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THE PETCO NEW REPTILE GUIDE
We’ll help you navigate the exciting journey into pet parenthood with helpful tips, expert guidance and shopping recommendations for all your milestones together.
1. Choosing the best habitat
Welcome them home with a habitat built for their specific needs.
1. Choosing the best habitat
Welcome them home with a habitat built for their specific needs.
Habitats and Enclosures
Terrarium Kits
Stands and Covers
- Habitats
- Terrarium Kits
- Stands and Covers
2. Building your reptile’s home
Help them feel safe and comfortable in their new home with these recommended essentials.
Substrate and Bedding
The right substrate should mimic their natural environment and support their species-specific humidity requirements.
Hideaways
Provide your new reptile with a safe place to hide, rest, sleep, cool off and shed.
Décor
Help enrich their habitat by providing them with places to bask, climb, hide and explore.
Heating and Lighting
Proper heating and lighting—including heat, light, a dome for heat and ultraviolet light bulbs designed for their species—are critical to keeping them healthy.
Humidity Control
Humidity requirements vary by species, and proper humidity is essential to keeping reptiles hydrated and to helping them shed their skin appropriately.
Thermometer and Humidity Gauges
Because they can’t regulate their body temperature, it’s essential to maintain the right temperature and humidity for their species to help them stay healthy.
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Substrate and Bedding
The right substrate should mimic their natural environment and support their species-specific humidity requirements.
-
Hideaways
Provide your new reptile with a safe place to hide, rest, sleep, cool off and shed.
-
Décor
Help enrich their habitat by providing them with places to bask, climb, hide and explore.
-
Heating and Lighting
Proper heating and lighting—including heat, light, a dome for heat and ultraviolet light bulbs designed for their species—are critical to keeping them healthy.
-
Humidity Control
Humidity requirements vary by species, and proper humidity is essential to keeping reptiles hydrated and to helping them shed their skin appropriately.
-
Thermometer and Humidity Gauges
Because they can’t regulate their body temperature, it’s essential to maintain the right temperature and humidity for their species to help them stay healthy.
- Bedding
- Hideaways
- Décor
- Heating
- Humidity Control
- Thermometer and Humidity Gauges
3. Finding the right nutrition
Set a strong foundation for their health with nutrition that provides the right vitamins and minerals for their specific species.
Commercially Available Food
Commercially available food is tailored to provide to provide complete and balanced nutrition for your reptile’s specific species.
Insects
Freeze-dried and live insects are an essential food source for many reptiles.
Frozen Food
May be an alternative option for some carnivorous species. Check with your vet to see if this is right for your reptile.
Food Bowl and Water Bowl
Helps keep their food and water clean from substrate, plus gives many reptiles who like to bathe a shallow place to soak.
Commercially Available Food
Commercially available food is tailored to provide to provide complete and balanced nutrition for your reptile’s specific species.
Insects
Freeze-dried and live insects are an essential food source for many reptiles.
Frozen Food
May be an alternative option for some carnivorous species. Check with your vet to see if this is right for your reptile.
Food Bowl and Water Bowl
Helps keep their food and water clean from substrate, plus gives many reptiles who like to bathe a shallow place to soak.
- Comercially Available Food
- Insects
- Frozen Food
- Food Bowl and Water Bowl
4. Keeping your reptile healthy
Help support their physical and mental health—and meet their environmental needs—by incorporating these items into your reptile’s routine.
4. Keeping your reptile healthy
Help support their physical and mental health—and meet their environmental needs—by incorporating these items into your reptile’s routine.
Supplements
Provide specific vitamins and nutrients they may not be able to produce themselves or get in their food. Check with your vet to see what supplements your reptile needs.
Cleaning Supplies
Make sure to clean their entire habitat at least every 3–4 weeks, depending on how many reptiles it houses, and spot clean it daily.
Filters and Pumps
Aquatic and semi-aquatic reptiles may swim in and drink the same water, so maintaining water quality is key to their health.
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Supplements
Provide specific vitamins and nutrients they may not be able to produce themselves or get in their food. Check with your vet to see what supplements your reptile needs.
-
Cleaning Supplies
Make sure to clean their entire habitat at least every 3–4 weeks, depending on how many reptiles it houses, and spot clean it daily.
-
Filters and Pumps
Aquatic and semi-aquatic reptiles may swim in and drink the same water, so maintaining water quality is key to their health.
- Supplements
- Cleaning Supplies
- Filters and Pumps
5. Understanding your reptile
Most reptiles are friendly and can learn to recognize you, but it’s important to give them time to settle into their new home and socialize. Below are some key facts to be aware of as you get to know your reptile.
Ectothermic
Because they get their body heat from outside sources, reptiles require heating bulbs and pads to keep them warm so they can stay healthy.
Salmonella
Reptiles carry salmonella, a bacteria that can cause illness in people, in their intestinal tracts, so it’s important to always wash your hands after handling them.
Hiding away
Hiding in décor can give your reptile a sense of security, a space to de-stress and a dark place for nocturnal species to sleep.
6. SPECIES-SPECIFIC CARE SHEETS
Once your reptile’s essentials are squared away, help support every aspect of their health by learning about the nuances of their specific species.
Pet Reptiles
Pet Lizards
Reptile Food & Supplies
Reptile Health & Wellness
Starter Kits For Reptiles
Reptile Carrier
Pet Snakes
Reptile Clothing & Accessories
Reptile Enclosures
Reptile Food
Starter Kits For Lizards
Reptile Kit & Terrariums Deals
Desert Reptile Supplies
Reptile Habitats & Enclosures
Reptile Carpet & Liners
Chameleon Pets
Reptile Food & Water Accessories
Reptile Skin & Eye Care
Reptile Holiday & Christmas Shop
Reptile Hideaways
Petco Pet Reptiles
Petco Pet Lizards
Reptilinks Snake Shop
Imagitarium Reptile Clothing & Accessories
Petco Amphibians
Exo-Terra Snake Shop
Petco Snake Shop
Exo-Terra Leopard Gecko Shop
Zoo Med Snake Shop
Zoo Med Crested Gecko Shop
Zilla Leopard Gecko Shop
Zoo Med Reptile Health & Wellness
Multipet Reptile Food & Water Accessories
Zoo Med Leopard Gecko Shop
Petco Turtles & Tortoises
Fluker's Snake Shop
Exo-Terra Crested Gecko Shop
Imagitarium Leopard Gecko Shop
T-Rex Snake Tanks & Terrariums
Reptilinks
I have just got a leopard gecko and i have settle it into its enclosure. What advice would you give for the on going care of the gecko?
I just got a bearded dragon, and it looks like it’s shedding. I have never had a bearded dragon before so I would like to know if you guys to check ups for reptiles?
I have a nile monitor and would just like to know some in dept tips on how to make sure he is getting what he needs and how he acts.
What is the best gecko or other small reptile for a beginning reptile keeper that is relatively cheap not counting snakes because my boyfriend won't let me have one. One of my local pet stores has tokay geckos and leopard geckos the other one has a couple more options within my price range but I am still asking for advice. I have a 20 gallon aquarium to keep it in at the moment but I can go larger as it grows if I need to
Please help with my chameleon
Hi there. So I am looking into getting a heat dome for my crested gecko. I know they don’t have to have a heat lam but I want him to have a UVB bulb Because it’s good for them. But I am not quite sure that type to get. Any suggestions? I was looking at petco’s tropical combo pack. He lives in a 10 g. With live plant. (I will upgrade when he is bigger) also do you know an age on him? I got him 3 months ago from petsmart. I could tell he was a male a week after I got him. (Pic from yesterday)
I adopted a sick Leopard Gecko from a local pet store. The pet store doesn't take good care of Leopard Geckos. They have dried Mealworms, no calcium, no humidity, and their all crowed in one hide. My Leopard Gecko Geo wasn't eating Mealworms or Crickets. She is underweight and her tail is skinny. I started to get concerned so I started syringe feeding her daily with ReptaBoost. Today I saw her throw up some of the mix. It looks like she was struggling to regurgitate. Also the humidity is high.
My Pet is a mid size lizard. Tegu began to tremble upper and lower toes. I could see his muscles spaz. He really cares for no food such as crickets and worms. He had a mouse 5 days ago. There was some soured watermelon in his cage I removed. I really do not want him to die.
We purchased this bearded dragon from a local pet store. As I have researching proper care for him, I have noticed that he may in fact be a Rankins dragon. I am just curious as to what he is so we can provide proper care and housing for him. Thank you.
My iguana has this what can I do
She shed this morning and she's eating Repashy as a main diet. 21°C and 65-85% (depending on time of the day) hydration. She "hugged" my finger with her tail and it felt as strong as usual. Last night I forgot to spray down her tank (45x45x60cm exo terra). She's eating as usual and moves around the tank as usual. Can I do anything to help her and identify the situation or should I take her to the vet?
I have a few questions about an ackie monitor. I want to eventually get one to add to my babies. Right now I have my beardie Loki, he is my baby. Can I build a wire cage with wood bottom half to allow soil nd sand mix for digging? Can I keep his cage outside like I do lokis? I don't see why gets a light when natural uvb is always better. What a good care sheet to read on them to learn what I need too.