Kids want an exotic pet? Ask doctor first

Reptiles, monkeys, rodents and other exotic pets are growing in popularity but should be discouraged in homes with small children or people with immune system problems, according to a report published yesterday.

While pediatricians know about pet-related hazards, only 5 percent say they regularly educate parents and children about such dangers, an attitude that should change, Dr Larry Pickering of Emory University Medical School in Atlanta said in report for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"Most nontraditional pets pose a risk to the health of young children, and their acquisition and ownership should be discouraged in households with young children," they said in a report published in the October issue of Pediatrics.