Our Animal Care Manager Kasey is a registered veterinary technician and has a wealth of animal and reptile experience. She cares for the many reptile babies in our office and has a lot to say about reptile husbandry, tried and true tips for pets, proper living environments, stimulation and enrichment, breeding, and more! 

Five Cool Reptiles

Find out why the Nano Chameleon, Marine Iguana, Mary River Turtle, Paradise Tree Snake, and the Phantastic Leaf-tailed Gecko make our Animal Care Manage Kasey's list! Read about the world's smallest reptile, amazing evolutionary adaptations, crazy hair-dos, flying capabilities, and superior camouflaging abilities. And these are only a few of the fun facts you'll learn

Your Healthy Snake

The first step toward keeping your snake healthy, according to Kasey, is to schedule a visit with a  veterinarian specializing in exotics within the first couple weeks of them coming home. This will help establish a baseline for your pet and create a relationship  with the veterinarian in the event your animal is to ever fall ill. Observing your snake’s behavior, body condition, activity level, skin, shedding, bowel movements, and urination is important to monitor overall health.

Your Healthy Turtle

Observing your snake’s behavior, body condition, activity level, skin, shedding, bowel movement, and urination is important to monitor overall health. According to Kasey, you should also schedule a visit with a veterinarian specializing in exotics within the first couple weeks of them coming home. This helps to establish a baseline for your pet and to create a relationship with the veterinarian in the event your animal is to ever fall ill.

SPECIES-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Getting a Russian Tortoise

“Russian Tortoises are super easy to care for and give you the ability of owning a tortoise that does not grow to be more than 100 pounds like the African Sulcata Tortoise or 550 pounds like the Aldabra Giant Tortoise!," explains Kasey, our Animal Care Manager. "An important thing to note is that Russian Tortoises can live to be over 50 years old, so they are a super long-term commitment. If you are not looking for lifelong friend, these guys might not be the right pet for you.” Learn all you need to know about the Russian Tortoise before making one your pet! 

Getting a Ball Python

“Ball Pythons can make a great addition to families with responsible children, as they are docile and rarely bite. Being in the constrictor family some parents may be hesitant to let their children handle them, but Ball Pythons are too small to constrict humans, even children,” says our Animal Care Manager Kasey. Learn all you need to know about the Ball Python before making one your pet!

Bearded Dragon Basics

“Before considering a Bearded Dragon, you should do plenty of research to make sure it would be a good fit for you. They can get over a foot long or more and do require a bit of space. They also live 10-15 years and can be a big commitment, but they’re absolutely worth it!,” says Tricia Koczor, creator of Reptilian Garden on YouTube. Read more about the basics of Bearded Dragon Care!

Getting a Corn Snake

“Corn Snakes can make a great addition for families with responsible children, as they rarely bite. They can be very good at escaping, so it is important to teach children how to keep the enclosure secure for the safety of their new pet,” explains Kasey, our Animal Care Manager. Learn all you need to know about the Corn Snake before making one your pet!

Getting a Crested Gecko

Our Animal Care Manager Kasey says, “I think that Crested Geckos are a great pet for a family with older children that understand they generally do not like to be handled. They are much more of a pet to enjoy watching instead of handling.” Learn all you need to know about the Crested Gecko before making one your pet!