking.) Good Luck i hope this helps..

I don't know if they are hypoallergenic or not so you would have to check but suprisingly enough rats make great pets. We went looking for a "pocket pet" for my son and after looking at gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs etc we chose the rats. They are really friendly creatures and unlike mice or gerbils they don't try to run away from you. They will ride on your shoulder around the house and love to swim in the bath tub. My boys have had alot of fun with theirs- it is really easy to tell boys from girls too so if you are getting 2 (which makes them happy) you can make sure you don't get any unwanted babies. They live in a cage so you have to change bedding every couple of days- they make bedding from recycled newspaper too so if she's allergic to the pine chips that is a great alternative. Some people are totally creeped out by rats though but they are really cool animals. Good luck I hope you find a great new friend!!

A friend of mine recently bought sugar gliders for her kids, ages 3 and 5. They are really small, but cute. I am not sure if they are hypoallergenic or not, though. They are also nocturnal, but they will stay up during the day and play if you take them out of their cage. She even has a pouch for them that looks like a small purse so that she can take them places with her. Both cost over $100, but less than $200. She bought a male and a female so that they would breed because the guy she purchased them from will buy the babies back for $75 each. It would be easy to get your money back with the babies, and then have more money down the road to pay for the fruit they eat.

Well I was thinking maybe a chinchilla they are little and they never bit they are really cool pets. Hampsters seem to bit we tried those and my son got bit pretty good by one. Just thought i would give you my two cents if you have any questions bout a chinchilla email me.

Try a turtle make sure it can be taken out of the water... my son has one we call him spot cause he has a yellow spot on his head. but we take him out in the back yard he like to walk in the grass when we first got him he was about 1 lbs he is now about 3lbs we have not really weighed him lately. We did get him when we lived in an apartment 5 years ago watch to cause some snap or bite!

Poodles and some other dogs have hair instead of fur and are able to be tolorated by people with allergies.

Get a hypoallergenic dog! Growing up we had a Bichon Frise. They are cute friendly dogs that are easily trained. This is one of the only TRUE hypallergenic. Be careful some dogs are considered hypoallergenic but in actuallity their just low allergen. The Bichon Frise has hair not fur, so it never sheds and is 100% hypoallergenic. They can be groomed fluffy or more conservative (which we did). Here is some pics http://puppydogweb.com/gallery/bichonfrises/e.htm
Let me know if you have any questions!
Hope that helps!!!

I know that there are several breeds of small dogs that are hypoallergenic. Bishon Frise, Maltese and others...

Good luck!

C.

We had a Yorkie when I was really young and he was great with us kids. He was a runt and had difficulty growing the long coat so the breeder just gave him to us! I remember that he had more hairlike coat instead of Fur. Very little shedding.

People can still be allergic to 'hypoallergenic' dogs. Even if a dog doesn't shed hair, it's still shedding skin and a lot of people are allergic to the dander, not the fur. If you go with a reptile be sure to have her wash her hands very well after handling as they carry salmonella. Good luck finding her a new friend.

Hi,

There are a TON of hypoallergenic dog breeds out there (almost always they are relatively small in size also and easy to care for). If money is an issue, you may want to look into the pound (they do get a lot of pure breds) as well as breed specific rescue groups. Since your daughter does have such bad allergies, just make sure she is around the animal first before taking it home. Here are a few of the breeds you can get for your daughter: Llahsa Apso (can get to be as big as 30 lbs though) Maltese, Poodles, Shih Tzu, Yorkies, West Highland Terrier, Schnauzer, Fox Wire Terrier, Bichon Frise, Border Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, (a lot of Terrier breeds are hypoallergenic). I grew up with terriers and poodles, both wonderful breeds, very loyal, loving, intellegent, protective, and easy to care for. The only thing is that with some of the smaller breeds, like poodles, llahso apso, malteses, etc, they will require regular grooming. You could always consider a bunny, but they might cause allergy problems too (not sure about it). I had one as a kid and the downside is that they do require a lot of clean up and they don't live all that long. Good luck and let us know how it goes! I think it's a wonderful idea to get your daughter a new "friend". I couldn't imagine not having a dog in my life :)

I've had Sugar Gliders ... they make great pets... I've also had ferrets, which most people aren't allergic to. Ferrets love to play and are easy to take care of, especially if you get one that is already trained. There are also Hamsters, Guinea Pigs, Gerbels... I'm not sure if she'd be allergic to any of these, but they all make fine pets.

I am a teacher and have had many pets, I currently have two hamsters and a rat at school( they all bite when not handled proper. Have you thought about a hermit crab, easy to care for! You can get them out and hold them( make sure you buy a baby big ones seem to be set in there way and when scared they pinch and dont let go!) so just do your reserch and talk to your local pet shop in what they think will work for you and your family

My 5-year-old daughter really wants a turtle. She said she wants a nice pet that only stays in her room. LOL I think a turtle will be a great pet for her. She can still play with it (kind of) but is still relatively easy to care for. I hope you can find the perfect pet for her!

There are still dogs out there for you to consider. You should research a schnauzer. They are considered a hypoallergenic dog. They don't shed and are well suited to apartment life. The downside is that you have to groom them regularly or they become a huge mess of hair. They are very good natured dogs and once they get out of the puppy stage they are fairly docile and really like to please.

What about a yorkie?? They are hypoallergenic and do not shed!! We got ours when my daughter was 5 and she is now 10 and they are best friends!! Hope this helps.

If your allergies are mild, you may be able to get away with a pet that is less likely to cause a reaction. A single-coated dog will be less likely to cause an allergic reaction than a double-coated dog. Some single-coated dogs are:

Chinese Crested
Poodles (Standard or Miniature)
Schnauzers
Bichon Frise
Terriers (Soft-Coated Wheaten, Kerry Blue, West Highland White, etc)
Want even less chance of a reaction? Hairless dogs will be even less likely to cause problems than the single-coated dogs! They may not look quite like the dog you imagine, but their lack of hair lowers the chances of causing a reaction.

Chinese Crested Hairless
Mexican Hairless
Cats are (unfortunately) more often the culprit when it comes to allergies. But you may find your symptoms are less severe with a short-haired cat than a long-haired cat. There are even hairless breeds of cats like Rexes and Sphinxes.

Did you know that it's not actually the pet's hair that you are allergic to? Dogs and cats secrete certain proteins from their skin. The proteins can dry on the hair, but more often they soak into dead skin cells (dander) that flake off into the air. Bichon Frise

Here are some other tips for coping with allergies and keeping your pets!

Be a cleaning maniac. Vacuum frequently, wash the slip covers, wash the pillows, wash the drapes... you get the idea.

Get rid of heavy cloth drapes and carpets that can trap dust and dander and other allergens.

Run HEPA air filters to try and filter out some of the allergens in the air.

Make a pet-free space -- your bedroom is a good choice. Don't let the pets in. Run a special air filter to keep the air clean. You can even cover your mattress and pillows with plastic covers to protect yourself from dust mites.

Bathe your pets frequently. Weekly. A thorough bathing can reduce the amount of allergens on a dog or cat more than eighty percent!
And by the way... HYPOALLERGENIC does NOT mean "free of allergens" -- it means less likely to cause allergic reactions.
Good Luck, hope things work out for you and your daughter!

i would suggest you get a frog or a salamander. A lizard or a turtle would be good, but they can pose a salmanilla risk. Also they are quite expensive and need a lot of care, the correct food, proper lighting, and heating. It might be too much work for you if you work a lot. What about a bird? A small one would not cost too much and they can be good companions. But I would really really consider not getting a pet if you are working full time and studying for your MBA. I spend at least 3 hours a day caring for my pets, bathing, feeding, cleaning, and also about 80-90 dollars a month too. Please make sure you have the time and money before investing in any pet, and also the several years commitment that it takes. I used to run a shelter and EVERY animal that came in, the reason was that there just wasn't any more time for them. I accepted just at my shelter alone in the small animals department over 30 animals in 3 months, that's one animal every three days!

Have you tried a hamster, lizard, or a bird. We had a bird that would come sit on us and let us pet him. He was a great pet. Just a few suggestions for ya. Take care and good luck!!