Why I Built Reptisitter
The honest story of how a missed vacation, a Rhino Iguana named Bullet, and 20 years in the U.S. Army led to the first marketplace dedicated entirely to reptile care.
Jake Colson with Bullet, his Rhino Iguana · Tacoma, WA
The Trip That Started Everything
In 2024 I was planning a trip and ran into the same wall every reptile owner eventually hits: I could not find a reputable, dedicated, experienced reptile sitter willing to come to my house and check on my reptiles. Every general pet-sitting service I called either didn't take reptiles, treated them as an afterthought attached to a dog/cat profile, or wanted me to drop my animals off at a boarding facility — which most serious reptile keepers refuse to do because of the very real risk of mites, respiratory infections, and the sheer stress of moving a reptile out of its established enclosure.
I've kept reptiles since I was 10 years old. Over the past 30+ years that's included garter snakes, corn snakes, ball pythons, leopard geckos, a tegu, a water dragon, Hermann's tortoises, and my Rhino Iguana Bullet, who you can see in the photo. I attend local reptile expos — first as a customer, now as a Reptisitter vendor — and I know this community. So I built what I couldn't find.
Reptisitter is the first U.S. marketplace built specifically and only for reptile owners. Every sitter on this platform is background-checked through Vetty, and every sitter has to demonstrate actual reptile keeping knowledge before they're approved. We don't let just anyone sign up to be a sitter.
Why You Can Trust This Platform
Twenty years in the U.S. Army taught me that integrity isn't a marketing line — it's what you do when no one is watching. That's the standard Reptisitter is built on.
U.S. Army Veteran-Led
20 years of military service. I understand what it means when someone trusts you with the life of a loved one.
30+ Years of Reptile Keeping
From garter snakes to Rhino iguanas. The founder owns and lives with the animals he's building this platform for.
Every Sitter Is Screened
Vetty background check + a real reptile-knowledge review before approval. No anyone-with-a-phone sign-ups.
In-Home Only — Never Boarding
Your reptile stays in its own enclosure. No mite risk, no respiratory infections from other animals, no travel stress.
What Reptisitter Does Differently
1. Reptile-only focus. On general pet platforms, you'll find sitters who are great with dogs and cats and have "reptiles" checked as an afterthought. They often know what to do for the mammals but only have limited knowledge of what to actually look for in a reptile — UVB schedules, basking temperatures, humidity, signs of respiratory infection, proper handling, and live feeding. Reptisitter sitters are screened specifically for reptile husbandry.
2. No boarding. Period. Most reptile keepers I know refuse to board their animals — and they're right to. Moving a reptile risks mites, illness, and the stress of a new enclosure. Reptisitter is in-home only, every time.
3. Real screening, not just a checkbox. Anyone can claim experience. Reptisitter sitters have to demonstrate actual knowledge before they're approved to accept bookings. We don't list anyone we wouldn't trust with Bullet.
4. Background-checked through Vetty. Every sitter passes identity verification and a U.S. criminal-history check before they can be booked.
Ready to find a sitter you can actually trust?
From $25 per visit. Background-checked. Reptile-trained. In your home. Built by a reptile keeper, for reptile keepers.