Brian Hatfield’s Bend home has become an exotic pet sanctuary in the High Desert.

Hatfield, who is known in the local reptile-owner community as a man who rescues unwanted reptiles, shares his house with 30 animals: skinks, water dragons, bearded dragons, chameleons, tortoises, boa constrictors, pythons, geckos, monitors and other scaly creatures.

Reptiles appeal to residents who want a cool-looking pet that they think won’t be too expensive or time-consuming to own or care for. But these animals take more work than many owners realize, veterinarians say, leading some irresponsible pet owners to release the animals into the wild, which can disrupt the region’s natural ecosystem.

Owners should never release their pets into the wild, and those who do face serious penalties, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Releasing any pet into the wild is a class A misdemeanor, which means up to a $6,250 fine, one year in jail or both, says Rick Boatner, invasive species wildlife integrity coordinator with ODFW.

Whereas some pets would die if left to fend for themselves in the desert, others could survive and compete with existing animals or carry diseases that could harm other wildlife. ODFW works to limit this threat and has an exhaustive list of animals that are forbidden to keep as pets (see box for more information).

Reptiles may look cute and easy to care for, but they actually need a delicate balance of food, water, heat and humidity to survive. And pet owners must make a committed investment to keep them healthy.

“I spend $200 a month on them, at least,” Hatfield said of caring for his animals, including feeding them, changing their bedding and keeping their heat lamps working.

He also spends a couple of hours per day bathing, cleaning and playing with the animals. This way, he can watch them for parasites or shedding problems.

Hatfield graciously accepts reptiles that other Central Oregonians can’t, or won’t, care for anymore. He also helps people whose animals are ready to lay eggs — he has two egg incubators running full time in his already reptile-crowded home.

He’s seen time and again how poorly educated pet owners end up with reptiles they can’t care for.

“You need to know how big (the reptile) is going to get,” Hatfield said. “A lot of pet stores sell these cute little green iguanas, and people don’t realize that they can get 6 feet long.”

Bend Veterinary Clinic veterinarian Byron Maas says captive-raised animals are the best pets, and he strongly discourages wild-caught animals of any kind. Aside from the ethical concerns, wild-caught reptiles are more likely to have harmful parasites or bacteria on them, he said, and may not be as healthy once taken out of the wild.

The Internet offers pet owners various reptile references that should be cross-checked with resources at your local library or pet store. The Reptile Zone (www.thereptilezone.com), Central Oregon’s reptile-only pet store, has employees who are passionate about reptiles and offer tips from their decades of experience.

Pre-shopping considerations

• Environment: Owners need to re-create the habitat their pets would have in the wild. Some reptiles need a desert and others need tropical, treelike surroundings. Humidity is important, Maas said, as is the proper amount of sunlight.

“The biggest (problem) I see, especially with the more popular green iguanas, is in lighting requirements,” Maas said. “The (animals) get deficient in sunlight because they are housed inside, and UV rays are filtered through their glass cages.”

Limited sun exposure can create a calcium deficiency in the reptile, so Maas suggests researching ways to offer your pet the amount of sunlight that it needs.

• Size and lifespan: Find out how long the reptile will live and how big it will grow. Smaller reptiles like the chameleon can live up to 10 years, he said. Snakes can live 20 to 30 years, and turtles and tortoises can live even longer.

• Food: What do they catch in the wild, and how do they hunt? Insects to feed to reptiles are relatively inexpensive, whereas larger animals can cost more: $7 per rat, for example. Additionally, some carnivorous reptiles will eat an already-dead mouse, whereas others need to catch their prey live.

• Cages: What materials do you need to get started? The cage sizes depend on the reptile, but remember that as the reptile grows, it will need a bigger cage. Baby iguanas, for example, can start in a 5- to 10-gallon glass cage, Maas says, but you will eventually need one that is larger.

Nocturnal animals will need a place to hide during the day, such as under rocks or pieces of wood. Animals that naturally live in trees will like a live branch with foliage to perch on. Again, re-creating their natural habitat is the No. 1 goal.

• Consider cleanliness: Humidity is important for your animal, but it can also increase the mold and mildew that grows in the cages. These molds are harmful to the animals, so you must regularly clean out the cage, including replacing all the bedding materials.

• Bedding: Different animals prefer different types of bedding. Maas likes the corncob bedding because it is absorbent. He also likes leaf litter, made from leaf mulch. Make sure you get bedding that is easily cleaned, he said, and that can’t hurt the animal.

Maas has seen animals that live in sandy soil ingest sand when they feed, which causes health problems. He’s also seen this problem if animals ingest the corncob pieces, so owners need to monitor how their animal responds to the bedding.

Wood bark is often used, Maas said, but owners need to be sure that the bark hasn’t been dyed — artificial coloring can be toxic — and that it doesn’t have dangerous splinters or additives that can harm the animal. Cedar shavings are popular, he said, although the strong cedar smell can cause respiratory problems for the animals.

• Fresh water: Reptiles always need a fresh water supply, and changing it often will reduce the chances of algae.

• Heating: Unlike cats, dogs and rodents, reptiles do not thermoregulate their body temperatures, Maas said. He recommends heating the whole reptile environment with a heating light instead of using something like a heating rock, which can burn the animal. A temperature gradient is good, he says, so the animals can cool down or warm up when they want to.

Something many reptile own- ers don’t realize is that the animal’s digestive tract works specifically to its environmental temperature. That means, for example, that if a turtle needing to eat at 85 degrees instead eats at a cooler temperature, the food will rot in the turtle’s intestines.

• Find a local vet who treats reptiles: Well-cared-for reptiles are resilient, Maas said, but they do get sick, just like any other pet.

Is your reptile legal?

Find out here: www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/pdf/reptiles.pdf

“Prohibited” means it is illegal to sell, possess or import the animal; “non-controlled” means you may keep or sell the animal; and “controlled” means you may own the animal, but with conditions.