what reptile is the most suitable as a childs pet?

Question

can't decide between herman tortoise or a lizard of some sort

Answer 1

I hate to say it but a reptile really isnt an ideal pet for a child. each individual has a different degree of maintainence.

If it is going to be a family pet then beardies would do well, but the require loads of maintanece within the first 6 months, you need to make sure they eat well... live food and fresh fruit and veg. my sister beardies are a little partial to raspberrys.

they do require alot of interation other wise they will become very antisocial very quickly, and by the time they are abou 2 years old and fully grown they dont really move around much. the same with the vitkin dragons.

Leopard gekos are a no no, the are nocturnal creature and will probably be ready for getting up about 2 hours after your kids have gone to bed.


I'd suggest a snake, probably a constrictor like a corn, or royal python, or milksnake. they dont need much looking after really, they get active during the day, but will rest for a couple once they have eaten. get it at hatchling and watch it grwo, it should be almost fully grown by 2 years old and feeding nicely on full size mice. but they are very sensitive to noice and vibration so its not good to keep them where things will be banged.

i'd get them a couple of mice, much easier to tame, and will be dead in 2 years so the kids wont have that long to get bored of them

Answer 2

I'm not a reptile-keeper myself, but I'm a self-appointed pet consultant and in order to do this "job" I have to do research on my own in the way of internet searches, and asking a lot of questions of pet stores and people who keep reptiles, and other animals that I don't keep as pets.

I have learned that the best Lizard for a beginner is a Leopard Gecko, a second choice would be a Bearded Dragon.
Keep in mind that reptiles have very specific care requirements. Metabolic bone disease (caused by the lack of the right calcium supplement, and the sun's or artificial UVB rays) seems to be the most common ailment of "pet" reptiles.
Reptiles are more for watching and shouldn't be handled too much. And reptiles are not cuddly pets.
http://spazrats.tripod.com/reptilebrain.html
And be aware of Salmonella, if cleanliness is not observed. Many years ago red-eared slider turtles were removed from the pet market because a little boy did not keep his turtle's environment clean and the little boy ended up with Salmonella poisoning. Red-ears are slowly making a come-back now that the scare is over.

Here are some links that will help you out. I find Melissa Kaplin's website one of the best websites for reptile care, and a good place to start your education.
http://www.anapsid.org/leopardgek.html
http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

spazrats
http://spazrats.tripod.com

Answer 3

I don't think I can put it any better than Q has... If someone wants to own a "dangerous" reptile (or any other type of dangerous animal for that matter), they need to know what they're getting into and know how to properly handle said animal. While there are species that I don't believe the general public should have access to, I also believe that it is the responsibility of both the seller and the buyer to make certain that the buyer is qualified to own the animals they want to own... I also have no complaints with state regulation of various species... my father and I both have permits to own crocodilians, and here in the state of Florida, that means that at any time, the state can send someone to inspect our premesis with no prior warning. That's fine. Heck, if the neighbors want to come over and assure themselves that our enclosures are escape proof, they're welcome to do so as far as I'm concerned. I personally wouldn't mind if the state made it more difficult to be approved for permission to own certain species... in a way they have, but in other ways it's gotten easier... but then again, I'm one of those people who thinks that people should be able to pass a test on whatever animal they plan on getting whether it's a monacled cobra or a corn snake, and I'm a proud customer of a pet store that has a similar philosophy... yeah, they could sell whatever reptiles to anyone who wants them, but I've seen them tell people that certain animals aren't for sale just because they either don't know the person wanting to buy or they know them too well.... Anyway, I'm rambling and I'm not really sure if I'm making any sense...

Answer 4

depend on how big you want a cage. if you go with a tortoise you will need at least a two foot by three foot cage, but if you go with a gecko of some sort you can probably get away with a one and a half foot by a one and a half foot cage. and with a tortoise you have to cut up lettuce every morning and with a gecko you just put in crickets and you are done. also tortoises live forever and it is inevitable for your children to stop taking care of it so the question is what kind of reptile is suitable for you

Answer 5

Well.. I do love bearded dragons but they are pricey. Let alone the cost of the lizard, there are expensive lights and all the goodies that go into a cage. (If you do it correctly) They take a lot of time and effort, you must give them veggies everyday! (as well as crickets) You must mist them with water everyday. They are really cool pets but just letting you know a few of the downsides.

Snakes, in my history, are good too bu tthey can be escape artists. You also have to get mice every week, and they arent as interactive as some other reptiles.

My recommendation is a leopard gecko. VERY friendly, easy to keep, and inexpensive. You feed crickets. They dont get very big, theyre cute, and come in many colors. :)

Answer 6

I would go with the tortoise, as I have three kids and have had a variety of animals and the turtles or hermit crabs were the best when they were small and as the kids grew and weren't home much I just put the turtles out and let them roam around the house. And the water turtles I would take out to the little pool we had and let them play.

Answer 7

I have 2 russian tortoises and 1 eastern box turtles. None of my friends ever believe me but russian tortoises ARE THE MOST CUDDLY PETS EVER!!!! they like it when you rub and pet their necks and actually give them kisses there. they are so easy to care for. Just some varied organic lettuce and the occasional small slice of fruit (about once a week, maaaybeee twice. They are AMAZING! NO JOKE! NO DOUBT! They are very hardy, and although you should always have a heat lamp on hand, they can survive very cold environments. One has fallen three stories off of our balcony (we felt so bad!) and was perfectly fine. She was a little shaken up but calmed down after about 30 secondsThey yawn and sneeze just like other animals. ITS SO CUTE! they're great pets because they are for any owner, regardless of the the free time they have. They become very attatched loyal pets and will come to literally love you if you give them good care. As well, They can survive well on very little care, but be sure to look up proper info and a good reptile vet specialist. You know they are loyal when they are comfortable stretching their limbs out and like it when you pet and "massage" them. Especially when they'll let you pet the underside of their neck, hand feed them, and kiss their heads. My turtle falls asleep on me with her neck in my hands in the open with the lights on. They can be really trusting but take your realtionship step by step. My turtle is even fine if I pet her while she is flipped over and she ets me carry her through the air without leg support and doesn't bet scared. They have cuteness and personalities of babies, except they are incredibly easy to care for and they're hardy. Don't leave children alone with them, because small kids can be rough with them. GOOD LUCK REPTILE-BUYING! I HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY, recommend them! Buy a girl, by the way

Answer 8

Bearder Dragon or Uromastyx. Both easy to handle, slowish (or lizards), VERY friendly and fairly easy to keep. The two most recommended in the industry.

Be sure to have everything set up for at least a day before you bring the animal home. You want ot make sure its hot enough when it gets there.

Answer 9

Since children usually want to be able to hold their pets, I would suggest a bearded dragon, they are fairly hardy and love to be held and petted. It is also fun for a child to give it a bath but you should supervise this and just note it should contain no soap, just warm water and only up to the dragons armpits as swimming is tiring and they can panic if they can't touch the bottom.
dale

Answer 10

a tortoise would be best. they can with stand more from a small child then a lizard. kids tend to get to rough(no meaning to of course). just make sure to clean the tank regally to keep down the smell! :)