Please use our pet care library to learn more about pet health, training and care. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us or contact the Animal Medical Clinic for veterinary questions about your pet.
Reptiles and amphibians together are known as herptiles. These animals are grouped together because they are ectothermic, which means that they cannot regulate their body temperature internally, but must use their environments to control temperature. Common temperature-regulating activities include basking in the sun, burrowing or hibernating. The difference between reptiles and amphibians relates to the way they breath. Reptiles generally have only one lung. Amphibians may have lungs, but they also breath through their skin. Both reptiles and amphibians live on land (terrestrial), in the water (aquatic) or both (semi-aquatic).
There is a wide range of animals that fall into the category of reptiles that come from every land area around the world. The most recognized of these are:
Amphibians
Chelonians
Crocodilians
Invertebrates
Lizards
Snakes
Not all reptiles are allowed to be kept as pets, particularly those that are dangerous to humans, such as most venomous snakes and crocodilians.