Are Turtles Good Pets For Children?

Although with a little help from mom or dad, turtles can be one of the more low maintenance pets to care for, they are typically not an ideal pet for children. This is due to the fact that they often carry illnesses such as salmonella. This bacteria is easy for children to catch as they are more likely to touch the turtle and then put their hands in their mouth or even worse, maybe try sticking the turtle in their mouth.

This is why in the United States it is illegal to sell or own a turtle that is smaller than 4 inches. Children are more likely to stick them in their mouth and get sick from salmonella or choke to death. If reading this still hasn’t changed your mind on getting your child a turtle, there are a few things that you should at least keep in mind to ensure the health of all parties involved.

• First of all, children under 5 should never have a turtle as a pet. They are simply not old enough to know better than to not try and make the turtle into a treat.
• Always have your children wash their hands before and after touching the turtle! This will reduce the spread of bacteria.
• Never let your child eat or drink around the area that the turtle resides in.
• Never let the turtle roam around common living areas, especially places like the kitchen or in sinks.
• Always wash any surfaces thoroughly that the turtle may come into contact with.
• If you must wash the turtle’s tank in the bathtub, always disinfect it immediately afterward with bleach.
• Never leave a child unattended with the turtle.
• Never handle an infant and a turtle at the same time. In fact, don’t even bring a turtle around an infant.
• Never let your child get the turtle out of the tank without some help.

Always make sure that the child doesn’t touch their mouth when they are playing with the turtle.