this may sound silly but
- Thread starter RoxnSox
- Start date
I know some one who's four year old child dumped milk in a fry tank thinking it would help them grow up big and strong like her. After that they moved the tanks up higher and taught the kids about fish.
How old are your little guys? I might be able to recommend some books. That's what I did when we got our first Betta, I sat my daughter down (she was 6 at the time) and we read about the fish and what they need and what needs to be done to take care of them and stuff and most importantly what would hurt them, I really impressed on her that the fish was small and helpless like a baby and it was important that we protect it and take care of it. And now at 8 she has her own Betta that's 100% her responsiblity and has survived for the last year in her care
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How old are your little guys? I might be able to recommend some books. That's what I did when we got our first Betta, I sat my daughter down (she was 6 at the time) and we read about the fish and what they need and what needs to be done to take care of them and stuff and most importantly what would hurt them, I really impressed on her that the fish was small and helpless like a baby and it was important that we protect it and take care of it. And now at 8 she has her own Betta that's 100% her responsiblity and has survived for the last year in her care
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Maybe take your 3 year old to the library and get some books on fish? Or look some stuff up online with him/her and have a talk on thier level about it.
If he knows what allergies are you could tell him the fish are allergic to his toys, if not try telling him they're poison? That's how I got my daughter to stop feeding the cats her food when she was that age.
Maybe let him help you when it IS feeding time though. Then he'll feel he's getting to do something special?
If he knows what allergies are you could tell him the fish are allergic to his toys, if not try telling him they're poison? That's how I got my daughter to stop feeding the cats her food when she was that age.
Maybe let him help you when it IS feeding time though. Then he'll feel he's getting to do something special?
LOL!
Seriously, make him feel like he has a responsibility to the fish and he'll be much more willing to be careful with them.
I had the same thing happen when my cat had kittens. My daughter was about 4 and she was really just trying to love them but she kept inadvertantly hurting them. So I gave her a 'big girl job' helping me out with them and it really did help a lot.
LOTS of praise when the big kid job is done right and when ever he just sits and watches the fish with out touching the tank.
Seriously, make him feel like he has a responsibility to the fish and he'll be much more willing to be careful with them.
I had the same thing happen when my cat had kittens. My daughter was about 4 and she was really just trying to love them but she kept inadvertantly hurting them. So I gave her a 'big girl job' helping me out with them and it really did help a lot.
LOTS of praise when the big kid job is done right and when ever he just sits and watches the fish with out touching the tank.
You could get one of those shock mats that teach cats to stay off the counters.
Just kidding. I would go with the suggestion of tell the kid that anything he puts in the tank may be poison and kill the fish. As he gets older, and questions that, tell him that the toys may be dirty or he may not have washed his hands throughly so there is soap that may get into the water....all of which could kill fish.
Or maybe borrow one HUGE fish and have it bite his finger once. I'd bet he never sticks his hand in again. Just kidding on that one too! =)
Is the tank low enough he can reach it with out standing on something? Perhaps raise it higher.
Maybe find a cracked tank or something and take it outside, fill it with water/gravel/fake plants and let him play with, hoping he will get it out of his system. There could be an inside tank and an outside tank, with the inside tank being off limits.
You could keep him out of the room with the fish tank unless supervised. Not practical if tank is in central living space.
If he was a cat, I'd squirt him with water every time he touched it. =)
Again, I'd go with the poison route.....
Just kidding. I would go with the suggestion of tell the kid that anything he puts in the tank may be poison and kill the fish. As he gets older, and questions that, tell him that the toys may be dirty or he may not have washed his hands throughly so there is soap that may get into the water....all of which could kill fish.
Or maybe borrow one HUGE fish and have it bite his finger once. I'd bet he never sticks his hand in again. Just kidding on that one too! =)
Is the tank low enough he can reach it with out standing on something? Perhaps raise it higher.
Maybe find a cracked tank or something and take it outside, fill it with water/gravel/fake plants and let him play with, hoping he will get it out of his system. There could be an inside tank and an outside tank, with the inside tank being off limits.
You could keep him out of the room with the fish tank unless supervised. Not practical if tank is in central living space.
If he was a cat, I'd squirt him with water every time he touched it. =)
Again, I'd go with the poison route.....
My 3 yr old harasses the dogs to no end...but he does ok with the fish tank. I usually let him help with the feedings. My biggest fear is a rock getting thrown thru them or another toy going thru the side of one. He did want to play with his toy bass boat in the last night and go fishing but after a bit of debate on why he couldnt do that he found something lse to do..lol.
If you have yet let him get more involved with the care...put a small amount of food in the palm of his hand and lt him feed them. It works for mine (so far).
If you have yet let him get more involved with the care...put a small amount of food in the palm of his hand and lt him feed them. It works for mine (so far).
my son is close to a spawn of satan at times.. but he is very helpful with the tank so far.. he knows not to put his hands inside the tank, or put anything in the tank, except food when i help him. I bought him his own fish so he takes responsibility feeding him and everything...
hell.. when i was a kid i was beated within an inch of my life.. i had a snoopy scooter shooter and i would rev it up and shoot it into the fish tank! oh boy my dad got pissed! he stomped my toy to little plastic particles.. bet your ass i didn't do that again!!!
hell.. when i was a kid i was beated within an inch of my life.. i had a snoopy scooter shooter and i would rev it up and shoot it into the fish tank! oh boy my dad got pissed! he stomped my toy to little plastic particles.. bet your ass i didn't do that again!!!