General Reptile Care

Steps to determining which reptile species is right for you.

There will always be people who have to have the different, the unusual, and the exotic. This is fine in regards to cars, clothes, food, vacations, but may not be a good idea when it comes to animals. In some circumstances, it may be downright dangerous.

Reptiles are becoming very popular as pets, but unfortunately that means more people are buying them on impulse and not researching their needs. This can lead to poor husbandry practices, causing the reptile to become ill or even die. There are also many more species available now than ever before, but not all commonly available species are suitable for beginners. The first step in buying a reptile should be done before even going to the store. Research is the key to a healthy pet.

The most commonly seen products are heating pads or mats, heat rocks, and heat lamps. Heating mats are a great heat source, if used correctly. They sometimes need to be plugged in to a thermostat to create the correct temperature.

When you first bring your pet home, paper towels or newspaper are often the best substrates to use. This allows you to monitor the animal for mites, check for loose stools, etc.

Some of the commercially available foods seem like a great option, and are much more convenient than making a salad every day for a bearded dragon or iguana, or buying mice for a snake.

A big part of feeding is supplementation. The first step should be to feed your prey items well. Rodents should be bought from companies that breed solely for reptile food, not from labs.

There are lots of products available to make a cage look like a natural forest, a desert, a wetland, etc. Most of these products will work fine, and what you choose depends on what you like and what kind of reptile you have.

There will always be people who have to have the different, the unusual, and the exotic. This is fine in regards to cars, clothes, food, vacations, but may not be a good idea when it comes to animals. Here are some frequently asked questions to consider before buying an unusual animal.