These have become one of the easiest means of sourcing suitable animals.

• www.herpshop.com.au

There are a number of reptile keeping enthusiasts who have organised themselves into groups and meet regularly to share their reptile keeping experiences. By joining one of these groups and attending meetings or by checking their websites you may be able to locate reputable breeders from whom to purchase your animals. Some of these groups are:

• The Australian Herpetological Society

• The Macarthur Reptile Society

• The Hawkesbury Herpetological Society

• The Illawarra Reptile Society

• The ACT Herpetological Association

The most prominent one of these is www.aussiepythons.com

Always check with the breeder that the animal is feeding well. Young animals should have had at least three successive feeds without refusal. Sometimes the stress of moving an animal to a new environment may cause it to stop feeding, but some are poor feeders in the first place and probably will not be good captive specimens.

Always perform a brief health check on any animal you are about to purchase. Things to look for include:

Skin

Snakes and lizards should have dry, smooth skin without any sign of old skin attached. There should be no white patches (which could indicate a fungal infection) or reddening of the skin (which could indicate a bacterial infection).

Parasites

Check the animal for any signs of ticks, especially around the cloaca (the common digestive and reproductive tract opening), groin areas and the dorsal scales of snakes and skinks. The rear half of ticks can usually be seen protruding from the scales in these areas if they are present.

Animals should show some kind of activity when touched or handled when they are at their normal activity temperature. Overactive or aggressive animals should be avoided in the school situation. Animals should have firm muscles, be able to hold themselves steady and not be limp. Lizards should be able to support their weight on their legs.

Animals should be free of swellings under the skin. These can indicate worm infections, cysts or tumours.

Ensure that lizards have four functioning legs and that none are dragging behind the animal. Also ensure that their digits are all intact.

Ensure that the animal is not wheezing and is breathing clearly through the nose without opening the mouth. Avoid any animals which have laboured breathing or bubbles forming around the nose as these are signs of a respiratory infection. Be aware that reptiles seldom breathe regularly as mammals and birds do.

Ensure that the animal has two open eyes of equal size, that there is no swelling around the mouth and that both nostrils are clear and unblocked.

Ensure that the shells of turtles have no fresh cracks, no signs of fungal infection and no soft white patches or recent scar tissue.