Species Directory
Keepers Guide is building toward a full roster of 147+ species across reptiles, small mammals, birds, amphibians, and invertebrates — 71 Tier-1 species (full hub + husbandry + problem pages) and 76 Tier-2 species (consolidated care pages). The species below already have full, sourced husbandry entries; the rest are in progress.
reptile
Bearded Dragon
Pogona vitticeps
The bearded dragon is the most commonly kept pet lizard in the world, and for good reason: a calm temperament,…
reptile
Leopard Gecko
Eublepharis macularius
Leopard geckos are ground-dwelling, crepuscular geckos with movable eyelids (unlike most geckos) and no toe pa…
reptile
Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus
Corn snakes are widely considered the best beginner snake: manageable size, docile temperament, easy-to-read b…
reptile
Red-Eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans
Red-eared sliders are the most commonly sold pet turtle worldwide, frequently bought as a small hatchling with…
mammal
Syrian Hamster
Mesocricetus auratus
Syrian hamsters (also sold as 'teddy bear' or 'fancy' hamsters) are the largest of the commonly kept hamster s…
mammal
Guinea Pig
Cavia porcellus
Guinea pigs are highly social herd animals that should never be kept alone long-term, vocal in a way few other…
bird
Budgerigar
Melopsittacus undulatus
Budgerigars (budgies) are small, highly social parrots, often underestimated because of their size and low pri…
bird
Cockatiel
Nymphicus hollandicus
Cockatiels are gentle, whistling parrots with a mobile crest that reads as a real-time mood indicator — flatte…
amphibian
Pacman Frog
Ceratophrys cranwelli
Cranwell's horned frog — sold in the pet trade almost universally as the 'Pacman frog,' a nickname earned by i…
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Chilean Rose Tarantula
Grammostola rosea
The Chilean rose is one of the most commonly recommended beginner tarantulas: docile, hardy, and famously slow…
reptile
Crested Gecko
Correlophus ciliatus
Crested geckos have an unusual modern history for a pet species: they were considered possibly extinct until a…
reptile
Ball Python
Python regius
Ball pythons get their common name from a defensive habit of coiling into a tight ball with the head protected…
reptile
Russian Tortoise
Agrionemys horsfieldii
Russian tortoises are burrowing tortoises adapted to a genuinely harsh native climate — baking summer heat and…
reptile
Blue-Tongue Skink
Tiliqua scincoides
Blue-tongue skinks are large, heavy-bodied, ground-dwelling lizards named for the vivid blue tongue they flash…
reptile
Veiled Chameleon
Chamaeleo calyptratus
Veiled chameleons are named for the tall, helmet-like casque on top of the head, and they're one of the hardie…
reptile
California King Snake
Lampropeltis californiae
California kingsnakes get their common name from a genuine behavioral trait: they eat other snakes, including …
reptile
Boa Constrictor
Boa constrictor (most pet-trade animals are B. constrictor imperator)
The boa constrictor most keepers own today is Boa constrictor imperator, the mainland form bred in an enormous…
reptile
Tokay Gecko
Gekko gecko
The tokay gecko is one of the largest commonly kept gecko species and, unmistakably, one of the loudest — its …
reptile
Gargoyle Gecko
Rhacodactylus auriculatus
The gargoyle gecko takes its common name from the bumpy, pyramidal projections on the back of its head, which …
reptile
Uromastyx
Uromastyx spp. (commonly U. geyri, U. ornata, U. aegyptia in the pet trade)
Uromastyx are heavy-bodied, strictly herbivorous lizards built for a genuinely hot, dry existence — they spend…
reptile
Savannah Monitor
Varanus exanthematicus
Savannah monitors are heavy-bodied, ground-dwelling monitor lizards frequently sold to first-time keepers as a…
mammal
Abyssinian Guinea Pig
Cavia porcellus (Abyssinian breed)
The Abyssinian is defined entirely by its coat: a dense, coarse, wiry covering arranged into 8-10 or more symm…
amphibian
African Clawed Frog
Xenopus laevis
The African clawed frog is a fully aquatic true frog, not a salamander — a distinction worth making up front b…
reptile
African Fat-Tailed Gecko
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
The African fat-tailed gecko shares a lot of surface-level biology with the leopard gecko — ground-dwelling, n…
bird
African Grey Parrot
Psittacus erithacus (Congo) / Psittacus timneh (Timneh)
African greys are widely regarded as among the most cognitively sophisticated parrots kept as pets, capable of…
mammal
African Pygmy Hedgehog
Atelerix albiventris
Pet stores sometimes market this species as low-maintenance, and in one narrow sense that's true: an African p…
bird
Alexandrine Parakeet
Psittacula eupatria
The Alexandrine parakeet is the largest member of the genus Psittacula, and that size difference from its clos…
amphibian
Amazon Milk Frog
Trachycephalus resinifictrix
The Amazon milk frog is one of the larger and stockier arboreal tree frogs kept as pets, named for the thick, …
amphibian
American Green Tree Frog
Hyla cinerea
The American green tree frog is a small, slender, bright leaf-green native species with a distinctive cream-wh…
mammal
American Guinea Pig
Cavia porcellus (American breed)
The American guinea pig is the smooth, short-coated variety most people picture when they hear 'guinea pig' — …
reptile
Argentine Black and White Tegu
Salvator merianae
The Argentine black and white tegu is one of the largest lizards commonly kept as a pet, and one of the few re…
amphibian
Australian White Tree Frog
Litoria caerulea
Also called the dumpy tree frog or White's tree frog, this large, chubby, famously unbothered arboreal frog ha…
amphibian
Leucistic Axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum (leucistic color morph)
A leucistic axolotl is not a different species or subspecies from any other axolotl — it is the same animal, A…
amphibian
Axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum
The axolotl is not a frog and not a typical salamander either: it's a neotenic salamander, meaning it reaches …
bird
Black-Headed Caique
Pionites melanocephalus
Ask a caique owner what makes the species different from other parrots and almost everyone reaches for the sam…
bird
Blue-and-Gold Macaw
Ara ararauna
The blue-and-gold macaw is a genuinely enormous parrot before it is anything else, and almost every welfare pr…
amphibian
Blue Dart Frog
Dendrobates tinctorius "azureus"
The blue dart frog is a color morph of Dendrobates tinctorius, one of the largest and most cold-tolerant of th…
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Blue Death-Feigning Beetle
Asbolus verrucosus
This darkling beetle's name describes its two most distinctive traits at once: a dusty, powder-blue waxy bloom…
bird
Blue-Fronted Amazon Parrot
Amazona aestiva
The blue-fronted Amazon is a stocky, big-personality parrot best known for two things: being one of the strong…
reptile
Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
Tiliqua scincoides intermedia
The blue-tongue skink group covered elsewhere on this site describes the general husbandry pattern shared acro…
reptile
Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei
The brown anole is genuinely a different animal from the green anole in habits, not just color — where a green…
amphibian
Budgett's Frog
Lepidobatrachus laevis
Budgett's frog is a fully aquatic ambush predator that almost never leaves the water, sitting motionless on th…
mammal
Campbell's Dwarf Hamster
Phodopus campbelli
Campbell's dwarf hamster is genetically close enough to the Winter White dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus) tha…
bird
Canary
Serinus canaria domestica
Canaries are a fundamentally different kind of pet bird from the parrots that dominate this site's bird sectio…
amphibian
Cane Toad
Rhinella marina
A cane toad kept as a pet is typically a captive-bred animal or a rescued individual from an established invas…
reptile
Carpet Python
Morelia spilota
Carpet pythons belong to the genus Morelia rather than Python, and that difference shows up immediately in how…
reptile
Central Bearded Dragon (Wild-Type)
Pogona vitticeps
A wild-type bearded dragon is the same species and, for day-to-day husbandry purposes, effectively the same an…
reptile
Children's Python
Antaresia childreni
The Children's python owes its name not to a suitability rating for kids but to the 19th-century naturalist Jo…
mammal
Chinchilla
Chinchilla lanigera
Chinchillas carry one of the densest fur coats in the mammal kingdom — around 80 hairs growing from a single f…
mammal
Chinese Hamster
Cricetulus griseus
The Chinese hamster is often lumped in with the 'dwarf hamster' group in pet-store signage, but it isn't a tru…
reptile
Chinese Water Dragon
Physignathus cocincinus
Chinese water dragons look like a smaller, more streamlined cousin of the green iguana — bright green, crested…
bird
Lutino Cockatiel
Nymphicus hollandicus (lutino color mutation)
This page is a genetics and identification note, not a separate husbandry guide — a lutino cockatiel is, biolo…
reptile
Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus collaris
The collared lizard is named for the two bold black bands, separated by a lighter band, that wrap around the n…
reptile
Cooter Turtle
Pseudemys concinna (river cooter) / Pseudemys floridana (Florida cooter) — both sold under the common name
Cooters are close relatives of the red-eared slider and share most of the same basic aquatic-turtle husbandry …
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Curly Hair Tarantula
Tliltocatl albopilosus
Named for the long, wavy bronze-tipped hairs covering its legs and abdomen, the curly hair tarantula is a bulk…
mammal
Degu
Octodon degus
Degus are unusual among commonly kept pet rodents in being genuinely diurnal — active during the day rather th…
bird
Diamond Dove
Geopelia cuneata
The diamond dove is a small, soft-grey ground dove named for the neat rows of white dots along its wing covert…
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Discoid Roach Colony
Blaberus discoidalis
The discoid roach is kept for two overlapping reasons: as a widely used feeder insect for reptiles and amphibi…
mammal
Duprasi (Fat-Tailed Gerbil)
Pachyuromys duprasi
The duprasi, usually sold under the name fat-tailed gerbil, looks like a cross between a gerbil and a hamster …
mammal
Dwarf Hamster
Phodopus campbelli (Campbell's Russian dwarf hamster), often sold alongside or hybridized with Phodopus sungorus (winter white)
The hamster sold generically in pet stores as a 'dwarf hamster' is usually a Campbell's Russian dwarf hamster …
reptile
Eastern Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina carolina
Eastern box turtles are terrestrial (not aquatic) turtles best known for a hinged plastron that lets them pull…
bird
Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus roratus
The eclectus parrot is the textbook case of extreme sexual dichromatism in birds: males are a uniform emerald …
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Ecuadorian Hermit Crab
Coenobita compressus
The Ecuadorian hermit crab — sometimes called the Pacific or 'e' crab by keepers — is a smaller, noticeably mo…
reptile
Egyptian Uromastyx
Uromastyx aegyptia
The genus-wide Uromastyx page on this site already covers the core husbandry pattern shared across all the com…
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Emperor Scorpion
Pandinus imperator
The emperor scorpion is the giant of the pet-scorpion world: a heavy-bodied, glossy black-to-dark-green animal…
bird
English Budgerigar
Melopsittacus undulatus (exhibition/show type)
The English budgerigar — also called the exhibition or show-type budgie — is the same species as the small, wi…
mammal
Fancy Mouse
Mus musculus domesticus
Everything distinctive about keeping a fancy mouse traces back to two facts about the animal itself: it is com…
mammal
Fancy Rat
Rattus norvegicus domestica
The fancy rat is widely regarded by exotics vets and experienced small-mammal keepers as one of the most genui…
mammal
Ferret
Mustela putorius furo
The domestic ferret is an obligate carnivore with a genuinely fast, simple digestive tract unlike any other sm…
amphibian
Fire-Bellied Toad
Bombina orientalis
The Oriental fire-bellied toad is a small, hardy, semi-aquatic species whose bright green-and-black back and s…
amphibian
Fire Salamander
Salamandra salamandra
The fire salamander is a striking black-and-yellow terrestrial caudate (the amphibian order that includes sala…
reptile
Fire Skink
Mochlus fernandi (formerly Riopa/Lygosoma fernandi)
The fire skink is a stout, glossy, fossorial lizard named for the bands of iridescent red-orange scaling along…
mammal
Flemish Giant Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbit)
The Flemish Giant is, straightforwardly, the largest commonly kept domestic rabbit breed, and that single fact…
reptile
Frilled Dragon
Chlamydosaurus kingii
The frilled dragon is instantly recognizable for the folded ruff of skin around its neck that snaps open into …
reptile
Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis (common garter snake; other Thamnophis spp. share similar care)
The common garter snake is the generalist cousin of the more water-bound ribbon snake, and the two are easy to…
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Giant African Land Snail
Lissachatina fulica (formerly Achatina fulica)
Read this before anything else on this page: in the United States, the giant African land snail is a federally…
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Giant African Millipede
Archispirostreptus gigas
The giant African millipede is exactly what the name suggests: a genuinely large, thick-bodied millipede that …
reptile
Gold Dust Day Gecko
Phelsuma laticauda
Gold dust day geckos are small, brilliant-green arboreal lizards named for the scattering of yellow-gold fleck…
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Goliath Birdeater
Theraphosa blondi
This is not a species for the same keeper who started with a Chilean rose or curly hair tarantula, both covere…
bird
Gouldian Finch
Chloebia gouldiae
The Gouldian finch is arguably the most vividly colored finch kept in aviculture — red, black, or yellow-heade…
amphibian
Gray Tree Frog
Hyla versicolor / Hyla chrysoscelis (cryptic sibling species, physically indistinguishable)
Two genetically distinct species — the tetraploid Hyla versicolor and the diploid Hyla chrysoscelis — are sold…
reptile
Greek Tortoise
Testudo graeca
Testudo graeca is often confused with the Russian tortoise at pet stores, but the two are genuinely different …
reptile
Green Anole
Anolis carolinensis
The green anole is often the first lizard a keeper ever owns, and that's exactly where its reputation problem …
bird
Green-Cheeked Conure
Pyrrhura molinae
Green-cheeked conures pack a big personality into a small, forest-dwelling parrot — playful, cuddly with a tru…
reptile
Green Iguana
Iguana iguana
Green iguanas are sold as small, inexpensive hatchlings the size of a finger, which is exactly the problem: wi…
bird
Green-Winged Macaw
Ara chloropterus
The green-winged macaw is often mistaken for a large scarlet macaw at a glance, since both are predominantly r…
reptile
Hermann's Tortoise
Testudo hermanni
Hermann's tortoise is frequently shelved next to the Russian and Greek tortoises as an interchangeable 'small …
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Hermit Crab
Coenobita clypeatus (Caribbean) and Coenobita compressus (Ecuadorian)
Land hermit crabs are sold as a low-commitment novelty pet far more often than their real biology supports — t…
mammal
Holland Lop Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbit)
The Holland Lop is a small, floppy-eared rabbit breed prized for its compact size and calm temperament, but it…
bird
Indian Ringneck Parakeet
Psittacula krameri manillensis
The Indian ringneck is one of the more talented talking birds a home keeper can realistically own — clear word…
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Isopod Colony (Dwarf White)
Trichorhina tomentosa
Dwarf white isopods aren't kept as display animals in the way a tarantula or gecko is — they're kept as a work…
reptile
Knight Anole
Anolis equestris
The knight anole is a genuinely different animal from the small green and brown anoles familiar to most keeper…
reptile
Leopard Tortoise
Stigmochelys pardalis
The leopard tortoise takes its name from the bold black-on-yellow blotched pattern across its carapace, a patt…
mammal
Lionhead Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbit)
The Lionhead's defining feature is right there in the name — a mutation affecting a single wool gene produces …
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Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
Gromphadorhina portentosa
The Madagascar hissing cockroach is one of the few invertebrates kept as much for its behavior as its low-main…
reptile
Map Turtle
Graptemys geographica (northern/common map turtle); the genus Graptemys includes roughly a dozen further species such as Mississippi and false map turtles kept under similar care
Map turtles get their common name from the fine, contour-line-like etching across the carapace of younger indi…
reptile
Marginated Tortoise
Testudo marginata
The marginated tortoise is the giant of the European Testudo group, growing noticeably larger than the Russian…
reptile
Mediterranean House Gecko
Hemidactylus turcicus
The Mediterranean house gecko is a small, pale, translucent-skinned nocturnal gecko best known outside the pet…
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Mexican Red-Knee Tarantula
Brachypelma hamorii
The Mexican red-knee is the tarantula most people picture when they picture a tarantula — a dark body offset b…
bird
Meyer's Parrot
Poicephalus meyeri
Meyer's parrot is a close cousin of the Senegal parrot covered elsewhere on this site — both are stocky, short…
reptile
Milk Snake
Lampropeltis triangulum
The milk snake's defining trait isn't behavior, it's disguise: the banded red-black-yellow (or red-black-white…
mammal
Mini Rex Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbit)
The Mini Rex is not simply a small version of the original French Rex breed — it descends from a separate, lat…
mammal
Mongolian Gerbil
Meriones unguiculatus
The Mongolian gerbil is a desert-adapted, highly social rodent built for digging extensive tunnel systems, and…
amphibian
Mossy Frog
Theloderma corticale
The mossy frog earns its name honestly: warty, mottled green-and-brown skin that breaks up its outline so comp…
reptile
Mourning Gecko
Lepidodactylus lugubris
The mourning gecko's defining biological trait sets it apart from every other gecko on this site: the species …
mammal
Multimammate Mouse
Mastomys natalensis
Mastomys natalensis carries its common name for a real anatomical reason: females have an unusually high numbe…
reptile
Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus
The common musk turtle earns its nickname 'stinkpot' honestly: a pair of musk glands along the bridge of the s…
mammal
Netherland Dwarf Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbit)
The Netherland Dwarf is, by breed standard, the smallest domestic rabbit — an adult can weigh less than a bag …
amphibian
Oriental Fire-Bellied Toad
Bombina orientalis
A naming note first, because it matters for this exact page: the genus Bombina contains several 'fire-bellied'…
amphibian
Ornate Horned Frog
Ceratophrys ornata
The Argentine horned frog is the showier, more temperate-climate cousin of the Pacman frog trade's usual Cranw…
reptile
Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta
Painted turtles are the most widespread native turtle in North America, and their bright red-and-yellow shell …
reptile
Panther Chameleon
Furcifer pardalis
Panther chameleons are best known for the extreme color variation between populations — a Nosy Be male can run…
bird
Peach-Faced Lovebird
Agapornis roseicollis
Of the nine Agapornis species, roseicollis is the one most people picture when they hear 'lovebird' — a stocky…
mammal
Peruvian Guinea Pig
Cavia porcellus (Peruvian breed)
The Peruvian is the classic long-haired show guinea pig: straight, silky hair parted along the spine and growi…
bird
Pionus Parrot
Pionus spp. (Blue-headed Pionus, Pionus menstruus, is the most commonly kept)
The pionus is the quiet, chunky, often-overlooked mid-size parrot of the pet trade — routinely recommended by …
bird
Quaker Parrot (Monk Parakeet)
Myiopsitta monachus
Quaker parrots are behaviorally unusual among pet parrots in one specific, genuine way: they are the only parr…
bird
Rainbow Lorikeet
Trichoglossus moluccanus
The rainbow lorikeet is unlike almost every other parrot kept as a pet in one defining way: it is a nectar and…
reptile
Rankin's × Bearded Dragon Hybrid ("Vittikins")
Pogona henrylawsoni × Pogona vitticeps hybrid
This page is a genetics and ethics note about a specific hybridization practice, not a husbandry guide for a s…
reptile
Rankin's Dragon
Pogona henrylawsoni
Rankin's dragon (also called Lawson's dragon) is a smaller, less well-known relative of the bearded dragon tha…
bird
Red-Bellied Parrot
Poicephalus rufiventris
The red-bellied parrot stands out among the Poicephalus family for a trait most parrots don't share at all: ob…
amphibian
Red-Eyed Tree Frog
Agalychnis callidryas
The red-eyed tree frog is one of the most photographed amphibians on earth for a reason that also explains mos…
reptile
Reticulated Python (Dwarf Line)
Malayopython reticulatus (dwarf/island locality lines)
The reticulated python is the world's longest snake species, and that reputation is exactly why the dwarf and …
mammal
Rex Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbit)
What sets the Rex apart from every other rabbit breed is a single recessive gene that shortens the coat's long…
reptile
Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis sauritus
The ribbon snake is often mistaken for a garter snake at a glance — both belong to the genus Thamnophis and sh…
bird
Ringneck Dove
Streptopelia risoria
The ringneck dove is one of the gentlest, most genuinely trainable birds commonly kept as a pet, distinguished…
mammal
Roborovski Hamster
Phodopus roborovskii
The Roborovski hamster is the smallest and fastest of the pet hamster species, closer in size to a large bumbl…
reptile
Rosy Boa
Lichanura trivirgata
The rosy boa is one of the few boa species native to the United States, and its whole husbandry profile reflec…
reptile
Kenyan Sand Boa
Eryx colubrinus
Despite the shared common name, the Kenyan sand boa belongs to the sand boa family Erycidae and is only a dist…
bird
Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao
The scarlet macaw is arguably the single most recognizable parrot species in the world, and its brilliance is …
bird
Senegal Parrot
Poicephalus senegalus
The Senegal parrot is a small, stocky West African Poicephalus best known among keepers for a trait that sets …
bird
Society Finch
Lonchura striata domestica
The society finch (also called the Bengalese finch) is unusual on this site's finch roster in one specific way…
mammal
Spiny Mouse
Acomys cahirinus (common spiny mouse; several closely related Acomys species also kept)
Acomys gets its common name from a real, distinctive feature of its coat: unlike the soft fur of a fancy mouse…
reptile
Spotted Turtle
Clemmys guttata
The spotted turtle is a small, black-shelled turtle scattered with irregular yellow spots that tend to be dens…
mammal
Sugar Glider
Petaurus breviceps
The sugar glider is unlike every other small mammal on this site in a way that shapes its entire care approach…
reptile
Sulcata Tortoise
Centrochelys sulcata
The sulcata (African spurred tortoise) is the third-largest tortoise species on Earth, trailing only the Galáp…
bird
Sun Conure
Aratinga solstitialis
Few parrots on this site announce themselves as loudly, literally, as the sun conure: brilliant golden-yellow …
amphibian
Tiger Salamander
Ambystoma tigrinum
Unlike its close relative the axolotl, the tiger salamander undergoes normal metamorphosis and lives its adult…
bird
Umbrella Cockatoo
Cacatua alba
Named for the forward-fanning crest it raises the instant something excites, startles, or interests it, the um…
reptile
Ornate Uromastyx
Uromastyx ornata
The ornate uromastyx is the most visually striking species commonly available in the Uromastyx genus, and the …
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Vinegaroon
Mastigoproctus giganteus (giant vinegaroon, the most commonly kept species)
The vinegaroon (also called a whip scorpion) looks like it should be dangerous — a dark, heavily armored body,…
amphibian
Waxy Monkey Tree Frog
Phyllomedusa sauvagii
The waxy monkey tree frog solves the amphibian skin-and-water problem in a way almost no other frog does: spec…
reptile
Western Hognose Snake
Heterodon nasicus
Western hognose snakes are small, upturned-nosed burrowing snakes best known for one of the most theatrical de…
amphibian
White's Tree Frog (Blue & Snowflake Morphs)
Litoria caerulea
The blue and snowflake White's tree frog are not separate species or even formally recognized subspecies — bot…
mammal
Winter White Hamster
Phodopus sungorus
The winter white — also called the Djungarian or Siberian hamster — is the species most people picture when th…
reptile
Woma Python
Aspidites ramsayi
The woma python belongs to genus Aspidites, a small group of only two Australian python species that stands ap…
reptile
Yellow-Bellied Slider
Trachemys scripta scripta
The yellow-bellied slider is the red-eared slider's closest widely-kept relative — both belong to the species …
bird
Zebra Finch
Taeniopygia guttata
Zebra finches are small, hardy, intensely social flock birds that should essentially never be kept as a single…