Picking the right pet for your family | Pets

Before you purchase or adopt a pet, make sure that it is the right one for you and your family. CDC recommends the following:

Households with children under 5 years of age should not own reptiles, such as turtles, or amphibians, such as frogs.

Pregnant women should avoid contact with pet rodents to prevent exposure to lynphocytic choriomeningitis virus, which is a virus that can cause birth defects.

Pregnant women should avoid adopting or handling stray cats, especially kittens. They particularly should not clean litter boxes to avoid getting toxoplasmosis from them.

Immune-compromised persons and persons with HIV infection or AIDS should take extra precautions when choosing and handling pets. Talk to your veterinarian and health care provider to help make this decision.

To pick the right pet, do some research beforehand about the specific needs of the animal.

Some questions to ask are: How much exercise does the pet need? How large will it become? Is the type of animal aggressive? What does the pet eat? How much will it cost for veterinary care? Do I have enough time to properly care for and clean-up after the pet? What exactly does this pet need in its habitat to be healthy? Are pets allowed in my apartment or condominium? How long will this animal live?