Reptiles Magazine Community / Reptile Forums / Beginner Herpers Discussion

Beardie setup

badams — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:28:29 GMT

I've been thinking about getting a Bearded Dragon for some time now. The question that I have is tank size. I have an opportunity to get a used 55 gal aquarium (with stand), or a 40 gal L critter cage.

The 55, I thought, would be used for 2 Bearded Dragons but then I read that they perter to be by themselves. Is this true? Can 2 Males/Females tolerate one another?

So If I only get one Bearded Dragon, will the 40 L be big enough?

Thanks to all..

Brian

Geckos and Humidity

badams — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:48:08 GMT

First off, I have a Leopard ( or Fat Tail) Gecko

I have a 20 Gal Long tank with sand (calci) with a hide rock, branches, food and a medium sized water bowl. I am having problems keeping the humidity up in the tank- Its generally 15-20 percent.

My question is:

How do I keep the humidity up to the 30% range consistently? Should I place a damp sponge in the tank?

I've been spritzing the tank a couple times a day. The temp is keep in the range of 83-90 F The hood is Zilla "All in one Lighting" 30".

Thanks for the advice,

Brian

Geckos and Humidity

badams — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:46:52 GMT

First off, I have a Lepard ( or Fat Tail) Gecko

I have a 20 Gal Long tank with sand (calci) with a hide rock, branches, food and a medium sized water bowl. I am having problems keeping the humidity up in the tank- Its generally 15-20 percent.

My question is:

How do I keep the humidity up tp the 30% range consistantly? Should I place a damp spounge in the tank?

I've been spritzing the tank a couple times a day. The trmp is keep in the range of 83-90 F The hood is Zilla "All in one Lighting" 30".

Thanks for the advice,

Brian

HELP!!!!!!!!

zeb — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:11:43 GMT

looks like a flunkers freeze dried cricket head

Fat tailed Gecko vs. Lepord Gecko

badams — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:51:12 GMT

Ok, Here it goes... What is the difference between a "Fat Tailed Gecko" and a "Leopard Gecko". I bought a Leopard Gecko at a local pet store, but it has no black spots what so ever. I did see a Fat Tail Gecko in Reptiles Magazine that looks like the one I have. Is there a difference between the 2?

Thanks,

Brian

Dont buy this sand

Finny — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:39:39 GMT

I bought some exo terra black sand and put it in with my leos. I had a feeling something was wrong cause it smelt like propane, but i ignored it cause sand doesnt go bad right? WRONG!!! within a few days, my leos were lethargic and eating improperly( This post was also related to the leos passing whole crickets post). I got rid of the sand and put them on paper towel and they r fine now. How can i trust that the next time i but sand it wont be bad?

every single thing a leopard gecko needs!!!!!!!!

tcrisp101 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:45:40 GMT

description pretty much says it all

Ball Python digs in the substrate. Normal?

Jack B. Nimble — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:15:24 GMT

Hey there everyone,
So i rescued an abandonned Ball Python about 2 months ago. I've always been a reptile lover but never owned a snake. Its kind of a small dream come true.

So anyways, i've noticed that Dexter (thats his name) constantly digs in the substrate with his head. He always does it around the same area, in the corner of the terrarium next to where his water is.

i ask myself, is this normal behaviour? should i worry about this? He really, really likes to kind of try to force his way into corners with his head.

I should say he's got a normal size terrarium, 12x18x36, so i doubt he needs anymore space. He's got his hiding spot, and temperature seems well regulated in both ends of the terrarium.

So yah, opinion? advice? input?

thanks all,
cheers.

Genetic Info

Dell2248 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:34:03 GMT

Okay, i get the basics of genetics, when I draw the graph Aa and Bb sort of deal... however I have a question.

I have a Lavender male Leopard Gecko and a Bell Mac Snow female Leopard Gecko who's brother was a lavender stripe... if I breed the LAvender to the Bell MAc Snow do I have any shot of getting LAvender babies OR do I then have to keep back a baby male and breed it back to her? Not comfortable with Line or inbreeding, however I understand the need for it in certain cases... anyone?????

Thanks
Danielle

Komodo Dragons

llipinsk — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:48:26 GMT

I just saw the PBS Nature episode about monitor lizards and it said that the Komodos in captivity knew the zookeepers that kept them and were trained to eat at specific times. I thought that the Komodos were more aggressive than that. Does anyone know if most Komodos in captivity can be trained like this, or if this was unusual?

This is a dumd ? but here goes.

fred60655 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:34:13 GMT

What is a chrondo? Isnt it some sorta gtp? whats the dif between them

carpets (once again)

fred60655 — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 09:23:46 GMT

How girthy do they get. i heard the stay relatively slender. But like how big around (in inches) do they average out at? and i'm getting either a costal or a jungle, No offence 2 ij fans but i don't like then

heating and cage size for a baby corn

diehardLSU — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:16:21 GMT

i am about to get a real young baby corn. the guy at the reptile store said to put him in a plastic cage that is 13inx7inx5in with a 1.5in layer of aspen bedding. the guy at the pet store said this is a good cage for him for a little while. the corn is a little more than 5in long at the moment. is this a good cage size for him for the time being until he gets bigger? also he said he wont need and type of heating or lighting but have him near a window that gets sunlight. is this true? i need some input thanks

Red-Eared Slider Newbie Questions

raye — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:13:39 GMT

I'm sorry if this is a bit long winded but I'm pretty new to the turtle keeping thing.

We have a baby red eared slider, she's about the size of a half dollar. We bought her about a month ago. We're trying to take good care of her but we seem to be getting conflicting information.

We recently took her to a local vet that works with exotics but she doesn't know that much about the hatchling turtles.

My questions are: Our bella seems to be shedding a lot, the vet said this is due to her growing, but the books say this could be a symptom of a skin disease. How do you tell the difference? It's just pieces of skin, not any patches of shell as far as we can tell.

Also Bella doesn't seem to like to bask on her little basking log (pic below). We tried getting her a different one (this one was shaped like a lily pad) but she couldn't get on. Does anyone have any suggestions on a better basking log? As it is now, we have to take her out of her tank everyday for around 2-3 hours to dry her out because she had the beginning of shell rot.

We had a lighting problem that we are fixing. We just had the basking light instead of a UVA light and a basking light. We have fixed the lighting problem and the heat in the basking area is around 88 degrees and the Water temp is 72.

Another problem we have is with her eating habits, the vet said that she didn't eat because she was shedding. But it seems she hardly eats at all. We try to feed her in a separate area from her tank to keep the mess down but she doesn't like to eat in it. Also we have REPTOMIN turtle sticks and turtle treats, she only seems to want to eat the treats, we try to feed her the stick but she won't eat them. Anyone have better food idea, or an idea of getting her to eat the regular food? Or do you think we should just wait until she's hungry and just feed her the turtle stick?

Last question is about multiple turtles, we were thinking of getting a yellow bellied turtle to keep her company. We have a question about quarantining the other turtle and whether they would get along well together. Also would we need to get a bigger tank, we have a 10 gallon turtle tank right now.

Thank You for your patience , I would really appreciate any help or advice anyone would be willing to share.

what to chose!?

green lover — Sun, 31 May 2009 08:29:21 GMT

I have come across some decision that I need help on:

1: I have researched several captive species and have got it down to either purchasing a Chinese water dragon or some sort of snake. I realize the a water dragon is an intermediate level lizard and I know i can offer a safe and healthy life style for one. But snakes offer a colorful design and easy care. Also, if this will you guys with my decision, i enjoy handling bu also like to observe/

2: If I were to chose water dragon, I go on vacation maybe 2-3 times a year and was wondering how long they can go without food. Also, if i had filtered water, would the dragon survive for say... a week?

3: If I were to choose a snake, I had one specific thing in mind. I really like the look of green tree pythons, when I read about them, people say they do not like to be handled, but when I watch videos of people who actually own them, they say that they are calm.( mainly the aru's) I would like to hear an opinion from someone who actually owns several but all advice is welcome.

I know this is a lot of reading and that I probably made several mistakes in it but please read all of it and give me any helpful information. Thank you and have a nice day!

Ball python

Banjer1982 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:05:20 GMT

I've had my ball python for a week and the first couple of days it did alot of roaming around and now it just sets in it's hide constantly day and night. I tried to feed last night and it wouldn't. Is this normal? I think itmay be close to the time when it sheds. I know they stop eating when close to shedding, I'm just worried about the inactivity.

best pet lizard

lizman02 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:24:46 GMT

what do you think would be a good lizard to get?

Water Dragon HELP ME!

less — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:28:34 GMT

Lil Melvin has 2 eyes and iv'e had him now for 2 1/2 weeks, and when i first got him he was fine then a few days later his right eye closed and now he doesn't open it.....ive seen him open it before but it looks kinda red and he doesn't open it all the way.....so he only has one eye right now and do you think i should go toa reptile vet and get him checked out or is it sumthing else i could do.

help a new Herp?

Lord of the Frogs — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:59:27 GMT

I New to Reptilechannel.com and am looking for advice.

I have two D. Azureus frogs and im looking tho breed and sell them.

I have always loved reptiles (especially snakes and frogs) but im only a kid and have no money plus my mom doesnt like snakes that get huge.

If anyone has an idea of where i can get cheap rep goods for arrow frogs and small snakes plz help.

If any one knows a good snake for us that would be nice, not a giant ( say 4ft max), and would not cost alot to maintain electricity wise and terrarium wise.

Also any advise on how to breed D. Azureus and how to keep them healthy all info on any good reptiles is much acknowledged. I also want to know how to care for baby Azureus eggs tads and froglets.

Thanks and Happy Herping!

What was your first pet reptile, what reptile do you want?Describe how you got into reptiles

JazzyWazzy — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:03:46 GMT

My first pet reptile was a leopard gecko named Jasmine. I wasn't quite sure if she was male or female but I was just to excited about my lizard to really care that much. I spent every spare moment cleaning her tank, earning money to decorate her tank and all the books and magazines I could get, and most of all taking her out to hold her and to cuddle her.Later on I though she was a he and changed her name to Jazz. It turned she was female but the name Jazz stuck. She is the sweetest baby. I love her very much. I'm not going to say she loves being held. But she will sit on my hand or my arm and sometimes fall asleep. If she is capable of loving me, I'm sure she does. I raised from a tiny baby, and now she is a full grown and is turning four soon.

I transferred schools in the sixth grade. The one I transferred too had five science class pets. Two white dumpy's tree frogs, two leopard geckoes, and a bearded dragon. I fell in love at first sight. I would come in from lunch and recess early just to look at them. As the end of the year approached I had to have a lizard. I read up on bearded dragons and they sounded like too much work and money for an eleven year old too handle. So I settled on a leopard gecko.I now own five of the beautiful animals and love them all. I also have nine birds, and two dogs.

can I put these together

airsoft — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:07:33 GMT

Can I put 2 gray treefrogs and 1 crested gecko in a 18x12x20

Hey everyone, im new

diehardLSU — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:16:06 GMT

Just wanted to say hey cause im new. My collection of herps is small but im trying to expand but my family isnt the most suppoetive towards reptiles. I have one inland bearded dragon named Edgar and a few gators.

ball python question

Brandon M — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:43:28 GMT

I have 2 juvenille ball pythons they are about the same age and size one about 16 inches one about 17 or 18 i wanted to make sure they will be ok housed togetther they have a 75 gallon tank so theres plenty of room. they seem to get along fine they spend most of their time curled up together under there hide. im not positive but i think that they are opposite sex if that has any relevence.

Information resource for newt and salamander Enthusiasts

Buddy78 — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:33:03 GMT

We came across this website for newts and salamanders. It's very interesting and worth a peek if you own or are looking into owning a newt or salamander.

http://www.caudata.org/cc/index.shtml

CWD food question

qwaszx1987 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:37:56 GMT

I have been feeding my CWD a diet consisting of crickets, super worms and a few greens every now and then (doesn't really eat them). Recently it has stopped eating the crickets and just eats the supers. I have heard two different stories, the first one being since the worms have a high fat content they should be treated more like a treat. And the second is that the reptile can sense what types of food are going to provide them with the most nutritional value so they are selective. So my question is does he just know what is good for him or is he like a kid that just wants to eat dessert?

In need of help

qwaszx1987 — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:16:20 GMT

Hello my name is Kyle. I am fairly new to keeping reptiles and I have already encountered some problems. I housed two reptiles in the same enclosure, a Chinese water dragon and a Vietnamese Calote. The two reptiles got along. They never fought or competed for anything. The water dragon is a juvenile and the calote was nearly an adult. Recently the calote died. His right eye began to swell and eventually closed. He also developed small red specks on his body. He then stopped eating and passed away. I am worried the water dragon may suffer the same fate his left eye looks as if it is begining to swell and he hasn't eaten much in a cople of days. I housed them both in a 55 gallon tank. I have a 75 watt 5.0 uvb lamp, an infared spot lamp, a 100 watt black heat spot lamp, and a zoo med repti fogger to raise the humidity. The temps in the cage vary. I'm not sure how accurate they are due to placement but according to the digtal it says the temp is anywhere from 73 to 85 degrees with the probe cetered at the top on the tank. The standard them says that is around 80 to 85 always. The humidity level stays around 70 %. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. Btw their diet consisted of crickets, meal worms, and super worms. I recently found ou that water dragons can eat some vegetables and fruit so I offered a salad consiting of cale greens, romaine, strawberry and bits of cantalope. He didn't really go for any of it. Included are pics of the reptiles and their enclosure, and a close up of the red specks on the calote. Thank you

Corn snake

austin123 — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:41:52 GMT

I got my corn snake about a week ago and she's doing great. She's starting to shed so I can't take any new pictures but here's two I took before sheddding. Enjoy!

Chameleon food question

JEK3 — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:42:13 GMT

I am getting ready to purchase a chameleon (don't know what kind yet). I am going through the research stage right now. I have owned various lizards, frogs, etc. in the past.

I know chameleons need a varied diet. I have a plentiful supply of Japanese Beetles (my neighborhood is infested). I can get a weeks worth in about two minutes. Are these things good food items for chameleons? I don't know if I should avoid them because of the hard shell. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Hello to all

yeti mama — Sun, 20 Jul 2003 23:04:54 GMT

New to this forum and wanted to introduce myself.
Sorta an intermidate Herper.
Currently have
a pair of Jackson's Chamelons(male and female)
a pair of Leopard Geckos (male and female)
2 marbles salamandars (wild caught)
2 fire bellied newts
2 fire bellied toads
a mud turtle
and about 6 fish tanks running right now.
I really enjoy interesting creatures.
My house is beginning to resemble a zoo.

I would like to clear something up about big box pet stores

Jmrager127 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:02:45 GMT

I hear more and more about people wanting to be herp owners but can't because everyone has told them "PetSmart is a horrid place to buy herps from". This is not always true, though in some cases it is. I have bought both my bearded dragons and my CWD from PetSmart and they are thriving. Yes they weren't held in the greatest conditions but they weren't to bad off.

I don't know if this applies to every PetSmart but the one in my region is very picky about who they hire in thier animal care department. I worked for them, i quit only because i got a better job managing more herps at the zoo. I have been to many across the east coast,while again not being 100% perfect in their cages, they were liveable.

So my point is (i havent really said to much on it), research your herps before you go purchase them. Don't get a wild hair and purchase a animal herp,dog,cat,bird, whatever, without the proper knowledge on it. IF you ask most pet stores will let you handle the animal,if it is not a danger to the animal(a gecko for instance).IM trying to say that you can get a reptile that is just as sick from a herper and atleast at a pet store you can see the reptile before you purchase it.

P.S: It is PetSmart and Pet-co policy as of 2 months ago that EVERY employee has to take a care class in Dog,Cat,Bird, and Rodent. Only empolyees taking the Reptile and Amph course are allowed to handle/care for the animals. Each store (animal care director) has to attend a seminar for the reptile they are requesting.

OK ill get off my soap box now...

Sorry it was just on my mind

Confused - Help

shorthome — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:52:08 GMT

Hi, I am a complete newbie at keeping reptiles. We bought a bearded dragon for our son recently. We did some research on the subject, but much of it seemed to be in conflict.

We bought a exo-terra viv, with a compact top. We were talked into buying a smaller viv, which now we regret, but my concern is with the lighting. The lamps we were supplied with were a repti-glo 10UVB and a 50w daylight lamp (this was given to us because they didn't have one in stock, they took it out of a bearded dragon viv).

The set-up we have: We have a heat-mat secured on the underside of the viv, above that we have the repti-glo lamp and on the other side the 50w lamp.

Our bearded dragon at present lies above the heat-mat, he is gapping so i am assuming he is at the right temperature. He doesn't seem to be basking, he doesn't climb towards the light souce and stays on the ground.

I have read the coil lamps cause bearded dragons harm, is this true, can someone help to put my mind at rest to ensure we have the right light sources, the lamps in the compact top lie horizontal, is this correct for a basking lamp?

Please help!!!!

temp and humidity range

knightowl71 — Sun, 24 May 2009 19:17:58 GMT

What is an acceptable range for the temps and humidity for most geckos?

My environment fluctuates temps from 70-80 and humidity from 60 - 99.

I know the humidity changes when I mist the tank. It seems like the substrate is dry but the hygrometer says it is 74% in the tank. How can I determine if the environment is ok?

Thanks for everyone's support.

Chris

Yellow Throated Plated Lizard

dragonlady — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:06:42 GMT

I just got a yellow throated plated lizard. I found some basic info, but I am finding it hard to find detailed information on this lizard. Are they uncommon to keep? Can anyone steer me in the right direction?? Thanks.

Sterilite container

Jmrager127 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:57:47 GMT

I am thinking about purchasing a Sterilite container. I was wondering how i could heat it to the point to hows a ball python. Also how could i keep it humid.

If you could just give me a whole overlay of how to set up a container like that it would be much appreciated.

American Toad living in my bathroom sink

I love all animals — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:28:35 GMT

I have a little toad who has taken up residence in my bathroom sink. He is hiding in the overflow hole and I can't get him to come out. I am going on vacation next week and am afraid that if I leave him in there, he will die while we are gone. Anything I can do to coax him out so I can put him back in our garden where he belongs. Also, any ideas as to how he got in there? The only thing I can think is that he came up from the sewer.

Getting a chameleon

austin123 — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:21:09 GMT

I do not have any reptiles right now but I'm getting a chameleon and a big tank from craigslist. The person I'm buying him from is very devoted to him but she has to sell him to pay the bills and I would like to take great care of him. He is a veiled chameleon named is Henry and likes sunny car rides and hanging in high places. I need to know everything about how to take care of him.

thermo/hygro placement

knightowl71 — Sun, 17 May 2009 20:17:15 GMT

I have a 24X18X24 terrarium. I am getting a thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the temp and humidity. What is the best place to put this in the tank?

Thanks

Chris

How do you care for a snake?

turtlelover6 — Sat, 09 May 2009 07:25:59 GMT

Hi I was just wondering if any body owned a ball python and could give me some care facts.

My dad is considering getting a ball python and he wants to know what they eat etc. So if anybody knows please tell me.

two gravid geckos

lochness — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:03:25 GMT

hi please could you let me know if ive done the right thing should i keep two gravid geckos together as they been getting a bit aggressive with each other ive put coffee in another tank is that k first time breeding sorry these questions dont come in a book big thanks to you for answering my question xx

New to Leopard Geckos

AnimalLover — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:38:43 GMT

I need some advice without people being negative, as other forums I have found are brutal.

I have recently acquired some leopard geckos from a small breeder. One of the geckos was very petite. The breeder assured me that she always has been petite and is usually one of her best egg producers. The breeder also told me that the adult geckos do not eat much...a few crickets every day or so. I didn't think much of it,as I have a juvenile leo who eats like a champ, and was assured that it was because of his age.

Anyways...the petite leo has just gotten tinier and tinier. The breeder told me that leos can go through seasonal anorexia and that if they slowed down, their apetite would bounce back. She has also lost much of her tail fat. Well...there has been no "bouncing back". She finally seemed to be getting her apetite back a few days ago, when she got down about 5 wax worms, and then again the day after that. She didn't eat yesterday, and nothing again today, either.

Telling me that I am a horrible herp owner will not solve the problem, nor will telling me to take her to the vet. I can't find a vet anywhere around where I live that treats retpiles. Any ideas?