Thinking of getting a reptile / Invertebrate?
Before you decide to get anything like this as a pet, do your
research. Many species need specific requirements. One of the
most important things to understand is that with a reptile and
invertebrate, usually the cheapest part of purchasing one is the cost
of the animal itself. It’s everything else that goes along with it that
will make up the bulk of the cost.
Some things to think about:
Lighting / Heating
Housing
Substrate
Food
Humidity
Life Span
Size the animal will get
Species behavior
Cost involved
Lighting / Heating
Most animals will need certain lighting requirements. This can
include specific UV bulbs and / or bulbs that provide heat
with no light. Certain species need UV rays to produce
Vitamin B3 to aid in the proper utilization of calcium. You
may also need to supply this animal with a constant source of
heat. DO NOT USE A HEAT ROCK. Heat rocks can lead to
the animal getting burned which could lead to death.
Housing
This animal might only need a 10 gallon aquarium as a
juvenile, but what about in a year? How about 5 years? How
about 20 years? Several popular species need custom cages
which can cost thousands of dollars, not to mention the space
needed for something that large.
Substrate
Know what type of substrate (the stuff on the bottom of the
cage) to use. Cage Carpet, sand, newspaper, and more may be
suitable for your animal. Find out which one will work best
for you. Are you going for aesthetics? Ease of cleaning? Make
sure it’s nothing that will harm your reptile. Some substrates
can actually kill your reptile, so make sure you choose wisely.
Food
You have to know what types of food your animal will eat. Do
they eat mice? Rats? Rabbits? Crickets? Greens? How often
do they eat? How much do they eat? You need to find out
where to get the food from. If you’re uneasy about handling
crickets or mealworms, you shouldn’t get an animal that eats
it. If you don’t want to have a frozen rat or rabbit in your
freezer, you shouldn’t get an animal that will eat those, either.
If your pet eats mice or rats, it’s not good to use live animals.
Live prey could actually harm or kill your pet.
Humidity
Most reptiles & invertebrates need specific amounts of
humidity to survive. Will your pet need 10% humidity? How
about 80 or 90% humidity? You can purchase products that
will increase the humidity, but you need to make sure it will
be the proper amount.
Life Span
Reptiles & invertebrates all have different life spans. Some
geckos and lizards live between 5 – 7 years. Most snakes live
at least 20 years. However, some tortoises may live to be in
excess of 100 years or more. This can be a long term
commitment and you may even need to put your animal in
your will. Who will take on the care of your animal when
you’re gone?
Size the animal will get
Some animals only get to be 4 or 5 inches long. Others can
grow to be more than 25 feet in length. Do you want
something in your house that could potentially kill you or one
of your family members? How will you handle something
that big when you need to clean the cage?
Species Behavior
Most smaller animals, such as geckos, have great personalities.
If you’re looking more for an invertebrate, a scorpion is small
but some can be very dangerous, even deadly. You think that
snake looks beautiful, but what about it’s teeth? Although
you may be around your pet every day, it’s still a wild animal.
It won’t get to know your touch, your scent, or remember
your voice. You will get bit, but will you know what to do
when it happens?
Cost Involved
Not only do you have to deal with the cost of the animal, but
the cost of everything discussed above. Then when your pet
gets sick, you need to find a qualified veterinarian to take care
of it. Not many vets can handle a reptile and when they can it
can cost you. If you still think it’s not going to cost much,
think about this: once you purchase the reptile or invertebrate
you want, supply it with a home, heat lamps, substrate, cage
accessories, food, and vet care you could be looking at
spending anywhere from $250 - $1000 or more! I know that’s a
large range, but depending on the animal you acquire, that’s
what you’re looking at. Are you ready to financially support
your new friend?
And that's just a few things to think about. There are other
items to consider before picking up a reptile or invertebrate as
a pet. Please, do your research. If you choose to purchase a
reptile or invertebrate as a pet, make sure it's from a reputable
breeder and that everything is captive bred & captive born.
If you have any questions that I have not answered here,
please don't hesitate to contact me. You can email me at
brian@coolcrittersoutreach.com or call me at 513.720.2442.