A new reptile needs quiet before cuddles

You have brought your new gecko, bearded dragon or corn snake home, and you are dying to hold it. Hold on a little. A reptile has just been moved to a strange place with new smells, light and sounds, and it cannot tell you it feels wobbly. Handling in that moment adds stress on top of stress.

The RSPCA's advice is to leave a new reptile alone until the next day, then avoid unnecessary handling for the first week. Some keepers' guides wait longer, often two weeks or until the animal has eaten a few times in a row. The sources differ a little, so the planner below uses the RSPCA's week as the minimum and shows the longer wait as the gentler choice.

Why waiting works

Reptiles are not small dogs. They do not read your hand as a friendly gesture, and a hand reaching in can be alarming to a new, nervous animal. A stressed reptile may stop eating, hide constantly, bite or struggle. Giving it time to learn that nothing bad happens in its enclosure makes later handling calmer for both of you.

The first day matters too. The RSPCA suggests putting a lizard in with food and water and leaving it until the next day. For a snake, open the bag or box gently inside the enclosure, secure it, switch off the light and close the door.

How to handle it kindly

• Short sessions. The RSPCA says around 10 to 15 minutes at a time is usually safe, depending on room temperature, because a reptile cools down out of its warm enclosure.
• Scoop, don't grab. Slide a hand under the body, support it fully and keep your movements slow.
• Read the signs. Backing away, struggling, hissing, biting or a puffed black beard all mean "put me back". Stop, and try another day.
• Not after a meal, not in shed. For snakes the RSPCA says wait 48 hours after feeding. All three species can be defensive when shedding.
• Keep other pets away. Dogs and cats should not be near, however gentle they have been before.

Never punish a reptile for biting or for hiding. Back off, wait, and go slower next time.

Wash your hands, every time

Reptiles can carry salmonella germs without looking ill. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching a reptile, its equipment or its food, and do not kiss it or let it near your face. Public-health advice says children aged five and under, pregnant women, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system are at higher risk, so these households need extra care. Keep reptile cleaning and food prep away from the kitchen where you can.

When to ask a vet

We can't diagnose over the internet. Ask a vet who treats reptiles if your reptile has not eaten for a couple of weeks after arriving, hides all the time, seems weak, has trouble shedding, or you are unsure the temperatures are right. Wrong temperatures or housing can stop a reptile settling, and a vet can help you check.

If you are still choosing a pet, check your local reptile rescue and shelters first. Many have animals needing homes.

What to look for

• A ready enclosure. Set up and warm before the animal arrives, so day one can be quiet.
• A calm room. Away from loud TV, doors slamming and other pets.
• Time on your side. There is no deadline for a tame reptile.

Sources

• RSPCA: Taking your reptile home (leave it until the next day, no unnecessary handling in the first week)
• RSPCA: How to care for a leopard gecko (tail, support all four feet, 10 to 15 minutes, wash hands)
• RSPCA: Bearded dragon care (handling, black beard, backing away)
• RSPCA: How to care for a corn snake (48 hours after feeding, S-shape, support the body, not while shedding)
• Public Health Agency of Canada: Salmonella and reptiles (20 seconds of handwashing, no kissing, higher-risk groups)
• FurryCritter: Reptile settling-in period (a keepers' guide: wait two weeks or until it has eaten two or three times). This is longer than the RSPCA's week, so the sources differ.