Our standards for responsible reptile keeping, and what to check before you buy or sell.
Local Pets only lists non-DWA, commonly-kept captive-bred UK pet reptiles — snakes, lizards and tortoises such as corn snakes, royal pythons, bearded dragons and Hermann's tortoises.
Any species listed under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act is excluded from this platform entirely, regardless of licensing.
Every advert must be for a captive-bred animal. Wild-caught or unknown-origin reptiles are not permitted.
Reptiles aren't covered by an age-of-sale law like Lucy's Law for dogs and cats — there is currently no legal minimum age at which a reptile can be sold in the UK. Instead, we ask every advertiser to meet these standards:
Sellers advertising regularly or in commercial volume must provide verified ID. It's highly recommended for all sellers.
Anyone selling animals as pets on a commercial basis must hold the relevant licence under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
Adverts must state the animal was captive-bred, with clear parentage or breeder information where possible.
Adverts should include feeding history (what it eats, when it last ate, whether it's feeding independently) and any known health issues.
Boost payments are non-refundable if an advert is found to be in breach of our Animal Welfare standards. By paying for a boost, you agree that maintaining platform safety is our absolute priority.
Before you buy, stay vigilant:
If a listing looks suspicious — a possible wild-caught animal, a DWA-listed species, or anything else that breaks our welfare rules — tell us. Moderators review every report, usually within 24 hours.
Look for the “Report” link on the advert, the seller’s profile, or inside the message thread.
Scam, animal welfare, wild-caught / DWA species, fake listing, harassment, or something else.
A moderator reviews the report. We’ll warn, suspend, or ban as needed.
For animal cruelty in progress, contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999. For fraud, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
Local Pets is built on the belief that pets are family. We manually review every listing and work closely with authorities to ensure our community remains the safest place in the UK to find a captive-bred reptile.