Reptile Research Information

Finding the right reptile as a pet

dwoo — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 22:41:04 +0000

If you are thinking of keeping a tortoise or a frog or even a snake, you must be aware of proper steps of reptile care. Reptiles can be ideal pets as they are quite easy to keep and don’t require much attention. They also don’t require regular cleanings and you may even miss a day’s food servings. In fact, reptiles are not to be fed on a regular basis as they tend to get obese. Compared to pet mammals, reptiles are very quite in nature and hardly emit any body odor. To handle your pet reptile safely you are required to be familiar with its nature, behavioral characteristics and specific requirements. Even some reptiles require a space not more than a flower pot.

Reptiles are cold blooded animals and are unable to regulate their body temperature. They are also known as Herptiles and when in wild they go for hibernation or aestivation to stay away from extreme temperature changes. For reptile pet care you must make sure of not handing your pet with dry hands and also do not allow your pet to cool down.

Reptiles have been on this earth for the past 200 million years. Today we find just a few species left. The Chelonian, lizards, turtles, snakes the crocodiles, and the tuatara. The characteristics of reptiles differ with every species.

Reptiles are vertebrates that have a scaly skin and are cold blooded. Some of them are tetrapods, i.e. they have four legs. Although snakes do not have legs yet it is believed that their predecessors walked on all fours.

As the reptiles are heterothermal they depend on the environment to remain warm. No wonder they are found basking in the sunlight, lying around lazily on rocks on a sunny afternoon, to give their body that much needed warmth, as the scales on their body, absorb the suns heat. Some reptiles like the Blandingii turtles prefer to live in colder areas like the ice lakes, while some can survive in temperatures as high as 104 degree Fahrenheit. If they do not find the temperatures conducive, they prefer to hibernate.Usually the period ranging from September to April is the time to hibernate. After that follows the period of mating, wherein, they dig holes or construct underground tunnels to lay their eggs.

Do your re-search before picking your pet reptile .

Penny Turtle

dwoo — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:34:53 +0000

Just got my first penny turtle. Should have done some research before buying one. First of all, there’s no such thing as a “penny turtle”. That’s just a name that was coined back when pet shops sold hatching turtles(which are indeed very small) by the thousands. You can’t get a turtle the size of a coin and expect it to stay that size forever. Most Australian freshwater turtles will grow up to have a shell 20 to 30 cm long. Hatching turtles might take four or five years to reach an adult size. Turtles generally won’t tolerate much handling.They don’t make the best pets either but are pretty damn cute.

Turtles need to have very clean water at the right temperature and right pH. This means you’ll need a strong filter and a decent heater.Try to avoid glass heaters, as they crack very easily. Hatching turtles are very prone to stress, which will frequently lead to them developing potentially lethal fungal infections. Turtles need direct, unfiltered UV light to prevent shell deformities. This is easily provided by a UV-light tube, which will have to be replaced every six months or so. An area of dry land should be placed under the UV light so that your turtle can bask.

Eventually your turtle will reach adulthood. It’s best to keep adult turtles in an outside pond, unless you have a very big fish tank.
Which most people don’t have large fish tank in their home.

Cutest Pet tags ever !!

dwoo — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:50:30 +0000

California License for your pet is the cutest idea ever, long time customer of there’s.

Check them out at: http://www.yappyhappy.com/

Ugliest Turtle ever !

dwoo — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:46:07 +0000

Alligator snapping turtle in my opinion are one of the ugliest, scariest turtles I have ever seen. These things can be dangerous and their huge, some of these turtle’s can reach 200 pounds.One large pond owner in Canada saw a goose get pulled under and torn up, found dead deer, and saw massive surface rippling. Finally, a local agency caught and removed the culprit, a 54 pound snapping turtle!! Many people capture this creatures and keep them as exotic pets. Extremely dangerous to keep as pets, many owners of these turtles have had their figures or entire hands bitten off.

Don’t get one unless you have space – and a lot of it – do not try and maintain one as a pet. It is not fair to keep a young one with the ultimate intention of releasing it when it grows too large. By doing so, you not only would do a disservice to the turtle but also to the environment. One main reason is that they may carry bacteria or fungus that can affect the wild population. Additionally, after being maintained as a pet, the turtle may have difficulty adjusting to defending itself, fending for food and acclimating to changing seasons!! Do to its size, food needs and temperament, I consider this an advanced pet and only serious herpetologists should consider the snapping turtle a pet. These are pets best kept alone, not recommended pet.

Red Eared Turtle as pets

dwoo — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:31:16 +0000

If you choose a red-eared turtle, you will need an environment that mimics that of their home in nature. An aquarium that is approximately 5 times longer than he is as well as 4 times wider should be sufficient enough. They will need a warm area that is dry to bask in and water for swimming. Provide him with some sturdy large rocks that will absorb heat and provide a stable place for him to bask. Your pet red eared turtle will eat, sleep and reproduce in his habitats water so it is imperative that this water be filtered and kept as clean as possible. You should also invest in a submersible heater. Plan on keeping your pets water at approximately 75 degrees. Provide your mature red eared turtle with approximately 10 gallons per inch of shell. Younger hatchlings should be able to stand with their heads out of the water until they are proficient at swimming. Provide plants and environmental features for the hatchlings to rest on. You should also invest in a submersible heater. Plan on keeping your pets water at approximately 75 degrees. The top of your aquarium should be equipped with a fluorescent light (full spectrum) that should be on most of the time your pet is awake. Your turtle will die if the above isn’t done.

Supplies you may need:

A 40 gallon tank (size will depend on your turtle) with a secure lid

A water filtration system

A submersible water heating unit

A full spectrum fluorescent light

A large flat rock that will absorb heat for him to bask on

A thermometer

A heating pad (some people use this to help regulate temperature in the tank)

Appropriate diet materials

Turtles can be a bit costly, but very worth it.

Kids first reptile pet .

dwoo — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:37:02 +0000

One of the best reptiles for kids is a California King Snake. Housing must be at least 36″ by 15″ of floor space is the minimum required to house a King Snake. Height is not as important as floor space for this largely terrestrial snake but should be at least 10″. They can be housed in a variety of enclosure types including wooden cabinet style vivariums, aquariums or suitably sized and well ventilated plastic storage boxes. Security is of high importance and the enclosure must be free of gaps or pushable lids to prevent escape. As said earlier King Snakes should be housed separately to prevent cannibalism. Heating is a key component of your king snake’s habitat. Reptiles are exothermic, which means they heat their bodies from external sources like the sun. We humans, on the other hand, are able to heat our bodies from within. But snakes cannot heat themselves from within, so they must rely upon external heat sources. They depend on external heat for life functions such as digestion and circulation. So you need to factor heat into your cage setup plans. If your snake’s cage is too hot or too cold, it might seem that everything is okay at first. But in time, your snake’s health will begin to deteriorate. It will likely stop eating. It may develop any number of illnesses, such as respiratory infections. This will continue until the snake dies. Cal kings reach adult size at between 3 and 4 years of age. For most specimens, this amounts to just over 4 feet in length. However, 5 and 6 foot individuals are not unheard of. Luckily, due to their slender build, even a 5 foot king snake is a completely manageable pet. In captivity, king snakes can live for well over 20 years, with 10 to 15 years being average. It’s a great starter pet for a child over the age of 9 .

Bearded Dragons as pets.

dwoo — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:12:18 +0000

Popular as pets, bearded dragons or are moderately sized lizards
While they are generally considered great pets even for beginner reptile owners, they do have fairly complex nutritional and environmental requirements so need special equipment and plenty of time to care for them properly. Bearded dragons are social and easy to tame and handle, and show a range of fascinating behaviors that make them interesting to watch.Having two bearded dragons is usually better for them.The expected life span of a bearded dragon is close to around 10 years if cared for properly, although longer life spans have been reported.

Corn Snake as pets

dwoo — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:06:12 +0000

Corn snakes are an excellent choice as a first time reptile beginner. Pet corn snakes are generally docile, relatively easy to care for, and do not get too large. They are excellent escape artists, make sure their cage is secure. Corn snakes reach a mature size of 3-5 feet (occasionally up to 6 feet) They can live around 15-20 years, sometimes longer.When choosing a snake, a captive bred specimen is the best choice and shouldn’t be too difficult to find since corn snakes breed fairly readily in captivity. Look for a snake that is well fleshed with clear eyes, no cuts or scrapes, no signs of mites or ticks, a clean vent, and one that is alert and flicking its tongue.

How big are Burmese Pythons?

dwoo — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:28:37 +0000

The Burmese python is a serious contender for any size competition, and it is famous for being one of the most popular large snake pets in the world. Legend says that Burmese pythons can grow to up to 50 feet. The truth is that Burmese pythons are more likely to be between 16 and 25 feet. The thing about the Burmese python is that they get extremely fat. The heaviest known snake in the world is a Burmese, and she is over 400 pounds. Most are only about 200 pounds. Not an ideal pet after full size has been reach.

Where do alligators live ?

dwoo — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:39:32 +0000

American alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamps, as well as brackish environments.Southern Florida is the only place where both alligators and
crocodiles live side by side. The Chinese alligator currently is found only in the Yangtze River valley and is extremely endangered, with only a few dozen believed to be left in the wild. Indeed, far more Chinese alligators live in zoos around the world than can be found in the wild. Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in southern Louisiana has several in captivity in an attempt to preserve the species. Miami Metro Zoo in Florida also has a breeding pair of beautiful Chinese alligators. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park has successfully reproduced Chinese Alligators and been fortunate enough to release some of their offspring back into the wild in China.