Reptiles including turtles, snakes, and geckos are used in traditional medicine practices globally, with welfare harm from wild capture, holding conditions, and killing methods.
Reptile traditional medicine welfare harm combines capture stress, poor holding conditions, and frequently inhumane killing methods. Sea turtles captured for medicine are transported inverted — a position that compresses their lungs and causes significant physiological stress. Snake bile extraction requires keeping snakes alive during a procedure that causes injury and distress. The endangerment of target species creates an urgency that combines conservation and welfare arguments.