Christi S asked:
We are thinking of getting our son a pet turtle, but I was just wondering if they make good pets for little ones. Can you get miniature turtles that will stay really small? What about biting, are they big biters. Any suggestions for other pets (except dogs, and cats, allergies nothing with fur) would be greatly appreciated.
15 Responses to 'Is a pet turtle a good pet for a 3 year old?'
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well try fish just to start them out see if they can take care of it before going to something big and fish are great starter pets for Little ones.
I’ve never had one but from everything I’ve heard about them they require a lot of work. Especially for a 3 year old. I would call a local pet store or aquarium and ask all sorts of questions about different breeds, tanks and mention your son’s age.
they don’t do anything, might be kinda boring.
i agree, i would get him a fish first…like a goldfish…they aren’t expensive and pretty easy to take care of
good luck on what you choose
there is no good pet for a 3 year old. A reptile needs much more care than a warm blooded mammal. I would suggest a beta fish if you must. Best would be a bird feeder outside.
Well, it depends, because there is a risk that a child could swallow a little turtle. But about the biting, it depends on what kind of turtle you want to get. Such as a snapping turtle, that would be good when a child gets a little older.
I suggest you get fish or reptile. Just what YOU personally think is good. Hope you pick the purr-fect pet!
As long as he know`s the poor little turtle dosn`t have wheel`s.
well, with a 3 year old, since you said nothing with fur, i would get a toad, frogs are harder to care for, turtles can bite, even a small turtle could take a chunk out of a finger if mishandled. fish would be good, i think probably brightly colored fish would be more acceptable if you want to keep the pet in the child’s room, or one male Betta fish in a simple round bowl, but teaching the kid not to put stuff in the fish water may prove hard to do. toads don’t need a semi aquatic habitat like frogs, if you want a cuddly pet, hamsters almost never bite and are easy pets, but much messier and way dumber than rats, rats are the best small mammal pet period for kids.
Turtles are not great pets for children. Or most adults for that matter. Most people don’t realize the amount of care the turtles need to be kept in captivity. They need a very large space to live in. Depending on the size and species they may need a half water half land enclosure. They can’t be kept in a fish tank full of water. They need to have a place to get out of the water to bask. They also need a heat lamp and special uv lighting made for reptiles. They need UV light to process certain vitamins in their bodies. Also they are very messy and will need a very powerful water filtration system. And some turtles cary salmonella and can make your child sick. The whole set up is pretty expensive. And the reponsibility, in my opinion, is more than the average 3 year old can handle.
If you still would like to consider a turtle for a pet check out some info on different types of turtles and their care. Here is a great place to start.
Good luck
A Turtle would make a great pet BUT make sure you do all the research before buying the turtle.
Turtles require a lot of husbandry, accessories, and equipment to stay healthy. Its definitely too much work for a child, and sometimes too much work for a busy adult. All their supplies can get very costly. They also do bite and cut the skin. Turtles grow, you can’t make them stay small.
I’d suggest small fish in a small 5 gallon tank. Easy for you to carry and clean.
Small children are more likely to get salmonella from reptiles, so unless you kept it in it’s terrarium, I wouldn’t recommend it. Reptiles need a lot of care, are expensive, and yes turtles grow up….I wish they did stay small, but they don’t.
Maybe try a butterfly garden and watch the cocoons hatch, or some of the other suggestions are good like bettas, or toads. Good luck!
Turtles can be very expensive animals to keep. Not only that but they require a stable diet of pellets, fresh or live fish, and insects etc. They can foul their tanks/enclosures pretty quickly.
They also grow very big. I am sure your son would love to take care of one but I don’t think he would be able to maintain a creature like this properly at such a young age. He would probably need to be supervised when handelling and caring for a turtle, if there is someone at home who will help him out then maybe it isn’t such a bad idea but if not then why dont you visit your local zoo? Maybe he could sponser a turtle until he is old enough to fully understand and care for these animals himself. Many children who are left to care for pets at a young age tend to get bored and the animal then gets neglected.
I may sound negative but I only have the animals best intentions at heart.
(Terrapin Owner)
Probably not a good idea.
1. Turtles are pretty boring-kids won’t be interested.
2. Turtles don’t like to be manhandled, petted, or be constantly bothered.
3. RES will bite when they get bigger.
4. Turtles can spread germs and other stuff you don’t want your kids exposed to.
I wouldn’t suggest having a pet turtle for your 3 year old, because turtles are difficult to take care of
and they aren’t exactly the friendliest pets (they get scared easily)
try fish :]
they’re easier to take care of
and they have no fur