# Suitable reptile for an 11 year old



## Mrs Webmuppet (Jan 17, 2011)

Hi,

My daughter currently has a small Exo Terra vivarium ( its a PT2260 30cm x30cm x45 cm - which came with the full rainforest set up, with lighting hood & heat mat) which has been home to her stick insects ( the adult stick insects have since died of old age and the babies are in a smaller escape proof tank).

She now wants to move onto keeping reptiles. It has been suggested by our local pet shop that a tree frog or a Crested Gecko would be suitable for her- I should add that she would be supervised by a parent when feeding etc.

Having visited our two local reptile outlets I'm uncertain as to what to do about the vivarium, one outlet suggested selling the current vivarium and buying a bigger one and the other one said the vivarium would be fine for a tree frog or a Crested Gecko.

Any help or advice would be welcome.


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## beckih1979 (Nov 15, 2010)

The Exo you have now would be fine for a baby crested gecko but it would need to be moved up to the 45x45x60 or 45 cubed as an adult. The Cresties are not very active in the day they only really come alive at night would this be okay with your daughter only being 11.

You could sell the set up you have at the moment and go for something different like a Bearded Dragon. These are great creatures are fairly easy to look after so are great as a starter reptile and are very tame. You would however be looking at a min setup of 4x2x2 feet for one adult.

There are many options available, is there anything your daughter is particularly interested in?


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## Mrs Webmuppet (Jan 17, 2011)

My daughter quite fancies a tree frog (either a Whites or a green tree frog).

She originally wanted a snake but as I have a bit of a problem with snakes I have put my foot down and said no!


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## nelly1 (Oct 27, 2009)

If you can handle frogs and lizards snakes will be a breeze.
You would probably need a bigger viv in time.
Go to the local rep shop and have a look and handle a few, you may change your mind


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## pied pythons (Jan 18, 2008)

Where are you based? Probably purely coincidental but I saw an advert on Preloved today regarding someone wanting a lizard or amphib for their 11 year old.


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## Mrs Webmuppet (Jan 17, 2011)

The Preloved advert isn't me. 

We are near Ipswich, Suffolk. Anyone has any suggestions of any pet shops other than Viking Aquatics and Seapets that we could go and have a look/chat to in our area?

I'm afraid snakes scare the life out of me ............I once had one crawl across my foot many years ago, I only just managed not to scream.


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## SteveL (Dec 31, 2010)

I let my five year old (supervised) handle my bearded dragon and he loves him


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## TIMOTHY AND MATILDA (Oct 31, 2008)

How about african pygmy dormice?They are very cute or a pacman frog if your daughter is careful with her fingers :2thumb::2thumb:


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## pied pythons (Jan 18, 2008)

Leopard gecko? Tortoise?


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## Mrs Webmuppet (Jan 17, 2011)

What is a Pacman frog? Our local shops only seem to have little green frogs and Whites frogs?


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## TIMOTHY AND MATILDA (Oct 31, 2008)




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## Mrs Webmuppet (Jan 17, 2011)

I showed her the pic of the Pacman frog ............she said she prefers the greeny coloured frogs.......


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## Synergy (Dec 5, 2007)

I would consider a few things

I.E

Starter reptiles can vary from snakes right though the spectrum of species out there but seein as Snakes are a NO NO you ave choices in amphibian, shelled and lizards

Lizards
Bearded Dragon
Gecko's
Agama's

Amphibian
Tree Frogs

Shelled
Tortoise

Personally with your daughter being 11 she'd prefere something she can sit and watch, and hold and it be friendly and nice to look at and in that case i would definatly suggest a Bearded Dragon.. 

In choosing a bearded dragon a larger setup will be required but the outcome from doin so will be a much greater benefit to your daughter having something she can actually enjoy owning.

As for shops etc you can always look at buying out of town as most respectable shops will ship any enclosures and reptiles via approved methods.

If you want information on a company that ships such things and will also help you in any way possible then send me a private message and will give you the details.

If not then good luck in choosing the right animal for your daughter


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## TIMOTHY AND MATILDA (Oct 31, 2008)

Mrs Webmuppet said:


> I showed her the pic of the Pacman frog ............she said she prefers the greeny coloured frogs.......


pacmans can be green,but I can see how she would prefer not to have one,not everyone loves them like I do,whites tree frogs are nice :flrt:

here is one of mine,Mr jeremy Fisher









and Hotpot my green pacman


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## Mrs Webmuppet (Jan 17, 2011)

Mr Jeremy Fisher looks very cute............my daughter would love him! They had a Whites tree frog at the pet shop this morning - it was just as well little'un was at school.

She has decided that we are going to sell the vivarium and get the next size up Exo Terra vivarium ( as we know we can get any spares for that brand locally).

The Bearded Dragon set ups are just too expensive.


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

A whites tree frog viv would be great! You could ahve maybe a trio with some nice plants and layout..


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## reptile_man_08 (Jan 14, 2008)

Mrs Webmuppet said:


> The Preloved advert isn't me.
> 
> We are near Ipswich, Suffolk. Anyone has any suggestions of any pet shops other than Viking Aquatics and Seapets that we could go and have a look/chat to in our area?
> 
> I'm afraid snakes scare the life out of me ............I once had one crawl across my foot many years ago, I only just managed not to scream.


PaulMTS on here works at a shop in colchester (well I think he still does). Maybe he could help you choose.: victory:


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## Paul_MTS (Mar 23, 2008)

Thanks for the mention but I have now moved to another part of the business so no longer run the reptile department in the Colchester store.

The colchester store does tend to have a better selection than the ipswich store though.


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## Mrs Webmuppet (Jan 17, 2011)

Thank you everyone for the words of wisdom. She has decided that a White's Tree Frog is what she wants. 

The old vivarium has been sold and the saving up for the kit for a frog has commenced. 

Big thanks to Jess at Seapets who has put up with me popping into the store several times and asking lots of questions.

I have got hold of a couple of frog books from the library so that we can read up on the care of the frog.

Goodness only knows what we will do if my Step-Mum visits she has a frog and toad phobia!


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## Lozza.Bella (Apr 24, 2010)

Mrs Webmuppet said:


> Thank you everyone for the words of wisdom. She has decided that a White's Tree Frog is what she wants.
> 
> The old vivarium has been sold and the saving up for the kit for a frog has commenced.
> 
> ...



:lol2: Is that such a bad thing?? My reptile colection keeps my family's visits down to a minimum *tee hee hee hee*

Admittedly I'm scared of frogs, but in a tank I could watch them all day...

Congratulations on you choice and post some picture when you are settled with your frog :2thumb:


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## AuntyLizard (Feb 7, 2007)

Lozza.Bella said:


> *Is that such a bad thing?? My reptile colection keeps my family's visits down to a minimum *tee hee hee hee**
> 
> Admittedly I'm scared of frogs, but in a tank I could watch them all day...
> 
> Congratulations on you choice and post some picture when you are settled with your frog :2thumb:


:lol2: I am waiting for my Iggy to come back from foster care and then I am going to have him free roaming... ROFL no more vists from the outlaws then. 

Liz


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

Your viv is way too small for white's tree frogs.


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## Lozza.Bella (Apr 24, 2010)

Mrs Webmuppet said:


> Thank you everyone for the words of wisdom. She has decided that a White's Tree Frog is what she wants.
> *
> The old vivarium has been sold and the saving up for the kit for a frog has commenced.
> *
> ...





Morgan Freeman said:


> Your viv is way too small for white's tree frogs.


:lol2:


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

Fail.


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## _jake_ (Jul 3, 2008)

Though something I would mention would be that I believe you cannot handle frogs much due to their skin.


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## NathPrice (Dec 31, 2010)

Giant African Land Snails! Can't go wrong!


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