4 Reasons Why Reptiles Make Good Pets for Kids
There’s no age minimum of who can enjoy keeping a reptile as a pet. Beautiful and fun to keep around, reptiles are also wonderfully low maintenance. Their unique care needs make them a more accessible pet option than traditional dogs and cats which gives those who normally wouldn’t be able to own a pet the opportunity to enjoy animal companionship. These are just a few qualities that make reptiles a great pet option for kids of all ages.
4 Reasons Why Reptiles Make Good Pets for Kids
Reptiles Have Cool-Factor
Let’s face it, children have short attention spans. It can be difficult getting them to sit still for a few minutes and even more so to try and explain the commitment and responsibilities of reptile ownership. Reptiles, however, are intrinsically fascinating (there’s just something about these living dinosaurs that always seems to tickle our fancy) and can hold a child’s fleeting attention. Kids will be much more inclined to learn and take care of an animal they want to be around.
They’re An Excellent Learning Opportunity
Speaking of learning, the educational aspect of reptile ownership isn’t something to be overlooked. While kids are bound to come across and get to interact with highly-social creatures like dogs, cats, and birds, there are few instances where a child might get to see the other side of the animal kingdom. Cold-blooded, aloof, and a bit mysterious, reptiles give us a peek at what animals were like millions of years ago. Small children will need to carefully observe an animal’s behavior to interact with animals that aren’t as expressive. This will help them gain a healthy respect for all different types of animals as well as the unique care needs of ectotherms.
Reptiles Are Quiet
Depending on the age of your children, nap-time might very well still be an occurrence in your household. For this reason, having a quiet pet that rarely makes noises in the first place, is a definite perk. Most reptiles don’t verbalize at all beyond the occasional squeak, click, grunt, or hiss. They’ll provide minimal distraction or disruption to your children’s time at home.
Minimal Mess
Reptiles spend their lives in a contained space, a mere handful of square feet. It means there’s no risk of a reptile damaging furniture or causing messes on carpets. Additionally, taking up such little space means less square footage that would warrant cleaning. Children who are tasked with caring for a reptile will only have to look after a small area. If the parents are the ones doing the cleaning, then they won’t have a pet that adds to the likely already existing messes of their kids’ doing.
Reptiles are Safe
Safety will always be the greatest concern for a parent. Despite their perhaps intimidating appearance, there are many species of reptiles that are sweet and mild-mannered and pose absolutely no threat. Seek reptiles for sale that are designated as beginner-friendly species such as leopard geckos or corn snakes. Although parents should always supervise when their child interacts with an exotic animal, reptiles are safe pets that are perfectly suitable even for small children.
