XMAS GIFT GUIDE

Our guide to the perfect gift for the herpetoculturist in your life.

Christmas is fast approaching! With exotic animal keeping being such a niche hobby, it can be difficult to pick the perfect present for a loved one. There are some fantastic bits of equipment out there to really boost the herpetoculture or aquarist interests of anyone keeping exotic pets, but who really wants a lightbulb for Christmas? Exotics Keeper Magazine has broken down some of our top present suggestions that are bound to put a smile on the face of anyone who has, or is hoping to keep an exotic pet in the future.

Pin badges, hoodies, journals, and much more are available on IHS-web.org.uk and range from 75p up to £20. There’s plenty of stocking fillers here for someone who loves reptiles and wants to support a prestigious organisation within the hobby.

Plushie Bearded Dragon

Price: RRP £12.99

Who doesn’t love a plushie bearded dragon? Perfect for young children and doting partners alike, this reptilian twist on the classic teddy bear is a lovely little novelty and makes a great stocking filler. Tell someone you know they’re reptile-mad and love them for it, without having to know a thing about reptiles yourself! This also makes a great alternative to a real bearded dragon, until children understand the full responsibility that goes into caring for an exotic pet – maybe next year, kiddo.

IHS Merchandise

Price: 75p - £20

The International Herpetological Society runs entirely on memberships, entry fees and merchandise sales, yet it hosts some of the most important events in the UK herpetoculture scene. Their merchandise is brilliant and extremely affordable.

Zoo Animal Experiences

Price: Varies are a great way to build that experience with a pet snake at home. For students following a career in herpetology, understanding the basics of manoeuvring a snake with a hook can be extremely beneficial when they eventually conduct field research. Training (and sometimes legal permits) are required when handling wild snakes, so hooks should always be used responsibly but familiarising yourself with these tools is a great way to kickstart a career with snakes.

There are lots of zoos up and down the country that offer animal experiences. Although these are perfect for youngsters, adults can gain some significant insight by talking to a professional keeper who has access to more resources than the average private keeper. For reptile enthusiasts, Chester Zoo offers a ‘chameleon experience’, Colchester Zoo, Bristol Zoo, Paignton Zoo and Crocodiles of the World all offer a ‘giant tortoise experience’ and Paradise Wildlife Park does a ‘reptile and bug encounter.’ Various other zoos do ‘keeper for a day’ experiences, which may be tailored to specific interests if you were to contact your local zoo. Very often, the experts working with these animals will be extremely happy to talk to a private keeper who is already fascinated with that family of animals.

White Python Thermo/ Hygrometer

Price: RRP £15.99 conditions within an animal’s enclosure. With both retailing over £200, these are not cheap gifts, but are widely celebrated as some of the most important pieces of equipment in animal welfare. The readings are universal, meaning those keeping reptiles, amphibians, inverts, birds and mammals will gain huge benefits from having a solarmeter available.

White Python is an extremely stylish brand in the world of reptile keeping and is definitely paving the way towards a sleeker design with the same practicality as other products on the market. If you have a friend that keeps any species of reptile or amphibian (and pretty much any other exotic pet) they will need a thermometer or hygrometer or, in this case, both. The White Python brand is the perfect upgrade on the slightly dated appearance of other older thermometers and hygrometers. Simply stick to the interior wall of the enclosure and the temperature and humidity is clearly displayed in the centre of the subtle and sleek-looking disk.

Solarmeter

Price: RRP £249.99

The solarmeter UVB reptile lamp reader and UV Index meter are both brilliant tools to fully understand the

Exotics Keeper Magazine Subscription

Price: RRP £38

Let’s be honest, there’s only one present your reptile-loving friend needs this year. A subscription to EK is not only “the gift that keeps giving”, but back issues can also be ordered. This means your loved one will have something interesting to open and plenty of great content ahead of them. As EK continues to grow, there’s never been a better time to subscribe!