SQ
Senior Member - Vegan for the animals
This is an important topic for everyone who has both small animals and children in their lives. I have nephews and nieces of various ages who have loved interacting with my rats over the years when they visited for the day or stayed with me.
It is important to take precautions when there are small fragile animals such as rats and children in a household. It is very easy for children to squeeze a bit too hard, drop a squirming pet or have a rambunctious pet jump out of their arms and be seriously injured. This includes both young children and older children.
1. It is important to child proof the cage so that children are unable to remove a pet from its cage. Some people keep cages locked so this will not happen.
2. It is important to establish clear rules for when and how children are allowed to interact with pet rats and what foods rats are allowed to be fed.
3. Children need to be taught how to safely interact with small fragile animals. For example: gently patting and stroking but no hugging.
4. I do not allow children to pick up, carry or transport my rats. It is much too easy for a tragedy to occur.
5. Children are allowed to pat my rats and to give them treats through an open cage door while I am present.
6. Children and I sit quietly together in the rats free range area. The children play and interact with the rats as the rats sniff them, climb on them, etc. Children are not allowed to pick up the rats but the rats will snuggle on their laps, etc. Both rats and children have had a lot of fun.
I allow my nieces and nephews to interact with my rats because I know these children and trust them to be gentle, kind, respectful and caring toward animals.
Perhaps you would like to add suggestions as to how people can protect both their rats and the emotional health of children by preventing tragedies.
It is important to take precautions when there are small fragile animals such as rats and children in a household. It is very easy for children to squeeze a bit too hard, drop a squirming pet or have a rambunctious pet jump out of their arms and be seriously injured. This includes both young children and older children.
1. It is important to child proof the cage so that children are unable to remove a pet from its cage. Some people keep cages locked so this will not happen.
2. It is important to establish clear rules for when and how children are allowed to interact with pet rats and what foods rats are allowed to be fed.
3. Children need to be taught how to safely interact with small fragile animals. For example: gently patting and stroking but no hugging.
4. I do not allow children to pick up, carry or transport my rats. It is much too easy for a tragedy to occur.
5. Children are allowed to pat my rats and to give them treats through an open cage door while I am present.
6. Children and I sit quietly together in the rats free range area. The children play and interact with the rats as the rats sniff them, climb on them, etc. Children are not allowed to pick up the rats but the rats will snuggle on their laps, etc. Both rats and children have had a lot of fun.
I allow my nieces and nephews to interact with my rats because I know these children and trust them to be gentle, kind, respectful and caring toward animals.
Perhaps you would like to add suggestions as to how people can protect both their rats and the emotional health of children by preventing tragedies.