got sent this clipping from my grandad
THEY don't need to be walked and they're
reasonably easy to care for if you know how and
are licensed to do so.
Reptiles could be the new cat and dog in the
pet stakes.
In 1996 there were only 14 licences to keep
reptiles in homes and now there are 14,000.
"People are converting from cats and dogs to
more interesting native fauna and it reflects our
changing lifestyles," said Tuggerah's Finland
Aquarium owner Kate Nunn
On Wednesday, Mrs Nunn announced her
aquarium was the first on the Central Coast to
obtain a National Parks and Wildlife Service
licence to sell snakes, lizards and turtles as pets.
A condition of the licence is that the aquarium
must provide courses on owning and caring for
a reptile.
"As pets, reptiles need different conditions
and a different regime of care," she said.
"They need to be kept warm, unlike cats and
dogs, and if they get sick, they recover a lot more
slowly because their metabolism is so different.
"As a result we can't sell reptiles to anyone
who hasn't finished the course."
Three courses are lined up to cover children's
pythons, diamond pythons and the bearded
dragon lizard.
The first course for 10 people will begin on
Tuesday at the aquarium.
Inquiries: 4353 9932.
Snakes alive... Kate Nunn with a diamond python.
THEY don't need to be walked and they're
reasonably easy to care for if you know how and
are licensed to do so.
Reptiles could be the new cat and dog in the
pet stakes.
In 1996 there were only 14 licences to keep
reptiles in homes and now there are 14,000.
"People are converting from cats and dogs to
more interesting native fauna and it reflects our
changing lifestyles," said Tuggerah's Finland
Aquarium owner Kate Nunn
On Wednesday, Mrs Nunn announced her
aquarium was the first on the Central Coast to
obtain a National Parks and Wildlife Service
licence to sell snakes, lizards and turtles as pets.
A condition of the licence is that the aquarium
must provide courses on owning and caring for
a reptile.
"As pets, reptiles need different conditions
and a different regime of care," she said.
"They need to be kept warm, unlike cats and
dogs, and if they get sick, they recover a lot more
slowly because their metabolism is so different.
"As a result we can't sell reptiles to anyone
who hasn't finished the course."
Three courses are lined up to cover children's
pythons, diamond pythons and the bearded
dragon lizard.
The first course for 10 people will begin on
Tuesday at the aquarium.
Inquiries: 4353 9932.
Snakes alive... Kate Nunn with a diamond python.
