I really, really want a pet snake. I love snakes. I even have a tattoo of a snake coiled around my upper arm. I always linger around the snakes when I stop in a pet store. People think that I'm weird for thinking that snakes are adorable, but they are!

I've never had a reptile pet, but I am really interested in them and I'd love to have one someday. I never really knew they were the type to be held and out of their tank. How often can you/are they alright with having them around the house with you? You said that he even sleeps in your bed at night? I didn't know that it was safe. Then again, some people feel like they have to be really careful at times when they don't.
You also said that you take them somewhere with you? On their own? I'd love to know about this.
I recently held a chameleon and I really loved it, I wanted to bring it home with me!

@iinsanely Sane: Not that I am aware of in the pet trade. I could be wrong though. I'm pretty sure most turtles need a source of protein though outside of plants.


@lunanuova: People freak out over little things. I have never been sick from handling reptiles. It's rare and people just tend to freak out over nothing. He normally just curls up under one of my pillows that I don't use and sleeps there all night or he comes and lays on my chest under the blankets. I don't roll around or anything at night so I don't worry about squishing him. He's way too spoiled and will not sleep in his enclosure. He runs up and down the tank and makes a lot of noise so that's why he sleeps with me.

Some reptiles like most snakes, chameleons, turtles, anoles, and things like that are better left in their habitats because they have a higher level of stress or just do not enjoy being held. It all depends on the reptile themselves. In general though I would not over handle chameleons because they do tend to be a bit more sensitive and freak out over everything. They're not a good beginner reptile in my opinion.

As for having my guys out, the dragons love it. I normally have them out for at least a half hour a day. I feel bad when they sit there against the glass and want out and I don't let them out. I fixed my living room so it's dragon proof so I just let them run around there. They all really seem to love climbing onto the backs of the sofas and I find them sleeping up there or on the sofa in the corners a lot of the time after they're tired out.

Sometimes I will let them run around outside but I have to watch them to make sure they don't get lost or get into anything. The natural UV light from the sun is really good for them. The snakes I hold when I take them out which isn't that often since they more or less just like keeping to themselves. They also can get hurt a lot easier by squeezing into places they shouldn't go.

When I go places, the dragons just sit on my shoulder or on my arm and just chill. My one loves being petted and loves people. He's very curious about everything around him. The only one I won't take out of the house or yard yet in my youngest one because she gets a bit scared but the other ones enjoy the car ride and going places. I don't like the idea of leashes because they just seem to get too stressed out with them so I personally do not use them although I know people who do use them. Taking them out to places all depends on how comfortable your pet is being out and about and how comfortable you are with it.

I take them to parks, pet stores with me, and to the feed store. It's really funny when I got through a drive through with them and people take a second look at them. People in general just seem curious about the dragons. The snakes, I've had people freak out over. I normally bring them places in a bag because they tend to stress out a bit more and that's normally if I have to bring them except for my king snake because he's really curious about every little thing and loves people. I worry about losing him though so I don't take him out of the house often.

I found a baby Yellow Eared Slider stuck in between some train tracks. I had no idea how long it had been there so I picked it up and brought it home with me. It's sitting in a little makeshift tank with some water and a little platform with a tunnel underneath in case it wants to hide. It's maybe an inch and a half to two inches long tops.

Do you have any advice for me in order to help me care for it better? Also, I'm not sure how to tell if it's male or female so that'd be great to get answered.

Just make sure to keep his water clean and provide UVA/UVB lighting for him. He'll also need a basking light. Turtles are expensive to keep. I posted some tips for turtles a few posts up about lighting and all that if you're interested.

Well since it's summer we'll be keeping him outside for the time being.

Just make sure he isn't in an aquarium because it causes a green house effect and can kill them by making them overheat. Other tan that I really see no reason to have anything else besides an area for him to get in and out of the water.

I have 2 turtles ones Blacky Lawless, and the other Sunny. I don't remember what breed they are though...