Pets (eventually) for christmas.......but after......

Right, I'll get straight to it

Ben wants a pet of his own. We have a rescue dog called Bruno who is 11 years old and two terrapins but he wants a pet to live in his bedroom - his own pet but he wants something he can play with etc.

Anyway this has been going on since March this year and he is desperate to be a zoo keeper.

For his birthday in May he asked again for a hamster, but with a Jack Russell terrier we werent sure this was the best idea - Bruno stays downstairs in our house - its only the bedrooms upstairs but still I didnt want to risk an escaped hamster. So we brought him a wormery, which he loved and he has been looking after them well but wasnt satisfied with that.

Well he lulled for a bit with the asking and since the beginning of August, hes been at it again asking for another pet. So I made him a deal that if he kept his bedroom clean and tidy we would see about a goldfish in his room, but he had to keep it tidy otherwise it was a no. He asked why he couldn't have a hamster and I told him if he was responsible enough to clean, feed and care for a goldfish then maybe Id consider a hamster at a later date.

Anyway I should have given my son more credit because I presumed after a day or two of trying he'd give up and his room would return to its usual bomb site


        


It is now six weeks on, his room has been immaculate every morning with his bed made and him fully dressed before he leaves his room.

Now I know you shouldn't get pets for Christmas as presents but Im thinking of getting him his tank/filter/gravel etc and setting it up as presents and then after Christmas taking him to pick a fish or two.

Do you think thats an acceptable gift?

I should also add that Benjamin does help with the other pets. He is responsible for washing Bruno's bowls in the morning before he's fed and helps walk him every evening after school. He also helps me clean up the garden too.

Terrapin wise he helps prepare their food and feed them but since they aren't really hands on pets - one of them is rather vicious - he has minimal contact with them.
Plus the fish wont be there on Christmas morning as I have read that a tank is better set up about a week before hand of getting fish so I want to make sure I do things correctly with it.