Top 5 Family Friendly Pets {A guest post by Big Sister}

Pets are so much fun, aren't they? But sometimes it is hard to know what kind of pet to get, especially if you have young children, or even just if you are very busy. We have six children in our family (like lovely miss Holly here - thanks for letting me guest post again, by the way :P), and we have had a lot of pets through the years. Here is a list of the top 5 family friendly pets, tried and tested by us. Two of them are Mum's particular favorites (easiness wise), and I have listed them as Mum's choice.

My special favorites in the animal world are horses, and I would love to be able to put them on the list, but while horses are amazing and heaps of fun, they also require a lot of hard work and are expensive to feed (I can almost hear the fathers of horse owners cheering "Hear hear!")

Now for the list!

1. Hermit Crabs

*Mum's #1 choice*

I think hermit crabs must be THE easiest pets, and the cheapest! All you need to do is bath them in salt water once a week, and make sure they have food and water. No fuss whatsoever! And unlike fish, you can a hold them, which is {usually} fun :)

DISCLAIMER: Hermit crabs can give a nasty nip if they are annoyed, or if you hold them for too long, so BEWARE!!

Cute Eh?

2. Cats

*Mum's #2 choice*

This may be surprising, but cats are almost as easy as fish! They do not require exercise, and they clean themselves, unlike fish, whose tanks or bowls need regular cleaning. In fact, practically all you have to do is give them food and water, and litter if they are kept indoors.

DISCLAIMER: Cats need to be treated for fleas and worms regularly, which is not fun. Also, they tend to eat birds....

Our cat, Angel

3. Fish

Fish are one of the easiest pets and cheapest pets. They are also pretty and relaxing to watch. Care gets a little more pricey if you buy a filter, but not much, and it will make your fish happier and live longer, and the water will stay crystal clean :)

DISCLAIMER: Fish can be just a leetle boring compared to most pets. I don't find mine boring at all, but maybe that is because I have a energetic dog to look after as well...

My fish

4. Guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are super cute, and lots of fun as well. They are also very easy to breed, but unfortunately pet shops don't pay to well for them (trust me, I know all about it, I used to breed them and once had 13 at once!!)

DISCLAIMER: Guinea pigs are very messy, and their cages need to be cleaned out a lot!

Picture via Google Images

5. Dogs

Dogs are one of the most fun animals to get, and they can be very family-friendly indeed. Something very important to consider is what breed you get. Some dogs just don't have a good temperament, and others do.

Dogs can do things that many other pets cannot - you can take them for walks, teach them tricks and heaps more!

DISCLAIMER: Dogs can be rather messy, and do need quite a bit of training (like behaving on the lead, not jumping etc), so I would recommend only getting one if you have someone in your family who is willing (and old enough) to do things like training.

Our dog, Happy, is a Labrador x Golden Retriever

I hope you have enjoyed this post, and if you have any family-friendly pets to recommend, do tell! (in a comment).

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About the Author:

I am a daughter of the Almighty God,

and the eldest sister of six home-schooled children. I love being a big sister! I also love animals (especially horses), reading, writing, cooking, drinking tea, photography, blogging, walks in nature and many other things. I especially love the the great outdoors, and can't wait till we move onto our block of land.

To check out the writing blog I contribute to, CLICK HERE!