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Reptiles

About Reptiles:


Many people prefer keeping exotic pets, especially reptiles.



Reptiles, though beautiful and mysterious, may be dangerous and difficult to handle. Therefore, if you are planning to keep a reptile as your pet, make sure that you know about the animal and are ready to care for it.
Before committing to a pet reptile, you should know that taking care of them is not as simple as taking care of the other, more conventional pets.



Many regions have specific laws pertaining to adopting reptiles as pets. Though reptile pets may seem appealing, it is best to first find out the laws regarding them in the region of your residence. There is no point in getting a reptile when you can’t keep it with you.



Reptile Info:


Regular contact with some exotic reptiles and amphibians may expose you to many infections and disorders. While most people would consider these risks high enough to not venture into buying an exotic reptile, there are others who will still go ahead and get themselves a reptile pet. There are risks of salmonella infections from reptiles, and it is important to be careful, especially if you have kids at home. If you are planning to keep a reptile at home, visit a disease control centre and get information about the risks of increased proximity to reptiles. Reptiles require different living conditions than most humans. Not being able to provide proper environmental conditions is one of the biggest challenges faced by exotic pet owners. Most of these reptiles require heat for survival. They also need specific lighting and a responsible pet owner should create these kinds of conditions in order to keep the pets healthy.

It is important for a pet owner to know reptile basics before adopting reptile. When you are out to pick a reptile, it is best to choose one that has been bred in captivity. Reptiles bred in the wild have sharp instincts and may be dangerous. Your reptile should be healthy and not prone to diseases. A stressed or dehydrated reptile may not survive for long therefore get complete information about the particular reptile you have chosen from the pet shop owner and then get it checked by a doctor.
A lot of reptile pet owners are tempted to build a terrarium with its own small ecosystem. While this idea may be good, it may not always work in the manner that you imagined. Different species of reptiles should not be mixed within a terrarium so if you are getting multiple reptile pets, make sure that you have adequate space and living arrangements for all of them.

 
  Submitted on July 13, 2010