The ball python

Ball Pythons are one of the most popular snake in the US for good reasons. These amazing snakes come in hundreds of beautiful morphs ranging from white to black. These morphs cold cost any where from 40 dollars to 10,000 dollars. Ball pythons do not get huge staying in the 4 feet rang (males staying smaller than females). These snakes have a great temperament only biting when they feel threatened. Like most snakes there main diet is rodents, when full grown they should be eating frozen thawed rats( live can attack and kill your snake) Don't worry if tour python does not eat for a long period of time they can survive on a meal a year,but it is not ideal. Ball pythons make amazing pets for all ages remember study study study.

The reptile of the day.

The Argentine Black and White Tegus are the reptiles of the day and for a good reason. These large lizards are part of the Tegu family. they get to be around 4 feet long. They are will eat any mammal, reptile or egg that they can fit in there mouth. They are hardy and do well in captivity and become quite tame. They are not for beginners and take special care needs. Tegus are great pets and I have only heard good things about them.  I will have the privilege of owning one soon ~ I'll tell you when I do!

what reptile should you get ???

Choosing a reptile can be tricky.  There are four reptiles that I would highly recommend; 1. Bearded Dragon, 2. Leopard Gecko  3. Corn Snake and 4. Ball Python. I will tell you the pros and cons of each animal. The bearded  dragon is a great pet. They are extremely tame and will let you handle them with no problem.  Pros:  tame, somewhat easy to care for, and they don't get to big. Cons:  expensive, eats crickets and needs a somewhat large cage. The leopard gecko is an inexpensive lizard. They are not as tame as the bearded dragon, but still make great pets. Pros: inexpensive, somewhat tame and easy to care for. Cons: will only eat live prey and they don't like to be handled for more than 20 minutes a day. The corn snake is a great beginner reptile. In my opinion, they are the easiest to care for as far as reptiles are concerned and are extremely tame and reluctant to bite. Pros: easy to upkeep, tame, come in more than 80 morphs and colors. Cons: eat mice. Ball pythons are great pets, so don't let the word python scare you.  That usually grow to about 4 feet long. Like the corn snakes they came in so many colors and morphs. Pros: tame and fairly inexpensive. Cons: eat rats, needs humidity.  Whether you get a snake or lizard, reptiles are great pets.

Watch for future blogs from Reptile 101 specifically on the bearded dragon, leopard gecko, corn snake and ball python.

So you want a reptile?

Why would you want to keep a reptile? Well, it might not be for everyone, but it is a great hobby if you think you could commit to the care needed for these awesome creatures.  My favorite type of pet is a reptile. Most of the time they are tame and will let you hold them. They also come in so many colors and morphs. Before you go to your local pet store and purchase one of these great animals, think about these factors of keeping them. First of all NEVER BY A REPTILE ON IMPULSE as it is the biggest mistake you can make in the hobby. Always do your homework and look up the needs of the animal you plan on getting. Learn about it's environment, heat requirements, tank sizes, feeding requirements and other important factors.  If this is not done you could end up finding out that your dream pet that you just bought is harder to take care of than you thought. One thing that stops a lot of people is the reptiles diet. Some will just need a simple salad each day and some will need to eat live or frozen prey. The last thing that might deter you is that reptiles can be costly, some need large cages and and special diets but on the other hand you can keep some of these pets on a dime. If you want a reptile, go for it, they are amazing animals and great pets for all ages.