Now, they’re not to everyone’s tastes and they tend to get a raised lip or wrinkled nose, but over the last few years our reptilian friends have become very popular pets. Of course, not all kinds of reptiles will be suitable for kids unless your little monster loves to terrify his sister and, like any animal, they (reptiles, not the kids) take a good amount of research before you commit to getting one.

We’ve heard down the grapevine that the leopard gecko is one of the most easily handled reptiles out there. It’s relatively small, therefore easy to house, and can adapt to a variety of conditions. This in fact makes it quite an ideal first reptile for children and as the years go by, it’s getting more and more popular. It’s not vastly expensive to keep and most if not all good pet stores will have any of the accessories you need to keep it well maintained, healthy and happy.

However, it is more likely that your 10 year old David Attenborough has been hassling you none stop for, not a quiet little gecko, or a colourful little froggy, but a snake because a snake is infinitely cooler than all of the other reptiles in the eyes of a little boy and it’s sure going to impress all of his friends. Now your first instinct may have been to run screaming at the thought of having a snake in the house, but they’re not all bad. Take the corn snake for instance, one of the most popular snakes for beginners. They’re small, adaptable, and only really need to be fed a decent meal once a week. Though if you’re squeamish you might want to keep your eyes closed for that.