Cats and dogs are obviously great pets, but they’re not for everyone. Some folks out there want to care for something different. If you’re looking for a more unconventional pet yourself, then perhaps you should consider some reptiles.
Lizards, turtles, and snakes are growing in popularity as pets, but is caring for one an option if you live in a small apartment?
That’s an important question that demands an answer. Let’s address it in detail in this article.
Will Your Landlord Allow You to Keep a Reptile?
Are you interested in caring for a pet reptile? Before you move forward with any purchases, you should first discuss that matter with your landlord.
Even if your landlord has no issues with cats and dogs, they may have a different opinion of reptiles. Take the time to talk to them so you can confirm one way or another if you can keep a reptile as a pet.
There’s a chance your landlord may not know much about keeping reptiles as pets. If that’s the case, you can educate them a bit so they can evaluate your request better.
Can All Reptiles Live Comfortably inside a Small Tank And Does It Fit In Apartment?
Reptiles like lizards, snakes, and turtles can live inside tanks. However, you may only be able to fit a small tank inside your apartment.
Will your small tank be an issue? Well, that depends on what type of reptile you’re getting.
Just like other pets, reptiles can grow to different sizes. Your aim should be to find a type of reptile that doesn’t grow too big so a relatively small tank will suit them for their entire life.
Pet Keen notes that corn snakes, milk snakes, and worm snakes work as great pets precisely because they don’t become especially big when they mature. Look for those types of snakes if you want to keep a pet inside your small apartment.
How Warm Should My Pet’s Tank Be
Most of the time, cats and dogs can stay in an apartment without experiencing any issues related to the temperature. They can be perfectly comfortable even at room temperature. On warm days, they may even enjoy staying in an air-conditioned room together with you.
While cats and dogs are low-maintenance pets when it comes to home temperature, the same thing cannot be said about pet reptiles. Reptiles need heat to function properly. Without heat, even maintaining regular blood circulation can be a challenge for reptiles.
You have to account for heating when you are setting up your pet’s housing. Thankfully, there are numerous lamps and heating bulbs available these days that you can use to heat up the tank. Those fixtures should also pair well with small tanks.
Heating should not be an issue for your pet reptile.
Can You Handle Feeding Your Pet Reptile?
We cannot talk about pet care without discussing the topic of feeding. It should come as no surprise that feeding reptiles is way different from feeding cats and/or dogs.
For starters, you can buy manufactured pet food for your furry friends. You can do that for turtles, but lizards and snakes require different food.
Most pet lizards feed on different types of bugs. Worms, crickets, and cockroaches happen to be among their favorites.
Snakes will also eat insects, but some of them favor rodents. If the thought of feeding rodents to a snake makes you squeamish, then you should probably consider a different pet for your apartment.
How Should You Interact with Your Pet Reptile?
Interacting with pet reptiles can be tricky. They don’t necessarily mind interacting with their owner every now and then, but too much handling can also stress them out.
You should be mindful of your reptile’s demeanor to understand if they are reacting well to your handling and other attempts at interaction. If you start to notice a change in your pet’s typical behavior, then consider holding off on handling them for a while.
Caring for reptiles is possible even if you live in a small apartment. We at TAILored Pet Services do NOT care for reptiles but we have a list of pet sitters who do. If you need help you securing care for your pet reptiles while you’re out of town, contact us for their names.
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