Prepared for a Pet Reptile? #ReptileCare

Delicious Reptile Pets

It was a regular day. Nothing much happening in the neighborhood. Rocco came inside the house after hours of prowling, had himself a snack and, as usual, jumped up on the table. He stopped in his tracks!

There was a big glass box on the table that he had never seen before. He decided to inspect it. It smelled different than anything he has smelled before, but definitely like there might be something to eat somewhere close by. 

After much sniffing and circling the thing, he gave up to groom himself. He lifted his leg above his head and got to work, but just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move! Yes, he most certainly saw movement. He stayed perfectly still, watching and waiting. It moved again!

He quickly came out of his cat yoga pose and sat, staring intently into the glass box at the little brown lizard. Rocco just sat and stared, perhaps trying to will his way past the glass to get a taste of that thing. This new pet reptile is a perfect snack size, after all.

Where did it come from? 

My son brought home a blue belly lizard, so wallah! We are now proud reptile parents! I’d thought about reptile ownership before, but I envisioned a small snake or maybe a pet turtle.  

Dragon, as the kids named him, lived those first days in a cardboard box with air holes and a piece of plastic over one side; a handmade terrarium made by my son because he wanted to keep his lizard so badly. Though he was cute and fun to watch, I was hoping the lizard would be returning to the wilderness. But, after those few days, my son had such a strong bond and was taking excellent care of Dragon, so I didn’t have the heart to let him go.

What do I know about reptile care? 

I babysat a bearded dragon for a few days once a long time ago…no, I don’t know much. My husband took our kid to PetSmart® to find out what was needed to properly care for a lizard. He found someone there who was knowledgeable while I searched online from home for information.

I wish the petMD® Reptile Care Center had been around when we were first learning about how to care for reptiles, but they are available now and we still have tons to learn. 

This post is sponsored by petMD Reptile Center, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping
spread the word about Reptile Ownership, but Rascal and Rocco only
share information we feel is relevant to our readers. petMD and
PetSmart are not responsible for the content of this article.

For instance, did  you know that some reptiles respond to their name? Some show affection or pleasure when you stroke their head or neck.

I loved reading this article from petMD: Can Your Reptile Bond with You?

“There’s no doubt in my mind that people can create wonderful bonds with reptiles… It may not be the same relationship you get with another kind of
pet like a dog or cat, but it’s not any less rewarding. It’s just a
different bond.”says Lorelei Tibbetts, LVT, VTF in the article.

Includes 3 great tips for ways to bond with your reptile pet.

Are you thinking of buying a lizard or other reptile? 

PetMD can help you find the right reptile for your family and lifestyle and provide you with tips on reptile care. 

Now that Dragon has become a part of our family, yes Rocco, he’s family, he’s brought much joy and has helped my son learn and grow. He’s never been more responsible! He’s 8 years old and not fond of reading and writing, but he made a calendar with a feeding schedule, a list of care instructions, and makes sure the best lizard ever is well taken care of every day, all without anyone asking him to.

He brings Dragon out of his terrarium and Dragon will run up and down his arm and across the front of his shirt. He likes to perch up on top of my son’s shoulder. I can tell he’s gotten comfortable with him. We all love having Dragon as part of our family.

Right now during Reptile Mega Month at PetSmart you can save up to 50% on select terrariums. Get everything you need to care for a new pet lizard, including the lizard!