A report issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) comes to warn parents about exposing their children to pets such as hedgehogs, hamsters, baby chicks, lizards, turtles and monkeys, revealing the animals can put them at a high risk of diseases and injuries.

In addition to their dangerous and sometimes potentially deadly germs, exotic pets are more likely to bite, scratch or claw, putting children under five (especially) at great risks, researchers have informed. Young children are more vulnerable due to their immune system, which is still developing at their tender age, as well as to their lack of hygiene.

Reptiles, along with amphibians, are prone to carrying salmonella, which is reported to infect 74,000 people each year.

The AAP report also pointed out that in the wild, rodents are natural carriers of the plague and even the mere exposure to the aquarium water of fish can prove to be a pathway for bacteria. Salmonella was also found in baby chicks. Consequently, young children can get it by kissing or touching the animals and then putting their hands in their mouths. Hedgehogs’ quills can penetrate skin and are known to spread a bacteria germ that causes fever, stomach pain and also a rash.

In 2003, a human monkey pox outbreak was traced back to imported African Gambian rats, which had infected prairie dogs sold as pets. Moreover, small pet turtles caused 103 cases of salmonella infection in the second half of last year, mostly in young children.

AAP urges parents to make sure that their kids also avoid making contact with these animals in zoos or other public places, subsequently avoiding owning one.

According to the report, the number of exotic animals in the United States has almost doubled in the last 6 years, presently about 40,000 families housing hedgehogs, while 4.4 million homes are currently harboring reptiles.

"Our recommendation is that no animal should be a pet for kids 5 and under," said Z.G. Standing Bear, who runs a rescue operation near Pikes Peak, Colorado, for abandoned hedgehogs, which became fad pets about 10 years ago.