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Explore the world of reptiles — cold-blooded, scaly vertebrates including snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians, and the tuatara, found across deserts, rainforests, and oceans worldwide.
678 stories
The Yucatán Peninsula is one of the most biologically rich corners of the Americas, and the moment you step outside — whether you’re wandering ancient Maya ruins, hiking a jungle trail, or simply sitting on a hotel patio — lizards are everywhere.
Most people assume that finding a snake in the yard means they’re free to deal with it however they see fit.
Pennsylvania’s exotic pet code names bears, wolves, and big cats by species, but it never mentions the green iguana.
Illinois Conservation Police confiscate roughly a dozen crocodilians from illegal owners every single year, and that number hasn’t budged much despite the state’s clear stance on the issue.
Not every snake in your backyard requires a call to Game and Fish, but knowing which ones do is where most New Mexico homeowners get into trouble.
If you’re wondering whether you can own an iguana in Hawaii, the short answer is no, and state officials have enforced that rule for years.
If you’re wondering whether you can own a turtle in Nevada, the short answer is yes, but the details depend entirely on which species you have in mind.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you can own an alligator in Pennsylvania, the answer surprises most first-time researchers: the Commonwealth has no statewide ban and no state permit requirement for keeping one.
If you’re wondering whether you can own a python in Pennsylvania, the short answer is yes for most species, but the full picture involves three separate layers of law: federal, state, and local.
If you’re wondering whether you can own a turtle in North Dakota, the short answer is yes for most common species, though the exact rules shift depending on where the turtle came from and what kind it is.
Alaska is the only U.S.
In October 2025, a truck hauling 21 rhesus monkeys overturned on Interstate 59 near Heidelberg, Mississippi, sending several animals loose into the surrounding countryside and forcing a multi-day search involving local law enforcement and wildlife officials.
Finding a snake in your yard or attic in Mississippi does not automatically give you free rein to trap, relocate, or kill it however you see fit.
You can legally keep an iguana in Oregon without applying for a special state wildlife permit — a fact that surprises plenty of new reptile owners, especially anyone who moved from Florida, where the same lizard is now banned from the pet trade.
Finding a snake coiled near your back porch in Louisiana raises an immediate question: can you handle it yourself, or does the law require someone else to step in? Snake removal laws in Louisiana depend heavily on the species involved, where the snake is found, and whether it poses an immediate threat.
Hawaii is one of the few U.S.
If you have ever scooped a painted turtle out of a farm pond or eyed a red-eared slider at a Nebraska pet store, you have probably wondered whether keeping it at home is actually allowed.
If you’re wondering whether you can own a turtle in Montana, the short answer is yes, but the details change depending on the species, where it came from, and how big it is.
If you are wondering whether you can own a python in Connecticut, the answer depends entirely on which species you have in mind.
You can own a python in New Hampshire without applying for a special state permit for most pet species, but the rules governing that ownership sit at the intersection of two separate legal systems: state wildlife regulations and a federal law originally written to stop invasive snakes from taking over the Everglades.
