Things to Consider When Getting a Reptile: Part 1

 Hello reptile lovers, 

Many people find the idea of owning a reptile interesting, which it is! However, so many people get a reptile without considering all the implications of owning one, and end up with problems. This is why I have written this post; to give you a list of things that you should think about before going to the pet store.

Reptiles…what are they?



Reptiles are animals that originally come from countries that often have important environmental differences to the countries most of us are living in (with a few exceptions). This means that if you are thinking of becoming a reptile owner you must have the time and money to equip your reptile’s vivarium with all the required heating and lighting  it needs.



The type of climate and light that your reptile requires will vary depending on the breed, size and age of the reptile.  For a guide to this, take a look page 13 in last week’s Your Reptile magazine for an additional guide. Buy a copy at www.yourreptilemagazine.com/purchase/37217

 Most reptiles will need a heating system and a lamp that they can bask under, which needs to be regulated and turned on/off depending on the time of day and outside temperature.

 It is important that you keep their enclosure warmer than your house because of the climate differences but be careful not to make it too hot because this could be harmful to your reptile – they can’t always take the heat… literally. To see a list of the suggested temperatures visit www.reptileguides.com/temperaturesuggestions/reptilebreeds/cdrh



Nacho, My bearded dragon, concentrating hard on catching his next meal!

Another thing that many people dislike is the feeding of reptiles. I personally know plenty of people who like the idea of the reptile but hate the idea of feeding it – especially when it comes to live mice and other critters! To find out the preferences of different reptiles, I recommend having a read of the link http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/feeding-your-pet-amphibian-or-reptile.html

Crested geckos, Blue tongue skinks and Monkey tailed skinks are perfect examples of reptiles that can live off other food supplements like vegetables or cat food/baby food and save you from the difficult task of feeding a reptile a live animal (and from the cost of alternative foods).