Need suggestions on pets to show to kids for parties...

[Shelob]

Hey guys, I am going to be starting showing animals at bday parties and whatnot once in a while and was hoping to get some suggestions on what to bring. I have a little bit of a list compiled already, here is what I have come up with -

Black millipede (and/or Tanzanian Red Leg)
Tarantula (probably G. rosea/pulchra)
Chameleon (Jackson's/Fichers)
Emperor Scorpion
Boa (Unsure...possibly rainbow or Kenyan Sand)
Python (a ball varient)
Frog (possibly Red-Eye)
Tortoise (possibly redfoot)
Grants' Rhinoceros Beetle
Blue Russian rat (male)



Now I don't want to bring anything ultra-common (no bearded dragons/leopard geckos, etc.), but I think even the more common stuff like the Emp will be exciting for the youngsters.

I am mainly looking for suggestions on a mammal to bring. A friend of mine has a pygmy hedgehog that is cute, but he says it's tank/waste smells God-aweful. Other things I have considered are - hairless guiena pig, hairless rat, blue russian rat, ferret, spider monkey (nixed quick), miniture pig (nixed), sugar glider (nixed), etc. I live in California so ferrets/hedgehogs/monkeys are illegal here.

Just to put out the spark before it becomes a fire, not all of these animals will be held. Most will be gently pet with two fingers, with me supervising at all times (the scorp, tarantula and the red-eye will not be pet at all). All these animals will be housed in their proper conditions (I have worked at pet stores for the past 3 years and will do extensive research on any animal I plan to obtain). No yelling, poking, squeezing and what not will be announced before the presentation.

Thanks for any suggestions guys!

 

[What]

you should get some hissers too, kids always love to hold mine....

and you should prolly go with a RTB for the boa.

 

[ErikH]

What about a chinchilla?

 

[Midnightrdr456]

chinchilla would get my vote also.

and i also agree a nice BCI (they seem calmer than BCC) would be the way to go for a boa. A Male BCI only grows to about 5'-6' on average. And of all the snakes Ive ever owned, or been around, BCI's are by far the calmest.

 

[IguanaMama]

Don't get a hairless rat, the skin is too delicate for handling, but a rat is a good idea. Chinchillas are nice, but they don't like to be held and could bite if held. Petting is ok. They are kind of expensive, go to petfinders.com and try to adopt. Do that for a rat too. That way you can be sure of getting friendly ones. As a matter of fact, just go see what kind of animals you can rescue, then you would be doing a good deed. I second the motion for hissers, if you get a full grown GIANT MORF male hisser, it will be a pisser--get it! I named mine Pisser the Hisser, but my kids named him Homercleas, don't even ask me where they got that name.

I like those big fat pac-man frogs, I forget their real names. But they just sit there until you put food in front of them and then whomp. hahahahaha.

Corn snakes are the easiest and prettiest snakes, imo.

I think Chameleons are too delicate to take around to parties, I think that is a bit to stressful for them. Jackson's are the most forgiving, and hardiest, but still.... I just do not like the idea of that. There are plenty of other neato lizards you can chose. Maybe a blue tongue skink could handle the road a bit better?

EDIT: Any hairless rodent is prone to skin problems, just not a good idea for kids parties, fine for a pet though. Also, rats are social, so they do better in pairs, not as single pets.

 

[rm90]

As much as I hate to say it, chinchillas would not be a good choice. They get stressed out easily and are nocturnal. They also usually do not like to be held, and kids will will want to hold it because its "small, cute and fluffy."

Try something active and something that likes to be held like ferrets or maybe a parrot.

 

[mindlessvw]

tortoises are good...

 

[bugmankeith]

All those animals you mentioned are not "commonly seen" at parties thats for sure, usually it's horses,parrots,dogs,or goats.



If the kids are going to hold the millipede what happens if it lets out that brown smelly liquid? Kids are always putting their hands everywhere (including their mouth) so I would think twice about letting young kids touch that.

Dont know if kids could be allergic to tarantula hairs either, and the treefrog may try to hop away and could get injured.

 

[Mr.Scorpion]

Ya, cut the chameleon, way too much stress, they're too sensitive.

For a cute mammal, I would suggest a rat or two. They are easily the best choice because they absolutely love human attention and they love being petted most of the time. However, I suggest male rats because they are more laid back then females and will sit still for longer. Females get really hyper with attention and are all over the place. It's cute. Other stuff that's good to bring are a corn snake, a blue tongued skink, and rhinocerous beetles(if you could get a hold of them).

 

[Shelob]

If the kids are going to hold the millipede what happens if it lets out that brown smelly liquid? Kids are always putting their hands everywhere (including their mouth) so I would think twice about letting young kids touch that..

I would bring hand santizing wipes and the liquid sanitizer and have them use it after handling him even if there is no defensive liquid released. If there is, it is only harmful if put into eyes or mouth, in which case I will have them wash their hands pronto.

tortoises are good...

Oh, and yes, I was planning on bringing a tortoise as well, possibly a cherry redfoot as I have always wanted one!

and i also agree a nice BCI (they seem calmer than BCC) would be the way to go for a boa. A Male BCI only grows to about 5'-6' on average. And of all the snakes Ive ever owned, or been around, BCI's are by far the calmest.

BCI = BCC=

Silly me, cannot figure out the acronyms!

Other stuff that's good to bring are a corn snake, a blue tongued skink, and rhinocerous beetles(if you could get a hold of them).

Rhinocerous beetles, great idea Scorpion! Blue tongue skink is also a good one

*revised my list to include new additions*

 

[IguanaMama]

Ya, cut the chameleon, way too much stress, they're too sensitive.

For a cute mammal, I would suggest a rat or two. They are easily the best choice because they absolutely love human attention and they love being petted most of the time. However, I suggest male rats because they are more laid back then females and will sit still for longer. Females get really hyper with attention and are all over the place. It's cute. Other stuff that's good to bring are a corn snake, a blue tongued skink, and rhinocerous beetles(if you could get a hold of them).

What he said (Oh wait, also what I said )

 

[SmokinAFuente]

I would also reconsider the Red-Eye Tree Frog. They also are nocturnal and don't seem to care for handling.

 

[IguanaMama]

Redfoot and yellowfoot tortoises also get stressed out when held. A close friend of mine has them and he won't even let me turn the lights on to peak in on them when it is past their bed time, when I come over for dinner. He has me travel 45 minutes each way to babysit them when he goes on vacation, when he could just as easily ask a neighbor, because he knows I'm a herp person. Not a good choice for kids birthday parties, I'd say. You have to consider the animal for this type of thing. Like Bugmankeith said, the animals you commonly see are "horses,parrots,dogs,or goats", and there's a good reason for it. These are domesticated animals and can handle the stress of being moved from place to place and being paraded in front of kids. I know you want to be different and show kids something "exotic" and exciting, but it's a bit cruel to the animals and can be very costly to you in the long run because of vet bills and deaths. These animals that you are talking about cannot take the stress of road trips and lots of noisey snotty nosed kids. You can bring all the hand sanitizer you want, I'm a mother of three, getting them to use it well hahahahahahahahahaha good luck.

 

[Woof]

Definitely rats.
Not the hairless kind but there are other "fancy" rats that most kids aren't used to but love:
Rex: curly hair and whiskers.
Dumbo: big ears out to the side
And standard ones with all sorts of interesting colors.
While males are mellower they occasionally leave little pee trails particularly if they are intact and they have huge testicles so you might want to have them neutered.
Marie

 

[LeilaNami]

you can try a green snake (they're wiggly though)

 

[edventurous77]

wouldnt reccomend a green snake for that exact reason they wiggle. it tends to freak kids out and as every1 nos kids drop EVERYTHING. i would reccomend a whites tree frog or white lipped tree frog instead of the red eyed they are larger and more handleable (if thats a word):?

 

[LeilaNami]

hmm moroccan toad? They're just so fat and funny

 

[Shelob]

hmm moroccan toad? They're just so fat and funny

Haha yeah they are I love the critters, but they jump quite a bit, perhaps an idea if I hold it and the kids feel the skin.