Should You Get Your Child a Pet Reptile?
I find that there is a universal truth when it comes to reptiles and kids. If your kid has gotten to interact with a reptile, chances are, they’re going to ask for a pet reptile for themselves. Maybe you’re thinking, “This may be the pet for my kid.” They said they did all of the research, maybe now is the time. If that’s you, amazing! Good for you! I am so happy that you are so open-minded about it.
But before you rush off to get that new pet, there are some things you need to know as a parent about getting your child a pet—specifically a pet reptile.
If your child has ever met a reptile that made them immediately say, “I want one!”, there are some things you need to know as a parent before getting your child their first pet. And honestly, this applies whether it’s a reptile, a dog, or a cat; pets are huge responsibilities regardless of their species. As the parent, you are going to be overseeing all of that.
Demonstrate Expectations
Kids are master emulators. Typically, they copy what they see. That’s why it is crucial to demonstrate best care practices when it comes to your new pet. That means, first things first, research the requirements: enclosure size, food (it differs for each reptile), lighting, and expenses— all of which fall on your shoulders.
If your child has come to you and said, “I did a lot of research on owning a ball python. This is what I need.” —that’s great. That shows a lot of initiative on their part. But you also need to go in and confirm that all of the information they have gathered is accurate. Make sure they did not get info from some shady site on the internet because, depending on your child’s age, they may not be able to research with discernment.
So do the research and be willing to demonstrate best care practices for the pet you are bringing into your home. Sometimes varying for a reptile can seem expensive or like a lot of work. And it is. But in the long run, this helps to teach your child responsibility, even beyond childhood. They’re going to take those behaviors into adulthood and that’s what we really want to push: proper care for our animals.
Keep Your Child Involved
Just because you’re the one responsible for making sure the care is done correctly, that does not mean that you should be the only one handling this animal or it’s care. In fact, one of the best things you can do is keep your child involved in the pet’s care, regardless of their age. Every pet is going to have age-appropriate related tasks. And having a firm grip on knowing what your child can and cannot do really helps here. Each situation differs depending on the child’s age and their maturity level, but it is important to keep them involved so they can continue to build that bond and learn responsibility while you oversee.
Each of my children has a pet. My nine-year-old has a leopard gecko, and he’s able to take care of a lot of his needs on his own, but I am the one overseeing everything. I make sure the gecko is getting the right amount of food and that my son is able to clean the enclosure appropriately. The enclosure is larger than him so obviously, he cannot do it all by himself. But he is involved. He is the one to put the food into the dish and provide a clean source of water while I oversee to make sure every step is being met every time.
On the other hand, my 13-year-old has an axolotl and is able to do pretty much everything on his own, aside from water changes because of the enclosure’s size. My 14-year-old cares for his corn snake but again, I handle feeding as I feed all of the snakes in the household at the same time.
They all have different levels of involvement depending on their age, but they are all involved. They’ve built a bond with their pet and feel the responsibility that comes with it while also understanding what best care practices look like. These lessons are not only benefiting themselves, but I often hear of my kiddos sharing this information with their friends who are also interested in getting pet reptiles.
So get your kids involved! Even little kids. My three-year-old nephew comes over and loves getting to spray out my frog enclosures or mist the crested gecko enclosures.
Monitor Independent Care
I talked a bit about how my 13- and 14-year-old are able to do most of everything on their own, minus some of the big things, but that doesn’t mean I’m not monitoring. You absolutely need to make sure you’re monitoring independent care. For parents of teenagers, it can feel really easy to think they are old enough and mature enough to handle this so the responsibility falls solely on them. I’ve found that more often than not, that is the case with teenagers and their pets when it comes to reptiles and amphibians.
However, teenagers are still kids, too.
To all of the teenagers reading this, I’m sorry! I know that’s a tough thing to hear but when you’re a teenager, there are other things in life that are a priority as well. You want to hang out with friends, you have school work, you’re working your first job. There’s a lot going on in a teenager's life that is difficult to balance. As a parent, you have to be willing to monitor the care and fill in the gaps when that care is not being met. This comes from someone who has had pets her entire life, who has teenage sons now and also runs a reptile rescue.
I can tell you that quite a few of the reptiles that have come into the rescue have come from family situations where it was the teenager who got a pet and the parent didn’t want any involvement and let care practices slip up because:
The parent didn’t know what the career requirements were
The parents weren’t willing to get involved
The teenager was still a kid and struggled to prioritize
These are all ways we create bad situations for reptiles and amphibians. Any animal, really. But all of this can be avoided by a responsible adult who is willing to get involved. This really ties into the first point. You have to know what the best care practices are while also monitoring even older children when it comes to their pet care to make sure that everything is done correctly. If you start to see gaps, you need to correct and fill in.
Pets as Responsibility Tools
Many people want to get pets for their children to help teach them responsibility. And while pets absolutely can help to provide perspective on caring for the life of a creature and all if it’s needs—feeding, cleaning, providing enrichment—it is important not to expect this animal to be a responsibility tool.
An animal should never, ever suffer in the name of responsibility.
I've had a few occasions where I’ve talked to people who have said, “It’s not my pet so it’s not my problem. If the animal dies, that will teach my kid a lesson.” This is not only unethical as a parent, it’s cruel. This is animal cruelty. This ties in with my points from earlier: a willingness to step in, to do research, and an understanding that while yes, this is your child’s pet, ultimately it is your pet—all are crucial points in the betterment and care of your pet reptile.
A pet should never, ever suffer in the name of teaching a child a lesson. After all, neglect itself only teaches them that neglect is okay. It can be very traumatizing, especially for a young mind, to think they are responsible for the disease or death of a pet.
The Takeaway
Before deciding you want to get a pet for your kiddo, I need you to ask yourself, are you willing to step in and do that hard work? Are you willing to use it as a proper responsibility tool? And I use that term lightly. They’re not actually responsibility tools. They’re family members. They’re companions. They are living creatures that need love and respect like anything else.
Kids and pets are an amazing combination. Every time I see my sons with their pets, I do a happy dance inside because they've all built bonds and it’s incredible watching them grow up in that environment. But before you make that commitment, please make sure that you’ve fully considered everything we touched on today. Reptiles can be amazing pets and provide truly an incredible experiences.
