If you’ve ever lived somewhere with an abundance of reptiles, you may have considered catching one to keep as a pet. But reptiles born in the wild are significantly different from those born in captivity. Nature Box Pet Emporium in Aurora, CO, is here to shed some light on why it’s always better to only keep captive-born reptiles as pets.
You Will Know The Genetic History
When you breed reptiles, you have control over their bloodlines and can select for specific traits. This is especially important for rare or endangered species. With wild-caught reptiles, there may be diseases or complications caused by inbreeding.
Maintaining a Healthy Population
By only making captive bred reptiles pets, you are helping maintain a balanced ecosystem in the area you live. If people regularly made wild-caught lizards and amphibians pets, it could decrease the population and allow their natural prey, often bugs and rodents, to run wild.
Tolerance Towards Humans
One of the best parts about owning an exotic reptile is that you get to touch and hold them. Wild-caught reptiles have a much lower tolerance to this as they were not raised with regular interaction from humans like their captive-bred counterparts.
Healthier Little Friends
Captive-bred reptiles are typically healthier and hardier than their wild-caught counterparts, as they have been raised in a controlled environment with ideal diet and care. By breeding your own reptiles, you’re also helping cut down on the transportation of the more exotic critters over long distances that can take a significant toll on their health.
So if you’re looking to make a new friend, don’t go out and catch one, take the time to get to know them at your local pet store. Nature Box Pet Emporium in Aurora, CO is a great place to meet new reptiles looking for a loving forever home. Don’t forget to check out our video below to learn about the reproduction and care of reptile eggs!