Why Herpetoculture is a Luxury Hobby

Written by Mariah Healey, ReptiFiles.com

There are many low-investment hobbies: watching movies, jogging, bird watching, drawing, baking… But herpetoculture is not one of them. In fact, keeping exotic pets in general is quite the opposite, and we need to stop pretending that it isn’t.

Now before people start screaming about elitism and gatekeeping, let’s talk about what defines luxury. According to Oxford, it’s “an inessential, desirable item which is expensive or difficult to obtain.” And reptiles meet all of these specifications.

Reptiles are inessential

As much as we may feel like everyone has the right to have a pet, the truth is that it’s a privilege. We don’t need pets to survive, or even for our species to survive. And regardless of how we may feel after seeing a particularly unique or interesting animal at a reptile expo, the fact of the matter is that on the list of “wants” vs “needs” in the family budget, a new pet is a “want”.

Reptiles are desirable

It’s true that reptiles aren’t necessarily “desirable” to everyone. There are plenty of people who recoil at the thought of a snake in their house or holding a lizard. There are also plenty of people who consider the lizards at the pet store to be “throwaway pets,” and the snakes in their backyard to be pests. But for those of us who love reptiles and think they’re cool/beautiful/entertaining/etc., they are desirable. According to basic economics, demand creates value. In other words, it’s our desire to have pet reptiles that gives them value.

Reptiles are expensive

Reptiles are expensive, and anyone who says otherwise probably isn’t keeping them appropriately. The animal itself is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the expense of herpetoculture. They need an appropriately spacious enclosure, extensive life support equipment, substrate, environmental enrichment items, food, and veterinary care. All of these things can add up to well beyond the cost of just the animal, particularly on initial investment. Yes, there are ways to save money and reduce that initial investment, but most shortcuts involve reducing the functionality of the enclosure and/or compromising animal welfare.

Reptiles can be difficult to obtain

Reptiles aren’t always hard to get. Due to their popularity, certain reptile species can be found and purchased quite easily at a pet store or reptile expo, or simply by looking in the “pet” section of your local classifieds. But others are much rarer, especially if you want it captive bred or you have your heart set on a certain morph. These rarer animals require effort to source, further making reptiles a luxury pet. Given the nature of herpetoculture to prompt people to pursue ever-rarer reptiles, this can also qualify it as a luxury hobby.

Conclusion

Pet reptiles are inessential, desirable, expensive, and difficult to obtain — this makes herpetoculture a luxury hobby. Furthermore, unlike many other luxuries, reptiles are living beings, and the ownership of them carries responsibility. Other luxuries simply have the barrier of being able to afford them, but herps have the additional barrier of being able to meet their needs and help them flourish in captivity. While some would prefer to eliminate these barriers to entry, they are necessary to promoting positive welfare. Making it an all-inclusive hobby with no or loose standards would stand to hurt the animals we love.

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