Quick answer
Reptiles in the UK typically cost £30–£500. PetTrader lists reptiles from licensed breeders, private sellers and rescues, across 8 breed guides, with prices, locations and health details on every advert. Listings follow Lucy's Law and the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018.
Reptiles typically sell for £30–£500 in the UK. Price depends on breed, species or variety, health testing and registration paperwork, the seller's location and the time of year. Anything priced well below the range below is worth questioning — it is a common sign of an unlicensed seller or a scam advert.
| Specie | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Bearded Dragon hatchlings | £50–£250 |
| Leopard Gecko hatchlings | £40–£200 |
| Crested Gecko hatchlings | £40–£200 |
| Corn Snake hatchlings | £40–£200 |
| Royal Python hatchlings | £60–£400 |
| Hermann's Tortoise hatchlings | £150–£450 |
| Blue Tongue Skink hatchlings | £150–£600 |
| Veiled Chameleon hatchlings | £80–£300 |
Get temperatures, UVB and humidity stable for at least a week before the animal comes home. You need a thermostat on every heat source, a thermometer at the warm and cool ends, hides at both ends, and the correct substrate for the species — impaction from the wrong substrate is a common avoidable death.
A reptile that feeds readily in front of you is a good sign. Ask for a written feeding record, what prey size and type it takes, and when it last shed. Refusal to feed, retained shed and a thin tail base are all reasons to hold off.
Most pet species need no licence, but venomous snakes, crocodilians and certain large lizards need a Dangerous Wild Animals licence from your council, and CITES Annex A species such as some tortoises must be sold with an Article 10 certificate. Never buy one of those without seeing the certificate.
Animals themselves run about £30–£500 — leopard geckos and corn snakes from £40, bearded dragons £60–£150, royal pythons £50–£300 depending on morph, and tortoises £150–£500. The vivarium, heating, UVB lighting and thermostat usually cost more than the reptile.
Leopard geckos, crested geckos, corn snakes and bearded dragons are the usual first reptiles: their care requirements are well documented, they stay a manageable size and they tolerate handling. Avoid green iguanas, water dragons and large constrictors as a first pet.
Set the vivarium up and get the temperatures stable before the animal arrives. You need the correct size enclosure, a thermostat-controlled heat source, a thermometer at both ends, UVB lighting for most lizards and tortoises, suitable substrate, hides at each end and a water dish.
Most pet species need no licence, but venomous snakes, crocodilians and certain large lizards fall under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act and require a local authority licence. Some tortoises are CITES Annex A and must come with an Article 10 certificate.
Ask to see the animal feed, check for clear eyes, a clean vent, no retained shed on the toes or tail tip and good body weight. Ask what it eats, how often, and what temperatures it has been kept at, and ask for a feeding record.
Leopard geckos and corn snakes commonly reach 15–20 years, bearded dragons 8–12, royal pythons 20–30, and tortoises often outlive their owners at 50–100 years. They are a long commitment, and tortoises are frequently written into wills.
View the animal in person at the seller's own home before any money changes hands, keep all messages inside PetTrader so there is a record, and never pay by bank transfer, gift card or crypto to someone you have not met. Every PetTrader seller completes a photo-ID and live selfie check, and verified accounts carry a badge, and you can report an advert from the listing page.
Selling rather than buying? Identity-verified private sellers get their first advert free, and the first 200 businesses and breeders get 12 months free. Read where to advertise reptiles for sale in the UK for the options, costs and legal rules, or how to rehome a pet if you are finding a new home for one you already own.
