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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.
679 stories
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.
If you’ve ever watched a viral video of someone walking a pet alligator on a leash and wondered whether that could happen in Arkansas, the short answer is no.
If you’re wondering whether you can own a python in Kentucky, the short answer is yes — with fewer hurdles than you might expect.
Kansas sits on a short list of states that don’t classify alligators as banned or heavily restricted exotic animals at the state level.
If you’re thinking about keeping a turtle as a pet in Texas, the honest answer is “it depends” — and that answer hinges almost entirely on which species you’re talking about.
Virginia treats iguanas very differently than states like Florida, where the same lizard sold in pet stores has been banned outright since 2021.
Massachusetts has a reputation for having some of the strictest exotic pet laws in the country, yet green iguanas are perfectly legal to keep here without a state permit.
You spot a snake sliding across your patio, and your first instinct probably isn’t to think about state statutes — but maybe it should be.
Can you own a python in California? The answer depends entirely on which species you’re asking about.
If you found a box turtle crossing your driveway or you’re eyeing a red-eared slider at a pet store, the question of whether you can own a turtle in Kentucky doesn’t have a simple yes-or-no answer.
If you’re wondering whether you can legally keep a python in Tennessee, the short answer is yes for most species, and you probably won’t need a state permit to do it.
If you’ve ever driven past a swampy pond in southeastern Oklahoma and wondered whether you could legally bring one of its scaly residents home, you’re not alone.
If you’re picturing a six-foot green lizard lounging on a heat lamp in your Maryland living room, you’re not breaking any state law by wanting one.
If you search online for whether you can own an alligator in Maine, you’ll run into conflicting answers.
Finding a snake in your yard, garage, or basement in South Dakota rarely means you’re breaking the law by dealing with it yourself.
Finding a snake coiled near your porch in Montana raises an immediate question: can you scoop it up and move it yourself, or does the law require something more formal?
Wondering whether you can own a turtle in Oklahoma? The short answer is yes, but the rules shift depending on the species, where the turtle came from, and whether you’re buying, selling, or pulling one out of a pond yourself.
Georgia’s swamps, marshes, and coastal waterways support one of the densest alligator populations in the country, with wildlife officials estimating roughly 200,000 to 250,000 alligators statewide.
If you have ever spotted a box turtle crossing a Mississippi backroad or eyed a red-eared slider at a pet store, you have probably wondered whether you can legally take one home.
If you’re weighing whether to bring an iguana into your Montana home, the short answer might surprise you: state law treats these lizards far more leniently than it treats many native mammals.
