Reptile Ownership Statistics USA

Reptiles are the fastest-growing pet category in the U.S. by percentage, driven largely by Gen Z and millennial owners — but they also carry a real, well-documented public health consideration that doesn't get much attention outside CDC and FDA reports. Here's what the data actually shows about who owns pet reptiles, which species are most popular, and the salmonella risk every reptile owner should understand.

How Many U.S. Households Own a Pet Reptile?

Per APPA's 2025 report, 6.5 million U.S. households now own a reptile — about 4% of all U.S. households — up from 4.7 million in 2016, a 38% increase that makes reptiles the fastest-growing pet category in the U.S. by percentage. Gen Z and millennial owners together account for 62% of all reptile-owning households, and 38% of reptile owners are under 35. Bearded dragons are the single most popular reptile, accounting for 29% of reptile pet sales.

Why Are Small Turtles Illegal to Sell as Pets?

Since 1975, the FDA has banned the sale of turtles with a shell length under 4 inches (21 CFR 1240.62), specifically because of the salmonella risk they pose to young children who are more likely to put a small turtle in their mouth. Before the ban, pet turtles — particularly red-eared sliders — were estimated to cause roughly 280,000 cases of salmonellosis a year in the U.S. Infectious disease specialists estimate the ban continues to prevent around 100,000 Salmonella infections annually.

How Real Is the Salmonella Risk From Pet Reptiles?

It's substantial and well-documented by CDC. Salmonella carriage in reptiles and amphibians can exceed 90% — meaning most pet reptiles carry some strain of Salmonella without showing symptoms themselves. CDC estimates put reptile- and amphibian-associated contact behind tens of thousands of Salmonella infections annually in the U.S., with one CDC-affiliated study finding reptile contact caused almost half of Salmonella cases in children under 5. By animal type, turtles were linked to the largest share of cases (35.3%), followed by lizards (27.1%) and snakes (20.0%). Despite this, a CDC-affiliated study found only 30.7% of affected patients or caregivers were even aware reptiles could carry Salmonella — which is why CDC specifically recommends children under 5 avoid direct contact with pet reptiles and amphibians.

The Big Picture

Reptile ownership is growing faster than any other pet category in the U.S., led by younger owners drawn to bearded dragons, geckos, and snakes. But it comes with a genuine public-health consideration that predates the current ownership boom by 50 years: the 1975 FDA small-turtle ban exists because of a real, still-relevant salmonella risk that most reptile owners underestimate. We've sourced the ownership growth to APPA and the health data directly to FDA and CDC publications — not secondary blogs — because this is one topic where getting the numbers right matters for actual child safety, not just search rankings.