When choosing a pet one of the important considerations is just how long will it live. This can be particularly important if the pet is for a young child who has little concept of longevity and where the novelty of owning a pet can wear off quite quickly, particularly after the first time the cage or hutch has to be cleaned out.

For some parents the idea of introducing the concept of death and dying through a pet is also attractive, so the choice of pet must be one that is likely to live for a shorter periods than others.

Pets that live a short while

The first category is pets who can be expected to live for a short number of years. The first pets for many children are usually those that do not need constant attention, such as a goldfish. Surprisingly  goldfish if properly cared for and looked after will live for many, many years, but those kept in a smaller tank indoors probably have a lifespan of two to five years. Other short lived pets include small rodents such as mice and rats that will live for one to two years and hamsters that can be expected to live for three to five years.

Mouse 1-3 years
Hamster: 3-5  years

Pets that live into double figures

Longer lived pets obviously require a significant commitment in terms of caring for them and will often also mean a stronger emotional bond is developed with them. These generally include the mainstream pets such as rabbits, cats and dogs, smaller caged birds and some of the more exotic pets such as geckos and chinchillas.

Gecko 6-10 years
Rabbit: 8 – 12 years
Chinchilla: 12 – 15 years
Cat: 12 – 15 years
Dog (dependent on species) 10-15 years
Budgies, Finches and Canaries 15 years

Pets that live longer than you

Finally there are those animas that can live for a large portion of a humans life and in some cases may outlive you. A cockatiel may live for twenty years, a horse twenty to thirty-five years, a cockatoo as long as fifty years and a tortoise fifty to a hundred years (and possibly even longer).

Whenever you consider getting a pet, for you or your child, you should carefully consider all the implications, including how long the pet will need to be cared for. These life spans are average guides and the actual age your pet may live to will depend on genetics, environment, how well they are cared for and illness they may encounter.

Cockatiels – 20 years
Horse 20 – 35 years
Cockatoos 65 years
Tortoise 50 – 100 years (or longer)

 If all of these seem too much of a commitment then perhaps you should consider the good old frogspawn, that will grow into a tadpole and then hop away as a fully grown frog in the span of a few months.