SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/reptile-dont-keep-wild-reptiles
Should you catch a wild turtle, snake, or lizard to keep as a pet?
No. The CDC says don't keep wild reptiles as pets.
- Yes, if it looks healthy
- Yes, if it is native to your area
- No, leave wild reptiles in the wild ✔
Why: The CDC says don't catch wild reptiles or amphibians and keep them as pets. Wild animals can carry parasites and struggle to eat in captivity. Corn snakes are protected in Georgia and South Carolina.
Huh, didn't know that: University of Georgia says corn snakes are protected in Georgia and South Carolina.
Why did the lizard stay in the woods? It was a wild child.
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References
Answer: No, leave wild reptiles in the wild. The CDC says don't catch wild reptiles or amphibians and keep them as pets. Wild animals can carry parasites and struggle to eat in captivity. Corn snakes are protected in Georgia and South Carolina.
- Reptiles and Amphibians (CDC Healthy Pets) www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/reptiles-and-amphibians.html
Don't catch wild reptiles or amphibians and keep them as pets.
Checked 2026-10-11. - Captive Bred vs Wild Caught (Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, Pet Talk) vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/captive-bred-vs-wild-caught
They may never eat enough, or eat at all because they do not always recognize what we feed as food.
Checked 2026-10-11. - Corn Snake (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory) srelherp.uga.edu/snakes/corn-snake
Corn snakes are listed as stable and are protected in the states of Georgia and South Carolina.
Checked 2026-10-11.
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