Easy reptiles for pets?

[js89]

Advice needed but I am not 100% purchasing!

Ds is 4 , nearly 5. obsessed with reptiles mainly snakes but I am terrified. Can get on board with a lizard they are cute and did see a leopard gecko (i think the name is) is easy to keep etc

We are taking him to pet shops and a little showcase of reptiles and seeing if he is serious. If so (I know I will be doing mainly care) we are considering a pet as part of his 5th birthday. Again not definite we will be exposing him to more reptiles up until birthday will educate him on them etc. But i know as hes so young me and DH will do all of the care really but we are open to it

So im doing this post! To educate me and so I can pass onto DH

Another question is, we have 2 shih tzus. Would this be a problem? They can get up on the couch thats it so I know they wont be able to get to a tank or anthing. May bark first few days but if this is a big no.let me know please

All tips and education please leave here!

Watching because I also love reptiles but have assumed they'd be quite difficult to look after properly - keen to hear what others have to say!

Tortoises? (I know they aren't the easy care creatures that we were told they were in the 1970s, but mine were affectionate and lovely companions.) At least you can get away quickly if they decide to attack...

I have a yellow bellied slider and he's hilarious! You have to keep up with the water changes, though. I've had him 15yrs and he's probably got another 10 or 15 left.

Do bear in mind the life span of the critter when deciding.

We have a bearded dragon. It’s a lot to set it all up properly and the upkeep is slightly faffy - live bugs and cleaning and checking all the temps. The bugs are like a whole second pet - you need to feed them and keep their temperature right too. So it’s not the kind of impact a dog would have, but it’s not nothing. And yes - you’d need a higher up viv possibly in a room without the dogs as I’d guess a lizard would find that quite stressful. Our lizard likes to get out and run around the house too which you couldn’t do with dogs around (I assume! Maybe I’m wrong? She’s our only pet)

My daughter loves her but my son finds her super boring. Lizards spend an awful lot of time just sitting there.

A lot of reptiles have much longer life spans (if kept well) than most people think. Most snakes are a 15 year plus commitment, leopard geckos are 10-15 year commitment.
Beardies are the same but they need a whole lot more space and enrichment than most people realised to be healthy.
Tortoises, most species easily can live as long as your son. A lot also require hibernation space.

The only difficult pet to own is one you don't research first and deem suitable to your lifestyle.

My friend’s tortoise is a ball of rage that will chase you around the room trying to bite your toes! Snakes are not particularly labour intensive, but you have to feed them defrosted mice, their poo absolutely stinks and they are master escapologists and I wouldn’t want a constrictor around my dog. Lizards have more personality, but you’re constantly buying fresh green and live food for them, which also needs to be kept alive and fed. And many reptiles carry salmonella so you have to be very careful with hygiene.

My ds has been obsessed with reptiles, bugs and arachnids since age about 4. Over the years we’ve had everything. Spiders, snakes, scorpions, all sorts of lizards and every creepy bug going. I once pulled my tumble dryer out to clean underneath, only to be confronted by a 4 inch long millipede type thing, rearing up at me. I was not happy 😀

Ive never liked the crawly things but love lizards and snakes. He had a bearded dragon that was so loved, when ds was older he sometimes took some animals into schools to show. Boris the beardie was never caged, he would just sit calmly on his cushion while the children petted him. But as a pp said Bearded dragon set ups are expensive and they need large vivariums. Leopard geckos would be a good starter reptile.
We also have a long necked river turtle who is very interesting and weirdly playful, but again needs a lot of space.
Downsides, if you get an animal that requires live bugs be aware, if the crickets escape (and they often do) you will never find them and as soon as it gets dark your home will sound like deepest rainforest.
Also, my ds is now 25 and still at university, not living at home and guess who is now the carer of three large snakes, two geckos and a river turtle.

We had a corn snake for 20 years.

he was called Kellogg.

they don’t do a lot. Feeding is fairly easy - you can. Buy frozen mice and defrost overnight (do NOT use the microwave they explode)

poo is smelly but so is all poo.

your child will lose interest very fast.

we had cats and dogs and they completely ignored him and vice versa.

except once when we had him out and the cat came in the room and they were both “what the fuck is that?” So we put him in his tank sharpish.

he couldn’t kill a cat (or anything larger than a mouse really) but I wouldn’t like to see either of them get hurt.

I know I will be doing mainly care Surely you mean you will be doing ALL the care? I can't imagine a 4yr old doing any and would soon lose interest!

Growing up abroad, my brother had all sorts over the years: snakes, newts, geckos, tortoises and tree frogs. He was much older though. My rabbit was much easier than any of his reptiles in terms of heated terrariums, specialist foods etc but I still wouldn't recommend one for a 4yr old. I recall the freezer was always full of frozen mice and at night, we'd see live crickets jumping across the floor!

I keep mainly snakes 10 at the moment but lizard wise I would say a leopard gecko you can get some nice colours or a bearded dragon you can also get some nice colours now although bearded dragon be more expensive set up etc snake wise corn snakes or royals again come in some lovely colours both need roughly the same set up there are plenty other species you could get just dont for anything that grows huge

Reptiles are hard work. There's a snake, phoenix, tortoise and iguana within the family and they all take a lot of effort. They will all live a long time too.

A four year old will lose interest VERY fast. You will end up doing 100% of the cleaning etc. Guaranteed.

I would think carefully about whether you would want to take on something like this long term as the novelty will soon wear off, not just for your son but both of you!

Repeat: very hard work. You have to be totally committed as all reptiles have very specific requirements.

Kellogs corn snake! 😁

We have a leopard gecko. The correct husbandry and set up is faffy and expensive. They need at least a 3ft long tank, a heat light or emitter, a uv light, 3 hides, thermometers, dimming thermostat.

They only eat live bugs so you are committing to looking after crickets, locusts etc. Which will probably escape at some point. The bugs need dusting with a regime of mineral supplements otherwise your gecko will get sick. They live for 20 years.
But they are very cute, easy to look after once set up. They don't like or need to be handled and can be delicate. If handled roughly they may lose their tails. But they also tolerate gentle handling.

They are only active at about 8pm to 10pm.....they sleep the rest of the time.

I really like ours. She's no trouble. If we go away she can be left at home with just someone popping in to check her water and mist her damp hide, as her lights and heat are on a timer. Now she's an adult she o ly eats about once a week which is handy. I think she is beautiful and cute, but she's not 'easy' . Lots of people have geckos that survive poor husbandry but it's cruel to not do it right.

Another plus is that she is litter trained and only poos in one corner of her tank, so we only clean out the whole tank about every 4 months.

This is our beautiful girl

Oh she is cute!

We have snakes but I wouldn’t recommend them as a pet for a child, a snake can live for 30+ years, so your child will likely leave home leaving you with the snake. They are a big responsibility. Snakes are pretty easy to care for but finding a reptile vet can be tricky and expensive.

I would recommend a leopard gecko, they are much more fun to watch, my snakes spend most of their lives hiding.

I had a couple of corn snakes one after the other over 20 years. Very easy pets as long as you don't mind keeping frozen mice in the freezer.
I never noticed the smell referred above but they both had a nasty habit of relieving themselves up a sleeve (after a little while you learn to spot the signs that poo is imminent).
The set up wasn't too expensive, feeding was once a week but they are not the most interactive of pets, although mine was always happy to come out and and have a slither on a warm body!
My snake book said corn snakes are generally ok or dead (they don't tend to get a bit sick) but I did have to take them to a reptile vet a couple of times- worth checking if you have a local vet with interest/ expertise just in case.

Don’t get any animal as a birthday present for a small child. Especially something likely needing specialist care.

@bergamobreeze They are only active at about 8pm to 10pm

I had no idea they slept for 22hrs a day. My brother had one but I'd left home by then, but it explains why I didn't see the gecko much.

I have everything from pythons to boas and geckos to 5 foot monitor lizards. Some of them are the easiest creatures I’ve ever cared for. One thing I will say op is NEVER get your research (and probably your pet) from a pet shop. You’ll be sold the wrong enclosure and equipment, and pay potentially ten times more than what the animal is worth from a reputable reptile breeder. So many times I’ve seen people who’ve changed their minds and tried to sell their pet at what they thought was a discount, and it turns out no one will touch them as their 3ft enclosure is not suitable for their bearded dragon, and the dragon itself they paid £220 for is worth a tenner off morph market (a reptile selling site).

You lost me at "4 year old obsessed with reptiles, then birthday present".

Pets aren't birthday presents. What child isn't obsessed with some form of animal at some point.

Sorry, but just no.

I have a reptile and it's no easy task. Especially with dogs. And reptiles can be very bitey to humans.

They need huge tanks and their food is pricey. If they need a vet also very expensive.

Wait until your child is far far older and be completely sure. You will be left with the reptile in your home when they go off and live their lifes. Reptiles can have incredibly long life spans.

Adopt a reptile from a wildlife centre or zoo where you can get the plaque and get update emails.

We have a Canadian Tree Snake. She’s mellow and easy to care for. Enjoys being handled. Eats defrosted mice. She’s no trouble.

When DS was four he wanted a pet crab. Which we got. He lost interest and muggings here took over the care, fell in love and developed a love of pet crabs. I now have four.

Geckos are a good bet. Or Camelians. Small and manageable.

It’s also worth doing research on size. I know people who’ve adopted a cute lil’ lizard and ten years later are sharing their home with an actual dinosaur and questioning their life choices.

Kids get bored of pets. Don’t do it. Just take him to see the animal man but don’t commit. 5 is much too young to decide you want a pet.

Rather than buying an animal as a birthday present which I agree with PP is never a good idea, I would look for zoo/animal collections, in reasonable travelling distance from your home that do membership/sponsorship deals. Get him one of those deals and take him there frequently.

Goodness me, do NOT buy a 5 year old a reptile! I can't believe anyone is supporting you in this. Don't buy a 5 year old a pet at all. Ridiculous idea!

Take them to a zoo and show them the reptiles there.
There are no "easy" reptile pets.