How young is young? Very young children and iguanas are not a good mix.
Iguanas can and do bite and tailwhip as well as come equipped with razor sharp claws.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

They're 2 and 4...but very well aware of what "not" to do. They aren't allowed to handle the pets...except the dog. They know this...but someone told me something about salmonella?

Salmonella, though present, is probably less of a concern than your kitchen counters after handling raw poultry. We always use a good anti-bacterial soap both prior to handling and after handling any of our reptiles.

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

Thank you! It was one of my main concerns. My kids are very well behaved when it comes to strict boundaries...well, most of the time anyways!!!

Salmonella shouldn't be your concern.

Your concern should be the afore mentioned razor sharp teeth and claws, tail whips and their predisposition to not liking alot of noise or fast movements.

If you are going to let the little ones handle the iguana I would be VERY careful. Make sure they wear long sleeves to save them from the scratches and never leave them unsupervised. Even the nicest sweetest puppy-dog like iguana has a breaking point.
Also explain to them that when they are around the iguana they should move slowly and be quiet so they don't scare it!

Best of luck, make sure to keep on top of the hand washing and you will be okay as far as bacteria.

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Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

My Photos

Like everyone else said Salmonella really shouldn't be a problem. Keep anti-bacterial soap or hand sanitizer around. We do herp demo and the kids touch and pet the herp. As they exit the door they use hand sanitizer.

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Colleen

Actually salmonella is a concern, particularly for the 2 year old. However if things are kept clean and good hygene is practiced it should not be a problem. Salmonella bacteria is passed in the animals feces and requires introduction into the body through the mouth, nose or eyes. As long as the cage is kept clean and everyone washes their hands after handling it should not be a problem. However this also means no kissing the animal or putting it anywhere near their mouths!
Yes I DO know how kids are! It's that "most of the time" part that gets you in trouble!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Agreed. Salmonella is a big concern. As Merlin said smaller children are at higher risk because of the tnedency to always put their fingers in their mouth. I have a strong belief that children at this age should not have access to reptiles.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

I second that Mike!
Keep in mind that the teeth of an iguana are the same shape and form of that of a shark! They are designed for cutting. Any iguana over a couple of feet in length has the capability of sending you to the emergency room and adults can de-glove fingers!
If it sounds like I am trying to scare you ,..I AM!
I would much rather do that than to hear of a child being injured when I could have done something to prevent it. These are wild animals and capable of doing some serious damage. Make sure the cage is locked so there are no adventures!

The 2 year old is really not ready to even handle the iguana. Maybe pet it while you are holding it. The 4 year old may or may not be ready. I have seen some very astute 4 year olds and some very immature ones. IF the child is capable of sitting calmly and without being prone to jitteriness you might try placing the iguana in their lap or on their shoulder. But ONLY under strict adult supervision. Keep it off of bare skin and away from their face. Of course this is AFTER the ig has been thoroughly socialized and is trustworthy around humans. This in itself can take up to a year.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!