Keeping pets as companions in Hong Kong has gone way beyond cats and dogs — extending to reptiles such as leopard geckos.

To Oliver Chan, the thrill of breeding geckos — small lizards that are native to Central Asia — derives from their display of surprising, unpredictable colors and patterns when recessive genes combine.

What began as mere fascination for Chan — "just trying to see them mate, purely out of interest" — marked the start of his learning to navigate the complex world of different genes that can produce particular colors and patterns.

At its core, selective breeding is a science of genetics. Geckos, like most creatures, inherit a mix of dominant and recessive genes. Dominant traits are more likely to appear, while recessive ones that are responsible for some of the most sought-after appearances only emerge if both parents contribute to the gene.

Breeders act as genetic matchmakers, pairing geckos to combine these genes and produce offspring with targeted characteristics, be they colors, patterns or physiques. "The first time I bred leopard geckos — seeing them lay eggs, helping with the incubation, and finally seeing them being hatched — was a profound moment. I truly felt the miracle of life," says Chan.

Chan's fondness for exotic pets started in secondary school with a turtle — a relatively accessible and inexpensive species. His interest deepened through online research and later, a part-time job at a Hong Kong reptile store, paving the way for him to explore the gecko's breeding process and to keep more advanced species like a ball python and corn snake.

But, after having brought around 30 new lives into the world and selling them, he felt he was at a sobering crossroad — the initial thrill of the "genetic lottery" gave way to profound ethical unease, prompting him to quit breeding.

"After a while, I felt a bit inhumane," he concedes. "It's easy to fall into a mindset where you see these animals as tools for profit," citing albino genes, prized for their striking appearance — white skin and red eyes — but often burdened with light sensitivity that causes them discomfort. "We like how they look, but they never asked for those genes."

Genetic wonders

For Stina Li, who used to work in a reptile pet store, her most exciting moments come on "egg opening" day — a day chosen to crack open the ball python's eggs. She calls it an annual "blind box" occasion when one never knows what's coming until it shows itself.

Ball pythons can carry countless genetic combinations like geckos. "The moment you cut open an egg — the patterns and colors, even from the same clutch, every single one can look different."

Li, a pet lover and owner, was initially drawn in by the beautiful appearance of spiders, and she acquired her first exotic pet — a crested gecko — during her college years, and they clicked instantly. The gecko served as a gateway to her passion for exotic pets. Several months later, while visiting the same reptile store where she worked alongside Chan, her boss encouraged her to hold a ball python. The moment the snake coiled around her hands, her world shifted. "The feeling was completely different from any other animal I had encountered," Li recalls. She was captivated by the creature's silky scales, intricate patterns and the "infinite possibilities "offered by genetic breeding. Soon, her collection expanded to include spiders, a Brazilian rainbow boa and, at various times, birds and hermit crabs.

Li and Chan represent a growing, yet often misunderstood, community that keeps exotic pets. For them, the appeal lies not in the cuddly affection of a cat or dog, but in the quiet beauty, biological fascination, and challenges of caring for animals that are, by evolutionary design, wild.

Yet, both are acutely aware of the one-sided nature of this bond. Li admits her snake has no affection for her. "It's like loving a book or a doll. But, my feelings for the reptile are what matters. I think it's beautiful, and that's enough."

However, she holds a different view on whether all reptiles are "cold-blooded" in behavior. Having handled a wide variety of animals, she can effortlessly detail the distinct behavior of each species — ball pythons are generally tame, while Brazilian rainbow boas tend to have a more temperamental disposition; tortoises often appear gentle, but many aquatic turtles seem to be quite fierce.

Lizards are, surprisingly, intelligent, some even possessing basic learning and memory capabilities, says Li, citing the Tegu lizard — a giant lizard known as the "puppy lizard" for its dog-like habit of following its owner around. "Each species has a different level of intelligence, its own unique traits. Every single one, each individual animal, has its own nature."

The diverse behavior is evident even between the two crested geckos she owns. Despite being part of the same species, they exhibit remarkably different temperaments — one she raised from a hatchling is her "docile daughter" named Ah-bi which would willingly climb up to her, while another, acquired as an adult, is a "rebellious kid".

Handling with care

But the snake offers no such interaction. Li says customers should handle them minimally. "I tell people to approach these animals with respect, not without caution. You must understand they can cause harm."

While keeping these pets, her family's reaction is a common hurdle. While her younger brother has grown curious, her parents find snake repulsive. "I completely understand their fear. I've been bitten myself. I won't try to force them to accept snakes, but I just want to prove I'm committed to what I'm doing."

Chan faced similar challenges. Although his family members accepted the turtle, their tolerance was tested when he moved on to keeping geckos. The issue wasn't about the reptiles themselves, but their live food — mealworms. The challenge escalated with the arrival of his snakes as he began storing frozen mice, segregated in a separate container inside the family's freezer — a practice his parents, understandably, abhorred.

"Despite their aversion they supported me, especially when they saw I could turn knowledge into a small income through breeding," says Chan.

Unwavering support from one's own family, according to Li and Chan, is one of the most important factors in successfully keeping exotic pets.

From their dual perspectives as reptile lovers and industry observers, they've noticed a recent surge in the popularity of exotic pets in Hong Kong, attributing it partly to the practicality of keeping pets. "Living spaces are small here. You can't always keep a cat or dog, but a reptile might need just a terrarium in a corner," says Li.

According to Chan, keeping exotic pets offers greater advantages over traditional pets as less time is needed to care for them — snakes may eat only once a week, and the costs are low.

However, there's a troubling trend of impulse acquiring of exotic pets, driven by novelty rather than adequate preparation or knowledge.

"We get customers who want to buy a snake, but don't even know that it eats mice," says Li. Chan recalls the Year of the Snake, which led to a spike in purchases, only to be followed by a wave of the reptiles being abandoned. The most common issues, they say, stem from a fundamental lack of understanding of the animals' environmental needs, adult size and natural behavior.

Such ignorance has made warnings by veterinary professionals critical.

Zoltan Szabo, an exotic animal veterinarian in Hong Kong, points to inadequate care initially, as well as a lack of knowledge about these animals.

"The main issues include an improper environment and an inappropriate diet. People don't do their research," he says, emphasizing that, unlike dogs and cats, which have been domesticated over millennia to coexist with humans, reptiles and other exotic pets are, essentially, wild animals.

"Buying a turtle and leaving it in the corner of your living room, hoping it will just live there like your dog or cat, is obviously silly. You have to provide them with an environment akin to what they would get in nature." Szabo also highlights the critical mistake of underestimating an animal's eventual size, leading to tragic outcomes when a cute, little tortoise could grow into a 50-kilogram giant that an apartment can't accommodate.

Subtle signs of illness, like gradual weight loss, can also be easily ignored without a meticulous keeping of records. "I always encourage pet owners to develop the habit of regularly weighing their pets. Weigh them at least once a week, put the numbers in a spreadsheet, so you can notice if they've any sudden weight gain or loss."

Perhaps, surprisingly, even well-intentioned touching can be stressful for exotic pets. "Putting effort and energy into taming your pet is pretty important," says Szabo.

His advice is to proactively train pets for the necessary procedures to make sure they're used to being handled by humans, such as acclimating a parrot to syringe-feeding with fruit juice before it might suddenly need medication.

Szabo says that in an emergency, exotic pet owners cannot rely solely on first aid at home. "If you have a pet that's bleeding, it is nonsense to hope you can address it at home. You need a vet." His advice is to "do regular body checks on your pet and establish a relationship with an experienced exotic veterinarian before there is a crisis. At least have their phone number, especially at night when most clinics are closed".

Owner responsibility

Szabo emphasizes that a pet's survival depends entirely on the owner's willingness to research, prepare and commit.

For dedicated keepers like Li and Chan, that commitment is a labor of love. It's found in the daily misting of a terrarium, the precise control of temperature gradients, and the quiet appreciation of a creature that may never return the love expressed for them.

Chan summarizes the reptiles' charming personality and the experience of raising them as "unique", a "comfortable sense of boundaries" and a "mutual understanding of not disturbing each other". Witnessing the full life cycle of the leopard geckos he breeds — from mating to hatching — has instilled in him a reverence for life.

"Some eggs don't hatch. Some embryos don't survive. It makes me realize that not every life is destined to enter this world. It teaches you to truly cherish those that do."

Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com