All about Reptiles

Using "Reptiles" as a blanket term and asking weather they make good pets or not can be a hard question to answer because it depends on if, A: You are a reptile person or not and B: What kind of reptile you are interested in. They can range from a couple of inches, (like Anoles) to some snakes reaching 20-30 feet. Some are handleable and others you have to use extreme caution when handling. Depending on what you are looking for in a pet defines if it is a good animal or not. Some people are dog people or cat people and some people are reptile people.  Different reptiles give off different personalities. Bearded dragons and blue tongued skinks both are really intelligent and can learn their owners faces. They can actually get excited about being interacted with by their owner. Bearded Dragons really pay attention to their environment. Frogs and anols can be an ornamental pet. There are several types of snakes that with proper handling can have a calmer demeanor. The more time you spend with your pet, the more it will feel comfortable around you, as with most pets.

The cost to set up is usually higher than the cost of the reptile. You have to really invest your time in researching or talking to people who know the answers. Take into consideration the tank size, lighting, heat elements, humidity, food and decor. Cost can very dramatically depending on where you purchase the items. Craigslist and Ebay can be cheaper than a pet store. Ask yourself if you are looking for a decorative reptile or a personable one.

Finding out where the reptile came from is extremely important. Generally wild caught animals are cheaper. Usually the manner in which wild caught are kept is very stressful and most will harbor parasites which will shorten life span and potentially make your other reptiles sick.

I myself have several reptiles. I used to have more, but through a large tragedy I found one of the major "don'ts" when owning a reptile. Unsecure heat lamps can be knocked over by cats, dogs, kids etc.. and will cause house fires. However, with proper set up and care and secure lamps, my new ones have brought me much happiness. One being my Blue Tongued Skink, Hunter S. Thompson. He is a very intelligent reptile that makes a great starter reptile. Not too small to crush, but doesn't get large enough that it will eat you out of house and home. Not to mention they look cool.

So with all that being said, make sure you do lots of research in the particular reptile you are interested in and please email me  and I would be happy to share all my knowledge and stories with you.  If there is a particular reptile you are interested in I can help in deciding if that is the one that fits your lifestyle the best.

The top picture is obviously a Blue Tongued Skink and the other one is a Bearded Dragon. (Both are from the internet until I can get pictures of my reptiles on here. )

Thanks for reading,
Stephanie