Reptiles are the third most popular pet group globally, but high mortality rates in the trade and inadequate husbandry knowledge mean many reptiles suffer significant welfare harm from the point of capture or breeding through their captive lives.
Reptile welfare in the pet trade suffers from a combination of poor initial conditions in wild capture and import, and persistent inadequate husbandry by many owners. Reptiles require species-specific temperature gradients for thermoregulation that are fundamental to their physiology - without appropriate thermal environments, reptiles cannot digest food, maintain immune function, or express normal behavior. UV lighting is essential for many species' calcium metabolism. The attractive appearance of reptiles combined with inadequate owner education creates a welfare crisis that results in high mortality and chronic suffering for millions of individuals.