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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.
676 stories
A snake in your yard might feel like a problem you can solve on your own, but Nebraska treats wildlife as a resource held in trust for everyone in the state, not something you get to handle however you please.
When Iowa lawmakers wrote the state’s exotic animal ban back in 2007, they named lions, tigers, bears, elephants, and crocodiles specifically.
For more than three decades, a homeowner in Hamburg, New York shared a pool house with an 11-foot, 750-pound alligator named Albert — legally, until his state permit lapsed.
Most people assume that if a turtle is sitting in a pet store tank, it’s automatically fine to bring home.
If you spotted a snapping turtle crossing your driveway or you’re eyeing a red-eared slider at the pet store, you likely want a straight answer: can you own a turtle
If you have been searching for whether you can own an iguana in Alaska, the short answer sits inside a single state regulation that most first-time exotic pet owners never see coming.
Python ownership in Delaware sits in a gray zone that surprises a lot of first-time reptile keepers.
Can you own a turtle in Florida? For most common pet species, yes — but the honest answer depends on which turtle you mean, where it came from, and even how big it is.
If you’re wondering whether you can own a python in Massachusetts, the short answer is yes for most species — but the rules are layered across state and federal law in ways that trip up a lot of first-time reptile owners.
Louisiana is home to more American alligators than almost anywhere else in the country, so it’s a fair question: if these reptiles are everywhere from roadside ditches to golf course
Finding a snake coiled near your back door raises an immediate question: can you legally deal with it yourself, or does Arizona law require you to call someone else? Snake
Wyoming has only two species of venomous snake, and state law treats them in almost opposite ways.
If you’re wondering whether you can own an iguana in Louisiana, the short answer is yes — but the rules changed substantially in 2025, and plenty of reptile keepers had to scramble to keep up.
If you want a ball python as a pet, South Carolina will not stop you, no permit, no paperwork, no phone call to a state agency required.
If you grew up scooping a box turtle out of the backyard and keeping it in a terrarium for the summer, that hobby is now against the law in Virginia.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you can legally keep an alligator in your backyard pond in Oregon, the short answer is no — but the full story involves state agriculture rules, federal wildlife law, and a surprising real-world case that shows exactly what happens when someone tries anyway.
If you’ve ever grabbed a shovel or a broom at the sight of a snake in your yard, you may have broken the law without realizing it.
If you have ever wondered whether that green iguana at the reptile expo could legally come home with you, the short answer is yes, but the full answer depends on where in Texas you live.
If you’re thinking about bringing home a pet turtle in Idaho, the short answer is that it depends entirely on which species you have in mind.
If you’re moving to Hawaii and hoping to bring your ball python along, or you’re simply curious whether the islands allow python ownership, the answer is more absolute than in almost any other US state.
