Over recent years, reptile keeping has developed from something of a minority interest among a small number of dedicated fans to represent a large and growing part of the mainstream pet industry.Success with these animals goes hand-in-hand with a good understanding of their general biology and particular needs - which is where this site comes into its own.
Snakes are many people’s greatest fear and being attacked by one their worst nightmare. While genuine unprovoked attacks by snakes are rare, it is still a good idea to know how to behave should you encounter a snake, especially an aggressive one. Do Snakes Attack Humans? Very rarely. Snakes are …
Reptiles are a fascinating group of vertebrates with one of the longest histories of any living creature on Earth. First appearing over 300 million years ago, reptiles are believed to have descended from amphibians and during the course of their evolution, have produced many unique offshoots, the most famous being …
Of all the reptiles, the spitting cobra is probably one of the most feared of all snakes – its infamous ability of spitting or spraying venom up to a distance of 10 feet is enough to give anyone nightmares and rightfully earns them a position as one of the deadliest …
There are few images as famous and familiar as that of a king cobra swaying menacingly in front of a snake charmer. To many, it represents the archetypal snake, with its raised hood, forked tongue and mesmerising movements. In fact, the king cobra is unique in many ways… A king …
Baby caimans with their large, round eyes and gently smiling jaws, have become a popular feature in the pet trade with many people succumbing to their appeal and the persuasive pet store talk, without any real understanding of this reptile’s characteristics, needs or potential danger involved. Cute as they may …
The gharials (also called Indian gharial or ghavial) are one of the crocodilian-type reptiles and usually found in India. Although not normally kept as pets gharials are nevertheless mercilessly poached and hunted, while their habitats are being destroyed through human encroachment and pollution. It is not surprising, therefore, that they …
While the most popular snakes for pets tend to be the corn snakes, king snakes and ball pythons, other species can also make rewarding pets, given the right care and commitment. However, these alternative species may perhaps be better suited to more experienced reptile keepers than complete beginners. Smooth and …
Like their close relative the python, boa constrictors have a slightly notorious reputation and are a source of endless fascination for many people. Committing to the ownership of any of these large constrictor snakes is a serious business and should not be entered into without thorough research and consideration. While …
Pythons are perhaps one of the most recognisable snakes with famous members in this snake family ranging from the popular Burmese python to the notorious Anaconda. Many people are fascinated by the thought of a python as a pet and in some respects, they do make very good candidates as …
If you’re relatively new to reptiles and are keen on getting a pet snake, you can’t go far wrong with a king snake. These are beautiful snakes that are quite docile and easy to tame – the only potential drawback is the fairly large adult size, up to 7 feet …
