So your child has come to you wanting to get a lizard for a pet, but you don't know anything about them. Hopefully I can get some lizard facts straight for you. Keep in mind two things when deciding which lizard is best for your family:
Temperament - a child is going to want to take the lizard out of the tank and play with it. He/she isn't going to be able to sit and watch it in it's tank all of the time. For this reason you need a lizard that is docile, and not skittish. Bearded dragons are a very popular choice for kids because they're rather calm, and they can handle being out of their tank for short periods of time. Your child must be taught to treat the animal with respect because a bearded dragon will defend itself if it feels it is in danger.
-Size - if you don't have the room for a large lizard like a bearded dragon, than an anole might be a better option. Anoles are small and hardy, and don't require large enclosures. The main concern is that they're so small, kids can easily hurt them, and if one gets away from a child outside of its tank, it's really hard to find. Your child will have to understand that the anole must stay in its tank (like a pet fish), or else it can get lost - and if you live in a colder climate this means death to your little pet.
Next I'll go through the most popular lizards children want and rate their child-friendliness:
Green Iguana - Many kids want one of these lizards. They're one of the most well-known and recognized lizards, but they also happen to be one of the most difficult to properly raise. They're herbivores, and thus seem like they'd be easier to feed and easier to take care of right? Your child can simply throw some lettuce in the cage and it's fine, right? Wrong. An iguana is not the choice for a child. I can't stress this enough. Their diet is very complicated, you need to know about vegetarian nutrition to properly feed them. There have been countless tragedies in wich young iguanas have either died or become deathly ill due to poor nutrition.
Iguanas are also temperamental when they're not handled on a regular basis, and they grow to be huge so you have to make sure you're always in control of the animal, and know it's warning signs when it has had enough of you. A tail whip to a child is not something you want to deal with. They're small and cute in the pet store, but remember that these guys grow up to 6 feet long (sometimes even longer). They also need an environment big enough to give them lots of space. The myth that keeping a reptile in a small tank stops it from growing large is completely wrong and will lead to either the death of the animal or to a pathetic painful existence. We're talking about giving up one of your bedrooms to turn it into a proper home for your iguana. Not ready to do this? Then move on to the next lizard.
Chameleon - Chameleons are cool. There isn't much else to say, but they're also quite difficult to keep. They need special requirements and can get very sick if they're not properly cared for. Leave this to the more experienced reptile owners.
Bearded dragon - the most popular lizard kept as a pet, and for good reason. This is the best choice for a child.
Anole - See above. Good for space, but children must see it as more of a "fish" and not a pet they can really interact with.
Final recommendations
Lizards by nature and not very child friendly. They can scare easily, and are usually big enough to hurt a child if they choose to defend themselves. The best choice for a young owner is the bearded dragon for the above reasons. It's really the only species of lizard that I can recommend. Keep in mind however that the key to lizard ownership is knowledge. If this is your child's first pet, something easier to care for is a better option. A little beta fish in a 5 gallon aquarium is probably as exotic as you want to go with a first-time pet owner. Lizards are more of an adult pet.
If your child wants a lizard, make sure both you and your child do your research. These are exotic animals and have care requirements that are very different from a cat or dog. If you see your child is not properly caring for the animal then it is your responsibility to do so. Do not acquire the lizard if you are not 100% sure you and your child can care for it. Lizards can live for 15-20-even more years, so make sure you do your research before diving into this long-term relationship!
I know I sound harsh in this article, but I'm thinking about what's best for the reptile here. Lizards are living creatures who deserve our respect, and if we decide to bring one into our homes then we need to make sure we can care for it properly. A lizard is an amazing pet - as long as we do our research and know what we're getting into! I hope this article was helpful in debunking some myths about lizards and their appropriateness for children. Good luck in your future reptile adventures!
Ashley is a lizard owner for over five years and is passionate about spreading accurate and helpful lizard facts to beginner lizard owners. She is on a mission to debunk the myths about reptiles and to show the world how great they are as pets.
沒有留言:
張貼留言