Should You Adopt a Baby or adult reptile
So you’ve decided now is the time to add a pet reptile to your family. Time to make a big decision: are you going to get a baby reptile or going straight for the adult? I’ve had my fair share of experience with both adult reptiles and those fresh from the egg of various species, and there are pros and cons to each. When it comes down to your pick, there are some factors to take into consideration.
Two things before we dig in:
You need to do your own research. This is not a care guide in any way, shape, or form.
These are simple points to take into consideration for yourself and for the reptile.
There will always be exceptions to the animals we discuss today. These are generalized
statements, not a “one size fits all”, and I want you to be aware of that before you go out
and make a decision.
Purchasing
First things first, let’s cover expenses of acquiring a reptile. Surprisingly, adult reptiles
are more expensive than babies, the reason being that it takes more resources to raise a reptile.
Baby reptiles take up less space, food, and heat whereas the longer you have a reptile, the
more resources it consumes and the more you will be investing into it. So naturally, breeders try
to make up for those lost expenses when rehoming.
This price difference can be very small, maybe $10-$15, or it could be a much larger
price gap; this will depend heavily on the type of reptile, the breeder, or where you get the
reptile. Researching the specific reptile you are looking for will help prepare you for the initial
cost. We will also be covering other expenses here today so that you can decide afterward if the
expenses fit your lifestyle and budget.
Temperament
Most people are already sold on buying a baby when they learn that the adults can be
pricier. But there are some cons to baby reptiles as well. Despite their adorable little faces,
babies can be nippier. But let’s be honest here: there’s no need to be afraid of getting bit by one
as babies really aren’t going to be able to do much damage. I’ve had baby snakes and geckos
both try to take a bite out of me and it’s almost laughable (don’t tell them I said that, they’re
trying their hardest).
But this is to be expected. They’re new to this world, they don’t know what’s out to hurt
them, whether we’re predators—they don’t understand yet. So it’s up to you to help teach them
that you are safe and they are safe.
Taming
On the flipside, babies are relatively easy to tame. Through consistent, gentle handling,
they will learn to tolerate handling much easier than perhaps an established adult (again, this is
where point #2 comes into play as no animal or reptile is the same).
Adult reptiles can also be taught to tolerate handling. It just may take longer as they
have grown accustomed to other people, or perhaps they were never handled much at all. It’s a
good idea to know what you are willing to invest into your reptile if you decide to go with an
adult. And I mean time-wise here as opposed to expenses.
Enclosures
One of the big pros for adult reptiles is, you can immediately put them in their forever
enclosure. Depending on the species of reptile you get, if you start with a baby, you may end up
having to upgrade that enclosure several times. You may start with a small home and end up
having to get a large enclosure. For some people, this works great as they have a projected
timeline where they plan to put money aside to invest in the growth and development of the
reptile.
Ultimately, though, it comes out to be less expensive in the long run if you can start off
with a full-sized enclosure right away. An example of this is the bearded dragon. Bearded
dragon babies are super tiny and I wouldn’t recommend putting a baby beardie into an adult-
sized enclosure. We’re talking about an enclosure that’s 4’ x 2’ x 2’. About 120 gallons. If you
adopt an adult bearded dragon, you can start with that size. There’s no need to start with a
smaller enclosure and size up as they grow, which adds up to be a hefty investment.
Feeding Habits
Most adult reptiles are set in a specific eating habit. This is particularly true with snakes,
especially ball pythons. Ball pythons are notoriously known for being picky eaters. For me, I
feed my snake frozen/thawed prey rather than live prey, and maybe this is the route you want to
go with as well. But if your adult reptile is used to live prey, it may take time (and a little bit of
stress) to make that switch over to frozen/thawed prey.
Growing Up
There is no make or break factor on whether you should adopt a baby or adult reptile but
for most people, it comes down to two things.
One of the biggest pros for adopting a baby is that you get to watch them grow. There’s
something magical about getting something super tiny and watching it grow into a full-fledged,
beautiful reptile. Each of my experiences in watching the babies that come into my care grow
has been incredible.
A Second Chance
But I’ll tell you this, running a rescue, most of my guests are adults and many of the
reptiles I thought I would provide sanctuary for only temporarily have ended up being permanent
guests- family members. And it’s been super rewarding for me for one very important reason:
adult animals are often passed over.
They’re typically skipped because most people want babies, and that goes for any area of pets. Dogs, cats, birds, reptiles—you name it. But when you take in an adult, you’re giving them a chance at their forever home. A chance they may not have had otherwise.
If you do rescue work, or you’re adopting an animal that has been surrendered to a rescue, it becomes an even bigger part of your story, and their story, because you know that you’re stepping in to meet a need that had been let go of by someone else. You’re helping to give that reptile a second chance at a beautiful life.
To me? That is an amazing pro to starting with an adult reptile!
