Discover Enrichment for Pet Reptiles with Vet Darren Partridge
January 9, 2025
Whatever species of pet reptile you have, environmental enrichment is just as important for them as it is for dogs and cats.
Molesey Vets’ reptile enthusiast and Vet Darren Partridge, has put together a list of ways you can enrich the life of your exotic pet.
For tailored advice about your specific reptile or another type of exotic pet, get in touch with Molesey Vets today.
Contact us for an exotic pet appointment
Enrichment for exotic pet reptiles
Darren explains that lizards, snakes, turtles, and other reptiles are wild animals, with natural wild instincts. When they’re kept as pets, their lives can become ‘empty’ as their natural need to hunt for food, evade prey, and live in extreme conditions, have been removed.
Enriching a pet reptile’s life should revolve around giving them challenging activities that mimic some of their natural behaviours, this is also important for their welfare. You can do this by giving them something to explore, such as:
- Multiple hides made out of logs with dense foliage.
- Underground burrows, using deep soil, sand and leaf litter (leaves, twigs and pieces of bark that have fallen to the ground).
- Climbing objects like branches, hammocks, or well-secured stacks of rocks.
- Depending on your species of reptile, they may enjoy a new water bowl to soak in.
- Always make sure your pet will be safe and can get out of new areas, but not their enclosure!
If you have any questions about enrichment or general healthcare for your specific type of exotic pet, don’t hesitate to contact us for an appointment with Molesey Vets’ reptile enthusiast and Vet Darren Partridge.
Want to share your pet reptile’s enrichment tips of pictures of their enclosure with other reptile keepers in Surrey? Pop over to our Facebook page and share away!
