What the heck is hepertoculture ?
 
   Herpetoculture is the captive care and sometimes breeding of reptiles and amphibians. Herpers (short for herpetoculturists) are regular people who make one of their hobbies reptile keeping.
 
   And what is so fascinating about reptiles anyway ?
 
   Fascinating is right. Most herpers have what could be described as a passion for their hobby. They are not called reptile enthusiasts for nothing! It is impossible to explain this fascination with reptiles to someone who has not experienced it. To ask how they can be so enamoured of reptiles is like asking a model railroad hobbyist what is so fun about watching a train go 'round in circles. There is no single reason and sometimes there are no words to describe the reasons. Some may enjoy the accomplishment of creating a world that their reptile can thrive in (for that is what is involved in housing them) and some enjoy the thrill of hatching a clutch of eggs (few make much profit selling these after the cost and effort involved), and some may develop relationships with their reptile just as with cats or dogs.
 
   Shouldn't all reptiles be free to live in the wild ?
 
   There are some people who believe no animal should be kept captive. Everyone should respect each others opinions even if they don't agree and in this case most herpers do respect and agree with some of the reasoning behind leaving animals to live in the wild. Overcollecting species from the wild depletes their population. Most herpers try to promote captive breeding of reptiles to prevent this. Sometimes because of habitat destruction and other factors species have completely died out in the wild and are only kept alive through captivity. Many herpers like to think of what they do as not only fun for them but as helping protect and conserve the diverse reptile population on our planet.