Expert Advice on Caring For Reptiles

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.

Should I Leave the Heat Bulb on Overnight?

It really depends on the overall heating arrangement in your bearded dragon tank. If your heat bulb is only providing a hot spot for basking and there are under tank heat mats, ceramic heaters, hot rocks or similar providing a general warm background temperature then, yes, it probably can be …

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How Can We Help Our Timid Corn Snake?

An interesting question and one which opens up some important areas for snake-keeping in general – handling and housing. I’m assuming that there isn’t any obvious reason for the timidity, that the snake is eating normally, and this behaviour was “inherited” along with the snake – it hasn’t suddenly started …

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The Seven Deadliest Reptiles

Which are the world’s seven deadliest reptiles? A simple enough question, you’d think, but ask 10 different reptile fans for their nominations and the chances of getting even two to agree are pretty small, never mind all of them! There’ll probably be two or three animals that appear on everyone’s …

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Reptile Keeping and the Law FAQs

Like just about everything else in life, there are laws to be obeyed when it comes to keeping pets – and pet reptiles are no exception. Fortunately, however, keeping on the right side of the boys in blue isn’t too hard, but as always, it pays to be sure, so …

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Convergent Evolution Amongst Reptiles

Although the world is a big place, it provides a limited number of different types of habitat and from one side of the globe to the other, deserts, rain-forests, marshes and grasslands are all pretty similar – at least in terms of the physical environment they provide. It is not …

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Five Health Threats You Might Not Know

Reptiles are susceptible to a wide range of diseases – some of them uniquely their own, while the others affect a much wider range of species. Anyone who has had anything to do with keeping reptiles can name most of the more common illnesses and ailments likely to afflict their …

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Common Health Problems

A sick pet is always a worry. Fortunately, modern veterinary science has a whole arsenal of products available to help ill reptiles, but as always, the sooner you can begin treatment, the greater the chances of a speedy and full recovery. That, of course, means that being aware of the …

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Reintroducing Britain’s Rarest Snake: A Case Study

After an absence of more than half a century, Britain’s rarest reptile, the Smooth Snake ( Coronella austriaca) is set to return to Devon as part of a project undertaken by the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, the RSPB and the local conservation trust. These rare and secretive snakes were last …

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Project Heloderma: Saving the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard

The story of Project Heloderma sounds like the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster; a young, idealistic scientist who teams up with a grizzled and cynical animal smuggler to bring a virtually unknown creature back from the edge of extinction. The difference is, this time it’s all true – and, incredibly, …

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Conserving the Gharial: A Case Study

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) has to be the most instantly recognisable crocodilian in the world – and also the most endangered, being the first one to be re-categorised as “Critical” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2007. With its characteristic long, thin snout, adorned in adult …

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Reptile Expert