Mango
AdoptedCame in 30% underweight, having never eaten frozen-thawed prey. Eight weeks of structured feeding transition later, he's stable, gaining steadily, and placed in a vetted home in Tucson.
Yuma, Arizona · 501(c)(3) Animal Rescue
The animals other shelters don't know how to keep alive.
A 501(c)(3) animal rescue operating out of a home in Yuma, Arizona. Every snake, lizard, tortoise, amphibian, and bulldog in our care is here because the shelter system failed them — and we refused to. We're working toward a facility that lets us take that fight further, for more kinds of animals.
Reptiles & Bulldogs · No other cats or dogs · Founded 2023 · Yuma, AZ
[ Iguana ]
01 /A real rescue, not a hobby·Founded 2023·501(c)(3) nonprofit·Yuma, Arizona
- 75+
- Animals rescued
- 60+
- Placed in forever homes
- 14
- Looking for theirs right now
- $0
- Overhead — 100% to animals
Species we handle
Ball Pythons·Bearded Dragons·Tortoises·Colubrids·Lizards·Amphibians·Bulldogs
Our Work
Specialized care, not warehousing.
Most shelters don't know how to keep reptiles alive — wrong temps, wrong food, wrong lighting. We've seen it. We built this rescue to be the fix. We've taken in over 75 animals — every one receives species-correct housing, a structured acclimation period, and a placement process designed to end the cycle of repeat surrenders.
What we handle today
Snakes, lizards, turtles, tortoises, amphibians, and — through a dedicated program — bulldogs.
Where we're headed
We're working toward a facility that lets us take on more animals beyond what we handle now.
What it actually looks like
"A ball python comes in 30% underweight, having never eaten frozen-thawed prey. Eight weeks later, he's stable, transitioning, and has a vetted adopter waiting in Tucson — a process most shelters don't have the time or expertise to run."
[ Ball Python · Python regius · 2024 intake ]
A reflection
Recent rescues
Three animals. Three reasons we exist.
Atlas
AdoptedOutgrown by his original family within two years — they didn't know sulcatas can reach 100+ pounds. Atlas now lives on a half-acre property with retired keepers in Sedona who specifically wanted a long-lived tortoise.
Juno
In recoverySurrendered with severe metabolic bone disease from years without UVB lighting. Six months of calcium therapy, supplementation, and proper UV exposure — she's walking normally again and entering our adoption-ready phase.
Need to rehome a reptile?
We take surrenders. No judgment. No shame.
Life changes — jobs, moves, illness, a reptile that outgrew what you can provide. Fill out our intake form and we'll respond within 72 hours. The animal's wellbeing comes first; the circumstances that brought you here don't.
Intake details
- What we accept
- Snakes (non-venomous), lizards, turtles, tortoises, amphibians.
- What we don't
- Venomous species, dogs, cats, birds, mammals, federally permitted species.
- Response time
- Within 72 hours of form submission.
- Cost
- Free. No fee, no questions about your situation.
Support the Rescue
Your donation keeps an animal alive tonight.
Every dollar comes from people like you and goes straight to the animal — no government funding, no overhead, no salaries. 100% tax-deductible.
What your donation actually buys
- $18
- A bearded dragon's UVB bulb replacement.
- $12
- Two weeks of frozen-thawed feeders for a ball python.
- $45
- A thermostat that prevents a tortoise from freezing or overheating.
- $85
- A quarterly exotic-vet check for a tortoise or rare reptile.
- $200
- A full intake — quarantine setup, exam, and 30 days of care.
Donate Now
Tax-deductible · 501(c)(3) EIN: 88-2959170 · One-time or monthly · No fees via Zeffy
Make it monthly
Set up a monthly gift once, and a reptile stays covered all year — feeders, heat, vet visits — without you having to think about it again. Start a monthly gift →
What We're Building Toward
We're working toward securing a dedicated facility — space that would let us expand well beyond what we can do out of our home today, including taking on more animals beyond our current reptile and bulldog programs. Nothing official yet, but it's the direction we're headed, and every donation gets us there sooner.
Our Standards — All Ten
How we actually care for the animals.
Ten standards we refuse to compromise on. Every animal in our care benefits from each one — not as a marketing claim, but as the operational baseline of how this rescue runs.
01
Species-Correct Quarantine
Every incoming animal undergoes a minimum 30-day quarantine in a species-appropriate enclosure before any social exposure or adoption listing.
02
Veterinary Referral Network
We work with exotic-experienced veterinarians in the Yuma area. Animals showing signs of illness or injury are referred for assessment before listing, and we document any known medical history for every adopter.
03
Species-Correct UVB Husbandry
Every species that requires UVB gets it — on the correct schedule, at the correct intensity for that animal. Bulbs are replaced on time. We don't skip it because it's inconvenient.
04
Adoption Compatibility Matching
We manually review every application against the specific animal. Experience level, enclosure readiness, and lifestyle fit are all evaluated before any match is made.
05
Detailed Care Portfolios
Each animal leaves with a written care portfolio covering feeding schedule, temperature gradients, shed history, and behavioral notes compiled during their stay.
06
Structured Feeding Transition
Animals surrendered on live prey are transitioned to frozen-thawed before adoption to reduce stress and risk — a time-intensive process most rescues skip.
07
Post-Adoption Support Line
Adopters get direct email access to our volunteer team for 90 days post-adoption — real answers from people who know the specific animal, not generic care sheets.
08
Temperature & Humidity Logging
We maintain digital logs of enclosure conditions throughout each animal's stay — providing documented baselines that help new owners spot problems early.
09
Return Guarantee — No Questions
If an adoption isn't working — for any reason, at any time — we take the animal back. No guilt, no judgment. The animal's wellbeing always comes first.
10
Surrenderer Dignity Policy
We never shame people for surrendering an animal. Life changes. Our intake process is judgment-free by policy — because shaming people discourages them from reaching out, and the animal pays for it.
Why this rescue exists
Reptiles fall through the cracks — for reasons most people never learn.
Adoption stat
Reptiles are the 3rd most-kept pet in the US.
The majority of general shelters have no reptile-specific housing protocol — meaning the animals that come in often don't come out alive.
Lifespan reality
A ball python can live 30+ years.
Most people who surrender one didn't know that when they bought it. A tortoise can live longer than its first owner. We plan for the full life of the animal.
Husbandry fact
UVB lighting isn't optional.
Without it, metabolic bone disease sets in within months for most lizards and tortoises. Most general shelters skip it because it's expensive and they don't know better.
Stress physiology
Temperature is everything.
A 10°F deviation suppresses immune function for weeks. Reptiles don't show stress the way mammals do — by the time symptoms are visible, the damage is done.
01
Do you take dogs or cats?
We're a reptile rescue at heart, with one exception: bulldogs, through our dedicated Bunch a Bull Bulldog Rescue. Outside of that program we do not accept dogs, cats, birds, or small mammals — if you're trying to rehome one of those, please see our Bulldog Rescue page or contact a local humane society (we keep a list on our contact page).
02
What reptiles do you accept?
We take in snakes (non-venomous), lizards, turtles, tortoises, and amphibians. We can usually accommodate common species and work case-by-case with more unusual animals. We do not accept venomous species or animals requiring federal permits we do not hold.
03
How do I surrender a reptile?
Fill out the surrender form on our Surrender page with your reptile's species, age, setup, and a recent photo. We'll follow up within 72 hours to discuss next steps. We will never judge you for needing to rehome an animal.
04
How do I adopt a reptile?
Review our adoptable reptiles, then submit an adoption application. We review carefully — experience level, enclosure readiness, and species fit all matter. We would rather take our time than place an animal poorly.
Get in touch
Reach out. We don't judge, we just help.
We respond to every message personally, and there's no wrong reason to reach out. Life changes, situations change — whatever brought you here, surrender, adoption, or just a question, there's no judgment when you do.