Why I’m a . . .

During the past two years I have come to know the absolute joy of owning reptiles. I had no idea how wonderful these creatures were until my boyfriend introduced me to them. We have six: four snakes and two lizards.

The snakes we own are a children’s python, a rosy boa and two ball pythons. The lizards are a spiny-tailed iguana and a black and white tegu.

Most reptiles are quite easy to take care of. They are low maintenance and not very demanding. If you provide them with an adequate-size enclosure, and the right temperature, humidity and lighting, they will mostly take care of themselves.

They’re all sweet, but in my opinion the lizards are much more fun than the snakes. There are many species you can let roam around the house, and they will provide natural pest control by eating insects that may invade your home.

Snakes don’t have the childlike curiosity that lizards do. They aren’t that interactive with humans, but they are very entertaining to watch in their own enclosure. They move about with purpose and agility. It reminds me of when I had fish when I was little: You can watch them for hours at a time.

I think that all pets are great, but having reptiles is a unique experience. It’s like having a little piece of nature in your living room.