If your child has decided that they want a pet to take care of, it is important to think long and hard before choosing a pet. If your child has never had a pet before, you want to be sure that you choose a pet that will be easy for them to care for, interesting to them, and safe for them to own. A great starter pet for many children is a small reptile. Lizards, frogs, or even turtles make great pets for children. The guide below walks you through the best way to ensure your child takes proper care for their pet.

Create the Right Terrarium for the Reptile

The first thing you need to do is to set up the right terrarium for your reptile. Reptiles are cold-blooded and need to have an outer heat source to warm their bodies. You need to add a heat lamp to the top of their terrarium to allow the animal to bask in the heat when they need to. You also need to have a water source in the terrarium for them to be able to get water as needed. Add thermometers under the lamp and away from the lamp to the terrarium to ensure the temperature always stays perfect for the reptile.

Establish a Schedule for Your Child to Follow

Create a schedule for when your child needs to turn on and turn off the heat lamp and when their pet needs to be fed. Some reptiles only need to be fed once a day, while others need to be fed twice a day. Creating a schedule for your child to follow will allow them to have responsibility for their pet. You can add a checklist so that your child can be sure that they did each task by checking it off throughout the day.

Have a Constant Food Source Available

Different reptiles eat different things, and it is important to make sure your child always has food available to feed their pet. Some reptiles eat live crickets for their meals, while others eat dried silk worms or wax worms. If your child's pet eats live crickets, you need to have a container to store the crickets and express how important it is for him or her to be careful when feeding their pet to ensure the crickets do not end up loose in your home.

Caring for a reptile is not overly difficult to do. Be sure to check on the reptile on a regular basis to ensure that your child is taking care of it properly though. It can take time for children to learn responsibility, and checking on the pet regularly ensures it is as healthy as it can be at all times.