Impulse buying reptile pets

Everyone has that impulse now and then to buy something without giving it any thought beforehand. I might sound like a broken record, but I always say to do your homework. Think about your purchase. A lot of reptiles live for a very long time (some tortoises can live to 100 years). It can be expensive to house and feed reptiles, especially if they are going to become huge as adults.

If you haven’t noticed, animal shelters never allow people to come in and adopt without thinking over their adoption first. My organization does the same with our reptile and amphibian adoptions. And, over the past 11 years, I’ve noticed that an awful lot of people fill out adoption applications. Only a small percentage of people who apply actually ever adopt an animal. Lots of people change their minds after considering the responsibilities of owning the animal.

Reptile shows are a great place to buy a pet reptile or amphibian (also known as a herp or herptile). You should be prepared before you go. Do some research in the days before the reptile show. There are hundreds of websites with care sheets and thousands of books available on just about any reptile pet. Find out what size cage you’ll need. The cage and related supplies alone usually cost a lot more than the animal itself. Consider the food. You will need a cage or some type of container to keep the food. Your animal is only as healthy as the food you feed it. Some reptile food needs its own care: crickets, mealworms, mice (if you need fresh killed), fruit flies, etc.

I don’t want to sound negative, because in my mind reptiles make great pets. But I’m a realist. I’ve also done a little impulse shopping in my day. I’ve always lived with the consequences of my actions, but many people don’t. Sometimes the owner will surrender their animal to a rescue, sell it or in some tragic cases, it will die. I would much rather that people have a good experience with their pet reptile than get the wrong pet and have a terrible experience.

Always ask a lot of questions about the animal you want to purchase. You can write them down so you don’t forget. Sometimes the excitement of the new animal makes all of your questions go right out the window, and you want to be sure to get accurate information on what the breeder would suggest for proper housing and food. Hopefully, you will buy the right animal for you and have a great herp experience!

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