Mice, Siamese Fighting Fish and insects such as the Rhino Beetle make great ‘first pets’ because they are relatively cheap to buy and set up (under $100). Each of these pets is interesting in their own way; they take up little space, are very easy to look after and hardly make any noise!

They are suitable for children from 5/6yrs and up, as long as they are handled and cared for under parental supervision.

Parents should teach their children how to handle the animals gently, how to care for them in terms of feeding and how to clean their cages/tanks. This way the children can enjoy their pets and learn about the responsibility of looking after them.

Mice

• Take up little space and fit in the palm of your hand or in your pocket! It’s best to keep more than one, as they are social little creatures. (keep 2 females)
• Very active, love to explore, fascinating to watch on the exercise wheel and cute to see them curled up together when they are sleeping.
• Never pick one up by the tip of its tail. Pick it up by the base of the tail or scruff of neck.
• Come in different colours and breeds- longhair, short hair, manx (tailless) & rex (curly haired).
• It is best to use recycled newspaper kitty litter for bedding as it is much more absorbent than wood shavings. Make sure you remove wet bedding daily and replace all the bedding twice weekly.
• In addition to their mouse mix, they love a variety of fruit and veg, so feed them a little of this daily. Remove uneaten fresh food daily to avoid mould growth! Do not feed cheese, as mice are lactose intolerant. Provide fresh water daily too.
• Lifespan: 1 – 2yrs.

Fighting Fish

• A great first pet as they require very little daily maintenance and are a good start to learning the responsibilities of pet ownership. Also a relaxing pet for parents.
• The Siamese Fighting fish belongs to the family Belontiidae. This family of fish is part of the ‘labyrinth fish’ group. The ‘Labyrinth’ is a special respiratory organ in their heads, which allows the fish to survive in poorer water conditions than other fish, as it allows them to breath air directly from the surface of the water rather than via their gills.
• Their spectacular long fins are built more for show than for swimming and therefore they tire easily, so they prefer still rather than flowing waters.
• They come in a variety of colours and tail-shapes (eg veiltail, crowntails). Males are brightly coloured with long fins. Females on the other hand are generally less colourful with short fins.
• Males can be aggressive toward one another and should therefore be kept only one per aquarium, otherwise territorial fighting, chasing and bullying will occur, leading to stress and often death, because the losing fish cannot escape, as it might in the wild, due to the fact that it is in an aquarium.
• In an aquarium, Siamese Fighting fish will accept a variety of foods and should be provided with a balanced diet – because of the position of their mouth, they are especially suited to eating live food such as Blackworms, and will also eat: fine grade dry food, frozen and freeze-dried food suited to Siamese Fighters.
• A small aquarium will be fine.  They are tropical, which means their water temperature is quite warm. They should be kept at a temperature of 23-27c. You can use an under-tank or in-tank heater.
• Use gravel as a substrate and ornaments and plants to decorate/for hiding.
• Need to change 30%of the water every 1 to 2 weeks days.
• Lifespan - they grow to approximately 2.5inches and live for around 2-3yrs.

Rhino Beetles

• Rhino beetles forage around on the floors of rainforests like bulldozers, adults living on rotting fruit and sap.  Australia has almost 200 species of Rhino beetle. Rhino Beetles are found on the East Coast of Queensland.
• The Rhino beetle is the largest of all the scarab beetles and can reach 70mm in length. They are named after the slender, curved often two-pronged horn on the male’s head.  Each horn is slightly forked at the end.  Only the males have horns.  The females are quite plain and are seen less frequently.
• Surprisingly, the large horn is not used for protection against predators but for jousting matches with rival males over females or territorial feeding sites.  The beetle is protected by a tough, hard outer shell.  Rhino beetles hiss loudly when disturbed and this could act as an effective deterrent against predators.  Their fearsome appearance, sheer size and nocturnal lifestyle help protect this beetle against predators such as snakes, birds and lizards.
• Beetles are best kept in a plastic or glass tank. Ventilation is an important factor so cover using some shearing mesh or a lid with plenty of holes. Excessive condensation or a wet situation is not good for the beetles. A snap on lid is a good idea as they like to fly and climb!
• To set up your tank, cover the base with your substrate, add some dried twigs and leaves to simulate the natural environment and add a little moisture every few days using a hand sprayer.  Change a small amount of your substrate weekly.
• Adult Beetle Kits are available from the Australian Insect Farm.
• The kit includes a pair of beetles, house, housing substrate & a care sheet.
• Rhino beetles feed on sweet soft fruit so ensure your beetle gets a fresh slice of grapes, paw paw or banana every day.
• You can handle your beetle for a few minutes a day, but don’t over do it or you’ll stress the beetle. Gently scoop up the beetle from underneath with your hand. They are quite harmless and can be handled safely if one avoids the claws on the ends of the legs.  These claws can grip clothing or skin very strongly.  They do hiss when you touch them, but don’t worry this noise is bluff only and they are completely harmless to humans. 
• Lifespan: 2-3mths, but if you buy a male and female, you can breed them and have another generation of these curious critters to observe and enjoy.

Mice, Siamese Fighting fish and all their accessories available from: www.kellyvillepets.com.au

Rhino Beetles available from:- Australian Insect Farm, Tel: 07 4063 3860,  www.insectfarm.com.au