A Little Bit of Everything, Reptiles Included
When YouTuber Alyssa Nicole was 13 years old, she began posting videos on a little bit of everything.
Her “A Little Bit of Everything” YouTube channel features videos on a variety of topics, making it true to its name.
“I started doing random little makeup or haul videos because I really enjoyed talking to the camera and having people react and reply to the content,” she said.
Channel Gains Pet and Reptile Lover Following
Once her channel began gaining traction, Alyssa Nicole soon realized people loved watching videos about animals. She began adding more and more content on her pets, including her reptiles.
“The videos on my pet channel focus on all of the animals I own,” she explained. “But the most popular videos are of Bowser, my Bearded Dragon, my Crested Gecko, Lumos, and my Guinea Pigs, Mocha and Latte.” She started the AlyssaNPets channel so subscribers can find her pet videos in one place.
Her other non-reptile pets include three rats, two hermit crabs, two dogs, and two cats.
In the 10 years since her first video, her main channel has grown in popularity and now has over 185,000 subscribers.
Reptiles Get a Bad Rap
Alyssa Nicole began doing a lot of research on reptiles and going to reptile conventions. This helped her develop content for reptile lovers like her.
“I realized reptiles are very misunderstood animals and should be appreciated more,” she said. “I feel like when people hear that I have reptiles they immediately get very defensive and start to insult the animal for the way they look.”
She added that many people think they are mean and unloving creatures when, in fact, most are the opposite. This is one of the reasons why she creates her reptile videos – to debunk that perception.
“I have done a couple videos on my Crested Gecko (Lumos) and Bearded Dragon (Bowser) and I’d like to add more,” she explained. A more detailed care guide for Bearded Dragons is the next video she plans on filming.
Current reptile-focused videos include:
- reptile husbandry for Crested Geckos and Bearded Dragons,
- creating enclosure décor and stimulation upgrades, and,
- cleaning Crested Gecko enclosures.
She added, “I’ve also done vlog videos of me getting my animals and preparing to bring them home.”
New to Bearded Dragons and Crested Geckos?
There are several reasons Alyssa Nicole loves Bearded Dragons and Crested Geckos.
“Bearded Dragons are super smart and very stubborn,” she explained. “My Bowser does not like to be told what to do and he sometimes does a little dance when he gets his food.”
Crested Geckos, she added, are great pets.
“Lumos was my first reptile and he has the best personality,” she said. “Crested Geckos are a great reptile for first-time owners.”
Tips for First Time Reptile Owners
According to Alyssa Nicole, one of the most important aspects of being a responsible pet owner is to understand that it requires a lot of time, patience, and money. This is especially true for people new to reptiles.
Specific to reptile husbandry, there are three things she said every reptile owner should do. “Make sure your reptile is getting appropriate nutrition, its lighting and heating needs are met, and it has the proper enclosure size to allow for movement and stimulation,” said Alyssa Nicole.
She also recommends using an electronic thermometer/hygrometer and thermometer gun to make sure the temperature is correct. The wrong temperatures, she cautioned, could cause your reptile to get sick.
When asked about her favorite reptile, she said, “I’m not sure I have a favorite. I like to read and post about a bunch of them. I love them all!”
This surely means there will be more to come from Alyssa Nicole.