Question about kids with herps

[Flirtycuddle]

My 3 yr old loves all of our animals to death and always wants to hold them. I have no problem letting her sitting on the couch with my help of course. I have a 2 and a half foot burmese that she lets crawl on her. Now my mom thinks this is just not right but as long as I'm near to help I don't see a problem with it. I never let the animals near her if they are showing any kind of attitude either since I wont take a chance of her getting hurt.

[Nate]

I think your right on.

a small burm, you allow it to crawl on your 3 year old under your supervision, your kid loves herps.......THAT'S GREAT

[python.princess]

i do the same with my step-son-to-be. he loves holding them and i figure, start teaching him now... what's it gonna hurt? i do make sure he washes his hands before and after handling. you never know with a 3yo... lol

[McAdry]

well our six year old mikey already has his on bp (buddy) and he is wanting us to get him a girl snake to make baby's when they get older. The breeding gene takes off early. I think introducing kids to all pets especially reptiles is a good thing we've taken the snakes to his school it's amazing how many kids are not afraid of them curious for shure but it seems more adults that are afraid of them. We just make shure that all kids that come in contact with them use hand sanitzer when they are done.

[Flirtycuddle]

Of course they have wash up before and after. She has a bottle of hand sanatizer that is just for holding all the animals and when she wants one she brings me the bottle and says please lol. Shes not even scared of the scropion and tarantula but those she only gets to pet while I hold lol. Also with me allowing her to hold them she leaves them alone more lol. She's already asked me for one of her own babies but 3 is still a little young lol.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Depends on the child and the snake, I let my husband grandson who is 5 handle some of my snakes that I know are the perfect fit for him.

Others I handle, and he can look at and/or pet them.

[BallPythonsRule]

I started keeping and mainly handling herps when I was 11.. so I voted for my mom I guess... but yeah. Personally when I have kids I rather that they don't really hold herps at a very young age.. maybe touch a snake in it's enclosure or a monitor whatever. Little kids might drop a snake or squeeze it too hard, Just my plain old opinion.

[Hardwikk]

I allow kids of any age to pet my Checkered Garter, but I only allow kids age 6 and up to actually hold him.

[Lucero87]

i let my 5 year old brother hold my bp and he's really gentle with it he was really afraid the first time but now he begs me to take it out and hold it...always when i'm around of course

[MelissaFlipski]

Our 6 and 3 yr olds both hold the BP and the KSB. It all started with holding a friend's frog last July. We have our BP b/c it's really Ryan's - the 6 yr old! We have him to thank. So he may be on shortly, posting a poll asking, "How often do you let your parents hold your herps?"

They are both supervised while holding/petting the snakes. They are gentle and loving with them. And they wash up or use anti-bacterial hand liquid afterwards. And no more kissing, even though they beg!