Our Vetting Process

Reptile education outreach — the same husbandry knowledge that goes into every animal we place.

Every species has specific needs. Our goal is to match you with animals that fit your experience and lifestyle, so the animal you take home is one you can keep well for many years to come. We're here to educate and help you grow as a keeper, so that both you and our animals have a lifetime of amazing experiences.

What vetting matches you on

Five axes, and they're the same five every animal on this site is rated on.

• Difficulty — How much a species forgives. Some leave room for mistakes. Some don't.
• Care Time — The time it takes to meet the animal's physical needs: feeding, cleaning, humidity, enclosure upkeep. Some species also need regular handling, or they won't be handleable as adults.
• Footprint — Floor space at full grown size. Undersized housing doesn't keep a snake small, it stresses them.
• Vertical Space — Nearly every snake will climb given the chance. Arboreal and semi-arboreal species need real height to feel secure and behave normally.
• Adult Size — It sets the enclosure, the prey size, and how the animal is handled.

In vetting you tell us where you land on each one. We compare that against every animal's requirements, axis by axis. The store filters on the same five if you'd rather look on your own first.

If you already know the animal you want

Read its care guide before anything else. Adult size, enclosure, temperatures, humidity, feeding — the real requirements, in enough detail to tell you whether the animal suits your space or whether something needs to change first.

Keepers grow

Vetting isn't once and done. Room opens up, experience adds up, a setup gets upgraded — submit a new questionnaire and species that were out of reach come into it. If there's one you want and you're not there yet, tell us. We'll lay out what it takes to be ready for it — that's the animal we want you to end up with.

The Responsible Keeper Agreement

Every animal goes home with one signed. It covers that animal's care and exactly what to expect from us while we fill the order. Sign it in advance or at checkout, whichever suits you.

Questions are welcome at any point — while you're deciding, and long after the animal is home. Reach out to us any time.