Care guides for every animal we keep.
Eighty species, from guppies to baboon spiders. Search by common name or scientific name and you get the numbers that matter: enclosure size, heat gradient, humidity or water chemistry, UVB, substrate, diet, lifespan, what to watch for health-wise, and the mistakes that catch people out. Read it before you buy, not after.
Species directory
Nothing matched that search
We keep more than this list. If you are after something you cannot see here, message us and we will tell you whether we can get it and what it needs.
Ask us about a speciesThe basics, properly
Seven things that decide whether it works
Most problems we see in the shop are one of these seven, whatever the animal. Get them right and the species-specific detail becomes much easier.
Before you buy
Five questions worth answering first
Most animals that end up rehomed were bought on a Saturday afternoon without these being settled. Work through them and the rest gets easier.
Talk it through with usPermits, in plain terms
South Africa protects its indigenous wildlife. Keeping, moving or selling an indigenous reptile, tortoise, chameleon or baboon spider needs a provincial nature conservation permit, and the rules differ between provinces. Several imported species carry CITES paperwork as well.
Cards below carry a note where this applies. Ask us before you commit to an animal, and ask any seller to show you their paperwork. A seller who cannot is a seller to walk away from.
Where these numbers come from
Further reading, and the sources we check against
Husbandry standards move. Temperatures and UVB figures that were normal ten years ago have been revised, and the reptile numbers on this page follow the current research-based guidance rather than the older pet-trade ones. These are the references worth reading in full when you are setting up.
Every animal is an individual, and a care sheet is a starting point rather than a diagnosis. If something looks wrong, speak to an exotics vet. We are happy to say when a problem is beyond what a shop can advise on.
Still not sure which one suits you?
Send us your room, your budget and how much time you have in a week. We will come back with two or three that fit, and be honest about the ones that do not.