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Reptiles are an expansive and time-consuming but an extremely rewarding hobby! There are many different types of reptile pets, but we will be covering a handful of the most common on this website. Most reptiles necessitate specific and a good degree of care, all of which is addressed within the fully-inclusive care guides linked to this page. These offer tips for beginners and more experienced keepers alike, and are helpful in aspects of daily care to more complex potential issues including sicknesses and treatments. Your reptile isn't covered on this page? Visit reptifiles.com
Note that as a general rule, no reptile should eat anything longer than the space between their eyes, as it could turn sideways internally and block the digestive tract. This can differ by prey, however, as some feeders are mostly water and are thus 'collapsible' within the reptile's stomach (such as hornworms and feeders with softer exoskeletons, or pieces of fruit for some reptiles. This rule mainly stands for crickets, roaches, and other hard-exoskeletoned bugs.
- Choosing the Right Reptile
- There are many factors to consider when choosing the right reptile, including the amount of maintenance and daily care the owner is willing to put in, and handleability is another major factor. Budget is something else to consider, as is the owner's level of comfort with feeding live prey to their pet.
- Some of the most low-maintenance reptiles are New Caledonian geckos, ball pythons, and White's Tree Frogs, as well as African dwarf frogs, to name a few. The reasoning behind this is that typically, these don't require food multiple times daily during the greater portion of their life. The one stipulation, as exists with nearly any reptile you can keep as a pet, is humidity control- something that can be nearly negligible for some animals, and paramountly important for others. This segues into the next important decision factor: are you in a position to control your reptile's enclosure climate? What is the climate like where the reptile will be stored? Are you planning on an indoor-outdoor, captive only, or totally outdoor pet? All of the reptiles covered in this website necessitate controlled climates for the most part, and are usually kept as indoor pets, but there are some notable exceptions, sometimes including bearded dragons.
- Predominantly, many reptiles require live insects as prey to get the proper protein and calcium that they need, however, there are relatively easy alternatives to feeding crickets or roaches, such as feeding wriggling black soldierfly larvae, which can't crawl on the person feeding, or jump or move around well, making them a more easily feedable insect. New Caledonian geckos are another exception to this, as they typically eat a pre-formulated, powdered diet mixed with water.
- Some reptiles are also cuddlier than others! If you are looking for a pet you can interact with and hold, typically bearded dragons are considered the most docile and friendly reptile pets, as are leopard geckos, but many keepers have positive handling relationships with their tropical geckos, as well as snakes, especially ball pythons. Frogs, however, aren't a great option for handling since their fragile skin tears easily and can absorb harmful skin oils, necessitating minimal handling with gloves if necessary.