Does Your Allergic Child Want a Pet?

What do you do when your allergic or asthmatic child asks for a pet? You don’t want any pet dander in the house for fear of compromising your child’s health. But you would love to give your child something special to care for.

Hermit crabs are easy pets to keep, are inexpensive and certainly won’t leave fur around the house. Children enjoy having a pet to name and love taking care of something they can call their own. Hermit crabs require a food check every day and they need their sponge watered daily. You can buy a small hermit crab care book in most pet shops where you get the crabs.

Although a fish tank requires more maintenance, it can give years of pleasure. They are fun to watch and relaxing to everyone in the family. Check out a book or two from the library on fish tank setup and care before you bring your child to the pet shop. A tank should run a few days without fish, but children can even help with “decorating” the tank before the fish are purchased.

Goldfish bowls are actually harder to keep with the regular water changes, and are not very healthy for the fish. There is not enough space or oxygen for your fishy friends – so consider even a ten gallon tank over a goldfish bowl – and enjoy your new underwater family!