Vivarium / Terrarium
– we now stock all shapes and sizes of Vivariums / Terrariums and all the accessories, lights, stones, leafs, heaters etc.


We also stock full range of foods for your reptiles come in and view our showroom on St Johns Street and our friendly staff will be able to give you all the help and advice you need to assist you in making the right choice.

Corn Snakes – we now sell Corn Snakes a family friendly pet and ideal starter reptile -

The Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata), or Red Rat Snake, is a North American species of rat snake that subdue their small prey with constriction. The name "corn snake" comes from the fact that they have a maize-like pattern on their bellies. The Oxford English Dictionary cites this usage as far back as 1676. Corn snakes are found throughout the south-eastern and central United States. Their docile nature, reluctance to bite, moderate adult size 1.2 to 1.8 metres (3.9 to 5.9 ft), attractive pattern, and comparatively simple care make them popular pet snakes. In the wild, they usually live around 15-20 years, but may live as long as 23 years in captivity. Like all rat snakes, corn snakes are non-venomous. Corn Snakes have a diet primarily consisting of defrost rodents, mostly mice and rats.

Hatchling Corn Snakes are often kept in a 5 to 10 gallon (19 to 38 L) aquarium or similar-sized plastic tub. As the snake grows, it requires more space. The minimum recommended size of housing for an adult is a 20 gallon (76 liter) tank. A 40 gallon (152 L) is a good recommended size and will provide the adult snake room to move. Corn Snakes become stressed in too large a cage with no hiding places; it is a good idea to use plants and many hiding spots in a large tank so that the snake will feel secure.

Since Corn Snakes, like all reptiles, cannot regulate their internal body heat, proper external heating is necessary for their health. A heat gradient from 70–75 °F (21–24 °C) on one end of the housing to 80–85 °F (26–29 °C) on the other is thought optimal to allow the snake to regulate its body temperature by moving from one part of the housing to the other, as necessary. Insufficient heat available in an enclosure at any point may lead to poor digestion, respiratory infections, and death, while excessive heat which the animal cannot escape, can cause neurological damage. Heat may be provided by a number of measures, including an under-tank heating pad (use at one end of the tank only), or one or more heat lamp(s), which should be attached to a thermostat to control temperature. Ceramic heat emitters may also be used in place of light bulbs. Aspen or cypress shavings are often used to make bedding substrate, allowing the snake to burrow if it wishes. Cedar is toxic, so wood shavings containing cedar are not recommended. Feces are usually removed by spot cleaning, and periodically the tank is washed, disinfected, and bedding is replaced. Additionally, the snake's living area needs to be kept very moist to assist in the shedding process. This process generally occurs monthly for baby snakes, and 3-4 times per year for adults. This shedding cycle is necessary so the snake can have proper circulation. The cycle starts with a dulling of the overall color and loosening of the snake's skin. Then the eyes turn a milky-blue color temporarily. When the eye color becomes normal again, this indicates that the actual shedding of the skin will occur within the next few days. To ensure proper shedding, one should frequently mist the tank with distilled water.

Juveniles may be fed newborn mice every 5 to 7 days; adults do well on large mice once every two weeks but may be fed weekly. A general rule for food size is that up to 1½ the snake's body girth is acceptable. Corn snakes also readily take a larger number of smaller meals, and a 50-centimeter Corn Snake has been observed to swallow up to seven smaller-size “pinkie” rodent pups (less than the snake's girth), in rapid succession, in a span of less than five minutes. Thus, as a Corn Snake grows, smaller food items are not necessarily outgrown.

As a matter of good practice, feeding of large prey and handling should be separated as much as possible in snakes. Rapidity of feeding is facilitated if the snake is handled minimally so as not to be upset, before being transferred to the feeding container. After a snake swallows, its prey must pass its thorax and lung, along to its stomach in the mid-portion of its body (ordinarily less than a minute), and handling is avoided while this happens. After feeding and swallowing has been completed, all but minimal handling is avoided for a full 48 hours, until no lump can be seen in the snake's belly, to ensure proper digestion. Snakes do not require live prey (which may injure the snake, and which is considered animal cruelty in the UK, and many corn snakes feed readily on pre-killed rodents which can be purchased as frozen from commercial suppliers, then completely thawed in warm water, prior to feeding. The food is not required to be warm (above room temperature) for the snake to eat it, but it must be completely thawed.

Corn Snakes need a water dish and ideally will have access to clean water at all times. Corn Snakes swim well but generally do not seek water to swim in, but may well be found sitting in the water bowl. Corn snakes drink by dipping the end of their snouts in water and sucking up fluid with their cheeks. They need water every day although most people probably will not see the snake drinking.

After many generations of selective breeding, domesticated Corn Snakes are found in a wide variety of different colors and patterns. These result from recombining the dominant and recessive genes that code for proteins involved in chromatophore development, maintenance, or function. New variations, or morphs, become available every year as breeders gain a better understanding of the genetics involved.

Bearded Dragons these very popular pets are easy to care for and offer hours of fun to look after - The Brearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps), or the Central (or Inland) Bearded Dragon, is a species of agamid lizard occurring in a wide range of arid to semi-arid regions of Australia.

Adults of this species usually grow to be about 2 feet in length, with the tail accounting for over half of the total body length. Females are typically smaller than the males, have smaller heads, and thinner legs and tails. Bearded dragons come in a wide variety of colors, including brown, grey, reddish-brown, and orange. They are capable of undergoing very slight changes in the shade of their color to help regulate temperature. The specialized scales along both sides of the throat, neck, and head form many narrow spines which run down the side of the body to the tail. When feeling threatened a bearded dragon will flatten its body against the ground, puff out its spiny throat, and open its jaws to make itself appear larger. The bearded dragon is so named because of the spiny throat projections appear similar to a human beard. Males typically have a darker "beard" than females, and during mating season and courtship the "beard" will typically darken to near-black. The bearded dragon, like most agamid lizards, has strong legs which enable it to lift its body completely off the ground while it moves. This is done to reduce the heat taken in from the ground, as well as to increase the air-flow over the belly to cool itself further.

This dragon is native to the semi-arid woodland, arid woodland, and rocky desert regions of Central Australia. They are skilled climbers, and often spend just as much time perching on tree limbs, fenceposts, and in bushes as they do on the ground. They spend much of the morning and evening sunning themselves on top of an exposed branch or rock where they bask. They are diurnal, but like most desert animals they spend the hottest parts of the day hiding in underground burrows or any other cool hiding spot removed from direct sunlight.

Bearded dragons do not generally make sounds. Instead they use actions, positions and colour displays to communicate. When threatened, however, bearded dragons make a hissing sound similar to a cat.

Arm waving is used mainly by young dragons and seems to be a signal to recognize the presence of another dragon. This action is not often used by adults.

Basking position is used to signal dominance. The dominant animal will choose the best basking spot, often climbing over other Bearded Dragons to get there.

There are several different kinds of head bob gesture. These are: Slow bowing motion - often used by adult females to signal submission to a male. Fast bob - often used by males as well as a black beard to signal dominance. Violent bob - used by males just before mating. Often this action will shift the lizard's entire body. Gravid females will often refuse the advances of a male by chasing him and lying on his back.

Central bearded dragons are omnivorous feeding on insects and other invertebrates, and are known to sometimes eat small vertebrates such as mice. They also tend to eat more soft plant matter (such as green leaves, fruits and vegetables, and flowers) as they mature. They gain much of the moisture they need from their food.

Central bearded dragons reach full sexual maturity around 18 months of age. Males will become very aggressive towards each other and will assert their dominance by inflating their beards and through fast head bobbing. Breeding typically occurs in the early spring Females will lay a clutch of eleven to thirty oblong-shaped eggs in a shallow nest dug in the sand. After being laid the eggs are buried and are left unattended. The eggs will hatch approximately 60 to 80 days later depending on the incubation temperature, but without a male lizard the eggs the female lay will not be fertile. Bearded Dragon courtship involves the male "head bobbing" to display dominance. If the female displays submissive behavior the male will use its mouth to grab the back of the females head and the male will also wrap its front legs around the females upper torso to keep her from moving. Copulation and insemination doesn't take very long. The gestation period averages about a month and a half. When the female is ready to lay eggs she will generally stop eating and spend most of her time trying to dig.

Geckos are one of the most popular reptiles to be kept as pets – especially for beginners – and with good reason. They tend to be docile and easy to tame as well as being relatively easy to care for. In particular, the leopard gecko is the number one choice when it comes to choosing a reptile pet. However, other species are also increasing in popularity, such as the crested gecko and house gecko.

What is a gecko?
Indigenous to warm climates throughout the world, geckos are small lizards that are unique in being able to make chirping sounds for communication with other geckos. They are also unusual in having no eyelids – instead periodically licking the transparent membrane over their eyes clean with their tongue – and in having toes which have an amazing ability to adhere to many surfaces, without need for any surface tension or sticky liquids. An exception is the leopard gecko which does have eyelids and also does not have toe pads and so cannot climb particularly well.

In many parts of the world, particularly in tropical regions, geckos are common “house guests”, living on walls and ceilings in the house and helping to control insect pests. Geckos come in a dazzling array of colours and patterns, which accounts in part for their popularity as pets. Some species can even change colour to blend with their surroundings or in response to temperature differences.

A key thing to remember is to never grab a gecko by its tail as the lizard will drop it as a natural defence mechanism against predators and while it will eventually grow back, it may never regain the shape and colour of the original. If this does happen, make sure that the gecko is well-fed and cared for – and separated from other geckos – until the tail has regrown. Leopard Geckos can be very long-lived – over 20 years in some cases – so careful thought must be given before acquiring one as a pet. They are usually nocturnal and ground-dwelling in the wild.

Where do I keep my Gecko?
Geckos can be kept together but avoid putting more than one male in a tank (as they will fight to the death) and only keep males and females together if you’re prepared to cope with numerous offspring! For 2-3 geckos, a 15-20 gallon tank is usually sufficient although larger is better. Make sure you provide hiding places and climbing obstacles with things like logs, as well as commercial reptile caves and other features. You can also just use cardboard boxes. Make sure one of the hiding places is a damp area, which will help with shedding. This can be easily achieved just with a plastic container with moist soil or moss inside and a hole in the lid for access.

Uroplatus fimbriatus clinging to glass. Uroplatus fimbriatus is a gecko which is found in eastern Madagascar and on the islands Nosy Bohara and Nosy Mangabe. These geckos live in tropical rain forests. They reach a total length of 330 mm.

Close-up of the underside of a gecko's foot as it walks on vertical glass

Gold dust day gecko licking nectar from the 'bird of paradise' flower of Strelitzia

What do I feed my Gecko?
Leopard geckos generally feed on insects in the wild so provide a diet of crickets, mealworms, waxworms and even pinkie mice sometimes will be appreciated. Make sure the insects are “gut-loaded” at least 24 hours before feeding and dust them with a calcium or Vitamin D supplement, especially for young lizards. Most juveniles need to be fed daily but adults can be fed every other day.

Geckos make great pets, especially for the beginner reptile enthusiast and even for the advanced keeper, the variety of types will keep things interesting – for example, moving onto the more challenging species, such as the Day geckos sub-group.

Tortoise this popular pet has been around for years and is an enjoyable starter pet for any family –
Despite the common belief that many people easily keep a tortoise at the bottom of the garden, occasionally feeding it lettuce leaves – tortoises are actually a challenging pet and not really recommended for the beginner or casual reptile owner. Not only do they grow to impractical sizes, especially for indoor housing, but they also have complicated dietary requirements and habits. Thorough knowledge of the individual species and good husbandry is essential for the tortoise to thrive.

The Ban on Tortoises
In addition, many tortoises that were once popular as pets are now listed under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and are also covered by additional, EU-wide, legislation which controls sale, transport and possession within Europe. This means that you can no longer import, sell or trade tortoises in any way within Europe without a special permit. This can make locating a captive-bred tortoise quite difficult (never buy a wild-caught specimen and do not attempt to bring one in from overseas) although joining a tortoise organisation, such as the Tortoise Trust, can provide you with good specialist advice, listings for reputable breeders and even information about tortoises that need re-homing. If you do find a good, captive-bred tortoise in a reptile shop, make sure that it is sold with FULL DOCUMENTATION as otherwise you may be unwittingly supporting the illegal trade in wild animals.

The most popular species for pets include the leopard tortoise, Hermann’s tortoise (sometimes called Mediterranean tortoise) and the Mediterranean Spur-Thigh Tortoise – however, these are all listed now under the CITES endangered list. The Russian or Horsefield Tortoise, however, is still exempt and is also a popular choice as a pet.

Please be sure whenbuying yourTortoise that it is a Russian or Horsefield Tortoise.

Russian tortoises are a small tortoise species, ranging from about 15 to 25 cm (6-10 inches). They are sexually dimorphic in that the females grow slightly larger, males tend to have a longer tail that is generally tucked to the side, and females tend to have flared scutes on their shells, while males do not. Coloration varies, but the shell is usually a ruddy brown or black, fading to yellow between the scutes, and the body itself straw-yellow and brown.

Baby   Immature   Adult