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Blue tongue skinks are very interesting reptiles to have as pets, but it is very important that you keep the diet right. This reptile is omnivorous, which means it eats protein matter as well as vegetation. You want to be able to reflect this in captivity in order to ensure that the diet is ideal to keeping a healthy skink.

You want to remember that variety is the key. It is best to try to stick with about 60% vegetables and fruits and 40% meats.

Vegetables and fruits that you want to stick with include: beans, peas, summer or winter squash, parsnips, leafy greens, strawberries, bananas, melon, cherries, berries, peaches, nectarines, and pears.

You want to be careful of corn ans carrots because they turn into sugars. Carrots particularly need to be limited, as they can bind with calcium, preventing the calcium uptake.

You want to supplement the foods with calcium D3 as well as a good multi-vitamin.

As for meat and proteins, you can include the following your skink's diet: low-fat can dog food, superworms, redworms, small crickets, and pink mice for adults (limit pinkies as they can be fatty).

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards

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Housing a Blue Tongue Skink

August 16th 2009 15:58

Blue tongue skinks are pretty popular on the pet trade, but not everyone knows how to care for them, and if you're thinking about getting on, then you need to make sure that you know how to properly set up a cage for one.

It's pretty simple.

Size:
Hatchlings can live in 10 gallon tanks, but you will need to upgrade to a 40-55 gallon tank as the skink gets older. This species is wide-ranging in the wild, so they generally do much better in larger tanks. Just be careful that a young blue tongue can get lost and have trouble finding food in a tank that is too large.

Substrate:
It is best that you use aspen savings, cypress mulch, newspaper, or even reptile carpet. You want to avoid pine and cedar, as well as small pebbles and sand.

You want to make sure that the lizard does not swallow any loose substrates, which is why newspaper, reptile carpet, tiles, and rollout shelf liner can be be a better choice than mulch or aspen.

Decor:
Blue tongue skinks are terrestrial and do not require climbing decor, but you still want to make sure that there's a secure lid on the tank, as you want to make sure that the reptile can't escape. You may want to add low-level branches for the skink to climb on, but make sure that they are not too high. They will enjoy walking over different levels in the tank, but they are large bodied with small legs, so a fall really will not benefit the reptile at all.

It is best that you add plenty of hides so that the reptile will feel secure. Rock caves and half logs work great. You want to have at least one hide on the warm side of the tank, one hide on the cool side of the tank, and a humid hide generally in the middle of the tank. Blue tongue skinks will burrow, so keep that in mind, as well. You don't want the decor to be to heavy that it falls on the reptile while under the substrate (if you opt for loose substrate).

You may want to consider adding corkbark, PVC pipes, rocks, and other decor to the tank so that it is not one level tank. Blue tongue skinks really do enjoy having stuff to walk over. Just make sure that the decor is not too tall.

Temperature:
You want the temperatures within the tank to be around 75-85F with a basking spot of 95F.

The best way to get these temperatures is by using an under tank heater and a basking light.

Lighting:
You want to make sure that you provide the blue tongue skink with a UVA/UVB light for about 10-12 hours a day. These creatures are diurnal and need the UV rays. You can purchase a UV bulb that is also a heat emitter so that you do not have extra clamps and lights in the tank.

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards

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Mali Uromastyx Care Sheet

July 9th 2009 18:33

Mali Uromastyx are not quite as popular as Bearded Dragons or even iguanas, but they are neat reptiles that make decent pets for those who are a little bit more experienced. When caring for a Uromastyx, it's important that you know all the right care before get the animal, so that you know you have eveything ready and set up. Don't get ahead of yourself and get a new pet without knowing proper care.

Housing: You can house a hatchling in a 10 gallon tank, but it will only last for about a month, so it is best that you start hatchlings off in at least 20 gallon long aquariums. When the Mali Uromastyx is about half grown, you'll want to go ahead and move it to its permanent, adult sized enclosure, which should be at minimum a 50 gallon aquarium for ONE adult. It is best that you consider bigger is better for an adult because you will need to provide basking places, hiding spots, and things to climb on; plus considering that these guys can range from 11" to 16".

Lighting/Heating: You want the basking temperature to be well over 100F- 120F is preferred. You can keep the cool side of the tank around 85F, but in general Mali Uromastyx like their temperatures to be hot.

As for lighting, you'll want to consider lighting from above. I've found that the ceramic heat emitters are a great choice, as they provide heat and lighting, but you'll still need to consider a digital thermometer with a probe to accurate gauge the temperatures so that it's not TOO hot or too cold.

You'll also want to use a full spectrum UV source. The UV/heat bulbs are perfect; they can be a little expensive, but they're going to be your BEST choice. These last longer than the UV tubes, which have to be replaced every 4-6 months, and they lessen your cords and electrical products, since you'll be able to provide UV and heat with the one bulb. Plus, the UV tubes do not produce the same quality of UV, and the health of your reptile is greatly determined by the light and UV.

If you are able to, 30 minutes a week under natural sunlight is ideal in addition to the ceramic heat/UV lighting.

Substrate: Because sand can be ingested and can potentially cause fatal impaction, it's a good idea to consider paper towels (which are cheap), reptile carpet (which is reusable and washable), slate tiles, or roll-out tile. If you feel that you HAVE to use a loose substrate, such as sand, you want to go with a very fine washed playsand. You want to avoid any of the "digestible" calcium-based sand.

Decorations: You want to provide numerous hides and shelters to make your Mali Uromastyx feel secure. It's also a good idea to provide rocks for basking, but never use heat rocks. Logs and fake plants can also be a nice addition to the enclosure.

Feeding: Mali Uromastyx are primarily herbivores. You want to offer greens, such as collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and dandelion greens, as the staple. Avoid kale, spinach, and iceberg lettuce as much as you can as they can cause health problems. You should also add other vegetable to the diet, such as carrots, lima beans, peas, and corn; feed fruits occasionally as treats. You want to avoid foods that can be too acidic.

Mali Uromastyx will also enjoy crickets and mealworms on occasion but only to adults and only rarely.

You want to make sure that your Mali Uromastyx has a healthy appetite for greens.

Water: It's not suggested that you spray the enclosure as this can cause the humidity to rise and mold to form. Most of the moisture and water that your Mali Uromastyx will need will all be obtained by the food that it eats- fresh vegetables are high in moisture. You'll also want to consider warm baths occasionally; just make sure that the uromastyx is dry before returning it to its cage.

Supplementation: You want to supplement your Mali Uromastyx food with both vitamins and a calcium supplement. It's a good idea to use a calcium D3 supplement, but the level that you do provide will vary depending on how much you expose your uromastyx to natural sunlight or mercury vapor bulbs.

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards

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Housing a Green Iguana

June 30th 2009 16:11

Housing a green iguana can be a pain if you're expecting the baby iguana to stay small. These guys need large enclosures, and they don't just stop growing just because you keep it in a small enclosure, so you want to be very careful in your research before and after you get a pet green iguana.

Enclosure Size: Because adult iguanas can be very large- up to 6 feet- you want to have a large enclosure. They are not limited to the enclosure and will continue to grow throughout their lifetime. A young iguana will grow out of a 55 gallon aquarium within the first year.

You want to be able to provide exercise space as well as an actual enclosure when you can't watch your iguana. Generally, you'll want the enclosure to be at least 6 feet tall at bar minimum. The width of the enclosure should be at least half of an adult iguana's length. The larger the cage, the better off your green iguana will be. If the enclosure is too small, the reptile will quickly and easily become stressed and start banging his nose on the glass, causing nose wounds.

Baby and juvenile iguanas do not need huge cages, just remember that they do grow quickly. A large aquarium will suffice for the first year, but start making plans for a larger enclosure quickly.

Temperature: Green iguanas need an enclosure that is very warm. You need to be able to provide a basking spot of 90-95F with air temperatures of at least 80F.

If the iguana is not able to get enough heat and cannot stay adequately warm, it will have problems properly digesting its food and absorbing the nutrients. Growth will be stunted and the iguana may suffer malnutrition.

In addition to the basking spot, you also want to provide an area where the iguana can get away and cool down if he needs to, and a day/night scenario that will need a timer to help keep things fairly constant.

Lighting: Iguanas need both UVA and UVB rays in order to stimulate natural behaviors. It's very important that you include this as a part of your iguana's habitat. If you opt to use UV tubes, you want to change them every 4-6 months.

Also, consider creating a safe outdoor habitat so that your green iguana can get natural sunlight so that it can absorb natural D3 to properly metabolize calcium in the body, to prevent MBD.

Humidity: Green iguanas need a relatively high humidity. You'll want to provide a large water bowl and mist the enclosure as needed in order to provide 65-75% humidity levels. Iguanas a prone to dehydration in captivity, which is why it is very important that you are able to ensure that your iguana has accurate humidity levels.; dehydration can affect the kidneys and can potentially cause and early death, which is why it is very important to provide high humidity.

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards

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What to Feed a Green Iguana

June 28th 2009 15:53

Iguanas are strict herbivores and should have a diet consisting of only fruits and vegetables. In captivity, we have complete control over what the reptiles eat, so you want to make sure that you do not offer any insects and such; yes, in the wild they occasionally eat a cricket or worm, but generally, it's when the insect is on a leaf of fruit. It's not intentional.

You want to make sure that you offer fresh food and water daily. Over time, you'll be able to figure out how much you need to offer in order to ensure that your iguana is full.

Check out this listing of foods that you want to offer your pet green iguana and those that you never want to offer.

Foods to feed an iguana:
* Greens (40%-45% of diet): Collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens (with flowers), escarole, water cress.
* Vegetables (40%-45% of diet): Green beans, orange-fleshed squashes (butternut, Kabocha), snap or snow peas, parsnip, asparagus, okra, alfalfa (mature, not sprouts), onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, sweet potato, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots.
* Fruits (10% or less): Figs (raw or dried), blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, mango, melon (cantelope, honeydew, watermelon), papaya, banana, apple.
* Grains (5% or less): Cooked rice or pasta, whole wheat bread (makes for a great treat)
* Supplemental Proteins (5% or less): Alfalfa pellets (rabbit food) or recommended commercial diets (see below).

Foods to offer in small amounts:
* Spinach, beets, beet greens, swiss chard, dock, sorrel, whole grains, celery stalk, kale, carrot top, kale, brocoli, cabbage, bok-choi, turnips, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, rutabaga, tofu.

Foods to never feed your iguana:
* Insects, worms, mice, pinky mice
* Dairy products (milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc.)
* Eggs
* Dog food, cat food, monkey biscuits, monkey chow and other pet food
* Meat (beef, chicken, etc.)
* Rhubarb
* Lettuce (iceberg, romaine, Boston, butter)
* Wild plants and flowers
* Acidic foods (citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, limes, kiwi fruit, lemons, pineapple; and tomatoes)
* Tofu

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards

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Baby Alligators Aren't Good Pets

January 24th 2009 03:05

I'm not really sure why anyone would want to have an alligator as a pet, but many people think that of having any reptile as a pet... Well, as a reptile owner and breeder, I have no clue why anyone in their right mind would want a pet alligator.

Alligators are VERY large reptiles that are VERY dangerous. Even if you raise an alligator from a baby to juvenile, you never know what to expect. It's not like taking care of a leopard gecko, bearded dragon, or even a green iguana. Alligators are beasts, and they still have the same health problems as much small reptiles that have been in the pet market for years

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards, In Captivity

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Why Does my Bearded Dragon's Beard Turn Black?

January 4th 2009 19:57

When in the wild, and in captivity (although, less comonly in captivity), a bearded dragon will show a variety of behaviors when he is threatened or mad

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards

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Metabolic Bone Disease in Reptiles

August 3rd 2008 20:00

A very important illness that can affect all sorts of pet geckos, is Metabolic Bone Disease, which is commonly refferred to as MBD.

Metabolic bone disease affects the joints, muscles, and bones of the reptile. You will commonly see the wrist and ankle joints affected first. The reptile will begin to sit on its wrists and walk a little bowed

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards

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One of the Best Australian Gifts to the Pet Trade: Bearded Dragons

May 27th 2008 14:52

Bearded Dragons are next to leopard geckos in the most commonly kept pet reptile. They're considered a beginner pet reptile, but I believe they a one notch above beginner, as they do require a more complex enclosure and diet. They're not like leopard geckos who only need belly heat and can survive without lighting; they're not like leopard geckos who only need crickets or mealworms to survive.

Bearded dragons are more complex than an 8 inch gecko. These guys are typically 16 to 24 inches in length. They require at least a 40 gallon enclosure with UV lighting, regular lighting, and an under tank heater. Bearded dragons need to be able to get within 6 inches of the UV, unless you are using a UV heat emitter bulb. The tubes do not emit UV very far, which is why bearded dragons need to be able to get 6 inches of the tube; plus they need to be replaced every 4 to 6 months, even if they still work because the amount of UV released begins to decrease

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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Lizards

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