Reptiles

Many people love the idea of keeping exotic pets, like reptiles, in their homes. Lizards, snakes, turtles and tortoises are always in demand at the pet shop. It is very important to have proper reptile tanks, caves and other accessories in order to put these reptiles into a suitable environment that they will thrive in as a pet.

It is essential to undertake research before purchasing a reptile; go through various reptile books and search online to understand the exact type of reptile foods and reptile products available in the market.

Reptiles are amazing animals and have many peculiarities that other mammalian pets do not have. They are among the longest-lived species on the planet, so much must be considered before getting one as a pet. Large tortoises such as the Aldabra tortoise can live for more than 150 years and ball pythons, a popular type of pet snake, can live up to 40 years.

Snakes and lizards don’t smell through their noses; they flick their tongues in the air to capture scent particles which they then pass over something called a Jacobson’s organ to decipher the air around them. This is partly how reptiles hunt for food.

Certain types of snakes can go months without eating though. This is especially true of the big constrictors, such as the Anaconda and the reticulated python. Snakes eat large meals (relative to their body size), and they have much slower metabolisms than humans have, partly explaining how they can go so long between meals.

Most of the world’s snakes (nearly two-thirds) are non-venomous. Only about 500 snake species are venomous, and of those only 30-40 are considered harmful to humans. In other words, less than two percent of all snakes are considered harmful to humans.

‘Cold-blooded’ is not the best way to describe reptiles. Their blood is not cold by itself, but they are ectothermic, which means they get their body heat from external sources. Reptiles cannot regulate their body temperature internally as humans do.

In our Reptile Section you will find a range of reptile foods and other items such as reptile hiding caves and dens, reptile heating systems, reptile housing cleaning, reptile house filters and filter pads, bowls and feeders, thermometers and hygrometers, lamps, supplements and accessories for your vivarium.