There will come a time that you as a parent will face the issue of what pets for kids you will choose. It is your responsibility as well. It is likely to happen that questions like what sort of pet is appropriate at his age, and how much responsibility should he undertake will surely arise.

Fortunately, there is a wide variety of potential pets that can help answer your questions.

No matter what pet you choose, recognize that you as a parent is ultimately responsible not only for your child but for the health and well being of the animal as well. A child’s interests can swirl like a dust in the wind and the pet will still be your responsibility that will require daily care and love.

Consider your child’s age and emotional development. Although they don’t intend harm, a preschooler can injure a pet by playing rough. You may want a pet that is interesting, but cannot be handled by your child unless you’re present.

If your child is under 6, consider these animals to begin with:

# Guinea pig
# Hamster
# Small birds
# Fish
# Turtle

However, there are pets that are not for your kids like rabbits because they can grow to be quite temperamental. In addition, they are usually active at night or in the morning, when children are usually asleep or in school.

Reptiles are also not good choices for pets because children under 6 are more susceptible to contracting salmonella.

You can give your child some age-appropriate responsibilities in caring for the pet. They might clean food or water bowls, or help clean cages once you have safely removed the occupant.

When they have shown responsibility for caring for a smaller pet, you may want to graduate to a dog or cat. But always remember, though it may be his or her “pet,” the parent is always responsible for making sure the animal is well cared for.

Older children have a wide range of options to choose from because their ability to take care of the pet goes with their age. However, they will still need your guidance as they enjoy taking responsibility of their pets.