Dragons To Puppies - The Virtual Pet Craze

Normally in the regular world your choice of adopting a pet came down to the traditional selection of pets. Dogs, hamsters, birds, cats, kittens and puppies were the normal choice. In the new age of online games, an exceptionally popular method is to adopt virtual pets through online websites.

What is the upside to owning a virtual pet instead of a normal pet? Well for one you aren't restricted from choosing from any of the normal selection of pet breeds. There are many websites that offer the option to choose from mythical creatures such as virtual dragon pets or other fantasy creatures!

Virtual pets require very little in the way of care compared to a normal pet which explains why the popularity of the websites that offer them have grown so rapidly. The option to adopt fantasy or magical creatures such as virtual dragon pets is something very appealing that regular pets cannot compete with. The real live versions are daily chores that require constant attention and care while the virtual editions are relatively hassle free. An additional bonus is if your child becomes tired of a virtual pet you are not heavily invested in anything.

So this sounds like a good idea but how do you go about obtaining your very own virtual pet? There are many options to choose from if you simply Google for it. Usually you will find a website where you have to sign up for a free user account and choose from a selection of pets. Many different websites exists catering to different tastes and preferences. There are WooPets, NeoPets, Hawrse to name a few. The quality often varies from website to site but most of these websites are run by successful online corporations.

In DragCave for example you choose from a series of abandoned dragon eggs and you must care for your virtual dragon pet until it hatches. They also allow you to breed more virtual dragon pets through a breeding feature. This is a very interesting element as you can trace the entire lineage of your virtual dragon pet from the very beginning.

Another website VirtualPups allows you to breed, train and compete with your own puppy that you care for. The options are quite expansive depending on what type of pet you are interested in.

It is highly recommended if you allow your children onto these websites that they do not fill out any personal information or use any chat features in the game to ensure the playing experience is a safe and fun one. Please refer to the COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) compliance of any virtual pet website your child visits.

Now the next time your child asks to visit a pet store and you aren't keen to invest in a real pet, why not first try adopting a virtual pet instead?

Ned is a contributor to Virtual Dragon Pet [http://www.virtualdragonpet.com]. He is also a big fan of virtual dragon pets [http://www.virtualdragonpet.com] games.