Aside from having kids at home, keeping a pet is another way of adding cheer to a family’s home. Most parents would say that kids and pets do not really go well together as the fur and dirt from house animals may be harmful to children, small ones especially, as these might cause allergic reactions or even sickness.

5 Kid-Friendly pets you can have in your home

However, contrary to this belief, there are actually pets that are kid-friendly and low maintenance. So you see, you do not have to sacrifice having a pet in your house. In fact, some studies claim that having a pet or letting a child take care of a pet develops discipline and responsibility in the child. This is quite true because animals require feeding and cleaning as well.

Here are five animals that you might want to consider getting as pets for your child:

Goldfish

Goldfish are a good beginner pet. They require only a small aquarium with water and plants. They are also very inexpensive and easy to feed; your kids would just have to put a small amount of fish food into the aquarium and they will be okay. Just remember to get a water filter for your aquarium to lessen the frequency of cleaning the whole tank.

Hamster

Hamsters are cute, small, and good-natured. They just need a cage, usually just a medium-sized one, and hamster food that can easily be bought from any pet store. Hamsters are nocturnal though so expect some small squealing at night. The advantage of which is that they can be fed at night when your kids are home from school.

Cats

Cats are actually kid-friendly. Most cats are gentle creatures, are low-maintenance, and would not mind being left on their own. You do not need to walk cats or exercise them and, most of the time, they would rather stay inside the house.

Guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are rodents that are very social and kind in nature. These qualities make them great for kids but they do require some more maintenance because they eat a lot. That also means that there is more effort is needed in cleaning off their litter from their cages.

Golden retrievers and Labradors

Dogs are classic house pets but Golden Retrievers and Labradors, in particular, are well-suited for kids. They are good-natured, extremely fun-loving, and friendly, and are very gentle creatures. They love to play so you have to regularly bring them out to a large lawn or the community park to get a good dose of physical activity. They are also sociable animals so you do not have to worry about them hurting other people.

These are just some animals that you may consider. You may visit your local pet shop or veterinarian if you would like to get more recommendations on kid-friendly pets.

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