Care guide and animal welfare analysis of commonly kept reptile and amphibian species

How do people learn how to care for their reptile or amphibian pet? Most start with online or printed “care guides”. While simpler and shorter care guides may look achievable, the lack of thorough and accurate information may set an owner up for failure and doom an animal to neglect, suffering and even death.

Our report, ‘Animal welfare review of reptile and amphibian species' looks at how care guides address husbandry (care and housing) of some of the most common exotic pets.

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The popularity of reptiles and amphibians as pets grew quickly in the 1980s and 1990s.  

By 1997, the United States had imported over 566,000 Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana), 94,000 Ball Pythons (Python regius) and 29,000 Boa Constrictors (Boa constrictor constrictor). 

By 2000, more than 3.9 million households in the United States had one or more reptiles or amphibians as pets, representing a 44% increase in ownership from 1998. Today, that number has grown to 6 million households, according to the American Pet Products Association’s 2023–2024 survey. 

The rise in ownership came alongside the growth of the internet and social media, which created digital communities for pet owners, breeders and reptile expo vendors. These groups – on platforms like Facebook, Reddit, Pinterest and YouTube – can help people share care advice, nutritional information, disease identification and treatment and even rehoming. But the quality of information greatly varies, and much of it is incorrect and even harmful to these animals.  

At the same time, these digital spaces also made it easier to buy exotic animals, connect with breeders and created an easy platform for trafficking illegal animals. By normalizing the keeping of wild animals as pets, digital communities may also influence how people view wild animals in their natural habitats. 

Can reptiles and amphibians thrive in captivity?  

There is an ongoing debate as to whether the needs of reptiles and amphibians can be met in captivity. These animals are ectotherms, meaning they depend on their environmental conditions to regulate their body temperatures and behaviours. They are also not domesticated and have not undergone genetic selection that enhances their survival when living in captivity near or with humans. 

Our understanding of how complex these species are is rapidly growing. Reports have highlighted instances of play behaviour, alongside the instinctual need for movement and foraging activities. Substantial evidence has invalidated the previously conceived notion that reptiles and amphibians are predominantly unsocial, sedentary creatures, and do not need complex habitats. Still, understanding and meeting the environmental needs of the many reptile and amphibian species kept in captivity requires an extension amount of knowledge. 

Even zoos with expert staff often struggle to meet the needs of these animals. Pet owners are even less likely to have the space, equipment and knowledge to provide proper care. 

Out of nearly 4,000 reptile and amphibian species within the pet trade, very few have been studied in the wild. We lack critical data on the temperature, humidity, lighting and habitat space they need to stay healthy. 

Health and welfare challenges  

For reptiles and amphibians in the pet trade, survival depends heavily on proper care. Consequently, more than 70% of reptilian and amphibian illnesses are due to inadequate husbandry. 

Common issues include: 

• Metabolic bone diseases caused by poor diet, lighting, or temperatures 
• Facial and head injuries from interactions with enclosure walls 
• Burns from heat sources 
• Bites from other animals 
• Gastrointestinal blockages from eating bedding or not moving enough 

They are also at risk of emerging illnesses including infectious (bacterial, viral, fungal) and neurological diseases. These are often linked to unsanitary breeding facilities, poor transport conditions and intensive breeding practices. 

Our understanding of how poor care affects their behaviour and mental health is growing. While animal welfare now aims to ensure animals have a life worth living, many reptile and amphibian owners struggle to provide even the basics for survival. 

A poor fit for captivity 

Most reptiles and amphibians have evolved to live in very specific environments. That makes it especially hard for them to adjust to artificial conditions in captivity.  

Even trained veterinarians and experienced keepers often find it difficult to assess the well-being of these animals. Common beliefs, like “if they eat and move, they’re fine”, can lead to major welfare issues being overlooked. 

Poor welfare may show up as unusual behaviours, chronic stress, undetected injuries, illness, or premature death. 

It starts before the pet store  

Animal welfare isn’t just about how pets are cared for in homes. It’s also about how they are caught, bred, shipped and sold. These processes can have lasting effects on their health.  

For example:  

• Green Iguanas with no opportunity to climb lose muscle strength, which can cause reproductive problems. 
• Ball pythons reared in rack (drawer) systems that deprive them of stimulation are slower learners than when kept in complicated and stimulating environments.  

Beyond welfare issues, keeping reptiles and amphibians in captivity also raises serious concerns for species conservation, ecological disruption, the potential spread of exotic diseases to native animals and the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. 

Can we truly meet their needs?  

Is reptile and amphibian welfare just a matter of enhancing husbandry practices and treating illness and disease? Just because reptiles and amphibians can be kept alive and even breed in captivity, that does not mean they are thriving. 

Captivity often causes discomfort, fear and distress for wild animals, and does not allow for the expression of their normal behaviours. Even the best care guides can’t fully overcome these challenges.  

In the end, reptiles and amphibians kept as pets often live deeply limited lives, far from what they’d experience in the wild.  

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