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Reptiles

๐ŸฆŽ Reptile keepers

Reptile supplies + care guides for Irish keepers

We're curating a serious starter range for the most kept reptiles in Ireland โ€” heat, light, hides, substrate and food. While we stock up, here are the species, setup essentials and resources you need to get a reptile right from day one.

What we'll be stocking

Popular species in Ireland

Bearded Dragon

Pogona vitticeps

Level
Beginner-friendly
Size
40โ€“60 cm
Life
8โ€“12 yrs
Diet
Omnivore โ€” insects + greens
Habitat
120 ร— 60 ร— 60 cm minimum (adult)
Climate
Basking 38โ€“42 ยฐC ยท cool side 21โ€“26 ยฐC
Lighting
Yes โ€” high-output T5 (Arcadia 12% / Reptisun 10.0)

Social, active, tolerant of handling. The single best first reptile for owners willing to provide UVB and a varied diet of live insects + leafy greens.

Leopard Gecko

Eublepharis macularius

Level
Beginner-friendly
Size
20โ€“25 cm
Life
15โ€“20 yrs
Diet
Insectivore โ€” crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches
Habitat
90 ร— 45 ร— 45 cm minimum
Climate
Warm side 30 ยฐC ยท cool side 22 ยฐC
Lighting
Optional but recommended (low-output T5 6%)

Easy to handle, no UVB strictly required (calcium supplementation covers this), tolerant of dry setups. Ideal first lizard for kids 10+ with adult oversight.

Corn Snake

Pantherophis guttatus

Level
Beginner-friendly
Size
90โ€“150 cm
Life
15โ€“20 yrs
Diet
Carnivore โ€” frozen-thawed mice, every 7โ€“10 days
Habitat
120 ร— 45 ร— 45 cm minimum (adult)
Climate
Warm side 27โ€“30 ยฐC ยท cool side 22โ€“24 ยฐC
Lighting
Not strictly required

The classic beginner snake โ€” docile, easy feeder, hardy. Make sure the enclosure is genuinely escape-proof; corn snakes test every gap.

Ball Python

Python regius

Level
Beginner / intermediate
Size
90โ€“150 cm
Life
25โ€“30 yrs
Diet
Carnivore โ€” frozen-thawed mice / rats, every 10โ€“14 days
Habitat
120 ร— 60 ร— 60 cm minimum (adult)
Climate
Warm side 30โ€“32 ยฐC ยท cool side 24โ€“27 ยฐC
Lighting
Optional (low-output T5)

Calm, slow-moving, hugely long-lived โ€” a real lifetime commitment. Notoriously fussy feeders during breeding season; pick a captive-bred animal that is feeding consistently before you bring it home.

Hermann's Tortoise

Testudo hermanni

Level
Long-term commitment
Size
15โ€“25 cm
Life
50โ€“80 yrs
Diet
Strict herbivore โ€” weeds, leafy greens, calcium-rich plants
Habitat
Outdoor enclosure preferred; indoor 200 ร— 100 cm minimum
Climate
Basking 30โ€“35 ยฐC ยท ambient 18โ€“22 ยฐC
Lighting
Essential โ€” high-output T5 12%

Outlives most owners. Plan inheritance. Avoid pellets and fruit; their gut is built for fibrous wild plants. CITES Annex A โ€” keep paperwork.

Setup essentials โ€” get these right or don't start

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Right-size enclosure

Bigger is always better. The minimums above are starting points โ€” adult bearded dragons and adult ball pythons thrive at 150 cm+. Floor space matters more than height for most species.

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Heat gradient + thermostat

Every reptile needs a warm zone and a cool zone in the same enclosure so they can self-regulate. Always control heat lamps with a thermostat โ€” fire and burn risks come from unregulated heat.

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UVB for diurnal species

Bearded dragons, tortoises and other diurnal reptiles must have a high-output UVB tube (Arcadia 12% T5 or Reptisun 10.0). Replace bulbs every 12 months โ€” output decays even when the tube still lights up.

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Species-correct substrate

Paper towel for quarantine. Coconut fibre or topsoil + sand mix for bioactive setups. Avoid loose substrate for hatchlings (impaction risk). Never use cedar or pine shavings โ€” toxic oils.

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At least two hides

One on the warm side, one on the cool side. A reptile that has nowhere to hide is a stressed reptile. Add a humid hide for shedders (snakes, geckos).

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Water + humidity

Fresh water daily. Match humidity to species โ€” ball pythons 50โ€“60%, leopard geckos 30โ€“40%, bearded dragons 30โ€“40%. Use a digital hygrometer, not a sticker.

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Calcium + multivitamin

Insectivores: dust crickets with calcium 5 days a week, multivitamin once a week. Tortoises: cuttlebone available at all times. Without supplementation, metabolic bone disease is almost guaranteed.

๐Ÿ“ฆ We're stocking up

Our reptiles range goes live as we vet suppliers โ€” we won't list anything we wouldn't use ourselves. In the meantime, our calculators, breed guides and AI vet tools below are free and don't need stock.

Frequently asked questions

Are reptiles legal to keep in Ireland?

Yes โ€” most popular pet reptiles (bearded dragons, leopard geckos, corn snakes, ball pythons, common tortoise species) are legal to keep without a permit. CITES-listed species (e.g. Hermann's tortoise) require Article 10 paperwork from the seller. Keeping native Irish reptiles is restricted under the Wildlife Acts.

Are reptiles a good first pet for a child?

Some โ€” leopard geckos and corn snakes specifically. They tolerate handling, eat predictable diets, and have moderate equipment needs. Bearded dragons need more setup but bond more visibly with owners. Always: an adult must be the legal owner and primary caregiver.

How much does a starter setup cost?

Realistic budget for a beginner-friendly species in Ireland (2026): โ‚ฌ250โ€“โ‚ฌ450 for the full kit (enclosure, heating, lighting, substrate, hides, hygrometer, thermostat, basics). Then โ‚ฌ15โ€“โ‚ฌ30/month for food + supplements. Don't skimp on the thermostat โ€” that's the most safety-critical item.

Where do I find a reptile vet in Ireland?

UCD Veterinary Hospital (Dublin) sees exotics including reptiles. Several private practices in Dublin, Cork and Galway have exotic-experienced vets โ€” call ahead and ask specifically "do you see reptiles?" before booking. For emergencies, UCD's out-of-hours service is the most reliable option.

Can I keep two reptiles together?

Mostly no. Most beginner species (leopard geckos, bearded dragons, ball pythons) are solitary in the wild โ€” cohabitation causes stress, food competition, injuries and breeding stress. The only common exception is a single-sex group of female leopard geckos in a very large enclosure, and even that fails often. One-pet-per-enclosure is the safe default.

What's the most common beginner mistake?

A close tie between (1) using an under-tank heater alone with no thermostat, and (2) running cheap "tropical" UVB bulbs that produce too little UVB to actually prevent metabolic bone disease. Both cause problems that take 6โ€“12 months to show up โ€” by which point real damage has been done. Buy a digital thermostat and a high-output T5 UVB on day one.

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