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Best Pet Reptiles For Kids

December 29, 2020

Are Reptiles Good Pets For Kids?

If you’re looking for a pet that requires low maintenance and doesn't take up too much space then a reptile may be the right choice for your family! Reptiles can make excellent beginner pets for kids because they don’t require very much effort and their upkeep is relatively cheap. It's important to remember, even though reptiles are low maintenance creatures, they’re still a big commitment. There are quite a few things you should consider before buying one from your local pet store.

What To Know Before You Bring Home A Pet Reptile

Before bringing home a new scaly friend, you should make sure you’re fully prepared. Reptiles are cheap to maintain, but setting up their enclosures with all of their necessities (heat lamps, UVB bulbs, substrate, thermometer, etc…) usually isn’t cheap. Once you have narrowed down the reptile you want, I recommend setting their enclosure up the week before you get them. This way you can tweak things like the temperature and humidity to get it right before adding your new pet.

Are you prepared for a long commitment? Reptiles tend to live long lives. Some lizards live to see their 20s, some snakes can live to see their 30s, and turtles can easily outlive you! Another thing to keep in mind is that many reptiles get very large. When picking out a reptile take into account their adult size. Some reptiles may stay fairly small, but others, like boa constrictors, can get up to 10 feet long. If you’re considering a snake, are you or your kids prepared to meet their needs? Most snakes will eat frozen thawed mice, however, some will refuse. Are you prepared to feed a live mouse to a snake if need be?

What are the Best Pet Reptiles for Kids?

Now that you understand the commitment that comes with reptiles, let's get into which reptiles would be the best match for your and your kids. These reptiles have been chosen due to their temperament, size, care requirements, and availability.

Good Snakes For Kids

Garter Snakes

Garter snakes are extremely cute snakes with very active personalities. They stay relatively small, only growing between 2-3 feet long, and live to be between 8-10 years old. These snakes are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. This will allow your kids to watch their snake explore during the day, rather than trying to stay up all night to watch them. Don’t want to feed mice? You don’t have to! Though mice are the best option, garter snakes can also eat nightcrawlers and fish. Garter snakes can be kept in pairs or triplets if you upgrade the size of their cage. Either a trio of females, or a trio or males should be housed together. Housing both males and females together can lead to uncontrolled breeding.

Corn Snakes

Corn snakes are excellent snakes for kids as well. These snakes require very low maintenance and are docile. Corn snakes grow to be between 4-6 feet long, and live to be between 10-12 years old. An adult corn snake will need to be housed in a tank that is 4 feet x 1 foot x 2 feet. Corn snakes are known to be excellent escape artists, so if you choose to keep one, make sure your enclosure is completely escape proof. Corn snakes come in a wide variety of colors and patterns as well, so don’t think if you choose a corn snake you have to have a plain orange one. They are very active at night, and love to climb.

Want to know more about corn snake care? I have an in depth article on caring for corn snakes here.

Milk Snakes

Milk snakes make great starter snakes! They come in beautiful colors and patterns and are docile. They typically grow to be between 2-5 feet long, and live to be around 12 years old. An adult milk snake will need to be housed in an enclosure that is 4 feet X 1 foot X 2 feet. These snakes eat a diet of mice, and will almost always eat frozen thawed, so you shouldn't have to worry about feeding live mice. They are active mostly at night, and love exploring their cage. Milk snakes, like corn snakes, are also excellent escape artists, so be sure to get an escape proof tank with locking doors.

Good Lizards For Kids

Bearded Dragons

Bearded dragons are low maintenance lizards that are relatively calm and fairly social. You should prepare for your bearded dragon to grow 1 and 2 feet and can live between 8-10 years. They are very curious and love exploring, in fact, many bearded dragon owners will put a harness on them and take them for walks in the grass outside. As adults they require large tanks (4 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet). They can eat a variety of insects such as mealworms, dubia roaches, crickets. These insects should be dusted with a calcium powder before feeding them to your bearded dragon. Bearded dragon’s should also be supplied with a salad each day.

Leopard Geckos

Leopard geckos are cute lizards that make excellent pet reptiles for kids.

Leopard geckos grow to be about a foot long, and live between 8-12 years.

They are a very calm and easy to handle species. They can be kept in much smaller tanks than bearded dragons (3 feet x 1 foot x 1 foot). I do not recommend housing multiple leopard geckos together, as this can lead to fighting. They eat a diet of mealworms and crickets that should be dusted with a supplemental calcium powder.