linker009
Turtles are pretty docile and safe, as long as you don't stick your finger in their mouth :p
I probably wouldn't have a lizard around children though...
Actually, having turtles can be quite painful. I got a red-eared slider, and whenever I pick it up (properly) I had to get used to it using it's claws to get free of my grip. That means a lot of dropping.
(And yes, turtles can me VERY fast for animals with such weight to carry around. When I try to capture mine after letting him out, he FLIES, I actually had to jog a few times to make sure he didn't escape!)