Sources and methodology

Last updated June 3, 2026

Why this page exists

Authoritative reptile care information lives in scattered places — veterinary manuals, peer-reviewed husbandry papers, conservation organizations, hobbyist-curated reference sites. This page catalogs the sources we draw from and explains how we weight them.

Primary veterinary sources

• Merck Veterinary Manual — Reptiles
  The standard veterinary reference. We cite this on every species page for husbandry and health information.
• Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV)
  Professional veterinary organization. Care guides, vet directory, position statements.
• American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV)
  Used for zoological-grade husbandry references on species where pet care intersects with zoo standards.

Peer-reviewed research

We cite specific studies on each page where the recommendation depends on them. Recurring journals we draw from:

• Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery
• Veterinary Clinics: Exotic Animal Practice
• American Journal of Veterinary Research
• Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research
• Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition
• Animal Welfare

Authoritative hobbyist references

• ReptiFiles
  Highly cited modern care guides built on peer-reviewed sources. We cross-reference where current best practice differs from older common practice.
• Tortoise Trust
  Authoritative tortoise care references including the foundational pyramiding research.
• Chameleon Academy
  The deepest publicly accessible resource on chameleon husbandry.
• Caudata.org
  Salamander and newt care, including axolotl-specific husbandry.

Conservation and natural history

• IUCN Red List
  Conservation status, natural range, population trends. Cited on every species page.
• USFWS
  Listings for native US species and federally regulated exotic species.
• CITES
  International trade regulations affecting which species can legally enter the pet trade.

How we weight conflicting sources

When sources disagree, we follow this order:

1. Recent peer-reviewed research on the specific question, when published in a credible veterinary or herpetological journal
2. Current Merck Vet Manual and ARAV consensus
3. Long-standing keeper consensus from credible hobbyist sources (ReptiFiles, Tortoise Trust, etc.) when veterinary literature is silent
4. Manufacturer technical data (e.g., UVB bulb output charts from Arcadia, Zoo Med) for product-specific questions

When current research overturns older keeper consensus — bearded dragon UVB, leopard gecko substrate, tortoise pyramiding — we side with the research and explain why.

When this page updates

We add sources as we encounter new credible references. We remove sources if they prove unreliable. The "Last updated" date reflects the most recent change.