Idea for 5 year old?

My son is 5 and is wanting a pet to care for. He had a fish for a long time and took great care of it until it died. We want something simple that he can handle but can go a day or so without steady food as we do take off here and there. He does not want a snake. He is into lizards. Thanks for your input!

Ok.. No one has any suggestions?

So, I was wondering what was easier, an iguana or a beardie?

An iguana is a very difficult lizard for anyone, child or adult. They grow very large, need large cages, and require care in diet. All lizards require UV and heat and so right there, you have electrical components along with the water they also require, so there is a recipe for a possible accident.
Both iguanas and beardies will bite if adequately provoked, and a child must understand how to handle the lizard so it is safe and so it does not feel like defending itself.

While others may differ, my own experience is that when young children acquire pets, the parents must be prepared to give enough of their own time to make sure both child and critter is safe, and that the critter is adequately cared for.

I think many times people do not respond to questions about critters and young children because there is always someone who will chime in with their tale of how their child cared for (X) critter marvelously well when they were only three, and how dare anyone suggest that kids need to be older to take responsibility.

But the reality is, that in many American households today with both parents working or only a single working parent at home, if the parent is not willing to assume adequate time int their busy day, and oversee responsibility and care for a young child with a critter, both critter and kid end up not having a very good experience.

If you are willing to 'co-own' a lizard with your child, beardies are terrific lizards, to answer your question.

Lucille:

Thank You for taking the time to respond. I must give more info then. I am a stay at home mom so time is not a factor. We have a steady income to money (to an extent) is not an issue. We have cresteds right now.. However, I find them not suitable for him being that they are so soft (boys tend to not be so gentle) and they are nocturnal and my son goes to be before they come out. He is responsible and does have my support and guidance.

That was the drawback that I saw was the size. My husband grew up with one for many many years and just said they are messier than any lizard he ever owned.. Hence why I threw out the option of a Beardie. I hear great things about them but seriously, was wondering how they would be hands on for a kid. I would never give him an animal that he could harm or that would harm him.

He is always outside trying to catch Skinks and salamanders and garter snakes. He is always trying to con me into keeping them but being wild, I know they would die in our inexperienced care. I want to be fully prepared and researched before making any decision.
Thanks!!

To be honest, a lizard is not the best choice for a 5 year old or for someone who travels a lot, IMO, for several reasons. First, there is the issue of communicable diseases that lizards carry. Your child can get sick from handling a lizard if he doesn't consistently wash his hands. Also, you have to feed just about any adult lizard species at least every other day. You can go a few days if it is a very rare occasion, but certainly not frequently. You must feed babies not only every day, but some species must be fed several times a day. Then there is the matter of lighting, heat, and photo period. You could use a timer, but again, most lizard species must be fed at least every other day.

Are you aware of how big an iguana gets? Do you plan to accommodate an adult sized ig when it matures? Also, young igs are very skittish and bite and tail pop a lot, and your child could get hurt or he could injure the ig if it tries to escape and he holds on to it too hard. They are not easy pets because of their temperament, and they need to eat every day. They also must be housed properly with a proper temp gradient and access to UVB.

Beardies are also not easy pets to care for, especially babies. You cannot leave a baby beardie and not feed it for a few days or it will dehydrate and die. Beardies are expensive to set up, and don't need as much room as a green ig, but they are not small lizards as adults. To be humane, you will need at least a 75 long tank when it gets older, and both beardies and igs must have UVB, so there is another ongoing expense.

I am sorry to discourage you here, but I rescue and rehab these animals, and one of the prime reasons that lizards end up in my home is that people buy them for their kids without doing proper research, and it just doesn't work! I implore you to rethink getting a lizard for your five year old, or at least rethink these two particular species. IMO, they are just not appropriate for a small child.

Amanda, Lucille and you both responded while I was typing! If you are going to be the primary caregiver of the lizard, have you thought about leopard geckos? They are small, fairly easy to care for, and pretty hardy. They will drop their tails if they aren't handled very carefully, but that isn't a fatal thing.

Thanks! Yea, Ive considered leopards. Haven't done research on them yet, but I will entertaint he idea. What I meant by traveling is a day here and there, not like a weekend or week, just moreso possibly one overnight stay somewhere. If we go longer, I do have someone as I have dogs and cresteds and fish to care for as well so Im aware of that issue.

We had an iguana given to use a few years back that was incredibly territorial in his cage. Out of it, he was so sweet but getting him out was the dangerous part. We laso had a 9 yr old Beardie given to us which died soon after due to age, which his owner knew would happen but she had to leave the country. We have had chameleons so I know about difficult critters, UVB, diet, and all that.

I will definately check into leopards. Is there any one thats better than the other? I know you can get into crazy morphs but I didnt know if some came with attitude as well. I hope that doesnt sound ignorant.

You can get a leo that is more shy or skittish than another, but most do fine with regular handling. You can't grab them, as with most lizards, but most are pretty laid back.

I do strongly urge you to check with your local reptile rescue and see if they have a great leo that needs a home.

Originally Posted by rosebud945

I do strongly urge you to check with your local reptile rescue and see if they have a great leo that needs a home.

A terrific idea!!! Maybe even make an appointment and take the 5 year old with you, and do some volunteer work for the rescue. That way he can see several kinds of lizards, get an idea about the care they need, and you as the parent can see how lizard and child interact and whether he handles them gently enough.
Of course, as I said before, you will be 'co-owner'. As the mom of kids who are now grown, there were several times they brought in a critter but mom (me) ended up caring for it, just be sure that's OK with you.

We had a Bearded Dragon named Lego when my kids were younger and they were most helpful in giving him food and water. He was almost full grown when we got him so there was no time when he had to eat every day. The whole family participated in his care and we hand fed him. He was very docile and a very nice pet.

If you adopt an older animal instead of a baby it won't be as cute, but will be more forgiving of care errors. We also had Leopard Geckos but they are much smaller and the kids lost interest in them quickly.

Now we have tarantuals and snakes as everyone is too busy for even such a low maintenance animal, but we have very fond memories of him.