*Snake Care*
One of the easiest reptiles to care for, it's a great choice for someone with no prior reptile pet experience
and can be a very good pet. Snakes when cared for, fed, and handled correctly are extremely timid pets with a very strong relationship to their primary caretaker.
*Terrarium (caging): Snakes have a very flexible skeleton and are some of natures greatest escape artists. That having been said you want to make sure your terrarium is very well secured with locks or screen clips even rocks on the cage-top screen can be used for very small snakes but is not recommended. Use a glass terrarium that is at least twice the full body length of the snake for optimal growth.
*Handling: The more you handle your snake the better. Most snakes vision is very poor and wont recognize you by site therefore with lots of handling they will become related with your scent. The only real no-no's to handling are to keep a loose firm grip and do not touch their head and to wait a day after a small feeding to two days after a large feeding before handling because it may cause them to regurgitate their meal.
*Feeding: When feeding, your snake they should be moved to a different area. If not after awhile they will associate the cage opening with food and snap at whatever comes in. All snakes eat different things depending upon size, place of origin, and species. Which makes cleaning or handling difficult. The most common snakes to be sold are pythons, boa constrictors, and many sub-species of rat snakes (i.e. corn snake).
Pythons and boas are constrictors meaning they compress their preys' lungs bit by bit as they breath out until it eventually passes out and then, like all snakes, swallows them whole. Smaller non-constricting species just grab and gulp. All snakes need heat to digest their food so a basking light or heating pad/ rock is required.
Pythons and boas for the entirety of their life will eat small mammals appropriate to their size. So if you have an affinity for furry animals this is not the pet for you. Pythons and boas list of foods are as follows from small to large; pinkies (baby mice with no fur), fuzzies (baby mice primarily about a week to two weeks old that have just a little fur), adult mice, rats, rabbits, and with very large boas small livestock can be used.
Pythons and boas are constrictors meaning they compress their preys' lungs bit by bit as they breath out until it eventually passes out and then, like all snakes, swallows them whole. Smaller non-constricting species just grab and gulp. All snakes need heat to digest their food so a basking light or heating pad/ rock is required.
Pythons and boas for the entirety of their life will eat small mammals appropriate to their size. So if you have an affinity for furry animals this is not the pet for you. Pythons and boas list of foods are as follows from small to large; pinkies (baby mice with no fur), fuzzies (baby mice primarily about a week to two weeks old that have just a little fur), adult mice, rats, rabbits, and with very large boas small livestock can be used.
Smaller snakes like corn snakes, king snakes and species of ribbon and garter snakes will eat a variety of things as well. When they are small they will eat mostly crickets which are best supplemented with a calcium spray or powder for bone strength.
Once they've reached a large enough size they can eat one of the varieties of mice listed above and will no longer need a calcium supplement because the bones of the animal will supply that naturally.
*Accessories: Snakes are not high maintenance animals. The most important things are heating. Use a heating lamp with a high heat basking bulb during the day and heating rock/pad at night and a water bowl constantly available for drinking and to ease shedding.
Sands and wood chips are not recommended for bedding they can be accidentally ingested and cause intestinal problems that will lead to death, paper towels and newspaper work fine and wont hurt you snake.
If you wish to you can add climbing material to their cage, be sure it is well grounded and sturdy. It is best to buy such things but isn't necessary, if you find a piece of wood you'd like to add to your terrarium be sure to cure by placing it in an oven for 12 to 17 minutes at 350 degrees to kill parasites and mites. Let cool before placing it in your buddies cage.
Sands and wood chips are not recommended for bedding they can be accidentally ingested and cause intestinal problems that will lead to death, paper towels and newspaper work fine and wont hurt you snake.
If you wish to you can add climbing material to their cage, be sure it is well grounded and sturdy. It is best to buy such things but isn't necessary, if you find a piece of wood you'd like to add to your terrarium be sure to cure by placing it in an oven for 12 to 17 minutes at 350 degrees to kill parasites and mites. Let cool before placing it in your buddies cage.
*Cleaning: When cleaning your snakes cage do not use any harsh cleaners dish soap only. Remove all waste and shed skin immediately to keep your snake in the best of health.
*Small Lizard Care*
Lesser lizards are a little more high maintenance but none the less make an excellent pet that the whole family can enjoy.
*Terrarium (Caging): Each lizards terrarium can be set up differently the most important thing is to find out the area of origin so you can mimic his natural environment as closely as possible. Lizards like iguanas, anoles, and chameleons are essentially the same.
A leafy green environment with a high humidity which can be mimicked by spraying down the glass in their tank with a cheap spray bottle four to five times a day. Species like bearded dragons, thorny toads, and skinks need a dryer environment using sand or pseudo gravel.
All lizards like a lot of climbing material and fake foliage couldn't hurt and be sure to give them an area to hide to feel safe or to escape the heat.
A leafy green environment with a high humidity which can be mimicked by spraying down the glass in their tank with a cheap spray bottle four to five times a day. Species like bearded dragons, thorny toads, and skinks need a dryer environment using sand or pseudo gravel.
All lizards like a lot of climbing material and fake foliage couldn't hurt and be sure to give them an area to hide to feel safe or to escape the heat.
*Handling: Most lizards after time take to being handled well, nervous at first but warm up fairly quickly. When handling your lizard do not grip them at all simply allow them to sit on your hand, arm, or otherwise.
Be sure that you don't hold them high off the ground so if they become spooked and jump can't hurt themselves and by no means hold them by their tail because they will detach their tail as a defense mechanism.
For a new lizard cupping them in your hand while leaving an opening will instill them with a sense of safety and they will enjoy the warmth of your hands keeping them in a relaxed state.
Be sure that you don't hold them high off the ground so if they become spooked and jump can't hurt themselves and by no means hold them by their tail because they will detach their tail as a defense mechanism.
For a new lizard cupping them in your hand while leaving an opening will instill them with a sense of safety and they will enjoy the warmth of your hands keeping them in a relaxed state.
*Feeding: Most small lizards base a diet completely on insects and bugs. The most important thing is to keep their calcium up to prevent bone problems Keeping a wide variety of specimens in their diets is a good way to keep them well and full of vitamins.
Acceptable ones are crickets, wax worms, zophobas worms, meal worms and even night crawlers. Be sure when feeding them wax worms, zophobas worms, and meal worms to crush the head of the worm just before feeding.
The worms can eat their way out through the lizards stomach lining resulting in death. All these foods can be enhanced by either gut-loading with cereal or dusting with a vitamin supplement enhancing the health and growth of your lizard.
Acceptable ones are crickets, wax worms, zophobas worms, meal worms and even night crawlers. Be sure when feeding them wax worms, zophobas worms, and meal worms to crush the head of the worm just before feeding.
The worms can eat their way out through the lizards stomach lining resulting in death. All these foods can be enhanced by either gut-loading with cereal or dusting with a vitamin supplement enhancing the health and growth of your lizard.
*Accessories: Things needed are a high heat basking lamp during the day and either a night lamp or heating pad/rock. Plenty of climbing space and a hide box.
*Cleaning: When cleaning your lizards cage do not use any harsh cleaners dish soap only.
*Cleaning: When cleaning your lizards cage do not use any harsh cleaners dish soap only.
Remove all waste and shed skin immediately to keep your snake in the best of health.
*Greater Lizard Care*
Greater lizards are those species that grow beyond two feet and include Savannah and river monitors, perentie, tegu, frilled lizards, marine and green iguanas. Also included are Gila monsters, komodo dragons, and crocodilian species which will not be included because of trade laws and the threat they impose on their owners. If you own one of these it is suggested you contact someone who can adopt and properly care for them.
*Terrarium (caging): Greater lizards include all monitor lizards and Iguanas. These species take quite a bit more care than your normal lizards. These species require very spacious habitats and won't grow properly if not given so.
That aside they have the same basic needs as all other lizards. Which includes a heat source, a large water bowl enough to submerse their entire body with room to move.
In the case of monitor lizards climbing material is not needed. A hide box wouldn't hurt either and will help keep their stress level down.
*Handling: Iguanas take to handling quite easily especially if bought when they're young. Monitor lizards on the other hand are much more difficult and require extensive handling.
Because they can issue serious wounds, it is also suggested that they are purchased when they are young and less powerful. If not it will be difficult to care for them.
A firm but loose grip is the proper way to hold these guys, while keeping hands a safe distance from their mouths. Even a young-lings bite could require stitches.
*Feeding: Iguanas eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Although, lettuce is not a good idea for it often leads to diarrhea.
Wide spread diets are recommended and should always be supplemented with a calcium spray or dusting.
Monitor lizards are strictly carnivorous meaning meat eater they don't require a calcium supplement because the bones of the rodents will naturally supply that along with a heat lamp.
Just like pythons and boas, it is best to remove the lizard from its primary cage to a secondary one for feeding. That will reduce aggressiveness.
That aside they have the same basic needs as all other lizards. Which includes a heat source, a large water bowl enough to submerse their entire body with room to move.
In the case of monitor lizards climbing material is not needed. A hide box wouldn't hurt either and will help keep their stress level down.
*Handling: Iguanas take to handling quite easily especially if bought when they're young. Monitor lizards on the other hand are much more difficult and require extensive handling.
Because they can issue serious wounds, it is also suggested that they are purchased when they are young and less powerful. If not it will be difficult to care for them.
A firm but loose grip is the proper way to hold these guys, while keeping hands a safe distance from their mouths. Even a young-lings bite could require stitches.
*Feeding: Iguanas eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Although, lettuce is not a good idea for it often leads to diarrhea.
Wide spread diets are recommended and should always be supplemented with a calcium spray or dusting.
Monitor lizards are strictly carnivorous meaning meat eater they don't require a calcium supplement because the bones of the rodents will naturally supply that along with a heat lamp.
Just like pythons and boas, it is best to remove the lizard from its primary cage to a secondary one for feeding. That will reduce aggressiveness.
*Accessories: A heat lamp during the day and heating pad or rock for night. Rough surfaces such as rocks and bark aids shedding and a water bowl for the same reason including bathing. Climbing material may be added and a hide box will help build confidence and comfort.
*Cleaning: Greater lizards often defecate in their water bowls which makes for easy clean up. When cleaning the tank use dish soap only.
