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APES CIC Shelter and Rescue
APES CIC Shelter and Rescue
A place for exotic homeless, abandoned and shelter pets.

APES Shelter & Rescue · Adoption Information

Adoption fees that support welfare, rehabilitation and responsible ownership.

Our adoption fees help cover the cost of caring for animals before they move into suitable, long-term homes. From the point of adoption, responsibility for the animal begins. Our fees and optional add-ons help adopters understand that animal ownership carries real care, welfare and financial responsibilities.

Reservation Fee

£30

Required to reserve an animal in your name during the adoption process.

Admin Fee

£15

Supports application processing, paperwork, checks and adoption administration.

Daily Care Cost

£5 to £25

Approximate daily cost per animal while they are in APES care.

About our adoption fees

Adoption fees are set as minimum donations and help APES recover part of the cost of rehabilitation, veterinary care, feeding, housing and welfare support.

See available animals

What is included with every adoption?

Every adoption includes core documentation and aftercare support to help the animal settle safely into their new home.

  • Adoption Certificate
  • Species Care Sheet
  • Two-week Aftercare Check

Responsibility starts at adoption

Taking an animal home is the point where responsibility begins. The adopter becomes responsible for the animal’s ongoing housing, diet, heating, lighting, welfare, safety, veterinary needs and daily care.

This is why APES offers optional adoption add-ons. They are not just extras; they help teach responsible ownership from day one and make clear that keeping an animal has real ongoing costs.

How fees are calculated

Adoption costs are calculated using the animal’s species, size and the applicable administration fee. Some animals may have higher care costs due to health, rehabilitation or specialist welfare needs.

2025 adoption fees

APES uses a species and size-based fee structure for adoption-ready animals.

Snake adoption fees

SizeFee
Small Snake Hognose, Garter Snake£50
Medium Snake Corn Snake, King Snake, Milk Snake£75
Large Snake Boa, Burmese Python, Anaconda£100

Lizard adoption fees

SizeFee
Small Lizard Rankin’s Dragon, Gecko£50
Medium Lizard Bearded Dragon, Water Dragon£75
Large Lizard Iguana, Monitor Lizard£100

Small animals and birds

AnimalFee
Rats£10
Mice£10
Rabbits£40
Guinea Pigs£30
Standard Birds£25
Exotic Birds£200

Invertebrates

TypeFee
Spiderlings£10
Juvenile Spiders£25
Adult Spiders£35
Baby Scorpions£10
Juvenile Scorpions£15
Adult Scorpions£25
Small Tailless Whip Scorpions£15
Large Tailless Whip Scorpions£25

Admin fee

A £15 administration fee applies to each adoption application.

Why the admin fee applies

The admin fee supports the work involved in processing applications, completing paperwork, reviewing information and carrying out appropriate checks before an animal is matched with an adopter.

This helps APES maintain a structured, responsible and welfare-led adoption process.

Optional adoption add-ons

Add-ons help adopters prepare properly and understand that caring for an animal includes ongoing costs, planning and responsibility from the point of adoption.

Neutering

£70

Suitable for some animals, particularly where they may live with others. Neutering can also provide wider health and welfare benefits depending on the species and individual animal.

Adoption Treat Pack

£15

A starter treat pack to help your adopted animal settle into their new home while reinforcing that ongoing food, enrichment and care form part of responsible ownership.

Microchipping

£10

Recommended for rabbits and other suitable small animals to help identify and return them safely if they escape or become lost.

Why add-ons matter: adoption is not just the transfer of an animal. It is the start of a duty of care. Add-ons help adopters plan for real ownership costs and encourage responsible decisions before the animal leaves APES.

These links use the current APES Shelter & Rescue website paths.

Ready to adopt?

Before applying, review the animal’s profile carefully and make sure you can meet their long-term housing, diet, welfare, safety and handling requirements.

Need help from APES?

Contact APES Shelter & Rescue if you need support with adoption fees, the adoption process, available animals or adopter responsibilities.

​About Our Fees

Reserve Fee

£30

  • Animal is reserved in your name!
  • £30 reservation ensures the animal is reserved for length of the adoption process.

This is to stop misuse of our reservation system as people would commit to adoption then after weeks of no reply we would have people say they can't. We understand circumstances can change, but it cost to keep the animal in our care while awaiting completion of the adoption. 

Adoption Fee

Minimum Donation

Minimum Adoption Fees are dependant on the species of animal and it's care while with us.


Please visit each animals profile for their adoption fee. Some when they come to us come in with health problems, requiring treatment and more. We try to recover these costs through our adoption fees. 


Per Adoption

  • Adoption Certificate
  • Care Sheet
  • 2 Week After Check

Please remember that each animal costs a lot to rehabilitate and rehome an animal costing from £5 up to £25 per animal per day. All extra donations go towards the keep and well-being of our animals.


On this basis this is how adoption fees are calculated. 



Check out the adoption fees blow for each species of animal and relative size. 

​New 2025 Adoption Fees

We have changed our adoption fees for 2025. We have gone on a species and size basis for our adoption fees. Along with some new procedures. 

Snake Adoption Fees

Small - £50

Medium - £75

Large - £100


Small Snakes - Hog Nose, Garter Snakes

Medium Snakes - Corn, Kings, Milks

Large Snakes - Boa, Berms, Anaconda

Lizard Adoption Fees

Small - £50

Medium - £75

Large - £100


Small Lizards - Rankin Dragons, Geckos

Medium Lizards - Bearded Dragons, Water Dragon

Large Lizards - Iguanas, Monitor Lizards

Small Animals Adoption Fees

Rats - £10

Mice - £10

Rabbits - £40

Guinea Pig - £30
Standard Birds - £25
Exotic Birds - £200

Inverts

Spiderlings  - £10

Spiders Juvi - £25

Spiders - £35

Scorpions Baby - £10

Scorpions Juvi - £15

Scorpions Adult - £25

Tailless Whips Small - £15

Tailless Whips Large - £25

​Admin Fee

At the Association of Protecting Exotic Species, we are dedicated to ensuring that each of our animals finds a safe and loving forever home. To maintain the highest standards in our adoption process, every application undergoes extensive paperwork and thorough background checks. These meticulous procedures help us match our animals with responsible and caring adopters. Consequently, we charge a modest £15 administrative fee for every adoption application. This fee supports our efforts in managing the adoption process efficiently and allows us to continue our mission of protecting and nurturing exotic species.

Adoption Packs

We are thrilled to introduce our new and comprehensive adoption packages designed to provide the best start for your exotic pet's journey to their new home. Our enhanced packages now include essential services such as neutering and microchipping, ensuring each animal's well-being and safety. These improvements reflect our commitment to responsible pet ownership and the ongoing welfare of the animals we care for. Stay tuned as we continue to expand our adoption offerings with additional options to cater to your needs and preferences, ensuring that every adoption is a step towards a happy and healthy life for both you and your new exotic companion.

Neutering

You can choose to have your newly adopted pet neutered. If you are planing on putting your pet with others we suggest you get your pet neutered. There are also other benefits to neutering your pet. 

£70

Adoption Treat Pack

Get your self started with all the treats your pet needs while settling in with you in your home and with your other family members. 

£15

Microchipping

With rabbits and other small animals it is always best to get them microchipped. This way when or if they get out they can be safely returned to you. It can also be away of letting you know if something has happened to them. 

£10

More Coming Soon!

We are always working on ways to help you with your adoptions and will be updating this section with more packs soon.