At the age of 11 Jeff Schreiner received his first snake. Since then, his fascination for reptiles, snakes and spiders has only grown.
Meanwhile, Jeff Schreiner is studying at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. Since 2019 he is also a research fellow at the Luxembourg Museum of Nature, writing articles for international animal magazines and taking pictures of amphibians and reptiles. It is important for him to inspire children and young people to live this life, in keeping with the motto "Only what we know and what inspires us we will be able and willing to protect afterwards". And the children of today are the future of tomorrow.
It is important to inform yourself in advance about the needs of the respective animal species you wish to acquire; be it a corn snake, a king python, a bearded dragon, a leopard gecko, a chameleon, a tortoise, a spider or a frog. Before bringing such an animal home, you should make sure that a terrarium is prepped and ready. Most reptiles need opportunities to climb and hide. In addition to adequate floor coverings, plants also need heat lamps. Among other things, tortoiseshells and some lizards are also dependent on UV lights. In order to get the right temperature and humidity set, the empty terrarium should function for several days in a test phase. It should in fact be a decent small-scale biotope from which an outbreak is impossible, says Schreiner.
It is best to purchase a reptile from a breeder or an animal shelter. With the breeder you can ask questions about the respective exotic animal and its attitude, and get back to them later should have more concerns. Among other things, you can also see the parent animals.
In this context, it is important to know that 90% of diseases in exotic animals are due to the owner not paying attention. This can be explained by the fact that reptiles have no mimicry and little body language. Even if you know them better over time and are aware when they are relaxed and when not, it is advisable to go to the vet once a year for a checkup, Schreiner continues.
Before acquiring such a reptile, one should be aware that, as with any pet, costs can be borne for many years. Even if the purchase price of such an animal is not that expensive per se, the yearly vet fees will come on top.
Depending on the animal species, a little time invested each day in building a "relationship" is advised. Schreiner points out that bonding with a spider, a snake or a bearded dragon is nowhere as close as with a dog or a cat. Nonetheless, they appreciate sitting on your lap or arm.
