10 Step Guide - Choosing the Right Herptile For You

It can be a hard and life-changing decision to choose a particular scaly or moist-skinned friend for your forever home. Luckily, there are simple ways to uncoil this complex thought-process and we will list them, in some kind of order, here for you!

1. Find Your Passion

   
   

   A perfect way to start the journey of adopting your own herptile is to think about what makes you excited about the herptile world. Perhaps there is a positive childhood memory that involves interacting with them through your parents, or other family members, at a Zoo or herptile park. Maybe you encountered one on a camping trip or out walking in the forest.

   
   

   What ever puts fire in your belly, use it. To start a conservational hobby is thoroughly rewarding through the love and care of another organism.

2. Think About Family

   
   

   Herptiles are made up of crocodiles/alligators, snakes, lizards, turtles/tortoises, frogs/toads, newts and salamanders. There are plenty to choose from in each family that are common or rare in the pet trade. .

   
   

   Now that you have a memory unlocked, it is time to delve deeper into the science behind your choice. Venomous species of snake might be out of the question due to licensing issues and availability or certain large monitor lizards that need a lot of space. Crocodiles/alligators would be the same situation, as the monitor lizard, with added special requirements.

   
   

   Try narrow down the family of choice and determine what small creatures would be your dream to care for and continue the journey.

   
   

   

3. Research

   
   

   Time to read, read and read. Go to your local library, zoo and pet stores to gather reading materials to put reason behind your chosen critter. The more knowledge you gain, the better care will be given to your final choice.

   
   

   It is the perfect moment here also, to ask the experts about your chosen herptile and note down anything new that you have not heard of before. If you know of your friends or family that have the animal already or have some knowledge then ask them also.

   
   

   Online materials are also an option but may be less reliable than picking up a book. Youtube videos or online magazines may give insight into care if you are a visual learner. Social media such as Facebook has many groups that you can follow and ask fellow humans about your chosen species.

   
   

   

4. Lifetime Decisions

   
   

   During your research, you would hopefully have noticed the long lifespans of certain herptiles such as the Leopard Tortoise living for around 50 years and 25 years for a Boa Constrictor.

   
   

   It is a factor to consider as there may be a time that you will have to pass on your inhabitants to the younger generation. Also, it is the old clichè: 'not just for christmas' that rings true here. We are choosing a friend that will be with us forever in most cases so you have to think carefully about keeping a permanent herptile resident.

   

5. Budget

   
   

   You know which species you are enthusiastic about and have done extensive research to properly understand the care required. It is time to consider the costs before entering this worthwhile cause.

   
   

   To give proper care and responsibility, you will have to dig deep into your pockets, your bank account will take a hit. Hundreds of British Pounds should be the amount you are spending on most herptiles. Prices can lower depending on how old they are, wild caught and how rare they are. Take a quick scour over morphmarket for a taster of what is there to offer.

   
   

   Next to affect the purse-strings are enclosure, standing cabinet, substrate, UVB lighting, thermostat, digital timer, small fans, hardscape (cork bark, rocks etc), plastic plants, heating, live, dead or fresh food, reptile food supplements, water conditioner, extension cord, disinfectant reptile-safe spray, temperature gun, hygrometer (humidity checker) and water mister. All can be afforded but will again rack up to at least a hundred pounds altogether. It may be worth scouring social media for any sellers promoting their discounted wares online.

   
   

   Those mentioned are the minimum equipment required and does not take into account any DIY tools that you would need to make a bioactive environment or waterfall feature for example.

   
   

   

   
   

6. Finding the Right Home

   
   

   Housing a herptile should not be taken lightly. Bigger is better in most, if not all, cases. A herptile should be able to move around without a struggle if desired (some may like confined spaces but it is best to give them the option to move around with ease). Tall and low enclosures aim to suit different species but you may find out that some will utilise both, so again have both available to provide enrichment.

   
   

   Wooden, plastic and glass vivariums are available, again dependent on the species' care requirements. Wooden = not tropical or water based as the wood will warp. Plastic and Glass = Tropical, land and water (Paludarium) or desert conditions. Wood is cheaper but will require a lot of modifications before it can be made for tropical species.

7. Resources

   
   

   Getting your shopping all in one place would be ideal but it does not happen. There are options of either buying online or physically going to retrieve all you need to build a habitat.

   
   

   Online would be my go-to tool for getting everything herptile related but it is harder to judge when they will all be arriving at. You can have success buying a herptile from an online source but it would possibly cost more than going to a reputable shop, if there are any in your area.

   
   

   Physically visualising the enclosure and discussing your herptile/build ideas with an expert in the shop might provide a breakthrough (or a further headache). They can give you recommendations then you can go away and have time to think on what's the best the way forward.

   
   

   

   
   

8. Plan Now

   
   

   As you will have found out by now, your herptile will need different conditions to survive. Picking the right one will be imperative to mimic their wild habitat and allow you to prepare their setting correctly.

   
   

   Whether it is a desert or rainforest backdrop, there has to be a sense of planning ahead before your herptile resident joins you. The conditions need to be perfect i.e disinfecting all surfaces and objects within the enclosure. Correct temperatures and humidity will require tweaking before introducing a herptile also.

   
   

   Hardscape, cork bark branches and basking rocks for example, need to be placed in practical and aesthetic ways for herptile happiness and health. Changing their positions after a certain time can be beneficial for enrichment of the animals.

   
   

   

   
   

9. Pick a Place

   
   

   Get out your measuring tape, it is time to locate an ideal place to position your home in a home. Again, ample space is required with plug sockets nearby or at least an extension to a power point. A cabinet would help a lot here in hiding the wires, making the set-up look neater.

   
   

   It might be worth identifying the warmest room in your house or flat to help keep temperatures constant. Letting natural light in from a nearby window may also be worth deliberating to mimic a daylight cycle.

   
   

   Storing supplies can be done also if you have a space big enough for another cabinet. If not, then any sturdy table will be suitable for enclosure positioning. Ikea have a lot of reasonably priced tables to choose from.

10. Finding a Breeder

    
    

    Last, but not least, is finding a reputable breeder to purchase your new friend from. There are a range of sources to use in order to find such a person.

    
    

    Phone calls to your local exotic store or rescue centre may hold the solution you require. It is a good way to reach out and get friendly with your local community. They will be legally allowed to sell animals and be subject to yearly inspections so the standards should be high. Not always the case though, read an adverse side to Edinburgh's herptile high street here.

    
    

    Online, again, may hold the winning trump card. Reputable outlets such as Reptco and Aqua Group ship herptiles in safe conditions and ask for proof of suitable abode on purchase. This is a responsible way of adopting a new companion. They may have a bigger selection of livestock along with any supplies that you may need.

    
    

    At the end of the day, looking for small clues of reputable selling like evidence in licensing, positive reviews on TrustPilot UK and even a professional website will hopefully show the winners from the losers.