One of the largest reptile rescues in the country hopes 2025 is better than 2024. The EcoVivarium Reptile Sanctuary and Museum cares for 400 snakes, lizards, and turtles at its facility in Escondido. Most of their tenants were saved from bad owners or bad situations. However, the extreme rate of inflation in the last year has EcoVivarium’s owner worried. “Everything is going through the roof right now,” sighed Susan Nowicke, who founded EcoVivarium 15 years ago. “Like every other Californian, our insurance rates more than quadrupled,” she explained. Nowicke said their utility bill doubled and they pay $10,000 a month in rent. None of those expenses include the cost of caring for the wide variety of animals. “My staff work for minimum wage,” Nowicke added with tears in her eyes. “I’m not proud of that fact. I would like to pay all of them what they are worth. They are worth far more than that. And they deserve more than that for the work they do. They work hard.” The money EcoVivarium makes from tours and grants likely won’t cut it in 2025. Making matters worse, the nonprofit doesn’t make any extra money from local governments or other rescues when they take on another reptile. “They have their funding to run their operations,” Nowicke shrugged. “They expect us to have our funding to run our operations.” Begrudgingly, Nowicke said they need $250,000 more every year to serve the community and the reptiles. “I’m very concerned. I am very, very concerned for our future,” she said. Nowicke said they are also at capacity. EcoVivarium can’t take on anymore rescues until they get more room and more funding.