Listing photo requirements

Technical requirements

Herpify accepts JPG, PNG, and WEBP images. Minimum resolution is 800×600px; we recommend at least 1200×900px. Maximum file size is 10MB per image. You can upload up to 10 photos per listing. Images are automatically optimised for fast loading without visible quality loss.

What your photos must show

Your listing must include at least one photo. Listings with more photos rank better and receive more inquiries. At minimum, your photos should show:

• The actual animal being listed — not a stock photo, not a photo of the parents
• The full body of the animal from above
• A clear head shot
• The animal in a way that allows buyers to assess its condition

What makes a great listing photo

Technical compliance is the floor. These tips will make your listing photos genuinely compelling:

• Shoot in natural indirect light — avoid direct sunlight (harsh shadows) and flash (washed out, red-eye)
• Use a plain, neutral background — white paper, grey tile, or natural substrate. Avoid busy patterns that compete with the animal
• Hold the animal at waist height and photograph from above or at eye level — not from below looking up
• Include a size reference: a ruler, a coin, or your hand in shot
• Capture the animal in a relaxed, natural pose — not stressed or mid-escape
• For morphs: shoot in accurate lighting that represents true colour. Buyers who receive a "darker in person" animal rarely leave good reviews
• Clean the animal's enclosure or use a fresh backdrop — substrate stuck to scales and dirty glass signal poor husbandry

Photo order matters

The first photo you upload becomes your cover image — the one buyers see in search results and category pages. Choose your best, most representative photo as your cover. A striking full-body shot in good light with a clean background will dramatically outperform a blurry close-up or an enclosure shot.

What not to include

The following types of images are not allowed in listings:

• Stock photos or images from the internet that are not of the actual animal
• Images of animals in visibly poor condition (this will trigger a welfare review)
• Watermarked images from other sellers or breeders
• Images that include text overlays promoting external contact details
• Images that are sexually explicit, violent, or otherwise inappropriate