Good or very bad idea?

[davem2018]

Originally Posted by coldestblood

I wouldn't worry about them catching anything. Snakes in the livingroom is fine, as long as you make sure you keep everything clean, don't allow your son to handle the snake; or the things used for the snake.

Just started allowing my 5 year old (got 3 kids and one on the way) to start holding the corn and he was holding the tail of the burm. All the kit for the snakes are kept out of reach and do all the cleaning when they are in bed. I do find it interesting though how people have different opinions when it comes to kids with reptiles. plus as red123 said about the kid watering the royal etc, i find that a good idea, especially the hygene bit

[davem2018]

Originally Posted by Khonsu

Don't know if anybody has suggested this but how about a bit of deception how about a single viv with a rubber/false snake in it, you can still put a light in it, a water bowl etc, & move it around daily.

Parents lie, it's in the job description

yes mate, somebody said that. Its a good idea

[Red123]

Originally Posted by davem2018

Just started allowing my 5 year old (got 3 kids and one on the way) to start holding the corn and he was holding the tail of the burm. All the kit for the snakes are kept out of reach and do all the cleaning when they are in bed. I do find it interesting though how people have different opinions when it comes to kids with reptiles. plus as red123 said about the kid watering the royal etc, i find that a good idea, especially the hygene bit

I suspect the child was not taught to do this with the F10 as the parents seemed slightly shocked. I assume the child had seen his parents using the F10 after touching snakes and simply realised this was the right thing to do
Kids like copying there parents so we just need to set a good example to them

[coldestblood]

Originally Posted by Red123

Where I bought a royal from there was a 2 year old lad helping his dad with waters in the snakes vivs. In the childs bedroom on the floor was a 6ft viv with an adult boa in. With close supervision the child topped up the water using an empty plastic milk bottle. The child was completely at ease and you could see the dad was watching closely at the boa but was still relaxed. The child was just at ease with touching the young royals and was very gentle. What was remarkable though was the fact that before we left the house the child rushed over to me with a bottle of F10 gel which he squirted on my hands.
They are never to young to learn and I dont see why having a corn or boa in a secure viv is going to be a problem. The child will probably to grow up to love and respect reptiles.
He could just as easy catch salmonella from contaminated food or other everyday pets.

Originally Posted by davem2018

Just started allowing my 5 year old (got 3 kids and one on the way) to start holding the corn and he was holding the tail of the burm. All the kit for the snakes are kept out of reach and do all the cleaning when they are in bed. I do find it interesting though how people have different opinions when it comes to kids with reptiles. plus as red123 said about the kid watering the royal etc, i find that a good idea, especially the hygene bit

I agree, kids can learn from the moment they're able to understand what they're doing. Like I say, my youngest is still a bit too young to handle them yet, but goes in there with me, and he's also interested in the snakes, not the lights - he looks for the ones moving around and stares ar them. My eldest (5yr old) has been handling snakes since he was 2yr old. He's now 5yrs and has half a dozen of his own snakes, housed in the snake room. He does all the feeding, cleaning, sterilizing and all that stuff.

[coldestblood]

Originally Posted by Red123

I suspect the child was not taught to do this with the F10 as the parents seemed slightly shocked. I assume the child had seen his parents using the F10 after touching snakes and simply realised this was the right thing to do
Kids like copying there parents so we just need to set a good example to them

Maybe not. My lad was doing all that at 2yr old, I taught him the hygiene side of things before he was allowed to handle them.

[davem2018]

Originally Posted by coldestblood

I agree, kids can learn from the moment they're able to understand what they're doing. Like I say, my youngest is still a bit too young to handle them yet, but goes in there with me, and he's also interested in the snakes, not the lights - he looks for the ones moving around and stares ar them. My eldest (5yr old) has been handling snakes since he was 2yr old. He's now 5yrs and has half a dozen of his own snakes, housed in the snake room. He does all the feeding, cleaning, sterilizing and all that stuff.

I want to teach the kids to do the same mate. teach the theory before the practical. Eventually I will let the oldest get one to look after (under my supervision lol). He started at 2? he must be well educated in snakes now because at that age their memory is like a sponge

[Jack W]

Whilst I would prefer to keep the kids and reptiles in different areas, if I had kids, any threat of illness if very low.

A locked viv in a room with no other cleaning materials around is highly unlikely to infect a child with high enough levels of bacteria to cause illness.

Salmonella is commonly found in all animals. And I would be much more worried about a young child playing with a dog or cat, that can hurt them, or give them a range of zoonotic illness (salmonella, parasites, toxoplasmosis) then sleeping in a room with a locked viv. Handling a reptile is a different thing altogether. However, it is still a small risk. I would also be more worried about them playing with stats, wiring or breaking something.

[MrsTim]

Jack W, you took the words out of my mouth. I was just about to say, how funny it is everybody worrying about reptiles spreading salmonella, when most other domestic pets can be carriers, too, and they also can and do carry some other pretty nasty diseases. But no one ever says - don't let your child touch the dog ( cat, bird, mouse - and especially mice :-0 ).

Plus, I'd guess mammalian strains of salmonella could be even worse for a child, if infected.

OP, if you wanted to be really safe ( though I think if your baby was going to catch anything, it'd be just as likely from crawling around the vivs, and touching the vivs in the living room, as if they were in the bedroom ), you could go for the aquarium option. I found our fish tank completely fascinates my little niece - she watches it for ages and calms right down, even through Skype!

[Gazb123]

Originally Posted by MrsTim

OP, if you wanted to be really safe ( though I think if your baby was going to catch anything, it'd be just as likely from crawling around the vivs, and touching the vivs in the living room, as if they were in the bedroom ), you could go for the aquarium option. I found our fish tank completely fascinates my little niece - she watches it for ages and calms right down, even through Skype!

I would have to check to be 100% sure but I am sure aquarium water is pretty dodgy as well. I am quite fussy about cleaning my hands after touching my snakes but to be honest I am much fussier when my hands have been in my fish tanks.

.... not only that but toddlers and tanks of water tend not to go well

http://www.fishlore.com/Articles/Dis...edToHumans.htm

[Paul F]

Originally Posted by MrsTim

Jack W, you took the words out of my mouth. I was just about to say, how funny it is everybody worrying about reptiles spreading salmonella, when most other domestic pets can be carriers, too, and they also can and do carry some other pretty nasty diseases. But no one ever says - don't let your child touch the dog ( cat, bird, mouse - and especially mice :-0 ).

Plus, I'd guess mammalian strains of salmonella could be even worse for a child, if infected.

OP, if you wanted to be really safe ( though I think if your baby was going to catch anything, it'd be just as likely from crawling around the vivs, and touching the vivs in the living room, as if they were in the bedroom ), you could go for the aquarium option. I found our fish tank completely fascinates my little niece - she watches it for ages and calms right down, even through Skype!

Most people went to the trouble of saying that the chance of picking any salmonella up from our reptiles was minimal, after all salmonella is present in humans as well at low levels, and only becomes a problem once it gets "out of control" (for want of a medical term )
Most chavs' "gangsta dogs" don't rip other peoples children to pieces. But some do.
It is all about the risks each individual is willing to take with their own children. The Op asked for opinions but will ultimately make his own mind up.