Hamsters are Perfect for a Childs First Pet

Most parents naturally want to be able to give their children whatever they want. That’s not always possible though, and not always a good idea, either. At the same time, you still want your kids to have a fulfilled childhood, and most children always end up wanting a pet at some point during their childhood.

So what should a parent do when the child starts asking for a pet? The child will probably ask for a puppy or a kitten, or a pony (yikes!). Obviously these pets take a lot of responsibility and require a lot of care and attention, and many times it is the parent who takes over these responsibilities because it seems overwhelming to the child at the time. Probably you will tell your child about how having a dog will require taking the dog on walks, cleaning up after the dog, feeding it, bathing it, and more. Of course your kid will most likely promise to do all of that stuff, but in most cases, kids slack off in taking proper care of pets and the parents are then stuck with the chores.

So what should you do? Do you refuse to let your child have a pet? I hope not because I think pets and animals are an essential part of life and learning about the world around you. I believe the best idea is to start your child off with a small pet like a hamster. Hamsters are cute, small and furry little creatures and they are very easy to take care of, yet still help to teach a child about responsibility. Hamsters don’t have a very strong smell and are fairly clean animals, although they do require a little bit of care such as cleaning their cage every week, but that’s about it. Of course they need to be given fresh food and water on a regular basis.

One of the great things about hamsters is that they don’t cost very much to care for, especially compared to other pets like dogs and cats. They are fun to handle, the child can take the hamster out and play with it gently and then put it back in the cage when they’re done. Hamsters don’t shed like cats and some dogs, and they are quiet, except for the hamsters exercise wheel which might make a little bit of noise when the hamster is on it at night. So overall, I think when your child approaches you wanting a pet, I think you should suggest a hamster to start with and if the child shows it can be responsible for a hamster, maybe later they can have a dog as a pet!

Hamster First Aid Kit- How Does a Complete Hamster First Aid Kit Looks Like?

Don’t be selfish! You have one for you, don’t you? Well, your tiny hamster needs one too. You don’t have to buy it, you can put some things together and voilà… a home made first aid kit.

Here is a short list with some of the things you ought to have in your first aid kit.

* First and most important, you should always keep your veterinarian phone number and address handy. Make sure the vet you know treats hamsters because even if the hamster is commonly kept as pet, there aren’t many vets out there for them.

* Adhesive plasters of various sizes and shapes to put on your hamster wound. You can use adhesive plasters to bandage the injured leg (broken bones, twisted ankle) of your hamster by wrapping it tightly.

* Syringes and a dropper to administer various types of drugs

* Antiseptic, antibiotic and antihistamine pills and lotions. You should use only what the vet recommended you. Remember that what lotion could be great for you when you have a scratch could be deadly for your hamster because he has the habit of grooming -continuously licking his body.

* Cotton-tipped swabs to clean the wound or even the ears of your hamster( you should try to clean your hamster only if he is sick, otherwise he doesn’t needs you because he makes such a great job)

* Scissors and nail clipper

* A bag of luck so that you will never need the first aid kit!

Feel free to add to this first aid kit everything you need that is helpful and necessarily for you hamster health.

Now, that your first aid kit it’s up and running, there are some things you may take in consideration.

1. Make sure that the first aid kit isn’t hidden in some corner of the room. It should be as close as it can of the hamster’s cage. When you need it you should be able to have it handy.

2. Make sure that every member of your family knows where the first aid kit is and knows how to use it too.

3. If you have small children, make sure that the first aid kit is out of their reach.

4. Make sure you take all the precaution methods before treating your sick hamster: use gloves and wash your hand a couple of times after handling the hamster.

Mocha In “his First Broccoli!”

http://www.flickr.com/photo…

He is 13 days old today

Music: BoA – Some Day One Day, remixed by Bestiz.com

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