Last Updated: 01/12/2025
Beginners Guide To Reptile Care
Thinking about getting a reptile? Check out our complete beginners guide to keeping reptiles covering topics you need to know to keep them healthy.
Author: Dr Teagan Lever BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 5 minutes - short read
Keeping reptiles can be extremely rewarding and enjoyable, they make excellent pets and are a great option for people with limited space. If you are looking for a pet that's a little different, a reptile could be the perfect choice for you.
In Australia, most reptile species require a permit to be kept as a pet. The requirements can vary depending on where you live, so for more information check with your local state or territory government.
Once you've got a permit, before you rush out and buy a reptile, it's important to have a basic understanding of their unique care requirements. Incorrect housing and husbandry practices are a common cause of health problems in reptiles, so if you are thinking of adding a lizard, snake or turtle to your family, read on to make sure you avoid some of the most common pitfalls.
In this article
Choosing an Enclosure
As a general rule, bigger is better when it comes to choosing an enclosure for your reptile. Look for a well ventilated enclosure which will allow your particular reptile species to move around in the way it would in its natural environment. For example, ground dwelling lizards will prefer a long and low shaped enclosure, whereas tree dwelling snakes may prefer a taller enclosure which allows them to climb. Glass and wood or melamine enclosures work well. Plastic is prone to damage and less hygienic so should be reserved for travel containers. Whatever kind of enclosure you choose for your reptile, it must be easy to clean and disinfect regularly to prevent disease.
Enrich your reptile's environment within the enclosure by adding furnishings including branches, rocks, places to hide and a substrate for the floor. Placing a water dish at the cooler end of your reptile's enclosure is essential to provide some humidity and allow for natural behaviours such as swimming or immersion in water.
Depending on the preference of the species you are keeping, the humidity level can be altered by increasing or decreasing the size of the water dish as well as other measures like using moisture-retaining substrates such as sphagnum moss and misting the enclosure.
Some popular choices for substrates in reptile enclosures include reptile sand, wood fibre and bark, newspaper, aspen, hemp, crushed walnut shell and natural or recycled paper cat litter pellets. Whatever option you choose, make sure that it is easy to clean and disinfect. Avoid feeding reptiles on sand, as this can also cause obstructions if sand is inadvertently eaten along with food.
Heating
As a cold-blooded creature, your reptile is entirely reliant on external heat sources to maintain his body heat. Being too hot or too cold can significantly impact many aspects of your reptile's health, including digestion, immunity and reproductive function.
All reptiles need to be provided with a heat source, but it is not as simple as just putting a heat lamp in the enclosure and walking away. Reptiles are found in many different climates around the world, which means each kind of reptile has a unique optimal body temperature, which can vary greatly from species to species. This is known as a reptiles preferred body temperature or PBT and it's essential that the enclosure temperatures are chosen based on this.
When heating your reptile's enclosure, aim to provide a thermal gradient where the hot end of the enclosure is about 2 to 3°C above their preferred body temperature, and the cold end is about 2 to 3°C below their preferred body temperature. Monitor the temperature at both ends of your reptile's enclosure with thermometers and use a heat source that is controlled by a thermostat, with the probe placed in the hottest part of the enclosure.
A ceramic heat lamp or incandescent bulb that emits visible light are generally considered to be the best types of heat source when housing reptiles, but make sure it is enclosed in a mesh or wire cage to prevent burns, particularly for snakes.
If you are using a visible light bulb for heat, you will need an alternative heat source for use at night as constant light will disturb your reptile's natural day and night rhythm. For overnight heating you can use a ceramic heat lamp or in some cases a heat mat used outside of the tank or under substrate may be appropriate but it is essential that your reptile cannot make direct contact with the mat and is able to move away from the mat to prevent burns. Heat rocks must always be avoided as they can cause serious life-threatening burns in reptiles.
Lighting
Reptiles need exposure to UVA and UVB light to metabolise calcium which would be provided in the natural environment by basking in unfiltered sunlight. Glass and perspex filter out some of the UV rays that your reptile needs, so if they are not able to bask in unfiltered sunlight, you will need to provide your reptile with UV light from a lamp. Aim to give your reptile 12 to 14 hours of UV light during summer, and 9 to 12 hours during winter. UV bulbs must be replaced at least every 6 months even if they are still emitting visible light. You can also use a UV metre to monitor the level of UV output in your light. A fluorescent tube or bulb work well and should be placed in close proximity to the heat source a distance of 30-45cm from where your reptile basks.
Signs of disease in reptiles are often subtle and can happen very slowly over time, so it is important to be vigilant and seek help from a veterinarian if you notice anything abnormal in your reptile's appearance or behaviour. Although it might seem complicated at first, taking the time to understand your reptile's unique needs for housing and care will help them to live a long and healthy life.
Although it may seem like a lot to learn, mastering your reptile's housing, heating, and lighting needs is the best way to prevent health problems down the track. Taking the time to create the perfect environment will ensure you and your unique pet can enjoy many healthy years together.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Tue 20 Aug 2019
Edited by Dr Olivia Clarke BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets, Avian)Medically reviewed by Dr Olivia Clarke BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets, Avian)Dr Teagan Lever BVSc (Hons)
Head Veterinarian, BVSc (Hons)
Pet Circle's Head Veterinarian, Dr Teagan graduated from the University of Queensland in 2010 and went on to work in small animal and mixed practice in various locations around QLD & ACT before joining Pet Circle in early 2016. Dr Teagan has special interests in dermatology, nutrition and preventative health care. She feels privileged to witness the special bond people share with their pets on a daily basis and enjoys forming lasting relationships with pet parents and their fur children.
