What do you think of young people with herps?

What do you think of kids with herps? Do you think it's a bad or good thing?

Well, my reply isn't in the poll: Only if they're old enough and know what they're doing.

I think kids owning any kind of pet is good for their sense of responsibility and gives them an early understanding of and love for animals. HOWEVER...I think they should only own pets, and herps especially, if they are old enough to handle and understand the needs of the animal, can do their research on the selected pet themselves, can give at least basic care to the animal, and above all do not see the pet as a trophy or thing that makes them cool.

i think it cool as long as they take care of them right and they know what they doing i think a herp is mostly for teens 13 and up

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argentra

I think kids owning any kind of pet is good for their sense of responsibility and gives them an early understanding of and love for animals. HOWEVER...I think they should only own pets, and herps especially, if they are old enough to handle and understand the needs of the animal, can do their research on the selected pet themselves, can give at least basic care to the animal, and above all do not see the pet as a trophy or thing that makes them cool.

---

Agreed. :rockon:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argentra

Well, my reply isn't in the poll: Only if they're old enough and know what they're doing.

I think kids owning any kind of pet is good for their sense of responsibility and gives them an early understanding of and love for animals. HOWEVER...I think they should only own pets, and herps especially, if they are old enough to handle and understand the needs of the animal, can do their research on the selected pet themselves, can give at least basic care to the animal, and above all do not see the pet as a trophy or thing that makes them cool.

---

I also agree, so I could not vote.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argentra

Well, my reply isn't in the poll: Only if they're old enough and know what they're doing.

I think kids owning any kind of pet is good for their sense of responsibility and gives them an early understanding of and love for animals. HOWEVER...I think they should only own pets, and herps especially, if they are old enough to handle and understand the needs of the animal, can do their research on the selected pet themselves, can give at least basic care to the animal, and above all do not see the pet as a trophy or thing that makes them cool.

---

And I would add to that....that they have at least one adult backing them up. It's awfully unfair to allow your child to have a pet, especially an exotic one, and then not be there to provide any support at all.

Question. Young people is what you said in your poll, that denotes pre-teens to teenagers in my mind.

Everyone keeps talking about children though. Maybe define an age??

Well, I don't agree on children as old as 6 year olds...
I meant Kids ages 12-17..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by frankykeno

And I would add to that....that they have at least one adult backing them up. It's awfully unfair to allow your child to have a pet, especially an exotic one, and then not be there to provide any support at all.

---

I agree in a way, but my mother doesn't give me much support and my animals are fine, well taken care of and healthy. :)

Pets and the care of them takes and can teach an enormous amount of responsibility. I've had pets for nearly as long as I can remember I wanted a pet snake at a very early age and not being able to finally get one until I was 7. My mother set many many guidelines for me regarding the care of one and the fact that the expenses would be a burden I would have to bare. I did my chores each and every week for over a year to save my allowance up to buy one with MY money. I had to continue those chores each and every week in order to feed him as well. I learned many things that stuck with me my entire life. At 6 I learned to budget money, I learned to sacrifice (my brother blew his money on candy and baseball cards) but I saved literally every nickel, developed a plan and went for it. Those lessens really framed my life, my brother on the other hand never saw the point and never learned to save anything. He's now 26 and just last year bought a motorcycle on a credit card.

I talk many people out of buying reptiles for their children at shows as it often is an impulse buy. Pets should not be impulses, parents should talk with their children, make sure they understand they are taking a life in their hands and until they truly understand that they should not have pets of any kind. I hand my card out and tell them to come find me at the next show if they've gone home and explained the in's and outs and months later the kids are still truly interested to move forward then.

I am not sure what age has to do with loving herps, but they are the future keepers of the animals we all find so dear and we were all young once.


Chuck

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chuck

I am not sure what age has to do with loving herps, but they are the future keepers of the animals we all find so dear and we were all young once.


Chuck

---

Loving an animal and being able to provide and care for the animal properly are totally different things.

;)

just sayin'

My son is almost 4 and although he doesnt technically own any herps, he is totally fascinated by them. I feel that there is no such thing as too young as long as you are teaching them about the herps. My son loves Titus (our bp) and loves to feel the softness of him. Also Titus is one of the most docile snakes I have ever seen. But we also have a tortoise who will be my son's pet someday. Im prett sure my son will never be afraid of snakes or herps because of all the things he has learned already. The only thing I skip is letting him watch Titus kill a mouse and eat it. Im afraid it would give him nightmares...LOL. But he does think every animal we bring home now is Titus food. When we were bringing the tort home I asked him if he was excited to get a new tortoise, he said "yeah cause Titus likes to eat tortoises right??" I laughed so hard I was crying! :carrot:

I am going to say that I agree with them needing to be old enough to be able to do research and care for the animal properly. Also having a parent to back them. In that case I saw its great having herps as pets.

My two kids are 4 and 3 and although they can't do much, I do like to include them as much as possible whenever possible. Like feeding times with the geckos, helping get paper towels, easy stuff that they can safely do. They have a blast.

I also take them out herping with me, since we don't have any venomous reptiles this far north its pretty safe. They LOVE it. They have so much fun.

So I like exposing them to these things, I want them to learn that reptiles aren't slimy, nasty creatures. They are great pets, and have a place on this earth that we share with them and they are very important.

I think its great to introduce kids to the reptile world as long as they are taught PROPERLY about their needs.The more people know at younger ages the better off they(reptiles) will be in the long run at being kept healthy and happy :D

I'm a firm believer in this: You're never too young to start learning and never too old to stop.


That said, my niece is two years old, and not really old enough to understand taking care of something. But she is old enough to start learning that snakes are not something that should be feared, only respected. I allow her to help take care the gecko, and, when I get Kinky out on warm days, I allow her to sit in my lap and touch Kinkers' tail. She knows not to open the cages (they are out of reach, just in case) and she knows not to handle them without supervision... I think that's the teaching of respect part. But she's also seen that the big six foot snake would rather crawl into a dark hole rather than bite her... and that teaches her not to be afraid.

As she grows, I'll continue to let her take a more active part in their care, should she wish to (I have never and will never push my animals on others---I understand irrational fears, having a few myself).

Right, I get it but there are a great number of adults who don't put in the proper love care or money to keeping there animals. I think its important to note that a 4 year old trying to take care of a living thing isn't a reasonable thing to say. So this is sorta a vague loaded type question. Now can a 14 year old care for a Herp sure they can but as a parent you have to decide what your child can handle. After all who is really responsible for the care of a pet whatever and who really insures it is properly taken care of until such a period in time were it is evident that the child can do it without supervision, but as a parent you know that going in. So as I said before I really don't see what age has to do with loving Herps, if your child loves Herp you support and nurture it the same as if they love football. Hopfully that explains a little better were I am coming from.



Chuck

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chuck

Right, I get it but there are a great number of adults who don't put in the proper love care or money to keeping there animals. I think its important to note that a 4 year old trying to take care of a living thing isn't a reasonable thing to say. So this is sorta a vague loaded type question. Now can a 14 year old care for a Herp sure they can but as a parent you have to decide what your child can handle. After all who is really responsible for the care of a pet whatever and who really insures it is properly taken care of until such a period in time were it is evident that the child can do it without supervision, but as a parent you know that going in. So as I said before I really don't see what age has to do with loving Herps, if your child loves Herp you support and nurture it the same as if they love football. Hopfully that explains a little better were I am coming from.



Chuck

---

I agree with you Chuck. The parent is ultimately resposible for the care of the animal. Some children are very responsible but many loose interest once the novelty wears off and the parent becomes the one that has to care for it or find a new home. My Mom let me have herps when I was a kid (anoles and tortoises) but that was her judgement call. She new I had a deep love for animals and she made the ultimate decision. My kids have borought home pets (rabbits, guienie pigs) only to loose intersest or really get tired of the smell and clean up and me and my wife had to take care of them(properly) untill we could fine a good home for them. This is unfortunately what happens alot of the time.

So it's up to the parent, who knows there kid, to decide if a kid is ready. I rescued beardies from a kid who lost interest and the parents were referred to me. I am not a rescued but think animals deserve proper attention and care, luckily after a year I found a boy with several herps who took great care of them and gave him the beardies. I agree this should not be an impulse purchase, these are living breathing creatures.

No vote from me, it's not that simple.

I think it's great if they're mature enough for it and the parents are on their side about it. I got my first cornsnake when I was 11 and cared for it by myself from teh get-go. My mom was awesome enough to drive me to the pet store once a week to get food for him.

In the end, I think age plays a minor role. It's about dedication to the animal. I've seen several kids in the 10-13 yr old range who had a pet snake or other herp and took awesome care of it. Conversely I've seen 35 yr olds who took piss poor care of their herp. So if the kid can support it (or have a parent who will help out) and is mature enough and has the dedication then I think it's a great thing!

My 5 year old son is VERY active and hardly sits down all day! But when i decided i wanted a lizard and brought home my first (a Leopard Gecko named Lucy) he wanted to hold her so badly.

So i explained that he was only to hold her when i was watching. When he would hold her he went from a kid who was always bouncing all over the place to one who sat still and was so gentle!!

I couldn't belive the change. It helped him learn to be gentle with our other animals as well. So in that respect herps are great for young kids. He helps feed her and take care of her (with my supervision) and he has a better understanding of living creatures having been involved in their care.

When I was a kid I was in 4-H. I don't know if this is a rule that was set at the national level or just our local club, but kids had to be 4th grade or older to join. Most kids start 4th grade at 9 years old. Most of the kids in our 4-H club were totally responsible for taking care of their own animals, in terms of doing the actual feeding, grooming, cleaning up after them, etc. Obviously most of them got a lot of help in terms of driving to the feed store, learning proper care of the animals, and the financial end of it. We were required to keep detailed records, such as how much we fed, how much it cost, any medications given, etc. Most projects were expected to at least break even if not be slightly profitable, and I know a lot of the kids (including me) paid back their parents and only kept the profits.

Of course, this doesn't mean every 9 year old can or will do this. And no child that young can do it without support from their parents or some other responsible adult.

Lots of teens, once they are old enough to drive and hold down a job, are responsible enough and totally capable of taking care of an animal totally without assistance. But again, it depends on the individual.

I think the poll is not well worded (for one thing does "kids with herps" mean owning them, or just being in the same room?) but trying to guess what the posted really wanted, and going with the best of limited choices, I vote for it's a good thing. I'd much rather have had a choice that said something closer to "it can be good in the right circumstances" such as a responsible kid with supportive parents.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kc261

I think the poll is not well worded (for one thing does "kids with herps" mean owning them, or just being in the same room?) but trying to guess what the posted really wanted, and going with the best of limited choices, I vote for it's a good thing. I'd much rather have had a choice that said something closer to "it can be good in the right circumstances" such as a responsible kid with supportive parents.

---

What I meant to say is do you think it's a good thing that young people have herps...Young people my age... in their teens mostly..
I'm not good with words... :oops:

I will just say this I respect people for there experience not there opinions. At the end of the day what dose it matter what other people feel about you keeping herps. The only thing that separates you from everyone else here is experience everyone even you have opinions and a great many peoples opinions do nothing as far as contributing to anything positive so what good are they. There is another saying I could use here but I will not. That said experience comes from doing so as long as it is important in your life that is all that matters. I would also say ask Dave and Tracy Barker or the late Steve Irwin or Jeff Corwin or anyone who has done really good things for this community when they got into Herps and I think you will find the same answer. Do it because you love it.

Chuck

I have two children, 3 and 6. We have quite a few snakes. I say "we" because I strive to make it a family affair.

However, when it comes down to it, I am responsible for the animals. My son may help clean cages, help feed some of the tamer animals and also hold some of our more trustworthy snakes - but in the end, they are my responsibility.

I hope that both of my children can use their exposure to these animals to gain an appreciation and respect for animals in general. Unfortunately, responsibility requires not only proper husbandry, but also the ability to provide them with veterinary care (including yearly check ups) and a long term commitment (20+ years) to their well-being. While some younger people may be able to do this, I have found it's the exception to the rule.

Not knocking anyone, but all you have to do is read the threads on the various forums in which college students have to give up their animals when they go off to school, or younger teens buying these animals and then not being able to provide them with the proper husbandry requirements or medical care when needed to see how these arrangements can turn out bad for the reptile.

I think it's a great idea for young kids to be involved with reptiles. However, the parents should take a lead role in making sure that the animals are properly cared for.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Skiploder

.....I think it's a great idea for young kids to be involved with reptiles. However, the parents should take a lead role in making sure that the animals are properly cared for.

---

Well said!

Herps aren't for everybody be they teenagers or adults or senior citizens.... I have two younger teenagers in my house. They both like animals, but are not that good with animals that don't constantly remind them of their responsibilities... IE: they're good with Dogs and Cats and Birds that constantly bark, meow or chirp to remind them to feed and water them. However, they're not so good with Lizards, snakes or frogs that are more silent when their needs aren't being met. Fortunately they have me who actually takes care of them. Sure, I try to teach the kids to observe their animals everyday, and make adjustments according to those observations... But there are just too many other distractions to hold their interest for long... Teenagers tend to 'live in the moment' and have a harder time planing for the future, or learning from the past.....

Mark

As far as teens, remember it's also not always about how responsible they are with their herps. It can simply be life changes affecting them. Teens go through some major things that they can't always be in control of....a college dorm that won't allow the snake....a roommate that is terrified of snakes...even a very sick snake and a huge vet bill to deal with. That's where I believe the parent has to be there.

Example.....my 16 year old son would love a big spider. Now sadly I'm flat out terrified of them so rather than allow him to have a pet I cannot back him up on, I've asked him to wait to get one until he establishes his own home as an adult. It's unfair of me to allow a living creature in this house that should Luke be away at school or whatever, I'm afraid to approach and care for in his place. Luke understands this fear of spiders/bugs is something I'm probably never going to get over and has agreed it's smarter and more responsible to wait.

Teens can be extremely responsible but I still believe it's up to the parents to back up their kids or help them develop plans for the snake before it even comes into the house.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argentra

Well, my reply isn't in the poll: Only if they're old enough and know what they're doing.

---

I would exchange the word "old" for "mature", but ya, generally the same. This would be my vote too.

:confused:As a general caution had recently been issued to all in a different thread that for anyone to imply that youth may be equated with immaturity was an insult to all young herpers that practice good husbandry and would not be tolerated on this site ,I am somewhat perplexed by the existence of this poll.

As a teacher of 4th and 5th grade students I strongly believe that with proper education students young and old can be taught to be good herpers. Most of my collection exists in my classroom, where the students hold the responsibility of taking care of them. Yes I am there to over see everything and facilitate conversation and research. The students take great pride in there animals, and give school wide talks about them.

Are herps for everyone...No. But i do think that it gives my students an edge in the responsibility category because they have their herps to care for.

We love our herps and have removed many negative stigma from our school about them.

This is my experience and as many have stated with out proper support from a knowledgeable person herps may not be for those young OR old.


-Toby

The only thing that bothers me about children getting into it, is the "show factor". A lot of these kids start with a ball python. find out how huge retics and burms get and just jump all over them without thinking of the costs(not necessarily $) down the road. Within weeks of getting into this hobby, kids are buying baby giants. That is the only concern that I can see.

I agree, kids 12 + can take care of herps as long as they research. This pole to me is acting as if every adult takes great care of their reptiles... That is completely untrue. Take a look at some of the breeders out there, being dishonest, taking horrible care of their reptiles, and not giving a flip on their health. Adults can be just bad as kids in many ways. When i was 15 i got my first normal ball python, and never was told once to change my setup because i researched and did a great job with him. And once i starting coming to my first forum, i saw how so many OLDER people were making huge mistakes, i think there should be added to the pole ;adults are just as worst sometimes.

I think it's ok, they need to learn responsibility, with a parent present to help out. My daughter is only 12.5 yrs old, we have had out bearded dragon for 6 yrs, she helps socialize with him, feed him, give him baths. As with the Iguanas I have owned, she has always been interested. She is very well with reptiles and animals. I think she got it from me...LOL If I am sick, she will make sure lights come on, change water, feed pets...

I think it depends on the child as it depends on the adult wanting the pet. My daughter is 9 and looks after our snake herself, almost entirely. I oversee what's going on and help her when she needs it but she is the one that looks after him. We were careful to do research before we got him and to set rules for his care so she doesn't make a newbie mistake. She did a huge amount of research herself and continues to do so. My 4 year old feeds our cats every morning most of the time without being reminded because she wants to and she loves them. Some PEOPLE are pet people and some aren't. Age is much less of a factor for me than responsibility and desire to care for an animal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Allie

I think it depends on the child as it depends on the adult wanting the pet. My daughter is 9 and looks after our snake herself, almost entirely. I oversee what's going on and help her when she needs it but she is the one that looks after him. We were careful to do research before we got him and to set rules for his care so she doesn't make a newbie mistake. She did a huge amount of research herself and continues to do so. My 4 year old feeds our cats every morning most of the time without being reminded because she wants to and she loves them. Some PEOPLE are pet people and some aren't. Age is much less of a factor for me than responsibility and desire to care for an animal.

---

So far the best post in this thread.. :gj:
I'm surprised this thread is still going...

i think it is fine as long as they are age apropriate(sp) nothing that would be able to over power the child. hell i am 23 and wont own a burm as i would have knowone else to help with care of the animal. except my wife but she dosnt like snakes bigger than ball pythons.

maybe i'm biased but i'm a young person and as such think of it as being ok to own herps as a kids with permission of the parents. when selling my snakes i always told the neighborhood kids that if they wanted to buy a snake i needed to talk with both parents first

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BallPythonsRule

What do you think of kids with herps? Do you think it's a bad or good thing?

---

I really feel that anyone that is interested in owning a snake should do some research and if the child isn't mature enough to process that information the parents might want to make it a joint effort so the child and the parent can share this experience and learn together and as well the snake has a better quality of life.

It all depends on the person, I caught and kept my first snake when I was 7 or 8 and released it a few months later and did this every few months for years til my parents got me my first African Fat Tailed Gecko. My parents never once helped with caring for him and I had him for about a year when he died, his stomach was green. Im not sure what happened but I think he was sick. I never once took him to the vet (never thought it was necessary since I was young) and I didnt get another herp til after I graduated high school. Because of the one experience I know take all of my animals to the vet.

With good teachings anyone should be able to own a herp, it teaches responsibility and they become great friends. But there are alot of people that just dont know anything about the animals they get and they get poor care, I think if a child owns a pet it should be a must that the parents at least keep a watchful eye to be sure their kids are properly taking care of their animals.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by reptile3

I think it's ok, they need to learn responsibility, with a parent present to help out. My daughter is only 12.5 yrs old, we have had out bearded dragon for 6 yrs, she helps socialize with him, feed him, give him baths. As with the Iguanas I have owned, she has always been interested. She is very well with reptiles and animals. I think she got it from me...LOL If I am sick, she will make sure lights come on, change water, feed pets...

---

I totally agree and I think it can be a shared responsibility and that makes it a family project as well.

There are, however just some people that refuse to get familiar with snakes or adjust to having them around, but handled with ease and patience, this too can break ground with so many people that have these fears and don't know why they do or don't understand the mechanics of raising a snake.

I really only have issues with some people and pet stores that sell a "Cute Little Snake" to a young teen without any information and then the small cute snake turns into a ten foot Boa like my Argentines and that's what is one of the main causes of concern with me that people unknowingly make a purchase with no idea what they are getting into or the responsibility it takes to handle and care for a large snake.

When the snake gets bigger than anticipated they are afraid to care for it and handle it and so many times these poor snakes become the victims of neglect and abuse. This is why I stress researching a snake before buying one, not only for the benefit of the person interested, but also for the long term best interest of that snake.

Know your child and what they are capable of and really want to do. As a parent, commit yourself to the responsibility as well. Do research and learn with your child before you make any decisions. Pets are living beings and need care; they are not toys--if your child knows that and is willing to give the time and effort to care for the pet, and you're willing to help out too, you're probably good to go! Remember knowledge is the key for happy pet owners and a happy pets (of any kind).

Young people today can be very, very Internet savvy. Look at that teenage girl who created a website of MySpace templates, and became a millionaire! My point is, that since young people have access and know-how online, they have a huge advantage to, say, me, when I was young. I admit as a kid/teen, I kept herps with no info other than what the pet stores gave me. I lost an iguana when I was younger, because he burnt on the hot-rock that my pet store told me to use.
I am not a parent (though I do have a stepdaughter that I see pretty often.) I am sure that good parents know whether their kids are capable of keeping herps. I would advise though, that of course kids can be fickle. Parents should know proper care of the animals as well and consider themselves their owners.
I guess that it depends though. If an older kid/teen is enamored by a certain animal, and committed to keeping it, then do I think that the parents have to retain responsibility for the animal? Yes, and no. Yes, because it is living under their roof. No, because by this age, I would not like it if a committed, responsible teen missed their chance at owning a certain animal that they could care for, just because of parental ignorance and fear.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by serpents-prey

maybe i'm biased but i'm a young person and as such think of it as being ok to own herps as a kids with permission of the parents. when selling my snakes i always told the neighborhood kids that if they wanted to buy a snake i needed to talk with both parents first

---

That sounds smart. Otherwise, a bunch of angry parents could be knocking at your door !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ginevive

Young people today can be very, very Internet savvy. Look at that teenage girl who created a website of MySpace templates, and became a millionaire! My point is, that since young people have access and know-how online, they have a huge advantage to, say, me, when I was young. I admit as a kid/teen, I kept herps with no info other than what the pet stores gave me. I lost an iguana when I was younger, because he burnt on the hot-rock that my pet store told me to use.
I am not a parent (though I do have a stepdaughter that I see pretty often.) I am sure that good parents know whether their kids are capable of keeping herps. I would advise though, that of course kids can be fickle. Parents should know proper care of the animals as well and consider themselves their owners.
I guess that it depends though. If an older kid/teen is enamored by a certain animal, and committed to keeping it, then do I think that the parents have to retain responsibility for the animal? Yes, and no. Yes, because it is living under their roof. No, because by this age, I would not like it if a committed, responsible teen missed their chance at owning a certain animal that they could care for, just because of parental ignorance and fear.

---

ITA. My daughter is only 9 and she can find info on anything online. It's scary really. Even before she got her ball we found tons of pages bookmarked and in her history researching husbandry and cost. It was definately an "Awww" moment. :oops: She really wanted one and knew that she'd need to be setup before it came in the house. Some kids really can handle most of the responsibility on their own. Of course, we got a snake knowing that we may be the ones caring for it at some point in the future. We wouldn't have gotten one if we didn't want it too.

She desperately wants an iguana too (my sister has two). However, I'm not ready for an iguana yet so that one will wait until she's older especially since she wants to rescue one. She feels that there are too many out there in bad situations to get a baby. See....she has done her research. :P

I think if a FAMILY is educated on the animal they choose to keep and take care of it PROPERLY than its a wonderful thing. I pride myself in exposing my children to different animals, insects, exc. Our kids are 3½ & almost 2 and neither of them are ever left alone with ANY animal of any kind. We know what our kids are capeable of. They can take part in helping (holding papertowels when we clean for example) keep them clean, feeding, holding, exc. I think its wonderful. There are alot of kids (Their cousins included) who are totally terrified of insects and reptiles because their parents dont like them and i find that sad. there is such an interesting world in herps (and all animals really) and i think all kids should have the joy of having an animal they can call their own, even if the parents are doing most of the work.

:gj: from me for getting kids involved with animals for sure!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argentra

I think kids owning any kind of pet is good for their sense of responsibility and gives them an early understanding of and love for animals. HOWEVER...I think they should only own pets, and herps especially, if they are old enough to handle and understand the needs of the animal, can do their research on the selected pet themselves, can give at least basic care to the animal, and above all do not see the pet as a trophy or thing that makes them cool.

---

exactly what i was gonna say

It is great to see kids take an interest in herps :) My niece just turned 3. You ask her "what's at Aunt Jen's house?" and she hisses like a snake :) Cutest thing on earth to see.

I also didn't vote because my answer is not included. I think an interest in animals in general is great.. I see way too many adults using scare tactics on children and making them afraid of things. Parent doesn't like dogs? Parent tells child dogs are mean and they bite.. kid is afraid of dogs, grows up, begins new cycle of creating more fear towards dogs. I have heard parents use snakes and alligators and such as scare tactics to make the kid mind "If you don't do this the giant snake in the sewer will eat you in your sleep!" Not to say this always happens but it is sad how often it does happen.

I train dogs, I go to people's homes and evaluate the issues. There are a lot of kids out there that are better with animals than their patents, they learn faster, and more enthusiastic about learning to care for and own pets, etc.

I also know a lot of kids that just love torturing things. It is disturbing and sad as I am related to 3 of them.

I don't see a general age range that should be followed regarding children and animals, either. Some young children are actually very good with animals, some older children and teens are horrible with them. It all depends on upbringing, experiences, environment, and personality.

Owning large dogs and ferrets and cats and birds and having had horses among other things, to me it isn't the age of the child, it isn't how well the child minds their parents, its how they act with supervision with the animal. The main problem I see in any animal-child interaction is lack of supervision. This is what causes problems because people forget that kids are kids and may have been told not to do something but are not capable of understanding the whys and hows and whens.

I didn't read all of the posts, so I am really sorry if I just repeated what anyone said. I normally do read everything first but I'm in a bit of a hurry, had to get some thoughts out!

I right now am 15 and I own 8 snakes. 6 of which will be breeders. I pay for everything and I mean everything! My parents bought the ball for my birthday for me, for my future breedings, thats the only thing they payed for. I bought all my FT rats and now my breeding rats. I am doing this all on my own! I realy put my mind to it. Really researched, I think since I did it any other kid can! I did of course havemy parents permition for everything. Give a kid qcomp access and some hard earned cash and he can do alot... LOL.

Justin you are one of those young herpers that stands as a very good example for others. I've enjoyed watching you, through the online communities, grow and develop your skills. You have the best tool set a herper can have.....an inquisitive mind, a responsible and caring concern for the creatures you keep, a respect for the wisdom of others and a determination to keep learning and growing yourself.

It's a pure joy to watch you and other young people like you maturing in this hobby. You'll be the future of what we all do and with more young herpers like this, we have a very fine future to look forward to I think. :)

I am 18.
Some kids can do it.