If you’ve decided to take home a reptile for a pet, it’s not as simple as just putting him in a box and turning it loose when you get to your home. Owning a reptile isn’t the same as owning a dog or a cat, so you need to be prepared by buying everything you need before taking your pet reptile home.

From the food that you’ll need to setting up your pet’s terrarium, there are quite a few things you need to buy, whether you’re going to be adopting a bearded dragon or another form of reptilian pet for your home. So, grab your favorite American IPA beer and read on below to find out what you need to purchase and set up before you bring home your reptilian friend.

Proper Food

The first thing you have to do is get your pal the proper food. You can’t just pop your reptilian friend into a terrarium, pop the top on a can of dog or cat food, toss it in, and call it a day. The best food to get your bearded dragon or other lizard friend is adult Dubia roaches. You can also take steps to breed the Dubia roaches yourself, especially if you intend to breed reptilians instead of just keeping one for a pet. You can get the feeder, the beginning colony of Dubia roaches, and more online for a good price, as well as adult males, crickets, and adult females, along with egg cartons to help you with your breeding and bearded dragon feeding needs.

Terrarium

Once you’re squared the food away for your new pet, you’re going to want to purchase a terrarium to house your pet in. Choosing a terrarium that’s the right size for your pet is crucial. You want one that is big enough and long enough for your pet to be able to grow and move around as needed. The wrong-sized terrarium can lead to your bearded dragon or gecko being injured (or worse) if you aren’t careful.

It would be best if you had the right size and shape for your particular pet, so it’s best to ask at the pet store that you’re purchasing your terrarium from.

Heating Lamps and Lighting

Some reptilian pets have very specific needs regarding the kind of heating and lighting they need. You need to talk to the pet shop owner that you bought your pet through and see if they have any specific recommendations. Some can get their heat and light from the same source, but again, that depends on the type of pet you’ve adopted. It’s extremely important to know which combination your pet needs before bringing him home. Make sure that you have the heating and lighting stuff set up before you pick up your pet for the best results.

Bedding or Substrate

The bedding that you use for your reptilian friend also needs to be particular. Tropical terrarium substrates consist of bark, soil, moss, and coconut husk. Desert terrarium substrate includes reptilian carpet and specially formulated sand. Make sure that you know ahead of time which bedding and substrate is best for your pet.

Decor

Just like with any other pet, your reptilian friend needs proper decor as well. Snakes, geckos, and bearded dragons need places where they can hide when they feel the need. Make sure that you spray down the decor that allows for it to help humidify the terrarium and make it comfortable for your new pet.

These are just a few of the things that you need to buy before you adopt and bring home a reptilian pet. Remember, they aren’t like cats and dogs and require different types of care to thrive.