Posts by Nigel

The story of the world’s most popular pet reptile begins in Australia—because of course it does.

At some point in every snake owner’s life, a very specific question arises: is my snake a “mouse snake,” or is it ready to move on to rats like a reptilian adult with responsibilities?

Thinking of getting a Royal Python as a pet? These beautiful, calm and famously stubborn snakes are one of the most popular reptiles in the world. With their manageable size, incredible variety of colours and patterns, and generally docile nature, Royal Pythons make excellent pets for both beginners and experienced keepers alike.

Thinking of getting a tortoise as a pet? These long-lived reptiles make wonderful companions. But how easy are tortoises to actually care for?

Axolotls are large, fully aquatic salamanders found exclusively in the southern region of Mexico City

The North American corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is a medium-sized colubrid constrictor found from southern New Jersey all the way down to the Florida Keys and across to Texas.

Horsfield tortoises are small tortoises (family Testudinidae), growing between 6–10 inches in length and weighing 650–1500 grams. Males are generally smaller than females—sometimes almost half the size—but they make up for this with sheer determination and absolutely no sense of personal space during breeding season.

The crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) is a small, arboreal, crepuscular lizard found exclusively in the subtropical forests of southern New Caledonia

The Leopard gecko is a small, stocky, ground-dwelling lizard found across southeast Afghanistan, western India, Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran (including the subspecies Eublepharis macularius montanus). Despite the name, it’s not a leopard—and no, it can’t actually change its spots—but it does wear them exceptionally well.

With their common name derived from the Latin regius, Royal pythons have become one of the most popular pet snakes in captivity today. Thanks to their relaxed temperament, manageable size, and wide availability, they are relatively inexpensive to house and feed—and are famously handleable. In short: all the appeal of an exotic predator, with very little of the drama.