Tell us about your reptile, and we'll find who can help
Only 52%[1] of UK cremation buyers remembered being told the price up front. We ask providers for it before you commit, and send you what we find by email.
- One short form, answered by email
- Options that accept your species and size
- Your details used only for your request
Your request
What to include so we can find the right provider fast
The more precise you are about your reptile, the fewer back-and-forth emails you'll need. You don't have to know everything; a rough guess is fine.
- Species, as specifically as you know it: "leopard gecko" or "red-tailed boa" helps far more than "lizard" or "snake".
- Weight, even a rough one. For snakes, add length; for tortoises, the shell length helps too.
- Venomous or not. If it's a venomous species, please say so clearly.
- Where your reptile is now: at home in a fridge or freezer, or with a vet.
- Your town or ZIP/postcode, and whether you can drive to a provider or need collection.
- What you'd like: ashes back, communal cremation, the shell kept, a necropsy first, or you're not sure yet.
- Any deadline or budget you'd like us to keep in mind.
If you haven't decided between private and communal, say so. Our services page explains each option for reptiles of different sizes, and the cremation cost calculator gives a rough range while you wait.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
If it has just happened
Three things to do while you wait for our reply
- Make sure. If your reptile might be cold or brumating rather than dead, keep it at normal enclosure temperature and ask a reptile vet to confirm with a Doppler probe.
- Store it safely once confirmed. Gloves on, double-bagged, in a sealed tub in the fridge, away from food. Freeze only if the wait will run past a couple of days.
- Decide about the shell or a post-mortem now if either applies. Both have to happen before cremation.
Our page on transport and logistics when a reptile passes covers containers and moving a large animal. If you have questions about the handover itself, what happens during reptile cremation walks through it.
When your reptile seemed to have died, how sure were you at first?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Next
What happens after you press send
Your request comes to us, not to a crematory. We check which providers serve your area and whether they can take your reptile's species and size, then reply by email with the options, typical prices and anything you should ask before booking.
Nothing is booked until you contact a provider yourself or ask us to pass your details to one. Most families get ashes back within days rather than weeks; private cremation is commonly quoted at 5-10 days[2] from collection to return, though small reptiles can sometimes be quicker. While you wait, our local pages show typical prices and burial rules where you live.
Scope
What we can help with, and what needs someone else
We can: find providers that accept reptiles near you, explain private, communal and water cremation, point you to shell preparators and keepsake makers, and help you compare written quotes. Our memorial budget planner helps you add up the whole cost.
We can also help you think through the harder in-between cases: a tortoise that died over winter and was found in its hibernation box, a snake that died while you were away and was found days later, or a collection where several animals have died close together. Tell us what happened in plain words and we'll suggest who to talk to first, which is often a reptile vet rather than a crematory.
We can't: collect your reptile, confirm a death, give medical advice or respond to an emergency. If your reptile is injured or struggling right now, call a reptile or emergency vet first. And if you're asking because you can no longer care for a living reptile, local rescues can help; in Florida, the state's Exotic Pet Amnesty Program rehomes prohibited species for free[3].
If what you need most right now is someone to talk to about the loss, free lines such as Cornell's Pet Loss Support Hotline are staffed by veterinary students trained by grief counselors.
Your details
How we look after your information
We use what you send only to answer your request. We don't sell your details or add you to marketing lists, and we only share them with a provider if you ask us to. You can ask us to delete your request at any time by replying to our email.
Most people buy aftercare through their vet without comparing: 78%[4] of UK cremation buyers did. That's often fine, but a second option costs nothing to look at. For a calmer read before you decide, see questions to ask a reptile cremation provider. The UK figure comes from the Competition and Markets Authority's provisional report on vet services. By our estimate, that works out at about half of all UK owners whose pet dies buying a cremation through their vet or on its recommendation.[5]
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
When your reptile seemed to have died, how sure were you at first?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you (or would you) compare more than one provider?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Who made (or will make) the aftercare decision in your household?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
How quickly will you reply?
We reply by email as soon as we've checked what's available in your area. We don't promise a fixed time, because it depends on how specific your request is and how many providers serve your location. If your reptile is already with a vet, they can usually hold it while you decide.
Is there a charge for sending a request?
No. Sending a request is free and doesn't commit you to anything. If you go ahead with a provider, you pay them directly for their service at the price they quote you, which is why we encourage you to ask for a written total first.
Can you help if I don't know the exact species?
Yes. Describe it as well as you can, or send the name it was sold under. 'Big brown snake, about six feet' is still useful. For cremation, weight and length matter more than the exact species, unless there's any chance it was venomous.
Can I ask about planning ahead rather than a death today?
Of course. Many tortoise and python keepers plan years in advance because their animals may outlive them. Mention that it's for planning and we'll send options without any time pressure, plus notes on what to put in writing for whoever will care for your reptile.
What if my reptile is very small? Is it still worth contacting you?
Yes. Tiny geckos, anoles and hatchling snakes are exactly where providers differ most, because some can return a few grams of ash reliably and others can't. Tell us the weight and whether you want ashes back, and we'll look for providers that use a separate tray or dish for very small pets.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Only 52% of UK cremation buyers recalled receiving information on the price of the service and different packages. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [2] A US aftercare guide says many families receive private cremation ashes within about one to two weeks, with 5-10 days commonly quoted. Funeral.com - Pet Cremation Timelines: How Long Until Ashes Are Returned, 2026.
- [3] Florida's Exotic Pet Amnesty Program lets owners rehome prohibited or conditional exotic species for free year-round; red-eared sliders are the most rehomed animal. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Exotic Pet Amnesty Program.
- [4] In total 78% of UK cremation buyers purchased through, or on the recommendation of, their vet or out-of-hours provider. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [5] About 52% of all UK owners whose pet dies end up buying a cremation through, or on the recommendation of, their vet. Our estimate: 67% cremate x 78% buy via vet/OOH or vet recommendation = 52.3%. How we calculate.
Request reptile cremation options and prices
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.