R e ptiles Exotic P ets Lizards and snakes are reptiles Together with animals such as spiders scorpions and turtles they are called exotic pets What Is a Reptile Reptiles are animals that have a backbone They also have a scaly skin and lay eggs Reptiles such as crocodiles and turtles have four legs as do most lizards However snakes and slow worms a type of lizard are legless They use their long body to slither across the ground Skinks are lizards with a long body and four legs A skink is a good choice t for a first pet lizard 4
In the wild corn snakes are brown and orange s with dark brown bands left but some pet corn snakes are white right Wild or Pet Pet lizards and snakes behave in the same way as wild lizards and snakes but some pet snakes may look different from the wild species This is because snakes that have been bred in captivity can be colors that are not found in the wild For example there are white and gold corn snakes and albino ball pythons Think Before You Buy Lizards and snakes are not easy pets to keep They need a lot of care and special equipment It is important to learn how to care for these PET POINT izards and Some fed snakes have to be Do you food local have a ier suppl animal animals before you buy one Remember that a small young snake will grow into a large l ive l 5
W hy a Li z ard or Sn ake Lizards and snakes are fascinating animals They don’t have to be walked or groomed but they do need to be checked every day Buying Your Pet You can buy a pet snake or lizard from a specialist pet shop or from a breeder Before you buy visit the shop or breeder Make sure they keep the animals clean and that the animals look healthy The person you buy your pet from should be able to help you buy the right size tank PET POINT Larger snakes need a big tank so the housing costs are more expensive A shop that sells reptiles should also t sell you the equipment you need 6
Captive Bred Not Wild It is very important to ask if the animal was bred in captivity Many exotic snakes and lizards are caught in the wild and sold as pets This trade is threatening the survival of the animals in the wild A captive bred animal will be used to people and will be much easier to handle Do It Look out for these words when you buy a snake or lizard Wild Caught or Wild Collected WC this means the animal was caught in the wild Captive Farmed CF the animal was bred in captivity often on a farm in its country of origin Captive Bred CB the animal was bred in captivity in the country in which it is for sale Choose a snake that is t alert and curious and like this python gently grips your hand or arm when it is handled Snake or Lizard Snakes make better pets Most are easy to handle and feed Some of the smaller lizards such as geckos can be difficult to handle Choose a lizard that doesn’t like to bite check this with your supplier Many lizards have strong jaws that they use to crush their food so they can pinch a finger quite hard 7
