The Pros and Cons of Reptiles as Pets

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How many people can say that they have a pet that has been around, in some form or other, for 300 million years? Reptiles are fascinating animals that have been around since the Carboniferous Period, 300 million years ago. Many different species of reptiles have come and gone over the course of time and there are five main groups. Turtles and tortoises are distinguished by the presence of their carapace, or shells, which is also their main defense against predators. Lizards are the most diverse and varied among the reptiles with many different types from chameleons, to iguanas, to geckos, to monitor lizards which includes the largest of all lizards; the Komodo dragon. Tuataras are the most ancient of reptiles and can be found exclusively on the island of New Zealand. Snakes are distinguished by the presence of no limbs, stretchy jaws to swallow large food items, and a mainly carnivorous diet. Crocodiles and alligators have evolved from the group of creatures that gave rise to the dinosaurs and have rough scaly skin, huge jaws and have been known to spend much of their time near water. People fear reptiles because some are dangerous to them including venomous reptiles. However, most reptiles are actually harmless and only a few are undoubtedly dangerous. Still other people are fascinated by reptiles and are interested in learning more about why these animals behave the way they do. This is why many of them actually keep reptiles as pets so they can see how their actions affect how they survive in their habitat. People who keep reptiles as pets can educate themselves by: learning all of the traits and behaviors, and preserve certain species of reptiles if it is critically endangered, and educating other people by letting them see th...

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Works Cited Page

Kukol, Zuzana. "Let People Own Exotic Animals." USA Today 21 Oct. 2011, Opposing View sec.: n. pag. Middle Search Plus. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. .
Cohen, Hsin-Yi. "Keeping Corn Snakes As Pets." Reptile Expert. Reptile Expert, 27 Mar. 2013. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. .
"Endangered Reptiles." Endangered Species International. Endangered Species International, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. .
"For People Who Say "Ewwww" Reason for Why You Might Consider a Reptile as Your next Pet." PetLife. PetLife, n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. .

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