are turtles bad for kids?

Answer 1

it depends on the turtle. I had a couple of Red-eared Sliders that would snap at any little fingers who touched the water and most kids want to touch their pet, so I wouldn't recommend them. A box turtle is pretty safe, however hand washing is a must or else they could get salmonella.

Answer 2

No turtles are great pets, but basic pet handling applies, MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE your child washes their hands after handling a turtle as they carry salmonella, which can kill a child, or an adult for that matter. Also some turtles bite so keep that in mind for size of turtles. If you are talking the cute little green ones they sell at the malls and out of trucks, they DEFINANTLY carry salmonella, so take into consideration. Is your child old enough to not put this turtle in their mouth. Will your child know not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth until properly washing their hands after handling. Otherwise, they live long lives and are fun to have.

Answer 3

Turtles aren't necessarily bad for kids, but to properly care for a turtle can be very expensive. I have six turtles (all box turtles) and they are expensive, what with food and lighting and heating and any medicines of they get sick. I have had turtles all my life, and I will say, that if you get your child a turtle of any kind, be prepared to care for it yourself. Water turtles, like red eared sliders, require ample water changes and cleaning/maintenance. Box turtles require a lot of walking around space and cleaning/maintenance. And all turtles carry salmonella... it is in their digestive system. Just don't go kissing your turts and you should be fine.
And aside from being nipped once in a while, watch out for box turtles' shells. You'll only ever get caught in that once, maybe twice (they close up entirely, and if your finger is in there, watch out).

Now I'm not saying a turtles is a bad pet, just one that requires more care than you think. Think one inch of shell for every gallon of tank/enclosure. A red eared slider gets to be about 5 inches, so you would eventually need a 50gallon enclosure (like a rubbermaid or a tank).

Just know what you're getting into, and do your research. Good Luck!

Answer 4

Turtles can be potentially bad for kids. Aquatic turtles carry Salmonella in high doses when they small (but the dose reduces as they grow). If they have an adult with them ensuring that they wash their hands after handling, a turtles would be a GREAT pet. I'm not sure about land turtles but washing after handling or cleaning any pet is a good practice.

Answer 5

The only way children can get harmed by a turtle is if you are feeding it raw meats in there tank, then there is a chance of ecoli or samonela bacteria being on the turtles shell.
Raw meat is not good at all for turtles so if you feed him a diet of pellets, earth worms, feeder goldfish you will have no problems.
Kids should always wash there hands after handling any reptile, so make this a practise with them, other than that, turtles are great pets.

Answer 6

The problem is, Kids are VERY bad for turtles. If you love animals, you won't give a small child a turtle. You are just torturing the turtle.

Answer 7

My son has a turtle. my son is nine years old. He got the turtle for christmas two years ago. Whenever he handles the turtle he has to wash his hands really good. I researched turtles before I got him one and found out that you jus really need to be clean and make sure you have your children wash their hands. Also I am the one who cleans the tank out. So the answer to your question is as long as you monitor them around the turtle there is to risk to them.

Answer 8

No, just make sure your kids are educated in how to care for the turtle, as well as to wash their hands after handling it.

Answer 9

They're only bad for kids because kids sometimes don't wash their hands after handling the turtle. Salmonella!!!

http://www.anapsid.org/salm3.html

"Any place the reptile has crawled, he can leave a thin veneer of Salmonella behind"

Answer 10

turtles totally rock