3D animated pets are an alternative to the real thing.
Pets can be difficult to take care of, especially for a young child. Often, the parent ends up caring for their child's pet. Before getting a real pet, try signing the child up for a virtual pet online. There are several free virtual pet sites on the web that allow kids to choose any type of animal to care for, including exotic animals like monkeys. Not only will this result in hours of fun for any child, but it will give kids a chance to be responsible for a pet.
Instructions
1. Choose a virtual pet adoption site. Some sites include FooPets, NeoPets and Adopt Me. Beware of sites that ask for personal information, such as addresses and phone numbers. Some sites ask for birthday information; make sure an adult is present when entering this information. VirtualPet.com recommends inserting a different year for birthday entries for safety.
2. Monitor the pet's mood. Most sites will have bars, or meters, that show the mood levels of the animal throughout the day. If the hunger bar is low, for example, the pet may need to be virtually fed. The pet's mood should be monitored several times a day. Anytime meter bars become low or go in the red, the action associated with the meter must be completed.
3. Make sure to keep the online pet happy by virtually petting and hugging the animal. A virtual pet, much like a real pet, must be bonded with on a daily basis to keep it happy. Pet or hug the virtual pet until the happiness bar in the mood meter is filled or goes into the green.
4. Feed and water the pet every 24 hours or as often as the mood meter indicates. Online virtual pets can get grumpy when they have not had a meal or drink, resulting in sad pets that do not want to play. Some sites will "repossess" the pet if the child has not fed and watered the animal in a certain number of days.
5. Play with the pet at least once or twice a day. Many sites have toy options that allow the child to interact with their animal using pet toys.
6. Keep the pet groomed. A dirty pet will result in poor mood and hygiene. The mood meter will usually have a hygiene bar that will indicate if the pet is dirty. With some online pet sites, the pet will have a dirty appearance when it needs to be groomed.
7. Train the pet to complete basic commands and tricks. Some sites allow training, which will help socialize the animal and increase the bond between pet and owner. Depending on the site, teach the pet to sit, stay, come and play dead.
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