Things to Remember When Choosing a reptile as a pet



Do your homework.
Get as much information as you can from books, magazines,
www.Kingsnake.com, and your local Herpetological Society.

Set up your cage.
Have your reptile environment & cage temperature ready  when you and your reptile get home.
Having the cage ready will help your new reptile acclimate easier and will be less stressful on it.

 Get your pet reptile from a reliable source.

The spring and fall Reptile Breeders Expo sponsored by
Nebraska herpetological Society every year is a good start.

Always buy Captive born only Reptiles.

 Assess the animal’s health.

Is it eating? When was its last meal? What size prey is it eating?
How often will it need to eat? Can you obtain their prey locally?

 When purchasing a pet always get a receipt.

When purchasing a new pet, be sure you get a receipt that states the type of animal
you have purchased. Get their business card and be sure to contact them later
if there is a problem or even if there is not a problem.
Breeders always appreciate your feedback on your new reptile.

 Know the laws in your area.

If you have any question you can contact the Nebraska herpetological society.
The NHS has the most accurate interpretation of the law.
For a list of prohibited animals check the NHS website: www.nebherp.org


Omaha city code

 Pet animal: Any domestic dogs, domestic cats, mini-pigs, domestic rabbits, domestic ferrets,
domestic rodents, birds except those defined as agricultural animals and specifically including any
birds possessed under a license issued by the State of Nebraska and/or the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service, non-lethal aquarium fish, non-lethal invertebrates, amphibians, turtles, non-
venomous lizards that will not grow to more than five feet in length at maturity, non-venomous
snakes that will not grow to more than eight feet in length at maturity, or such other animals as may
be specified and for which a permit shall be issued by the authority after inspection and approval;
provided, however, that any animal forbidden to be sold, owned, or possessed by federal or state
law is not a pet animal.

1980 revised 9-29-92 re-revised 1-23-96 re-revised 12-16-03

Nebraska Herpetological Society
Dept. of Biology, U.N.O. Omaha, NE 68182-0040
www.nebherp.org
Written by: Glenn E. Eisel
Nebraskareptile.org
is the official website of the
Nebraska Reptile Breeder's Expo.

We are proud to be celebrating 15
years of being Nebraska's Largest
Captive-Born Only Reptile Show.