Buying an 11-year old girl a pet for her birthday?

Guinea pig sounds good, although already having 2 pets, I would be careful it doesn’t become a ‘flavour-of-the-month’ thing…..also, considering you have a cat I would not recommend fish or birds….......we tried that combo when I was a kid, to little success for us – although great success for the cat..

Not to be nosey, but if you already have a puppy and a cat, why couldn’t you just make her “in charge” of taking care of one or both of those?

Given the circumstances, I’d say that while the Ferret sounds like a cool idea, but may bring trouble with the dog and cat already in the picture. Plus, what if she shirks her responsibilities, and you end up having to take over? Now you’ll have a kid and three pets to care for…

So the question begging in my mind becomes, why do you want a ferret when you already have a puppy, cat, and a child? (lightly, not glib here)...

I would’nt recomend a ferret they are stinky and like to burrow in unusual places for example mattresses

Previous ferret question FYI

If you get her a guinea pig, she will have to keep it’s cage very clean. They are susceptible to infections, and can get sick easily from unclean cages.

You have a new baby puppy and you have room in your heart/schedule for another
animal?
Is there anything else she might really love? Like a skateboard?
Happy Birthday, lucky girl with really kindhearted parents.
p.s. Ferrets: though fascinating, horrible.

A bunny or a hamster! those are the animals I had when I was around 11 too.

I have two Ferrets currently and my sister has two Guinea Pigs. I recommend a ferret, but your daughter has to be extremely responsible. When I wanted a ferret when I was little, my mom made me study about them for two years before I got one. (My sister studied for a month, because she squirmed out of it somehow) But reading about them should be required I say. If you get her a Guinea Pig or ferret, buy her a book about them too and tell her to read about them so she knows.
Also, to me, cleaning a ferrets cage is easier. They are trained to use litterboxes (If you teach them), when Guinea Pigs poop and pee anywhere in the cage and you have to take the cage apart and clean it.
Ferrets can swim, (WATCH THE TEMPERATURE!!!!) Guinea pigs can’t I don’t think, ferrets can be trained tricks, Guinea Pigs can’t, Ferrets can be hilarious, Ferrets can run aroud a lot, Guinea pigs are usually still.
Also, Guinea Pigs poop and pee A LOT. Like, crazy a lot.

@TheHaight

Hamsters bite….

@susanc

Look, my pets have always been ferrets all my life. They cheer me up without even trying. And you have the nerve to go around, talking about stuff you don’t even know?! Ferret ARE NOT horrible!! All the ferrets I’ve had so far has been the sweetest thing to me. Only once did one bite me (as in not playfully) and that was because she tried to take a bite out of my donut and missed.

So, once again, watch what you say!!

@kapuerajam

Only some burrow in matresses. That’s if you’re a horrible ferret owner and doesn’t watch them and you don’t care what they do.

And, if you clean their cage often and don’t let poop and pee sit there in its cage, they don’t stink as bad. Really, mine don’t stink at all.

Also, their TAILS SMELL LIKE GRAPES!! :-D seriously, smell it sometimes!!