5 Reasons You Should NOT Keep Wild Caught Reptiles

There are two types of wild caught reptiles. The first being animals that are mass-imported from other regions for profit, and the second are animals individuals go out and catch on their own and keep. Today, we're talking about the second type. Make sure to watch the video below for even more information on this topic!

Keep in mind, I do keep a few wild caught reptiles and amphibians -- I'm not saying you should never keep them, however the following 5 points are always good to consider before keeping any.

1. Is it legal? Obviously, following the law is important. In the USA, any animals considered threatened or endangered in your state are automatically forbidden to keep captive. There are also additional lists of animals with restrictions or bans for other reasons. Whether you agree with these restrictions or not, this isn't something you want to mess around with. Keeping an animal illegally can result in the removal of your other animals (even if you're keeping them legally), fines, and more consequences.

2. Are you affecting an ecosystem? Each individual reptile often contributes to an ecosystem in many ways. Whether they help control rodent or insect populations, or are prey for other animals, ecosystems are delicate and should not be put at risk. However, reptiles nowadays are going to be found in many urban areas, construction sites, dangerous roads, and so on which means removing these animals aren't necessarily a negative thing.

3. Parasites, mites and ticks suck. Nature is filled with plenty of dangerous or simply annoying parasites, pests, and bacteria. An animal from the wild can potentially bring these dangers to your other animals, or your home. Make sure you keep wild caught animals in a confined area, away from all other animals for a little while to ensure they cannot spread anything throughout your household. That won't be fun.

4. Is the animal going to do OK in captivity? Reptiles in the wild aren't going to be used to a smaller space, around people. Although captive bred animals will always be fine in these spaces, others may not be a fan. If the reptile or amphibian isn't enjoying the enclosure you brought it to, it can become stressed, not eat, dehydrated, and so on -- all of which are issues that put the animal at high risk of becoming sick.

5. Are you sure you want the reptile? I don't want this video to discourage you, but instead to let you know of the risks that are there with wild caught animals. Make sure you really want the animal you plan on keeping, because after having it in captivity for a while, releasing it can be a very bad idea. The animal may have issues being back in the natural environment, and it's possible it's developed bacteria or disease that can be introduced into natural populations which can end up very badly. Just like pets you buy or adopt, you should never plan on releasing that animal into it's "natural" habitat.