Safe to own a BP with a toddler?

[Kaliniarose]

Hi everyone, I realize this post may be absurd to some but I have to ask. I am very interested in owning a BP. However I have a toddler and I am just wondering if there is any health concerns I should worry about? Such as if I handle the snake and it touches my arms /hands etc, could any bacteria or harmful issues be presented to my daughter? I will of course wash my hands. I am a bit of a hyperchondriac so if love to know. Would it also be okay for her to handle the snake?

As for my history.. Many years ago I owned a ball python that I absolutely adored. After her, I had the most amazing juvenile Colombian red tail boa. I went through a very sad journey with her. Many vet visits. The vet concluded she had a genetic disorder that wasn't allowing her to digest food properly and grow. She passed away not too long after that and I havnt owned a snake since. I really bonded with that Lil one!

Thanks for reading!

[Kokorobosoi]

As long as you wash your hands, I dont see an issue with having one. And many keepers have small children. As long as you educate and supervise, I dont see an issue at all.

[lunasjy]

I say it is safe, as long as your keep a watchful eye. My son was the first to get bit out of the family, he was 3. He didn't even cry despite all the blood pouring from his thumb. It was a juvenile BP though, so nothing too major. And now my son who is now 6, and knows better, doesn't get to handle the snakes often because he is a bit rough. My daughters have always done well with them though. So it is the case of, depending on the snake and depending on the child. If the snake has a good history with temperament and the child is gentle with animals, i think it would be a beautiful relationship. I wouldn't offer the snake too soon though. It would be a good idea for at least a month or so for you, the parent, to get used to the snake and learn about it's personality before letting your daughter hold it. I would also start with a "two finger touch". Meaning the child can pet the snake with her fingers first for a while before getting the chance to actually hold it.

[Mada]

very young children (4 and under) i wouldn't allow to touch them with out you holding the animal to ensure it cant get a strike off ie you keeping its neck further away from the child then the neck is long etc. and like some one said just keep those hands washed. once they are older you can see how your child is with the animals and how your animals are with the child.

[JoshSloane]

Absolutely no health issues as long as basic sanitation practices are kept, as with any domesticated animal. With attentive parental guidance as mentioned above, snakes are safer than most other animals with young children.

I would definitely buy an enclosure that has some kind of locking mechanism on it. Not so much for the child's safety, but to prevent an inquisitive toddler from releasing the snake from the cage. Definitely a non-keyed lock. Kids eventually find keys. Coded locks are always safer.

[Kokorobosoi]

And as one of those key finding kids way back when... Don't use a birthday as the code. I knew all my fathers codes by seven. They only found out because I took his debit card to buy candy and used the pin.

Lol!! No birthdays!

[ItsAllNew2Me!]

You are fine. Just make sure you do hand washing before and after handling. Also the same when dealing with sheds. I have heard they have the potential for carrying salmonella so hand washing is a must whenever contact is made especially for toddlers who like putting things in their mouth

[Bcycling]

That's interesting about sheds. I often wondered about that, but most of mine end up as trash as the snakes usually urinate or deficate on them. The clean ones my kids hang up in their rooms. Maybe I should reconsider this.

[Kaliniarose]

That is my biggest worry. Salmonella . So many sites say not to have reptiles if you have kids under 5, or are pregnant. Think Id be fine with proper hygiene?

[wolfy-hound]

I would not worry. If you absolutely must sanitize a shed, spray it with lysol.

Hint, you can gently unroll a shed and blow softly into the mouth end and inflate the shed so it has a better shape. This works with fresh sheds quite well. I used to have a huge stack of sheds I did this to, then draped over a rod to finish drying. I gave lots of them away to curious people or schoolteachers.