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Reptiles?
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
Emily65Roses
New member
I don't see why it would be. I've had dogs and cats and those have fur and stuff, and run around the house. A snake or reptile would not only not be shedding (fur, anyway), but it would live in an aquarium of some kind. I've never had them, but my boyfriend's brother does, and they've never given me any problems. Search into it more before you buy one, make sure you're really okay with it, but I'd be willing to bet it's just fine. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
mustangmousa
New member
I had salamanders when I was a kid. I also worked in a vet for years and handled snakes, turtles, iguanas, monitors, etc. and never had any problems. The biggest thing is to make sure your son washes his hands EVERY time he handles the reptile. Reptiles and amphibians often have salmonella and you have to be really careful around young children. That would be the only problem I would foresee with your son having a reptile.
Martha CF, 30
Martha CF, 30
thefrogprincess
New member
Snakes are SO much easier to take care of than a frog. Frogs have to have a damp environment, which we all know breeds bacteria, so the tank has to be completely changed and cleaned at least once a week if not every few days!!! Snakes need a dish of water big enough for them to sit in. The only thing with snakes is be sure you get one that will stay relatively small (like 6 feet-ish) or you will have a really hard time feeding them and have to get a HUGE enclosure eventually. My friend's dad's snake is about 14 feet long and eats full grown rabbits. It is not easy to find someone willing to feed there cute fuzzy bunny to a gigantic snake! Snakes also only have to eat once or twice a week (as they're growth slows down they don't need to eat quite as frequently). Plus snake poo is easy to clean up and you really only have to do a full cleaning on the tank about once a month or so.
I've had both and even though I love frogs (like you couldn't tell by my name) I'd get a snake before a frog any day!
I've had both and even though I love frogs (like you couldn't tell by my name) I'd get a snake before a frog any day!
I have 8 iguanas and a skink, 2 indoor cats and 2 outdoor strays.( had 2 large monitors in the past also) The only thing that is important is that anyone who handles them wash their hands afterwards. Salmonella can be a problem for reptiles, but for it to be a problem the reptile has to have salmonella. Not all automatically do like some people think. Snakes need a lot of heat ( just like iguanas) and sunlight is VERY important to their wellbeing. I would think as long as you son washes his hands after handling the snake it souldnt be a problem. and like Frogprincess said you may want to pick one that doesnt get too big. Someone gave me a reticulated python a few years ago and when i found out it can grow to like 25 feet i decided it wouldn't be safe to keep with my cats and other lizards and gave it to someone who raises snakes. Also i would recommend buying a book about snakes so you ( and your son) can get some very important info about snakes and can insure it a safe long happy life. Good luck <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Hi,
I´ve had 3 snakes, now only one, a kings phyton is left. I did never have any problems with it regarding my health. But your daughter is quite young, so who´s gonna feed the snake? Does she know that a snake is fed with "cute" live mice, hamsters or something like that? And would she like to watch the mice beeing strangled? You do also have to be quite careful when feeding snakes, because when they smell their food, they are very fast and you have to keep your hands "out of the way". It may also last a while until the snake is used too be touched, so it might bite sometimes.
The next point would be what kind of snake? A cornsnake for example is very nice to look at but is moving very fast and quite thin. So when you want to take it out of the terrarium, you have to watch that it doesn´t escape and vanish. For the same reason the terrarium should always be securely locked, no matter what snake you have, because they will find every open space, no matter how small and use it!!! For a seven year old, that could be a problem too.
A frog is in my opinion no animal for neither a 3year no 7year old, because its much too sensitive. Its no animal to play with and to be touched too hard, unless you want to buy a new one every few days...
I got a turtle when I was 7 years old, but - as always - my mother did most of the work and its also more an animal for watching not for playing with it! If you go into a zoo and watch small children looking at reptiles, you will notice that they get bored very soon, because the animals don´t do much instead of sitting/laying around.
At that age I think dogs or cats are better for kids, because they can play with them and they have the possibility to go away, if the kids touch them too hard or something like that.
Uli,43,Germany, cf/cfrd
I´ve had 3 snakes, now only one, a kings phyton is left. I did never have any problems with it regarding my health. But your daughter is quite young, so who´s gonna feed the snake? Does she know that a snake is fed with "cute" live mice, hamsters or something like that? And would she like to watch the mice beeing strangled? You do also have to be quite careful when feeding snakes, because when they smell their food, they are very fast and you have to keep your hands "out of the way". It may also last a while until the snake is used too be touched, so it might bite sometimes.
The next point would be what kind of snake? A cornsnake for example is very nice to look at but is moving very fast and quite thin. So when you want to take it out of the terrarium, you have to watch that it doesn´t escape and vanish. For the same reason the terrarium should always be securely locked, no matter what snake you have, because they will find every open space, no matter how small and use it!!! For a seven year old, that could be a problem too.
A frog is in my opinion no animal for neither a 3year no 7year old, because its much too sensitive. Its no animal to play with and to be touched too hard, unless you want to buy a new one every few days...
I got a turtle when I was 7 years old, but - as always - my mother did most of the work and its also more an animal for watching not for playing with it! If you go into a zoo and watch small children looking at reptiles, you will notice that they get bored very soon, because the animals don´t do much instead of sitting/laying around.
At that age I think dogs or cats are better for kids, because they can play with them and they have the possibility to go away, if the kids touch them too hard or something like that.
Uli,43,Germany, cf/cfrd
Haileysmommy
New member
My 7 year old would be responsible for the snake. Of course with our help. We have a dog and she has shown great responsibility with him.
Our baby is the one that has cf so the snake or frog won't be anywhere near her. But we were still concerned. we have been checking into this for the past several months. We we wanting to get a corn snake becase all of the checking that we have done they are the best with kids. The guy that we are getting it form is a friend and he said that if we got one that was too agressive we could bring it back. My husband has been talking to the guy that owns the reptile shop and has told us all about the cages that need locks, not to touch them for a few days after they eat etc. The frog we are wanting to get is a white tree frog. They aren't jumpy. My 3 year old had it on her shoulder in the store for 45 mins and it just sat there till it went to sleep.
Our baby is the one that has cf so the snake or frog won't be anywhere near her. But we were still concerned. we have been checking into this for the past several months. We we wanting to get a corn snake becase all of the checking that we have done they are the best with kids. The guy that we are getting it form is a friend and he said that if we got one that was too agressive we could bring it back. My husband has been talking to the guy that owns the reptile shop and has told us all about the cages that need locks, not to touch them for a few days after they eat etc. The frog we are wanting to get is a white tree frog. They aren't jumpy. My 3 year old had it on her shoulder in the store for 45 mins and it just sat there till it went to sleep.