So true, even with non-reptile pets. My partner just got two Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, the animals themselves were $5 each, but the set-up totaled to about $100 (he already had the enclosure and a bunch of decor).
@@paigethecurtain Its nice they already had the tank. This is going to be my first reptile, so I had to get a 20 gallon tank (if the gecko gets too big for it I will upgrade) and that alone was $100.
You're absolutely right. Its that initial setup that costs the most. Making sure the husbandry is correct costs a great deal especially if your not considered a "handy man" or have the tools necessary to make the enclosure. Hell, i just got a baby Ackie last week and i spent (Including the Ackie) probably over $2,000 easily.
There are some expensive morphs of most things... but overall I agree. The enclosure, light, food and proper equipment is the most important and expensive part (asides the time you want to put to it)
Yep My sister bought a Green Iggy in the late 80s for $9.00 and they litter trained it and it free roamed in there house and live quite comfortably for 22 years.
Aw, how neat! Thanks for sharing that story, I love that. They were lucky it wasn't one that became aggressive at maturity. I'm really happy they worked out a way to keep everyone happy! 22 is a very respectable span for a captive iguana- they can get older than that but particularly with being purchased in the 80s when we still knew less than we do now about the specifics of care I would say it's impressive! Hooray for your sis and her friend.
@@LadyTroubadour Yeah, she was really Chil, but the had another one that they had for 10 years along the same time period too Her life was cut sort to being eggbound.
As someone who works at PetSmart, please buy from a reputable breeder. We do our best but sometimes there’s only so much we can do when we get the animals in sick ☹️
It's really sad when people buy animals and aren't willing to put in the time and money that it takes to care for that animal. It's particularly bad for cheap animals since people seem to think that, because the animal was cheap, the care is (or should be) cheap. Some people will even ignore recommended care requirements just to stick with that mentality. Luckily, some of that can be chocked up to just people not doing research or being misinformed, so once they're armed with the right information, they can try to make the right decision. With channels like this helping to spread good information, hopefully there will be fewer bad pet purchasing decisions. Great video.
I really despise people who impuls buy any pet, no matter if lizard, hamster or cat. Pets are expensive - money and time wise. If you don't think about it, you shouldn't have a pet. I always wanted a dog (big one like Newfoundland), but I live in small flat and work 10-12 hours a day. I have money to feed this giant and pay for vet bills, but I don't have time (and space) to take care of it properly. So I don't have Newfoundland even though I really, really want one. I have seen hamsters in shoe box size cages, birds without feathers, skinny snakes and rats with tumours bigger than their heads. Owners of those animals wont go to the vet with them cause they wont spend 200$ for animal that cost couple of bucks. Its easier (and cheaper) to let them die and just buy a new one. That scares me and pisses me of all the time.
@LienSmoczyca I hate those people too but luckily I do a lot of research before deciding that I want an animal and if it’s not right for me or I won’t have enough time for it when I’m older I won’t put it on my list (I want to be a vet/crazy reptile lady when I’m older but starting with a blue tongue skink in a few months (which are pretty cheap to buy in Australia) because I like them and I’ve been doing research all year)
@@LienSmoczyca im 10 and I spend so much time on my hamsters they have a 850 sqaure inches of floor space cage they have a good diet a bunch o toys and hide outs and a paly pen
This actually could be helpful for impulse buyers, maybe they can realise that the overall cost is WAY more than just getting that cheap iguana. Cool vid.
I think most people don't realize that no reptiles are cheap. I know that there are some ridiculously expensive reptiles but even the " cheap " ones still cost a lot in the long run. After buying an enclosure, lights, or a heat pad+thourmostat, feeders, substrate, hides, enrichment, etc.. you will spend well over $100 no matter what reptile you get. And the on going cost is never going to end. You are going to constantly be paying for food, calcium, vitamins, and lights. Reptiles are definitely not cheap.
Ok, just because you mentioned it in the video, I gotta tell you about my friend. My friend has 4 iguanas, (plus some tegus and beardies). I've met 3 of the iguanas and all of them are super sweet, really calm and love hanging out with people. I don't know the full story, but I know all of them are rescues, and most of them were angry, defensive creatures when she got them (likely because they weren't very well taken care of before). It's incredible to see how sweet they are now vs how they were before. Also, interestingly, she just lets them free roam her house, they don't have enclosures (that I know of) they just chill in her house with her dog and her cats, roaming around as they please and cuddling in her lap when they feel like it. Anyways, she's amazing and definitely a very special woman to be able to not only handle multiple iguanas, but to tame them down. Just thought you might find that interesting. :)
My very first reptile was a green iguana named Riley. I got her when I was 19. And she was great!!!! I have pictures of her with my first born daughter. She was totally tame!!! My daughter would crawl around and kiss her. Then my daughter would walk around and love on her when she was bigger.
I'd love to learn how to take down mine ! She's not running away as much as she was when I approach her but she still watches every move I make . She's so smart and inquisitive. But still won't let me touch HER
@@tammysorensen6197 Romans 10:9 “..if thou shalt confess that with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe that God raised him from the dead, then you are saved” I don’t know if you already believe in God and have a relationship with him but I think our time may be running out until Jesus comes back and gets us, I want you to get a relationship with him because he does love you and he blesses you everyday of your life and every second so may you please give your life to him before it’s too late, do what is right please and your efforts will not go unrewarded so please start praying to him and reading a Bible so you can grow your relationship with him. “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Matthew 7:24 NLT Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior please Ask me if you have any questions If you need a Bible then download the KJV Bible app it also has prayers for you God bless you and have a good dayh
I feel you. I rescued a red tail boa (true red tail, I got SO lucky) for cheap... but she had a respiratory infection and scale rot and I had to completely overhaul her tank. I have no idea how much it cost but it's been a year and now shes growing out of it... not loving the idea of yet another giant spend for a new enclosure but I love her so I'll do it lol
I'm so thankful my uncle made and cut his own trees to make my iguana enclosure. 6×5×5ft 😳 and adding more once she gets bigger bit her huge enclosure I got for only 20 dollars. :) Now feeding her everyday and vet and lights and everything else is **Expensive**
It’s like when I got a “free cat” who needed to go through all his adult shots and get dental surgery because he was a stray. He ended up costing as much as a cat from an animal shelter. There’s no such thing as a free cat.
I get really angry when I see people purchasing expensive cats or dogs. There are thousands if not millions of "free cats" running around that no one is willing to care for. I really wish people would get a cactus instead of a cat when they want to brighten up a new apartment. Cats are a 20 year commitment that aren't right for that many people....the care guide for a cat is A LOT more intense than most reptiles.
Exquisite Corpse if it makes you feel better I have 3 dogs that cost over $2,000 each. Or should I have went into Brooklyn and get a cat with bone disease mites shots that are needed and surgeries. Or I can just leave the cat alone because it’s clearly living fine on the streets of NYC
Exquisite Corpse Some people want a certain Breed that doesn’t have a million health problems that ones in the street might have, I really want a st Bernard or Newfie and they can cost abt 3,000 you shouldn’t bash people for wanting a certain breed. I have several free animals, my oldest dog was free along with like 6 of my cats, but I’m not gonna bash people for wanting to have a certain animal
My hometown carnival had a couple years where, swear to god, baby green iguanas were given out as prizes at the goldfish game. So many iguanas died. I remember being super mad I didn't win one but as an adult looking bad I am so happy.
Glad you started off with a Chinese water dragon. My girlfriend bought one and let's just say that she (and I since we live together) has learned that our Leviathan (Levi for short) will be our most expensive reptile despite being rather inexpensive upon purchase. Right now, we have her in a 35 gallon that our beardie used to live in- but we know we need to get her something bigger and probably soon since she's grown a bit from when we bought her. I definitely recommend that if someone looks into having a Chinese water dragon that they do their research first, because my girlfriend and by extension myself had gone into this blind and immediately had issues. You have to research your substrate, your foods, and enclosures. Not to mention make sure you have the budget for all of those things and any medical issues that might come with your dragon. Our girl ended up with an eye infection shortly after we brought her home and it took almost a month to clear up after visiting our vet. Do your research, don't just buy these guys because you want something cool looking, and be ready for making lots of water changes, haha.
I bought my bearded dragon from petsmart. She was on discount as well because she got so big so quickly. She was eatting too much food and they needed to get rid of her. She is super healthy and has no problems. Knock on wood - she's almost 5 years old.
Green Iguanas are definitely a mixed bag. I had one who was an absolute sweetheart, only aggression he ever showed was tail-whipping an overly curious, rambunctious cat. We even allowed him to free roam the house regularly. The next one I got, however... I still have a nice scar on my finger to remember him by.
@@PapiiGiio First one was an old boy when I got him, died of old age years before I got the second. Second I had to rehome along with my BCI due to moving.
@@DesolatedMaggot awe rip mr guana, hes probably bobbing his head in heaven, and sorry to hear for the other one, yk it's not too late to get a new friend
Glad to see footage of my breeding pair was helpful! I wholeheartedly agree that Chinese water dragons ARE NOT cheap animals to keep. The fact that they are all wild-caught (except for the few breeders such as myself) and that they will cost easily $500+ to setup makes them a difficult lizard form most keepers looking to "save a buck" on the sick, $25 Chinese water dragon.
I remember going to my local exotics store, where none of their reptiles are cheap, and a couple were looking and looking and looking. Finally they pulled over a staff member and asked why the normal looking ball python was $50, but all the morph ball pythons were $200+? So in layman's terms, the staff member tried to give a short explanation about time and money put into breeding genetic traits. The couple didn't seem to take any of it in because they were like "well, can we get a cool looking one for under $100?" Of course the staff member told them the normals were the only ones, and the couple was like "well we already have one of those. We want one of the cool colorful ones, like that yellowish purple one (banana)." Well the banana was $250, and they didn't want to pay that. So they left unhappy. lol. Yup. I don't think there is a such thing as a cheap reptile. On the other hand, GOOD choices for reptiles that are "cheap-er" like leopard geckos and corn snakes would be a cool idea to follow this video up with. I remember when I got my first reptile it was a leopard gecko (unfortunately from PetSmart because I was young and stupid). But I still walked out of PetSmart paying over $200 for the initial set up and everything. Tank, hides, vitamin and calcium powder, crickets and mealworms, heat mat, etc. And back then i thojght that was expensive. These days I'm dropping twice that for an individual reptile on MorphMarket or at a reptile show. lol. Sorry for my long rant. Can't wait to see your guys' move and new reptile room.
@@lunarminx I remember I was in pet co and guy bhought green anole in from the wild and said he doesn't want to buy it and brought a pet box form the trash the next week I went in to just look and the green anole "cage" was empty and th worker said they was just dropping dead idk if the wild lizard had a diesae or wht
Great subject and well covered. My heart breaks when I do rescues and see what people keep their "cheap" animals in. Setups really need to be factored into the cost of a pet. I hate that shops sell the animals without verifying the setup or even that people have knowledge of what they're going to need. It begins to border on animal abuse at that point.
I rescue too, and always find myself biting my lip to stay polite to the 'owners'. Sometimes the worst are the ones that have 'rescued' the animal themselves, yet are still keeping them in the wrong conditions!
I like how no snakes came up because for the most part snakes are easy to take care of and can't really cause you extreme harm unless you buy something huge like a Burmese python or something with deadly venom like a black mamba
@@WickensWickedReptiles I have a video idea: Can you do a list of reptiles and amphibians that can live in a 10 gallon? I currently have my crested gecko in a 10 gallon turned on its side, but I'm upgrading her to a 20 gallon tall soon. But I was wondering what I could put in the 10 gallon once it becomes vacant???
I love your videos. I use to work at a big name pet store only about 3 of 20 workers cared about the animals. Our reptile guy was fantastic he would tell people "no I won't sell it" if they had no research, supplies, etc. He was also great at confrontation. It is so disappointing so many stores don't have educated and caring workers.
So true. I’m in Finland and I paid over $300 for our iguana (from a Swedish breeder). Over here you get those reptile only by asking and then waiting, they don’t have them in pet shops. I think it’s a good thing that they cost and take some effort to find, to prevent the “look a nice little lizard for $15 let’s buy it LOL - WELP it got big””-thing.
By the way, I still have 2 HUGE turtles that my parents thought "cute" as the size of a coin when I was a child. I had 4, actually, but the red ear ones (male and female) became very aggressive over time and I gave them to a person who had the space and knowledge to take them as adults, keeping only the two brazilian yellow ear slider females, that are way more docile, and while as you say they do need a huge enclosure, they are my pets since I was 6, and they coexist without fighting or biting each other... but if I had to choose a reptile as an adult, I wouldn't have gotten them. Lucky for me I also have experience with aquarium and amphibians, so maintaining the water is pretty much like maintaining the water for one of my big fish tanks. But seriously people, get small turtles or face the expense that comes with it when they reach the size of your head and are 30+ years old.
So glad you said green iguana. I got my first green iguana as a total rookie. Boy, I learned quickly! While I loved both igs I have had, I wouldn't do it again unless I had a LOT more time, and lived where I could build an outside enclosure.
I would definitely want a video on why you shouldn't buy from Petco and PetSmart. It would be perfect to recommend to people who think that buying from chain pet stores is a good idea
I went to a reptile expo recently. Saw some toads I haven't seen before and I fell in love with them! They were Purple Harlequin Toads, and after some researching I found that its near impossible to breed them in captivity. They looked amazing, but I'm glad that I didnt cave and bring one home with me.
How about how they sold me a sick chameleon and after about 3 weeks of having him he started keeping his eyes closed mind you hes in a like 500 dollar setup so my husbandry is on point. i took him to the vet and paid like 200 buck for them to tell me he was super impacted and there was nothing they could do. And i went to PetSmart before i took him to the vet and a employee told me they knew something was up with him cuz he didn't grow but couldn't do anything to help me cuz it was past 14 days so it wasn't their problem anymore.so basically i think everyone should sign a petition so they cant sell chameleons anymore because they cant house them correctly an they're selling you an animal that already has issues an they're not getting them from reliable breeders they're getting them from people that just farm them so quality doesn't matter to them its all about the quantity of the animal an after 2 weeks they don't gaf !and to top it off i spent like 3 thousand dollars their in the last 2 months for enclosures an ect for all my animals an that's how they did me?! Personally idt ill ever buy anything else their unless im stuck buying feeders from them. 😤 also i seen their they were trying to sell ball pythons that still had egg yolks all over them still which means they haven't even taken a meal yet that says alot bout their character their in my opinion.. they're a chain pet store that only cares bout profit not the care of the animal an if it dies before the 14 days they'll just give you a new one to shut you up! Sorry bout the rant but i just really wanted to get this out!
I'm really glad I watched this video. A few weeks ago, I found an American Toad in my backyard, and I decided to keep it for the week, then release it in the creek. I did keep it and release it at the end of the week, but I also found a baby snapping turtle, while riding my bike. I didn't keep that, though I did want to. This video really helped me realize why this is a bad idea. Thanks!
Love the idea of this video and I agree, if a cheap price tag is your driving force to get a reptile, you probably are very under-prepared and that animal will not be living its best life with you. A correction about the Butler's Garter snake, it is endangered in Ontario, so did you mean the Eastern Garter snake? Best of luck with your move and we can't wait to see the new reptile room!!
Please make a video about the horrors of Petco and Petsmart. The world needs it. My neighborhood Petco still sells green iguanas. I think it's ridiculous. I want a green iguana in the future, but I would never buy one from Petco/Petsmart. And I don't think anyone who buys animals from there is ready for an iguana of any kind.
I didn't know any of this when I rescued my green iguana. He turned out to be my best buddy. He had run of my house when I was home....I am from the desert (which is a high humidity desert), he had lots of sunshine and a big set up. He went everywhere with me and was such a great companion. I did learn later how most people didn't share my experience. 😂. But to be fair I had a lot of time to work with him.
I love how you said that you wouldn't name the website then put the price tag and I instantly knew. also on that not can you make a video on what websites are good to buy from
I got really lucky with my corn snake. I actually caught him here in Kansas where I live. What's really special about him is the phase or morph of him isn't found native here in Kansas. I think that he was probably a yearling or younger when I caught him. He was so docile when I caught him, he didn't try to bite or musk on me. I quarantined him for a few months just incase he was sick or had any problems which I didn't figure he had because he was in really good shape. I've now had him for about 8yrs and he has been such a great pet.
If the morph isn’t native then he might just be an escaped pet or the offspring of an escaped pet but it’s still pretty dumb to keep a wild caught snake. Besides corn snakes are one of the most common and cheapest snakes to buy so what’s the point of just catching one from outside.
@@ajsowner6673 I had several snakes that were wild caught when I was in middle school and high school that were great pets. I only kept them if they were healthy and I could tame them down. The corn snake that I caught was caught in the flowers outside at a Dillons that I used to work at so my theory is that he may have came in one of the floral trucks. He was just a yearling or younger when I caught him and I had him checked out by a vet to make sure he was in atleast good health and the vet told me that he was in excellent health. I have researched different morphs of corn snakes and he looks like a Miami phase which is found in Florida. I named him Monty and I've had him for about 8yrs now and I honestly couldn't ask for a better snake. I get yearly checkups done on him and Scar, who is my Siniloan milksnake and I've had him for about 15yrs. The vet that I take them to always complements me on how great they are and how healthy they are. Now on your comment about it being dumb to keep wild snakes. I have had alot of experience volunteering at a veterinary clinic and at a pet store that specialized in reptiles along with my own experience with studying snakes since I was in elementary school. Now, for a person who hasn't had any experience like this, it isn't a good idea to keep a wild snake. In my case, I have the knowledge and personal experience that I knew how to take care of Monty and if you would like to see pictures of him and see how wonderful of a pet he is then just simply leave me your email address and I'll show you.
Brandon Bower I did you caught a wild reptile that lives in the desert in Kansas and you stole him from his habitat so you can put him in a small glass tank
I had a 4’ Iguana in the late 80s. He was awesome. I had a huge enclosure with a big piece of a tree in it for him. He was an easy feeder, not overly aggressive (tail whips do suck, even when he pulled his punches) and very beautiful. Care was pretty easy too. So, while I agree that the cost of care/housing wasn’t minuscule, overall he was a great lizard and with the investment. I wouldn’t hesitate to have another one. I would also say that if someone has the room and the funds to house a fully grown iguana, go for it. They’re pretty cool.
I love taming down animals and don't mind medical bills but i will always go captive bred. A good cheep animal that is not a long term comitment because they live 2 years tops is mice small cute and do not need elaborate care.
OMG! I'm so glad you had Iguanas on this list! At 22, I bought one (M) for $5 (I'm a F;54 now) at a street festival. I also purchased a 10gal tank ($5) at the same venue... After 6mo, I moved into my very first apartment (2 brm) and Charlie was quite happy with his room along with access to the rest of the apartment. Mind you.... I also had Midnight (cat) and BidDaddy (Boa), who all cohabitated nicely (free range). Big mistake but, I kept everything clean (both manually and professional) and had made sure they had regular vet checks. ALL that to say this... Charlie was a so affectionate and a joy until.....his terrible teens and the physical scars (tail lashes), I still have but, the memories will ALWAYS be remembered! Newbies don't need Iguanas or Boa's as beginners (I made ALL the mistakes) but, you learn as you go! Have a wonderful safe and blessed weekend! Peace & Blessings!
I can assure you that red eared sliders are a lottt of work. We got ours at a carnival when it was a tiny baby not knowing what we were getting into. Fast forward eight years later my turtle is nearly 9 inches in a huge tub enclosure and has cost far over 1000 dollars to take care of. I feel bad for all the other turtles that were given at that carnival because I am almost positive that very few of them were actually taken care of properly.
I remember finding a red ear slider at middle school that was released, I grabbed it and took it to my science teacher who had a lot of experience with animals and had a water tank that we had just released fish out of into a lake so she ended up keeping him. Now he is healthy big boy swimming in a fat tank.
this is off topic but im picking up a western hognose next saturday!! im naming her cheyenne after the native american tribe, also because they are from the wyoming area haha
Ya for my 15th birthday I found them at a swap mart and bought him for 15dollars. They said be stays that small. I didny know better. I love him and he got sick and eyes swelled from a vitamin deficiency. I saved him and started dusting his food. Gave him a bigger tank. With a filter. Thought we had everything. And his shell started coning. I loved him so much and a turtle rescue took him from us and found him an amazing home. He didnt have mbd and was healthy. Because we tried but we didn't know and there wasn't much info out there at all at the time. And I to the day feel awful
I feel your pain on this. I had two reptiles that passed in my care cause back in the day I didn't know.. no one knew and reptile keeping was new as a hobby. A eastern ribbon garter snake, passed because all the books and I was told that goldfish were fine with just adding some vitamins to the water. Total lie btw.. Another lived a lot longer. I was sold a 'short-tailed' leopard gecko... at the time I had no idea there was no such thing. I just like his stumpy tail. He was great. Ate like a champ, dusted and gut loaded crickets (thats all they knew to tell us to feed him back then). Died after 4 or 5 years.? Suddenly just stopped eating. Learned this year actually. My leo was TINY, and they regrow their tails. So my guess is there was just something straight up wrong with him from the start.
lol 3 years ago I was getting into the hobby and had a beginner knowledge of reptiles. I went out and bought a green iguana, not just because it was cheap but because I was only looking at the pros. He is still alive and doing very well and he actually is pretty mellow as iguanas go. I disagree with all the backlash. I feel like people just don't know how to take care of them and tame them, and make correct enclosures. My iguana does cost a lot to maintain, but I love him and he's fine with me being there.
I have a niece that's always loved animals , when she was little I took her to a lake near my home in Tennessee. It was summer and baby turtles were hatching. We stopped catching when we had 200. They were everywhere. I bought a couple of big baby pools and kept the turtles for a couple of days then took them back to the lake. I also caught 3 water snakes on accident. At least I think that they were water snakes , they were snakes and they were in the water...haha. My niece is a Vet now, I'm proud of her.
I’ve been surfing the Chanel due to just now finding it and one thing I’d love to stress is save up for your reptiles. These are living beings. If you get cheap ones you’ll never care for them the way they deserve. Do your research, find local reptile shops, and make sure it’s what you truly want
Thanks for the video! Eventhough I am not planning on buying a reptile any time soon, I'm allready starting my research a bit so I know what I'm getting myself in to and what is affordable and what isn't over a longer period of time. And this was really helpfull
These major pet stores treat their animals terribly and buy from reptile farms. The reptiles tend to be sickly, emaciated, and poorly taken care of. I’ve seen so many ball pythons where you can see their ribs or mites crawling on them or tortured by their stuck shed. It’s truly horrifying and sickening. If you don’t want to pay for shipping, then wait for an expo to be scheduled nearby or find a specialty pet store that works with local breeders!
I really enjoy watching videos of people with their pet igunas. It almost makes me forget that people pay $100s for them, where I live...to eat them. I think they're really cool to look at when they're high up in trees and stuff but if you're an iguna lover, probably never come to Trinidad. When it's hunting season, you see so many with their little limbs tied behind their back, lining the pavement. You see the people selling them, holding a bunch of them by their tails like some weird iguana bouquet. So seeing people actually have igunas as pets, once they're treated properly, is actually really refreshing. I had no idea thet they were considered cheap anywhere. They're like $400 for a small one here.
My first reptile was a crested gecko which personally I think that is a great pet for anyone who is just starting out because they are relatively cheap and a relatively easy to keep and low maintenance
Yes. A common thread in the "advanced animal bought by beginner" problem is large litter/clutch size. When a gaboon viper pops out 40 babies, where do they go? Burmese pythons, retics, same deal. Even worse, the morph craze has got a lot of people racing to the next $5k combo, so they're essentially forcing themselves to produce hundreds of hets in the process........and where do they go?
I keep watching your videos and hear you say how "expensive" some setups are like $3-500 for a turtle. I live in Australia and paid $1,600 for a carpet python, tank, lamps, lights substrate and everything else. But seriously, love your vids and seeing your passion for reptiles.
Yes, PLEASE do a video on Petsmart / Petco. Not a lot of people really believer or want to believe that these stores are extremely abusive, give out wrong pet care info and have a literal warehouse pet mill of horrors. We need more pet tubers to cover this topic, so more people know.
I've only ever seen 1 savannah monitor when I volunteered in a reptile shop. She used to sit on my shoulder for hours she was amazing, so friendly! I'd love one but honestly they grow so big I just don't have the space Edit: I cried when somebody brought her
Long time viewer and really appreciate this video. I work at one of those big box stores and I am lucky that my store is one of a very few were every one is knowledgeable and doesn't sell people a baby iguana in a 10gal or a chameleon with a fish tank. I also would like to repeat your views on farm raised/ WC. I predominately work with WC animals and work with colleges on mine to form breeding stock and a captive population. I feel as people are really quick to bash keeping WC animals. To be clear, THEY ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE. Especially if its your first second or maybe eve your 10th reptile. They key is to understand the care and responsibility needed to acclimate and treat these animals and get your feet wet with the basics with a CB. But without people who know what their doing, blood lines get clogged up or species disappear from the hobby if no one decides to work with WC
I think the message of this video pretty much can be applied to most pets in general. You may be able to obtain the animal for cheap, but to properly care for them is where you really run into the expense. It's interesting too, it seems like some of the pets you can buy for relatively cheap, seem to be some of the most expensive to care for.
I took 3 red eared sliders and a yellow bellied slider from a pond In Oklahoma, kept them for 5 years, then rereleased them when I was a kid, it was awesome. One was pretty big.
I had a big male green iguana growing up, he was a sweetheart but DEFINITELY not easy. He had free range of half my bedroom and not everyone is up for that. (We had set up perches and basking spots/renovated just for him R.I.P. Momo)
A non-reptile which is also a great example of "cheap but actually not" are hermit crabs. I own four of them, and the overall set up is pretty costly. Since they are scavangers food is very cheap, but they still require big tanks, tons of substrate, tons of decor, saltwater, heating... So yeah, not what you would expect for a pet that cheap. I live in Italy, and I got them for 10$ each. Luckly I had done previous reasearch, so I knew what I was getting.
I was one of these people when i bought my savannah monitor but im also a metal fabricator with alot of experience in different materials so i will make sure his adult life is spent in the best possible enclosure my skills can provide.
My green iguana enclosure cost me about $10. I got an old armoire off Craigslist for free and bought some screen for the doors. Had the light fixtures laying around and bam. Hes a happy dude. And pretty relaxed given he's still young.
Ok, so in my teen years I got a savannah monitor. He was extremely sweet, never bit except for once, and that was it. pooped on me probably once, but was a cuddle bug and had the run of the house and laid around with the dogs. My 2 iguanas were the same, very laid back and loved being able to run around the house. They all had huge enclosures and the best care.
I feel like the reason Savannah monitors are so difficult is because people don't really know how to keep them, there's lot of conflicting information, and they're widely imported, because we don't know how to care for them in captivity so they won't breed for us.
The website for the red ear slider was underground reptiles, I’ve bought about 12 reptiles from them and they’re amazing with their animals!!! I would recommend giving them a shot
Agreed green iguanascan have nasty atitudes but have had 4. And look forward to getting another. They require a lot more space than most are willing or able to provide. And power outages and how to overcome sub 60 F temps are something that needs to be planted for.
I think you should always think can I afford to feed and house an animal before you buy it, not to mention vet care and the future. What will happen to the pet if you can no longer look after it? Etc VERY good video! Hopefully it’ll make people think before they splurge on an impulse buy, even if it’s a ‘cheap’ animal.
I learned the hard way many years ago about the green iguanas. And they will whip you very fast and hard also when they are going through the grouchy juvenile stage. My mother used to get so pissed off when the Iguana climbed her living room drapes to perch itself on top of the curtain rod.
I had a chinese water dragon in college. He was awesome, super tame (my college roomate's cat got him, unfortunately). I can't wait to get another one, but am waiting until we have the money to properly house one.
I got my red eared sliders when I was a little kid. They were $10 each from some outdoor mall in Miami. My brother had $20 in birthday money, my mom let him buy two. 17 years later, they live cozy in two large stock tanks. I love them both to bits, but keeping them has been expensive, hard work-not something I had really considered as an 8-year-old.
I remember some kid brought his iguana to school in 6th grade. It got to hang out on the table with us during science class. This was in the late 90s, I don't see that getting approval these days!
I loved my Green Iguana, and it broke my heart when he died on his heat rock due to a power surge. He loved me but hated my younger sister, he would tail slap her every time she would get close to him.
The set up, specifically the proper set up, for any animal is where the cost usually is.
So true, even with non-reptile pets. My partner just got two Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, the animals themselves were $5 each, but the set-up totaled to about $100 (he already had the enclosure and a bunch of decor).
@@paigethecurtain Its nice they already had the tank. This is going to be my first reptile, so I had to get a 20 gallon tank (if the gecko gets too big for it I will upgrade) and that alone was $100.
You're absolutely right. Its that initial setup that costs the most. Making sure the husbandry is correct costs a great deal especially if your not considered a "handy man" or have the tools necessary to make the enclosure. Hell, i just got a baby Ackie last week and i spent (Including the Ackie) probably over $2,000 easily.
@@thatoneperson7.0 213?! Mine was like 120, so what did you buy them?
There are some expensive morphs of most things... but overall I agree. The enclosure, light, food and proper equipment is the most important and expensive part (asides the time you want to put to it)
Yep My sister bought a Green Iggy in the late 80s for $9.00 and they litter trained it and it free roamed in there house and live quite comfortably for 22 years.
Yeah a lot of reptiles live surprisingly long. Green Iguana can hit 35 years old no problem.
One question what’s a green iggy ps: never mind green iguana sorry
Happily Gus thanks
Aw, how neat! Thanks for sharing that story, I love that. They were lucky it wasn't one that became aggressive at maturity. I'm really happy they worked out a way to keep everyone happy! 22 is a very respectable span for a captive iguana- they can get older than that but particularly with being purchased in the 80s when we still knew less than we do now about the specifics of care I would say it's impressive! Hooray for your sis and her friend.
@@LadyTroubadour Yeah, she was really Chil, but the had another one that they had for 10 years along the same time period too Her life was cut sort to being eggbound.
Do the petco/pet smart video! More people need to see why it’s horrible to buy ANY reptile from them!
Absolutely! All their reptiles and rodents are from mills and treat their animals so awful.. it’s heart breaking
Yes. Please. I'm horrified seeing so many in 1 tank and having csa saying it be fun to see them fight to death
Google petco and rainbow exotic pets
any animal for that matter
As someone who works at PetSmart, please buy from a reputable breeder. We do our best but sometimes there’s only so much we can do when we get the animals in sick ☹️
It's really sad when people buy animals and aren't willing to put in the time and money that it takes to care for that animal. It's particularly bad for cheap animals since people seem to think that, because the animal was cheap, the care is (or should be) cheap. Some people will even ignore recommended care requirements just to stick with that mentality. Luckily, some of that can be chocked up to just people not doing research or being misinformed, so once they're armed with the right information, they can try to make the right decision. With channels like this helping to spread good information, hopefully there will be fewer bad pet purchasing decisions. Great video.
sometimes a 1k reptile is easier than a 10$ reptile
I really despise people who impuls buy any pet, no matter if lizard, hamster or cat. Pets are expensive - money and time wise. If you don't think about it, you shouldn't have a pet. I always wanted a dog (big one like Newfoundland), but I live in small flat and work 10-12 hours a day. I have money to feed this giant and pay for vet bills, but I don't have time (and space) to take care of it properly. So I don't have Newfoundland even though I really, really want one. I have seen hamsters in shoe box size cages, birds without feathers, skinny snakes and rats with tumours bigger than their heads. Owners of those animals wont go to the vet with them cause they wont spend 200$ for animal that cost couple of bucks. Its easier (and cheaper) to let them die and just buy a new one. That scares me and pisses me of all the time.
@LienSmoczyca I hate those people too but luckily I do a lot of research before deciding that I want an animal and if it’s not right for me or I won’t have enough time for it when I’m older I won’t put it on my list (I want to be a vet/crazy reptile lady when I’m older but starting with a blue tongue skink in a few months (which are pretty cheap to buy in Australia) because I like them and I’ve been doing research all year)
True
@@LienSmoczyca im 10 and I spend so much time on my hamsters they have a 850 sqaure inches of floor space cage they have a good diet a bunch o toys and hide outs and a paly pen
I think you should make a “cheapest to maintain” reptiles list
Definitely this
This actually could be helpful for impulse buyers, maybe they can realise that the overall cost is WAY more than just getting that cheap iguana. Cool vid.
I think most people don't realize that no reptiles are cheap. I know that there are some ridiculously expensive reptiles but even the " cheap " ones still cost a lot in the long run. After buying an enclosure, lights, or a heat pad+thourmostat, feeders, substrate, hides, enrichment, etc.. you will spend well over $100 no matter what reptile you get. And the on going cost is never going to end. You are going to constantly be paying for food, calcium, vitamins, and lights. Reptiles are definitely not cheap.
You could do an insect colony to reduce the price in the long run by quite a bit
@@scpagent086 yeah. I am currently have a breeding colony of meal worms and am starting a colony of super worms and possible dubias too.
no, the reptiles are usually cheap. it’s the setups (like you explained) that KILL your wallet. that’s why i always do a setup a month in preparation
Try a shingleback there incredibly low maintenance being a hardy deser repitle... but their base price is sorta high outside Australia
Ok, just because you mentioned it in the video, I gotta tell you about my friend.
My friend has 4 iguanas, (plus some tegus and beardies). I've met 3 of the iguanas and all of them are super sweet, really calm and love hanging out with people. I don't know the full story, but I know all of them are rescues, and most of them were angry, defensive creatures when she got them (likely because they weren't very well taken care of before). It's incredible to see how sweet they are now vs how they were before.
Also, interestingly, she just lets them free roam her house, they don't have enclosures (that I know of) they just chill in her house with her dog and her cats, roaming around as they please and cuddling in her lap when they feel like it.
Anyways, she's amazing and definitely a very special woman to be able to not only handle multiple iguanas, but to tame them down. Just thought you might find that interesting. :)
My very first reptile was a green iguana named Riley. I got her when I was 19. And she was great!!!! I have pictures of her with my first born daughter. She was totally tame!!! My daughter would crawl around and kiss her. Then my daughter would walk around and love on her when she was bigger.
I'd love to learn how to take down mine ! She's not running away as much as she was when I approach her but she still watches every move I make . She's so smart and inquisitive. But still won't let me touch HER
@@tammysorensen6197 Romans 10:9 “..if thou shalt confess that with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe that God raised him from the dead, then you are saved”
I don’t know if you already believe in God and have a relationship with him but I think our time may be running out until Jesus comes back and gets us, I want you to get a relationship with him because he does love you and he blesses you everyday of your life and every second so may you please give your life to him before it’s too late, do what is right please and your efforts will not go unrewarded so please start praying to him and reading a Bible so you can grow your relationship with him.
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”
Matthew 7:24 NLT
Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior please
Ask me if you have any questions
If you need a Bible then download the KJV Bible app it also has prayers for you
God bless you and have a good dayh
Top five "Trap" reptiles
Traptiles if you will
@@RiverRoestdeKunstenaar I won't.
@@Cxptivate 😔
@@RiverRoestdeKunstenaar Yeah. It's pretty sad.
He said "a couple hundred bucks." I've spent over $1500 on my setup and everything my Chinese Water Dragon needs and he's not even an adult yet. 😅😂😭
I feel you. I rescued a red tail boa (true red tail, I got SO lucky) for cheap... but she had a respiratory infection and scale rot and I had to completely overhaul her tank. I have no idea how much it cost but it's been a year and now shes growing out of it... not loving the idea of yet another giant spend for a new enclosure but I love her so I'll do it lol
What ia a good size tank for one like feet wize?
@@jdandkikisExotics 3×6×6 is the minimum.
I'm so thankful my uncle made and cut his own trees to make my iguana enclosure. 6×5×5ft 😳 and adding more once she gets bigger bit her huge enclosure I got for only 20 dollars. :) Now feeding her everyday and vet and lights and everything else is **Expensive**
Bro I spent 400 on a 40 gallon tank with two geckos I fell sorry for you
It’s like when I got a “free cat” who needed to go through all his adult shots and get dental surgery because he was a stray. He ended up costing as much as a cat from an animal shelter. There’s no such thing as a free cat.
I get really angry when I see people purchasing expensive cats or dogs. There are thousands if not millions of "free cats" running around that no one is willing to care for.
I really wish people would get a cactus instead of a cat when they want to brighten up a new apartment. Cats are a 20 year commitment that aren't right for that many people....the care guide for a cat is A LOT more intense than most reptiles.
Exquisite Corpse if it makes you feel better I have 3 dogs that cost over $2,000 each. Or should I have went into Brooklyn and get a cat with bone disease mites shots that are needed and surgeries. Or I can just leave the cat alone because it’s clearly living fine on the streets of NYC
@@KiddKaliz You spent $6000 on that superiority complex? I got mine for free =P
Exquisite Corpse Some people want a certain Breed that doesn’t have a million health problems that ones in the street might have, I really want a st Bernard or Newfie and they can cost abt 3,000 you shouldn’t bash people for wanting a certain breed. I have several free animals, my oldest dog was free along with like 6 of my cats, but I’m not gonna bash people for wanting to have a certain animal
And like when someone at my barn got a “free horse” that is lame in all 4 legs.
My hometown carnival had a couple years where, swear to god, baby green iguanas were given out as prizes at the goldfish game.
So many iguanas died.
I remember being super mad I didn't win one but as an adult looking bad I am so happy.
TheNorling I saw that before, too.
They were probably green anoles. Anoles are cheap and very common.
Glad you started off with a Chinese water dragon. My girlfriend bought one and let's just say that she (and I since we live together) has learned that our Leviathan (Levi for short) will be our most expensive reptile despite being rather inexpensive upon purchase. Right now, we have her in a 35 gallon that our beardie used to live in- but we know we need to get her something bigger and probably soon since she's grown a bit from when we bought her.
I definitely recommend that if someone looks into having a Chinese water dragon that they do their research first, because my girlfriend and by extension myself had gone into this blind and immediately had issues. You have to research your substrate, your foods, and enclosures. Not to mention make sure you have the budget for all of those things and any medical issues that might come with your dragon. Our girl ended up with an eye infection shortly after we brought her home and it took almost a month to clear up after visiting our vet.
Do your research, don't just buy these guys because you want something cool looking, and be ready for making lots of water changes, haha.
"Yalll got any more of them iguanas"
LOVED THAT
hahaha glad it landed
I can hear the small screams of the mealworms as they go flying through the air at 0:47 😂
I bought my bearded dragon from petsmart. She was on discount as well because she got so big so quickly. She was eatting too much food and they needed to get rid of her. She is super healthy and has no problems. Knock on wood - she's almost 5 years old.
Green Iguanas are definitely a mixed bag. I had one who was an absolute sweetheart, only aggression he ever showed was tail-whipping an overly curious, rambunctious cat. We even allowed him to free roam the house regularly. The next one I got, however... I still have a nice scar on my finger to remember him by.
What happen to them
@@PapiiGiio First one was an old boy when I got him, died of old age years before I got the second. Second I had to rehome along with my BCI due to moving.
@@DesolatedMaggot awe rip mr guana, hes probably bobbing his head in heaven, and sorry to hear for the other one, yk it's not too late to get a new friend
@@PapiiGiio I've no space for a species that large today. I have been seriously considering smaller stuff like Garters or Skinks tho.
Glad to see footage of my breeding pair was helpful!
I wholeheartedly agree that Chinese water dragons ARE NOT cheap animals to keep. The fact that they are all wild-caught (except for the few breeders such as myself) and that they will cost easily $500+ to setup makes them a difficult lizard form most keepers looking to "save a buck" on the sick, $25 Chinese water dragon.
I remember going to my local exotics store, where none of their reptiles are cheap, and a couple were looking and looking and looking. Finally they pulled over a staff member and asked why the normal looking ball python was $50, but all the morph ball pythons were $200+? So in layman's terms, the staff member tried to give a short explanation about time and money put into breeding genetic traits. The couple didn't seem to take any of it in because they were like "well, can we get a cool looking one for under $100?" Of course the staff member told them the normals were the only ones, and the couple was like "well we already have one of those. We want one of the cool colorful ones, like that yellowish purple one (banana)." Well the banana was $250, and they didn't want to pay that. So they left unhappy. lol.
Yup. I don't think there is a such thing as a cheap reptile.
On the other hand, GOOD choices for reptiles that are "cheap-er" like leopard geckos and corn snakes would be a cool idea to follow this video up with. I remember when I got my first reptile it was a leopard gecko (unfortunately from PetSmart because I was young and stupid). But I still walked out of PetSmart paying over $200 for the initial set up and everything. Tank, hides, vitamin and calcium powder, crickets and mealworms, heat mat, etc. And back then i thojght that was expensive. These days I'm dropping twice that for an individual reptile on MorphMarket or at a reptile show. lol.
Sorry for my long rant. Can't wait to see your guys' move and new reptile room.
I’d like an actual cheap reptile video. Like the cheapest reptile to own altogether, that most people could keep
Bumping!!! Same!!!
Any type of reptile is going to be a price. Care taking for any animal is expensive!
seanitup yeah ik but the cheapest doesn’t imply it is cheap just the cheapest one if that makes sense
i'd bet it's a corn snake
Gecko's is one of them, as basic as it gets. Does not reqiure much.
Tell us how you really feel about poachers. Don’t hold back.
Most green anoles sold are poached from the wild and sold or given out as carnival prizes.
They are the most anyoing thing in the world
@@lunarminx I remember I was in pet co and guy bhought green anole in from the wild and said he doesn't want to buy it and brought a pet box form the trash the next week I went in to just look and the green anole "cage" was empty and th worker said they was just dropping dead idk if the wild lizard had a diesae or wht
Great subject and well covered. My heart breaks when I do rescues and see what people keep their "cheap" animals in. Setups really need to be factored into the cost of a pet. I hate that shops sell the animals without verifying the setup or even that people have knowledge of what they're going to need. It begins to border on animal abuse at that point.
I rescue too, and always find myself biting my lip to stay polite to the 'owners'. Sometimes the worst are the ones that have 'rescued' the animal themselves, yet are still keeping them in the wrong conditions!
I like how no snakes came up because for the most part snakes are easy to take care of and can't really cause you extreme harm unless you buy something huge like a Burmese python or something with deadly venom like a black mamba
Please make a video about petco and petsmart, people need to know
yes !!
they force breed the pets they put 1 mill pets in the same pace at a mill they dont take good care of the animals and they dont sell safe stuff
@@ilyxsofia2530 i know thats what i want it
where should i buy them then??
@@zarikelly803 good petshops or breeders
"They buy stock tanks, from places that sell... stock tanks"
*SPEECH 100*
I am so smrt
@@WickensWickedReptiles I have a video idea:
Can you do a list of reptiles and amphibians that can live in a 10 gallon? I currently have my crested gecko in a 10 gallon turned on its side, but I'm upgrading her to a 20 gallon tall soon. But I was wondering what I could put in the 10 gallon once it becomes vacant???
@@bigsam8597 Fish.
@@bigsam8597 dart frogs
Dr.Lemon37 leopard gecko
I love your videos. I use to work at a big name pet store only about 3 of 20 workers cared about the animals. Our reptile guy was fantastic he would tell people "no I won't sell it" if they had no research, supplies, etc. He was also great at confrontation. It is so disappointing so many stores don't have educated and caring workers.
So true. I’m in Finland and I paid over $300 for our iguana (from a Swedish breeder).
Over here you get those reptile only by asking and then waiting, they don’t have them in pet shops.
I think it’s a good thing that they cost and take some effort to find, to prevent the “look a nice little lizard for $15 let’s buy it LOL - WELP it got big””-thing.
By the way, I still have 2 HUGE turtles that my parents thought "cute" as the size of a coin when I was a child. I had 4, actually, but the red ear ones (male and female) became very aggressive over time and I gave them to a person who had the space and knowledge to take them as adults, keeping only the two brazilian yellow ear slider females, that are way more docile, and while as you say they do need a huge enclosure, they are my pets since I was 6, and they coexist without fighting or biting each other... but if I had to choose a reptile as an adult, I wouldn't have gotten them. Lucky for me I also have experience with aquarium and amphibians, so maintaining the water is pretty much like maintaining the water for one of my big fish tanks. But seriously people, get small turtles or face the expense that comes with it when they reach the size of your head and are 30+ years old.
I think it should be illegal to sell wild caught animals. Period.
Yes I agree unless it’s to start a captive breeding program to responsible organisations or breeders.
I agree!
Yessir
Why?
We are destroying natural habitats at extreme rates. We need to establish captive breeding programs for all animals
The RPC reference makes this the best reptile video ever.
I would like to see you do a video regarding Petco/Petsmart animals.
So glad you said green iguana. I got my first green iguana as a total rookie. Boy, I learned quickly! While I loved both igs I have had, I wouldn't do it again unless I had a LOT more time, and lived where I could build an outside enclosure.
I would definitely want a video on why you shouldn't buy from Petco and PetSmart. It would be perfect to recommend to people who think that buying from chain pet stores is a good idea
I went to a reptile expo recently. Saw some toads I haven't seen before and I fell in love with them! They were Purple Harlequin Toads, and after some researching I found that its near impossible to breed them in captivity. They looked amazing, but I'm glad that I didnt cave and bring one home with me.
you should make a video about petsmart
How about how they sold me a sick chameleon and after about 3 weeks of having him he started keeping his eyes closed mind you hes in a like 500 dollar setup so my husbandry is on point. i took him to the vet and paid like 200 buck for them to tell me he was super impacted and there was nothing they could do. And i went to PetSmart before i took him to the vet and a employee told me they knew something was up with him cuz he didn't grow but couldn't do anything to help me cuz it was past 14 days so it wasn't their problem anymore.so basically i think everyone should sign a petition so they cant sell chameleons anymore because they cant house them correctly an they're selling you an animal that already has issues an they're not getting them from reliable breeders they're getting them from people that just farm them so quality doesn't matter to them its all about the quantity of the animal an after 2 weeks they don't gaf !and to top it off i spent like 3 thousand dollars their in the last 2 months for enclosures an ect for all my animals an that's how they did me?! Personally idt ill ever buy anything else their unless im stuck buying feeders from them. 😤 also i seen their they were trying to sell ball pythons that still had egg yolks all over them still which means they haven't even taken a meal yet that says alot bout their character their in my opinion.. they're a chain pet store that only cares bout profit not the care of the animal an if it dies before the 14 days they'll just give you a new one to shut you up! Sorry bout the rant but i just really wanted to get this out!
@@classys-chassis6433 i got my small ball python from petco before i knew they were bad, he was overwieght and is still losing weight.
I'm really glad I watched this video. A few weeks ago, I found an American Toad in my backyard, and I decided to keep it for the week, then release it in the creek. I did keep it and release it at the end of the week, but I also found a baby snapping turtle, while riding my bike. I didn't keep that, though I did want to. This video really helped me realize why this is a bad idea. Thanks!
Love the idea of this video and I agree, if a cheap price tag is your driving force to get a reptile, you probably are very under-prepared and that animal will not be living its best life with you. A correction about the Butler's Garter snake, it is endangered in Ontario, so did you mean the Eastern Garter snake? Best of luck with your move and we can't wait to see the new reptile room!!
As a kid I remember having friends that would have a whole room for their iguanas in the 90s
You should make a real cheapest reptiles (cheap care and upfront)
Good to have a reptile video after having to deal with Laura. Your vids always make me smile.
Please make a video about the horrors of Petco and Petsmart. The world needs it. My neighborhood Petco still sells green iguanas. I think it's ridiculous. I want a green iguana in the future, but I would never buy one from Petco/Petsmart. And I don't think anyone who buys animals from there is ready for an iguana of any kind.
One time I saw a savanna monitor at a petco one and in they said the care level was adverse. Come on! Savanna monitors are a advanced level reptile
I didn't know any of this when I rescued my green iguana. He turned out to be my best buddy. He had run of my house when I was home....I am from the desert (which is a high humidity desert), he had lots of sunshine and a big set up. He went everywhere with me and was such a great companion. I did learn later how most people didn't share my experience. 😂. But to be fair I had a lot of time to work with him.
cool!
I love how you said that you wouldn't name the website then put the price tag and I instantly knew. also on that not can you make a video on what websites are good to buy from
Glad you clarified people taking limited wild individuals for breeding from just wild harvesting.
I got really lucky with my corn snake. I actually caught him here in Kansas where I live. What's really special about him is the phase or morph of him isn't found native here in Kansas. I think that he was probably a yearling or younger when I caught him. He was so docile when I caught him, he didn't try to bite or musk on me. I quarantined him for a few months just incase he was sick or had any problems which I didn't figure he had because he was in really good shape. I've now had him for about 8yrs and he has been such a great pet.
If the morph isn’t native then he might just be an escaped pet or the offspring of an escaped pet but it’s still pretty dumb to keep a wild caught snake. Besides corn snakes are one of the most common and cheapest snakes to buy so what’s the point of just catching one from outside.
@@ajsowner6673 I had several snakes that were wild caught when I was in middle school and high school that were great pets. I only kept them if they were healthy and I could tame them down. The corn snake that I caught was caught in the flowers outside at a Dillons that I used to work at so my theory is that he may have came in one of the floral trucks. He was just a yearling or younger when I caught him and I had him checked out by a vet to make sure he was in atleast good health and the vet told me that he was in excellent health. I have researched different morphs of corn snakes and he looks like a Miami phase which is found in Florida. I named him Monty and I've had him for about 8yrs now and I honestly couldn't ask for a better snake. I get yearly checkups done on him and Scar, who is my Siniloan milksnake and I've had him for about 15yrs. The vet that I take them to always complements me on how great they are and how healthy they are. Now on your comment about it being dumb to keep wild snakes. I have had alot of experience volunteering at a veterinary clinic and at a pet store that specialized in reptiles along with my own experience with studying snakes since I was in elementary school. Now, for a person who hasn't had any experience like this, it isn't a good idea to keep a wild snake. In my case, I have the knowledge and personal experience that I knew how to take care of Monty and if you would like to see pictures of him and see how wonderful of a pet he is then just simply leave me your email address and I'll show you.
Brandon Bower you shouldn’t keep wild reptiles
@@KiddKaliz Read above.
Brandon Bower I did you caught a wild reptile that lives in the desert in Kansas and you stole him from his habitat so you can put him in a small glass tank
I had a 4’ Iguana in the late 80s. He was awesome. I had a huge enclosure with a big piece of a tree in it for him. He was an easy feeder, not overly aggressive (tail whips do suck, even when he pulled his punches) and very beautiful. Care was pretty easy too. So, while I agree that the cost of care/housing wasn’t minuscule, overall he was a great lizard and with the investment. I wouldn’t hesitate to have another one. I would also say that if someone has the room and the funds to house a fully grown iguana, go for it. They’re pretty cool.
I love taming down animals and don't mind medical bills but i will always go captive bred. A good cheep animal that is not a long term comitment because they live 2 years tops is mice small cute and do not need elaborate care.
OMG! I'm so glad you had Iguanas on this list! At 22, I bought one (M) for $5 (I'm a F;54 now) at a street festival. I also purchased a 10gal tank ($5) at the same venue... After 6mo, I moved into my very first apartment (2 brm) and Charlie was quite happy with his room along with access to the rest of the apartment. Mind you.... I also had Midnight (cat) and BidDaddy (Boa), who all cohabitated nicely (free range). Big mistake but, I kept everything clean (both manually and professional) and had made sure they had regular vet checks. ALL that to say this... Charlie was a so affectionate and a joy until.....his terrible teens and the physical scars (tail lashes), I still have but, the memories will ALWAYS be remembered! Newbies don't need Iguanas or Boa's as beginners (I made ALL the mistakes) but, you learn as you go! Have a wonderful safe and blessed weekend! Peace & Blessings!
*Scratch, Scratch, Scratch:* _"Y'all got any more 'o them iguanas?"_ 😂🤣
I can assure you that red eared sliders are a lottt of work. We got ours at a carnival when it was a tiny baby not knowing what we were getting into. Fast forward eight years later my turtle is nearly 9 inches in a huge tub enclosure and has cost far over 1000 dollars to take care of. I feel bad for all the other turtles that were given at that carnival because I am almost positive that very few of them were actually taken care of properly.
i know why, but i’d love to see a video on why you shouldn’t by from petco and pet smart
I remember finding a red ear slider at middle school that was released, I grabbed it and took it to my science teacher who had a lot of experience with animals and had a water tank that we had just released fish out of into a lake so she ended up keeping him. Now he is healthy big boy swimming in a fat tank.
10:53
Me, but with snakes xD Once you have one, you need more.
Thanks for posting this! I must admit, I was surprised that the green anole didn't show up here.
they do fit
this is off topic but im picking up a western hognose next saturday!! im naming her cheyenne after the native american tribe, also because they are from the wyoming area haha
Oh I recognize where you got that $6 red ear slider. That's from underground reptiles lol.
Ya for my 15th birthday I found them at a swap mart and bought him for 15dollars. They said be stays that small. I didny know better. I love him and he got sick and eyes swelled from a vitamin deficiency. I saved him and started dusting his food. Gave him a bigger tank. With a filter. Thought we had everything. And his shell started coning. I loved him so much and a turtle rescue took him from us and found him an amazing home. He didnt have mbd and was healthy. Because we tried but we didn't know and there wasn't much info out there at all at the time. And I to the day feel awful
I feel your pain on this. I had two reptiles that passed in my care cause back in the day I didn't know.. no one knew and reptile keeping was new as a hobby. A eastern ribbon garter snake, passed because all the books and I was told that goldfish were fine with just adding some vitamins to the water. Total lie btw..
Another lived a lot longer. I was sold a 'short-tailed' leopard gecko... at the time I had no idea there was no such thing. I just like his stumpy tail. He was great. Ate like a champ, dusted and gut loaded crickets (thats all they knew to tell us to feed him back then). Died after 4 or 5 years.? Suddenly just stopped eating. Learned this year actually. My leo was TINY, and they regrow their tails. So my guess is there was just something straight up wrong with him from the start.
@@Roseles89 i agree. I have 8 reptiles and each of them is so spoiled and I love so much
lol 3 years ago I was getting into the hobby and had a beginner knowledge of reptiles. I went out and bought a green iguana, not just because it was cheap but because I was only looking at the pros. He is still alive and doing very well and he actually is pretty mellow as iguanas go. I disagree with all the backlash. I feel like people just don't know how to take care of them and tame them, and make correct enclosures. My iguana does cost a lot to maintain, but I love him and he's fine with me being there.
Surprised beardies arent on the list. Mine where "cheap" luckily I had done the research before but I know so many people that dont
I have a niece that's always loved animals , when she was little I took her to a lake near my home in Tennessee. It was summer and baby turtles were hatching. We stopped catching when we had 200. They were everywhere. I bought a couple of big baby pools and kept the turtles for a couple of days then took them back to the lake. I also caught 3 water snakes on accident. At least I think that they were water snakes , they were snakes and they were in the water...haha. My niece is a Vet now, I'm proud of her.
Hey Adam could you do a little tour of your tattoos? I think that could be cool :)
Hell yes please
I’ve been surfing the Chanel due to just now finding it and one thing I’d love to stress is save up for your reptiles. These are living beings. If you get cheap ones you’ll never care for them the way they deserve. Do your research, find local reptile shops, and make sure it’s what you truly want
I'd love to see a video about Petco/Petsmart!
And if you can add some info about if it's good to buy rodents there, would be nice too
Thanks for the video! Eventhough I am not planning on buying a reptile any time soon, I'm allready starting my research a bit so I know what I'm getting myself in to and what is affordable and what isn't over a longer period of time. And this was really helpfull
I would like to see a video on why you shouldn't buy reptiles from pet smart and petco personaly I like not paying an extra 50 bucks for shipping
These major pet stores treat their animals terribly and buy from reptile farms. The reptiles tend to be sickly, emaciated, and poorly taken care of. I’ve seen so many ball pythons where you can see their ribs or mites crawling on them or tortured by their stuck shed. It’s truly horrifying and sickening. If you don’t want to pay for shipping, then wait for an expo to be scheduled nearby or find a specialty pet store that works with local breeders!
If you put money over the quality and life of your animal you shouldn't be buying animals anyway, full stop.
I really enjoy watching videos of people with their pet igunas. It almost makes me forget that people pay $100s for them, where I live...to eat them. I think they're really cool to look at when they're high up in trees and stuff but if you're an iguna lover, probably never come to Trinidad. When it's hunting season, you see so many with their little limbs tied behind their back, lining the pavement. You see the people selling them, holding a bunch of them by their tails like some weird iguana bouquet. So seeing people actually have igunas as pets, once they're treated properly, is actually really refreshing. I had no idea thet they were considered cheap anywhere. They're like $400 for a small one here.
The cheapest reptiles are always the most expensive to keep :D.
My first reptile was a crested gecko which personally I think that is a great pet for anyone who is just starting out because they are relatively cheap and a relatively easy to keep and low maintenance
bearded dragons, leopard geckos, fat tailed geckos and cresties are definitely amazing for first time keepers
Huge reptiles often are cheap to move fast. That needs to be said...
Yes. A common thread in the "advanced animal bought by beginner" problem is large litter/clutch size. When a gaboon viper pops out 40 babies, where do they go? Burmese pythons, retics, same deal. Even worse, the morph craze has got a lot of people racing to the next $5k combo, so they're essentially forcing themselves to produce hundreds of hets in the process........and where do they go?
I keep watching your videos and hear you say how "expensive" some setups are like $3-500 for a turtle. I live in Australia and paid $1,600 for a carpet python, tank, lamps, lights substrate and everything else. But seriously, love your vids and seeing your passion for reptiles.
Oh wow!
Is it weird that I’ve never heard of petco
To be fair, I don’t have any in my country ( we got other shops )
That’s a bad fucking excuse for a sop. That shit needs to stop
Super lucky we got like 50 of them crap here
@@lrw_gaming9761 Petco is strictly a american company. That's probably why you don't have them where you live.
@@lrw_gaming9761 Petco is strictly a american company. That's probably why you don't have them where you live.
I lost it at "y'all got any more of them iguanas?" 🤣🤣🤣
Found a lady giving away 5 red ears with a 100 gallon tank and everything needed, that’s the only time I’ve seen someone with a proper set up
Yes, PLEASE do a video on Petsmart / Petco. Not a lot of people really believer or want to believe that these stores are extremely abusive, give out wrong pet care info and have a literal warehouse pet mill of horrors. We need more pet tubers to cover this topic, so more people know.
Good luck with the move! Looking forward to seeing the new place in the background.
New to reptiles in Canada. Glad I saw this video
Real talk. Thanks for touching on this, man.
Any time!
I've only ever seen 1 savannah monitor when I volunteered in a reptile shop. She used to sit on my shoulder for hours she was amazing, so friendly! I'd love one but honestly they grow so big I just don't have the space
Edit: I cried when somebody brought her
Long time viewer and really appreciate this video. I work at one of those big box stores and I am lucky that my store is one of a very few were every one is knowledgeable and doesn't sell people a baby iguana in a 10gal or a chameleon with a fish tank. I also would like to repeat your views on farm raised/ WC. I predominately work with WC animals and work with colleges on mine to form breeding stock and a captive population. I feel as people are really quick to bash keeping WC animals. To be clear, THEY ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE. Especially if its your first second or maybe eve your 10th reptile. They key is to understand the care and responsibility needed to acclimate and treat these animals and get your feet wet with the basics with a CB. But without people who know what their doing, blood lines get clogged up or species disappear from the hobby if no one decides to work with WC
hey thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment
I think the message of this video pretty much can be applied to most pets in general. You may be able to obtain the animal for cheap, but to properly care for them is where you really run into the expense. It's interesting too, it seems like some of the pets you can buy for relatively cheap, seem to be some of the most expensive to care for.
I took 3 red eared sliders and a yellow bellied slider from a pond In Oklahoma, kept them for 5 years, then rereleased them when I was a kid, it was awesome. One was pretty big.
I had a big male green iguana growing up, he was a sweetheart but DEFINITELY not easy. He had free range of half my bedroom and not everyone is up for that. (We had set up perches and basking spots/renovated just for him R.I.P. Momo)
A non-reptile which is also a great example of "cheap but actually not" are hermit crabs. I own four of them, and the overall set up is pretty costly. Since they are scavangers food is very cheap, but they still require big tanks, tons of substrate, tons of decor, saltwater, heating... So yeah, not what you would expect for a pet that cheap. I live in Italy, and I got them for 10$ each. Luckly I had done previous reasearch, so I knew what I was getting.
My first pet was a red slider, I had two of them. Got them when I was 6. Had them all the way through high school. I miss them
very cool
I was one of these people when i bought my savannah monitor but im also a metal fabricator with alot of experience in different materials so i will make sure his adult life is spent in the best possible enclosure my skills can provide.
My green iguana enclosure cost me about $10. I got an old armoire off Craigslist for free and bought some screen for the doors. Had the light fixtures laying around and bam. Hes a happy dude. And pretty relaxed given he's still young.
Ok, so in my teen years I got a savannah monitor. He was extremely sweet, never bit except for once, and that was it. pooped on me probably once, but was a cuddle bug and had the run of the house and laid around with the dogs. My 2 iguanas were the same, very laid back and loved being able to run around the house. They all had huge enclosures and the best care.
The setup for any animal is normally all the budget, bird cages, chicken coops,etc
I feel like the reason Savannah monitors are so difficult is because people don't really know how to keep them, there's lot of conflicting information, and they're widely imported, because we don't know how to care for them in captivity so they won't breed for us.
Did you ever make the video on not buying reptiles from petsmart? If not, it's still a topic I would love to see covered!
not yet
The website for the red ear slider was underground reptiles, I’ve bought about 12 reptiles from them and they’re amazing with their animals!!! I would recommend giving them a shot
Agreed green iguanascan have nasty atitudes but have had 4. And look forward to getting another. They require a lot more space than most are willing or able to provide. And power outages and how to overcome sub 60 F temps are something that needs to be planted for.
That RPC clip. Where my mommies at? Keep it high and tight and follow proto.
Don't touch my camera through the fence!
@@WickensWickedReptiles 😂
I think you should always think can I afford to feed and house an animal before you buy it, not to mention vet care and the future. What will happen to the pet if you can no longer look after it? Etc
VERY good video! Hopefully it’ll make people think before they splurge on an impulse buy, even if it’s a ‘cheap’ animal.
Its def not time to pick up one of ur hoodies you have been giving us great content for a good while now n never disappoint
I learned the hard way many years ago about the green iguanas. And they will whip you very fast and hard also when they are going through the grouchy juvenile stage. My mother used to get so pissed off when the Iguana climbed her living room drapes to perch itself on top of the curtain rod.
I had a chinese water dragon in college. He was awesome, super tame (my college roomate's cat got him, unfortunately). I can't wait to get another one, but am waiting until we have the money to properly house one.
I got my red eared sliders when I was a little kid. They were $10 each from some outdoor mall in Miami. My brother had $20 in birthday money, my mom let him buy two.
17 years later, they live cozy in two large stock tanks. I love them both to bits, but keeping them has been expensive, hard work-not something I had really considered as an 8-year-old.
I remember some kid brought his iguana to school in 6th grade. It got to hang out on the table with us during science class. This was in the late 90s, I don't see that getting approval these days!
I loved my Green Iguana, and it broke my heart when he died on his heat rock due to a power surge. He loved me but hated my younger sister, he would tail slap her every time she would get close to him.
the old heat rock malfunction, a tale older than time. Sorry for your loss!