Stories from the scales

Before you buy a tortoise, check these specifics: shell pyramiding, eye clarity, weight for size, and enclosure red flags. A guide from experienced rescue…

Buying a corn snake from a private seller? Here’s exactly what to check — respiratory health, shed history, feeding records, and enclosure red flags…

Fat pads, floppy tail syndrome, diet history — here is the complete visual and behavioural checklist for evaluating a crested gecko before you buy.

From IBD red flags to body condition checks, here is exactly what to look for when buying a ball python from a private seller…

Leopard geckos can look deceptively healthy to an untrained eye. Here’s a body-part-by-body-part health inspection — including the Crypto risk most buyers never hear…

Not every bearded dragon on Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace is what it appears to be. Here’s the body-part-by-body-part health inspection and questions to ask…

A practical guide to finding reptiles in the GTA — specialty stores, the Toronto Reptile Expo and other Ontario shows, rescue organizations, and online…

Ontario has hundreds of reptiles changing hands every week via Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, and reptile expos. Here’s how to evaluate any animal before you…

Dubia roaches vs. crickets vs. mealworms — which feeder insect is best for your reptile, how to gut-load them properly, and why calcium dusting…