Inside Exotic Pet Hatching: Iguanas, Geckos, and Snake Care | Planet Tyrus

Summary

Planet Tyrus | Inside Exotic Pet Hatching: Iguanas, Geckos, and Snake Care

Date: July 27, 2026
Host: Tyrus (with Ryan and guest Rhett)

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Episode Overview

In this lively and candid episode, Tyrus welcomes his son Rhett—now a flourishing reptile breeder and owner of "Rhett's Exotic Pets"—alongside co-host Ryan, for an in-depth (and highly entertaining) look at the world of exotic pet keeping. The trio dives into animal care, the emotional roots behind pet passions, the challenges (and joys) of breeding reptiles, and a parade of live animal show-and-tells. Expect humor, vulnerability, practical advice, and a celebration of nerdy animal love.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Origins of Animal Obsession

Tyrus and Rhett Share Their Roots

• Tyrus explains how a difficult family background and frequent feelings of loneliness led him to seek comfort and companionship from animals on his grandfather’s farm.
  • Quote: “I found a lot of comfort in it. It was more comfortable around animals… There was just a certain calmness to it. I was just fascinated.” – Tyrus (05:18)
• Rhett’s early days included catching snakes, turtles, and even a childhood feat: catching an alligator with a slipknot to relocate it to safety (04:13).
  • Quote: “Growing up I was always outside catching snakes and turtles and fishing and doing stuff… I used to have a pet bullfrog we caught outside and made a huge mess and all that.” – Rhett (03:43)

2. From Hobby to Business: Rhett’s Path

• Rhett, initially just a cage-cleaner for his dad’s growing "zoo," reveals how his “green thumb” and competitive drive led to a thriving business breeding challenging and rare species (11:08).
• Transition after Rhett’s sports injuries: Instead of college or athletics, he doubles down on reptiles.
• With social media, the business of exotic pets is more reachable for passionate, knowledgeable breeders.
  • Quote: “With the coming of social media… you’re able to do so much more… seeing him turn his passion into a career…” – Tyrus (13:44)

3. The Art and Science of Exotic Animal Care

Building Natural Habitats

• Both Tyrus and Rhett take pride in crafting enclosures that mimic natural habitats, a source of relaxation for the family.
  • Quote: “For me, it was creating a happy place, creating a world… you have this escape, this healthy escape.” – Tyrus (07:39)

Breeding Challenges and Triumphs

• Rhett thrives on working with the “challenge” species: tree monitors, black knight leopard geckos, iguanas, and more.
• First successful clutches of notoriously hard-to-breed species are celebrated milestones.
  • Quote: “Nothing’s better than going through the whole process of growing the animals up, finding the right pair, hatching out the eggs and raising a little baby and just watching it grow.” – Rhett (11:08, repeated sentiment at 12:04)
• The dark side: Severe winter storms caused heartbreaking losses despite heroic efforts.
  • “We lost all of our eggs and babies and a lot of breeding pairs… you see him carry that pain…” – Tyrus (16:36)

Risks of Rescue and Selling

• Rhett’s dedication is evident in rescue missions and honesty about not just “selling animals,” but placing them in good homes (17:19).
• A memorable story: Rhett spending extra time with a buyer to ensure proper care for a purchase (14:57).

The Importance of Trust and Research

• Rhett emphasizes trust-building and research as the most vital ingredients for successful reptile keeping.
  • Quote: “Trust is the biggest thing. You can lose trust way quicker than you can gain it… do your research.” – Rhett (29:21)
  • Tyrus underscores: “It’s just like you’re bringing in a child into your home.” (30:32)

4. Reptile Reputation, Rescue, and Personality

• Panel discusses the misunderstanding and “bad rap” reptiles (especially snakes) have.
  • Quote: “Reptiles, specifically snakes, have a bad reputation or the wrong reputation?… 100%.” – Rhett (26:42)
• Unique personalities and interspecies tolerance are nurtured through careful, individualized breeding.
• Example: Co-habiting different lizards and snakes peacefully due to calm, consistent handling and captive breeding.
  • “When you have a fat reptile, you’re doing the right thing.” – Tyrus (21:57)

5. Live Animal Show-and-Tell

(Timestamps approximate, as some visual content was referenced)

• Honey, the Banana Pectinata Iguana: (03:05) “She’s being super chill, beautiful.”
• Crested Gecko Demo: (20:11) “They are the coolest pet in the world. Their skin is amazing. They’re very personal.” – Tyrus (20:16-21:14)
• Midnight, the Tree Monitor: (22:50) “…High energy, smart… there’s not a cage… they can pick locks. They are extremely intelligent.” – Tyrus (23:07-23:48)
• Scaleless Rat Snake: (25:21) “Completely scaleless… super soft.” – Tyrus (25:30)
• Hognose Snake with Designer Morphs: (34:33) “…albino and it’s another morph called sable… can go anywhere from $1100 to $3000 in the pet trade.” – Tyrus (34:59)
• Baby Black Knight Leopard Gecko: (35:56) “She has stripes now but by the time she’s an adult, she’ll be jet black or close to it.” – Tyrus (36:23)

6. Tips for Aspiring Reptile Owners

• Start with common, well-documented species (bearded dragons, leopard geckos, ball pythons, corn snakes) for easier care and abundant advice (29:21).
• Patience and trust-building are key—avoid rushing animal handling (29:21).
• Research, research, research before buying (30:29).
• Caution about wild-caught versus captive-bred, and that many pet reptiles require specialized care and are not just “plug-and-play” pets (31:49-32:56).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Passion and Escape:
  “It’s how I decompress… I’ve always had a fish tank around me. From the first time I got one… and I was just absolutely hooked.” – Tyrus (09:15)
• On Parental Pride:
  “It’s rewarding because you know what they’re into, and it’s just something that bonds us.” – Tyrus (16:04)
• On Adopting Rescues:
  “When I can make space and then one pops up, taking in a rescue and nursing it back to health… is pretty cool.” – Rhett (28:39)
• On Choosing Animals for Newbies:
  “Goldfish, maybe? Snakes are pretty easy compared to lizards, in my opinion… with most snakes, you feed them once a week.” – Rhett (39:53)
• Animal Mishaps and Humor:
  Harry: “I tried feeding a lizard ice cream and started to fart. Do you have other food options?” – (38:42)

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Important Timestamps

• Origins of Animal Fascination: 05:18-07:12
• Turning Passion into Business: 11:08-13:44
• First Clutch Excitement: 15:47-16:03
• Rescue Efforts and Heartbreak: 16:36-17:19
• Breeding Challenges (Tree Monitors, Black Knights): 17:31-21:34
• Show-and-Tell (Crested Gecko, Tree Monitor, Snakes): 20:11-27:40
• Advice for Beginners: 29:21-30:52
• Discussion on Wild vs. Captive-bred: 31:49-32:56
• Animal Mishaps (Harry’s “ice cream” gecko): 38:42-39:43

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Rhett’s Socials

• Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: Rhett’s Exotic Pets
• Sales Platforms: Morph Market, Palm Street

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Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever been curious about reptiles, captivated by exotic pets, or found personal solace among animals, this episode is a must-listen. Tyrus, Rhett, and Ryan blend practical wisdom, genuine warmth, and lighthearted humor, giving us both grounded advice and a window into the dedication and emotion behind responsible animal keeping. Whether you’re considering your first pet gecko or just want a good story about a father, a son, and a bunch of lizards, you’ll come away entertained, enlightened, and maybe a little more reptile-curious.

Transcript

[Narrator]

This episode is supported by FX's the Shards, a seductive drama from executive producer Ryan Murphy. Set in 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows a group of glamorous, deeply entangled high school seniors drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties and excess. At its center is Brett, whose reality begins to unravel when the arrival of a new student coincides with a series of mysterious murders. FX's the Shards premieres August 5th on FX and Hulu.

[Tyrus]

As a parent, you kind of hope your kids have the same interest as you do.

[Rhett]

Nothing's better than going through the whole process of growing the animals up, finding the right pair, hatching out the eggs and raising a little baby and just watching it grow.

[Tyrus]

And then there's Rhett, my son, who's he might be giving me a run for my money in terms of how much he's in animals to where he's turned into a business.

[Rhett]

Trust is the biggest thing. You can lose trust way quicker than you can g.

[Tyrus]

Welcome back, Ryan.

[Ryan]

What's up, Tyrus? Thank you. Good to see you.

[Tyrus]

You're on vacation?

[Ryan]

I was on vacation, took some time off, went to Florida, land of the free. Got some sun, darkened my tan a little bit and I'm back. I know there were some reports and rumors that I was kidnapped.

[Tyrus]

Harry was very concerned.

[Ryan]

I know he was.

[Tyrus]

Checked in with her.

[Ryan]

He texted me every morning at 4:30, so I know he was very upset. But I'm glad to be back. I'm glad to be sitting with you Another episode of my story and today we're going to talk about some animals. I know you're a big animal lover. Is that true?

[Tyrus]

Yeah. Well, lover is always a weird term.

[Ryan]

You don't love animals like.

[Tyrus]

But I've always. I've always had fish tanks and really had a femininity for reptiles. And if there was anything I could have as a pet, I probably would have it as long as it was I could provide for in the right way. And then as a parent, you kind of hope your kids have the same, you know, interest as you do. But of my six, I have two that are like really well, one, she loves horses and cats. And then there's Rhett, my son, who's he might be, give me a run for my money in terms of how much he's in animals to where he's turned into a business. So my started out as my collection and then he originally came on as a curator to like clean cages and stuff. But then he has this unbelievable green thumb when it comes to breeding and pairing up animals. And he's really good at. And we'll show you some of the animals today. He was really good at animals that were always thought to be skittish or you couldn't really handle that much. He seemed to find a way to get them to be very like. Just like the little dude sitting on his shoulder. Rhett, can you hear us?

[Rhett]

Hey, what's going on? Teeth?

[Tyrus]

Hey, what's up?

[Ryan]

What's up? Brett. Nice to meet you.

[Tyrus]

Rhett Ryan. Ryan, Rhett, Rhett, your co host. On your shoulder there is one of Rhett Exotics Pet's newest acquisitions.

[Rhett]

This is Honey. She is a banana pectinata iguana. Just picked her up a couple days ago and see if she likes me. It's being super chill, beautiful.

[Tyrus]

And behind you and I see it's clean to my specifications is my African frontosa tank. And that's 470 gallons. And those are all fish from Africa. So Rhett runs. Well, before we get into that, I guess this is your. Technically your interview. But Rhett has animals has always kind of been your thing, even from the time you were a little guy, Correct?

[Rhett]

Yeah, I've. Growing up I was always outside catching snakes and turtles and fishing and doing stuff. Yeah. Used to have a pet bullfrog we caught outside and made a huge mess and all that.

[Tyrus]

Yeah, I got a lot of trouble with your mom with that. They we still have the picture. We could probably send the pictures in of the alligator you caught. Yeah, you can tell. He, he, Ryan, he caught it with a string. I'm not exaggerating.

[Ryan]

That's just a string. String and what? Tied a piece of meat or something or just.

[Rhett]

I tied a little like slipknot and dropped it over its head, pulled it tight. It was like in like the ditch, like drainage.

[Ryan]

So you just dragged right out. Yeah, it's like turtle man esque right there. That's.

[Tyrus]

It was a battle. It was a. First of all, I did not approve it, like because we've had the alligator was in the drain for like months. It would just kind of stick his head out and disappear. Stick his out and disappear. And we knew that eventually the city's gonna show up and they usually catch them and euthanize them or whatever. So Rhett decided that he was gonna catch it and bring it to another pond or lake in the Everglades somewhere.

[Ryan]

That's awesome. Wow, that's one hell of a story. Better than any animal story I've ever had. So before I guess we dive into all the animals you Currently have. How did this connection with animals start? What was it? Did you have a pet one day that you just loved and all of a sudden you're an animal guy or what was that moment was like, you know what this. I'm, I'm an animal passionate owner.

[Tyrus]

I think for me it was like, to be brutally honest, I think it was loneliness. My parents in the beginning had a lot of issues. And my biological father's grandfather had a farm. And on that farm he had horses and like livestock and stuff. And I would be in the house, be a lot of yelling and screaming and bad stuff going on. So as soon as I would wake up, when we were there, I was out the door. I would be outside all day. And like my best friend was a, was a hog. I used to ride them walking around the farm and trying to catch frogs in the creek. There was just a certain calmness to it. It was more comfortable around animals or just sitting and watching a butterfly on a flower. One of the things I used to do is I would just find a spot and stare at it for a little while and then it just kind of comes to life, you know. And it was just one of those things where I just found myself really fascinated with it. And then when I got to school, the books, the colorful books and all the exotic animals all over the world, I was just fascinated by and I wanted to learn everything I could about him. And it just was all encompassing. And then my mom worked a lot of nights and stuff. And you're not as afraid of the dark when you have a, a six foot gopher snake, you know, hiding under your bed in a box. So it was just. I found a lot of comfort in

[Ryan]

it and it was like an escape.

[Tyrus]

Yeah. And reptiles get a really bad, bad rep because they, they feel off motions, I think probably more than, than mammals do. Like if you're a calm person without a lot of negative energy, they're very calm and soothing around you. Like that is a very skittish breed of iguana right there. And she's actually moving closer to rat. So she's probably trying to find a way to get to the top of his head. Because reptiles like to be. They like to go to the highest point if they're arboreal.

[Ryan]

So now you. A lot of people say that pets are pets animals or pets, dogs, cats, lizards. But for you, it almost seems like it's a genuine lifestyle. Like it's a passionate project that you have. Why? What is the difference between someone like you and Rhett compared to Someone like me that has some fish at home, it's not really much of a hobby. It's. You really bring it into you.

[Tyrus]

I think you look at it and Rhett can answer this question after I do, but for me, it was creating a happy place, creating a world. Fish in particular, like. Like the tank behind you that is trying to build something as close to a natural habitat as you can. And one of the cool things is, like, if their water is clean, if they're fed right, if their temperature is good, and you're doing all those things, they reproduce. And that means that you have created this happy place. And I think that helps with. Outside of. In the real world, where your world's not so happy and you have this escape, this healthy escape to where you can go and. And be a part of something, that as long as the intentions are good and you have responsibility and accountability, good things happen. And I will spend hours just sitting in front of my fish tank. It's how I decompress. It's how I. I. Yeah. Figure out my shows. I have one in my office. You know, it's like, just. I've always had a fish tank around me. From the first time I. I got one. I bought a well I earned back when you, like, went to your neighbors and did work for stuff. It was a biker on the industry, had a fish tank, and his. You would always see. His door was open. You see this fish tank, and it was always empty. It was full of water, but it was empty. And I finally just said, hey, mister, would you want to sell that aquarium? And he's like, well, it's pretty expensive. And then I ended up passing out flyers for his van at Kmart for, like, three weeks or whatever. And then I got the tank, and then my first fish were Oscars.

[Ryan]

Yep.

[Tyrus]

And I was just absolutely hooked.

[Ryan]

Yeah. A lot of people at home don't know this. You do have a fish tank in your office.

[Tyrus]

Yep.

[Ryan]

And I get to be the lucky guy. Rhett. I'm in charge of Tyrus fish. When he is gone, if he's on tour or if it's a long weekend or he's taking time off, I go in there whenever he's gone. I'll feed them, I'll fill the tank. And it is an escape. So why. Why the fish tank? You just. You. I mean, it's genius because you go in there, there's plants everywhere, and it's peaceful.

[Tyrus]

Yeah.

[Ryan]

And that's what I think people don't really understand. Oh, it's just a fish In a bowl? No. If you really put passion into it and you put a lot of heart into it, it's not just a fish in a bowl. It is a distraction. It is a way for you to

[Tyrus]

mellow out, but it's a positive thing, I think.

[Ryan]

Exactly.

[Tyrus]

Rhett, Although Rhett, I think more is in. Into the reptile side of things. But was that what got you into. Because you don't just. Rhett's in high school. He was a really good artist, and he could draw or paint anything. But when. When. Hopefully we'll see some. We'll show pictures of some of the enclosures. When he makes an enclosure for a reptile, it's not like the basics. Like, he makes these exotic homes and he'll spend hours. And I used to get on his ass a little bit. Like, you'll spend all this time doing this, but you're not doing your homework. You know what I'm saying? But, like, his passion was he couldn't just have a. A reptile in a box or in a glass cage. It had to have all those things. And I think some of it has to do with his artistic background and. And his just affection for animals. What, Rhett, what is it for you? Like, what. What do you get out of. When you create or when you. Like I said, you just acquired a breeding pair of.

[Ryan]

Of those.

[Tyrus]

Of those iguanas. What is it for you that is your. You find your passion in working with animals.

[Rhett]

I just think I'm a very, like, competitive person at nature. And like you were saying earlier, I really like the challenging species. Whether it's challenging to, like, hold or it's challenging to breed things like that. It just. It's very rewarding, you know, having, like, a couple geckos or something. And they're cool pets, but, like, the scale we have it. It's definitely a challenge, just not trying to breed things, just maintaining everything. And then on top of that, I'm trying to make like, you know, black knight leopard, geckos. We're doing the tree monitors. I just got the iguanas. And then we have the fish as well. And I just really like the challenge. And nothing's better than going through the whole process of growing the animals up, finding the right pair, hatching out the eggs, and raising a little baby and just watching it grow. It's like the best feeling in the

[Ryan]

world, I will say, because Tyrus posts a lot of your pictures on Instagram. I've seen a lot of your work. Some of these lizards and chameleons and reptiles that you put on there are gorgeous. Like, I have to say, you do an excellent job at what you do. And the fact that you said that it's rewarding is a big, is a big symbolism to why you're in this industry because it is rewarding. I have a small fish tank at home. It's 65 gallons. I had a 10 gallon tank when I was a kid, went to 30 and now I have a 65 gallon tank. Got a couple blood parrots in there and I love it. So the fact that you make this your lifestyle and you can still sit at the end of the day and say, you know what, it's rewarding. I'm proud of what I do. I love what I do. I mean who you're winning at life. I mean what, what more can you ask?

[Tyrus]

Well, the challenge was how as a parent you want to be like how can my, you know, every kid has their, their, their lane, you know, and it's just trying to find their lane. But the other thing is like when they have a dream or passion sometimes it doesn't always equate to work in life. You know, like when I was coming up, if I was like, look, I just want to raise fish and sell them, there was no real opportunity for that and the market was already set when with the coming of social media and things like that, you're able to do so much more. So the thing was like Rhett wasn't really interested in and he wanted to play sports. He played football, rugby, tore his ACL in his senior year. So that kind of put a damper on continuing on to play sports. And when you don't have that thing to chase. College really wasn't looking like something that he was interested in going. And in this day and age to be successful you don't need a college education necessarily, but you still need to educate yourself. But you have to find your passion and your thing. And because of where I was with building my basically a zoo, Rhett was able to step in and then take his passion and turn it into a business and he started his own business, Rhett's Exotic Pets to where now he breeds the reptiles and then when they hatch, he sells them. He went to his first show like as a salesman a couple months ago. He works with other companies but seeing him turn his passion into a career that he will be able to at some point he'll have, it'll all be his stuff and I just have my, like my pets or whatever, but he's better than I am. Because whenever something breeds, I don't ever want to sell it.

[Ryan]

You want to hold on to it.

[Tyrus]

I want to hold on to it. And he's got that problem a little bit, too.

[Ryan]

It's got to be hard. I can only imagine how hard it is, especially when you have the little babies and you're raising them. It's got to be very difficult to just give them away, especially if you

[Tyrus]

don't like the guys buying them. Yeah, you know, that's. That's tough because you'll see someone, you know, and I. Like I said I video. It was on Instagram a few months ago where he was, like, trying to. They wanted to buy this, but they know much about it. And he was like, I'll go with you to the other places and show you everything you need before you buy it. That takes a lot of time and energy, and sales is, you know, you need to be quick. But in particular, like, one of the toughest breeds is we have a lot. We have tree reptile, tree monitors. We have green, yellow, and blue, and they are extremely difficult to breed in captivity. And he just had his first clutch of the blues, laid a ton of eggs, and he was so just euphoric and excited. But it's also. Every time one of his. His. And we're gonna put.

[Unknown Guest]

He'll.

[Tyrus]

We'll put all kinds of pictures while you guys can see a lot of this. But every time an egg hatches, I get a text or if I'm home, he'll be like, just this weekend, I was watching Hail Mary. Great movie, you guys. Check it out. And he was working on his little stuff, and he's like, oh, one of the eggs just hatched.

[Unknown Guest]

It's one of my.

[Tyrus]

And it just.

[Unknown Guest]

It just came out. It just.

[Tyrus]

I turned my head and I see that passion, and I'm like, that's. That's his thing. And it's like, it's rewarding because you. You know, what they're. What they're into, and it's just something that. That bonds us.

[Rhett]

And.

[Tyrus]

And, you know, I can talk. I don't have to. If I want to talk animals, I can talk animals, Rhett, all day long, you know, and it's kind of a nice thing. But I also see him wanting more knowledge. He's always wanting to go. He wants to grow, learn under other people. He'll call other breeders and, you know, and. And he'll.

[Unknown Guest]

He'll.

[Tyrus]

You'll see trial and error. And unfortunately, when something goes wrong, you know, we've had. We had issues in when we were in New Jersey with snowstorms and power going out. And, you know, Rhett's up till 4 o' clock in the morning making sure the generators are running and he's literally holding, trying to make sure everybody's warm. And then there's the, the, the, the downside of it was a horrible storm and, you know, we lost a lot of all of our eggs and babies and a lot of breeding pairs and stuff because of the cold and it was nothing that could be necessarily done. And you see him carry that, that, you know, that frustration and pain and it's like, so it's not like he's doing it. He's not an animal trafficker, you know. And I think. What, what do you think has been your most rewarding species to get going?

[Unknown Guest]

Um,

[Rhett]

so far? I think definitely the tree monitors, but they haven't hatched yet. So something that's I've already hatched out would probably be the Black Knight leopard geckos, because those are pretty tough. Like leopard geckos in general are relatively easy to, you know, breed. But specifically, like the morph of the Black Knights are like super difficult to get fertile eggs and have babies hatch out and be healthy and stuff.

[Ryan]

And from what I've seen, I mean, all of the animals that Rhett has, they look healthy. They don't look. You go to a pet store and you'll see the bearded dragon and it looks skinny as anything.

[Tyrus]

Yeah, well, we have a problem with a lot of rescue missions.

[Ryan]

I can imagine.

[Tyrus]

Yeah, that's the biggest problem with Rhett.

[Ryan]

When you look at someone like Rhett, you know that the person behind the business is not just there to make money. He truly, from what I've seen, you truly care about what you're doing. And that in itself is great because at the end of the day, it's still living creatures. They're not just trading cards, they're living creatures. So if someone like you has a passion for it and has dedication to it and you love the animals, you're supporting a business that's good, you're doing a good thing for society. You are creating an environment, you're creating, you're building the industry and the person behind it is a great person.

[Tyrus]

Yeah. And here's the thing, is your co host around Rhett.

[Unknown Guest]

I've coached the game, I've played the game. So when I break it down on don't me, you're getting more than opinions, you're getting experience. We've put really dumb, racist people on the air. That's the ESPN model. Right now. The show's about winning, accountability, and truth. Not the usual nonsensical soft takes. If you want real analysis from someone who's been there, join me. Search. Don't me on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Subscribe right now. It's free, it's portable, and most importantly, it's as real as it gets.

[Rhett]

Which one?

[Tyrus]

This Julia, your girlfriend? The one that.

[Rhett]

No, no, she's not. She's not home right now.

[Tyrus]

Oh, okay. Because I was gonna say if. If someone could maybe bring a crusty over or a. I do.

[Rhett]

I have a few reptiles. Puts it aside.

[Tyrus]

Yeah, okay. See, look, look. See? And as a parent, he's prepared. So, you know, I feel. I feel good about that because I was a little concerned. He was like, you know, because your kids are your kids, even though he's not a kid anymore. But they'll be like, what?

[Unknown Guest]

Huh?

[Tyrus]

Huh? You know, because it's different for you. Like, if it was another guest, they'd be like, have it all lined up.

[Ryan]

So do you have any more pets with you right now, Rhett?

[Rhett]

Yeah, I got quite a few. I'll pull out a crested gecko first.

[Tyrus]

These are our stars. Now, this is something. But I had literally no interest, actually. They were extinct. They were thought to be extinct a few years ago, and then they were rediscovered. But Rhett was, like, adamant about wanting to get involved with crested geckos, and I was like, ah, man. I don't know much about them. Not really my thing. They are the coolest pet in the world. First of all, their skin is amazing. They're very personal. I have one Icy awesome that watches movies with me. Like, they're just. And I. Icy also was on the Will Kane show, so. And then we have. But they are amazing little. Little creatures in there. Really tough. And he has bred so many different colors and morphs, and it's just been. I think that's probably our most prolific breeding group.

[Rhett]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

And then you has. He has the monsters, the Darth Maul lechis. I don't know if you've ever heard of a lechi gecko. They are ginormous, supposed to be super aggressive and hard to breed. And you're averaging, what, two eggs every other month or something right now? Like, it's just every.

[Rhett]

Every two months, they'll drop a clutch

[Tyrus]

and he'll break them out. And I'm always waiting for him finally bite them, because their jaws are every. It's the same thing. They just want to sit and, and crawl around them. So he definitely has the right temperament and energy around them.

[Ryan]

But yeah, I mean look at them. They look so comfortable and that is beyond telling.

[Tyrus]

And they're all fat. And the thing with reptiles, when you have a fat like our Euromaxes the other day he wanted me to come see how fat they got. Because when they're fat that means that life is good. If you have a fat reptile, you're doing the right thing. When you have a super skinny reptile you need to look at temperature, food stressors around them, you know, because for the most part and cressies are typically nocturnal. So when you see them this relaxed and this used to being people also captive breeding is the way we go. We're not, we very rarely go with anything wild caught. We don't think that's necessarily a good idea. And as a. There is a difference. There's a thousand percent difference. When you hatch out of an egg and the first thing you see is your handler, there's less stress and fear.

[Ryan]

Do you have one more rat that's hanging out by you?

[Tyrus]

I got several.

[Ryan]

What else you got?

[Rhett]

Let's see, we're talking about tree monitors a lot. So I do have a. Not kiwi. I got a midnight.

[Tyrus]

Midnight. Oh, midnight's awesome. You're gonna like she's a little bit

[Rhett]

bigger, a little bit more active. She's probably gonna run around.

[Tyrus]

But these are high energy, smart. I mean they're problem solvers.

[Ryan]

Looks like a velociraptor.

[Tyrus]

They're very raptor like they solve problems. They can. There's not a cage. Like that's one of the things that we always have to stay on top of is they can pick locks. Like they are extremely intelligent. And you know real quick they have a pre insuled tail. So they, they're up in the trees all day. They live in groups. There's like a dominant male and a few females. And this type of behavior with them is really rare in terms of like this relax. She's more. She knows there's a camera on right now. She hears voices.

[Ryan]

That's a great shot.

[Tyrus]

She wants to know like they recognize your voice, they know who you are. And Rhett hand feeds all of the reptiles. So that's also a testament to Rhett because a lot of times if all you do is feed them and the only time they see your hands is with foods in it, you're going to get bit. Foods with food in it, you're going to get bit every time. And Rhett, you've been bit a few.

[Rhett]

Oh, yeah, Almost every day.

[Ryan]

What would you say is the most difficult reptile that you have on you? Not on you, but just any that you've handled.

[Rhett]

I would say. I have a. An adult caiman lizard.

[Ryan]

Okay.

[Rhett]

He's pretty feisty at times, but once I'm holding him, he calms down. It's. It's kind of like with a lot of them just getting, like a hold of them, they're just freaking out at first, but once they're in my hands, they're usually pretty chill.

[Ryan]

Do you breed any snakes?

[Tyrus]

I do. Oh, boy.

[Ryan]

Are you more of a lizard guy or are you a snake guy? If you had to pick one to breed for the rest of your life without the other, what would it be?

[Rhett]

That's a tough one. Probably lizards.

[Tyrus]

Now he has a pair of king rat snakes that just laid for the first time. We have some scaleless rat snakes that look like something out of Darth Maul. Like, they're. They're. They're scaleless and they're black and red. They're crazy looking.

[Rhett]

We have the mail with me right now.

[Tyrus]

Oh, yeah. Check this guy out. This guy is awesome.

[Ryan]

Take him up.

[Tyrus]

And then we have. He's.

[Ryan]

I always wanted a ball python.

[Tyrus]

We have. Well, we've got plenty. We've got every morph. He's completely scaleless, and so he feels like some. He's super soft.

[Ryan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tyrus]

And looks soft. And he is a. He's. He's a character also. Like, he's.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

We've had these guys since they hatched out of eggs. A good buddy of mine, Mike, breeds them and he gifted us a pair. And just growing them up is a challenge because sk. Being scaleless is a recessive gene. So, you know, they're. They can be more susceptible to diseases. Although have you had a lot of issues with mites with them? Nah. Because mice typically hide under the scales, so.

[Rhett]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

Which is a. Like, especially when you go to. It's just a natural thing. You have to deal with super high energy. Great pets. They're a little bit on the pricey side, though. They're not. They're not a morph like that with that color and. And that look are super pricey.

[Ryan]

Would you say that. And both of you could answer this. Would you say that reptiles, specifically snakes, have a bad reputation or the wrong reputation? You think they're misunderstood?

[Rhett]

100%.

[Ryan]

Yeah. Everyone see, oh, snake. They're portrayed as these evil, evil creatures. But, I mean, look at the way that this snake is just having a day with Rhett.

[Tyrus]

Not just that and the fact that there's a. There's an iguana a foot from it and it's not because it's hand fed. And he's like. And that's one of the things is like, we don't do it. But when reptiles are conditioned just like anything else, where they, they. You can co habitat different species together because they don't look. We've seen it recently on social media where people have pit vipers with lizards in their containers and not chameleons because the chameleon doesn't trust anyone. Those are the hardest eggs to crack in terms of like, trust and like getting to like you panther chameleons are. It just. It just depends. Like, some are, some are cool, most are. But those, like, they like to be looked at and not, not held. But we got a few that like to be held.

[Ryan]

Rhett, what would you say is your favorite thing about what you do? Is it just working with the animals? Is it giving them to an owner that appreciates it? What would you say is the most rewarding thing about what you do?

[Rhett]

I think being able to like, hatch out babies, like I was saying earlier, and like raise them straight from the egg is a very rewarding thing.

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[Ryan]

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[Ryan]

This whole thing is nuts.

[Tyrus]

There's nothing traditional about this lane.

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[Rhett]

I'm Owen.

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[Ryan]

What about you and me?

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[Rhett]

I've been told I'm a seven.

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[Ryan]

Your mom? No, she thinks I'm a ten.

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[Rhett]

Another thing, like Tyrus was saying is I do take in some rescues sometimes. I mean, we don't have all the space in the world, but when I can make space and then one pops up, taking in a rescue and nursing it back to health and being able to do that successfully is pretty cool.

[Ryan]

A lot of people that are watching this right now are going to, I'm assuming, want to have interest in exotic animals like a reptile. And a lot of them might not really know how to handle a reptile or keep a reptile. So if you had to give any advice for somebody right now that is considering buying a reptile, going out and starting their own hobby with them, what would that be?

[Rhett]

So I would recommend Starting with, you know, a more common species. Something that's got a lot of info on the Internet. Something that's been around in the pet trade for years, like, you know, bearded dragons, leopard geckos, ball pythons, corn snakes, stuff like that. To where if you do run into any issues or you have any questions, there's information. There's endless information on the Internet. You pretty much go into any pet store, go into any forum, and you'll find your answers. When it comes to, like, handling the animal, you definitely just want to take your time with it. Don't rush into things. Trust is the biggest thing. You can lose trust way quicker than you can gain it. So a new animal is already not going to trust you. It doesn't know you. So you just got to give it time. I usually start with food. You know, once it knows that you're the one feeding it, you know, cleaning its water, making sure, you know, stays safe and all that stuff, it'll kind of, you know, gain trust and calm down. And obviously every animal is different. Some snakes are nice, some snakes are mean, no matter how you treat them. But yeah, just take your time with it and do your research. It's really it.

[Tyrus]

Yeah, I was going to say one word. Research.

[Ryan]

Yep.

[Tyrus]

Like you need to. It's just like. It's just like you're bringing in a child into your home.

[Ryan]

I remember I was 12 and I begged my parents for a bearded dragon. I did all the research. I was 12 years old. I mean, listen, was it the best research in the world? No. I was only 12, 13 years old, but I wanted to bearded dragon. So I think to your points about research is definitely important for sure.

[Tyrus]

And we got some monster bearded dragons. We got some crazy dark. These ones that are red. But we have a lot that look like they could be in a Star Wars Sith movie. The super dark red with black. And then we've got some ones that were like. They're like white. Then we have, of course, regular colors and stuff like that. Euromaxes are my personal favorite because they look like turtles outside the shell. Those ones are. They're. They're. I think we have a breeding pair now. We've had success with those crusty geckos were. Geckos are probably my biggest surprise that I would like them so much and they have so much personality. And I'm not sure the total number we have, but we got to be over a hundred. I mean, it's like we have enough breeding stock, but in terms of building a business of captive Bread to where we could put a seal like this. You know, exactly what you're getting from Rhett's exotic pets. Because everything we have is homegrown.

[Ryan]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

Very rarely do we just, like. We wouldn't go out, even though it's Florida, especially with chameleons, because apparently we're like 20 miles from all where veiled chameleons have basically taken over. So guys will go out there, catch a bunch, throw in a bag, put them on the Internet. We don't. We don't do those things. We like to know they're trying to give you a healthy animal, a happy animal. And at the same time, we also ask questions of the people who are buying, you know, because it's not. It's a commitment. And a lot of times people will see, like, this. They'll see this video, and they'll see that iguana. Oh, I want a banana iguana so bad. I want them so bad. And then they don't realize, like, they can be. That one in particular is not typically how they behave. They're very skittish. They don't want to be touched. They're going to hide from you at first, so you'll be like, oh, another thing. They have nails. And I. I used to have this giant orange iguana. He was huge and never did anything wrong. He just loved to be held and pet, and he would dance and eat out of your hands. And one day, my daughter Ree was holding him, and she freaked out for some reason, and he started to, like. He felt her like, here's the deal. You are twice. You're a giant holding these things. If you get scared, they're like, holy shit, what is he afraid of? If it's going to eat him, it's definitely going to eat me. So I need to get the hell away from you. And that's what started to happen. So I took it from her, trying to calm it down. And by the time he calmed down, my forearms look like something out of a horror movie just shredded up. Not his fault. He needs his nails to climb. We don't clip. But it can happen, and you know it. And the scratches take a few days to heal or whatever, but there are accidental bites happen. Also, we have green tree pythons. And. And the thing about snakes, which makes me laugh, is that people always like, I'm afraid of a snake. Snake only has one thing you have to worry about is the mouth. There's no claws. There's no stinger.

[Ryan]

Yep.

[Tyrus]

Just a mouth. And if you know how to make your hand like that. It's real hard. A snake can't bite you. You just can't freak out if it's flesh. Their mouth can't open up big enough to get you. If you do get bit, usually it's a. Get away from me. We don't do venomous animals at all. Rhett. Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. The hog knows. Do you have any of those little bastards with you? I can't. These are rats. Like I started them. Every time I held one I got bit and I just got sick of it. And I was trying to breed a pair. I put him in the. He wasn't in the thing three seconds and she started eating him. So I had to. Didn't you pull him out?

[Rhett]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

You had to pull him out. Like she was. Like he was just. And luckily he got her out because she was just such a pig and so spoiled. Yeah. There they go.

[Ryan]

Wow.

[Rhett]

So you see they got the little curled up nose and that's where the name comes from.

[Ryan]

Beautiful.

[Rhett]

This one is one of my crazier like morphs of hognose. Is not what they look like in the wild. This one's albino and it's another morph called sable. And it's also super condo, which makes it patternless. So it's a patternless like orangish pink albino hog.

[Tyrus]

And then those in the pet trade can go anywhere from 1100 bucks to 3000.

[Ryan]

Incredible.

[Tyrus]

They're extremely. And hatching them out and he's. He got. We got them all young, so they're just now getting around breeding age. So it's going to get interesting. But again, the calmness of the iguana. Iguanas smell snake. Typically it's. I need to get the hell out of here. But they just, you know, because he, he. That's why, as when I come on the road and stuff, if the animals are all skittish, I know he's not doing his job.

[Ryan]

Yep.

[Tyrus]

You know, so it's like that says

[Ryan]

more about Rhett than anything.

[Tyrus]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ryan]

Because the way he handles the animals keep them calm. Calm enough that they can not interact with each other, but they can be around each other without feeling threatened.

[Tyrus]

Because I always say worst case scenario, I could just get him a pickup truck and just have him go to schools and make money. Rhett's petting zoo, we've got some. Do you have a couple others there? Before I let you go, I have

[Rhett]

one more that I wanted to show y'.

[Unknown Guest]

All.

[Rhett]

It's a baby black knight that we produced.

[Tyrus]

Oh, nice. These are. Yeah. Now, these were the ones I was obsessed with. And they were not easy to get pairs that weren't related. That's the toughest part of. Of. Of more so with fish nowadays than reptiles is getting ones that are not brothers, sisters, and cousins. Now he's. That one's called a black knight.

[Rhett]

Yes. She's still a baby, so she's a little squirmy.

[Ryan]

Gorgeous.

[Tyrus]

She's one of our egg hatches now. She has stripes now, but by the time she's an adult, she'll be jet black or close to it.

[Ryan]

That's awesome. Well, I can't wait to see what that looks like. Brett, your work is incredible and your animals are beautiful. And hopefully I can convince my fiance maybe when we have a house, she doesn't want any reptiles in the apartment. She didn't say I couldn't have any in the house. So. Rhett, I don't know if one day I get the thumbs up from the boss, maybe. Maybe we're gonna have to have a conversation and I'll. I'll start working on this research. I know I'll definitely research. Do a lot. Chap. Gbt.

[Tyrus]

Now, Rhett, before I let you go, Ryan, I think you need to sit in on this because Harry's missed you so much. Harry is. Think. Wants to ask your advice about getting a pet. He's the second member of the B team. He's a little slow.

[Ryan]

Very slow.

[Tyrus]

So just.

[Ryan]

He's got the brain of a leopard gecko.

[Tyrus]

Yeah. So Harry's gonna come in, but. Looks good. The fish look good that came in today. I told you those things look like tangs. When they get their. Their color, they're pretty cool, but. And we'll send all kinds of. He'll send all kinds of pictures and videos and. Oh, Rhett, Just for people, if someone wants to look up reptiles or possibly buy one from you or just see your daily activities, what are those social medias that they can look up on?

[Rhett]

So I'm Rhett's exotic pets on everything. Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Morph Market and Palm street are the two apps that I sell the reptiles on. But if you want to see any of the content that I post, you know, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to Rhett's Exotic pets.

[Tyrus]

She found her path to the top of your head.

[Ryan]

There you go.

[Tyrus]

Now she's really. That's. And that's where she. She will sit there all day if. If he lets her.

[Harry]

Yeah.

[Tyrus]

So.

[Ryan]

All right. I think it's time.

[Tyrus]

All right, bring him, Rhett.

[Podcast Announcer]

Good luck.

[Tyrus]

Keep doing your chores.

[Ryan]

Y. Hey, Harry.

[Rhett]

Hello, Rhett.

[Ryan]

Hey, Ryan.

[Podcast Announcer]

Hey.

[Rhett]

Oh, hey, Ryan.

[Harry]

What's going on? Yeah, we really missed you here.

[Ryan]

I'm sure. All right, go. What was the question that you wanted to ask Mr. Rhett?

[Harry]

Rhett. I only have ice cream at the house, and I tried feeding a lizard ice cream and started to fart. Do you have other food options that would be better?

[Rhett]

Yeah. Let's start with. What kind of lizard is it?

[Harry]

It's. It's a geico. It's like the geico one. It's like a little green guy.

[Rhett]

Got you. Actually, I have one of those as well. So those guys actually eat insects and sometimes they eat fruit. So they actually have a pretty simple diet. They make this powder, and Pangea makes it. Zoomed makes it couple different brands, and it's this powder. You mix a little bit of water, and it makes, like, a peanut butter consistency, and they just lick it up. And it has all the fruits and insects and vitamins that they need, and it's a very, very, you know, simple food source. I could. I could send you some if you need some.

[Ryan]

What kind of pet do you think Harry would be good at keeping alive? Goldfish,

[Rhett]

maybe? Snakes are pretty easy compared to lizards, in my opinion. With most snakes, you feed them, you know, once a week. And most, you know, ball pythons and stuff don't really move too much.

[Harry]

Don't you have to feed it like a mouse or like a rabbit?

[Rhett]

Yeah. I mean, a giant one. Yeah, you could feed it a rabbit or something, but most of them just eat mice.

[Harry]

Can I feed one? Or Orion?

[Ryan]

Yeah, I think. I think that's all for me. Thanks, Rhett.

[Harry]

Okay.

[Ryan]

Good luck with Mr. Harry.

[Tyrus]

Okay. Funny guy.

[Ryan]

Yeah. You don't want to eat me.

[Harry]

Rhett, you're the man. Thank you so much for coming on.

[Rhett]

Thank you. I appreciate y' all having me.

[Harry]

Thanks for being prepared. You had a good setup, good background. Blizzards looked awesome. Thank you, Rhett.

[Rhett]

Thank you. I appreciate it, man.

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