Now that you've fallen in love with that reptile for sale at your local pet shop, there are a few things that should be done before you adopt the pet and bring it home for the first time. Here are three things to start doing now:

Purchase a Housing Kit

Instead of having to figure out what kind of lighting and heat your new reptile will need to thrive in their home environment, you can purchase a complete housing kit that comes with a glass container or metal cage as well as all the lighting, heating sources, bedding, and even objects to climb on. All you will have to do is follow the directions that come with the kit you purchase to set everything up.

Add some food and water for your new reptile to enjoy, and then introduce the reptile to their new home. Some housing kits are expandable, so if you plan to add more reptiles to your collection in the future consider getting an expandable kit now. You can add a new room to the housing unit as you add new reptiles to accommodate their free space needs as time goes on.

Create Some Basic Ground Rules

It's a good idea to create a few basic ground rules for your household members to follow once you purchase your new reptile and bring it home. Reptiles don't whine or cry out when they get hurt like kittens and puppies do. So young children could hurt or even kill your reptile without understanding what they're doing if they are not carefully supervised by an adult while holding the reptile.

So make sure all the kids know that they aren't allowed to take the reptile out of their home environment without express permission and proper supervision. Make sure that only those who understand how to use the lighting and heating systems actually touch the systems at any given time. And make a list of foods that can be fed to the reptile as well as those that are expressly prohibited.

Find a Veterinarian to Work With

Not all veterinarians service reptiles, so it's important to take the time to find one who does before bringing your new pet reptile home. Just like any other living creature, reptiles can get ill or become injured – especially when they get old.

So you need to know exactly who to call and where to take your reptile if a health problem or medical emergency arises. Once you find a vet to work with, visit their facility and sign up as a patient so they'll already have all of your pertinent information such as your phone number and address if you do have to take your reptile in to receive medical care.