That’s why I started ReptiFiles, actually — so people would be able to find reliable, high-quality reptile care information from the convenience from their computer or smartphone. You might notice that some of the care advice and articles provided on ReptiFiles are a bit different from other sources that you’ve read and advice you’ve received. That’s because a lot of the advice out there is outdated, minimalistic, or based on a misunderstanding of how reptiles work.
We don’t do that here.
As a reptile husbandry researcher, I work every day to determine the most up-to-date, factual, and science-based methods of reptile care by comparing keeper and breeder experiences with natural history data. As a consultant, I help individuals and businesses across the reptile industry raise the standard of modern reptile husbandry.
Some say that ReptiFiles is a biased source of information. If you consider promoting optimal reptile welfare a bias, then yes, I am biased! Because that’s what our pets deserve, right?
As part of my effort to promote a higher standard of reptile care (especially in the USA), ReptiFiles’ core mission is to replicate the conditions of each reptile’s natural habitat in captivity. This is because reptiles are not domesticated animals like cats, dogs, horses, etc. — they are still very much wild animals at heart, and have the same needs in captivity as in the wild.
What do wild reptiles need, then? They need the elements of their natural habitat. Each species of reptile evolved slowly over the course of literally millions of years to thrive within a very specific habitat, utilizing everything that habitat had to offer in order to maximize their chances of survival. My research has led me to conclude that re-creating the conditions of each reptile’s natural habitat (light, temperatures, humidity, shelters, plants, etc.) and supplementing that with enrichment is the key to promoting optimal physical and mental welfare for reptiles in captivity.
(For more info about how I create ReptiFiles care guides, go here.)
Join me on this journey — there is so much yet to do, and the end is nowhere in sight! Together we will raise the standard of reptile care and pave the way to a world where reptiles are no longer just throwaways or hidden in the basements of weirdos, but embraced as the beautiful, incredible, unique creatures that they are.
Yours,
Mariah Healey
Reptile Husbandry Researcher and Consultant
Owner/Author of ReptiFiles.com