4,660 answers about reptiles & amphibians
Keeping reptiles and amphibians well comes down to environment — heat, light, humidity and the right enclosure — plus feeding and health basics that differ by species. This page gathers the reptile and amphibian library of KinsLe Answers in one place, organized by topic. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
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769 answers in Choosing & Adopting — page 2 of 33
Ask whether the red-footed tortoise is captive-bred, how old it is, and what it has been eating, because diet history shows in the shell: ask to see smooth, even growth rather than raised, pyramided scutes. Ask what humidity and temperatures the hatchlings are raised at, how much outdoor time they get, and how big an…
Ask whether the red-eyed tree frogs are captive-bred, how old they are, and whether they are calling and feeding strongly at night, because wild-caught frogs carry far more stress and health risk. Ask what humidity, misting schedule, and vertical planting the frogs are kept in, and what size of crickets they take. Ask…
Ask which painted turtle subspecies it is, whether it is captive-bred, and whether it has been raised indoors or in an outdoor pond, because that history shapes how it handles your setup and the cold season. Ask what it eats, how much basking and ultraviolet light it gets, and what water filtration the breeder relies…
Ask whether the musk turtle is a common musk, often called a stinkpot, or another musk species, and whether it is captive-bred, because size and temperament differ across the group. Ask how the hatchlings are set up, since young musk turtles are weak swimmers that need shallow water and plants to climb toward the…
Ask which mud turtle species it is, whether it is captive-bred or wild-caught, and how deep the water is where it is raised, because mud turtles are bottom-walking turtles that prefer surprisingly shallow water. Ask what it eats, whether it basks, and what water temperature and filtration the breeder uses. Mud turtles…
Ask how the mourning geckos are housed as a group, what powdered fruit-based diet and live insects they eat, and whether the enclosure you plan can keep in hatchlings, because this species reproduces without males and babies appear whether you planned them or not. Ask where the females glue their eggs and how the…
Ask whether the marbled salamander is genuinely captive-bred, because this species is far more often wild-collected, and ask what it is eating, since a salamander raised on small earthworms and isopods transfers to home care far better than one fed only crickets. Ask how the breeder keeps the soil moisture and leaf…
Ask the Kenyan sand boa's sex and age, whether it feeds from above the substrate or needs prey presented at the surface, and how the breeder confirms a buried snake has actually eaten. Ask what substrate depth and temperature gradient the snake is kept on, and whether it was born live to the breeder's own female,…
Ask which hognose species and sex you are getting, whether the snake is eating unscented rodents reliably, and how it behaves when bluffing, because dramatic hissing and playing dead are normal theater for this species. Ask what prey it started on, since wild hognose snakes specialize in toads and a baby that has not…
Ask whether the green tree python is captive-bred or wild-caught, which locality it comes from, and whether it is feeding reliably on rodents on its own, because imported and non-feeding youngsters are far harder to settle. Ask how the snake is housed and perched, what humidity and temperature range the breeder keeps,…
Ask whether this green anole was genuinely bred in captivity, because the overwhelming majority sold are wild-caught, stress-prone, and short-lived, and a real breeder is rare enough to be worth verifying. Ask what tiny insects it eats, how it drinks, since anoles lick misted droplets rather than use a bowl, and…
Ask whether you can see the parents, because a giant day gecko's adult colors and size are best judged from the pair that produced it, and ask what fruit mixture and insects this juvenile is eating. Ask honestly about handling, since day geckos have delicate skin that tears under a gripping hand and are display…
Ask which species and subspecies of garter snake this is, because care and adult size vary across the group, and ask what it eats now: earthworms, fish, or pinky mice, and whether it has been switched away from feeder fish alone. Garter snakes are active, social, and famous escape artists, so ask about group housing…
Ask whether these fire-bellied toads are captive-bred, since wild-caught animals still reach the market, and ask to see a group feeding, because a healthy group argues loudly over crickets and eats without hesitation. Ask what water setup the breeder uses, how they treat the water, and whether the toads call, which…
Ask whether the fire-bellied newt is captive-bred, because most in shops are wild-caught, and a true breeder can show you larvae, juveniles, and the land stage that many new keepers never expect. Ask whether the newt you are buying is fully aquatic now, what cool water temperature it lives at, and what small live or…
Ask whether this fire salamander is captive-bred, and be patient if the answer involves a waiting list, because many fire salamanders in the trade are wild-caught imports and captive breeding takes time. Ask what temperatures the breeder keeps, since fire salamanders suffer in warm rooms and need cool, moist…
Ask what salinity the breeder raises their diamondback terrapins in, and match it at home, because a hatchling moved abruptly between fresh and brackish water is stressed by the change itself. Ask which subspecies or locality the terrapin is, what it eats, and whether it basks and feeds eagerly in front of you. Also…
Ask which exact species, morph, and locality this dart frog is, and whether it was bred in captivity from the breeder's own frogs, because dart frog types must never be mixed and labels carry real meaning in this hobby. Ask what size of fruit fly it eats, which supplements dust those flies, and whether the frog is…
Ask first whether this common house gecko was actually bred in captivity, because most house geckos in the trade are wild-caught, and a genuine breeder should be able to show you eggs, hatchlings, and the parents. Ask what insects it eats, whether it hunts eagerly, and how the breeder keeps humidity and hiding places…
Ask how many consecutive meals this children's python has taken, and whether those meals were frozen-thawed, because a small Australian python that feeds reliably before sale saves you the most common new-owner worry. Ask for its hatch date, sex, shed history, and the temperatures on the warm and cool sides of its tub…
Ask whether this cherry head tortoise is captive-bred, how old it is, and whether you can see both parents, because cherry heads are the smaller, richly colored form of the red-footed tortoise and adult size varies by bloodline. Ask exactly what the hatchling eats each week, since this species takes leafy greens plus…
Choose a veiled chameleon if you want a solitary, watch-only climber that hunts insects in a tall screened cage and needs misting and drip water, and choose a green iguana if you can house and socialize a very large herbivore that may become a genuinely interactive companion. The chameleon asks for precision and…
Choose a Russian tortoise if you want a hardy, long-lived grazer that tolerates ordinary household life and eats leafy greens, and choose a veiled chameleon if you want a striking, tree-dwelling display animal and can master constant misting, drip water, and carefully dusted feeder insects. The chameleon is a…
Choose a Russian tortoise if you want a small, ground-level grazer that fits a wide pen and stays manageable for decades, and choose a green iguana only if you can give a large, tree-climbing herbivore an enclosure the size of a small room, daily socialization, and serious respect for its strength. Both eat plants,…
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