Utah couple turns love of cold-blooded creatures into a business

Exotic reptiles are not typically part of a BYU student's business plan, but 29 reptiles keep Riley Thompson and his wife, Emily Thompson, in good company.

One of our first snakes, our boa, shes the sweetest, Emily Thompson said. We would just let her hang out on the floor. Shell just curl up in a corner somewhere.

Emily Thompson is currently taking time off school to care for their new baby and Riley Thompson is studying Wildlife and Rangeland Conservation at BYU. After buying a variety of reptiles and starting up some breeding projects over the last year, the Thompsons decided to finally launch their new business: R&E Exotics.

R&E Exotics offers events for local youth groups, birthday parties and educational experiences where Riley and Emily Thompson showcase their reptiles. Individuals can choose from a variety of packages for as little as $150 in the Eagle Mountain area.

The reptiles are housed in Emily Thompsons childhood home in a variety of enclosures. They plan to eventually house all the reptiles in one location in the basement.

I think reptiles get a bad rap and people dont really understand them, Riley Thompson said.

Many reptiles only need to be fed once a week and their albino Burmese python, named Twinkie, eats a rabbit once a month. None of the reptiles Riley and Emily own are venomous, though Twinkie has 50 pounds of muscle and is ten feet long.

I believe that reptiles are the best pet, Riley Thompson said. Burmese python attacks are extremely rare, though more common than that of a wild python, according to the United States Geological Survey.

There are other precautions to be aware of when caring for reptiles.

Reptiles and amphibians are more likely than other pets to carry germs that make people sick, even when they appear clean and healthy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on their website.

Proper handwashing precautions should take place when handling reptiles.

Riley Thompson has only been bitten three times in over a year of having the reptiles.

And all of them were my fault, Riley Thompson said.

He has always had an appreciation for reptiles, though his parents opposed them.

My parents did not like them at all, but I always liked them. So I did end up getting a bearded dragon when I was a teenager, Riley Thompson said.

He had to convince his parents to later allow him to have a snake. He enjoyed the company of the two reptiles until they passed away while he was serving his mission in Phoenix.

Riley Thompson also volunteered at Clint's Reptile Room in Springville.

It was in high school when Riley Thompson introduced Emily Thompson to the world of reptiles. They were high school sweethearts and married in 2024.

I feel like I wouldnt have said reptiles were my thing, Emily Thompson said.

Now that she has become more acquainted with reptiles, shes found them fascinating as well.

Now that Ive learned all the cool things about their genetics, and all of them are so different so now its fun for me too, Emily Thompson said.

Emily Thompson emphasized that she is just as excited as her husband to own reptiles and learn more about them, even though it was Riley Thompson who had the initial interest in reptiles.

The couple hopes to one day open a location to showcase their creatures and educate more people. In the meantime, theyll keep sharing their reptiles with those around them.

Above all else, its the health of our reptiles that matters the most to us and if were able to share them with people, thats what we would want to do, Riley Thompson said.