UK:Reptiles now more popular pets than dogs

telegraph ^

[JoeProBono]

Calculations by the British Federation of Herpetologists (BFH) indicate that there are now as many as eight million reptiles and amphibians being kept as pets in the UK. This compares to an estimated dog population of 6.5 million.

The growth in reptile numbers is so rapid that within years they will overtake the country's nine million cats to become Britain's most popular pets. Chris Newman, chairman of the Federation, said: "There are now, without question, more pet reptiles than pet dogs in the UK. You only have to look at the way the market has grown. I have no doubt that there are now between seven and eight million reptiles living as pets in the UK.

[JoeProBono]

"Reptiles' popularity as mainstream pets has grown immensely. There has been an explosion in numbers. They have moved from being niche to being mainstream.

"They are far more suitable as pets than are animals which are perceived as more traditional pets, such as cats, dogs and small mammals. Reptiles fit today's modern lifestyles as they are less time-consuming, and can also be easier to keep, than other traditional pet species."

Reptiles are relatively cheap to buy and to keep, Most are kept in heated tanks for at least part of the day. They require less upkeep than other caged animals, as the little waste they produce is solid and dry. Breeders believe that well-known reptile owners such as Jonathan Ross, who owns an iguana, have added to booming sales.

The population has been calculated through analysis of suppliers of reptile food – insects and mice.

Since 2004, when the reptile population was recorded at five million, the number of crickets being sold in the UK has doubled from 10 million a week to 20 million.

Over the same period, the number of locusts produced has more than quadrupled, to around one million a week.

Sales of frozen rodents have also increased dramatically. In addition to the rodents bred for the purpose in the UK and EU, around 3.5 tons of frozen rodents are being imported from outside the EU each month.

In 2004, reptile products made up only four per cent of the UK sales of Hagen, a major pet food company. They now account for 17 per cent.

The five most popular species are leopard geckos, bearded dragons, corn snakes, royal (or ball) pythons, and Hermann's tortoises.

Other popular species are the colubrid snake, veiled chameleon and crested gecko. The latter was only rediscovered in 1994, heaving been thought extinct for many years. By 2004, it was the fifth most commonly bred lizard in captivity.

The largest snakes being kept as pets are thought to be Burmese pythons, constrictor snakes which can grow up to 20ft in length.

The biggest lizards are water monitors, which can reach sizes of up to 7ft.

Venomous snakes can also be kept, although owners must have a licence from their local authority.

The new figures also include pet amphibians – mostly newts, frogs and toads – although these are thought to account for less than ten per cent of the numbers.

Mark Johnston, from the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, said: "In the last five years, we have seen an increase in reptiles. There are certainly more people keeping them. We rarely treat them for diseases, because they are usually kept in isolation, but we do see them for problems about the way they are kept and cared for."

Since last year, Christine Sands, 57, and her son Ryan, 17, from Kirkleatham, Cleveland, have jointly own a bearded dragon, called ZZ.

"She is very sociable and tame," Ms Sands said. "She will sit on my lap watching the telly and then jump down and run around the room. She seems to get on well with my cats too. But the heating and lighting in her tank mean she has probably caused my electricity bills to go up."

Daniel Catcheside, an 18-year-old student from Portsmouth, owns a bearded dragon, Merlin, a turtle, Vern, and two tortoises, Fudge and Big George.

"They are remarkable animals and all make great pets," he said. "They have all got different personalities. I have a dog too which is fascinated by the tortoises. In the summer, they will lie next to each other."

[pnh102]

How cute!!!!!!!

[BlueStateBlues]

Lizard people

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[pnh102]

One of my personal favorites... a blue tongued skink. So loving and sweet.

[Keith Brown]

“One of my personal favorites... a blue tongued skink. So loving and sweet.”

Does it fetch?

[denydenydeny]

Not surprising. In Muslim countries, dogs are considered unclean.

[pnh102]

Does it fetch?

Ours chase down crickets, pull dead mice off of tongs and on occasion snuggle with the cats, does that count?

[JoeProBono]

Yo Fido! NaNaNaNaNAH NAH

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Do they consider Muslims with the rest of the poisonous reptiles?

[Silly]

Ish.

[alecqss]

Reptiles now more popular pets than dogs

Kind of sounds Freudian...

[Verginius Rufus]

Presumably this applies to the part of the UK on the island of Great Britain and not to Northern Ireland. Snakes can't live in Northern Ireland. Bede reports that there are no snakes at all in Ireland, and if one is on a ship approaching Ireland, it dies as soon as it can smell the Irish air.

Bede was a saint...he wouldn't lie to us.

[JoeProBono]

Best of both worlds?

[randomhero97]

bump for later.

[JoeProBono]

Hubahuba

[JoeProBono]

Dog? What dog?

[PistolPaknMama]

I read the most strange book years ago at the behest of a freind called "Bringers of the Dawn". I did manage to get through it and then either burned or trashed it, either way it's no longer in my library. It reveals our pre-creation, pre-God reptilian overlords and why we are so repulsed by reptiles and that we are created and ruled by reptiles. Sorta like rebelling against God, we are also repulsed by reptiles, the book suggests.

I'm not in any way recommending this book unless you're into the totally bizzare, I just find it weird that the neo-socialists of Europe are more into reptiles than we are here of dogs, which spelled backward is God.

Don't go making anything of my comment that it's not. Just an observation based on the most weird thing I've read in the last 10 years. But then I haven't read the Klinton Kronicles yet either. LOL

[Silly]

It’s a theory.

[JoeProBono]

Just a little closer

[null and void]

ping

[Tax-chick]

And do they should be. They *never* bark or go charging at people minding their own business on a public street. Most reptiles don’t even have vocal chords!

(Reptile ping)

[JimC214]

I guess the Koran doesn't prohibit reptiles.

[JoeProBono]

Save me

[brytlea]

Do ANY reptiles have vocal cords? That would be interesting to know!

[Tax-chick]

Our cat had a chameleon bite her on the nose and refuse to let go once. We called it “Agnes’s hunting accident.”

[ScottinVA]

They are cute in a goofy way, aren’t they?

[Tax-chick]

Geckos have vocal cords. To me, that makes it surprising that they’d be a popular pet, since most special sleep all day and creep around being noisy at night.

[Tennessee Nana]

If it aint fluffy and cuddly you can keep it...

[JoeProBono]

"Do ANY reptiles have vocal cords?"

She wants to know if we have vocal chords

[brytlea]

Oh yeah, I forgot they can chirp. Our geckos here (south FL—I’m sure they are invasive species) don’t seem to make any noise. But I recall, as a child, living in the Philippines, hearing the chirp sort of like a cricket, at night. We would see them on the walls (yes, in the house). I thought they were cool, even then.

[brytlea]

ROFL!

[Tax-chick]

Tom just showed up and corrected himself: geckos are the only *lizards* with vocal cords. Alligators and crocodiles, as well as various amphibians, also make noise. The article doesn’t say British are keeping crocodiles, although it might not be a bad idea, since they’re not allowed to defend themselves any other way. A Burmese python would deter intruders too, I’d think.

[brytlea]

Not as cool a shot, but I did have to lay down in the drive way to capture shots of a little something between these curly tails.

[JoeProBono]

"If it aint fluffy and cuddly you can keep it..."

Mommy!

[brytlea]

I know alligators (and crocs) make noise, but I don’t think they use vocal cords. On the other hand, they are the only reptiles with 4 chambered hearts (as if you care!)

[Tennessee Nana]

Ah, you can keep that species also

:)

[Tax-chick]

It never occured to me to wonder what kind of hearts the dragons have, but it’s always good to learn a new fact. Now I’ll have to find the Bearded Dragon Handbook and see what it says :-).

[Tax-chick]

Those are cute. About 6” long?

[JoeProBono]

Take me to your fly trap

[Tennessee Nana]

Wer were stationed in Okinawa...

The geckos kept down the cockroach population..

But it was often a shock to go to the loo at night and suddenly see one pop his head out from behind the tank or somewhere...

LOL

[brytlea]

They would have 3 chambered.

[brytlea]

Probably yes. They are everywhere around here. Here's what they look like normally (when they're not being macho!)

[brytlea]

That’s amazing! My dog would have it in her mouth so fast (I don’t like that she kills them but it’s her hobby).

[JoeProBono]

"Ah, you can keep that species also"

I know. They're not fun to walk.

[Tax-chick]

You take good pictures!

[brytlea]

Yeah, they were cool. Of course I was a kid and was enthralled by all of the critters, including the big sugar cane beetles.

[brytlea]

Well, thanks, but they’re easy (if they hold still long enough!)

[JoeProBono]

Can we talk?