This is something I never really worried about too much. As when I was young I was around just about every kind of animal, be it reptile or mammal, and was taught how to act around them.

I am now 24 myself have 2 kids(and am pregnant with #3, due in April). I have had reptiles throughout the pregnancies of my two kids(now 5 1/2 and 3 yrs old). I was and am the sole caretaker of the reptiles. My Green Iguana(who I got as a b-day gift @6 1/2 yrs ago, right before I became pregnant with my son) lives in a large cage that takes up about 1/3 of my livingroom, that the kids know they are not allowed to go into, or put anything into. The rest of the reptiles live in the diningroom and kitchen. My kids have grown up with reptiles so it is no different from many families with dogs. You just have to teach them right off the bat what they can and cannot do. Eventually handling will come into play, and another chance to teach your kids about how things should be done around these great creatures.

My daughter just turned 3yrs old on the 28th and has been handling my kenyan sand boas for many monthes now. She has even claimed the female as her own : )

They learn from watching you, so if you are gentle with the animal and always wash your hands after touching, feeding, cleaning up after the reptiles so will they.

Now some folks feel it is ok to kiss their pets(reptile and not) but I draw the line there... the kids are not allowed to kiss the reptiles, cats, chickens or anybody elses animals either. They know to wash their hands after petting any of our pets, and not to touch their face or mouth until they do.
There is no problem as long as you keep things clean and teach your kids well.


here are some pictures of my 3yr old holding the boas. The one in the lower picture is the one she has claimed. She has always been extremely gentle with them, but she will not get to handle any herps on her own without me right there for many years.




Roxanne

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