You’re right Pazu. I’m okay with admitting that I might not be being completely fair about the hamster population. Our hamster is the only hamster I’ve ever met up close and personal (and I hate, hate, hate him, in case you hadn’t guessed). He’s a black bear hamster and he’s huge and his testicles are bigger than his head…really…I should buy him some pants, it’s obscene. I’m sure most hamsters are relatively nice vegetarians instead of blood-crazed meat eaters (minature velociraptors) like ours is.
I have guinea pigs and I don’t think they’re totally ideal for little kids (certain ones could be) for various reasons–they aren’t very smart and they aren’t always very affectionate. Some guinea pigs seem to like people a lot, but others run away from people all the time, even after a lifetime of gentle cuddles and lettuce. I don’t think the prey instinct has been totally bred out of them yet. Once I get a hold of my guinea pigs and put them in my lap, they usually settle down to be petted, but I think they always believe I’m going to murder them when they see me coming towards the cage.
I had a rat when I was a kid, and it was much smarter and more affectionate, but not as cute or large, and not vocal the way guinea pigs are. It was more toilet-trained than the guinea pigs.
As I was reading this, the SO turned and stared at me because I was going “AWWWWWW!!” so loudly. I was imagining our future children saving up for a month and then giving us like $5 for their dream pet. Those kinds of things make me gush because the sweet innocence of children just touch you like nothing else can. Kids are the best 
Anyway! Here’s my vote against hamsters. A 7 y.o. will not understand why the hamster mommy is eating her children (if you get a male and female hamster). Watching that and not knowing why she would do that traumatized me for years.
That’s so odd, I’ve always found Black Bears to be the most mellow of hamsters! They are the only ones I’ve known to be able to live in pairs without brutally killing each other. Yes, hamsters are also brutal killers and should be kept solitary. Many well-meaning people (including my parents, with our first hamsters) who think they’ll get lonely get pairs, and more often than not come home to quite a gory mess. Pet stores often won’t warn you of this. They’re in tanks together in pet stores, and as long as they are young enough not to breed, it’s usually fine. When they get older, they MUST be separated. Even breeding pairs should not be kept together when they are not actively breeding. The mother does not need daddy hamster to raise her babies, and is far more likely to eat them if he is around.
Just FYI, I know you’ve basically crossed hamsters off your list. Also, about the ball thing, it’s pretty common among most rodents. Balls the size of their heads, I tells ya! It’s why I mostly get females when available - balls draggin’ everywhere, getting shavings stuck to them… :eek:
I’ve had gerbils, mice, a parakeet (budgie), a cockatiel, an African Grey parrot, cats, and dogs. From experience:
Think carefully about the noise the animal will make. Gerbils will run in their wheel all night long. If the pet is to be kept in the child’s room, you’ll have to take care to make sure you get a very quiet wheel, and even then your son will hear it if he’s not sleeping. If he’s a light sleeper, it might keep him up. Budgies will start singing/squawking at dawn, so if your son generally sleeps late, that might be a problem.
Gerbils and budgies will throw seeds and litter on the floor. It’s generally no problem to clean up, but if you’re putting the cage on top of a bookcase or something, this could be a problem.
As far as birds go, generally the smaller they are the more skittish they are. Cockatiels seem easier to tame than budgies. Our African Grey was hand fed as a baby and came to us fully tamed.
A cat is less maintenance than a caged animal, and it’s the kind of maintenance that a kid can do (food and water, scooping out the litter box). Cages need to be regularly disassembled and cleaned, and you’ll almost certainly wind up doing that even if you have a very willing child, because it’s just not a task for a 7 year old.
I don’t know about rats. I don’t think we’re allowed to keep them in Alberta, since we’re a ‘rat-free’ province.
The best companion a kid can have is a dog. I know dogs aren’t on your list, and there may be good reasons for that (allergies, living in an apartment, always travelling, etc). But if you have the ability to have a dog, you should consider it. My daughter is 8, and she’s had a dog since she was an infant, and it’s truly her best friend. They play together (if you’ve never seen a dog in a pink ballet tutu, you don’t know what you’re missing), they sleep together, they go for walks together, and now she’s a ‘junior handler’ in a dog agility program, and she just loves it. When she goes to bed at night the dog curls up at her feet and she reads stories to it, which it listens to intently.
IMO, the right dog can really add something special to a kid’s childhood experience. But dogs are more work than anything else mentioned, and really require a family commitment. They’re also more expensive to care for. But they’re worth it.
Another thing you might consider (although they’re not cuddly) is a tropical fish aquarium. Your son has already had a goldfish, so he knows how to care for them. A 10 or 20 gallon aquarium is a lot of fun and is more of a hobby than just having a goldfish. You can learn about different fish species and how they get along together, you can slowly add fish to the ecosystem so the kid has something productive to buy with his allowance (and it’s fun for a kid to save up for that new plecostamus he’s been wanting, and it’s an easily achievable goal), and the right fish can be very entertaining to watch. Get the right pump and filter, and it can be virtually silent in operation. To save money, check the want ads for used aquariums, and just make sure you clean them thoroughly. You can find them easily at steep discounts and make it affordable.
Whatever pet you get, the internet can be a great resource for enhancing the kid’s enjoyment. Not just for research, but there are many interactive pet sites that kids can have great fun with. For example, here’s our dog’s Dogster page. Dogster is a site that allows kids to create a ‘home page’ for their dog, and they can ‘corral’ other dogs that they like, make ‘pup pals’ with other dogs, write a diary, and all kinds of other things. Our daughter loves it. I’m certain there are similar sites for other animals.
How about adopting an older cat? It’ll be easier to deal with than a kitten. Though I don’t know what vet bills are like for older cats.
Personally I find it a little disturbing to say “I want a pet that doesn’t live long, because I don’t want to be stuck with it for many years,” but maybe that’s just me.
We have 3 guinea pigs and they meet your criteria. Very personable - they vocalize a lot especially when they hear your voice because, ya know, you’re the one who gives them VEGGIES. Some love to be held, others hate it. Of our 3, one quivers in “please-don’t-eat-me” terror the entire time. But she loves to be petted when I reach into the cage. Go figure.
They live longer than rats, IIRC (4-7 years as opposed to 2-ish years). Which may be good or bad depending on your point of view.
The cage isn’t a huge deal to clean. We have an open-top cage and I just reach in with a dustpan and scoop out the litter.
They cost 30-40 bucks to purchase at most pet stores. Go to a reputable one, so you don’t wind up with a pig with health issues or even a female that turns up pregnant - surprise! Most commercially-sold cages are a bit too small; the larger ones are pricey but you can also make one yourself (www.cavycages.com has instructions; costs about 40 bucks). They like to be in the thick of things - like kitchen or family room, not bedroom.
BTW, when I first saw saw the subject line I thought you wanted someone to help kick a pet. This distressed me :eek:
If you adopt a youngish or middle-aged (but not a kitten) cat from your local shelter, there is a special place in heaven for you. Good pet for the kids, and lots of karma-kookies for you!
Note that a cat can live for 20 years, however (assuming it stays inside).