Be a Smart Reptile Buyer

So, you have decided to make your first reptile purchase or are looking to expand your animal collection, it is an exciting thing, but must be done with a lot of knowledge on both the animal and the seller. Most people will find an animal they want and find the first person they can to buy it from. Sometimes this works, but a lot of times the buyer is uninformed, and it creates some problems for them and the animal.

The first thing to do in purchasing a reptile is to do some research on it. Spend time getting to know what kind of climate, temperature, diet, and other needs the reptile might have and what you will need to be able to provide as a habitat and during possible shipments.

There are too many packages people open, expecting their new reptile shipped from another state only to find the reptile has not survived or is sick due to lack of knowledge on both ends. If the animal is going to need a heating pack or a cooling pack to be shipped safely, make sure the seller is aware of that and can provide the proper needs for the animal to stay safe and healthy during the travel.

Also, be sure to check on the packing in which your new animal will be sent in. Travel is already hard enough on the animals, so if a safe packing option is available this will make travel less stressful and the animal can more easily adjust once it arrives.

To ensure you have selected a good seller, it is always wise to contact them and see how they conduct these shipments. A lot of sellers will simply drop ship the animals from a foreign wholesale company without any knowledge on the animal’s current health conditions or needs.

When this is the case, the animal is not given its best chance at a healthy life in a new environment or a safe travel.  When the seller can be contacted, and they have the animal in-house and can examine it and have a veterinarian examine before shipment, this is always the ideal choice. Sellers who hand pick the reptile generally have higher quality reptiles for sale.

Beside selecting a good person to buy a reptile from and making sure proper accommodations for shipping can be made, it is also important to make sure tracking methods are also available. Check a seller’s credibility with their tracking. This could mean the difference between a healthy and safe pet or a lost animal in the mail. There’s no way to know the scenario without a good tracking system.

These few simple tips can make a difference between a quality animal with no problems during travel, or a nightmare waiting to happen. Be sure to do your research, contact the seller if possible, look for reviews, an do not be afraid to ask the important questions. These things will set you and your new reptile-addition up for success.