All articles
Everything on Reptile City Guides, organised by topic.
Snake Care
- Ball Python Humidity: Ideal Range and How to Keep It Stable — Ball pythons need ambient humidity of roughly 55-70%, raised above that band to about 65-75% during a shed cycle, measured with a digital hygrometer at…
- Ball Python Tank Setup: Heat, Hides, and Humidity in the Right Order — A ball python tank needs secure species-sized housing, guarded and thermostatically controlled heat at one end, measured warm and cool zones, multiple…
- Which Pet Snake Should a Beginner Get? Comparing the Common First Snakes — A captive-bred corn snake is often the most straightforward first snake because its documented feeding and humidity needs are comparatively manageable and…
- Corn Snake Care Sheet: Tank Setup, Temps, and Feeding — Corn snake care centers on a stable temperature gradient — a warm side of 85–90°F (29–32°C) and a cool side of 72–78°F (22–25°C) — with humidity at 40–60%.
- How Often Should You Feed a Pet Snake? — Feed on the schedule in a current care standard for the exact species, age and body condition—not a universal weekly rule.
- How to Care for a Pet Snake: A Beginner's Guide — Care for a pet snake by matching its enclosure, warm and cool zones, humidity, lighting, hides, water, prey, and feeding schedule to the exact species and…
- How Big of a Tank Does a Snake Need? Sizing by Adult Length, Not by the Shop Label — A snake enclosure should let the animal stretch out fully and meet a current standard for its exact species, adult length and body type.
Lizard Care
- Bearded Dragon Tank Setup: Size, Heat, and UVB Checklist — A bearded dragon tank setup needs six things: a 120-gallon enclosure (about 4x2x2 ft) for an adult, a basking surface of 95-110°F under a halogen flood…
- Best Beginner Lizard? Compare the Usual Three — For many first-time keepers, a leopard gecko is the most manageable of the usual choices: it needs a secure ground-level enclosure, live feeder insects,…
- Crested Gecko Care: Temperature, Humidity, and Diet Basics — Crested geckos (Correlophus ciliatus) need cool room temperatures of roughly 72-78F, with sustained heat above the mid-80s F being dangerous.
- How to Handle a Pet Lizard Safely — Handle only an identified, settled lizard whose species guide allows it.
- How to Care for a Lizard: A Beginner’s Daily Routine — To care for a pet lizard, first identify the exact species and build its enclosure from a current species-specific care standard.
- Leopard Gecko Care Sheet: Setup, Diet, and Heat Basics — Leopard gecko care centers on five essentials: an enclosure of at least 36" x 18" x 18" for an adult, thermostat-controlled heat giving a 90-95°F basking…
- How Big Should a Lizard Tank Be? — A lizard enclosure must meet the current adult minimum in a named care standard for the exact species, then provide the orientation, temperature and UVB…
- What Do Pet Lizards Eat? A Species-First Guide — Pet lizards do not share one diet. A leopard gecko is primarily an insect-eater, a green iguana is a leaf-eating herbivore, and a bearded dragon eats…
Habitat & Lighting
- Glass vs PVC Reptile Enclosures: Which Is Worth It for Your Species — Choose a reptile enclosure by the environment your species needs, then by the finished design. Glass offers broad visibility but may have a large mesh top.
- Heat Lamp vs Heat Mat: Which One Your Reptile Actually Needs — Use the heat source specified by a current care standard for the exact reptile.
- How to Raise Humidity in a Reptile Tank Without Turning It Into a Swamp — To raise humidity in a reptile tank, confirm the exact species target and measure where its care standard directs.
- How to Set Up a Reptile Enclosure Safely — Set up a reptile enclosure by first recording the exact species' adult space, temperature, humidity, lighting, substrate, and water requirements from a…
- How to Create a Heat Gradient in Any Reptile Enclosure — A reptile heat gradient is a temperature range across the enclosure: one end heated to the species' basking or warm-side target, the other end left…
- Do You Need a Thermostat for a Reptile Heater? What to Look For Before You Buy — Every powered reptile heater needs a compatible thermostat unless its manufacturer documents another control system.
- Do Reptiles Need UVB Light? A Species-by-Species Guide — Most diurnal reptiles — bearded dragons, tortoises, turtles, and other daytime baskers — need UVB lighting to synthesize vitamin D3 and absorb calcium;…