Reptile husbandry Reptile farms have been an important part of modern human culture. The earliest known snake farm in the world is in the Ancient world, where snakes were used for food, money and medicine. Reptile husbandry has been in practice for a long time for its numerous benefits. As the demand for reptiles has increased worldwide and the supply of reptiles has also increased worldwide, the industry of reptile husbandry has increased. Reptile husbandry is a field that combines breeding, feeding, and healthcare of exotic animals as pets. There are about 10,000-12,000 reptile farms worldwide. Reptiles can be raised in houses or outdoors. There are about 350 to 400 reptile farms in the United States. The purpose of reptile farms is to keep the snakes safe and fed. Breeding The purpose of breeding reptiles is to have healthy snakes that are able to produce live offspring and ensure a healthy lineage of the next generation. Reptiles have different lengths of breeding time. Each species has a different breeding pattern. A snake's egg laying period is about 60-80 days. Snakes have a gestation period of from 4 to 120 days. There are several types of breeding patterns used by reptile farms. The pairing is most likely one male to one female. It can be a one male to several females breeding system if the males in question are large enough. Snakes can also be raised in groups. Most farms practice the separate sex enclosure system. Females are able to raise offspring on their own without the need for a male in the group. On the other hand, males must have a group of females to raise offspring. Sometimes females breed themselves and have offspring without males in their groups, which is the occurrence in most reptile farms today. It is important to note that with most reptile breeding programs, the eggs are incubated in artificial settings because most of the species are nocturnal and most of the species do not incubate their eggs in natural settings. The incubation period depends on the species. Feeding The cost of feeding reptiles is a large percentage of the budget of a reptile farm, ranging anywhere from 50-90%. This is due to the fact that most reptiles are carnivores that need meat. The diet consists of rodents, mice, fish, birds, reptiles, and occasionally humans. Some people call this “reptile food” which is actually feeding meat to the reptiles. Health care To have healthy reptiles, they need proper and adequate feeding, clean water, a suitable habitat, and regular care to keep their health in balance. To maintain healthy reptiles, the water in the reptile tank should be kept clean with no algae or dirt and should be changed every week or every few days. Suitability To have a successful reptile habitat, it must suit the purpose of the environment of the habitat. Snake tanks that are built to be low, can have a different effect on the reptile. Rocks, branches, and other materials can affect the health of the reptile in the cage. Other reptiles can also affect the health of the reptiles living in the same enclosure. References Category:Animal husbandry Category:Farming animals Category:Reptiles and humans Category:Animal training Category:Types of pet Category:Amphibians and humans Category:Mammals and humans Category:Birds and humans Category:Fish and humans Category:Reptiles as pets Category:Pets Category:Snakes