There is absolutely no doubt about the fact that turtles make amazing
exotic pets, but are they ideal pets for your kids? Now that's one question which you need to give a serious thought before you get a for your kid. It's a common misconception that small turtles are harmless for kids, and this very misconception can turn out to be harmful for your kids. Did you know that a significant proportion of cases of
salmonella infection in children is attributed to pet turtles. Your ignorance about such facts can turn out to be dangerous for your kids, and therefore it is wise to do a thorough research before you move on and buy small pet turtles for kids.
Are Turtles Ideal Pets for Kids?Experts are of the opinion that keeping pet
turtles in homes which have children of five years or below can turn out to be harmful for these children as well as the turtle species. These turtles carry some harmful species of bacteria (salmonella bacteria being one of the most common) on their body. When kids come in contact with these turtles, this bacteria is transferred to them and affects their health adversely. Kids are not well versed with the importance of hygiene, so they may not even realized the risks associated with these bacteria species. More importantly, salmonella is naturally occurring bacteria in turtles, and you yourself may not even realize that your is infested with this bacteria because these turtles seldom look sick when they are infested by it.
Similarly, when you keep turtles as pets, you need to subject them to proper care on a regular basis. Your kids may not be well versed with the importance of proper
care for pet turtles either, and resulting bad hygiene will make these pet turtles more vulnerable to various diseases; which will be eventually transferred to your kids. At the same time, if your kids lose interest in their pet turtles, the onus of taking care of these pets will be on you. All these things need to be given a serious thought before keeping turtles as pets in homes with kids. In fact, taking into consideration the connection between
pet turtles and salmonella infection in children, keeping turtles as pets in homes with small children is best avoided.
Best Pet Turtles for KidsIf you think your kids are old enough to take care of themselves (as well as their pet turtles), you can opt for some species which are docile in nature and don't require much attention. When we talk about
turtles as pets, the red eared slider is perhaps the best example. The docile nature of this species makes it one of the most popular in the American households. Yet another popular
pet turtle species is the musk turtle. These individuals seldom grow beyond a length of 5-6 inches. As in case of Red Eared slider, even the musk turtle species are quite docile in nature and therefore easy to handle. Even though the Cooter species tend to grow up to a length of 12-15 inches, their docile nature makes them ideal turtle species to be kept as pets for kids. Other species which can be good pets for kids include the box turtle, Speckled Padloper tortoise,
Soft shelled turtle, Reeved turtle, etc.
That was brief information on pet turtles for kids, with special emphasis on risks associated with keeping them as pets and certain
types of pet turtles which don't require much attention. As we have been saying again and again, these turtles are not at all meant to be kept as pets for small kids. Even though they will make ideal pets for older kids, who will learn quite a few fascinating things about these
reptiles when they keep them as pets, this should only be done under the watchful eyes of some adult.
