BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Reptiles & Amphibians turtles

As people have said, they are very messy because they are aquatic and that increases the chances of germ passing. I have worked with reptiles and the public for close to 5 yrs now. We never recommend a reptile as a pet for any child under 8-10 yrs old. Now every child is different but I still wouldn't reccomend one for a 4 yr old. Aslo, be careful removing any native herps from the enviroment. In many places it is illegal. And in many states it is illegal for anyone to sell sliders and painted turtles under a certain size unless it is to an educational institution. The last caveat is that these animals live a long time and can get quite big.

Just things to look into before commiting to a long term pet.

Scratchy is getting BIG. We are moving in a couple of months, so we are looking to get him a new tank. Then we want to set up a pond for him in the yard in a protected area, so the dogs can't get to him. We have an uncle who is a wildlife expert and will help us design one and then build it.

We taught our children to NEVER put their hands in the tank with him. They know they are never to touch him unless we are there. Then we wash their hands. I made sure to let them know they could get sick and he could get sick too. I also made the deal that if I find them touching him without us there, then Scratchy has to be turned loose. They are 5 and 2. We haven't had any problems.