Reptiles are some of the world’s most fascinating creatures. Some people find themselves inextricably drawn to these wonderful animals. In many ways, they’re low-maintenance pets. However, they have some very specific needs that some novices overlook.
First-time reptile owners often make key mistakes when they get their new pets. They’re very avoidable, so check them out now. Understanding some rookie mistakes can help you promote your reptile’s quality of life.
1. Getting Reptiles That Live Too Long
This is one of the easiest mistakes that many new reptile owners make: they obtain an animal, like a turtle or tortoise, without considering its lifespan. Common box turtles may live beyond 50 years, while Greek turtles often exceed 100 years. These animals commonly outlive people. The problem is, what happens to them later?
It’s inadvisable to obtain a pet that you won’t be around to care for. If you want to own a reptile that lives a long time, consider getting a senior pet that’s being rehomed. It won’t live as long as a younger animal, yet you can still enjoy its companionship.
2. Offering Improper UV Lighting and Humidity Levels
Reptiles are cold-blooded animals with very specific needs. It’s crucial to set up correct UV lighting in your pet’s vivarium. If the enclosure is too cold or too hot, it can have a serious impact on their health.
Use a thermometer to check that the heat settings are correct. Even if you use a thermostat to set the temperature, you should keep an eye on inconsistencies. Ectothermic animals may not eat properly and can suffer many diseases if there are heating or humidity imbalances.
3. Keeping Males Together
Male reptiles are very territorial. That’s why it’s a bad idea to keep two males in the same tank or vivarium together. They’re likely to fight and could cause each other severe harm. It’s much better to separate them so that they won’t hurt each other. Many inexperienced reptile owners don’t realize this in the beginning. It’s important to research your exotic pet’s needs before placing them in a dangerous living situation.
4. Improperly Handling Delicate Reptiles
Most reptiles, with the exception of bearded dragons, experience severe stress when removed from their enclosures. Some pets, like chameleons, can go into shock and even die from the stress.
Before adopting a reptile, make sure that it’s an animal that enjoys being handled. Leopard geckos, corn snakes, and bearded dragons are great pets for first-time reptile owners and children. They enjoy spending time with their owners and can be handled with little risk. Other pets, such as chameleons, anoles, and iguanas, prefer to remain in their tanks with little human interaction.
Never pick up a lizard by the tail, even though many lizards can regenerate these parts.
5. Offering an Inappropriate Diet
It’s crucial to feed reptiles properly. Many people simply stuff salad leaves into a bowl without any extra thought. However, the wrong type of food can be very harmful to these creatures. Spinach and kale are poor choices because they often affect reptiles’ ability to process calcium. Meanwhile, younger animals may need more protein than fully-grown adults. This may mean providing food like insects or mice to your pet. Always consult with your vet about your animal’s dietary needs.
6. A Lack of Enrichment Activities
New reptile owners often underestimate their pets’ needs. It’s cruel to simply leave them in a cage or vivarium with nothing to do. Reptiles are highly intelligent and curious animals. That’s why you should supply them with toys and passive stimuli in their home.
Adding hiding places like tunnels, branches, and climbing logs will help. Another easy way to enrich their lives is to move their water or food so they must search for it. This simple enrichment activity gives a sense of the hunt they’d experience in the wild. Using a natural substrate is also great because they can dig or even burrow.
7. Creating an Uncomfortable Environment
Reptiles require specialized living conditions. It’s not enough to put them in an empty fish tank or cage and hope for the best. If you don’t provide the correct environment, it can be uncomfortable or even unhealthy for them. We already mentioned UV and humidity levels as well as providing enrichment activities.
All of these combine to create a comfortable environment for your pet. It’s also important to give them enough space to move around comfortably. Even the most passive reptiles like pet turtles or iguanas like walking occasionally. Bigger reptiles need more space so be sure that you can create it for them.
8. Failing to Practice Good Hygiene
Personal hygiene is crucial when handling reptiles because of the risk of salmonella. There are many horror stories about reptile pet owners contracting this disease from their turtles or lizards. This is particularly risky for children because they’re more thoughtless. Always wash your hands properly with soap after touching your reptile pet. It’s also crucial to regularly clean their cages or vivariums to reduce the risk of incubating harmful bacteria.
9. Failing to Consider Other Pets
It’s important to prepare other pets for any changes to their home. This includes introducing new animals. Sometimes owners don’t consider that their dog or cat could cause stress to their reptile.
Often, these animals won’t know what to make of each other. Always maintain a barrier between them so that there’s less risk of something going wrong. Overstimulating your animals is the worst thing to do. You risk activating their prey drives and increasing their stress levels. It’s always best to separate your pet reptile from dogs or cats around the house.
10. Not Consulting with Exotic Veterinarians
Reptiles fall into the exotic pet category. This means that not every vet will know how to care for them properly. Even if they can diagnose your pet’s condition, they may not be comfortable about treating them. Reptiles including snakes and lizards require specialized veterinary care. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Many new pet owners don’t realize this when they bring their bearded dragon or iguana home. They may not know where their nearest reptile vet is. This is a bigger problem in isolated rural communities and small towns. Ensure that you can care for a potential reptile pet before buying one. Otherwise, you’re risking their health, and that’s not fair to them!
