What Animal Makes the Best First Pet

Just about every child asks for a pet at some point. The family pet is considered one of the rites of passage when your a child. The first time a parent agrees to bring a pet into the house it is a big win for the child who has been asking but the type of pet you choose could affect the outcome. When I was a child my house came with a dog. My family was the type that always had some type of dog. Usually from a shelter and always some type of mutt. The trick in my family was trying to get another type of pet. Cats were a no. So were hamsters or anything else in the rodent family. Snakes were never. Once or twice we had birds. There was the occasional "Fair Gold Fish" but they didn't survive.

So what are the right types of animals make good first pets. How Stuff Works has an interesting list of 10 pets you should consider and why. I browsed the list and I actually agree with most of it. However the pet they choose for the number one slot may leave you thinking they could have made a better choice.

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