REPTILES have always fascinated people from all walks of life.

Many of us are now keeping them in our homes giving them names and watching them instead of the TV.

Reptile keeping is not an exact science and everyone has their own way of doing things, this can and has led to misfortune for many. Each species has its own care requirements and some have differing needs from others of the same species, depending on such aspects as age, size and locality (where that specimen would occur in the wild).

Those considering a reptile as a pet will do well to fully research their species of interest, utilizing books, natural history programs, the internet and local specialists.

There are a few basic facts that one should know which are common for the vast majority of species kept in the pet trade.

Reptiles are cold-blooded and depend on the external environment to maintain their body temperature. In the wild they will bask in the sunlight to warm up.

In captivity a basking spot should be provided at one end of their vivarium.

The temperature of the basking spot varies for each species and care should be taken to insure the reptile is not too cold as this can lead to lethargy, illness and death.

Positioning the basking spot at one end of the vivarium will cause the opposing end to be slightly cooler. This thermo-gradient allows the reptile to regulate its body temperature as it sees fit.

Day and night cycles are important for all reptiles, the length of day and night is specific to the species and the time of year.

Many species of reptile require regular exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light and without it can become ill very quickly.

In larger vivariums a UV tube can be used in addition to the basking spot bulb but for smaller enclosures a UV bulb may suffice.

Dietary supplementation is required for some species and can be provided in a variety of forms.

One of the most commonly used is a powder which is dusted onto the reptile's food. In many cases the need for supplementation coincides with the need for exposure to UV light and one will give little to no benefit without the other.

Each species has its own dietary requirements. They can feed on a variety of foods such as small mammals e.g. rats and mice, birds, fish, lizards, frogs, snakes, eggs, insects of all shapes and sizes, worms, fruits, vegetables, leaves, flowers etc.

There is also available a large selection of packaged foods available from many specialist shops.

A new keeper will need to be fully aware of the diet required by their pet before purchase, also to be sure that live crickets on the shelf or frozen mice in the freezer is going to be okay with everyone in the household.

Water is another important factor in the health of any reptile, some require more than others and for some the presence of a water bowl in the vivarium can raise humidity to unacceptable levels and cause illness.

Humidity and ventilation are other important considerations when setting up a vivarium. In captivity replicating the natural levels is extremely difficult and there are many drawbacks to providing too much or not enough of both.

Products such as misters, foggers, water bowls and damp substrates can be used to control humidity. Meshed or open top vivariums and fans are just a couple of ways to provide ventilation.

Reptiles inhabit almost every environment and knowing what type of habitat a species comes from is a very good starting point in anyone's research.

This type of knowledge gives keepers many ideas of the type of furnishings to provide, branches for arboreal species, hides for burrowing species, pools for aquatic or semi-aquatic species and many more.

A well setup vivarium will make a very nice feature in any room and the behavior of some species makes captivating viewing.