reptiles health

i want a tortoise, i would be a dedicated owner, but my mum wont let me, how can i convince her to let me?

2010-05-24T08:20:00.001-07:00

I will pay for it myself and look after it, but i need permission first, and need her to phone and order it!
Answers:
this is not something you should jump into. I surfed the internet for months gathering info before I purchased 2 red-ear slider turtles. They need a lot of room, heat, and special foods. They need their habitat to be very clean. You need to ask yourself if you can afford the accessories you will need to keep your tortoise healthy. They would not make the best pet. He will not interact with you. Ask yourself why do I want a tortoise? Maybe you would be better off getting a traditional pet like a bird, cat, or dog. They are easier to care for and your local vet would be able to take care of any issues that would come up. You need to show your Mom you are responsible and ready for the committment. Think twice - get a cat or dog!

I always worry a bit about tortoises for kids. I'm guessing you are about 12-14 years old (forgive me if I am a bit wrong!).

Here is the deal. Tortoises with proper care can live 30-50 years. You'll be around 45 when it is in its old age.

Between now and then, you'll
- finish school
- start college
- finish college
- get married
- have kids
- see those kids go to school
- see your kids graduate college
- move 2 or 3 times
- change your mind about everything from your favorite food to your style of music.
. and through it all, you will need to be taking care of the tortoise day in and day out.

I would convince mum by showing your skills and dedication on an easier pet, perhaps a pet rat. Build mum's confidence in you step by step.

I want a pet snake. Are they hard to take care of?

2010-05-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

What sort of care do they need? What are some good, small, harmless breeds? I like snakes!
Answers:
Snakes are the best! pets you can own. All they need as young pets are a ten gallon tank, a secure lid, some newspaper on the bottom and an under tank heater (depending on where you live you need to keep the tank around 80 degrees so you might need a clamp lamp to keep him warmer. Put something he can hide under, kleenex box, or any old box and a water bowl and he is happy! Feed him pinkies once a week (unless you go for the ball python) and hold him and love him and he will be a happy happy camper.

Small and harmless, eh?
Propbably a plain old garter snake
eat worms and what not.
i had one

yes

No. Everything you need is love.

Depends on the snake. Why don't you contact these guys? They know a lot about reptiles.

http://www.turtlediscovery.com

Corn snakes are the best beginner snakes, they are easy to take care of and get hold of and can become very tame.

Just thought i would add in that ball pythons have teeth, they do get quite big and are chunky besides, most people will tell you they are NOT good beginner snakes.

Get a ball python they don't get that big they are very friendly only need fead once every 1-2 weeks, they are perfect begginer snakes.

snake? are you sure? it isn't a fish or a dog..

i think a captive bred ball python makes a great pet

Wow, a previous poster stated that Ball Pythons have teeth. What a revelation, especially since ALL snakes have teeth except for the egg-eating snake.

Anyway, some of the more common and best beginner snakes are corn snakes, milk snakes, Ball Pythons. Ball Pythons are great if you want a larger snake that is docile, yet they do need a little bit more attention as far as how they are housed and their heating requirements.

All snakes can get by with much less attention than most other pets. They require a secure cage, heat, fresh water, and food once a week to once a month depending on the age of the snake. They don't need to be handled very much, but they will be more calm and used to you if you handle them for a few minutes a couple times a week. Also, adequate humidity is important during their shed cycle.

I think that ball pythons are a really good small breed, grow to just over 2 feet long. Here are a few sites that are good for learning about them

Hello,
All snakes have teeth. Your goal for your first snake is to get one that is known for a good disposition. And for this regardless of what an above poster said a Ball Python is actually a great first snake because they are known as calm. You mentioned small and Ball pythons will eventually obtain 5 feet in length. There are MANY snakes that will not get this big and are still known for having a calm nature. Corn snakes are good as well as garter snakes and I have had great experience with gopher snakes. I used to catch (and release) them in the wild and they never tried to bite me. King snakes can also be great but i have met some that were more agressive than others. If you got a small juevenile then you could end up with a trustworthy snake.
Bottom line do your research and have all the supplies ready before the snake comes home.
All the snakes mentioned will start out on a diet of pinkies or for the ball small mice. The garter snake however will eat goldfish and amphibians.

corn snake buy a fish tank and put newspaper under it buy a dog bowl cut a hole and then that will be its house trust me on this then all you have to do is change the newspaper

I want a corn snake?

2010-05-24T08:19:00.003-07:00

i heard good things about the corn snake. they are not poisenous they get calmer then they age, they like to be handled and played with, and they can grow up to 4 or 5 feet.

the thing is how big of a cage does it need? can i put him in one of those glass hamster cage?

when i 1st get the snake how do i tame it to not bite me bcuz i would like to play with it.

how much do they cost? and how much do u think it will cost to care for it? how much will it cost monthly.

thx for answering
Answers:
Corn snakes are I great. I have one, among four other snakes. A large glass aquariam will do ok. A 20 gallon size or so. You will need a locking lid of some sort. Ventilation is important. You will need good substrate that won't aggrivate the lungs, heat lamp, hiding caves, and another heat source, such as an under tank heater (which is what i use and love). They stick to the bottom of the tank and provide a warm bed. However, i suggest sticking it to a piece of tinfoil rather than the tank itself and then taping it to the tank so you can still move the heater without damaging it since they glue is super adhesive. I am fairly knowlegdeable in the snake area, so you can contact me if you need.

http://www.anapsid.org/corn.html.

that site will tell you all you need to know. if you have any other questions, IM me.

ivyrakestraw on yahoo messenger.

chek out www.repticzone.com, and go to the snakes forum, u can talk to people that own them.and find out everything u need to kno from regular people like u and me. its the best site ever.

NO! Never put a snake in a glass hamster cage.. it needs something more secure.. and depending on the size it needs more space than a hamster, and it needs this light thing which keeps it warm. That's the only question I can answer at the moment.

so get 1

140 dollars. By off snake zoos

A corn snake needs a 20-gallon aquarium or equivalent, and bigger is better. Mine is in a 29. You need to set it up so it is room temperature on one end, warmer (for basking) on the other. This will require a basking light and a heating strip. (yes, both, and a timer for the light) Don't forget to provide multiple shelters so the snake has a choice of lairs, and can pick a warmer or cooler one as needed.

NO snake likes to be handled, let alone played with. They will tolerate being handled, but for a snake, that still pushes a lot of the "predator attacking me!" buttons, and it stresses them. And playing with them is right out -- they are live animals, not toys.

A good corn snake (get a yearling, not a baby, for your first snake) will cost you $50-$100 (US), depending on where you buy it. Fancy colors can go for, well, as much money as you have. Snake, cage, cage furnishings, etc., together will cost you in the $200-$300 range. One of the items you should buy is a good book on corn snakes.

A couple I would recommend:

Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner's Guide (Bill %26 Kathy Love)

Corn Snakes %26 Other Rat Snakes (Patricia %26 R.D. Bartlett)

Read the book BEFORE you commit to getting a snake! Remember, corn snakes can live for 20+ years; this is a major commitment on your part.

hey - put it in the microwave and you can have a pop corn snake

corn snakes are really cool. The ones I had were very active, but they were escape artists. Get a critter cage. Looks like an aquarium, but comes with a built on screen lid that snaps shut and locks. I currently have two Boas, one large and one small, and a lucistic texas rat snake. Critter cages have worked great with them, but how big depends on the size of the snake. They are active,and need space to move around good. Good luck with your corn snake!

I want a big 20+lb lizard. What kind should I look for and how much is it gonna cost me?

2010-05-24T08:19:00.002-07:00

Answers:
Tegu! Argentine black and whites are supposed to be VERY docile (almost dog tame) and get larger, while red/blue tegus are smaller and still tame. If you get one of them, they're usually 1-300-ish bucks, and eventually need a LARGE (8 foot minimum) custom built enclosure when grown, so it'd end up being very expensive, but worth it!

iguanas are as cheap as 10 bucks each and get huge

well, if you call Bigfoot a lizard, check out my question, there is good info

I don't know specific kinds of lizards. As to what it will cost you..is that the initial cost or the cost to have your hand re-attached after he bites it off?

I would recommend a savannah monitor, or a water monitor. Larger monitors, including the water, can be difficult to handle. Large monitors are not cuddley and they can be unpredictable and dangerous. They not only bite when threatened they also attack raking with their extrememly long sharp claws. Keep this in mind, many people have been seriously injured by large monitors. If you really must have a big one, go for a water, they are very docile and placid if handled often from when they hatch.

A savanna Monitor would be the best choice if you get it as a baby and handle it a lot. It can become very tame even dog-like. If need more info on it let me know. Much better than a iguana. You can get a baby for $50 or even less

I sincerely hope you are kidding. The world is full of people who get pets on a whim and know nothing about them. Properly caring for a reptile is expensive. They need tons of special care and some need UVB lighting. Why torture an animal because you think it might be cool? AND.. large reptiles are dangerous, especially an improperly cared for monitor (which can grow up to six feet in length).

An alligator might fill the bill.

Red Tegus awesome color and nice and thick maybe $250

You're looking for a water monitor, maybe a croc monitor. Either one is notoroius for being mean though. Price range is anywhere from $180-$800, depending on size, coloration, etc. That's just for the animal. Roughly $150-$200 for the set up, and you gotta remember what these things eat, whole animals. Water can eat whole live chickens, so feeding gets kind of expensive.

get a monitor, look up prehistoric pets on the internet, they'll tell you everything

U should start off with a baby iguana and it will get about 20+lbs! A baby will cost u bout 15$-25$!check the local rescue groups in ur area.

i want a BeardedDrangon but wat do i feed them i dont wanna do mice. do they grow big so there hard 2 care 4.?

2010-05-24T08:19:00.001-07:00

somone told me that there tooken from the wild and kept in filthly tanks and grow so big like iguannas that you have 2 let them go? what do i use the keep them wat do i feed them. how much money are they.
Answers:
No they are not taken from the wild. They are captive bred. Most only reach around 16-22" in full length. Some may reach up to 25". Usually the larger dragons are german giants or have german giant in their bloodline though. They are a little on the expensive side. Don't feed them any kind of mice, like pinkies. They contain parasites, are extremely hard for beardies to digest and have poor nutritional value, except they're loaded in fat. It's best you stay away from pinkies. Feed crickets, silkworms, or lobster roaches as there staple (everyday diet) and waxworms, superworms, pheonix worms, and butter worms as treats only. 1 or 2 a week. Sometimes, dragons will get "addicted" to fatty foods like treat worms and wont eat nothing else and gain a whole bunch of weight in the process.
Babies/juveniles are to eat atleast 3 times a day, as many as they can eat in 15 minutes. This can easily add up anywhere between 30-100 crickets per day. Adults only need about 30 max per week.
You'll need reptile multivitamins and calcium supplements (like Repcal's calcium and Repcal's Reptivite for example) to dust crickets and sprinkle greens. For babies and juveniles, dust their crickets with calcium 6 times a week and vitamins 3 or 4 times a week. For adults, dust their crickets 4 times a week with calcium and 2 or 3 times a week with vitamins. I feed my adults 4 crickets a day in the evening (so they'll eat greens during the day). You can buy spray supplements for adults to spray on their greens if they don't like the dust on their greens if needed.
For feeding greens, check out this page: http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.co. for a color coded food chart. The foods typed in green can be fed everyday (as a staple). The foods typed in black can be used as treats only. Please watch out for off Ca:P ratios (calcium to phosphorus ratios) and oxalate acid when feeding your dragon. Phosphorus and oxalate acid binds calcium.so your dragon may not be getting the right calcium he needs. Read the whole page if you can. It will greatly help you understand better than I can explain.
You can order crickets in bulk. I buy mine through the pet store. I get 1,000 crickets for $20. There are lots of sites on the web you can buy crickets from.
You also need a UVB light. UVB rays help them obsorbe calcium for proper growth and bone stucture. Beardies deprived from UVB rays will suffer from metabolic bone disease. Get a tube UVB light (not the screw in socket kind) and the bulb needs to be atleast an 8.0 (8% of UVB). Reptisun 5.0's are ok since they are equal to a Reptiglo 8.0. The UVB bulb needs to be changed ever six months. www.lllreptile.com has reptisun 10.0's (highly recommended bulb) for about $22. From what I understand, they are usually around $40 since they put out more UVB than any other flourcent bulb in the market. A Reptiglo 8.0 and other UVB bulbs run about $20-25 depending on where you buy from.
You also need a heat light. Regular household bulbs work good and are cheap. You do not need the expensive UVA basking spot lights from the pet store. You can also use halogen bulbs and indoor flood lights. Basking temps for babies need to be around 110. Juveniles basking temps can range between 105-110, and for adults 100-105. Measure your temps with a digital thermometer with probe. They measure surface temp, not air temp. You need to measure surface temps when you check. basking temps. Wal-mart has digital thermometers with probe for about $8. The little round ones at the pet store can be as much as 20 degrees off and measure air temp. Air temp can be as much as 20 degrees below surface temp. Place the sensor of the probe where ever you want to read temps.
You also need substrate (bedding). Do not use sand. Calci sand, childrens play sand, etc all holds a risk of impation and killing your dragon. Walnut shells, repti bark, etc can tear up the dragons intestines when ingested. All loose particle substrates hold in moisture which harbors bacteria.and isn't good for your reptile. Go to Lowes or Home Depot or another store like that and get some ceramic tiles. They look awesome in cages and are easy to clean. They're a lot cheaper than a few bags of shell or sand too..and you don't need to change tiles unless you are simply tierd of the design. I got my pieces of tile for 32 cents at Lowes on sale. Took me about 6 peices to cover the cage.and the store should be able to cut tiles if you need them cut. Non-adhesive shelf liner also works well for a substrate. You can buy a role from Wal-mart for about $5 depending on your taste. Reptile carpet works good to that you can get from the pet store. Paper towels are also good substrates, especially for growing babies. You can also use yesterdays newspaper, computer paper, or butcher paper.
For a cage..you need atleast a 20 gallon for a baby. The baby will grow out of it once it hits around 10-12 inches in full length. Then he/she can be moved in a larger cage. 40 gallon breeder cages are good for juveniles and adults. It can last the dragon it's whole life. However, if you have a large adult.say 18" and over, you may wanna consider a bigger cage. Adults need atleast 36" in length and 18" in width for cages. Don't depend on the gallon size.
If you have any reptile shows near you, you can pick up a normal baby dragon for $20 probably. Whatever the price of a dragon, really depends on the morph. Normal dragons are usually the cheap ones.
Check out this forum: http://bearded-dragons.com/boards/index.. . They have all the updated information on how to properly care for bearded dragons. Check us out, and if you have any questions, no matter how many, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck!

try using wikipedia.com to find ur answers, but uuhhh go to petsmart or whatever. I wish i knew what a bearded drangon was :(

My daughter had two. One of them died. She had them for several years. They were both just over a foot long and were fully grown. She kept hers in an aquarium with sand in the bottom which she cleaned regularly. She had some kind of dry food she fed them and she also went to a local bait store and purchased crickets for them to eat. Hope that helped.

Beardies are great, for the right person however. Here are some links with great info below.

TDK

When the male is an adult it gets up to 2 feet long including the tail. you can feed them chopped meat, crickets, leafy greens, and earthworms. You can keep it in a aquarium big enough for it, and provide rocks and branches to climb and stuff. The live for about 10 years. Dont kno how much they are. lol

Mice are not recommended. They are used sparingly to help fatten up pregnant female beardies.

Common food for bearded dragons are crickets, superworms, silkworms, hornworms etc., along with various vegetables and fruits.

Setting up a bearded dragon tank can be quite spendy along with the routine expenses. Need to have a basking light, a UVB bulb, large tank etc.,

Read up a few caresheets and buy all the supplies needed for the setup before hand.

Some bearded dragon caresheets:

http://www.reptilerooms.com/sections+ind.

http://www.australianbeardies.com/care.h.

You should not feed your beardie mice. I have a huge bearded dragon, five years old and hes massive. One of the biggest ive ever seen. He alone is kept in a 65 gallon terrerium. To continue from your other question, i personally feed mine a bowl of veggies (kale and one other veggie such as peas or carrots for variety) every other day. and adult bearded dragon food every other day that its not eating veggies. Then 12 large crickets everyday on top of that. every few months i get him a fuzzy or pinky mouse, but nothing bigger than that. They arent good with digesting big bones and that really fattens them up. They dont grow big at all, about a foot and a half with tail. When i say massive i meant they grow fat and wide. They arent supposed to be kept in filthy tanks at all. They need to be attended to everyday so that they have a bacteria free cage. If you are gonna buy one make sure it is captive breed and not fromt he wild and they dont cost much i paid 100 for mine canadian.

We owned a bearded dragon for about 18 months. They are wonderful pets but you have to do your homework first before getting one. You have to feed them the right balance of veggies, fruit, crickets, worms, etc. plus a calcium supplement along with diet. Also lighting and basking area is important. Do some research before getting one. Ours was an adult when we got her and we didn't know how she had been cared for prior to our getting her and she had metabolic bone disease, stopped eating and drinking, couldn't walk, so we put her down. What a way to die. Please do extensive research 1st and get one from a reputable source. gl

Bearded Dragons are very versitile when it comes to feeding. They will eat vegetables, manufactured Bearded Dragon foods (I recommend Zoomed foods), crickets, mealworms, and mice. Mice are very fattening, though, so I dont suggest giving them many. Vary their diet so they do not get bored and get the most out of their foods (vitamin-wise). Also, if you feed them mealworms or crickets, make sure to dust them with a calcium powder/suppliment once or twice a week.

go to Petco(or any petstore) and ask for a caresheet. You should also look online for more information

i want a bearded drandon but how much are they and the tank somone said that i need 2 get a new 1 after a wile

2010-05-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

Answers:
They always need to be kept in a cage unless your handling them.I answered your other question, so check it out. To refer to someone else's answer.
Never feed mealworms. They have a hard exo skeleton and high amount of chitin in their shells that are hard for beardies to digest.

Why did you make a new question? You can edit/add to your previous question.

Read up on some caresheets and than feel free to ask away.
40gallon breeder tank or similar homemade or bigger is recommended for an adult bearded dragon.

Some bearded dragon caresheets:

http://www.reptilerooms.com/sections+ind.

http://www.australianbeardies.com/care.h.

Bearded Dragons are between 40 and 80 dollars. They grow to a length of 20 inches. I would recommend a 50 gallon tank for an adult and a 15-20 gallon tank for a young bearded dragon.

Feeding Breaded Dragons

There are many food sources they can thrive on, but you have to have a variety in their diet. The commercially- bred house crickets (Acheta Domestica), Mealworms (Tenebro Molitor), King mealworms (Zophobas morio), and pinky mice. All these food items can be obtained from your local pet store or online.

The vegetation is also a good part in there diet. I have a type of vegetation in there cage all the time. But make sure it is cut up in small strips. The one vegetation you should not feed them is iceberg lettuce because it will give them diarrhea. In iceberg lettuce there is no nutrition at all. They benefit by eating dark, leafy greens such as collard greens, kale, red-tipped leaf lettuce, mustard greens, hibiscus flowers and finely chopped or grated vegetables.

Enclosures

Indoor Vivaria

The minimum size for the adult bearded Dragons is 72"L x 16"W x 17"H vivarium. Use at least a 55-gallon tank if you have one to two Dragons. Try to get a bigger width if possible. Most tanks can be purchased at a local pet store or online.

Outdoor and Greenhouse Vivaria

In the warmer months dragon owners put there dragons outside. This is good because it allows their animals to direct sunlight during the normal hours. The direct sunlight is healthy for them because it allows the D3 to activate the calcium. (The UBV bulbs do the same but not as effective).

In some areas where it is warm all year round Dragon owners keep their Dragons outside all year round. If your Dragon is kept outside have an heat source such as a heater for the extended cool times, with daytimes temperature bellow 55 F. If they remain in a outdoor exposure you should build a structures that the natural ground forms the bottom of the enclosure. The sides should go below ground in case of digging. I personally would not leave the Dragons outside during the winter months. There are too many things to go wrong and kill your dragon if it gets too cold.

Substrates

Land

The dragons need space to climb and a place to run. The Dragon natural habitat is relatively dry and people found that the dragons are happier in a more basic habitat. If there is too much clutter the dragon will not do much. Also breading will be difficult for them. There should be a rock or two in the tank so they can have a lower place to bask. The branches should not be closer then 5 inches from the heat lamp to prevent over heating and thermal burns. There should be a sheltered place where they can crawl into to hide or sleep. Sometimes the females do this to get a break from the males during mating session.

Heating

The temperature in the daytime vivarium should be 80-85 F with one or more basking spots. The nighttime temperature can safely drop to 70 F.

In the basking spot there should be the primary heating unit. This should be a reflector fixture placed above the basking spot. In large tanks there can be more than one heat source. In the basking spot the temperature should reach between 90-100 F.

Some people use a secondary heat source such as under tank heaters, and heat rocks.
(I have heard mixed messages about heat rocks some say they are great and others say they are a danger. This is because bearded Dragons don't have heat sensors on there under belly and cant tell if they are being cooked. Any decision is up to you.)

Get a Fire Alarm in the room you put the Tank!

IMPORTANT: There should be good airflow in the tank. Lizards can suffocate from not enough oxygen.

Maintenance

It is important to keep the tank clean. Clean out the stool every other day or every day. Sterilize the food and water dishes every 4-5 days. Do an over all tank sterilization every 4 weeks or sooner.
If you used carpet the carpet should be taken out and rinsed out. If you used a substrate like sand the sand should be changed when it looks spoiled. To remove the stools from sand just use a cat scupper.

Makes sure that the water level is high and there is fresh vegetation in the food dishes. Change the vegetation every day.

Keep the tank clean just think would I want to live in there?

When setting up the tank there should be some care in the placing of sticks and dishes. There should be a heat lamp on one end of the tank where it is they're basking spot. I have the food and water dish on the opposite end because I found the water and food does not dry up as fast. If the water is directly under the heat lamp the water will evaporate. There should be some sticks in the cage but the highest end should be no higher than what is a safe level for the lizard in climbing out and if it is too close to the heat lamp it can give them thermal burns. I have mine 6-8 inches from the heat lamp at the highest point. I have a couple of rocks under the heat lamp for them to bask on. If find that they spend most of there time on them. If you use sticks from the out side you have to sanitize them. I take bleach and water and scrub it until it is socked with the solution. You should cook it in the oven at 150-200 for about 15 min and it should get rid of any bugs. If you are not sure if the bugs are gone get anther stick or cook it longer or at a higher temperature. Be careful it is wood and can catch on fire.

You can start your own colonies of prey and will never have to buy them again. The only problem is you have to maintain them and keep them clean. This is not a problem if you get into a routine. The crickets can be nosy. But it is worth the expense you save.

Crickets- I started my own colony with these instructions and they are thriving.

Get a medium tank. A ten-gallon will do fine.
Have a water source either the Sponge Idea or the water bits. (If you use a dish with water they will drown and you will have heavy losses.)
Have a food source either the Dry Prey Food or the food bits.
Have a dish (butter dish works fine) and fill it with potting soil. Pat down until firm. Moisten it with a spray bottle.
Get 100-200 crickets or more for the first colony.
Keep soil most
Don鈥檛 take away from colony. You can take the babes that are made and then put 30-40 crickets back into the original colony.
Have another tank for the feeder crickets. (The ones you will feed to the lizards.)
Keep up the food and water.
Clean every week.
Warning: Crickets may be noisy so think where you will put the colony tank. It should be in a warm area but it doesn鈥檛 need to be heated.

Mealworms and king Mealworms- They are vary easy to breed but it takes patience. You get a small 2-gallon container form the local pet store. Then you put all the mealworms into it. Add oranges or potatoes on the top. I would add a piece of egg carton in the top for the beetles. The larva turns into beetles and lay eggs and then you get more mealworms. Be careful not to take too many mealworms or you will exhaust the colony supply. Add corn meal every week for there food. Change the orange or potato so it doesn't start to mold and kill off your colony.

Wax worms- Are a fatty source of food. I would not recommend this to be the staple food source but as a treat or for pregnant Dragons. You do the same thing as mealworms except the larva spin a cocoon and turn into moths so you need a closed container.

i want a baby iguana so should i get it now or wait until summer?

2010-05-24T08:18:00.003-07:00

Answers:
Do not get a iguana if its your first reptile it is really hard to take care of your will get cuts a lot they are expensive to take care of the caging is really hard as well just make sure its what you want first and do a lot of research and i would definitely wait till the summer to get one if you were to get one Also get the tank and everything set up before you get it REMEBER TO MAKE SURE YOU WANT IT!

depends where you live.

ask at a local pet store or animal shelter (ASPCA or Humane Society)

wait until you know enough about them that you dont ask silly questions like this.

if you live near boston u can have mine.he isn't a baby but he is about 3 feet long

whichever. but be SURE that's what you want. i have two iguanas i am trying to find homes for.

why wait get it now,but get the tank setup

i don't think it matters as lon as you keep a heat lamp on it. i got my geco in winter and he was fine.

I TOOK MY IGGY TO THE VET WE TRIED EVERY THING BUT HE DIED RIP IF U THINK THIS IS SAD REPLY PLEASE HE WAs A

2010-05-24T08:18:00.002-07:00

GOOD IGUANA
Answers:
I'm deeply sorry for your loss :( Did you guys find out what was wrong with the tail?

Aww poor thing. Let his soal rest in peace and bless him. Poor thing. Your probly feeling awful. I hope you feel better about it!!: )

Very sad, we have had many pets from snakes to spiders. some bought some caught, I miss em all. sorry for your loss truely!!

aww im so sorry

I am very sorry for your loss of your pet. I, too, have pets and when they pass away that is so-o sad. I empathize with you and it is a good and healthy sign that you are talking about it. You sound like you are a very caring person. God bless.

There is nothing to compare to the pain and sense of loss when you lose a pet. The relationship between a pet and an owner is one that can be the strongest bond.

My heart goes out to you! I am so sorry that you lost your iguana. It never matters what type of animal it is, only that you lost them.

RIP to your iggy!

sorry to hear it loosing a pet is like loosing your best freind

I know how you feel, i lost my green water dragon a long while ago, it never stop hurting, but just remember this, iggy knows you love it still very much, so get on with your life, but don't forget about it.

Iguanas DO NOT die from a fractured tail, there was more going on and please do not ever get another iguana.

awwwwwww thats sad, bless him and best of luck to you in getting over it.

Thats so sad i feel so sorry for u

I sorry your friend IGGY died it sucks having a pet die
I remember my first two alligators I got alexander killed the other
and now alexander is over 4ft

i no how it feel s my iggy all most died and i hated the feeling he broke is arm and was draggging it around i hope he is out of his sick body so if you did this he/she will forgive you i hate this felling

yes this is very sad.

My prayers are with you. I have towo iggs of my own and would feel awful if either one of them where to pass from this world. Please accept my condolences.

i thought tarantulas liked hiding, why does my chile rose never hide away?

2010-05-24T08:18:00.001-07:00

my chile always sits on guard on his log or just at the back of his tank he never uses his flower pot, i have read they love to hide away.
Answers:
Is it possible your Chilean Rose tarantuala (Grammostola rosea) may still be hungry? My curly-hair comes out and "begs" when I don't feed her on time.

They're one of the more docile creatures, so if it feels safe in it's surroundings it will feel no need to hide. I would try seeing if it may still be hungry though. Younger tarantulas who still have a lot of growing to do are pretty voracious eaters.:-)

Probably used to you and wants to be held.

Ugh. I hate spiders. Sorry. But maybe change the pot. He doesn't like it.

i had 2 of them i love spiders! and snakes! oh, do you pet him?

r he must feel very safe thats nice

maybe it is not scared of u and it wants to be seen

They don't love to hide they only hide if they feel threatened or scared and evidently he don't feel like that around you, also you might want to consider changing his pot he may not like it!

well all spiders have a general catagory but think about it this way, its not got to hide from danger in a tank.

its on amphetamine and cant get any shut eye

I think 'sausage' is a fantastic word..It comes off the tongue really well.. Do you have a fave word?

2010-05-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

'Flange' is another one!
Answers:
Sausage is a very nice word, especially if you use different pronounciations. Lately my favorite word is " Moist" I like to say it slowly, over and over again.

Weetabik

fantasmagorical, chaos, tubular

String and job (everyone laughs when I say 'I've got jobs to do' - no idea where I got it from) lol

Anatomically correct.

catalistic converter.. !!

Hence. I use it in all important conversations.

"bumble-bee" .actually is that 2 words?

Supercalafragalisticexpealiodo. it comes off the tongue well.once you start you cant stop..

Nice one - I love the word sausage too, but I think it would come a close 2nd to 'Squelchy'.
Maybe we could combine the 2..squelchy sausages, squelchy sausages..

A few mine is 'Blimp' just fabulous.

I am Jack's Rage. F a duck! is my favorite thing to say or think to myself. It rolls off my mind so well.

guacamole

Hullabaloo

tis

Narf

tubing.

haha, TOOOOOOOBING

I like the word Minge, what a lovely word. The Ladies like that word too.

Me too!

Relish. I like the food and doing things with gusto. Plus it just sounds great!

Bartholamew

Say the name five times and you turn into Mr Bean

bozzacks.

I like the word dissonance.

I like 'socks' and 'vomit'.I don't know why.maybe the strong pronunciation

My favourite is really cheesy . Mother.

Also my favourite person! What a coincidence!

Fiat Mirafori it was a car.

potato!

or. champingnons

SPRINKY. i dare you to say it and not smile.

I'm flabbergasted!

saganake

My 4 faves string together well,
"See you in bed!"

i can't spell so be warned..burgle. it's just strange.but gd!

i think my turtle is dieing some one help and tell me whats up please?

2010-05-24T08:17:00.002-07:00

he is getting white spots and reddish ones to white foam around his mouth and he sits on his rock and looks up with his mouth open gasping 4 air he wont eat out of my hand any more and it seem like he is weak please please please someone tell me whats wrong
Answers:
You will need to find a Reptile Vet to check out your pet. Sounds bad.

Yeah it doesn't sound good at all..maybe from the diet over a period of time or from a dacteria that he got..take it to a vet that knows what they are doing

depending on the type of turtle you have (aquatic or land) try and take itoutside in the fresh sunlight and fresh air. if aquatic or land actually try soaking in luke warm, clean fresh water in the sun for a few minutes. water relaxes as well as hydrates the animal when they are submerged in it. try placing the food down instead of hand feeding. clean the cage and sanitize to make sure no parasites are in there. if that still does not work then take to the vet :)

don know need to take him to a vet

This is blunt, but honestly that's bad and your turtle will die if you don't get it to a vet. Be sure you find a good vet that knows about turtles. It will most likely need antibiotics.

Sounds like mouth rot (Ulcerative or necrotic stomatitus). This is a tricky condition that is difficult for most keepers to deal with on their own.

Check out these links for info:

http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/mouthr.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?.

http://redearslider.com/index_health_3.h.

I think my corn snake tail is going to fall off is it bad or painful, will it grow back?

2010-05-24T08:17:00.001-07:00

I bought it last week and it shed the next night. I noticed there was skin still there and I believe there is old skin from when it was at the store. I have tried everything from soaking, olive oil and rubbing it with a towel. Now I think it is to late to save it. I'm so very sad that it is happening but I think it is to late to save it. I just don't want it to hurt or get infected, any suggestions?
Answers:
If it is just the tip then the snake will do fine with out it. As for if it is painfull I would not know I have never asked a snake if it hurts. You can also try a product called snake oil sold at most pet stores. You rub this in to the animal once a day for several days and that should help. You can also give a good oiling when you notice that your snake is getting ready to shed next time to help with this. Also if Humidity is too low there will be problems. Try spraying the snake and its tank with warm water daily around shed times. You do not want it wet in there just a light misting to add humidity. If you could find a pair of fine point tweezers you might be able to slip one side under the stuck skin and work it lose that way but this is trick and if your snake does not like it you could get bit. Just watch him close and if you are worried or something does not look right to you take him the vet. If it is to the point where his tail is going to fall off this has been a problem from long before you bought him. You may be able to go back to the pet store and maybe if they are decent they will help you remove the shed or replace your snake it takes many sheds to build up to the point of losing tails not just one or two.. Good luck to you

If the tail actually falls off, it should not hurt the snake. Its actually good because it will not spread the infection through the whole snake. Do you have a local vet or specialist. If it does start to look infected, take it to the vet. if not, just let nature take its course and heal itself. Good luck, I hope he is ok.

The shed should be complete. If it is too dry it may have trouble shedding (make sure the humidity is in the correct range) If the skin is left on the tail, the tail will die and fall off and it wont grow back. The skin that stays on the tip of the tail slowly constricts the end of the tail as it grows, which causes it to die and fall off.

There really isnt any cause for concern the snake will be fine without the end of its tail.

Take it to a reptile vet. If it loses that piece of tail, it will not grow back.

take it to the VET

I think my baby corn snake is terrified of me.?

2010-05-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

What should i do? Every time i pick him up he goes mad! This morning he threw himself on the floor! Is it a good idea to handle him daily when he's going mad everytime?
Answers:
You should handle your new corn on a regular basis. It's scared of you in the sense that it's survival instincts tell it (and all newborns) to hide. It has no idea that you mean it no harm and must come to realize that your touch isn't life threatening. It will take time, so be patient and very gentle. Don't squeeze the snake if it feels like it's slipping thru your fingers, but place your other hand in front for it to crawl to. Also, don't hold the snake while you're standing. Sit down to reduce the distance to the floor in case the baby does happen to fall. While you're
sitting, the snake will feel much more secure in your lap rather than dangling 3ft off the floor while you're standing.

Put it on a plane!

how would you feel if a giant picked you up everyday and was oh my pretty human..let me stroke you there..wouldnt you get pissed off?by the way..i would * myself by the snake.

Most baby snakes are so full of energy and don't want to be handled much. Older snakes have less energy and just tolerate being picked up. It's a good idea to keep handling your baby snake once in a while though so it gets used to you. Just don't overdo it to where the snake ends up getting stressed though. Maybe a few minutes every three days or so would be enough. =)

i am terrified of you too

My ex husband used to carry our snakes around in his shirt pocket and hold them and just let them be busy until they quieted down and slept. Just hold the snake quietly and don't be hyper or nervous or anything. It takes time to hand tame a snake and it is best to get used to each other now rather than when it is bigger and has stronger jaws and slightly larger teeth. Now if it gets mad and bites then it won't even break the skin. Just don't stress it too much and give it plenty of quiet time as well.
Have fun with your new pet. They are lots of fun.

i think i have a sick toad please help!?

2010-05-24T08:16:00.003-07:00

ok i have a little garden in my front yard with a frog pond and frog huts and plants any way if i leave a small file of cat food by my front door 45 seconds later ull see like 20 toads eating it. they all live in the garden but theres this one that has red stuff stuck 2 its but. no its not poop. its like a pinkish color and i always see him in my garden and when i leave out the cat food. what the hell is wrong with it. please i dont want it 2 die should i take it 2 a vet and if i do. do they take toads??
Answers:
No no no!
Don't touch it!
Don't try wiping it!
And for the love of g,',d, don't lick it.

It sounds like she might be carrying her babies on her back. Some species do that. don't touch her until you know! Identify the type of toad, their means of reproduction, and known vulnerabilities to diseases. You should be able to get answers from the InterNet (narrow your search quickly with an image search).

Think about it. you have a frog paradise, with habitat and FOOD! Lots of it! Animals think about safety, food, and mating. I think that you should leave her alone, and see if you don't get some babies, soon.

If you are really worried, you can remove her from the others in case it's contagious - and then wash your hands!

Mostly, just wait and watch to see what happens.

just vist a vet and they hopefully will not chage you unless it really is sick. but first just wipe it off ( if possible ) and see what it is if you can

have you tried licking it?

Just call your local animal control!

this is what i think

1. its a frog yuck

2 . the frog is a part of nature thats where he lives i think that if you take him out of nature that might be harder for him to survive even if he does have a problem

it probably is eggs.

I smell really bad and my friends dont like me anymore. What should I do?

2010-05-24T08:16:00.002-07:00

I need 2 know what 2 do!
Answers:
Take a shower and wash your clothes! Duh! Clean your house,and get rid of any felines in your house!!

Uh. Take a bath??

Try having a bath lol

try hot water, soap and a scrub brush !!

lilac blosoms have a nice smell when crushed. try puting some in the bath next time you take a bath

Try showering daily. If that dosen't work get in to see a doctor, sometimes body oder can be a result of a medical condition.

How is this a reptile question? Any way, good hygiene helps.so bathe

takes baths, make sure your bathroom is clean. ask the doctor if this doesn't stop. use deodorant!

I should have asked if anyone else was frustrated?

2010-05-24T08:16:00.001-07:00

Hi
Ok I asked who thinks there are too many out here asking etc.. a few minutes ago.. so far great response.

First.. I am a retired Trauma Nurse, I also have a Zoology degree, work in Wildlife rescue, conservation and manage urban waterfowl
I am obtaining a wildlife Vet degree as well.

I understand how important it is for folks who do not know to have a place to go ask and for folks who do know to take a sec and answer.. I guess I am only frustrated in what I read so much of.. and you cant answer them all and you never heaer back from most as to the outcome of what ended up happening.

My question should have been. anyone else frustrated? I certainly do not want people not coming out asking and just leaving an animal suffer ..

No offesne was meant at all.. just looking for others who are frustrated is all!
:0)
Thanks
Wismom
Answers:
The thing that gets to me is how many people can get a animal and know absolutely nothing about it. If people would just google the name of the reptile they keep a whole lot of information usually will come up and answer all of there questions.. Even better would be doing that BEFORE you get the animal.

the thing that irritates me about this forum is that people will answer questions that they know nothing about just to get two points.. Every single question asked on here has some very FALSE information given to it. How is anyone to know who to actually believe?

Boy don't I know what you mean. The thing that frustrates me more than anything is the people who come on asking questions about breeding dogs. If you don't know these kinds of things (simple things I knew before I knew how to read!) then you shouldn't be bringing new life into this world. It really ticks me off because here they are ruining lives that haven't even had a chance yet by not giving them a good start. I really wish that we could impose some sort of law that would make it so people can't breed unless they have champion dogs. I realize though that even with that then you need somebody to police it and so on and so forth. I wish that it was a matter of "common sense" but I think we should simply refer to this as "sense" because it's certainly not common anymore. I am in dog rescue and I also show Labradors so I see way more of this stuff than some of the other people who will read this do. Just a way of defense saying I know that of which I speak. My folks raise and show Chis, and have been doing so as long as I can remember (20 some years). They had to start out just like everyone else, without information and the like, but if you take the time to read books you can find all the information necessary to properly care for and breed dogs. If you won't take the time to do that, then you shouldn't breeding PERIOD.

Your not alone. I am sick of people posting questions that if they had half a brain they would know to contact a vet instead of posting life threating illnesses on here.

Hari Raya is around the corner and I am very, very happy and not frustrated. Why are you looking for frustrated people when you should be looking for positive thinking people.

I see people who have turtles for pets and their housing seems too small. What is a turtle supposed to have ?

2010-05-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

I would like to know the size of the tank needed, does it need rocks to get up on, and how often should you clean the water and what kind of water should you use. also what do they eat and how often. thanks to all who respond.
Answers:
Tanks:
It is recommended that you have alt least 10 gallons of swimming water per inch of turtle shell. Thus, a 3" turtle should be in a 50 gallon or so tank with about 30 gallons of water in it. Most keepers use large plastic (Rubbermaid, Sterilite, etc.) tubs instead of heavier, more expensive glass tanks.

Some people say that the water should not be too deep because if the turtle gets trapped, it will drown. Instead, your cage should just be designed so turtles cannot get trapped! On the other hand, in general, it is better for the tank to be wide than it is for it to be deep.

The tank water should be heated to 75-80, and filtered heavily- about twice as much filtration as a fish tank the same size would use.

Basking Sites:
Your turtles need to get out of the water in a way that is safe, does not scrape them badly, and lets them feel comfortable. Most pond turtles prefer to be sunning over water than on a beach so they can just drop back in the water when threatened.

You can acomplish this with a pile of rocks, driftwood, rafts, platforms attached to the tank, etc. Avoid oily or treated wood (including redwood or cedar). You should usually try to provide several basking options- and warm at least some of the sites to about 90.

Cleaning:
With good filtration, you won't have to clean the tank as often, but you should do a partial water change regularly- often enough to prevent the usual 'turtle tank' smell. It is best to vacumn the bottom gunk out to do the water change. Every so often, you'll have to tear the tank down, scrub it, and start over no matter what.

Water:
If you can drink it, you can use it in the turtle tank without treatment.

Diet:
Beginners should stick to high-quality turtle pellets, supplemented with live 'fish food'- small fish, worms, etc.

Feed a baby turtle daily, a young turtle every other day, and an adult ever three days. A serving is about the same size as their head (or a bit more).

You can learn more at the sites below:

turtles move like 2 hundred feet in a year. I dont think they mind a small tank. throw some rocks and grass and maybe a water spot/small pond and they are straight.

Depends on the turtle. Is it salt or freshwater? What size is it?

What kind of turtle is it? A water turtle, land turtle, box turtle what? A little more information would help you in finding the correct response.

Turtles are wild animals they should live in their natural habitat or at least a back yard - garden (well enclosed). I suppose you don't mean tortoise or terrapines, who live in water?

Freedom.

well i had two red-eared turtles and they grow pretty fast, they also dirty the water really fast so i had them in a 10-gallon tank with a filter and that was a great place for them, i had big rocks for them to get up on, none of that small gravel (it goes into their shell) they have to have warm water (depending on the types) they should have the food at the pet store. it is very important for them to be able to get out of the water for a bit. they should have filtered water, always clean

go get you a good turtle book at the pet shop that will answer all your questions and show different ideas of set ups for your turtle
and what to feed it and everything else

I have 2 Red Eared Sliders

I keep them in a large kiddie pool. It has an island in the center with their light hanging from the ceiling.

Mine are in a large enclosure because I believe when you keep an animal in captivity you should give them plenty of space to move around. No matter how inactive you think they are.

Many people tell themselves oh they don't move around allot so I will put them in this tiny cage and they will be happy. No they have no choice but to sit in one spot because even if they wanted to move around they couldn't.

It depends first on the type of turtle. For instance RES (red eared sliders) have to come out to bask. I have a 75 gallon for my full grown female. To be honest it is almost too small. The size of tank a RES needs though is at minium 75 gallons and thats for one turtle. You have to use a filter that is capable of twice the amount of water in the tank. I clean my tank about every 10 days. You have to clean it even if it looks clear. You also don't want to use any comercial cleaners in it as this can kill the bacteria and harm your turtle. The bacteria in the tank is good for the water and the turtle. I simply wipe down the sides were algie has started forming with a damp paper towel. As far as food I asked my vet and again this depends on the turtle but an RES can be feed every other day but only once and the diet must be varied .Here is a list dark green veggies such a collards, mustard greens or romaine lettuce. Turtle pellets, crickets, feeder fish and meal worms or earth worms are good. The proper lighting must be provided as well a full spectrum basking light is reguired above the basking area. This is so the turtle can get out and dry their shell off. It prevents diseases such as shell rot. The second type of lighting needed is UVB this is essential. This light helps the turtle digest thier food. You also need a water heater and thermometers to monitor the temp in the basking area and the water. Basking area should be around 80 degrees and the water between 70-80 degrees. I think that is about it . Turtles are very expensive pets I am up to about a thousand dollars now and have only had mine two years. I had no idea what I was getting when someone gave her to me. The best thing to do is buy big now so you don't have to upgrade later. You will save money in the long run. They are worth it in the long run.

I saw some crocodiles laughing today. What's so funny?

2010-05-24T08:15:00.003-07:00

Answers:
Seems the Stingrays are havin'a party over some dumb-. Poked a hole in his ticker ya know. Poor sap. Shouldve stayed in that auto sales job. Oh well.

that steve irwin actually died know one can believe it that's y

steve erwin died.duh

monkeys(and u!!)

Larry, you are a very bad boy. Go to your room. I will be in later to give you a good talking to.

You left your zipper open and they saw your tiny dick

Oh, you're terrible!

They probably had hiccups anyway.

your horible!

Steve Irwin died, but I don't think the crocodiles are happy about that.

Nothing its quite sad

Crocodile tears perhaps.

Larry you may not think what he did was cool, but I don't she you getting off you a** and doing something to teach the world about the importance of having creatures like the alligator or rattlesnake around. Maybe if you were a better person you'd understand why people a upset. Maybe the crocodiles are laughing because with idiots like you next in line to take care of the world they know the world is going to hell in a hand basket and their skins are weaved to make the basket. IDIOT!

It is very sad that you find it funny to be so dissrespectful at a time like this. Not only did Steve Irwin love all animals and do his very best to educate all of us about those animals (most of which any normal everyday person wouldn't see in out life time) He has left behind a wife and two small children! I find you to be a horrible person for you actions. It doesn't matter to me whether it was someone famous or not, a human, a person, a friend, a father, a husband, a son, a brother, a uncle no matter who he was does not deserve yours or anyone else's disrespect.

sick-o

I saw a dinosaur?

2010-05-24T08:15:00.002-07:00

I think I saw a T-Rex the other day in my backyard.anyone know if they're friendly or not?
Answers:
The t-Rex knew you had a good heart. So it came to your house knowing you would give it a good home. Take her in and love her and don't let any news cast or scientist find her, or they will poke and prod and her. This will also be great stories to tell your grandchildren for generations to come.." The time Gramma had a T-Rex." Do the right thing. Love it!

nope there really mean lol

Walk up and pet it to find out.

I don't think they would be friendly, I think they would eat you.

They are very friendly, just go on up to it and give it a great big kiss, thay love that!

I would put by dog and cats inside the house,they like to eat small animals.if they are not already eaten. I would also carry a shotgun when leaving the house and fire a couple warning shots to scare it away.Good luck with your monster :)

Seeing as it hasn't eaten you yet..my guess is it wants to be your friend LOL

I think you're * retarded! :D

Yeah.don't let their intimidating looks fool you. They are man's best friend next to dogs.

They are friendly, you can even put your hand in their mouth.No, no, no, just kidding. 8)

lucky you! i only get boring old sparrows and the occasional squirel. oooh you jammy sod!

Yes.

I suggest you have a wee roll in slightly rancid ground beef, and run right out there.

I rescued two sulcata tortoises, what can I feed them during the winter when fresh grass isn't available?

2010-05-24T08:15:00.001-07:00

I fed them bermuda hay, timothy, orchard grasses and frozen veggies last year.I dried clean fresh grass, clover and weeds when available to feed that during the winter months.. What else can I feed them to prevent their shell from pyramidding. They also get calcium from dandelions but I can't find too many of them around my property though I have ten acres. I would prefer to not feed them store bought or commercial foods. Anyone have any ideas?
Answers:
I know nothing about turtles, but I wonder if you could grow a container of grass in-doors? I grow fresh herbs for cooking, so I thought maybe grass would grow in the window and you could just cut off what you need?

you may want to go to a local pet store, most will have live foods(such as worms) to feed to your tortoises. Maybe you could freeze some fresh grass this year before the season ends and feed them that trough out the winter. Also fresh and frozen veggies seem to really do the trick as they have much more nutrition than grass does. Good luck. I hope this helped.

they should eat lettuce and tomatoes and veggies

You could build a greenhouse, or use indoor techniques to grow what they need in the winter, it would be a heavy investment to get the equipment but if it is something you are concerned with it may not be a bad idea.I know they live a long time if I'm not mistaken.so it may be worth the money

I would feed them hay (timothy/alfalfa mix) you can get it at a store or farmer. Otherwise greens like romaine, collards, mustards, and fresh veggies/fruits. Pyramidding is from lack of humidity when they are babies. I have a red foot and when I brought her humidity up you can tell it helps with that problem. I did some research, if I can find the website I will post it.

i relly want a bearded dragon how much do there tanks lits and everything else cost and are they good pet plea

2010-05-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

Answers:
Bearded dragons are great pets and have awsome little personalities as well. Before you get one there is alot to take into consideration such as the right sized enclosure, their lighting, you need uva and uvb lights, night lights, infra red etc and to keep their tank at the right temperatures. You also need to provide the right nutrition for them, such as crickets/woodroaches bought commercially to avoid parasites, diseases and pesticides, you also have to offer a variety of greens. I suggest you do alot of research first as they are not cheap to keep, but looked after property, they are a hardy lizards and lots of fun. A good idea would be to get yourself a copy of the "Bearded Dragon manuel" it has everything you need to know.

Yes! They are awesome pets!
The best person for advice on a dragon and habitat is Lynn Hendricks. She raises them (beautiful!) out of her house and her website is: www.lynnsbeardeddragons.com
She attends reptile expos all around.

I recently purchased 2 Red Eared Sliders for my son. 1 seems extremely healthy the other seems very lethargic.

2010-05-24T08:14:00.003-07:00

We have a 55 gallon tank with approximately 25 gallons of water in it. 2 under gravel filters. UV light and heat lamp. Water temp 78 deg // rock temp 80-85 degrees. We've had them for 2 weeks but the 1 I've never seen eat. It falls off the rock in the water and floats upside down without righting itself. The only abnormality I see is that their shells are a little white. (just barely though) Is this one hibernating? Any ideas? I'd hate for it to die.
Answers:
Lethargic one sounds like it may have pneumonia. It is entirely possible that it had it when you bought it. Changing habitats causes stress and can flare up an existing minor illness.

You might want to see if the pet shop has an ill animal promise or something.

You can also try the health or medical sections at
http://www.redearslider.com
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com.

I think he's about two banana peels away from the grave. Take him to a vet who specialises in reptiles, or take him back to the place you got him from.

A vet trip is a serious suggestion. Something is clearly wrong. The RES is a somewhat territorial turtle. If you have two.the stronger one will keep the other away from the UVB, good basking area, good food, etc. You need at least two basking areas, complete with UVB and heat.

There are also genetic problems with babies. Some were just never meant to survive. The only reason they live as long as they do is that they go home with someone who tries to do right by them.but it may only prolong the inevitable. An experienced herp vet will be able to help tell you what's wrong. Sometimes the only answers come after the turtle just couldn't hold on anymore and a necropsy is performed. Only in this way can we begin to understand why some herps die and the possible preventative measures we may have missed in the initial care.

A few links to help you find a vet near you:

they will hibernate together. Hes prob. sick. I would try to hand feed him. with a syringe if he won't take the food from you. And you may need to seperate the two and clean out the other ones aquarium really well in case he has something cotagious. check with the place you purchased them about illness

I recently bought 2 baby slider turtles and 1 is now sick!?

2010-05-24T08:14:00.002-07:00

i recently got 2 baby slider turtles. i have been feeding them turtle pellets and they have been enjoying eating them. However about 1 week ago one of the turtles stopped eating. I tried boiled lettuse and other foods but he is not eating at all and has become week and thin. He sits up on the log all day to bask and even all night. He keeps opening his mouth now and again as though he is trying very hard to breeth.
I keep the tank very clean.. what medicine can i use?

thanks,,,,
Answers:
Don't try to self-medicate. This is for a herp vet to decide on the course of treatment. There is a possibility of an upper respiritory infection. Antibiotics are needed for this.

You need a UVB source, the correct temps, and a different diet than lettuce and pellets. The Tetrofin pellets for your RES are a good pellet, but it's not enough for a complete diet. Lettuce.especially boiled.has no nutritional value. They need foods such as collard greens, mustard greens and more.and some of the aquatic plants like duckweed.which you can gert online. Feeder guppies and insects make up another portion of their diet.

Use a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer w/hygrometer for the best accuracy. You can get these for about $15 - $20 at Wal-Mart. Once you get the thermometer your goal is meeting the required temperature gradients in three different spots of the habitiat.

Not all UVB lights are created equal. Some decay very quickly. You need no less than two 4' flourescent UVB tubes. Short version - UVB helps the ig to process the calcium in their diet. Without the UVB.the calcium does not get absorbed and the result is Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and renal failure. The brands to go with:
Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0
Iguana Light 5.0
Exoterra 8.0
Arcadia 5.0 (UK)
.or:
Mega Ray EB (external ballast)
http://www.reptileuv.com

Many of these can be purchased at http://www.reptiledirect.com for a more reasonable price than the pet stores. Once you provide these lights for your RES.set them in the 6" - 8" range for flourescent tubes. Any farther and the UVB drops of so much that they don't do any good. For the Mercury vapor, such as the Mega Ray.no closer than 12" to the basking area. There's an excellent care page to go over to see if everything you have is correct.

Then get your baby to a qualified herp vet for a diagnosis and treatment. You may not find one very close, but a little travel is worth keeping a life healthy. I travel 73 miles one way for my herp vet.;-/ Sure wish I had one closer.but my luck's not that great.

I don't have an answer.just a recommendation of where to look for one.
http://redearslider.com/forum/index.php.

They will probably be able to help you quicker and with more expertise.

Well first of all.did you know that owning baby red eared sliders under 4 inches is illegal in the US? But second of all.do you have lighting and heat in the tank? Many times if the temp. of the tank is under 70 degrees or so turtles go into a kind of hibernation state where they still move and look awake but they don't eat and become less active. Turtles also need a UVB light to simulate the sun, their shells can become very soft and break apart. Without the proper heating and lighting your turtles will not grow properly and will eventually die much earlier than they should. You should really go to a small local pet store (petco and such doesn't know what they're talking about) and get the proper setup which will run you over $100 if you want to care for them the way they need to be cared for. Good luck. Email me with any other questions.

We use a turtle health conditioner called ReptoGuard. The web address on the box is WWW.TETRA-FISH.COM. We bought it at walmart. Also aside from pellets our turtles love worms, beetles, and small fish. Sometimes we will pick up some live bait fish for them. Best wishes for your turtle.

It sounds like the poor thing might have an illness, possibly pneumonia.

Review the cares and health or medial info at these sites for ideas:
http://www.redearslidercom
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com.

.could be a respiratory infection and he should be taken to a vet. in the meantime, go to turtletimes.com and look though the "first aid" section right on their front page. The people on that site have helped me with my turtles many times.

your turtle has an upper respiratory infection, find a vet and get your pet over there asap

HELLO ! I AM FROM ARGENTINA ! I AM GOING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION BY SAYING THAT YOUR TURTLE HAS PULMONIA.
THEY GET ILL BECOUSE HUMANS DO NOT READ BEFORE BUYING IT !!
THEY NEED CALCIUM,VITAMIN A, MULTIVITAMIN,TAKE LONG HOURS OF UVA ( 12 HS A DAY ),
THEY EAT SNAILS,WORMS,INSECTS IN GENERAL (ALL THAT MIX WITH VITAMINS AND CALCIUM )

PLEASE DO NOT PERMIT HE DIED IN YOUR HANDS !

GO TO A VET !! HE NEEDS DROGS !! WITHOUT THEM,HE WILL DIED !!

SAVE EXOTICS ANIMALS.
DO NOT BUY THEM !!
THEY ARE FREE !
YOUR HOUSE IS NOT THEIRS !
THANKS AND GO TO A VET !!

FROM ARGENTINA.
DID YOU UNDERSTAND MY ENGLISH ?

Go to the vet! Your turlte could be in mortal danger!

I need turtle advice.Please help?

2010-05-24T08:14:00.001-07:00

Hello everybody. I am hoping there is somebody here that knows a lot about turtles and can help me with my situation.

I have two red eared sliders (both about 5 years old). They continue to get bigger and bigger each time I buy a bigger tank. I now have a 50 gallon and they are out growing it and I am having a hard time cleaning the tank and taking good care of them like I know they deserve. Basically, I want to let them go. I don't have a problem finding them a home, but what I want to know is: would this be healthy for them? To leave their only home? Should they stay together wherever they go? And lastly, I live by a big swamp and I was thinking of leaving them there. There is is plently of water, dry spots, grass, the whole shabang. But there are also other animals like snakes and such. Would it be okay for me to leave them there? Even though winter is coming up. Will they die?

I need help! I could give them to somebody who will keep both of them but something tells me they will be happier out in nature.
Answers:
if u have a back yard you can buy a pond at home depo for cheap and u can make the habitat their and u can have them their and during winter bring them in side in another pond with a light cleaning the pond is easy trust me i have 4 5years old red eared sliders thats wat i did

They grow because you give them bigger tanks. 2 could easily live in a 10 gallon.Once they reach a certain size, they wont grow any bigger, the size is ussually around 5 to 7 inches. But since they are that big already, you probably could bring them to a pet store or as long as their aren't too many raccoons around the swamp they should be okay
Red ear sliders shouldn't be able to out grow a 50 gallon tank, maybe you just think they are.
Also it depends on where you live because they don't get that much cold weather where they're native to.
Food sources are one of the main thing to worry about along with (as mentioned above) teperature a turtle thats been in captivity wouldn't be as resourceful as a wild one.
And depending on where you live, a large slider shouldn't fall prey to many snakes it may even eat them

Our compassionate instinct to release pets is laudable, but sadly wrong. Released pets are no longer habituated to the wild diet or lifestyle, out of sync with the natural rythyms, unfamiliar with good hibernation sites, and most importanly- immune to our diseases. which they will then spread to others that are not immune.

If you feel the need to release them, please aim for a city park lagoon or other place that is totally surrounded by people. In that sort of a setting they will not infect the wild population- although the odds are they will not live out the rest of their natural life-span there.

It is recommended that you try a wildlife or reptile recovery place, your local herpetological society or reptile club, offering them for free at the local pet shop, etc. first.

To answer other questions:
- Healthy? Wild is the healthiest, an outdoor pond is next best, an indoor tank is the last option. Even though the wild is healthier, however, they live the longest in captivity- as do many wild animals.
- Stay together? Probably not- they do not form mating pairs or strong social bonds.
- Snakes etc.? The predators we worry about are nto snakes, which rarely eat turtles, but dogs, coyotes, racoons, skunks, etc. Some fish will eat babies, but not 5"ers.

This is always a tough decision- good luck!

xanadu625 knows very little about turtles. Turtles will grow regardless of the tank size you put them in. Anyone that keeps turtles should know this. It's not recommended to release captive turtles in the wild because they aren't used to surviving on their own. They are used to having the food brought to them. They've never had to deal with predators and other things that they may encounter in the wild. As far as keeping them together. You don't really have to keep them together. Turtles are not social animals. The only time you'll really see them interacting is mating pairs and territorial fighting. It's cool that you're turtles get along but I'm sure they wouldn't miss each other too much if they were apart.

my daughter has 2 of them and the mistake you made was getting bigger tanks . they wouldn't have gotten any bigger if the tank would have remained the same size . she has hers in a 100 gallon tank and they are about 1 foot in diameter at the shell . she is leaving hers go because of a divorce and they will survive . the swamp sounds great for them . don't worry about the wild animals , turtles are not worth their time to eat . to much work getting to them .

Umm, yeah. Boober was right, these guys have no clue about turtles. Babies are about 2-3 inches long. If you put them in a deli cup, they'd still out-grow it. If turtles don't grow it's because you aren't feeding them correctly. Letting turtles go in the wild has one problem Boober missed, winter. Most captive born turtles have never had to hibernate, and don't necessarily know how. Pretty quick death right there. If you want them to live long and healthy? Find a zoo.

I think u should sell them because u have had them for 5 yrs so i wouldnt let them go because they are useed to be given food and if u let them go in a swamp they still could die becausethey might not know what is goin on andthey might not die just go back to ur house or maybee u should build a pen out side and feed them every day just make sure no harmful animals can get in

Your situation is all TOO common.. in fact, 1000s of people and more all over the world is experiencing this and that is why there are many ferrel populations of RES. RES are bred by the 10s of millions in the southern US, mostly Lousianna each year and most of them are exported. These disposible pets often die in the first year due to poor husbandry and when they do make it, the owners realise RES get too big and it takes a lot of work to provide them a good home. So, they are released in the local ecosystem and now they are all over the world from unwanted owners. They are in Europe, Asia, and all over North America, where they are not native. They are aggresive and threaten the native turtle population.

PLEASE do not release your RES. Take the responsibility and find them a good home or provide them a good home. Rescues around the country are inondated with RES. As I said, your situation is all too common.

A female RES will reach over 10" when full grown and it will need a 125-150G tank with two canister filters (i.e. Fluval 405, Filstar xP3, etc). So, you would be looking at a 200 plus gallon tank. Tanks actually are not the best ways to go. You should try plastic stock tanks or preformed ponds with a pond fiter, or better homemade filter.

Please do not be offended, but I have see and hear this story daily. I have travelled around Asia and Canada, and RES can be found in many water systems where they do not belong.

Check out www.turtleforum.com
It will provide you with more knowledge and issues about turtle keeping hobby.

no you shouldnt let housetrained pets out in the wild!!. pets are used to you giveing a certain amout food to them. if the see this unlimited about of food they will eat it all and the other animals die! they do not kno how to protect themsleves. PLEASE i beg you dont turn them to the wild! give them to a local animal shelter. just make sure turtles dont get killed there. turtles live a looooong time. you should have been responsible enough to kno this when you first got them. im not trying to be mean. many people do this. just be smart and dont endanger your swamp or turtles.

first of all you probably have 2 females since they are so large
now is the ideal time to turn them loose and you're so lucky to have a perfect location to do it, water turtles revert to wild instantly, they know how to hunt and they will find a place to hibernate, they still have 2 months before it starts getting cooler, if you're going to do it, do it now just think how happy they will be

I need to use a fogger,Can i just cover my Iguana's tank? or do i have to remove him from the home too?

2010-05-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

Answers:
Take Him/her out of the house. Reptiles have are more sensitive then we are to thinks like that. If one cigarette can cause an upper respiratory infection just think of what those foggers can do to your baby. My advise find another way to rid your home of bugs. Foggers can blow up and think how much that would cost compared to a safer method like an exterminator.

I highly suggest moving him from your home.. However Foggers are extremely dangerous and I do not reccomend them. Call your local pest control company and ask them to come to your house and spray organically. Foggers have been know to cause explosions, also you have to wash everything down afterwards. Just because your dishes are in a cupboard when it goes off does not even mean your dishes are safe. Foggers may only cost 4-10.00 but if you do a search on the dangers of foggers on the net I guarantee you would rather shell out the extra money to a pest company.

Remove him. You don't want to take any chances. The fogger can seep through the cover.

you absolutely have to take your iguana out unless you plan on burying him in the back yard no matter how much you cover the tank he will either suffocate or be poisoned by the fogger don't be lazy take your iguana out of the house

Move the iguana. It will kill your pet.

I'd remove him and his tank.

I am asuming it is a flea bomb or something.you can't cover him well enough without cutting off air circulation. The bast thing to do is remove the animal in a portable carrier and take it with you when you leave the house. when you get back, the whole tank and all of the decor must be washed with ammonia and new substrate needs to be added. It can be deadly to reptiles.

remove anything that breathes from the house before you fog it

You don't have to use a fogger, the simple solution is to get a spray bottle and just spray him down once or twice a day. If you're wanting to use a fogger so you don't have to hassle with it, then you should not own an iguana, they require a lot of maintenance and attention. Are you talking about fogging the house for bugs? Then the above is not right. You need to remove the iguana and the tank and anything else that breathes air from the house. There's no other way.

Owner of a 4 year old, 6 foot long, male green iguana.

i need to know the care of a baby sidewinder rattlesnake?

2010-05-24T08:13:00.002-07:00

Answers:
If you don't know you have no business with it. Caring for venomous reptiles needs to be done by a professional. In most of the United States its illegal for the average joe to keep venomous reptiles. Contact your local snake rescue. They will most likely tell you to take it somewhere very remote and let it go.

Good Luck
Don't get bit.

Very carefully
Peace

are you kidding? cut its damn head off!

The baby snake should be released back into the wild. It shouldn't be kept as a pet.

Baby rattlesnakes are much more venimous than the larger ones. If it bites you, you will get very sick. But they eat bugs, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles. If it's mouth is large enough to open wide enough they eat baby mice. But the snakes mouth has to be big enough to swallow the mouse or it will get stuck and the snake can't dislodge it. The snake will die. Once a snake eats something to big the snake can't spit it out because it has fangs and mouth parts that trap the critter. I have seen a snake die because it got a quail stuck in it's mouth. I get rattlesnakes from people who bring dead ones to me. I have also killed my own. I tan the hides and make earrings and hatbands. Yes, I am a female. BE VERY CAREFUL. YOU ARE DEALING WITH SOMETHING THAT CAN KILL YOU.

release the snake back into the wild. If it is sick then get it to a vet that deals with this kind of animal. and if it looks like it is going to die then kill it and be done with it. this is not an animal that one keeps as a pet.

dont neven think of it u shouldn't even have them without a dageours snakes permit if you have don't get biten if u haven't got watch noone grasses on u better get rid give them to a good petshop

What are you doing with a rattlesnake? If you have to ask you don't need one. Actually you don't need one anyways, even if you don't have to ask. Pick it up and pet it. They love that. And the Darwin award goes to you.

i need to know everything about box turtles!?

2010-05-24T08:13:00.001-07:00

my step-dad just got a box turtle and we need to know every thing!! he is paying me to do this so that is why i am doing this.i did my reashurch before i got my new pet.i got guinea pigs!! gizmo and gabrela
Answers:
http://www.marietta.edu/~mcshaffd/boxt/c.
http://www.soultones.com/turtles.htm.
http://www.anapsid.org/box.html.
http://www.billsboxturtles.com/.
http://www.tortoise.org/general/boxcare..
^ nice site. ^
http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il..

Good luck, I haven't any idea about these guys.

they make lousy watch dogs

http://www.boxturtlesite.org/

Just go to the sites listed:

If you did all your RESEARCH all ready why are you asking here? Go to http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. They have really great care sheets for all kinds of pet turtles.

THE BEST place to get box turtle info is http://www.turtleexchange.com/forum/. We have a section dedicated JUST TO box turtles. Care sheets and more!

i need to know different kinds of sharks?

2010-05-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

i need to know species of sharks for my report in college. i already have the tiger shark, great white shark, gummy shark, hammerhead shark, and the white spotted tiger shark i just need 5 more different kinds of sharks but, i dont know any more
Answers:
First of all, you finally got the right person for this answer (look at my name here.). Secondly, the only gummy shark I know of is sold in candy stores. There is also: Cat Shark, Cow Shark (don't believe me, look it up!), Bonnet Head Shark (hammerhead family), Mako, Blue, Black-Tip, White-Tipped Reef, Whale, Goblin, Megamouth, Basking, Angel Shark (which actually in the ray family), Cookiecutter and Nurse Sharks, just to name a few dozen. I would also suggest looking them up on the net if you want any other details on them.
I have to agree with another answer on the fact that sharks are not reptiles. They are in the family of cartilaginous fishes.

I just looked and there IS a such thing as a Gummy Shark, you can see a pic in the source listing.

I'd open up Yahoo, click on images %26 search for shark.

I;'ve just done so %26 already found one that you don't have, the grey nurse shark.

Just clicking on the photo will take you to a website where you can find out more about this endangered species.

Plus, you get to see some pretty amazing photos while you're looking.

Black tipped reef shark
Nurse shark
Basking shark
(Think someone pulling your chain with "gummy shark?")

there is a whale shark as well.

Sand Shark, Bull Shark, Basking Shark, Nurse Shark, Whale Shark, Black Tip Reef Shark, White Tip Reef Shark, Blue Shark, Mako Shark.

And there really is a gummy shark - cool!

http://library.thinkquest.org/j0110481/d.

dont forget about the whale shark

um.
ya, these people have named a few of the 1000's of sharks-
one hint-
sharks arn't reptiles!

Whale Sharks, Sand Tiger sharks,dog fish shark,white tipped sharks, black tipped sharks, nurce shark, great hammered sharks, mako shark, thats all i can remember

I need to identify a snake we found in our home?

2010-05-24T08:12:00.003-07:00

It was about 18" long. strong bodied. diamond head shape. Mostly black but with very dark grey boa-like markings. no rattler and smooth skin, not scaly. I never saw it's eyes. It was alive but seemed very calm and not agressive. When I picked it (with extreme care and a towel) up it had a lighter colored underbelly. I live in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. Can anyone help?
Answers:
if i am correct puerto vallarta is also known for alot of water snake. i wonder if this could be your case.

in any fact the best thing when in doubt leave it alone.

1. killing a snake cause it is poisionous? i wish someone would kill you for being ignorant.

2. diamond head is poionous? when humans born some heads are coned should we kill them? retard diamond head means nothing. try contacting your local wild life recource or even the federales.

fangs or no fangs? rattle or not?

HELL,I DON'T KNOW BUT YOU KEEP IT THERE.

seems harmless

could be a garden snake, i was bitten by a milk or coral snake, they look the same and i was ok even tho i was given antibiotics but t answer your question i believe it might be a king cobra but in mexico thats rare, maybe someones pet since its calm and w/o scars, id call a vet/zoo/cop or kill it with a knife

diamond shaped head means it is poisonous. get the thing out of the house or kill it now.

garter snake, corn snake, gophersnake

is this the snake your talking about http://www.vivanatura.org/conopsis%20lin.

if so its rear fanged and only mildly venomous to humans.. just leave it alone and defialntly dont kill it thats just fuct up.

to the poster about the dimond head thing.. thats a load of crap. almost every python and boa has a dimond shaped head along with many colubrids.. please dont post about someting you know nothing about.

i need to find a new home for a turtle how do i do this?

2010-05-24T08:12:00.002-07:00

Answers:
1. Contact the local animal shelter, wildlife rescue, etc.

2. Put up flyers are local pet shops

3. Contact the local Herpetological Society (reptile club).

With these options, you should find a home for it within a week or so.

Go to an animal shelter or pet store.

Look for a turtle classified site or forum in google.com

The humane society takes animals of all kinds, but you might also want to advertise at a pet store or a pet food store. You may also want to look up the wildlife conservation authority in your area if it is a native species. Put advertisements on local free for sale websites in your area.
Any one of these could help. I would use the humane society as a last resort.

ask the vet if he knows anyone that wants a turtle. if he don't then ask him if it would be ok if you put an ad up at the vet.

Check with some of your friends. My son had a Gecko lizard that we had to find a home for and he gave him to a friend. That was 7 years ago and his friend still has him. Worked out fine and my son gets to keep tabs on "Mattie" the Gecko. You may also put an ad in the classifieds of your local newspaper.

it depends, if a turtle loses it's shell, is it naked or homeless? joke! I would go to the local animal shelter or the local vets and ask if you can put up flyers, Turtle free. has own home!. or something like that. You might also check with the local elememtary schools, some times the science teachers have quiet animals in their rooms, my son's 2nd grade teacher had a ball python named Martin. Good luck on the relocation.

what type of turtle is it?

I need to convince my mum to get a lizzard?

2010-05-24T08:12:00.001-07:00

I REALLY REALLY WANT a bearded dragon. but my mum says no. I am really ready for the responsibilty
Answers:
show her how responsible you are by helping her with the chores and cleaning your room, doing well in school and stuff like that, then explain to her at the end that she could see how responsible you've become and that you will maintain it

hope this helps :)
also, if you get the chance, please leave Comments or sign my Guestmap, Thanx :)
========================
http://www.realityisautomatic.com.

Search (local phone book/Internet) for a pet store that takes in reptiles that have been abandoned. Go in with your mom and discuss your options with the shop keeper. They will either confirm you are ready or let you know why you are not ready. Also if you get a pet from this shop and you find it is too much, you can bring it back. You won't get your money back, but the pet will be safe and happy.

show her your responsible by various things and say show her you've over looked to idea of having a pet lizard

bearded dragons are a beautiful reptile.they are kind of stupid as they tend to stop in the middle of the road.as a defence.i have had on a few occassions had to stop the car %26 move them. I do have a problem with them being kept in captivity. I also have a problem with breeding cockroaches to feed em.hate cockies

leave em run free %26 enjoy them in the wild

Are you ready for the responsibility.? You should be coz keeping pet is not a joke.Have her inform that there's nothing wrong in taking one specially when your're young coz it helps them to be more responsible.,caring..,%26 attentive when they grow up.Best of luck..

i came up to the same situation my self(but its still a no)you should tell her that you some day could be a conservationist ,help animals and stuff.and if needed use the puppy dogeyes

tell her that you cannot live any longer without either the lizard. or 2 goats.

Find a local reptile rescue or animal shelter that takes in reptiles and spend a few months volunteering there, helping to feed, and clean up after the reptiles there. After a while (a few months, not a few weeks) discuss with your mother the option of fostering (taking care of until they are adopted by a new home) a lizard from the rescue. This will give you the chance to show your parents that you are ready for a lizard, and your parents might be open to the idea since it would not be a permanent pet. But of course if your mother has a fear of reptiles (which many people do) you will most likely have to wait to get one until you are old enough to move out of the house.

As a mom I would take into consideration on if you have had pets in the past or even currently and how well you took care of them. If i'm not mistaken bearded dragons can have saome drawbacks have you did research on them to get all the information on them and thier enfiroment or normal habitat. Showing your mom you know what a bearded dragon's life and the things required to take care of it would be a step in the right direction.

I need snake help!?

2010-05-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

I want a kind of snake that eats crickets and small insects what kind of snake eats that?
Answers:
Get a garter snake. Crickets and worms will do the job.

grass snake

Hello again, Kaisy G. Garter snakes will eat some insects, though usually are content with a diet of small fish, slugs, nightcrawler worms, waxworms, and small mice. The Rough Green snake is sometimes available and it eats crickets %26 other small insects, but they tend to be a bit more delicate than Garters or Corns. I'd go for a Corn if I were you, I think overall they're the easiest of the three to keep.

I have one of the best snakes ever. There is a type of grass snake called a Rough Earth Snake. it eats nothing but crickets and insects, grows to be about a foot long MAXIMUM, and doesn't bite. I have one right now, and it's a wonderful snake. He's very calm and easy to maintain.

they dont eat things like that!how silly?!they only eat rats and mice.if you do get a snake dont never feed him that!you have gotten that confused with lizzards and gekos.snakes only eat mice and rats like i said.and sometimes they will eat a gerbal or a hampster or a bunny but only if they are an adult though.please you need not to feed him that!that is if you decide to buy you one.
blessed be,
Lord Ashka Darkness )O(

Sorry Lord Ashka Darkness, snakes don't only consist of pythons. There are many snakes that is simply to small to feed on mice.

The answer; In South Africa where I'm from we have these cute little snakes called Common Slug Eaters and as per the name, they eat only slugs they also make very cute little snakes not growing over a foot in length. The other option you have is getting a Egg Eater. Yes the have a special "spike" in there mouth that allows them to eat eggs.

If this is the first snake you are going to buy I'd suggest you rather stick to corn snakes and feed them mice. As they are alot more forgiving when it comes to keeping mistakes.

Hope this helps.

There are not many snakes which live entirely on insects. The most commonly available ones in the US are the rough green snake and (occasionally) the smooth green snake.

They're beautiful snakes, but I wouldn't recommend one for your first try at snake keeping. Because they're insect eaters, they can be rather tricky to feed. Unless you really like having to make a trip to the pet shop a couple of times a week, getting calcium/vitamin powder to stick to a bunch of disgruntled crickets, and dealing with annoyed family members when some of the little chirpers stage a jailbreak, you might want to consider a snake with more practical dietary habits. Also, they tend to be very skittish and hard to handle -- given the chance, they take off like little green rockets. Because they are very active, they need large cages. Mine is in a 20 tall and really needs more space than that.

I'd recommend a corn snake. Not a baby -- they sometimes won't eat -- but a yearling. Make sure you get one that's eating frozen. Then you just need to thaw out a frozen mouse of the proper size (you can get them in multi-packs either mail order or from your pet shop), warm it up (put it in a baggie in hot water), and put it in the food dish. Corn snakes are docile, remain a convenient size, and have been bred in many interesting colors.

By the way, for the misinformed individual who thinks snakes only eat mice or occasionally rats: There are snakes that eat almost anything except plants. Among the various species of snakes are species which eat worms, fish, slugs, eggs, other snakes, amphibians, lizards, insects, and, of course, nearly every size of mammal.

non that i know of

I need names for a ball python, any suggestions?

2010-05-24T08:11:00.003-07:00

Nothing stupid, like Fluffy. Actually, that would be funny, but not to name my snake. I want nice names, like Chloe or something.
Answers:
kiwi
lily
anian
lana
jade
ruby
skittle
lime

Are you looking for girl names only? I like the name Numchuck, but it's not very feminine.

Monte.as Monte Python

Name him Neville Flynn. Samuel L. Jackson would be proud.

name it snakey XD

ijuubhububybgiuguytfv

monty

Rover?
Or how about Py?

hmmm..
jiggy.
just a suggestion. :)

slimy molly

i never named my reptiles. my wife made me name my ball when I got her, so I named her boot. as in thats what she was gonna be if she bit me.

what about Snookie? I like it,its cute

I like*if its a boy:

1.Yuki
2.King Solomon
3.Galamonn
4.Ultimus Prime
5.Salvator

I like*if its a girl:

1.Alfina
2.Valatine
3.Kiris
4.Yuffie *XD
5.Tiras

Love To Brainstorm, Wish You Best of Luck on your Ultimate decision, I own a cornsnake I adopted out of petco so I know
"snake naming" can be tough, but we "snake owners" always
come up with the best!

Splashdance, Cubic Zirconia, Apple, Cheese Puff, Xena, Jane (from Tarzan).

Alithea.Beppy..pooboo

Medusa..

I have several suggestions..how about:
Monty,
Tyler, or
Parthneon?
Is your python a female?
Then, how about:
Yvonne,
Thelma,
Yolonda,
Patty,
Shorty,
Typon,
or
Phyliss?
I hope you like some of these names?
Just out of curiousity.what colors are on the skin of a ball python??
A curious Yahoo responder

hmm.in the bible they say snakes are evil or something like that so what about like a dark dominatrix name or something evil like sugar or maybe tonto? jesabelle..i would try to think of something dark, maybe hippyish or like a hooker name..thatd be good

bubba or slim sound good.

Indiana

I named mine MyLove, cause i love her so much. ^^

My other snake i named Mnemosyne, the Greek personification of memory. Or Seshomaru, just cause im a dork. XD

Heidi
Sadie
Athena
Autumn

Those are some of my faves.

I used to call mine Tito, but it was a male..maybe sisi or melo

I named my girl ball python Shye. I like unique names like that. If you like unique names you could look into elvish names or different languages to find something you like.

CHEEBA!

KAA - the snake from the jungle book. my personal favorite.

Name it "Nguma." Nguma means python in the Lingala language, which is spoken in the western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. There are a lot of pythons there.

I need information on my aquatic frog.?

2010-05-24T08:11:00.002-07:00

I just got an aquatic frog. Do they do well with guppies? What temp water do the do best in? Do they need airated (sp?) water?

And any other info you can give me!
Answers:
They will be fine with Guppies and any other peaceful Tropical Community fish. Temps should be 76-78 degrees, but temps between 68-84 are ok. If you don't want to clean the tank often than a filter is a good idea but be careful,choosing a filter some frgs get caught on the intake valve and drown. African Dwarf Frogs, do not have gills, so they swim to the top to get air. The top of your tank, should not have any large gaps, or they will escape. You can feed frozen blood worms.

You can find more good info at, http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/mypets/dwa.

Aquatic frogs are amizingly resilient! We found 4 in an abandoned apartment over a year ago, they'd been there several days,/ a week ?--the water was all nasty --REALLY nasty %26 almost evaporated completely--We cleaned up the tank, etc %26 I still have 2--one commited suicide (jumped out of the temporary housing --a bucket--while we cleaned the aquarium--the other developed a cyst or something that swelled one side out of shape--I had to flush him--didn't want it to spread--the other two are fat %26 happy. We feed them dried worms. they are in a community tank, currently w/10 neons %26 a sword tail--used to have a snail %26 2 rosey barbs,( they didn't survive the trip across country this summer.) We enjoy their sillyness. Hope you enjoy yours too. Oh, btw, no need to fish out the fish that die--they will happily eat them for you.

Well, for the most part, all frogs are "aquatic" in that they need water of some sort to lay eggs.that's what makes them amphibians. Some frogs spend more time in the water than other frogs. It depends what type of frog you have. All adult frogs breathe air directly from the atmosphere, so they do not need aerated water like your fish do. It is a good idea to have some place where they can rest and either be completely out of the water or at least rest on something where they can stick their heads out. I don't know what type of aquarium you have, but there is always the risk of them jumping out. Here is a good web site to do some research and find out more about what specific type of frog you have.

http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/doctor/com.

What kind of aquatic frog do you have?

If you have a African Dwarf Frog.they do just fine with guppies, they don't NEED aeration but it is best to have a filter with them to keep the water clean, and they are tropical so 75-80 degrees is best.

If you have an African Clawed Frog (looks just like the african dwarf,excluding the albinos). they don't do well with guppies because they reach a length of 5 inches and they like to eat fish, temp also 75-80 degress and they do need a filter because of their size.

I need ideas Building an Iguana Cage**?

2010-05-24T08:11:00.001-07:00

I have an Iguana and she is getting so big! I need ideas on how to build her a cage.
I need someone who has experiance in Iguanas for this question.
Best answer gets the points.
Answers:
The best thing you can do for your adult Ig is to build an ultimate habitat complete with climbing limbs, resting/basking spots, humidity and temperature control, and it must be interesting. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER ABOUT IGS IS 85 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IS THE OPTIMAL TEMPERATURE FOR GROWTH AND OVERALL GOOD HEALTH. You have to be able to control the temperature inside th habitat year round so it is not a good idea to use screening, fabric, or mesh because you will loose all the heat. Also this type of material may get caught in your Igs finger and toe nails which in turn can break off and become infected. I have two Igs and I have built them each a 6'x6'X2' plexiglass/PVC habitat. This is the reccomended size for an adult Ig. You need to be able to maintain temperature and humidity so it is important to build a closed habitat. On one end of my habitat I built in hinges so I could open the plexiglass like a door. All of the sides are plexiglass and the frame is built of PVC so it is super light. I have supplied climbing branches, resting/basking spots in the top, middle, and bottom of the tank, bricks and rocks for scratching dead skin, tubs of water for swimming and bathing (and to control humidy), and a platform to hold the food and drinking water at the top of the enclosure. You also must remeber that fresh air needs to move in and out of the enclosure or it may grow mold and fungus which can also grow on your Ig. Supplying fesh air is simple, cut a vent near the bottom of the habitat on one side about 5 in long and 2 inches wide, horizontally. On the opposite side cut a vent in the same fashion as the first only near the top of the enclosure. This will move air into and out of the tank naturally. You can install a fan or vent cover if you like. All of the lights (basking, UV, and night) should be on timers to control the hours of daylight and temperature. I chose not to install a self humidfying system, instead I mist my Igs and the entire habitat several times daily to keep them hydrated plus it gives me an opportunity to bond with and handle them more often. The enclosed habitat will keep heat and humidity in which are EXTREMELY important for proper Ig care. Keep the substrate clean and dry at all times (except when misting; it will evaporate on it's own) and practice proper husbandry and shouldn't have any problems. Remember to clean up any fresh feces immediately,not later, NOW as they can be harmful to your Ig if left in the environment spreading germs. I bought 1.5 in PVC at my local Home Depot in 10 foot lengths and cut it to size. I connected the frame with PVC glue and PVC corners. The PVC supplies cost me about $50. The plexiglass depending on how thick you want it can range anywhere from $100+ to complete the project. The plexiglass can be glued to the frame using clear silicone adhesive (like the kind used around tubs) that way you dont have to worry about nails or screws which can be dangerous (and btw will crack the PVC). Also the silicone will seal all the edges so warm air and humidity can't escape. For each habitat I built it cost about $200. It seems expensive but I don't care. I am just concerned with providing a "real" home for my iguanas. Good luck!

I don't have an iguana but I have a friend who had one that was 6 foot! I think he converted an old piece of furniture, like a wardrobe, into the cage he made for his iguana. He bought the wardrobe at a garage sale I think.

I am going through this same thing right now.. Here are the sites i went to to look at examples. It depend on where you keep him, how much space you have and is he indoors or outdoors. I have no idea the climate where you live.. You might be okay with something made out of screen or mesh or you may need plexiglass. Look at these site. Also if you live in a really warm climate check out the Retariums. You can get huge ones for cheap.. They are not my favorite but in the right enviroment they can work for little cost.

I am going through the same thing as well. There are some great ideas on the web. I will be custom building a cage to fit in the corner of my living room. I am planning 5x5x6 feet tall. I live in a cold dry climate, so I will be building in a humidifier and the front will be mesh with a plexiglass cover for the cold season. I am going to try to make it look really nice, like a display case, with a jungle painted background, but I have to make it easy to clean and well ventilated too. I would like it to look natural inside, like the smaller cage I have now. For climbing, i bought some pvc tubing (2 1/2" dia) and glued sisal rope around it and this works really well for exercis and a basking spot. Look under images on the web, for a lot of great ideas and then adapt them.

here is a site that might help you it has plans for reptile cages

http://www.lizardcages.fws1.com/iguanawo.

I've never done it, but one idea I saw and loved was converting an unused closet to an iguana home.

Replace the door with a glass and screen storm door and seal it well so you can control the air flow. Paint the walls with a latex sealant, like KILZ Latex, to protect them from the high humidity. Put up some plastic liner or shower liner if possible. (By the way- a free-standing shower enclosure works well, too!)

Line the floor and up part of the walls with heavy duty plastic, then put a few inches of 'litter' down to catch wastes and make cleaning as easy as scooping.

Rig up a BUCH of branches, ropes, vines, etc. The easiest way is to just nail them to the walls, but some people rig up big potted trees and so forth. include some food stations, etc.

Rig up a misting system, a lighting system, a couple different kinds of heaters, etc.

we took a large dog cage, put plexiglass on sides fso heat stays, we then ut our heat and light lamps on top, we took the divider and made a modified basking shelf covered with carpet, the bottom slides out making it easy to clean

like the first lady said try finding old wardrobe closet or big cabinets put screen on door and you have a habitat add lights, branches etc.. thats what i use a old jacket closet and a old wardrobe closet big enough for my huge iguanas.

Unless you're absolutely set on building a cage of your own, try Cages by Design. I just bought a cage from them. They're sorta expensive, but by the time you get done buying all the material and the time spent building it, might be a good idea buying one thats pre-made, durable and easy to take apart and put back together. Just a thought.

www.cagesbydesign.com has really cool cages. Check it out. You can make your own cage and just buy the extra stuff too. That鈥檚 what I did.

I need HELP. Just found a snake on my back porch in Queensland Australia. It's green with a yellow belly.

2010-05-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

Answers:
It could be a tree snake which is not dangerous, but on the other hand, it could be a green mamba, or some other time of highly venomous snakes! Dont go close now, we don't know!

that sounds like the old green and yellow belly
eye of jealousy there
if i was you i would get rid of it as quickly as possible
may God bless you

http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/snake/.

Info here about many snakes, including a yellow-bellied water snake (green).

What do you need help with? Instructions on how to let it go on it's way?

Looking at pictures of snakes in Australia, it looks like there are only 2 candidates for your snake and both are quite venemous
The Tiger Snake which is a land snake and the Yellow-bellied Sea Snake. Here are descriptions on the first link and pictures on the second.

Please be careful and stay away from it.

its just a green tree snake not venomis and they are very scitish so if you go with in just a couple of meters of it it should run away

sounds like a pope's tree viper. leave it alone and leave through the back door

I need HELP!?

2010-05-24T08:10:00.003-07:00

I just caught a baby lizard. I don't know what it is. It has a blue throat and brown skin with black mini stripes. Do you know what it is and how to care for it?
Answers:
Let the poor thing go. Wild animals are NOT PETS!! If you want a pet lizard, DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST, and once you actually know what you're doing, go and buy a lizard that was bred and raised in captivity, not some poor creature you ripped from its natural habitat.

LET IT GO FREE!!

how bout you just let it go?? anything you catch should be released back where ytou found it. and it might not be a baby just a small lizard

give it to the humane society

You should let the poor thing go. It will be so stressed out living in an enclosed place. It is a wild animal.

Why would you catch it? Just let it go back into the wild where it belongs.

dont play with it if you dont know what it is. it could harm u.

Go to the library and get a few books on lizards. For starters, buy an enclosure and put a water bowl in it, a heat pad, and put a cricket or two inside of the enclosure. You can get them from the pet shop, too. Otherwise, let it go. Just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling.

lol its a blue belly lizard also called a Western Fence Lizard , scientific name Sceloporus occidentalis
they eat other insects.but the baby you can feed it meal worms

i recomend going to library but you should also let it go

ok 1. you can not have a wild pet inless you have a permit.

2.if its ok with your parants.

Wild animals can carry all kinds of bacteria and disease. You should just let him go.

Also, the smaller the animal, the less room for error. If you do make a mistake with caring for it, it could cost the animal its life. It's a wild animal, just let him back outside where he can live out his life.

probably a common brown anole.
I suggest you let it go unless you want to stress it to death.

Check these websites and see if any match it and tell me which one and i'll tell ya more about it! message me which one ya think it is at mruniverse16@yahoo.com.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h.

you should take it to a pet doctor if you want to save it if have any more questions than go to shcrissony@yahoo.com

here's a good idea.let it go back to where you found it, the poor little thing must be so scared.besides you don't know how to care for it, so if you ask me letting it go is the best idea.

I need help! My baby turtles' eyes look weird.?

2010-05-24T08:10:00.002-07:00

He can't open his eyes they look swollen or something. What do you think it could be?
Answers:
You shoud take him to the vet he sounds like he has a respiratory infection. If not treated it ill progress and he will die. To find a herp vet in your area check these links, http://www.nytts.org/nytts/helpnet.htm.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vets_for_h.

For more info on RI, respiratory infection read this,

Respiratory infection: Symptoms include difficulty breathing, breathing with the mouth open, discharge or mucus in the nose (bubbles appear in nostrils), frequent sneezing, lethargy, and lack of appetite. Preliminary treatment of these symptoms should be to increase the temperature of the enclosure to at least 85 degrees and eliminate any cold drafts from the room. If this is an aquatic turtle, make sure the water isn't too cold. Check your pet often to see if the symptoms improve over the next couple of days. If they do, continue treatment until the turtle is 100%. If the symptoms do not go away, or get worse, see a vet immediately. Respiratory infections can accelerate to pneumonia quickly, and will usually be fatal.

I agree with Madgins, you should review your care, but since this is a baby, I am sorry to say, he was probably sick when purchased. If you need more help, do not hesitate to email me. Also check out a forum I am a member of. Lots of great people who are always happy to help! http://www.turtleexchange.com/forum/inde.

He probably has some kind of eye infection. Call your zoo or the pet store and see if they can advise you.
The vet is always and option but if this can't be done you may want to try a very very small amount of anit-biotic cream in one eye to see if it helps.
Get the clear cream or ask the pharmacist to suggest something.

it sounds like and infection. from the water hes in maybe? there is something in the reptile section at petstores to treat this. there is a number of causes that can make these symptoms(bacteria,fungus,poiso.

For a good article on this, try: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/care/me.

There are three major reasons for this:
1.) Injury- not likely if both eyes are swollen.

2.) Vitamin A deficiency (common with many 'junk food' diets many keepers are told to use)

3.) Water quality. If the tank is clean and has ZERO odor, it might have too much chlorine or other chemicals in it.

General 'hospital mode' care:

A- Review the care and diet of your turtle at a site like http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. Identify any problems or glitches you might have and correct them. (Sadly, many keepers are following totally wrong info goven to them by well-meaning but uniformed people)

B- Clean the tank totally, or replace it if it is too small. Aim for 10 gallons of water per inch of turtle. If your water is chemically or nasty, use any cheap bottled water.

C- Boost tank temps a little. Instead of the usualy 75-80, try 80-85 in the water and 95 on the basking sites.

D- Minimize stress- noises, vibrations, movement near the tank, handling, being stared at by giants, etc.

E- Offer a high-quality turtle pellet food- go with the best you can afford for a month, then you can combine a more reasonable food and supplement it with live fish fods like worms and feeder fish.

F- Monitor things for a week or two. If they are getting worse, see a vet. If getting better, great. if the same, wait another week.

G- After about a month of hospital care, shift back to regular mode, but be sure to continue providing good care.

see awnsers above.

Let the turtle heal on its own , my turtles got that a few time and they are doing fine

Take it to an exotic animal vet soon.

I need help with my turtle?

2010-05-24T08:10:00.001-07:00

Well I have had him for two years ive tried to feed him but he wont eat what i feed him last summer i had him outside and i thought i lost him the whole winter went by and my cat found him outside under a bunch of leaves this summer. He was still alive now i bring him in the house at night but i leave him in my backyard during the day he loves the rain i guess he eats outside cause he poops in my house but now that its about to be winter again i want to bring him in the house but i dont know how to take care of him being that he's been fending for hisself i dont even know what kind of turtle he is can anyone help please
Answers:
Trying to psychically determine the species with absolutely no description in the question. hmmm.. nothing so far.

OK, I'm going to guess you have a box turtle, possibly an Eastern/Carolinian based on the 'likes rain' bit.

Check out http://www.boxturtlesite.org and http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. for help with identifying your turtle and how to care for it. (I like Austin's better for care, but it can sometimes be awkward to find stuff there- lots of info!)

You may want to consider just keeping it a 'garden pet' if it has done OK for two years! It will over-winter in a spot that is decently drained, keeps a reasonably steady temp of near freezing but not too much lower, has a little moisture, etc. You CAN duplicate these conditions indoors, but it is hard. Make another big leaf pile (toss some branches on top to hold it together) and let it find a spot it likes.

Most turtles will do far better in a mediocre outdoor habitat than they will in even a good indoor pen- especially box turtles if you are in their natural range!

(By the way- an earlier answer on this thread was mistaken on two points- 'turtles are meat eaters' is mostly wrong. Most turtles eat a mixture of meat and vegetation, depending on species and age. Some turtles truly do only eat meat- but others eat almost totally plants. The next problem is the 'hamburger' recommendation. NO turtle will be healthy eating hamburger- it is too rich, too fatty, and has a terrible nutrient mix for turtles. Fish or chicken is more common for the meat eaters.)

Turtles are meat eaters. There is also turtle food at pet stores. Raw hamburg is a favorite of many turtles. The bathroom would be an ideal climate to keep him in.

You first need to figure out what kind of turtle it is, so you know what its ideal diet is. Pet stores carry food specifically for turtles, and you can also buy live food (grasshoppers, etc) there. Set up a tank for him for an enclosure, and make sure that you have appropriate sater supplies and a heat source. Any good pet store can help you figure out what all you need.

well i have 6 turtles 1 wood and he is orange 3 red eared sliders and they have a red line on each side of there face and to easteren paitnted and they have red poka dots feed it worms and fruit they love that

you probably have a box turtle, it would probably be best to leave it outside and let it hibernate for the winter
to feed it - cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, squash, collards chopped up, chicken based canned dog food, most fruits and vegetables, you just have to try them to see what he likes
most turtles like red foods

turtles like meat when they are younger, but prefer fruits and vegetables as they age. try cutting things like apples and pears in little chunks for him, you haven't said how big he (or she) is. i have three different breeds and they all love apples and pears, small mealworms and earthworms, i have a wood turtle that will not eat any type of store bought food. you can go to turtles.com and help identify your type of turtle. good luck!

I need help with a chinese water dragon!?

2010-05-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

He keeps jumping at the top of the cage sometimes hanging upside down. I am going to get a taller one for him in the future but I need a quick fix for now because I do not have the money for it. I have put in things for him to climb on but he ignores them. Also he shed about a week ago and now his skin has a kind of ashy look near his back legs and around his head. He is really worrying me I don't know if he is dry or if he is about to shed again but it seems to soon to be doing that. I try to keep the humidity dry, have a big pool of water for him and have a hot/cold area so I dont really know what i am doing wrong here
Answers:
Your dragon sounds all right to me.
An adult Chinese water dragon (over 2 years) needs a cage 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. I made my own cage for mine. Some of them rub their snouts raw on glass, so I ended up using a half-inch fencing mesh for the sides, which they didn't rub on. I used a wooden framework. Then I had some shelves and climbing structures. There were some areas in the cage heated and others not, so they could choose where they wanted to be. Most of the time the adults stayed in unheated areas at room temperature, but they were able to warm up as needed, especially for digestion. I really enjoyed my water dragons.

it's just look like I think

Asian water dragons like to jump and do often ignore climbing things, some use them and some don't so I think this is normal, when you do have the extra money you may want to get him a larger tank. The ashey look may just be the areas that haven't shed yet.Another way for great info is just type in Asian Water Dragon care in the search bar and there are a ton of sites that can help.

Don't worry about the him jumping at the top of he screen I've watched a wild caught panther chameleon basically climb there glass for two days straight because there was a fake plant on the outside of his tank and he had and enormous enclosure lol as for the shedding problem give him a quick luke warm bath or a spray to get the skin off hope this helps.

I need help with 3 week old baby turtles?

2010-05-24T08:09:00.002-07:00

I have 2 turtles and i never see them eat. i got them the floating pellets from walmart. i don't know if they are eating and i'm not seeing it or what.. they were a gift to me and i'm trying to learn more about how to proper take care of them.also since they are just babies do they need less water in their tank i have just an inch of water now becuase when i put more water in they stay on the rock that put in there and they won't get in the water unless its shallow. also what wattage of the UV lamp do i need to have for them.since they are only babies and do i need to be giving them vitatmins or something i read somewhere about a calcium thing you put in the water and it disolves but i'm lost.please help me they are adorable but i want to do this right.oh and how do i keep down the risk of me gettin salmonela besides washing my hands after I handle them.thank you thank you, thank you!
Answers:
Ok for the not eating, read this,

* Is the turtle kept warm enough? If turtles get too cool, they will stop eating.

* Does the turtle like the food you offer? Try out different foods. Some turtles can be very finicky eaters, especially in the beginning. And they have definite likes and dislikes. Most turtles will eventually take small earthworms that are wiggling in front of their nose. Start feeding favorite foods, then slowly introduce other items.

* Is your turtle exposed to too much stress? This is often a cause in new animals. Stress can be caused by handling, traveling, tank mates. New turtles will often not eat properly for several weeks. Be patient and keep trying.

* Is your turtle healthy? Not eating can be a symptom of other problems. If your turtle has been eating well and suddenly stops, a health problem is a likely reason. Take a fecal sample to your veterinarian. (Fecal samples need to be no older than 4 hours, and you need to store them in water in the refrigerator.)

* Don't panic! A turtle can go without food for weeks, even months, and when it feels well again, it will eat again. See a veterinarian, if you think you are doing everything right, and the animal does not eat for more than 2 weeks.

This was found here.
http://www.petstation.com/waturtl.htm.

Other info:

1., take him to a Herp Vet to make sure they are healthy http://www.nytts.org/nytts/helpnet.htm.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vets_for_h.

2. get them the largest tank you can afford. A good rule of thumb is 10 gallons per inch of shell BUT they will get larger so it just makes good sense if you buy big. If you can't afford a traditional tank, get a rubbermaid bin. For substrate, use river rocks larger than the turtles head or nothing. You probably have a slider so fill the tank. Your vet will confirm what you have though.

3. Filtration is a must turtles need a clean habitat, they produce lots of waste. Try for a filter that is made for at least twice what size tank you have. For example, you buy a 20g tank, then get a filter for a 40g tank.

4. Basking, turtles need to be able to come completley out of the water to dry off. You will need to make them a spot to sun themselves. You can use a variety of things, driftwood, rocks piled up, a dock. a log. etc. You will need a special light for your basking spot to simulate the sun, its called a UVA/UVB light you need one with an output of at least 5%, but the higher the better. You also need a light for warmth, buy a clamp lamp and use a household bulb for this. Your water should be mid to high 70's with the basking spot 10 degrees higher. If you can't regulate the water temps, you will need to buy a submersible heater.

Ok now for feeding. Turtles need a varied diet. IMPORTANTWater Turtles Need to be Fed In The Water

Hatchlings
Hatchlings should be fed everyday for the first year of their lives. They should be given as much as they can eat in 10 to 15 mins time or as much as you could fit into their head if hollow. You can feed them all of it at once or you can slit it up into 2 feedings.

Hatchlings tend to be more Carnivorous than adults, so make sure to check out the suggestions of live and protein-rich foods below for how to supplement accordingly. (Make sure you still give fruits and veggies at this stage!)

Juveniles/Adults
Once your turtle reaches the 4" mark, we recommend that you change their feeding schedule to every other day. Giving them greens or live plants in between.

Adults tend to become more Omnivorous, so make sure to check out the suggestions of fruits and vegetables below.

Vitamins and Calcium
You should supplement your turtle's diet with both vitamins and calcium, every third feeding or once a week. To give them vitamins many people will give them a Vitamin Bath once a week. You can also either soak the pellets in a liquid vitamin or dampen them and roll them in a powder vitamin before feeding.

It is recommended you have a light that supplies UVA and at the very least a 5.0 UVB output. The UVB is necessary for the absorption of calcium and vitamin D3. Turtles need both calcium and Vitamin D3 for strong bones and shells.

**Feeding Tip Feedings should be done in a separate container so that you do not have to frequently change the water nor the filter media.

Common Diet Errors

Feeding Cat or Dog Food
Despite what some pet store employees may tell you, turtles should not be fed dog or cat food (Sounds insane, but we've heard it!)

Pellet Only Diets
Pellets provide many benefits, but variety is key!
Supplement their diet with veggies, live foods and some fruits. Check out our safe list below.

Giving in to Beggars
Turtles will always beg whether you give in or not- they know you are the supplier of food!
Supplement between feedings with greens or live foods they have to chase to eat. ( Iceberg lettuce is a common filler that doesn't contain much nutritional value, but will keep them content.)

Safe Feeding List

Commercial Foods (This is just a few of them on the market)
* Tetra Reptomin
* ZooMed's Aquatic Turtle Food
* Exo Terra
* Wardley's Reptile Premium Sticks
* HBH Turtle Bites

Frozen/Canned (For treats)
* Spirulina-enriched Brine Shrimp
* Bloodworms
* Plankton
* Krill
* ZooMed's Can O'Crickets, Grasshoppers, or Meal Worms

Live Foods (Carnivorous)
* Guppies or Rosies Reds (no goldfish they are too fatty and have very little nutritional value)
* Crickets (Gut-Loaded)
* Pinhead Crickets (for smaller turtles)
* Earthworms, Night Crawlers
* Ghost Shrimp
* Aquatic Snails/Apple Snails
* Slugs
* Wax Worms, Super Worms

**Be careful about Wild-Caught foods, they can carry parasites that can be transferred to your turtle. Freezing Wild-Caught foods for a month will help to kill off some parasites.

Fruits (small amounts for treats only)
* Apples
* Bananas
* Grapes
* Melon
* Tomato
* Strawberries

**Should be cut up in small, bite-size or match-like sticks that will be easy for the turtle to bite into and not choke on.

Veggies
* Squash
* Zucchini
* Carrots
* Greens- Red Leaf, Romaine, Collards, Kale, Dandelion Greens

**Stay away from Spinach. Make sure to cut the veggies in bite-size or match-like sticks so your turtle can eat them easily. Iceberg lettuce is a good filler, but contains little/no nutritional value!

Aquatic Plants
* Anacharis
* Duckweed
* Water Hyacinth
* Water Lettuce
* Water Lily

*Salmonela-To keep down the risk wash your hands after handling like you said, don't put them in your mouth and keep the water clean.

Ok I think I covered everything, make these corrections and see what happens. If you have additional questions you may email me, or you can find me at http://www.turtleexchange.com/forum/inde. It's an awesome turtle and pet forum. Great people who are happy to help. I am julia23608 on there, come check us out. Good luck with your turtle!

get a flyswatter and try giving them real food, dig up some earthworms, turtles can't resist a wriggly worm
get a good book about turtles and read it so you can take
proper care of them

see turtles are bit shy even i have two turtles i have never seen then eating but they are healthy without any problem. they move around freely. as you said the turtles sit on rock to bask they need some warmth to keep themselves warm. dont use too much of calcium and vitamins which might spoil the health of the turtles. so dont worry

1. Salmonella is mostly a problem when they are kept in dirty water, but simple handwashing after cares will protect you all the time.

2. Dissolving stuff in the water is not the best option for healthy turtles. Offer them a good diet instead.

3. UV can be tricky- the wattage of the lamp is not as important as the distance from the tank. Most articles suggest about 12" from the basking site. I position mine at 12" to start, then put my hand on the basking site. If it feels hot fast, I back it off; if I feel no temp, I move it in. I just use a blacklight bulb in a metal reflector with a ceramic (high heat) socket. Mine is also on a timer so it is on during the 'hot phase' of the day- noonish to 4ish.

4. Water depth- baby turtles NEED lots of water for proper development- aim for about 10 gallons of swimming water per inch of turtle. With 3 turtles, you should have about 30 gallons of water. Most of us use plastic tubs and kiddie pools for this.

You also need to heat and filter the water. Heat the water to 75-80 using a good thermostatically-controlled heater. Filter with LOTS of filtration. The site http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. offers lots fo advice on equipment like this.

5. Diet. Try a high-quality turtle pellet made for baby turtles and suppliment it with small, live fish foods like bloodworms. You can get this kind of stuff at most good pet shops.

Some good helpful sites are listed below:

Offer them a variety of foods--they may not realize the pellets are food. Try ground turkey, boiled chicken livers, crickets, good quality canned cat food, frozen and thawed pinkies--anything with high protein content and preferably a smell. Also I think deeper water would be good, because if they decide to get in the water and get flipped onto their backs, they could drown in the shallow water. I read somewhere that a good rule is water should be AT LEAST as deep as the total length of the largest turtle, more is better here. A good water filtration system is important to keep turtles healthy. As for vitamins, cuttlebone is a good source of calcium. Once you get them to eat, just scrape some off and mix it with their food. About salmonella-- Keep some alcohol based hand sanitizer around. I use it first, let it dry, then wash my hands in hot soapy water.

I am going to assume that you have baby water turtles most likely red ear sliders. They need about three to four inches of water in the tank. They will not drown. They also need a basking site which is an area where they can get out of the water and warm up under a heat source, usually a light bulb. They should spend time both in the water and on the basking site. You can jump start their eating habits by giving them a bit of shrimp or raw fish or even lean lunch meat. I would place it on their basking rock as it will make a mess in the water. They do require vitamin A or they can develop eye disorders. There are several products on the pet market that you can add to their water to ensure they get the vitamins they need. Sometimes it takes a while for them to get used to their new environment. Just monitor them closely and make sure they are eating and that they have clean water to swim in. Hope this helps.

i need help plz read on, its abotu anacondas?

2010-05-24T08:09:00.001-07:00

is it true that anacondas dotn have fangs and they dont have any venoms? oh and is it true that they can eat people or a whole baby?
Answers:
Anacondas don't have fangs, but do have teeth. They are not venomous, they are constrictors. They bite their prey, coil around it, and usually pull it under water to drown it. They can get up to 33 feet long, usually weigh around 550 pounds, and are about 12 inches in diameter. They have been known to kill and eat humans (adults and kids) as well as jaguars, but this is extremely rare. They mainly feed on rodents, deer, sheep, turtles, birds, dogs, and occasionally, smaller anacondas.

Yes, Anacondas do have teeth but no fangs and no venom. I belive a full grown anaconda can eat a baby or maybe a small child. They can gulp down some big things.

Yes they do not have fangs,they squeeze there pray.and they get big enough to swallow a baby.

They do have fangs but I don't think they have venom's.They can eat a person whole.once I saw a pic of a anaconda with a crocodile half way in its mouth!(they were both dead!)

Nope, Anacondas do not have fangs, but they have many needle sharp teeth that they use to hold their prey while they drag them under water and constrict them. I am sure they can eat babies and if desperate enough a smaller adult human, as they can eat capybaras.

While being called the largest snake in the world, they are the largest by virtue of girth, but not length. That record falls to the Reticulated Python. However their is some debate as to what the largest snake really is as their have been reports of larger Anacondas.

they have fangs but no vinom and yes they can eat people and baby's whole.

There are three species of Anaconda recognised, none of them have fangs but they do have 106 teeth (give or take of course) 4 rows on top, two rows on bottom of the jaws. They are the worlds strongest and second longest snakes. (Guiness Book of World Records states the Reticulated Python to be the longest (the record was 32 1/2 feet) the longest Green anaconda accurately on record was 30 feet and 450 lbs. Although they have never been proven to eat humans, the Green Anacondas do grow big enough to do so. The only two snakes ever proven to have eaten humans are the Reticulated Python and the African Rock Python. There are photographic evidence of these events, but none for the Green Anacondas. Thanks, Leo

lol they have teeth but no they are not p osionis and do not have venom.. now i doubt they will eat a baby or a person .. but , they can easlily swallow something that size.

I need a large aquarium for my gecko in belligham?

2010-05-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

when i recently bought my juvenile leopard gecko i figured that my aquarium would be big enough. having him in the aquarium i realize that it is to small. i have alot of great sculptures, rocks, foliage, and wood but no where for it to go i can ony place th small peices in the tank. please help.
Answers:
Leopard Geckos are easily maintained. An ten gallon aquarium will adequately house a single gecko. A 20 gallon tank will house 1 male with 2 females. Never put two males together as they will fight.
So if you don't think there's enough room, you should remove some of the decorations. This problem could have been avoiding by setting up the tank for him prior so that you would have been able to plan more properly. A leopard gecko has very soft skin, which means you should not put in any sharp objects that could cut their skin and cause any injuries. Sand is picked up when striking at their prey. That is a good reason to avoid putting in sand. Calci-sand or other small substances will do well. They need a hiding place or they will get stressed. Small reptile hiding caves in most pet stores. This is all the decor they really require. All other is more or less just for looks, it will be easier for you to just remove some of the decorations than to buy a whole new cage. Well good luck!!

like the previous said, you should probably remove some of the decor. A leopard gecko doesn't really need foilage as they are a desert reptile. A few slate rocks made into a cave and a water dish would be adequate. Pending out what size tank you have, you might need to get a bigger tank. I'd say the minimum size is a 20 Gallon Long for a full grown leopard. Remember, it's about what your lizard need first, then what you want it to look like.

wal mart has large aquariums at reasonable prices

I need a good first paragraph and title about why my biggest fear is snakes?

2010-05-24T08:08:00.002-07:00

I suck at opening paragraphs and titles. thankz for all your help guyz
Answers:
Do your own homework. How about I'm a chickensh*t and don't know the first thing about snakes. Are you one of those dumbas*es that thinks they are slimy too?

Snakes!(title)

What about sting rays?

Hissssssssssss. No it isnt the sound of a tire going flat, it is the sound I dread more than anyother! It is a snake!

write it yourself
instead of talking to us!

The Title "Fake snakes are better"

Snakes on a brain,

I cant get these mother fu**ing snakes off my motherfu**ing brain.

Maybe if you could give us some reasons you fear snakes, we could help better. :) Hard to write a paragraph about why someone fears something when you don't know why he/she is afraid.

:)

You have GOT to be kidding.

Why do you think they gave you this assignment.

It is just the thought of a snake that makes me crazy with fear, so I can only imagine what would happen if I came upon one. I don't have a valid reason for my fear except for the fact that you hear about people being bitten by certain snakes and dying.

If you want to be trendy, how about this title "Snakes on a brain!"

How about starting like this:

Everyone has a fear. Many people fear flying, dying, heights, begin alone, bridges. The list goes on. For me, my biggest fear is snakes.

Good title in my opinion "Snakes on my psyche!" and then start with a personal, assertive statement. Something like "I first realized I was afraid of snakes when I was __;"

Lions, tigers,bears and Snakes oh my!

My True Fear

Everyone is afraid of something. Whether its clowns, feet, or in my case snakes. I have always been terrified by their slimy, discusting, violent ways. Just the sight of one on t.v makes me want to leave the room, I can not stand them.

Yeah ok it may sound dumb but im terrified by them and i guess i would say that. I hope i helped a little bit!! Good Luck!

Silent, stealthy they enter my brain and make me insane.

HERPETOFEAR

title: 'Why My Biggest Fear is Snakes'

paragraph: 'Snakes scare the living daylights out of me.
Some people may think that it is irrational, but hey,
I can't help it!
I can however, explain to you why I am afraid of them.'

ahh.. thanks. how I miss writing..

I could write you an excellent title and first paragraph, but I'd need to know more about why YOU are afraid of snakes. Hello! The paper is by YOU!

[Title] Snakes - the most ancient of phobias.
[Paragraph] Since the dawn of man, the image of the snake has struck fear into people of all nationalities. Studies have shown that even people who live in countries with little or no indigenous snake population suffer raised pulses and heart palpitations at coming into close contact with a serpant for the first time. So why is this - what primeval instinct gives us this inate fear, and why is it as strong today as it was for our ancestors all those millenia before? [ENDS]

walking through the woods, admiring all of natures beauty. A bird cries from above alarming any other creatures around that it's alive!! approaching the babbling brooke i see a unique rock. With the brooke babbling away in my ear like sooo many lullaby's, droning me into a trance like state, I reach for the rock when it happens W H A M ! ! !, I'm struck on the thumb by the venomous ______________ (%26lt;-- insert snake name here ) Dam snakes!!

the title could be "Living with Ophiciophobia"

check out wikipedia for more info.

ophiciophobia is the offical term for fear of snakes. your opening paragraph should introduce your reader to the reasons you are afraid of snakes. First make an outline and write down at least three reasons why you dont like snakes. Then in your intro you mention these things. In the body of your essay you must elaborate on each of the points, each in its own paragraph. your essay should have at least five paragraphs, intro, body, and conclusion. You must write this because I dont know what exactly about snakes you do not like.

I like snakes. has a boa (and I don't mean feathers) around my neck when I was 16. anyway.
"Snakes alive, Snakes dead, keep those things away from my head!"
I hate snakes because of all the movies and horror stories about snakes. their fangs.. their venom.the ability they have to squish you.. I'd go on, but then you'd have to read my paper.

first of all don't write about how slimy they are. because they're not.. secondly don't write "discusting" .. because that's not even spelled right.

if you're going to write an opening.. a good way to start is to start broad. talk about fears in general. mention some fears and why some people have a fear of this or that. or mention the point of this essay in some way (like the prompt you were given). then say, for whatever reason, fears are a natural part of being human. or something similar to that. then narrow it down to a saying that you have a fear of snakes.

Title: Life with Ophidiophobia

Sounds like a bd skin disease, doesn't it? Although not many people recognize the name, many suffer with it. Ophidiophobia is the fear of snakes. I first noticed I was afraid of snakes.

Opening with a definition is one of the easiest ways to get the attention of the reader and make you sound well informed. There are lots of good web-sites on this issue. Search Fear of Snakes and brainstorm-then organize your outline. Good Luck

Title- Ophidiophobia ( The proper name for a fear of snakes)

I cannot begin to explain how much I both fear and loathe snakes, I am completely repulsed by them . They make me scared, churn my stomach and make me cringe so much.

If you start the paragraph like this you are setting the scene for what you are about to write. You are also giving the reader a pretty good idea and understanding of how much you loathe and fear them.

Snake's Fear. Snakes are everywhere in planet Earth.Some people like snakes,others are afraid to snakes.My favourite snake is : King Cobra. Good question.

Snake Run: My fear of snakes
Many consider snakes a great passion, and others, like me, have quite a big fear of them. I do respect these creatures, all people should, but I AM DEATHLY AFRAID OF THEM!!

i MIGHT BUY A LEPORD GECKO BUT I NEED TIPS ON WHAT IT NEEDS?

2010-05-24T08:08:00.001-07:00

i NEED TO KNOW VERY VERY BAD!!pLEASE HELP!!.
Answers:
I would suggest a crested gecko instead, they are just as friendly, about the same size, and don't require any special heat sources or basking lights.

you need at least a 15 gallon tank, repti sand, a water dish, a heat mat, a light, a rock or something like that to sun bathe, food, and ask the guy at the pet store

Depeding on the age of the Leo and whoever is answering, there can be many different answers.

First off, if it's a baby or juvenile:
A 10g can work until it gets older.

If you get an adult:
a 20L would be a better choice. More floor room.

In my opinion I wouldn't use sand until it gets to be adult size, if at all. If you do decide to use sand, please use washed playsand that you can readily find at Home Depot in 10lb bags for like $3. Leos willingly lick their suroundings so babies and juvies [as well as adults] can become inpacted by the sand. I'm not saying they WILL, but they CAN. I use paper towels. They're easy to clean up and I don't have to worry about the sand when cleaning the cage. It's all up to you though. You will also need an UTH [Undertank heater] for belly heat. A digital thermometer placed on the floor of the cage is a good idea, since making sure the UTH doesn't get too hot is a big deal. Leos need at least one humid hide [it can be a tupperware container with paper towels, peat moss, etc. in it with a hole cut big enough for them to go into] and a regular , dry hide [repitcaves, etc.].

Crickets the proper size should be fed to the leos along with mealworms. Dust all prey before giving it to the leos. Calcium everyother day and vitamins once a week [or at least that's what I do]. Take out all uneaten crickets after your leo[s] are done eating. Thsi prevents crickets chomping on your leo[s] or eating the fecal matter. A dish containing calcium should be in the cage at all times. This allows them to get the calcium if needed. A proper sized water dish is also needed. I use water conditioner for my herps' water to take out all the harmful chemicals in the tapwater. If I used bottled water I do not use it.

Some people have climbs and plants in their cages as well. It's all up to you.

Just remember that housing two males together can be bad news. and housing a male and female together too early can cause unwated eggs and harm the leos themselves in the long run.

Getting the book on Leopard Geckos by Phillipe De Vosjoli would also be a great idea. It's cheap and has a lot of great information in it.

Hope I helped. ;]

I have care sheets available on my web site
http://www.artsaquaticsandanimals.co.uk/.

Go to www.herpcenter.com great for info

Nicole_M did a great reply.

The only differences I have are:

Don't use sand. Impactions happen way too often Newspaper, paper toweling, reptile carpet, tile etc., are good replacements.

Use UTH (Under Tank Heater) for a heat source. Heat mat or heat tape placed on the 1/2 side bottom outside the tank.

10gal is not good to use for a leo. Adjusting temps so that their is a warm and cool side in the tank. 20Gal with a tank partition or quite a few hides added is more ideal.

Good Luck

I also say 20 gal Long tank I use paper towels they make for a very quick clean up I know some people also use Tiles. please stay away from sand. I feed all my leo's mealworms and superworms

20 gallon LONG aquarium. (make it LONG so they have more floor space).Provide hiding places for them. They do not nessisarily NEED ultra violet lighting, you can get it if you want to. They are mostly nocturnal. In your cage it is important to have a warm end, and a not so warm end. Do this so they can control their body temperature. Normal temperatures for cages are 80-88degreesF at the hot end and 75 degrees at the cool end(this is during the day). Also, dont get hotrocks because they can burn your reptile. They also eat their skin when they shed. They eat live crickets and mealworms. They need vitamin and mineral supplements too. HERE ARE WEBSITES WITH GOOD INFO!: http://herbcam.com/leofaq.htm#best%20pri. http://www.tetra-fish.com/fauna/leopardg. GOOD LUCK

I love Steve Irwin.and I think it is funny how every snake he picks up is "one of the most venomous snakes"

2010-05-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

haha.I love that man! Has anyone else noticed this?
Answers:
Yep. then there's the "most venomous snake in the world."
CRIKEY!
Loved that man. He's the only famous person I really wanted to meet. To hell with the rest.

Did y'all read was Jean-Michel Cousteau was saying? That he doesn't touch nature, that's why he's still alive at 61. Bah! He might still be alive - but where's his HUGE fan base and shows on Animal Planet?

Yeah it's just to bad he will not be able to do that anymore..I'm sure gonna miss him.

Have you noticed that he is now dead? You are writing in the present tense.it should be in the past tense.unless you didn't know.

yeah i've noticed it its soooo sad though that he died but he was doing something he loved to do
he loved animals i do too when i get older i wanna go to Austrailia and get a job at his zoo

He will pick up 'one of the most venomous snakes' no more.

I M REALLY REALLY GONNA MISS HIM!!
:-( ;-(

He was the best true blue aussie australia ever had!
I cried at his memorial. Australia is never going to be the same.
Anyone else that had respect for this fantastic man, leave a few words.

Yes, Steve Irwin was Awesome. About the Question, I think they filmed a lot more snake encounters and only showed the more poisonous and exiting ones. But Steve is still cool.

I agree that it was all pretty entertaining and then he would poke them with a stick a few times and then grab it and shake it around a little and after he is done with the torture and teasing the poor thing he has the nerve to day "Look at him, He is a little aggravated to day ain't he"

I'm still impessed he did not get killed sooner. But yes he was pretty funny.

Steve Irwin was an amazing guy. It's a real loss to the animal community that he died, and so young too. His methods may have been a little controvertial to some, but he so clearly loved what he did, and was a true conservationist. I will always remember him as a true inspiration. My condolences to his family, and rest in peace Steve - I can only imagine the flood of animals that was waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge!

yes

I love snakes why do people hate them?

2010-05-22T06:30:00.002-07:00

Snakes are very kewl i love them but people kill them all the time if you leave them alone and just look at them they wont bother you
Answers:
its because of disney.
they made movies like the jungle book where the snake is a bad guy. but in nature there are no "bad" guys, just hungry ones.

cause some are poisinous

I hate them but its because i am scared of them.

HAVE you hugged your snake to day?

I hate them, lord but I hate them.

Probably because they look creepy, and some are killers.

people who know nothing about snakes think that all snakes are venemous, and they are going to bite you, or eat you. This isnt true with most snakes. Especially corn snakes. They are not really a threat to humans, unless its like a python or a rattlesnake

i dont no ther awsome maybe because there slimy. not!! omg who ever sed that shud be shot

I agree with all of the above answers but also it's because some people think there slimy. but there slick and cool.

people are scared of them for some bizar reason. I never touched a snake or gotten up close but i want to.they are very intresting reptiles.

Snakes are tolerable, when I was a child I loved all such animals and I picked them up in a forest, etc. But in my country we don't have poisonous snakes. That also concerns spiders - they are not dangerous. BUT - I hate them, I'm afraid of them and I can't stand them.

People ar afraid of them. why else would they do that?? Sakes aren't a very attractive animals/reptiles. They aren't things you can cuddle with or sleep with at night so they can keep you warm at night. People just don't/can't love them like other animals.

After God created the earth,satan took the form of a serpent and,as a result, Adam and Eve sinned. God told Adaam that because he sinned, he would have to work the ground. Eve would have pain in child birth. And the serpent would crawl on its stomache and be hated by men.

I think people hate snakes because that's what they've been educated to do. Kids don't hate snakes. Its only when they get older that they get phobias and dislikes from parents, friends, the media etc.

The funny thing is - the same people that are terrified of snakes are terrified of rats and mice. In certain parts of the world if it wasn't for the snakes they would be overrun with rodents. No matter how ugly, mean and venemous or cute, furry and cuddly, all animals have been put here for a purpose and, with a very finely balanced eco-system, to thrive ourselves we need to let them thrive too.

Unfortunately, human beings tend to not like what they do not understand. Snakes aren't mainstream creatures. Therefore, most people do not have tolerance for them.

Snakes are wonderful animals; beautiful to look at, efficient vermin killers, silent, peaceful, and the personification of strength %26 grace. Even venomous snakes, when viewed in the proper context, are wonderful and fascinating animals. They do not know they're venomous so they can't be blamed for having venom, it's just a tool they use for catching prey. Venomous snakes aren't out to "get" anyone but their food. Given the opportunity almost all snakes, venomous or not, will make every effort to avoid contact with humans - or anything larger than prey.

I've frequently seen snakes "DOR", which is a reptile enthusiast's shorthand for "Dead On Road". To even a slightly trained eye, it's often clear they were run over on purpose, even if the snake is completely harmless and totally benificial to everyone.

Why do people hate them? Lack of education, lack of understanding, lack of tolerance, lack of empathy, lack of respect. If people would take the time to learn about them and understand their unique niche in Mother Nature's plan, there would be more snakes, fewer rats %26 mice invading our homes %26 food supplies, and happier people.

Keep an open mind and educate people whenever you can, that's all you can do!

WELL THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT JUST CANT TAKE THE FACT THAT MOST SNAKES ARE HARLESS THE DONT HURT YOU THEY WILL NOT BOTHER YOU IF YOU DONT BOTHER THEM

i love snakes there great when i was little i would have cach them and have them for pets i would find a big snake once in a while i dont know if you herd of them but there hognose snake there big there kinnda like a radle snake but they arent and theres green snakes garder ornge belly oh i love snakes.

cause people are dumb uneducated people they hate them cause they don't know alot about them they think they dangerous and stuff but its all about what u know realy
i love snakes and all reptiles cause i know a hella lot about them

They freak me out terribly.not because I'm not educated.I know they can't all kill me, but that doesn't mean I have to like them! I don't even like the fake ones..or seeing them on TV. They in my opinion aren't natural----how the heck are they moving around like they do without legs?! and lizards are just snakes with legs if you ask me! I guess all in all-everyone has their fears-you are probably scared of things that don't bother me at all!

I personally like snakes. A lot of people don't like them because
#1 they don't have legs or fur
#2 all the cartoons like "The jungle book" set a bad example of snakes to little kids
#3 they stare at you without blinking. The reason for that is because they don't have eyelids!
Hope this helps! A friend, Rachee

people dont under stand them the are good to have around they eat a lot of mice and rats

The other posts give some ideas. Quite honestly I don't know.

Keeping snakes for years I found them to be.very enjoyable pets; it also surprised me how many people had either phobias or strong revulsion to these quiet, clean, beautiful animals.

;-)

people r simply scared of their venom n they even think that their slimy an stuff.But u keep lovin them They r very cute.

I love snakes, I have 2. Some can be really pretty. But some snakes are poisonous/venomous so humans kill as a defence. Us as humans always spoil animals territory unfortunately. Snakes bite as a defence, so you should keep far away if you do not know the type.
Many people think they are slimey but are not.

You aint the hottest redneck ever! But some people are scared cause they dont want to be bit. Personaly I love snakes but my borfriends mom is terrified. We live in TN and we took a trip to Kentucky and she started crying cause a guy had a pet snake and had him really close to her.

The leather trade is thier worst enemy,but people usually hate snakes because they don't understand them and the role theyplay in the enviroment as rodent killer and pest control and not to mention that mostplaces in the public tend to exagerate their aggressivness.

Ok, well see some people think they hate snake s b/c they let their fear for them get in the way of actually trying to like them, if they actually trie it would be different, now some people really do hate them and usually it is b/c of something they have seen or had happened to them by or around a snake, though this isnt fair to a snake it also would not be fair to make someone who is TRULY scared hold a snake, I LOVE them, I was raised around them since the age of two and have loved them every since, I have a Blood Red Corn Snake now and her name is Valentine, I love her so much, but off that, so hope this helped with ur question, bye
Jalea

most of them get bite nd they think they are going 2 get hurt aand snake r not friendly nd fun to play with

I am fascinated by the reptile world. A few months back I went to a snake farm and learnt heaps about them. They really are very interesting and beautiful creatures IMO. However, many people are attracted to the 'fluffy' kind of animals and not that I am dissing that (I have a cat myself) but ALL animals should be respected, not hated. What did they ever do to you?

i lost my turtle?

2010-05-22T06:30:00.001-07:00

i have this turtle and he must have got out of his tank and i cant find him anywhere! oh and is it bad to have a turtle loose in the house is it unsanitary? i need help!
Answers:
if is an aquatic turtle it will can die because they can not eat on land. look in a dark warm spot and you will find it.

put a bowl of his food down in every room and keep a close eye on that bowl, dont worry about him to much he can last quite long with out food or water. I am sure you will find him soon.

don't worry! She cant run very fast.You will find it

It will be scared and may defecate along its path. The most danger is for the animal itself that can trap itself in a place difficult to spot and get hurt or die.

Look under stuff turtles can't climb !

Put out food in the room you think it is in .. and when it gets hungry enough and it smells the food , it will come out and get it`s fill !

u have a lost turtle.i'm sorry.call sum1 to help you look 4 him.such as the vet or report him 2 a police.this may sound bad but he might have gotten sick and crawled off and died so you couldn't have seen him. but just 2 let u know i'm sorry.

The turtle will be fine if you find it before it dies from hunger.

The water turtle is not able to move fast (it's even slower than the turtoise). as it's created to swim.

It'll be somewhere under the sofa or behind the curtains.

i think your turtle is under your bed. or. he ran away while you were asleep.

Make a trap . First put his tank on the floor then make a trail of turtle food to his tank and remmber to put something that can make him get in his tank . Like a board .

don 't worry, he can live for weeks without food, especially this time of year, look in all your dark places, i have six and sometimes i allow them to roam free while cleaning tanks, they are in between two rooms, i have found them under things, in between things and places you would not believe. you don't say his size? if real small, must watch where you step at all times, buy a larger tank, because obviously he can climb out and they are good for that. for the one who told you they arenot fast, has never seen a turtle move, this is one of the biggest misconceptions about turtles, they are escape artists. good luck, just keep searching.

look near warm places on the floor ..they will try to find a warm spot

Turtles hibernate in the winter, so look under clothes or furniture, places that are dark, warm, or quiet.

Health hazard? No more so than most of the other stuff in our house.

To find it:
1. Search the tank again, make sure it is not hiding good.
2. Start at the floor near the tank. Get down on your stomach and look around.
3. Look for any holes, hiding places, piles of stuff to crawl into, etc. just big enough for it to fit. It usually will have found the place closest to where it hit the ground.
4. As you check an area, try to 'turtle-proof' it so it cannot hide there later- simple masking tape, for example, can cover most openings.

As a rule of thumb, it won't go far, and it won't move a lot once it found a good place.

You need to look along the ground and under things. Leave food and treat piles out to "catch" the turtle. Eventually it'll get hungry enough to come looking for the food.

Look for it everywhere!!

Where abouts are you? I have found a turtle!! this is no joke!!

I lost my iguana outside?

2010-05-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

i had him in a rabits cage so he could enjoy the sun and i left.
When i came back the cage was open and he was gone.
The aeria is foul of trees and and it is very hard for me to search.
Can he find his way back ?
How can i found him ?
I am cruing for two days but today i had a call.
Someone saw him crosing the street and at least i know he is alive.
Answers:
Who let him out?

Audios, Iguana!

Oh I'm so sorry for you! He might be able to find his way home but I wouldn't count on it. I'd post fliers around the neighborhood if he's been spotted recently but b/c he is a lizard I bet he's going to live a safe happy life in the woods.if he stays out of the street. You might want to contact animal control and see if they recommend you setting up a safe trap for him if he does venture back onto your property. Hope you find him! Best wishes!

Are you sure he wasn't stolen? Put in a report with local animal control about your lost pet, so if he does turn up somewhere, they'll know who to call.

alert all local animal control and shelters. put up flyers in your nieghborhood and if possible offer a reward. let ppl know hes missing. good luck. i hope
u find him

it sounds like some one was trying to steel him if the door was open. i would put up flyers and ask ppl if they saw him anywhere. hope u find him.

well just tell everyone you know to keep a eye on a iguana on the run its possible you might find it again

WOW ironic..I had that same thing happen to me a few years back..in fact my iguana was gone for 2 months.She stayed around the area though..my neibors across the street spotter her crossing there deck. It was getting awfully cold at night to..So my guess is yours is probably still around too,as long is there is plenty to eat. Good luck !

I realy dont know how your iguana got outside and i dont know how you can find it or if he can even find its way back but try putting some food all around and check it every so often to know if its still there. good luck!

Iguanas are very territorial. Chances are, he is still around close, unless somebody took him.. Try looking around high places, because that is where they feel safer. They can survive on plants, flowers, etc..Also, when its sunny out..look for a good place he could be basking..Good luck

I live in South Florida, will my leopard gecko thrive if kept outside during the summer months here?

2010-05-22T06:29:00.003-07:00

Answers:
Oh yeah, the tropical climates south Florida have are prime for reptiles.

given the high humidity and temp in florida i would say yes thats what they need anyways and im sure he would like the fresh air plus it would save you on electricity instead of running a heat lamp just remember to mist him so his skin doesnt dry out

leopard geckos come from the pakistan area, so they prefer a dry heat. it would probably be fine, just make sure to give it good shade %26 keep the enclosure dry.

i would advise against it, number 1 reason would be what happens it another animal gets it? 2 if you leave it in a glass tank it will act as a magnifying glass and cook him. 3 the humidity is to high, there are more of a desert reptile than a tropical one, then you get into it getting parasites and so on and so fourth, i keep my leopards in side at all times.

I live in Milwaukee need help with a pet?

2010-05-22T06:29:00.002-07:00

I am looking for a cheap place to buy an iguana. I have wanted one for a long time? I live in milwaukee, wi. so if anyone in this state knows where i can find one and all the supplies pretty cheap please let me know. thank you
Answers:
Go to kingsnake.com or centralpetclassifieds.com There are always tons of Iguanas that need homes and most will come with their housing. Be careful though, do your research and be sure this is really what you want. They get very aggressive and tempermental as they reach maturity, that is why there are so many that need homes.

you can get baby iguanas almost anywhere for around 20.00

Try calling PetCo or PetSmart .. I think they may have them . Good Luck ! :)

Check your local pet store.

Check out this site- http://www.reptileauctions.com/. They have all kinds of reptiles for pretty good prices. Be careful about shipping though, it can get pricey!

i live in Australia . what type of lizzard would be good with children age 11??

2010-05-22T06:29:00.001-07:00

Answers:
For a 11 year old , a toy lizzard from Funskool will be the best. Reptiles or animals of any kind can be unpredictable and dangerous, 11 year old is too young to handle any kind of reptile. If i were you, i would wait till he turn 15 year old.

Stumpy Tails are friendly and awesome.

My friend has 2 (Kung and Fu) and they're awesome.

When I lived in Oz I found a Goanna about three feet long and took him/her home. It became apparent the poor thing was blind, hence I was able to "catch" it with ease.

It was fine most of the time, and I spent ages each day after school catching grasshoppers and the like to feed to it as it could not see to feed itself.

It bit me once when over-enthusiastically trying to devour a particularly large "hopper" I was waving under its nose! When they bite, they stay biting!

Otherwise, it was a superb specimen and it was peaceable, except when next door's yappie dog decided to have a go. The Goanna won.

Hi
We recently got my daughter who is 10years old a bearded dragon.
He is hardier than most other reptiles and best of all loves to be handled.
We now have lizard watch instead of television!
All the best in your search

Well I know they are native to Australia but I am unsure if there are breeders for them there. I highly recomend a bearded dragon. They are omnivorous and are desert reptiles. Actually.Here, go to www.repticzone.com. Its a large reptile forum. There under the lizard section are listed some very popular lizards. Just skim some of the caresheets and messages posted and that should help you pick a good one.

well im 11 and i have bearded dragons (beardies) there alot of work if you dont want to do it but if you just do the work its not that hard i have 2 and they are very fun, but the only weird thing is you have to buy different size CRICKETS i hate feeding them the crickets cause you have to dust the crickets with some dust to give them calcium

I live in a terrace and lost my pet snake. The neighbours are complaining of hearing hissing in the vents.?

2010-05-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

What's the best way to convince them they have hearing problems until I can smoke the snake out? It's not very poisonous but I don't want to take any chances.
Answers:
Pretend to talk to them but don't speak just let your lips move. We used to do this to a teacher in School he'd spend all lesson slapping his hearing aid thinking it had gone kaput.

Invite them over for a cup of tea.
Every now %26 again cough, then hiss.
Theyll think it was you the whole time haha

I understand your predicament but wouldn't it be more responsible of you to tell them the truth?? You said that the snake is not VERY poisonous but what if it bites a little child?? People will need to be vigilant and it might help you find your little scaly friend sooner!

Snakes dont hiss

you have a pet snake !, scary..

Hi Foxie
ring the animal shelter and get someone out to find your snake before someone kills the poor snake,

What vents? Why would it be hissing? Sid? maybe you should contact Captain Beaky

It is probably a gas leak and the loss of your reptile is purely coincidental.

If you are as daft as your question, I imagine the reptile has put as much distance between you and it as it can

WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOT VERY POISONOUS YOU CANT KEEP POISONOUS SNAKES WITHOUT A LICENCE.
ANYWAY I LOST ONE IN MY FLAT AND PUT THE ELECTRIC FIRE ON A FEW HOURS LATER THERE IT WAS INFRONT OF THE FIRE GETTING WARM .MIGHT WORK FOR YOU

it sounds like you told them that your snake is missing and now their hearing natural noises in the vent and assuming it must be your snake i think their being paranoid and you can assure them its not your snake because they dont hiss except for in cartoons

Tell them they have a gas leak, so when the gas board comes out they may be able to help you find it?

Just leave it. Who the hell do your neighbours think they are anyway? Taking it upon themselves to live next door to you, invading your personal space, being all "neighbourly"? Nah, they've got it coming if you ask me.

tell them your snakes escaped and lie about it being poisonous then leave its favourite food out near its vivarium ansd keep a hide for it near the food

your a moron.. im not even going to be helpfull this time or even bother to explain why it is that i think you are a moron because i realy dont have time for all that.

so once again all i have to say is you are a moron. i feel bad for you snake

not VERY poisonous,what species is it,have you tried putting carrier bags on the floor and turning the lights off,when the snake moves, the bags will rustle when touched,this does take time,or you can try putting flour on the floor and you will see snake trails, if you put it in door ways you can see what room the snake is in. if you split the head of a rat and put it in a paper bag the snake will smell it and find and eat it. hope you find it soon, good luck.

He he he he he he he..

Say nothing and act real dumb.

You'll never smoke the snake out - I know one that can smoke 60 Marlboro lights without taking a break - don't even try it!

I like the way you say 'I don't want to take any chances'..you already did - you lost the damn thing - remember!

Good luck.

I like takeing photos of snakes.Is there anyone in my area that enjoys the same hobbies as me?

2010-05-22T06:28:00.002-07:00

I am looking for Someone to go herping with me.I do not have anyone i know that would go with me. Everyone i know are scared of snakes an only want to kill them.I live in the Huntsville,Al area.
Answers:
Sounds fun, but I live in Virginia. Check out www.kingsnake.com. that site has lots of info and links.

See if there is a reptile club ior rescue group in your area and join it. I think it's nice that you only want to "shoot" snakes with your camera! There must be other nice people somewhere around where you live. Good luck!

holy, i love snakes and i love taking photos. ive never thought of putting the two together and taking pics. of snakes but it sounds awesome. ya ur right. everyone i no hates snakes 2. 2 bad i live in Maryland. email me at jefffrickman@yahoo.com

WOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE FUN-WHY DON'T YOU PUT AN ADD IN THE PAPER AND START A CLUB-I KNOW I'D JOIN

AB

Email everyone you know about making a snake club or something. Tell them to email to everyone they know and pretty soon everyone will know about your snake club.

i'd love to but live in knoxville, tn. I prefer keeping some for my hobby but capture and release sounds cool too. starting to get a little late in the season for catching any but have you considered amphibians also.

i love photographing my snake

i let my snake out i think it as escaped have you seen it?

2010-05-22T06:28:00.001-07:00

Answers:
I saw a very small snake, about 3 inches long, so i think thats definately yours! HA!

Sorry no.

Sorry no, its not in my house

Yes is just here around my neck. wait! is starting to

I might have stepped on it by mistake. Oh well. Life goes on.

2 points

where are you located at? maybe I should start running already

i thought i saw a rattle snake.
I DID, I DID see a rattle snake!

i wondered what that was sliding up my leg. can i give you it back later.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Boy, do I hate having to get out my gun and call animal control this early in the morning..have a good day.

Did you know it tasted like chicken?

ma bad i rode over it with my bike sorry!!

I have a nest in my compost pile. Seriously, I do. My son and I go out and play with them occasionally.

Now, your kidding, right?

S O S or r y, c a n T r e p ly n o w, s h a kin g t o o m u ch,,,,,,th e r e s a sn ake b y m y f oot!!

Escaped?
Why would it want to leave such an intelligent owner?

i think i saw it on that plane.

what aahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

RUN FOR IT !!.

Maybe he just went out with the guys to get laid. Give him some time.

Sorry I have not seen your snake if i do i will probaly end up having a heart attack

please. i'm a bloke

why would u let a snake out, for a quick stroll around the park?

Not down here, have you checked all the warm areas of the house as they tend to go there first. Try bating the floor overnight in a drop box and see if you can catch it, there is a possibility it could still be in the house. Ours always hides by the raidiators or in the airing cupboard. If it has got out completey the next best place to look is under cars that have recently moved they like the heat off the engines. If you haven't done so already stick up adverts over town and get people on the look out, otherwise they could mistake it for posionous and try to kill it.

Could luck I would hate to loose ours as they are now part of our family.

i haven't seen it try looking under your bed or sofa my be some where it will feel safe i think he could still be in your house my snake was under my bed for 3 days and i never knew about it

I left my two baby red ear strider turtles next to the window and the next thing i know, they're dead. why?jav

2010-05-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

Answers:
reptiles need a controlled environment, if you don't have a place for them to cool (water) they will overheat and die.

they got too hot dried up and died poor turtles

they got too hot, or you forgot to feed them!!

You cooked them!

Baby turtles are very fragile. Likely it became too hot or too cold for them when you moved their cage.

In my state, it is illegal to buy or sell baby turtles because they are just so hard to keep alive and healthy if you aren't fully sure what you are doing.

Sorry to hear about your turtles.

Hi there;
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I know you simply have to be heart broken right now. As for why your young turtles died the previous answers are most likely the correct ones. Most if not all herps do not do well in direct sunlight or near windows where drafts can get to them. While all herps need what is contained in sunlight (UVA and UVB) in order to process calcium into their systems, they quickly will over heat and die.
Also, should you decide to get more turtles, (and I hope you will), please be aware that in the herp world, it takes a long time for any illness to manifest itself. By the time an illness is noticeable it may be too late to do anything about it. Seemingly healthy animals can mask unhealthy conditions. Always take any new pet, regardless of species, to a vet and have them checked out for any underlying conditions.
You are right, it sucks when a favored pet dies.

Never put an aquarium in front of the window. With the hot sun you cooked them.

too hot
%26#92;

Q* is it hot near u're window?
A* turtle like cold there dont like hot

Q* did u put it in water?
A* turtle need water to survive

Q* how old is the baby?
A* below 3 week still need their mother around
cause there dont know how to eat.

i also have a pair of baby turtle but know is giant turtles already 4 years old is bigger then my palm. (this is my wife 1st gift when we dating she did a great job )

any question message me ok

alex

sounds like you baked them in the window

to hot

The sunlight coming through the window- ultra-violet light cannot penetrate glass, but it does shift the wavelengths to almost pure heat. Turtles die when the temps get too high. It also could be that the window was drafty and too cold for them- they die when chilled as well.

I'd also bet they were in a small bowl. Baby turtles need at least a 10 gallon tank to swim in and develop in. in such a tank, the sunlight or draft would not have affected them as much- especially if the tank was properly heated, etc.

Next time, be ready with the right housing, etc. Check out http://www.redearslider.com for other ideas.

I killed 30" timber rattlesnake in my driveway.Anyone know what a new born one looks like?

2010-05-22T06:27:00.003-07:00

I have seen a couple of tiny all grey snakes around and wondered if they were baby rattlers. The pics on the internet seem to show them already with patterns? Would appreciate an answer.
Answers:
They look exactly like the adults do, only smaller.

Snakes hatch out oftheir eggs with their adult markings.

Not tryingto be smart, butt he only difference is size.

i would apreciate it if you LEFT THEM THE HELL ALONE! snakes are my passion and they all belong here even the venomous ones.. if you see one in your area call your local herp society and have them do a pic up..

by the way if is dosent have a rattle then its probrably not a rattle snake..

the paternless one your talking about isnt venomous.

by the way to the above poster.. rattle snakes dont hatch out of eggs they give live birth.

more people die from beiing struck by lightning each year then by being bittin by a venomous snake

I agree you should really try to leave them alone. They kill all the vermon that would offer you a larger host of problems and disease. If you truly are afraid for your safety then really just call animal control and have the snake removed. SNAKES are a great value to our ecosystem and thier habitat is already being threatened enough.
I speak from experience, I grew up in the hills of southern california and i have had rattle snakes in my house (not on purpose) on my doorstep and was once even trapped in my treehouse as a child because there was one at the bottom. Yikes. BUt i never wanted to see them dead. Just wanted to not get bitten!! :)

Alot of people realize that snakes are not to be feared but respected and so become very passionate about the senseless killing of these valuable creatures. BECOME INFORMED if you live in a place with alot of reptiles. Know the facts and become a benefit to your area. If you really want to know what the other snakes are, I would just google Snakes of YOURSTATE.
INfact i recommend you learn what snakes are indigenous to your area anyways so that if you encounter one on a hike or in your yard, you can react with confidence.

I believe, I read that more than half the people killed by snake bites each year were people that were trying to kill the snake in the first place. Why would you kill it? I bet if it was a bunny rabbit you wouldn't have. Next time, call the animal control center or something. Don't kill a helpless animal. You do realize WE invade THEIR territory.

I keep finding salamanders in my backyard.?

2010-05-22T06:27:00.002-07:00

They're just plain black and slimy. Are they poisonous? How much space do they need? And, what kind of salamander are they?
Answers:
Most salamanders are not poisonous. Yours is probly just a normal little house salamander. It eats little bugs from septic tanks and stangnent water. just leave them alone , they know what they need naturally. If you want to keep one as a pet they have setups for them and the food they need at your local pet shop most of the time. Enjoy them they are fun to watch.

Salamander is the common name applied to approximately 500 amphibian vertebrates with slender bodies, short legs, and long tails (order Caudata or Urodela). .

http://www.californiaherps.com/salamande.

hope it helps!

They are not poisonous. They need as much room as they have in your back yard. Don't put them in a tank and keep them as pets. You'll probably kill them.

Not poisonous and they don't bother anything. Just not esthetically pleasing to some people.

no they are not poisonous. just leave them alone, they are harmless and eat insects.

Well first off they aren't poisonous. Second, you shouldn't have to worry about how much room they need because they wouldn't be in your backyard if they needed more room. Third, don't capture them, they are better off in the wild of your backyard. Fourth, if you are trying to get rid of them, I recommend getting a male cat, he'll fix the problem real quick.

I just saw a frog eat a scorpion. How sick is that?

2010-05-22T06:27:00.001-07:00

He flopped his tounge out on him, then pulled him closer, then used his webbed arms to pull him right into his mouth!

Then i saw a frog eat a newt. The newt secreted poison while getting eaten whole, and after a minute the frog dies and the newt walks out of the frogs dead mouth!

This was all just on National Geograhic Channel.
Answers:
Probably no worse than a cat trying to swallow a frog and start to foam at the mouth! I saw it happen and the cat finally gave up on the idea.

ew.
but.
chewing gum is really gross, chewing gum i hate the most.

And I thought my job was tough

So? I saw a football player eat a 'tard in a wheelchair - that's even sicker!

coool

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. nasty..but i love chewing gum!!

thts life buddy.sometimes u win sometimes u fall flat on ur face

That's nature.

Cool! I just watched Tom Cruise in a movie and that was even more disgusting! Although I bet he kinda resembles the newt!

That IS THE COOLEST THING IVE HEARD TODAY LOL

Yer, but what about the people who eat Frogs, thats gotta be worse !

Wait till you see, Human eat the frog.

thats pretty awesome

Cool, Hey why dont u watch "Fear Factor" on nbc. They are way better than wat u just told. Dont forget to have ur dinner during the show !

They show humans drinking maggot juice and things like dat !!

ya i saw that , wasnt that wild?

That absolutely rocks! The only thing better would be seeing it in real life.altho the other night I watched a male spider trying to mate with a female--her web was about two feet in diameter, no exaggeration here--he'd kind of tickle her legs with his own while trying to maneuver in position.last I saw he was still alive though, she hadn't eaten him yet.

How about those Japanese tiger wasps that killed a whole colony of bees. Frogs have to eat too and they are good eatin.

eeeee.ah..h.h..

how sick how cool.
i can't decide! lol

I am so annoyed I missed that it sounds ace

Eeeeeewwww.
Grosss.. :P

wow

i saw that it was freakin awsome.

as sick as u.

How does frog know what is within diet range? Anything walking by that is smaller? My dog tries to catch some flies or bees but is unable to eat them due to the rapid movement of the insect and the comparably slow lapping of a dog (which I DO believe in) tongue.
Frog learns a late lesson - no newt is good newt.

Norton to Alice - "No, Alice, Ralph is right, I worked with a guy in the sewer and he spelled his name N A T." (regarding a three letter word for 'insect').

I just received 2 iguanas as a gift and I have no idea what to do with them??

2010-05-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

I ordered an iguana cage online and I should receive it on Monday (they did come with one but I think it鈥檚 to small for them), I am feeding them lettuce and bananas but what do I do from there? I own dogs, birds, fish and snakes but I have never owned a lizard!

.
And also, they are not small鈥 would say just by looking at them that they are each over a foot long not including the tail.

Thanks!
Answers:
People on this site are idots (see above stupid answers) to answer your question, Iguanas are great pets, they can live in your home without the need of a cage, but it is good to have a cage for them for when you are unable to watch them. Do not feed them lettuce as this has very low nutritional value. I would go for kale, spinach, bok choy, and other dark green vegetables, bananas are okay as an occasional snack but are very binding for them, I would stick with grapes, apple and pear for fruits. Rembember they are vegetarians. Make sure they have ample water supply, even though they will not drink a great deal. Also, be careful of their bite and of their tail whips when they get annoyed, they can break your finger if they bite you. It is not a regular occurance, but can happen, so just be careful not to upset them.
http://www.2ndchance.info/iguanacare.htm.
above is a very simple page that can give you some more information about feeding requirements, lighting requirements, nail trimming, etc.
Good luck with your new babies, they do make amazing and very social pets filled with character of their own!

I find, rubbed with a little garlic butter and roasted, they make a fine Sunday dinner

go to a bookshop and buy a good book where you can find answer how to take care of them.

I hear the best thing to do with them is to bread them and fry in shortening

I've heard they taste like chicken.

sell them! or put different coloured cardboard behind them and watch them change colour! yay!

I used to have an ignuana that was a little over 4 feet long. He made such an awesome pet.

You should feed them romaine lettuce as that has a high level of vitamin D in them which iguana's need. Also if you go to a local pet store, there is a light you can get. I forget the name, but if you ask someone who works there, they should be able to help you out. Iguana's also really like water. I used to fill my bathtub up with luke warm water and let him swim in it.

Most iguana's go to the bathroom in water but they can be cat litter trained. Just feed them a good variety of lettuce, fruits %26 veggies and everything should be good.

Hot rocks aren't really advisable as quite a few iguana's have been burned because of them over-heating. Good luck with your iguana's :-D I'd like to get another one day. My iguana, Oscar, also loved being rubbed right in between his eyes. But watch their tails, they can hit hard %26 you can also clip their nails if they get too sharp, if they are fairly tame.

Good luck

okay well for starters.you'll need heat lamps and UVB lamps that simulate the sun. They will get very sick without these. Their diet should consist of collared greens, kale (dark leafy greens) sugar snap peas, shredded carrots, raddishes, a fruit or two at a time (grapes, strawberries, blueberries but just a small amount). They need a good sized cage because they can get upwards of 4 ft long. They need a large container for water because thats where they go to the bathroom so it also needs to be changed frequently. I recommend using a small cat litter box. The bottom should be bark chips availiable at the pet store. They do not eat bugs or bread or anything like that. They are vegetarians. You can fill up the bath tub a couple of inches with luke warm water and let them swim.they'll love it. They do not change colors a lot like a chameleon..anything else? I hope this helps.

Hey there. I have had an iguana before maby I can help out. It is good that you are getting a bigger cage because trust me they are gonna get alot bigger. They average to about 5-6 feet in length when full grown (including the tail). So as they grow bigger, you may be better off building a cage yourself, because their is no manufactured aquariums on the market today large enough for an adult iguana.
Iguanas are tree dwelling animals and spend the majority of their time as high off of the ground as possible. Large branches that are a bit wider than the animal itself should be provided for them to climb on.
Iguanas are also used to being in a humid environment, so it is reccomended thaty you mist the cage about twice a day. Providing both a cool area and a warm area in tha cage is important. A basking spot under the heat lamp should be kept at about 95-100 degrees fahrenheit. While the cooler part of the cage should be at about 80-85 degreese fahrenheit. At night however the temperature can safely drop to 70-75 degrees.
A branch or shelf should be provided directly under the basking lamp for the iguana to heat itself during the day. However it is important that the heat lamp be screened off or out of the iguanas reach so itwon't burn itself. Aside from the heating lamp, a full spectrum light that contains UVB should be provided. Iguanas need UVB light to create the vitamin D3. They need this vitamin to absorb calcium in their food. Without it they develope a condition called matabolic bone disease, which is a calcium deficiency. A basking branch should be placed 10-12 inches away from the florescent light source. The light should be left on for about 10-12 hours of the day and turned off at night. If it is left on at night the iguanas cannot sleep.
If possible, it is good to take your iguanas out to bask in natural sunlight. Donot take them outside unless the temperature is above 70 degrees fahrenheit.
Iguanas are herbivorous animals, eating entirely plants. 70-80% of their diet should concist of dark greens such as collard greens, endive, mustard greens, watercress and dandilion greens. If possible, mulberry and hibiscus leaves should be included in their diet frequently. Avoid feeding them iceburg lettuce as it has no nutritional value. 20-30% of the diet should be of grated vegetables like carrots, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, spineless prickly pear cactus pads, zucchini, kale. And 10-20% should be fruits and flowers like strawberries. kiwi, apple (without seeds), melon, mango, papaya, rasberries, hibiscus, nasturtium, and dandelion flowers. Babanas are a favorite for the iguana but should only be fed as a treat because they have an incorrect calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Calcium powder, which can be purchased at reptile stores should be sprinkles over their food about 3 times a week for juviniles (who should be fed everyday) and about once a week for adults (who are fed every other day).
Water should simpley be offered in a heavy dish so they don't tip it over, and changed when dirty or dry.
My iguana also enjoyed dips in luke-warm bathwater about once a week or so to swim around. I know it sounds like alot of work but once you get the hang of it, it's not that hard. Good luck with your new friends.

i just got a little water turtle and i want it to be happy, but it isnt eating what should i do ?

2010-05-22T06:26:00.003-07:00

he just puts its head on the little island and sits there is he lonely or unhappy or dose he want a bigger house?please give me some good tips i have not had him for long
Answers:
Good web site: http://www.redearslider.com

Housing: Turtles need large, heated tanks. Those 'island bowls' are terrible. Aim for at least 10 gallons of swimming space.

Heating: Heat water to 75-80. Heat basking sites to 90

Lighting: Provide a full-spectrum light that includes ultra-violet (which does not penetrate glass)

Cleaning: Needs strong filtration to counteract messy habits.

Diet: Easiest for beginners is high-quality pellets supplemented with bloodworms while it is a baby.

Baby turtles are really hard pets to keep well. If you put the work in, however, they are great pets.

Maybe its cold where u r. try putting a light over the tank to warm him up

He might still be getting used to his new surroundings.give him some time.dont over feed.

maybe hes in shock. maybe you touch your turltle a little too much. send it to the vet. or ask the person you bought the turtle from. best send to the vet.

if you want him to be happy, blow some happy smoke into the tank, or use the tank as a giant water bong

I agree with KAT. He's probably cold. I had two of those pet store turtles for years they grew to the size of dinner plates. Use a 60 watt bulb and put it over his little island and let him warm up for a while. Don't put it too close though.

i purchased one how big is his tank he needs aleast 5 inchs of water to swim in and the tanks needs to live in a 10 gallon still needs a dry place to lay

get some earthworms, they can't resist them

Try warming up the environment, also what are you feeding? My turtles always ate canned cat food, they can also eat fish, get some small feeder guppies/goldfish if your turtle is big enough.

I just got a leopard gecko and a green anole is there anything I need to know?

2010-05-22T06:26:00.002-07:00

I know what to feed them and how to keep them warm but the gecko keeps biting and it hurts. So far she has bitten my finger and my chin. I just want to know if there is something else I need to other than the obvious?
Answers:
How do you have the anole set up? Do you know that anoles need uvb lighting and a basking bulb. Where as the leopard gecko just needs a red heat bulb. Neither of them should have hot rocks, they cause thermal burns.

Anoles also need humidity since they are semi tropical.

As far as your biting leopard gecko, leave it alone. It is stressed and not used to its new environment, it will take time to get it used to being handled but for now give it a few weeks to settle into its new home.

Is the gecko a baby or was it previously owned? Geckos are generally nice and ours has never bitten us. However, we once had a gecko and the previous owners did not take care of it and it was mean. We eventually got rid of it and purchased a baby tangerine gecko who is very nice. Do you take it out and handle it enough?

That could definately be it. Also, it could be how you pick it up or touch it. I know mine only is comfortable with its neck being touched and likes me to slide my hand underneath her to pick her up instead of grabbing her form above or the sides. Each one has its own personality. As for the anole, just remember to keep the humidity high as most people forget that and they dry up and die. The gecko needs a more desert like environment. By the way is your gecko a normal morph/phase or a more colorful one?

I've also never met a mean gecko. Is is possible that it is hurt in some way? You might want to have your vet check her out, if you haven't already.

If she is otherwise healthy, perhaps she is stressed. Is the temperature in her cage too cold or too warm for her? Is she in a room which usually has a lot of loud activity going on? Maybe she isn't being fed enough? Or did she have a previous owner that might have mistreated her?

After assuring she is healthy keep handling her, very gently, and she hopefully will eventually get used to you and stop attacking.

I have had my leopard gecko for ten years and he has never bitten me once. Might also help that he hasnt actually got any teeth!

I just got a beared dragon, today i need all the info on them everyone has.please?

2010-05-22T06:26:00.001-07:00

Answers:
Housing: The larger the better when it comes to enclosures for adult bearded dragons. A minimum size for an adult is a 50-gallon terrarium. Enclosures should typically be longer than they are high. Glass is a great choice for display of adult bearded dragons, allowing for optimum vision and brightness. It is also thought by many keepers that dragons display better color when housed in enclosures that they cannot see out of.

Substrate/cage decor: Although sand has been used for many years, I recommend strongly to my customers to use wheat bran for bearded dragons over 6 months old. Basking logs should be placed within the enclosure to allow your dragon to thermoregulate and feel secure. Decorative rocks and fake plants may also help to liven up the enclosure. Do not use heat rocks. Bearded Dragons sense heat and light using a detector located on top of their heads. They are not as aware of heat coming from below and can badly burn their bellies without knowing it. For this reason we advise to not use a heat rock or place rocks too close to the basking light. Use wood logs for basking zones instead. Live plants may also be an option. (But live plants must not be toxic, as they will likely be dinner).

Lighting/heating: Bearded dragons like it HOT! The key to heating your enclosure is providing a temperature gradient from a hot basking zone, to a cooler area. Basking temps should reach well over 100 degrees F. The cooler zone should be around 85 degrees. The brighter the light, the better. Dragons thrive under a good full spectrum UV source. We recommend active UV/heat or mercury vapor bulbs. These bulbs work double time to give your dragon quality UV and producing heat at the same time. You may also use fluorescent UV full spectrum tubes, although they do not produce the same UV quality. The colors and health of your lizard depend on good heat, bright light and UV. Your dragon will also benefit from natural sunlight and we recommend bringing your lizard outside in an outdoor basking enclosure. However the more natural sunlight you expose them to, the less supplements you should give, especially vitamin D3 (this may also be the case when using the active UV/heat bulbs). We also think that younger dragons may become stressed when taken outside, and therefore suggest holding off on outdoor excursions until your dragon is older .

Behavior: Beardeds tend to spend the day running from one heat zone to the next, and often searching for food. A happy healthy dragon is alert, fast, and active. Young dragons can be kept in groups without too many problems associated with stress, but older males should be kept one to a cage. Breeding groups of 1 male and 2-5 females are not uncommon. Males will aggressively bob their heads at the females, while the females will wave their arms in circles back. Males and some females will also turn their beard jet black. These are part of the breeding rituals and territorial behaviors of bearded dragons. Adult Bearded dragons enjoy basking lazily on their logs. Your dragon may "vent" (open mouth breathing) while basking, this is very normal and not a sign of distress. It is also not uncommon to find a dragon sleeping at night in what appears to be the most painful position on earth.

Longevity: A well cared for dragon will live from 6-12 years, maybe longer. The early years of a dragons life are often the most important. A young dragon that is not properly cared for is likely to have life long lasting problems. Proper exposure to uvb, vitamins, and minerals along with a well balanced diet in every stage of a dragon's life will help enable your dragon to have a long and healthy life.

Colors: Many things influence a dragon's color including stress, genes, and time of day. Many dragons seems to show there best color when sleeping, or soaking in water; others may show their best color when they are basking, excited, or for older dragons, after they have been exposed to natural sunlight. Any dragon can have color, but you are more likely to get a high color animal from breeding animals with high color. Many breeders have worked with line breeding and today you can find a variety of colors of dragons (the most famous being the sandfire line of colored dragons). It is actually a bit harder to find a "common" dragon these days then a colored one. Many dragons will show more color with age, but that is not always the rule. Color is generally best on healthy happy dragons.

Feeding/supplementation: Bearded dragons are omnivorous and should feed on both vegetation and protein. Crickets, mealworms, superworms, and a salad mixture should be staple food sources. Never feed your dragon too large of a prey item. We suggest feeding prey 1/2 to 3/4 the size of the space between your dragons eyes. Dragons require a variety of greens including collard greens, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, mustard greens, turnip greens, and dandelion greens. Stay away from iceberg lettuce, large amounts of kale, cabbage, or spinach. We also suggest a variety of vegetables such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, peas, corn, and fruits offered in small amounts. Other specialty additions can include cactus fruit, dandelion flowers, and hibiscus flowers. This salad mix can be offered daily using different combinations of ingredients.
When feeding crickets, make sure your source of crickets is clean. You may gutload your crickets with commercial cricket and/or we suggest offering your crickets fresh fruit, greens, and water. Remove all old food from your cricket container. Mold can be toxic to your lizards. We suggest using a moistened paper towel/sponge, citrus, or carrots to provide water for your crickets. Whenever possible try and provide a variety of appropriate sized prey items for your dragon including super worms, silk worms, roaches, grasshoppers, preying mantis, and a variety of other bugs (not fireflies). However we strongly suggest not using bugs found outside, as they may have pesticides that can kill your dragon. Also, use waxworms in limited amounts, if at all. They contain little nutritional value, and although relished by the dragons, contain high amounts of fat.
You can also feed rep cal pellets to your dragons at a young age. The best method we have found to start dragons on the pellets is to moisten the pellets, and drop them like crickets onto a paper plate in front of the dragons. This will generally trigger a feeding response from the dragons. Generally they will only eat a couple of pellets in the beginning, but with patience and age they will start to feed heavily on the pellets. The pellets have less risk of parasites, associated with much live prey. You can also feed pinky mice/rats to adult dragons; this is especially good for females during the breeding season. As dragons get older, their appetite will decrease. For adult dragons, you can offer greens daily and crickets or worms 3-4 times per week. As dragons get older, you may decrease the amount of protein offered. We suggest misting your dragons once a day, especially as hatchlings. Dragons will drink during spraying and may also be "trained" to drink and soak in a water dish inside the enclosure. They also enjoy an occasional warm (not hot) bath.

Why get it before you have the information IT'S GOING TO DIE

how old is the beardie. Care depends on the age and size. You always need uva and uvb lights,and heat lamps. For adults, You can use reptisand for substrate, but juvies need newspaper or "yesterdays news" sold in stores. Sand can block them up.Good luck with the beardie.

beared dragon make wonderful pets, they have great personilities. heres some useful websites that will help you http://www.reptilecare.com/bearded.htm.
http://www.kingsnake.com/gladescs/bearde.
http://www.exoticpetvet.com/breeds/iguan.
http://www.crestedgecko.com/bd_care.htm.
http://home.comcast.net/~ttuttle/careshe.

i just got a baby iguana two days ago & she dont want to eat, i need help i dont know how to take care of her.

2010-05-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

i need help its getting cold and i dont know how to take care of her !its normal for a iguana to be cold or its her skin suppost to fell warm?i put some food (lettuce etc.) but in this 2 days i havent seen her eat .and one more question do i have to take her to the vet for rabbis shot or something?
Answers:
I know quite a bit about reptiles, and for one, she shouldnt be cold to the touch, do you have a heat source? heat rocks are bad, and can burn your iguana (sometimes being fatal) I recomend an Under Tank Heating Pad, that covers half of your habitat (this goes on the outside, under your tank). These are wonderful, as iguanas (like most reptiles) need heat on their bellies to digest, having heat will also make her feel hungry, if shes cold, she wont die, but she might become very inactive (this is signs of her body wanting to shut down, or hybernate). It is also good to have on the warm side, a basking bulb, igunas come from very warm areas of south america and so on, there fore, she will love to sit on a rock or branch and bask in the warmth coming from below and above. This side (the warm side) should be 95 to 100 degrees F. the cooler side being about 10 to 15 degrees cooler (this is done by havin water on this side, and NO heat source, the heat coming from the warm side is enough to keep that side warm. If you have anymore question, learn more by going on google, and searchin Iguana Care Sheets, read a few of them, some people have different opinions and recomend different things, just try to find out what works for you! Hope I helped you!

dont keep exotic pets.hard time taking care of them as they need tons of TLC and it drains your money too.some reptiles must live in certain temperature or eat only certain food.that im not too sure

You should have reserched on this animal before you bought it!

Its not fair to the lizard if you dont know how to take care of her.

You need to make sure you have a heating rock for the iguana. Live crickets are good too. But the heating rock is a MUST.

Take the iguana to a vet anyway for a check up. She should eat. Also, you should always do research on an animal before you buy one, especially if you have never cared for one.

Ours loved tomatoes and romaine lettuce. Be sure to have a hot rock for it to lay on. Mine didn't like regular lettuce, just romaine. A checkup occsionally would be good. Not all vets take care of iguanas. Call around. Don't forget the hot rock. Very important.

just chek her in front of the doctor

You need a "sizzle stone" heat rock appliance from the pet store. A black light will also aid the heat issue. Without adequate heat iguanas can't digest their food. Also feed the lizard grated squash and they particularly like spinach and other green leafy vegetables. Sprinkle their food with a calcium powder supplement for their bone health.

Provided that she isn't sick (they can get human illnesses easily), then it sounds like she needs to be warmer than she is. Get a Hot Rock, or a low-wattage lamp, and put it in there. Once she's warmed-up, her appetite may return. Iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles. That means that their temperature is the same as their surrounding environment. If it's cold, they'll be sluggish, and not very interested in food. If it's warm, they'll be more energetic, and more hungry.

I use to hand feed iguanas baby food fruits and veggies until they were big enough to eat regular fruits and veggies. She did really well. To keep her warm you need to get a heat rock or use a heating pad with a towel wrapped around it. Put it on the lowest setting. This will keep him/her warm. Shedding is a natural process. They regrow skin all the time. No iguanas don't require rabies shots. For the most part she needs you to hand feed her. I used a very small spoon and fed her baby food until she was a few months old. Then she ate on her own. Try this it should help alot.

Iguanas are cold blooded so you need to provide a heat source for her. Her skin will not be warm to the touch unless she is on a heat source. A heat rock is needed and a special thermal pad that sticks under her aquarium would be good, too. Lettuce has no nutritional value. You iguana needs variety in her diet. When I had iguanas I used to give them a "salad" of shredded veggies and fruit. Kale is one of the best things you can give her, along with carrots, apples, etc. Try different things, they can be picky eaters sometimes. She may be too cold to eat or could also be a little traumatized by the move to a new place and need time to adjust. Make sure she is warm and make sure she has access to food. Some iguanas will eat insects like soft shell crickets. You might try one and see if she will eat it. Good luck with your iguana!

your iguana needs to be warm which means you need to have lighting for warmth and also for her health meaning, she needs to have a UV light. if they do not have heat AND a UV light, she will die. she needs the UV to digest food. reptiles will be very still if they are cold. because of what you said, it is very important that you get her warm. if you go somewhere like petsmart or most pet stores, they can tell you what kind of lights you need. you can get the bulbs there, but if you get that thing that looks like a dome and sits on your cage, it will cost you a fortune. you can get them for only a few dollars at places like home depot.

please, please, please make sure you get her the proper lighting. she will die if you do not. do you also know how big iguanas can get and that they can live for a very long time? just type in iguana care in google and you will find a lot to give you advice.

ighting: Iguanas must have a source of UVA and UVB light! UVA stimulates natural behaviors by providing a component of natural sunlight. UVB is important to iguanas for another reason. Without it, their bodies cannot manufacture vitamin D3 or properly metabolize calcium. Iguanas that are deprived of proper UV lighting suffer from a disease called Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) which is unfortunately very common in captive iguanas. MBD causes weak bones, jaw and bone deformities and early death.

I would recommend taking the iguana back to where you got it and not getting another one until you have done some reading and have learned how to take care of one. It's not fair to make an animal suffer because you haven't prepared yourself to take care of it.

And for all who mentioned heat rocks, they are BAD for reptiles! Lizards and snakes have very few nerve endings on their stomach and can't tell that they're burned until it's too late. In the wild they might lay on a rock that's been heated by the sun, but as their body absorbs the heat, the rock loses heat and becomes cooler. This doesn't happen with commercial heat rocks. They get hot and stay hot. I've worked in reptile rescue for 8 years and have seen some horrible burns on iguanas, bearded dragons, and geckos because of heat rocks.

If you can't take the iguana back to the pet store, please find a reptile rescue in your area that can either temporarily house it for you or can come to your house and show you exactly how to set up for an iguana.

Check out Iguanas for Dummies for everything a beginning iguana keeper should know and more!

Do NOT get a heat rock. Iguanas can burn themselfes on heat rocks. You need ambient heat and different gradients of it, The way to acheive this is to have a tall tank and something for her to climb on. A reflector bulb in a clamp on light can be used to provide the heat.

Lettuce is not an appropriate food for Iguanas. They need collard greens, mustard greens, parsnip, alfalfa, winter squash, all chopped up small enough for the Iguana to eat, In the wild the Iguana strips the leaves while they are attached to the plants. It is not possible to do that in a bowl, so she depends on you to make them small enough to eat.

Yes take your Iguana to the vet. Most Iguanas have parasites and having your vet treat your Iguana for them will give her a better chance at life.

You MUST read the site below, Melissa Kaplin is a noted expert and author of Iguana for Dummies. What I told you is only a small start.

I hope you realized that with proper care your Iguana can grow to 6 feet in length. At a year old mine is over 2 feet. The second link is to my Iguana.

As mentioned in the post directly above mine, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do not use a heat rock as a heat source! they are bad news for every reptile! if you have one, cut the cord and use it as a decorative rock.

Please go to the links provided, which is Melissa Kaplin's site. She has done much good for Iguanas and reptiles in general. She really knows what she is doing.

Bluntly, if you have to ask here, you SHOULD NOT have an iguana.

They are not reptiles for beginners. Far, far from it.

Iguanas have very specialized feeding and housing requirements. They can't live on lettuce any more than you can, and what they DO need to eat will take a significant amount of time and effort on your part to obtain and prepare properly. They require regular vet checkups, including blood tests for proper calcium/phosphorus balance. They grow huge -- as in up to six feet long. Yes, a lot of that is tail, but you're still talking about a lizard that is going to need a room of its own. Males often become insanely vicious during their mating season, when they think everything they see is a rival male. Females can become eggbound and need surgery or they will die. An iguana bite can be serious; I had one that decided one day to check out whether one of my fingers was edible, and casually gnawed on it; I have scars that go to the bone and after seven years, I still don't have all the feeling back in that finger. Never will.

As a rule of thumb, I'd say that nobody who has been keeping reptiles for less than five years, and who has not kept at least five different species of lizards successfully, should even think about getting an iguana.

Best beginner reference: Iguanas for Dummies.

Worst: anything from T.F.H. They're the folks who were (dunno if they still are) selling books telling you to feed your iguana twice a week.

Note: Iggies are weird -- they have a digestive system more like a cow than like most reptiles -- and they need a steady supply of food passing through to keep it working. In the wild, they eat constantly, since they're basically sitting on their food supply. (plants) They must be fed fresh food DAILY. Getting an iguana-sitter is not easy.

Also, like all the other experts, I have to say: NO HOT ROCKS. They are an option for some animals, but iguanas are NOT one of them. Iguanas are baskers -- they're built to soak up heat through their backs. Their bellies are tough, so they can drag them over rough surfaces such as rocks without harm, and have very little feeling. An iguana can get third-degree burns from sitting on a hot rock. My vet has some nasty pictures of one of his patients hanging up as a warning.

First, get her a heat lamp and/or a heat rock. Her cage needs to be around 85-86 degrees F or she will not be able to digest anything that she does eat. Then, give her some Romaine lettuce, fine shredded carrot, and some sliced apple. Mix it up good. Reptiles CAN NOT get rabies, so no need to worry about that. You may want to take her to a vet anyway. Finding a vet that treats reptiles can be hard, depending on where you live. Buy some reptile De-Wormer. Follow the directions on the bottle. Also, check and see if she has mites. They look like little red specks crawling on her. If she does, buy mite killer. She will need a large cage(a 50 gallon will work when she's a baby). Make sure she has a hide spot too, such as a cave or box. If you keep her warm, fed, and clean, she'll be the best pet you ever had.

Your baby could be under stress from relocating, but usually after the first day, mine always ate. You should never give it lettuce. It can have turnips, shredded carrots, ect, No spinach, a little chopped fruit. It neds a heat lap over it. The only heat their bodies have is the heat they recieve from heat sources. Give it plenty of water, but not deep enough to drown. They love to poop in their water (this is normal) and should be changed often.
You should supliment vitamins and calcium in their diet. Mine love chopped zucinni. You can get the little green cubes at the pet store . They are called iguana bites. They smell really good and may stimulate it's appetite. Maybe you should consider taking it to the vet, he may give it a shot of vitamin B complex with a little cortesone in it that will perk him up and make it hungry. The local petstore should have a good book on iguanas. Please buy one now, and read it as soon as possible. There is a lot of responsibility to owning an iguana. They may live up to 20 years, and can grt to six feet long. If you aren't ready to take on that much responsibility, then find someone who is. The Petshop or your vet might place him for you. I have four, the largest two being three feet long. I run a reptile rescue. The only iguana I have ever lost was a hatchling that the petstore gave me to see if I could save it. It was too far gone when I got it.
Good luck! They really are worth all the trouble they are, and believe me, the bigger, the more trouble they can get into!

I suggest you go to http://www.greenigsociety.org/.. They will have all the info you need. The iguana is probably just stressed. Make sure you aren't feeding it romaine or iceburg lettuce, its no good for them. Just print the list on the website above and go to the grocery store.

They are a bit of work and initially expensive. Mine is litter trained and lives in a 5'Hx4'Wx2'Deep enclosure that my dad built. I love my iggy, she is about 9 years old now.

I've never brought mine to the vet, but no vets around me do exotic pets.

First off, it was very irresponcible of you to aquire such a pet without doing research first.

Also, you shouldn't be feeding an iguana lettuce. You need to feed her a mixture of collard greens, kale, carrots, etc. NO lettuce, NO cabbage, NO spinach. Do some research online to see exactly what foods you can and cannot give to her. Make sure all the pieces are bite sized for her. You don't want her to choke trying to eat something too big.

As far as her temperature goes, you need to have a ceramic heat emmitter or basking bulb in a suitable fixture over her cage. Make sure it's at one end or the other so she can move out of it if she gets too hot. The warm end of the tank need to be 85-90 degrees, while to cool end needs to be 75-80 degrees.

Also, remember that you JUST purchased/aquired this animal. Obviously, she's going to be stressed out. She may not eat for as long as a week. Just make sure she has clean fresh water every day, and that her temperature and humidity (at least 70% for an iggy) are perfect. Try not to handle her much for the first week or so, she needs to get used to her new surroundings.

You should take her to the vet for a check-up, and to make sure she hasn't got any parasites or other common petstore diseases, but a rabbies shot isn't needed since she's a reptile.

I hope this was helpful to you, but from now on, show a bit of responcibility before buying your pet and DO THE RESEARCH!

First off, you need a heat lamp, iguanas are supposed to be warm during the day. The best kind of heat lamp is a UVB lamp which can be purchased at any pet or reptile store. This is very important if you want the iguana to stay alive. Get a timer for the heat lamp so it will turn off around 7 pm and turn on around 7 am. This is a very proper cycle of light that has worked on my iguana, which is now 6 feet long and weighs 17 pounds after only 4 years. As far as the vegetables, babies are picky and shy eaters, you might not see them eat for a while but as long as the food is disappearing then he's fine, also he won't eat if he's cold. he has to be warm in order to digest the food he takes in. Also, cut up the food into tiny peices that will fit in his mouth. You might try several different types of veggies to find out what he likes best, give him a variety of stuff for the best health. I had to experiment for about 2 months before I found a combination of foods that I can feed mine all at once. I feed mine Romaine lettuce, Kale greens, italian squash, cucumbers, and shredded carrots. For better information, pick up a book for iguana care. I recommend "Iguanas For Dummies". I'm not bagging on you, it is really a book, I have it and it has helped me so much in everything about them. Once you understand them, they are truly fascinating animals and the most intelligent of the reptile species. Oh also, I noticed a lot of people saying to get a heat rock and feed them crickets. They are very wrong. IGUANAS ARE VEGETARIANS. They also rely on the heat from above, not below for proper digestion. Heat rocks are very bad for them.Good luck.

OMG! YOU NEED TO SALE THAT IGUANA YOU DONT NEED ONE 1ST OF ALL DONT FEED HIM LETTUCE!! THEY DONT EAT LETTUCE U NEED A HEAT LAMP FOR NIGHT AND DAY! AND A FLORECENT(SP) LIGHT ALSO IGUANA'S EAT COLLARD GREENS MUSTARD GREENS AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUITS THEY NEEED ALOT OF CARE YOU ABVIOUSLY DONT NEED ONE YOUR GUNNA KILL IT!YOUR AN IDIOT IM SORRY BUT U ARE!

You really should have done your research!! Buy some iguana food, crickets, and also check the temp of the cage. It might not be warm enough. Do you have a heat rock? I suggest taking it to the vet and doing some extinsive research!! Good luck to you and most of all your lizzard.

I just got 2 baby brown Anoles, what should I feed them to fatten them up.they are very skinny..?

2010-05-22T06:25:00.003-07:00

Answers:
Anoles are naturally skinny. You should not try to "fatten them up". You should, however, care for them properly with a proper diet. They love crickets (make sure to dust them in a calcium powder first), mealworms, waxworms, etc.

Week old crickets. The local pet store should have some.

can i askyou,what's anoles?

Crickets (small ones) or mealworms.

Try waxworms. You can get them at most pet stores, they are soft yellow squishy worms with lots of fat and no hard shell like crickets and mealworms.

Make sure you look up photos of what your anoles should look like, as someone said, they are slender lizards to start with. If you can see bones protruding or their belly is caved in, then they are too thin.

a lot of pinhead crickets that are gut-loaded will eventually get the job done.

i just found my baby bald python i thought had escaped 4 days ago in my truck and very cold and i have nothing

2010-05-22T06:25:00.002-07:00

to feed the poor thing what should i do?
Answers:
I totally disagree with the girl above. Ball's are great starter snakes and i have found them to be very hardy snakes. Regadless of the difference in opinion. We do agree that feeding the snake is not the main concern now.
Correct whatever problem allowed him to escape and get him warm right away. Once you have secured his enclosure and warmed him for a day or two and he seems fine, then go buy the lucky snake a mouse..

Well, at least put it under a heat lamp until the morning, then get it some food, a.s.a.p.!

Make sure to get it warm and as soon as you can get to the pet store to get it something to eat. The baby should be ok until the morning.

Warm it up.

you got a cat?

Warm it up then worru about feeding it later but don't warm it up too fast. And it is BALL Python not Bald. If ti got too cold it may die anyway. but just warm it up and make sure it has water. 4 days can dehydrate it but it should be okay food wise they can go longer without. I had a ball that didn't, she wouldn't, eat for 5mos and was fine.

first of all, it is a BALL python, second, warm him up soon.dont you have a heat lamp for it? It needs one EVERYDAY if you cant take care of him right, give him to someone who can

1. It is a BALL PYTHON
2. Put it in your pocket until you can put it back in its ESCAPE PROOF CAGE. This is very important. You may not be lucky enough to find it next time.
3. Make sure it is drinking water before you try and feed it. Wait a few days to make sure it didn't get sick from being too cold. This won't kill the snake. If it tries to eat now it may just throw up and that is gross.
4. Please read a book and get a good snake vet. Ball Pythons don't make good "starter" snakes. Only people with experience should have them because they are so hard to raise. They are picky eaters and can be troublesome about the correct temperatures. Corn snakes, King snakes, Rat snakes all make good starter snakes.
Good luck and please for the snakes sake escape proof that cage.

i just cought a oak toad,from florida,now i brought it to chicago,how can i take care of it?

2010-05-22T06:25:00.001-07:00

i don't now what to do, all i no is that he eats crickets and he needs water.
Answers:
Hi

First are you certain its an Oak Toad?

http://www.uga.edu/~srelherp/anurans/buf.

Then I have to say. Its never ok to take something out of the wild for a pet,, and worse you took it from a warm climate ,,its natural habitat to one where it could not survive out of captivity..
It will be a lonely un natural life this toad is now going to have..

You should have took a look at him them put him back .

Actually it may even ber against the law to remove it from its habitat.

All that aside

I would urge you to contact Shedd's Aquarium , one of the zoos and see if they would take him.. they may have a habitat where he could live with other toads safely.

If you do not want to do th at or they have no suggestions.

Here is some info on them to get you started.

Toads hibernate in winter in colder climates but yours will not.

http://cars.er.usgs.gov/herps/frogs_and_.

Care of and for the toad.

http://www.avidpets.com/amphibians/oak-t.

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detai.

And if you get into trouble with it DONT LET IT GO IT WILL DIE

Call these guys

http://www.chicagoherp.org

Linda Malawy at (630) 717-9955

Good Luck

Wismom

Well I got a toad before and it needs a plastic cage and like some woodchips and a heater that goes on the side of the cage. After that just clean it out every week and it will be fine.

agree with everyone

Please don't ever take an animal from the wild, especially if you don't already know about its basic needs. The animal had everything it needed. Reptile and amphibians stress easily and often it leads to their death. Also, it could be an endangered species. Taking could endanger the entire population. Probably not, but you don't know. Also, some animals are against the law in other states due to spores and fungal issues. Please do not let it go back into the wild where you live. That could harm your local toad species.

But now that you have it I'm glad to see you are trying learn all you can. Next time take a picture and leave natural wildlife where you observe it. End of lecture.

i just caught a black with white square like spots animal. i'm not sure what it is .maybe a lizard,salamander,

2010-05-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

Answers:
The 1st answer is quite correct. A salamander will have moist skin and will need to be put in clean water, preferably back in the pond area it came from. if it is a lizard then the skin will be dry but won't necessarily have claws or fingernails as the 1st answer stated as some geckos do not have fingernails. Where in the world do you live? Info like this can be very important for figuring out what you have and exactly how to care for it. beyond returning it to the wild.

If it has dry skin and has toenails or claws it is a lizard. If it has moist or sticky skin and no toenails it is a salamander.

We think it might be a your mom called

let it go, you cruel person

I just caught a baby lizard, n I wanna keep it, uhmm?

2010-05-22T06:24:00.002-07:00

what should i feed it, where should i keep it?? its an ordinary house lizard.do they have lizard food in pet shops?? btw dont tell me to catch flys for it coz i cant
Answers:
Wild caught lizards and snakes do not do well in captivity. Most likely what you caught is either a skink or an anole. Both eat crickets and mealworms and can be bought in a pet store for around 5 bucks. And they aren't as likely to be carrying salmonella from a pet store. 10 gall tank with a uv light and a couple hiding spots on cool one warm (for a warm one just put one close to the basking spot.) But I have to say again the best way to ensure the life of the one you caught, just let it go.

eat it

try ants and spiders

An ordinary house lizard you buy at a pet shop, you caught a wild lizard and what it is acclimated to eat the things it catches in the wild to eat.

try grasshopers, crickets or mealworms. if it doesnt eat realease it asap

If its a house lizard, then you can just try feeding it scraps of food. Because the hosue lizards always swarm to my 'food scraps bin' and eat out of there. Or if you're free, go catch ants.

feed him to larger lizard, thats what baby lizards are born for.

try researching online to find out what kind of lizard and it will tell you what to feed it and how to care for it

Gotta know what kind of lizard it is in order to know what to feed it. Wildlife agents recommend the catch and release program. If you want a lizard that bad. Do some research and go to a pet shop and buy one. Leave the wild ones be. Green anoles are easy to keep and they are for sale all over the U.S. as well as house geckos. Both generally need misted daily and eat crickets.

Don't keep it, you will not be able to meet it's nutritional needs and they could carry diseases. The ones at the pet store should not carry any because they should not have been exposed to them.
Things like lyme and salminila

an ordinary house lizard? what species of lizard is it cuz I don't think ''house lizard'' is a species of lizard.

Heres my advice, take the lizard to a pet store, a locally owned one not a nation wide one like petsmart or petco cause they don't always know what they're talking about, and ask what type of lizard it is and what to feed it and how to care for it then when you get home do some research on the lizard, other than that we can't really help you because you can't specify the type of lizard. by the way if you can't get answers from the pet store try finding a vet that knows about reptiles and find out everything from them. Good luck!

I just bought a small boa and with it a 75 watt Repti Halogen lamp. How do I use it properly?

2010-05-22T06:24:00.001-07:00

How long should I leave the bulb on?
How far away should the bulb be from the snake?
When should I turn on the bulb?
Answers:
If you're going to use a bulb, place it on one side of the lid to the cage, so the snake has a "hot side" and a "cool side". If it's kept on the lid, the distance should be fine. Most snakes like a 12/12 hour day/night schedule, so whatever works for you: 8AM-8PM, 9AM-9PM, or whatever.

just be careful of what u do men.

DO NOT USE THE BULB UNLESS IT IS INSIDE A SAFETY CAGE.
A boa can wrapp it self around and unprotected bulb and will burn itself badly very quickly. A safer option for heat is a heat mat.
Place a piece of polystyrene under the mat and place a piece of tile or slate over the mat inside the vivarium this will allow the snake to warm up with out the chance of getting burnt.
Place a water bowl at the cool end so that the snake can get into it to cool down if it wants to.

First you get rid of the poor snake! Send it back to where ever they are born!
Get a nice cat,dog,hamster or even a potbelly pig!
A snake is a status symbol that comes back to bite you in your ,constrict you or some of your loved ones to death,%26 swallow you!
Mabey I should have my friend who has nerve damage from a boa attacking his 1yr old granddaughter as he was trying to save her, give you a visual!

Bulbs can be tricky on using correctly for snakes. Most will use a fluorescent bulb so that the snake can figure out day/night times. usually the light is on the timer. I have both a fluorescent and a dark red light that are switched between each other night and day.

As for a heat source, UTH (Under Tank Heaters) are used connected to a rheostat or thermostat. 2 main Under Tank Heaters used are Heat Mats which are placed on the outside underneath the tank, and Flexwatt Heat Tape which is placed the same way.
The tank heater is placed on one half side of the setup so that their is a warm and cool side. A water bowl is placed around the warm side to help with humidity/shedding. Getting a couple hide boxes will also help in keeping your snake calm and stress free.

I also reccomend buying a Digital Thermometer with external probe or a dual Digital Temp/Hygrometer so that you can accurately monitor the temps in the enclosure. These can be picked up at most pet stores along with Wal Mart, Target, and other large department stores.

As far as temps and humidity levels go, it all depends on which type of boa you have.

Heres the website I got all my info from when I got my boa, though I'm not sure what kind of boa you have I'm going to assume its a red tailed boa because they are the most common.

http://www.redtailboas.com/general_care/.

Good Luck! and I suggest you do some research on your snake and I can tell you haven't by this question. and I can also tell this is your first snake, you should've gotten a ball python or corn snake to start out with considering they don't get as large as boas can.

I just bought a pet turtle and a lagoon.he is trying to get out,but he will not eat.WHAT DO I DO?

2010-05-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

Is he sick?
Answers:
You need a new habitat. A lagoon is not a suitable habitat and was just a waste of money, sorry it sucks but that's the truth. you need a different tank. Do you have a Red Ear Slider? They like deeper water so they should have deep water, also the general rule of thumb is 10gal per inch of shell. Double that for two, so if one turtle is 5 in then it needs a 50 gal for 2 5 in turtles you need a 100 gallon. If you can't afford a traditional tank, you can use a rubbermaid bin. You will need a good filter, turtles produce alot of waste from their varied diet. If you have a 20g aquarium, buy a filter meant for a 40 gal and so on.
If you use gravel, Please remove the gravel ASAP!! Your turtles can eat this, yes sometimes they pass them in their stools, but then they re-eat them and they can become impacted and will need a herp vet. For herp vets in your are check these links http://www.nytts.org/nytts/helpnet.htm.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vets_for_h. In extreme cases they will die. Also do they have a basking spot where they can come out and dry off completly? Do you have a heat lamp and a UVA/UVB light over the the basking area?For your UVA/UVB the higher the output the better but 5% is fine. The lights should be on 12 hours and off for 12 just like day/night. Your water temps should be mid to upper 70's and your basking spot should be 10 degrees higher. If you can't regulate the water temp, you can use a submersible water heater or a heat mat under the tank. You will probably need this once winter comes depending upon where you live. Now onto not eating.

ONLY FEED WATER TURTLES IN THE WATER**
* Is the turtle kept warm enough? If turtles get too cool, they will stop eating.

* Does the turtle like the food you offer? Try out different foods. Some turtles can be very finicky eaters, especially in the beginning. And they have definite likes and dislikes. Most turtles will eventually take small earthworms that are wiggling in front of their nose. Start feeding favorite foods, then slowly introduce other items.

* Is your turtle exposed to too much stress? This is often a cause in new animals. Stress can be caused by handling, traveling, tank mates. New turtles will often not eat properly for several weeks. Be patient and keep trying.

* Is your turtle healthy? Not eating can be a symptom of other problems. If your turtle has been eating well and suddenly stops, a health problem is a likely reason. Take a fecal sample to your veterinarian. (Fecal samples need to be no older than 4 hours, and you need to store them in water in the refrigerator.)

* Don't panic! A turtle can go without food for weeks, even months, and when it feels well again, it will eat again. See a veterinarian, if you think you are doing everything right, and the animal does not eat for more than 2 weeks. Now lets discuss food I assume you have a Red Ear Slider;

Hatchlings
Hatchlings should be fed everyday for the first year of their lives. They should be given as much as they can eat in 10 to 15 mins time or as much as you could fit into their head if hollow. You can feed them all of it at once or you can slit it up into 2 feedings.

Hatchlings tend to be more Carnivorous than adults, so make sure to check out the suggestions of live and protein-rich foods below for how to supplement accordingly. (Make sure you still give fruits and veggies at this stage!)

Juveniles/Adults
Once your turtle reaches the 4" mark, we recommend that you change their feeding schedule to every other day. Giving them greens or live plants in between.

Adults tend to become more Omnivorous, so make sure to check out the suggestions of fruits and vegetables below.

Vitamins and Calcium
You should supplement your turtle's diet with both vitamins and calcium, every third feeding or once a week. To give them vitamins many people will give them a Vitamin Bath once a week. You can also either soak the pellets in a liquid vitamin or dampen them and roll them in a powder vitamin before feeding.

It is recommended you have a light that supplies UVA and at the very least a 5.0 UVB output. The UVB is necessary for the absorption of calcium and vitamin D3. Turtles need both calcium and Vitamin D3 for strong bones and shells.

**Feeding Tip Feedings should be done in a separate container so that you do not have to frequently change the water nor the filter media.

Common Diet Errors

Feeding Cat or Dog Food
Despite what some pet store employees may tell you, turtles should not be fed dog or cat food (Sounds insane, but we've heard it!)

Pellet Only Diets
Pellets provide many benefits, but variety is key!
Supplement their diet with veggies, live foods and some fruits. Check out our safe list below.

Giving in to Beggars
Turtles will always beg whether you give in or not- they know you are the supplier of food!
Supplement between feedings with greens or live foods they have to chase to eat. ( Iceberg lettuce is a common filler that doesn't contain much nutritional value, but will keep them content.)

Safe Feeding List

Commercial Foods (This is just a few of them on the market)
* Tetra Reptomin
* ZooMed's Aquatic Turtle Food
* Exo Terra
* Wardley's Reptile Premium Sticks
* HBH Turtle Bites

Frozen/Canned (For treats)
* Spirulina-enriched Brine Shrimp
* Bloodworms
* Plankton
* Krill
* ZooMed's Can O'Crickets, Grasshoppers, or Meal Worms

Live Foods (Carnivorous)
* Guppies or Rosies Reds (no goldfish they are too fatty and have very little nutritional value)
* Crickets (Gut-Loaded)
* Pinhead Crickets (for smaller turtles)
* Earthworms, Night Crawlers
* Ghost Shrimp
* Aquatic Snails/Apple Snails
* Slugs
* Wax Worms, Super Worms

**Be careful about Wild-Caught foods, they can carry parasites that can be transferred to your turtle. Freezing Wild-Caught foods for a month will help to kill off some parasites.

Fruits (small amounts for treats only)
* Apples
* Bananas
* Grapes
* Melon
* Tomato
* Strawberries

**Should be cut up in small, bite-size or match-like sticks that will be easy for the turtle to bite into and not choke on.

Veggies
* Squash
* Zucchini
* Carrots
* Greens- Red Leaf, Romaine, Collards, Kale, Dandelion Greens

**Stay away from Spinach. Make sure to cut the veggies in bite-size or match-like sticks so your turtle can eat them easily. Iceberg lettuce is a good filler, but contains little/no nutritional value!

Aquatic Plants
* Anacharis
* Duckweed
* Water Hyacinth
* Water Lettuce
* Water Lily

Supplements It is a good idea to give your turtle extra calcium and vitamins. For calcium you can buy calcium blocks made just for turtles or you can use bits of cuttle bone, which is made for birds. Break of some pieces, peel the hard back off and put it in the tank, remove all uneaten pieces after 12 hours to keep them from fouling the tank. Vitamins can be given once a week or so. You can use a powder vitamin or a liquid one. For powder vitamins get a few pellets damp and roll them in the powder. Then let them dry. For a liquid vitamin, just roll the pellets in the vitamin and let it dry.
If you need additional help I will be happy to help. You can contact me through email. Also you can come check out a turtle and pet forum I belong too for even more help and fun! http://www.turtleexchange.com/forum/inde. Hope to see you there! Good luck!

take it to the pet store

do you drop the food in the water or do you have it out in the lagoon? my little turtle only eats the food if he is in the water and i drop it in the water at him..if i leave it out he doesnt seem to care about it

Take him to the vet and see if it is sick. I hope it gets better.

sometimes they won't eat when u r looking at them.

no he's just not used to his new home, give him time to settle down
try him on earthworms, they can't resist a good wiggly worm

Julia 's answer is right on!

if it is a little turtle you might need to crush up his food or if he is in a new place he might be scared

I just bought a new ball python and I need help?

2010-05-22T06:23:00.003-07:00

I did not have a chance to see him eat or to know when the last time he ate was, but he did poop. Can you tell me the last time he ate by the time he *?
Answers:
If this is a juevenile ball python you can go ahead and feed him anytime between now and a week from now. I would feed him one or two mice (size appropriate) about every 7 days. DO NOT overfeed your snake with multiple mice at a time. NEVER more than two. This is not good for your snake and many people do it thinking it wil make the snake grow bigger faster. They do not have the best interest of the snake in mind.

Call your pet shop or the place that you got him and ask them. I bet that he ate not to long ago since he did is job and all!

well, whats his size? depending on the size, you should feed him something about the size of his head once every 10days

Just go ahead and feed him. It won't hurt him. If he is really full still, he will not eat.

My family used to have a garter snake and a corn snake. Usually when they ate, it was 3-5 days later that they pooped. I'd assume your snake works in a similar way. Have fun with your new pet!

you should feed him if he shat. Then feed him about once a week.

I used to feed mine once a week.and sometimes I would drop four or five mice in there and he'd eat them all in one day. He would usually crap out the last mice whole though.

You should be OK if you feed him now. He should be eating two appropriate sized mice every week. The mice should be about the same size around as the snake at the snake's widest point. Not the snakes head.No matter what that other person said. 5 mice is way too much and that would explain why that persons snake wasn't digesting properly.

You are fine to feed your snake but should be kept to 2 mice every 7 to 10 days depending on the size of your snake. You could always call or visit the place you bought your snake they will have info on its last feeding.

Well, when I feed my ball python he poops about two-three days later, I hope this helps, but to be for sure you should call the pet store, they usually have set days they feed the critters, snakes all get fed the same day every week or other week. You should be fine to feed him even if you did not know the exact date, he will eat it if he's hungery. Oh are you feeding live, stunned or dead?? I HIGHLY recommend dead/frozen. It keeps your pet from getting parasites, and injured from the live mice. A lot of people wnat to fed live cuz its cool, but killling your snake is isn't worth it. yes mice have killed snakes before. If you do feed live make sure you put food inthe cage for the mouse so it won't be tempted to eat the snake, and always be careful, pulling him/her out they tend to be more motion detective then dead fed snakes who grab the mice by sent. Good luck and have fun, snakes don't cuddle, but theyare really cool pets.

If he just shat go ahead and feed him. Better to get him on a feeding schedule that suits you not the pet shop. Also I'm going to step on a lot of toes here but when the snake is a juvie/subadult they do not require a weekly feeding. She eats small rats about 4 inches long not including tail. Those that feed them 2 a week must have some fatass snakes, by the way obesity is the number 1 killer of snakes. I'll bet thier snakes dont even move much (mine is extremely active and friendly) which is hard on the snake and shortens thier lives. Exercise is important for any pets health and cannot be ignored, just because it is a snake it does NOT mean it is ok to just lay there and sleep.Every 2-3 weeks for an adult is ideal. A snake will eat whenever offered food, it's called instinct not hunger. It is up to the owner to maintain good health. Babies need weekly feedings not the adults. Hate me if you must people, I'm just telling it like it is. Seeing as how I have had my 5 foot ball python for 15 years and was an adult when I got her. The bigger the meal the less they need to eat. Rundown 2 fuzzies a week is ideal with a baby as they need those vitamins in food to help them with thier growth. 1 mouse a week for juvies, 1 small rat for adults every 2 weeks. Just because its cool to watch them eat is not an excuse to jeopardize thier health.

Just put a mouse or rat in with him. If he is hungry he no doubt eat it ...

I feed my snake once a week on the same day every week. If it pooped then it ate not to long ago. Try and feed it again.

I just bought a little pet snake, what should i put in its cage and what do i feed it?

2010-05-22T06:23:00.002-07:00

It's small and only like 8-10 inches long.
Answers:
First.

Never buy any pet without reseraching its care first!

Now you have it. It syhould not be in a cage

and it weill need aheat source but you need to read on this or call the pet shop..

I cant think the pet shop sold you a snake and did not tell you what else to buy?

Do not put a heat lamp over the thing until you read about it

Call the VET or petshop

Sheesh
Wismom

why didn't you research this before you bought it?

go on, research it, look it up online.

You should have done the research before buying it!
You need to find out if it likes water, or dry heat. and i am guessing it will eat crickets and large bugs.

A HEAT LAMP OVER A ROCK AND CRICKETTS.

feed it some small rats ^,..,^
and put some fake green plants in their to make it look like a forest ^^

Ps, good luck with your pet, don't get bittem ^^

You could save time and just kill it now with a rock or something. People shouldn't buy pets without looking into it first. Do your research before you buy a pet or you are not ready for a pet. The internet or the place you bought it will know. I hope it bites you!

they're all small when they are born. Even a boa or python is very small when they're born sooooo, what kind is it?? ask the pet store or person you bought it from at least these questions.what is it? / what does it eat / how often do I need to feed it? / how big will it get? / and if you have any questions, come on back in here and we'll all help you. :)

don't know what kind of snake but the five necessities are:

heat source (rock or lamp)
water
food (crickets to pinkies to mice to rats)
climbing aperatus
hiding spots

to make life easier for you:
newspaper under astro turf

You must realize it is impossible for anyone to correctly answer this question because none of us know what type of snake you have. The species will determine what type of set up is needed to keep it happy and healthy, what kind of food it needs, how often it needs to eat, how big it will get, and all other important info about your new pet. If you can tell us what kind of snake you have, then we can help. If you don't know, please do yourself and your pet a favor and return it.

Please please please..to anyone that reads this..do research before you purchase any pet!!

water and heat something to hide in like a butter bowl with a hole cut in it so it can get in and out and some aspen bedding

Okay, first of all.everyones right. You should have researched..but to get past that.8-10 inches, it should be eating pinkies. You can buy them live or frozen from most pet stores. Heat rocks are fire hazards, go for a lamp. You should probably be using a tight beam bulb, but the place you got the snake from should be able to direct you. If it doesn't eat in the next few days, you may have to have it force fed or it will starve. Baby snakes are notorious for not eating after a traumatic event.like a move. Foliage is good, non toxic plants. Use Mulch as flooring for the cage..cedar is good and can be purchased from the pet store.pet store mulch is free of parasites and poisons. Handle frquently, but gently enough so as not to traumatise it. What kind of snake is it?

you should have researched it!

DO NOT USE A HEAT ROCK IT WILL COOK IT, IT PROBABLY EATS MICE, OR IF IT IS A GARTER PROBABLY WORMS. FRESH WATER EVERYDAY. A HEAT MAT FOR UNDER THE TANK. CYPRESS MULCH OR REPTILE MULCH .. NOT NOT NOT CEDAR. SOMETHING FOR IT TO HIDE IN LIKE A CAVE, AND SOMETHING FOR IT TO CLIMB ON LIKE A PIECE OF DRIFT WOOD. HE CAN CLIMB ON THE DRIFT WOOD, HIDE UNDER IT AND RUB AGAINST IT WHILE SHEDDING. I JUST BOUGHT A CORN SNAKE AND I RESEARCHED IT FOR A WHOLE MONTH BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. MAKE SURE THE HEAT IS ONLY ON 1/3 OF THE VIV SO IT CAN REGULATE ITS OWN TEMP. HOPE THIS HELPS

wow you are a horrible pet owner. you didnt ask what he eats? do you even know what kind it is? different snakes eat different things. go back to the pet store, and give the snake back and say you made a mistake and that your not smart enough to even own a pet.

take it back, you're not ready. you should have had the tank set up for it, you should know what to feed, you should have at least asked the person at the pet store, and you should never buy any animal with out first researching as much as you can about them.

It would help to know what kind of snake it is-it' probably a little corn or garter snake. It will need

a water bowl
some sort of flooring (either astroturph or aspen mulch-cedar can kill snakes)
a place to hide-it can be as simple as a butterdish placed upside down or a flowerpot on it's side.

It will likely need a heat source unless you are in a hot climate-and the pet store can tell you based on the size tank you have.

It's best not to try to feed it for several days-you are better off just buying the snake and leaving it quietly with water for a day or two. But use that day or two to read everything that you can about it.

The thing is, you did buy the snake before you researched it, but you are asking now, and that is a very good thing. Good luck to you and your new friend.

i just bought a corn snake and i don't know what to name him?

2010-05-22T06:23:00.001-07:00

Answers:
Why not Snape? (from Harry Potter?)

coco and cryspy

How about corn dog?

Corny

how about "Husker".like corn husker..

Maze

Corn Flake

That is easy name him corny.

Corny? Snakey? Corny Snakey?

arca said like R K. also known as Road Kill

hmm.splot

Slinky or slithers, sounds good to me ?

if he is a corn snake call it corny

Cornhollio!!

i have you ever kissed a cat or any pets??

2010-05-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

Answers:
yes

yea i kiss my dog when i come home from a trip or when shes good. but never on the lips just on her head

NO, BUT I'VE HAD A FEW THAT KISSED ME.

Yes, I do it all the time. It feels good that someone is waiting for you and happy to see you. I love dogs a lot. He is my best friend. I kissed him and sleep w/him. I don't like cats too much, they are ok but not. It is ok to kiss your pet.

Yes by blue fronrt Amazon

No, but my sister has.

I used to hate cat's before I got a kitten for my kids. I've kissed her so much that she will jump in my lap and give me "kitty-kisses". I still don't like cats, but I love Angel. Love is interesting like that. Beside's her breath is better than some men's that I've kissed.

Of course, I have two beautiful cats that greet me the second I walk through the door when I get home from work and they wait for me to put my purse down, bend over and give them each a kiss. They are just like two little children, they have to get attention from mommy as soon as she walks through the door (it really pisses my boyfriend off that they do that too because they don't do that to him). I'm sick I know, but I just love those two little f*ckers!

I kiss my pets all the time! They are so yummy!! *runs up to sleeping doggy and kisses it*!!

I kiss my dog and cat on the top of their head

yeah i treat them like family.

yes my iguanas and boy do they have a tongue! lol

Of course I give my dogs and my bird kisses all of the time. They mean a lot to me because they are part of my family. Do you give your family kisses? Then why wouldn't you give your pet kisses?

i have two turtles?

2010-05-22T06:22:00.003-07:00

they just mated and i know that i am going to have to deal with baby turtles,but i want to know how long it will take, what they will need to make a nest and what kind of food to feed the new turtles.i don't need the answer right away but it would be nice
Answers:
What kind of turtles do you have? If you want to keep the eggs you will need to incubate them, if you think you can't you can always throw them away. If you do want to incubate them you need to know what you are gonna do with all those baby turtles. Also if this is the first time the have mated, the eggs may not even be fertile, so it may be a waste of time to incubate. But you still need to make a land area for your female because if she doesn't have a place to lay her eggs she will become egg bound and could die. If these are water turtles you can take her out and put her in her land area for about an hour each day. You can do this more than once a day also. If she lays them in the water, and you don't get to them in time, throw them out cuz the babies will have already drown. If you pick up the eggs to put them in an incubator, DO NOT turn the eggs.

Although applying principally to the incubation of California desert tortoise eggs, the following suggestions are for all turtle and tortoise eggs in general. Always bear in mind that there is no one method that will assure success and that in some cases an entire clutch of eggs will be infertile and not capable of hatching under even ideal conditions.

Unless the area in which captive tortoises and turtles live is very similar in temperature and soil to that of the natural environment, eggs will rarely hatch if left in the nest. They should be dug up very carefully, the top of each egg marked with a pencil (not a marker; the shells are permeable and the ink is toxic) to guard against turning and jarring, and then placed in an incubator.

Incubators may be anything from the commercial type used for chickens (available at some pet stores, feed stores, or by mail-order) to the homemade variety made from bread boxes, cardboard boxes, styrofoam coolers, small glass aquariums, or even margarine tubs (placed in a warm spot with a few small holes in the lid so oxygen can get in). A light for heat control should be in the incubator, plus a thermometer (either hung on inside wall or placed next to eggs) and, in cases where water or box turtle eggs are being incubated, include a small container of water or wetted-down sphagnum moss for necessary humidity. Eggs incubated without minimal humidity tend to cave in, dry out and not hatch. Most eggs require a small container of water near the eggs, replenished regularly (the water evaporates).

Sand, peat moss or other floor covering may be used, but again this is a matter of personal preference. Some fanciers bury eggs in sand to a depth of an inch or two. Others do not. In 1969 the San Diego Zoo incubated its eggs in sand-filled earthenware crocks, covered with sheets of glass to contain condensed moisture. A hazard to sand is that a newly hatched turtle or tortoise may eat it, become impacted and die. Soft, finely sifted, chemical-free dirt works well for most eggs and won鈥檛 tear the yolk sac attached to all new hatchlings for the first few days of life.

Regardless of method chosen, temperature is the most important factor. Eggs incubated at between 85掳 and 90掳 F will usually hatch if fertile. Experimentation is necessary to determine proper light wattage that will maintain constant temperature. In some incubators, a 7-1/2-Watt light is sufficient; others may need a 40-Watt bulb or more. Distance from the eggs should be 8-10 inches if using a styrofoam cooler so you avoid hot spots on the eggs; this will probably necessitate mounting the bulb in the lid and adjusting the wattage to get a stable interior temperature.

Let the closed incubator heat completely for several hours, checking the thermometer from time to time before finally deciding which size light is best. Always keep a spare light on hand because the original will burn out at some point during the incubation process.

Desert tortoise eggs will hatch anywhere between 76 and 120 days, average time being about 85 to 90 days. Many water turtle eggs require the same length of time. Some of the more exotic species require up to six months (one African Pancake tortoise hatchling appeared after 210 days!); in these cases, it is best to check specific references, look on the internet, or network with other keepers to learn incubation times.

The following incubation times are average ranges: Tortoises, 70-100 days; box turtles, 60-90 days; water turtles, 60-85 days; and exotic tortoises, 100-160 days. Use these times as a guide; remember, there can be exceptions based on external factors.

I don't know.

What you could do is maybe search the web,ask the pet shop or pound there are many things you could do an Id would put like a little like borrow hiding olace in there so they dont have them in the open and turtles are reptiles they will have eggs! Seee ya

I love you

Few turtles automatically lay fertile eggs after the first mating- it usually takes a few practices and some infertile eggs first.

In 2-3 weeks after mating, you should be able to feel eggs around her hind feet.

Eggs should be laid in a drained patch of sand and loam mix in a nest she will dig the day she lays them. The timing for this is variable, but not too long after you can easily feel the eggs.

The eggs will incubate in the nest for between about 20 days and almost a year depending on temps, etc.

You've got some time to do some research for concrete answers. Try these sites for help:

I have two pet turtles. One is called Tiptup and the other is called Tanktup.?

2010-05-22T06:22:00.002-07:00

I keep them in a large tank which has a ramp allowing them to climb out. We recently put a combustion heater in our family room and now Tiptup likes to climb out of the tank onto the ramp. She never did this before. Why do turtles do this? The water is cooler than the ambient temperature so it isn't because she is too hot. Is it to bask in the heat? If you don't know the answer do you know any websites I can refer to?
Answers:
yup.it's 2 bask in the heat.turtles like that.cute names by the way!

see below

1. Get a thermometer so you KNOW what the temps are. Water in the warm area should be 75-80 and basking area about 90.

2. I hope it really IS a large tank. Aim for about 10 gallons of swimming water per inch of turtle. A lot of us use kiddie pools or big plastic tubs.

3. Good websites?
- http://www.redearslider.com
- http://www.austensturtlepages.com.

Sounds like you got some pets without researching what they actually NEED to be healthy. Sadly, alot of people do this with RESs, which what I'm assuming you have. Here is a website I made for people who don't know much about them with the basics of what you need to know so that you can keep your turtle healthy. http://www.geocities.com/radiofemme/turt.

I have two baby horny toads. How often do they eat and how big of a cricket can they eat.?

2010-05-22T06:22:00.001-07:00

The crickets are strarting to out grow my toads. Do they eat any vegitation??
Answers:
Desert Horned lizards (commonly called horny toads)eat as their main diet, harvester ants and will die without them, they also eat alot in one day. THey also need a uvb bulb that emits 5 percent or higher uvb rays, i like zoo meds reptisun 5.0 or 10.0 and Reptiglo 5.0 or 8.0 and it needs to be replaced every 6 months because the bulb loses its uvb output. It will also need a basking are of atleast 95-100 degrees and a cage big enough so that it can escape the heat if needed (properly thermoregulate) They are very difficult to keep and that site http://www.antsalive.com/ being the only one i know of to buy harvester ants for the lizards food.
http://www.desertusa.com/april96/du_hliz.

http://www.zo.utexas.edu/faculty/pianka/.

http://www.hornedlizards.org/

http://www.antsalive.com/

You can get them to eat crickets? They are generally strictly ant eaters. And no, no vegetation as far as I know.

Edit, and uh. they aren't really toads. However they are pretty cool. When threatened they can force blood out of the sinus cavity below their eyes and shoot blood a fair distance. Certainly a creative defense.

I don't know what to feed 'em . but if they don't work out as pets you could have one heck of a pajama party.

Burn the skin of toads and some chemical therein gives off a smoke that intoxicates. Cherokee Indians found out about this 300 years ago. Their experimentalists sat around smoking pipefuls of dried toadskins, and talking, laughing, and getting shiny-eyed. Or so the scholars now report.

i have some hermit crabs and?

2010-05-22T06:22:00.000-07:00

i have some hermit crabs and to my suprise a couple weeks ago there where legs all over the tank and to my suprise one of my crabs had molted!9shed his skin and gets new skin) but now the same carb is losing legs all over the tank it has only been a couple weeks can someone help me because i love those little guys and dont want to lose them :(
Answers:
Dropping of limbs is a very bad sign.

Causes of this are the following.

Stress
over-heating
too dry
over handling
improper tank conditions
improper diet
improper substrate
aggressive tank mates

At times of stress, illness or incorrect tank conditions a crab can drop it鈥檚 limbs. You may notice a crab looking
under the weather, and then further notice a leg or pincher missing.
Many times this is due to stress or injury. It may be a
battle wound from a fight in the tank or an injury from a fall or getting stuck.
Other times it is from a tank that is too hot or you disturbed a molter.
The best thing to do is to make sure the crab鈥檚 diet is rich with calcium and protein and watch over it. Another suggestion is a salt water bath to help clean the open wound and help it heal faster.

You will need to ISO this crab and make sure the tank humidity and temperatures are within the correct range and monitored 24/7 with the use of gauges. 75%-85% relative humdity and 76-82 degrees F.
Also make sure you provide both fresha nd natural oceanic/marine salt water in large pools and both waters are de-chlorinated. Fresh fruits, veggies, meats, fish and whole grains as food, never offering the same things 2 times in a row and food available 24/7

Sand and moist coco-fiber or a mixture of the two are the approved substrates aand a solid tank lid with lights is also another must.

Also each crab must have at least 4 extra shells available in the tank at all times of the proper size, shape and type, paying attention to the opensing size and shape as well.

GEL LIMBS
When it is ready and recovered strength it may start growing a gel limb, which will continue to enlarge until it is time for the crab to molt. Then that gel limb will turn into a new working limb, just a smaller version of the original and it may take several molts until that limb is back to the original size.

Just watch it's molting seasone will be over soon.

I worked with a lady who had some, they dont live very long %26 yes they do shed %26 lose legs. You need to change out the shells also. did anyone tell you that? b/c they will need bigger shells. I believe she started with 5 %26 within a year and a half they were all gone. And one out lived the others by a good 4 months. Sorry.

Okay. Make sure there's plenty of moisture in the tank, and a few shells available, just in case it wants to change.

They might be fighting.

Land hermit crabs have the potential to live MUCH longer than a year and a half, if they are cared for properly and they do not contact some sort of parasite or disease. Some crabs can live up to 20 years.

hermit crabs do that and if you have more than one it may be the others shedding and moving on in the new shell. keep a close eye though and all should be fine.

I have snake mites, i was wondering if anybody knew of any home remedy i could use 2 rid my snakes of them?

2010-05-22T06:21:00.003-07:00

The mites showed up about 2months ago and I have been trying to get rid of them since. The pet store told me to wipe their bodies with mouthwash on a cloth, it doesnt irritate their skin. But the mite still seem to be there and getting worse!! I am very very concerned. I have cleaned their cage multiple times, and I have taken out all extra necessities such as branches or rocks. I have left a circular and pond looking water dishes in the cage. Also a heat rock. I cleaned the cage and I have tried leaving bedding out of the cage and using newspapers like sites say to do but it doesnt work. I put new bedding in about 1 week ago after they were rinsed off, I cleaned off the watering dishes and heat rock too. I need some responses to help me rid my 1foot long ball Python and 21/2 feet long Albino Burmese Python of mites. Thank You!
Answers:
To get rid of mites, you have to break the mite life cycle. You have to get rid of not only the living mites that you can see, but also the mite eggs that you can not see.

The "official" answer is to use Provent-A-Mite(PAM ,$20 per can) and follow the directions exactly (do NOT apply this directly to your reptile). The more common answer is to use Equate Bedding Spray ($4 per can, sold at WalMart as a lice treatment.same active ingredients as PAM). Here are the steps to follow:

Remove the snake from it's cage and soak it in warm water (luke warm, not hot!). Add a drop or two of Ivory dish soap to the water. This will break the surface tension of the water and more easily drown the mites. Make sure that the water is deep enough to come up to the snakes back, but not so deep that the snake has to actually swim.

While your snake is soaking, clean the cage COMPLETELY. Remove any cage furnishings and water bowls and sanatize these items (or replace with new). The cage should look brand new when you are finished cleaning. If you are using a home made wooden cage, this will be more difficult.

After cleaning, seal any vents and you want to spray the Equate (what I use) or PAM in the cage (give it a decent fogging, hard to say how long without knowing the size of the cage). The idea is to keep the "fog" inside the cage to treat the entire cage. DO NOT SPRAY WATER BOWLS WITH INSECTICIDES.

Let the cage sit, still sealed, from an hour or two to allow all the fumes to dissipate (sp?). The fumes are what will harm the snake and you should never, ever spray these products directly on your snake.

Once the cage is completely dried and no trace of fumes remain, you can then remove your snake from it's soaking tub. Use paper towels to dry your snake. You will notice alot of dead mites on the paper towel as you wipe the snake down. Return your snake to it's cage, but do not give it a water bowl for another 24 hours. Use newspaper or paper towels as a substrate until you are sure all mites are gone.

The PAM and Equate bedding sprays both have a residual effect that will kill any mites that come into contact with a treated surface for roughly 30 days. However, since you already have a mite infestation, you need to repeat this procedure in two weeks.

If you are looking for a product that you can spray directly onto the reptile, I would recommend Reptile Relief. I use this on every new snake that I aquire as I place the animal into quarantine. While not as effective as the stronger products I outlined above, it does kill mites (works in a different way and is safe to apply directly to the snake, providing you follow the directions on the bottle).

I hope this answers your question. As a point of reference, my husband and I are professional reptile breeders and dealers. We have had to deal with mites on occasion when bringing in new animals. If you have several animals, you will need to treat every one of them as if they have mites (even if you don't see any). Mites travel.

Good Luck!

boiling them will rid them of these pests

find a mite killing fumigator . wrap the cage in plastic, fumigate according to directions. prolonged exposure should saturate %26 kill the mites. then put the snakes back..good luck..chirp1

mineral oil works like a charm and its cheap soak them in it and the oil will smother the mites an is safe for the snake makes them shine i had the same problem a few months ago

Start w/ an empty tank, disinfect with a mixture of 75% water 25% bleach. Scrub good and rinse. Scrape down walls with a razor blade to remove any eggs and larvae. Also disinfect anything going back into tank and if possible replace anything with a porous surface(anything wood or plant material) . Use newspaper to line the tank.

Snakes should be soaked in a diluted Betadine bath. If the snake persists in climbing out of the tub or is too small to put in a bathtub, place it in a plastic, lidded container into which air holes have been punched, filling it 3/4 full of the Betadine/water solution. You may wish to bathe the snake in a plain water bath first to allow it to drink first, adding the Betadine after it has done so. If the snake defecates in the water, drain the tub, clean it, and draw a fresh Betadine bath.

Whether or not the snake's head was under the water, dab the eyes and heat pits with mineral oil after removing it from the bath. Check the groove under the chin as well as under all the belly scutes and in the vent folds to make sure there are no mites, dead or alive, lodged in those areas. If you find mites in these areas, you can remove them by gently rubbing them from between the scales and folds with a cotton-tipped swab dipped in mineral oil.

Unfortunately because mites are so hard to treat you will often have to repeat the treatment about 2 weeks later

DO NOT FUMIGATE YOUR SNAKES CAGE!! Spraying poison in any pets environment is just plain stupid. Snakes absorb warmth through thier skin and will absorb poison and kill them. Personally having a pet Burm is a dumb idea for a pet anyway, no offense I used to relocate displaced reptiles and 9 out of ten of them were Burms and Retics people bought because they look cool when they are small but when they reach 20+ feet they are dangerous. And if you can't get rid of mites its apparent you are a beginner herper and shouldn't have such monstrous pets. Back to the question at hand, get some mite pads for the tank. If you have wooden cages chances are they are in the wood. If in aquarium, take them to a qualified vet to have them checked out with a fecal specimen. They may have picked up a parasite somewhere/somehow. Pet shops are not the people to ask because most employees in a pet shop are there because its thier first job and really don't know what thier talking about. My apt has pissants and to avoid them getting in the tanks, i wipe some vinegar around the outside of the glass and they don't cross the vinegar line, even though they get anywhere else. If you talk to someone in a pet shop speak with the owner or supervisor. They will be the ones who know what they are talking about. best bet still is take a fecal specimen to a qualified vet to check for parasites. Once again: DO NOT EVER USE POISON IN ANY PETS CAGE, IT WILL POISON THE PET ALSO. And you and I both know albino burms go for around 200 bucks starting. That would be a very expensive lesson learned. You can use bleach to disinfect the cage just make sure there is 1 part bleach, 10 parts water and then rinse out. We use bleach in the animal hospital I work at to disinfect everything, it is toxic straight up but not dilluted with water. I would also take a fecal sample to a vet for testing, that would be the best bet. You could have got mites from a feeder mouse and not known it. I have seen a lot of sketchy pet shops that don't take proper care of feeders because feeders are there to die anyway.

I'll second the idea that you should be very careful what kind of mite remover you apply to your snakes as it may kill them. The dish soap in water idea is a good one. The reason why you are getting a re-infestation is because the mites aren't just in the snakes' cages! They are loose in your house. Here is a simple way to clean your house and remove the mites permanantly. Go to Walmart or a grocery store and purchase a large box of Borax powder. Also purchase two large 32 oz cylinders of table salt. Now whatever rooms the snakes have been in or that their cages have been in, you must cover the floor with borax. If you have kitties or ferrets, you cannot let them in these rooms, as borax will kill them if it gets on their paws and they eat it, but to humans it is harmless. Wait 10 days, then vaccuum thoroughly and apply the salt in the same way. The salt is not harmful to anything, but it can dehydrate, so make sure your animals have pleanty of water. The borax kills the adult mites and the salt will kill the eggs and larva.

Now until you get your mites all the way gone, once you have done the borax thing, you can keep the mites from spreading by surrounding the cages with a ring of borax. That way you don't keep reinfesting, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to do all your treatments at the same time. It will make sure that you have to reapply as little as possible.

To kill the mites on our gerbils, we used mite spray for birds, and followed the instructions. I'd call your vet and see if you can use the bird mite spray because that worked very well for us.

From now on, try to wean your snakes onto eating frozen food, as dead mice/rats have dead mites.

my son's snake got mites a while back, we sterilized the cage and equipment with bleach and he wiped the snake down with rubbing alcohol, no problems since

the first thing to do is use vasoline and rub it all over their body except the eyes and nose, leave it on for 2 days and then wash it off. this smothers the mites. make sure you are not using cedar bedding as it is known to carry mites in the wood therefore passing it to your snake. clean cage, and accessories well with bleach and let air dry for 24 hours. this should help cure the problem.

use baby oil it will smoother the mites

I have recently lost my pet snake?

2010-05-22T06:21:00.002-07:00

Its been almost two weeks since my pet snake escaped.I have looked everywhere..I even put flour on the floor where i think he might be.. But so far there have been no sign of him.any suggestions??
Answers:
If you have a relationship with this animal -- call it by its name. If you don't have a realtionship, perhaps it is not really a pet.

Set out trays of water. Snakes and all animals need water, It will come to the water.

Find it soon before hybernation season comes. If you don't find it, look for the place that would seems most underground - in the bottom of a close or a cabinet, between your stored sheets and towels, under coushions or pillows, etc.

Look under the sofa cushions.

That happened to me once. My snake got out from a small hole in the top of the terrarium and I couldn't find him. About a week or two later I say a very big trail of ants going inside of my door. I have one of those crappy plywood doors with some cardboard inside of them, and when I tore open a few holes, I found a dead snake curled up in a ball halfway up the door.

So I'd say search where you'd least expect.

if your snake its mice, get a mouse, and let it free in your house where you think he might be. Put the mouse in some sort of like powder, so wherever he runs it leaves a trail. wherever the trail stops, thats where he got eaten, and your sname will be around there somewhere.

set traps.let live chooks and mice run around in the house when the snake has finished eating these he/she should be big enough to see from far away and then you can catch it

Look somewhere that has a heat source. I found mine under the fridge once, and under the tub another time. I also found one of mine on top of the rat cage (outside the house, how it got there still amazes me.) But I wouldn't reccomend letting rats to inside your home. Put one in a tank instead. Almost anything that it can wrap around, and if it is wrapped around something, obviously you shouldn't pull on it.

Good luck.

well, im not really sure, those other suggestions are pretty well put and i think u should follow thoz. my brother caught this HUGE rat snake then put in a glass jar,w/ out the top on it of course) and broght it outside in his back yard and it escaped. so now its lurking around in the neighborhood..

Here is something that may work for you, as snakes gravitate toward heat sources as well as dark places. First of all, check around heat sources in your home, such as televisions, under the refrigerator, around any other appliances. If that doesn't produce a result, try this: Get a cardboard box with a lid (such as a shoe box) and cut a hole in one side near the bottom that will be large enough for your snake to enter. Place a heat mat (make sure it isn't so hot that it will burn the snake) beneath the box and set it somewhere out of the way. Do this at night. Check it in the morning, and you just may have a snake waiting for you in the box (just make sure you lift the lid slowly as to not startle it too much). I hope this helps!

I have recently lost my pet snake?

2010-05-22T06:21:00.001-07:00

What can I do its been nearly 3 weeks, I have heard movement in the walls, so i figure that if he is in the walls he'll be able to find food.and that maybe I will find him eventually
Answers:
Devote some time to find your pet snake. Try searching for any holes in the wall or any place where the snake can get into =) GOOD LUCK!

go to get the walls down, and get him out of there

omg!i say you get yo and look for that pet of yours!!A.S.A.P.!!

Dude i lost my snake for nearly a year. i was doing laundry and i saw a snake and screamed. my exhusband came over and it was my old pet snake. she was 3 feet when i lost her and now she is nearly 7 1/2 lol the snake will show up in time

I don't have the gonga answer of answers but to shed some light on your delema, My brother and I grew up with snakes ever since we we're eight years old and yes,..have lost snakes as well which brings to mind one in perticular.a five foot bull or gopher snake, (same snake,2 differant names) we knew it was in the walls and after getting into a lot of trouble by Dad (ouch!) for poking about six, fist size holes in the living room one day to drop mice tied to string like a lure, my brother and I not only found out that the snake had a madeshift door into the attic but a nice little nest up there as well! Total time of retrieval.seven months. Sugestion:: if you can hear the snake, put on about five pairs of underwear, two pairs of shorts and jeans and make a hole about a foot from the bottom and extract it. Good luck.

snakes are usually drawn towards heat. Place a electric blanket and try to make th place very dark. Place food out for it every crack in the wall and it'll smell it. It wil probably smell it and come and settle down. Put clothes and other stuff to make it content. Check every morning, afternoon every hour and you'll find it
good luck.

Try finding any holes or cracks where the snake could get in. Then either buy or make a cage that is mostly screen and place it somewhere that the snake can get to easily and the smell can be spread. Put a mouse or rat or whatever you feed your snake in the screen cage. Also place a container of water for the snake and maybe a heat pad all in the same area. Check every once in a while and you should soon have your snake.

Hi!
I hope you have already found your snake by now. If not, don't give up hope. Unless your snake has actually escaped your home and made it to the great outdoors, this little bit of advice has always worked for me:
Get yourself a bag of of good potting soil (that does not contain fertilizers or pesticides.they come in various sized bags). I prefer to purchase this nice clean, fluffy soil (snakes love it) instead of using it from my own yard, due to possible parasites like mites); You can either leave the soil in the bag and cut the top open, or, if you are worried about a little dirt spilling in your house you can always place it in a bucket or a tub and place it along a wall. Place several of them if possible, for maximum effect in shorter time. Snakes will usually travel along walls as opposed to traveling across an open expanse. The snakes smell the dirt (it smells like outside) and they will go and bury themselves it it. I have found every missing snake this way, from ball pythons and boas to kings %26 gopher snakes. It always works if they are still in your house!

As far as hiding places if you are still into searching, these are places that lost snakes have been found: Inside your closets (check inside shoes %26 bags, purses, suitcases, POCKETS, even pockets of clothing that are hanging -- don't ask me how they get up there, but they can -- even on the top shelf of a high closet; any open container type dark spaces), under sinks (bathroom %26 kitchen -- I have even heard they have been found curled up under a toilet plunger), under refrigerators for the warmth and water sources -- although if they are under the fridge when the fan motor kicks on -- it's not always good news for the snake; under and inside of stoves for heat. If you happen to be "lucky" enough to have field rodents occasionally grace your home, the snake will be looking for their nests, too. These are generally the first places to look, as hunger, or the scent of a rodent may have been a reason your snake decided to leave his enclosure. GOOD LUCK!

I have kept this turtle for a few years. Terrapin to be exact and i realised that his finger nails are?

2010-05-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

getting too long, so i was thinking if i should cut it. Can it be cut or do i need someone like a vet to do it? Is there any gadgety in the market to trim its nails?
Answers:
What you have is a male terrapin. He has the long finger nails or claws to tickle the females throat to get in the mood for mating.
I am not joking this is really what they do.
Please do not cut them as it will not do him any good.

No, leave the poor animal alone. It's bad enough he's not roaming out in the wild, so just let nature take it's course on his nails for pete's sake

I use a regular nail file on my turtle's claws, but yes you can trim them with cat nail trimmers too, just be careful to look for the quick and not cut it to keep from hurting him.

I would suggest contacting a veterinarian about it. Though you can cut his nails you have to be very careful with reptiles. They have a blood vein that runs into their toenails. From what I'm guessing is that the turtle is fairly old I would say that the vein has grown almost to the end of the nail. If this vein is cut during nail trimming it can cause severe problems and possibly death in extreme cases. Look around for a vet the deals specifically it reptiles. They should be able to answer the question better.

you should not cut the turtles nail.let it be as if it was.

No, you should leave its' fingernails alone. I have 2 Cumberland sliders, and they each have long nails. I've asked my vet, and he said to leave them alone.

It's true that the males "tickle" the females as a sort of "Hey baby.want to make whoopie?" kind of move. They grow to a certain length and then stop. It's a natural adaptation and should be left alone.

What you have is a male- they have long foreclaws and they should NOT be trimmed.

By the way, 'terrapin' is not a species name but a general category of turtle.

http://www.redearslider.com
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com.

no, leave them alone, you have a male turtle

I have just bought an adult blood python and i need any help i can get on how to care for them?

2010-05-22T06:20:00.002-07:00

today it bit the spray bottle i was sparying and it got all defensive, how do i get it to calm down and not bite me when i go to hold it? if there are any websites with trustful info. i would gladly appreciate it if you would include a web link, thanks.
Answers:
Red Bloods are a more aggressive python and are known for being nippy. You should have done more research before getting it.
You may not be able to calm it down.
Did you ask the seller how often the snake was handled, if ever? If never, calming it now will be even more difficult. If it was handled regularly then it could just be the stress of being in a new place.

Make sure you have the cage temps and humidity levels correct and make sure there is plenty of fresh water available.
If you just bought it, leave it alone for about a week. Don't even attempt to hold it or even feed it. This will give it time to calm down and get used to the new surroundings. After a week, try feeding the snake and then a couple days later, Attempt to pick it up.
If you are nervous or worried about being bitten, you can use a small snake hook to break the initial feed response.

Good Luck!

Take it back from where you got it. Get a real pet like a puppy or a kitty!

Go to http://www.gregcooper.net/reptiles/blood.

If you only just bought it, it's probably hungry and very agitated. They don't like changes to their environment, especially if you put it in a small cage or enclosure. They need some room. An old, hollowed-out console TV set can make a great snake cage.
Also, as he's probably feeling punchy, he may have thought you were about to drop some food, maybe a mouse, into his cage and struck a bit too fast.
Let him eat, then wait a few days and start gently handling him. The more you handle them, the tamer they get.
Good luck!

hehe man congrgulations u got a python i am grateful. Me my self have 5 python (3 blood python 2 royal python) and 2 california king snakes. So actually dont buy adult snakes this is because they cant adapt new environment u must not feed them nor touch them> u should let the lovely snake for few weeks alone (not more than 1 month) importand check on the water and light k rem put it on. DONT KNOCK THE GLASS this will make ur python more agressif. After about 3 weeks u can feed them with white mice or ur rat at the house they like it very much. Trust me k i know a lot bout snakes. If u want more info ask me (brian_keewai@yahoo.com) OR
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/python.

Wow. Very intelligent. Yeah! Let's all go buy pythons without knowing how to care for them! Yay! It's okay if they die, I'll just get a new one, they're dispensable.. not. God. Take it back. Do you friggin research BEFORE you buy the friggin snake. It makes me mad because I did years worth of research before getting a corn snake. And she's not gonna die anytime soon, unlike your snake, which probably will.

Listen to Aly, with any pet not just exotics you need to know what you get into before you buy. All people don't make good pet owners and snakes are no exception they are not easy animals to care for.it takes a big commitment and you need to make that before you do anything else. That said maybe you are committed and do understand what is involved, but snake has just thrown you a curve ball. Bridgette, my sinaloan milk-snake female did exactly the same to me. She has a total disregard for me, In the the 10 years I've been keeping snakes I have only been bitten a dozen or so times. At least 5 of these I can lay at her doorstep. She is a really good feeder and a beautiful creature. She just doesn't seem to "like" me. What I'm saying is certain snakes as with any animal just have a aggressive temperament, it can get better with time. So just stick it out. Just a quick question, at the pet shop/dealer where you bought it, didn't you handle it? Always handle a snake before you buy..

haha. i still have a tooth stuck in my hand from a blood. good luck with that one because that snake is going to * you up.

You probably should have done this sort of research BEFORE getting a snake like a python. Good luck with it. Remember, they like your neck, so just wrap it around your neck, and start poking him a lot. ;)

I agree with Gilly Bean
also did you think to find out how to care for it before you bought it? would you spend money on a car if you couldn't drive it for 3 years? Duh take the snake back or find someone more knowledgeable then you are and give them the snake, you aren't going to be able to handle it you should have started out with a corn snake or if you wanted a python you should have gotten a ball python not a friggin blood python. Hope you have good health insurance for when he bites your friggin finger off

I have it in a seperate cage and I didn't think corn snakes stayed with thier parents?

2010-05-22T06:20:00.001-07:00

or even knew thier parents. I was under the assumption that once the mom lays her eggs she has nothing more to do with them. The snakes are completely seperated and can't see each other.Don't know if that will help or not
Answers:
Baby corn snakes can all be kept together in a cage. Once the mother has laid her eggs she stays with them until u remove them and put them in an incubator. Never keep bigger snakes with baby snakes as there's a possibility the babies can be squashed by the bigger snake :-)

I think she refers to this question: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;.

????. thanks for the 2 points

It's good that you have them in separate cages. Snakes don't have motherly instincts. They don't love their kids. Keep them separated. It's rare, but sometimes corns eat each other. This risk is heightened if one is bigger than the other.

I have iguanas in back yard and they are a nuisance.how can I get rid of them without harming them?

2010-05-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

Answers:
Pour some Carbolic Acid (you can buy it from a chemist or hardware store) on the bounderies of your backyard- it's safe, reptiles just cannot stand the smell- they will go away.

Animal control will remove them from the premises. You can also call your local humane society.

would call animal control, dont try to approach them; if they become agitated they can be dangerous. Their tales are like knifes.

if its big like a giant iguana call pets control..but if babies just give them a bit of a stone throwin..they'll go

catch them if you can. if it doesnt work get animal control to get rid of them. but i think they like squash so try to lure them into a cage and close it after they are in it.

How are they a nuisance, most full grown iguanas are very lazy and don't move a lot. If they are full grown and you really really can't stand them, then I recommend calling animal control, if they are babies, then I recommend trying to catch them, either bare handed or a trap that doesn't harm them so you can place them elsewhere. Babies do bite but it doesn't hurt at all. Full grown, wild ones bite too and that hurts. Good luck.

Owner of a 4 year old, 6 foot long, male green iguana.

where do you live to have such a blessing in your backyard? I wish i did. Please don't hurt them. Maybe someone could catch them for you and give them to a caring home.

i have 1 and i would say don't approach them and if you do be protected, a full grown 1 can and will try to take a finger off!

safe trap them and ship em to me, for details on safe traps email me at mruniverse16@yahoo.com!

I have hermit Crabs and what are all the fresh fruits and veggies and every thing that they can eat?

2010-05-22T06:19:00.003-07:00

I have 4 and there super cute but need to know more foods
Answers:
I have hermit crabs and they can pretty much and WILL eat anything! Mine like peanut butter, popcorn, peeled grapes, fish flakes, coconut, carrots, cooked eggs, cheerios..you name it, if you eat it.. they will too. They are so cute when you put something new and exciting in there, their little antennae will start going nuts. Check out the below site for everything you need to care for your new pets. Have fun with them!

http://www.hermit-crabs.com/

hermit crabs love to eat rabbits

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hermit_crab.

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/hermitcra.

http://www.thefunplace.com/house/pets/he.

http://www.hermit-crabs.com/care.html.

http://www.petco.com/content/article.asp.

I know you didn't ask for pictures, but they're so cute! (Can you tell I like hermit crabs?):

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/im.

hahahahaha
you have crabs

you should go to the website about hermit crabs. we had some and something wasn't right and they all died.. So you need to get some info so you do the right thing. google it and it should give you info.

You mean you got animals without even knowing what they EAT?

I Have Geckos and i have found tiny white bugs crawling in the sand are they harmful?

2010-05-22T06:19:00.002-07:00

These tiny white bugs look a little like minature caterpillars.There are hundreds of them.They look like they may also be breeding cause some are extremely minute.
Answers:
it may be baby millworms if you are feeding those. but id change out the sand and clean the cage and thier bowls eic really good just to be on the safe side.. i wouldnt take any chances

Clean his cage. Kill those suckers!

i don't know about bigger ones but I have seen bugs like little moving white specks in my lizards cages. That's mites. You need to pitch out the sand, get a better substrate, sanitize the tank, and if you have wood items in the tank for the lizards to lounge on, you need to put them in a 200 degree oven for about an hour to kill the bugs.

If you arent putting them in there ( mealworms) Than that is NOT normal. Thoroughly clean the cage NOW!!

Probably. Get clean sand. Check to see if these bugs are starting in their "poop". They might need wormed.

Get the sand out. Take every thing out. Disinfect the cage with the 1:10 bleach solution. If I were you, I wouldn't use sand again. As you can already see, it causes a lot of little insect problems, impaction, and sanitary issues. The sand may look nice, but it's not worth all the trouble.especially your gecko's life. Check out Lowes or Home Depot's ceramic tiles. Some of them have gorgeous designs. Just pick up a few and they'll usually cut it the right size you need to fit inside the cage. Reptile carpet is also good, yesterdays newspaper, non-adhesive shelf liner, and I just use paper towels. Good luck.

they could be mites. what you should do is take you animal out and use a wet paper towl. wipe him and see if they are on him. then you needs to go to a pet store and get a product that removes mites.

yes they are probly harmful.

clean cage thoroughly, disinfect with 1 part bleach to 10 parts water and dry thoughly. New bedding, and please take better care of her. even if mealworms are breeding means its been a few weeks since you last cleaned it's cage.

I have found what i think might be a water dragon or even a lizard how do i find out what i have?

2010-05-22T06:19:00.001-07:00

Its about 20 cm long head to tail its also has light grey triangles running down either side of its spine but the over all colour of it is like a greyish green and ir does have rough skin
Answers:
contact you local pet store or wildlife agency and they should be able to help you could also look online im sure you will find some information on here

Sounds like some kind of lizard to me. Take it or photos of it to your local pet store to see if they can help you identify it.

you should be able to check it out on the net
I live in Brisbane %26 we now have water dragons running around here now
one even goes under my house on hot days to get cool
they are longer than my key board but 1/3 the width
yours may be a pet that got away because the dragons here are a creamy colour with red under its neck %26 that red may change
at times

put a pic on here.i used to have a water dragon

well if your from the west nebraska,new mexico,colorado, the dakotas or any near by states it is probably a sage brush lizard. water dragons are a little bigger then that and are (usually) bright green with blue or orange markings down there side. does the lizard have a blue belly? if so its a sage brush lizard look it up on an image search

get a book about reptiles and lizerds

I have baby snappers?

2010-05-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

A mother snaping turtle layed eggs on my neihboors lawn a couple of months ago and he called me up b/c I am the teenager in the neihboor hood that catches and keeps all the wild animals I can find around my house. So we took them home and ended up with 9 baby snaping turtles. What do I feed them?
Answers:
They will not eat grass or lettuce. The best thing you can do for them is to let them go. They will grow fast %26 huge in no time. Also, they do need the right UVB lighting so they can develop normally %26 healthy.

If you wanted to keep them for just a day or two, then head to your nearest pet store %26 get some feeder goldfish. They will eat those like there is no tomorrow.

cool baby snappers

I think you should let them loose and they will take care of themselves. I don't think that I am mistaken that the mother abandons the eggs, so they are capable of living on their own if you let them loose. They will probably travel to the nearest pond.

congratulations - happy dance for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuljud3xr.

they need to be turned back out in the wild.

I say turn em loose in their natural habitat, they'll outgrow you and you might spoil their ability to live in the wild ;)

10 gallons PER inch of turtle, they need a basking light over a land area and a flourescent uvb light that emits 5 percent or higher uvb rays and they need good filtration and clean water. They will not eat until their yolk is absorbed wich takes like a week or 2, then you offer small insects like crickets, and turtle pellets for baby turtles and small worms and small feeder guppies. They are high maitenance and it would be better for the turtles if you let them go and it will be better for you because turtles are expensive to keep and a snapper will need no less then a huge pond for when its an adult wich comes fast. In 7 months my baby snapper grew to 8 inches. Let the turtles go.

feed them grass and lettuce but u should put them in a creek, they can fend for themselves

The best thing to do is release them into the wild. They are perfectly able to fend for themselves. It is wrong to keep them as pets. They are wild creatures and already instinctively know what to do. In some states it is also illegal to possess them.

If you do relese them since they are babys u should relese them to the nearest pond or lake

earthworms, crickets and minnows
you can also slice up raw chicken in slivers

http://www.chelydra.org for lots of info!

I have an iguana named leo and well i was just wondering if it's a good habit to let him sit on my shoulder?

2010-05-22T06:18:00.001-07:00

Answers:
As long as you won't mind Leo doing this when he is full grown it is not a problem. Animals don't understand why doing something when they were little is not ok when they grow up,

Not if he's named Leo. Glad you posted his name or else I might have never solved this one!

Yea its fine. Animals always like sitting on their owner shoulders. Birds do it. And reptiles do it all the time. Especially when I went to a pet shop

i don't see why not. the more you handle him, the more he will get used to your smell and the less aggressive he will be.

I suppose it is okay. I think you should get a parrot instead. It is suppose to be "Polly want a cracker", not "Leo want a.. a.. a.. BUG!"

Hey ~ Its ok to let your iguana hang out on your shoulder ~ just be in a safe place in case it gets spooked and tries to jet! Also, make sure his nails are trimmed (again if he gets spooked, you don't want to get scratched!) Also, adult male Iguanas are in tune to a females (human) menstral cycle and there have been some horror stories of aggression (just a word to the wise!) Anyways, nice name (my name too lol) Thanks, Leo

ya its fine

him sitting on your shoulder allows him to see you mean him no harm. this will make it easier to handle him out of the cage. i had an iguana once that you couldn't even handle, it was so wild, so i would say your doing great with yours.

I hear of people having larger iguanas that lay around the house. So, it being on your shoulder shouldn't cause no problems, unless you just get tired of it being there.

Most iguana perfer to sit on somewhere high up,so they can keep a look out,for anyone who shouldn't be there.

I used to do that with my iguana (her name was Dragon but she died two years ago). Just be sure that Leo really trusts you. The first time I tried it with Dragon she bit me. It hurt. After awhile she got used to it though.

Yes its ok for leo to sit there,Its a good idea for him to get use to you playin with him.

I had an iguana and he loved to sit on my shoulder, lap, climb up my leg, etc.

Just be careful if you walk around with him on your shoulder. My iguana would tend to get spooked when I walked around with him on my shoulder, and I was scratched more than one time.

That's the best habit you can get him into. The best way to give him a walk also. Stay away from iguana leashes, they are no good and are meant more for ferrets or something of that nature. They can break the spikes on your iguana's back and cause serious injury. You are in the best position right now for letting him hang out on your shoulder.

Owner of a 4 year old, 6 foot long, male green iguana.

i have an adult ball python and i want to know if its ok to let him go out side to run around in the grass?

2010-05-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

Answers:
It is fine to let him roam around the yard. Just make sure he is far enough in the yard to avoid him getting under anything that you can't get him back out from under. Make sure it is warm outside and check for ticks when you bring him back in.
Your snake is large enough that is won't get away from you as quickly as a baby ball.
As far as the neighbors, who cares? It is your animal and your property.

And to the person above.. NO ball python comes even remotely close to being large enough to eat a baby or even a neighbors pet.
We take our 15 foot long snakes outside all the time without any problems.

I'd think your neighbors might mind.

As long as you can catch him.or have leash for him:) AND you don't live next to me ;0)

i dont think it would like the grass

NO! Snakes don't run, but I run from them!! Check your town ordinance as well.

It may be difficult if he is the least bit fast. Our friend has one and that snake can book it when he wants to. I would get a cage with no bottm so he can be in the grass yet not get away. Like a large dog kennel with small enough spaces he can not squeeze through with no bottom on it.

But it all depends on how big it is.

I don't want to seem snobbish or stupid but isn't a python a snake? They can't run since snakes have no legs, unless of course a ball python is the name of some type of lizard that I don't know about. Secondly if it is a snake how big is it? You bring it outside and it gets away, you have got a liability on your hands since the bigger they are the bigger the appetite and the bite. In other words its apetite has gotten bigger than eating a rat, they can swollow an entire baby or a neighbors pet with one swollow so you might want to think twice, and twice as hard, before you even consider that. The law does not take kindly to people keeping an exotic pet and taking a risk of it getting away.

I would not advise it. Reptiles can pick up mites from being on the ground or from trees. Its not safe for him to just slither around in the grass. If you take him outdoors I would just hold him.

I have a 7 feet Red Tail who slithers around in our front yard all the time. He is very happy to be out and about in the yard and sometimes climbs the tree in the back yard. Just stay close and if your worried about him getting away keep a net handy. Also, it is a very bad idea to let your snake slither around in the yard if you have your yard sprayed.

as long as you keep a close eye on him/her she will be alright. I have 2 full grown ball pythons and they love the grass.

yes its perfectly fine to let your ball out on the grass for a while just a few things to remember
always check for mites they can pick them up from your yard
stay close and watch so other animals dont atack
make shure its kinda warm not cold outside

i dont know about the neighbors interest in this but as long as you keep an eye on him he shouldnt go too far.just dont expect him to just stay in the yard on his own

i have all kinds of little geckos around my front door and plants there is one at least 3 inches how to help?

2009-08-02T17:33:00.003-07:00

one of them apears to be white,3 inches long how to care for them
Answers:
You don't have to care for them. They live outside, in the plants, in the walls, everywhere. For every gecko you see, there are hundreds you don't see. They come out at night, and eat moths, beetles, spiders, and other insects that also come out at night. I think they'll be just fine, that's their habitat.

I would leave them there they seem to be living fineif you move them they might die

Do NOTHING. They are fully capable of caring for themselves.

leave them alone! Let them be the creatures they are, they survive just fine without anyone trying to turn them into domestic pets. Just because they are around your front door doesn't mean they want to move in. Leave them alone.

Enjoy them where they are. They are wonderful creatures and you are blessed to have them around your home. One of Natures defenses for too many insects. They will eat as they please and you just need not to step on them. And you will have less inscet intrusions than your neighbor!

White one may be an albino. Also, I don't know if they change colors or not, but I'd see some white ones where I worked, on the white walls, so not sure if they were adapting to that color(?).
I agree, just leave them, they eat the bugs.

Lucky you! Traditionally it is said to be good luck to have geckos handing around your house. Maybe because they eat lots of bugs. I agree with what everyone else has said about leaving them alone. If you have so many then there must be enough food to keep them hanging around. Just don't use bug spray! It will kill more than just the bugs. Happy gecko watching!

Where do you live, they are most likely Anoles or House Geckos. Are you planning on bringing them in and housing them as pets? If so they are very easy to care for and a lot of fun to watch too. If you do want to house them let me know and I can let you know what you will need to house and feed them.

leave them they will look after themselves they eat flies

leave it alone and they will grow even bigger and maybe chill there longer instead of u scaring them off

I have a year old read ear slider female I believe. I got a month ago a hatchling. I would like to put them?

2009-08-02T17:33:00.002-07:00

both in a 50 gallon tank. The year old is currently there. I am curious if they will get along or not? They are both female I think.
Answers:
Should not be a problem in a good sized tank.

http://www.redearslider.com

turtles are normally pretty good, after all they get put into tanks at the pet store like 10 at a time. But go ahead and try it. Just keep an eye on them and make sure no one is getting picked on.

and make sure they both get food!! The older one may take all the food!

try it but keep an eye on the little one

Red Eared Sliders are pretty disagreeable turtles and tend to bite at each other. I wouldn't advise putting two together, or putting them with anything else for that matter.
However, I have seen it done, so maybe you can try it and keep a watchful eye over them for a while to make sure no fighting occurs.

Just keep an eye on them. I wouldn't put them together if there is a HUGE size difference (competition for food, accidental injury), if they're reasonably comparably sized, they should be fine.

You probably already know, turtles require a constant water temperature for growth and good health. You should check to verify, I believe water turtles require 82 to 85 degrees. A good turtle proof submersible heater should do the trick! And a serious water filter system. Turtles can be a bit dirty (I feed mine separate from their living quarters for just that reason)!

Babies need a diet high in protein. Lots of fish! When they mature you can mix their diet with some veggies!

Best of luck!

they should get along.

I have a water turtle and recently noticed that his nails have gotten really long. Should they be clipped?

2009-08-02T17:33:00.001-07:00

Answers:
a.) If you don't know anything about their care, he would have been better off in the wild- he would have found a pond nearby and been perfectly happy. They migrate pond to pond all the time.

b.) Long nails in sliders and cooters means it is a male. DO NOT clip them!

c.) Learn about the care of these fun pets at sites like http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. For example- the tank should be nice and big and heated. Keeping them in too small of a cage is not doing them any favors.

Please understand- I applaud your desire to rescue this poor animal, but by taking it in, you have made an agreement to try to do right by it- not just 'OK'. Sadly, turtles are tricky animals to care for and take a lot more work than most people really want to give them.

. water turtle should be in water . I hope you are not keeping under your bed . give him lots of greens to eat . don't let him in dry atmosphere .

No. Long nails on a turtle mean it is a male. It is completely natural. The nails are how they "woo" the females for mating.

its a boy turtle.they have long nails because when they mate those nails are for gripping the females shell.but i would try to call a local reptile vet or a herpetologist GOOD LUCK :)

I'm not an expert on turtles but I would clip them if it's obviously a health or safety risk. Also, I use to put a kinda steep rock in my tank for my turtles to get up on when they wanted to sun themselves, causing them to wear down they're nails by themselves when climbing up on the rock. just an idea? hope this helped you :) I just finished reading other answers and everyone is saying the same thing so I would listen to them which goes back to what I said.I'm not an expert and it shows!!LOL

Courtney is right. It is one of the identifying features to tell it is a male and they do use them in mating. This is a very interesting spectacle to see. The male looks like he is slapping the female in the face really fast. Leaving the nails long is fine. Another identifying feature is in the tail males have a longer tail. I have worked with animals for years actually reptiles and fish are my specialty.

u dont need to cut there nails this is how they take care of them selves and to eat their foods like when i would give mine smelts or goldfish they use their nales to tear em apart and eat em. here is a link to help ya out http://www.redearslider.com/ thats if wat you found is red ear slider do you even know wat kinda turtle u found?

I have a water dragon with a good size lump forming on his top jaw does anyone know what before going to vet?

2009-08-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

Answers:
Reptiles can get mouth rot.

GO TO THE VET!

Could be an abcess- An infection under the skin that fills the area with pus. They are pretty common and treatable.
Could be Metabolic Bone Disease. Are you feeding him correctly and giving him enough heat and UV light? Treatable, but can be difficult.
A vet will tell you more, Good Luck.

go to the vet it could be an infection

You need to take it to the vet for the correct answer, it coulb be an abcess or MBD (metabollic bone disease). The best thing for your water dragon is to be diagnosed by a reptile vet. Good luck and take care of that baby!

i have a turtle and i would like to know what kind it is?

2009-08-02T17:32:00.002-07:00

it has one red stripe down each side of its neck and yellow stripes under his neck.
Answers:
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

http://redearslider.com/

http://redearslider.com/images/img_res-3.

how big is it?

brazilian turtle mostly are those small one and you can buy those from chinatown

its a painted turtle, a.k.a green turtle common to north america if you don't believe me check google, thats right GOOGLE, cause yahoo sux, images and search "painted turtle"

wow.three different answers. I suggest asking a vet.

red eared slider turtle

more than likely it is a red ear slider.
i was just at the pet co yesterday with my turtle i got a east African side neck.. beautiful turtle.. anyway he goes to the pet store with me and i was looking at the red ear sliders.. like them also but i don't want something that is going to have to be in a tank all the time.. but that's probably what you got.

Red-ear slider

For more about this species, try http://www.redearslider.com

I have a solomoh island skink. This time of year, she gets mites. I need sugestions!?

2009-08-02T17:32:00.001-07:00

I have bathed her frequently during the week. Bleach her aquarium. I have bought the De Flea reptile relief and the discs for bird mites. She is on news paper. No more bark or sand. I had friend today tell me to use 7 dust. He swears by it. I am scrared to death. She is my pride and joy. I need to get rid of the mites and save my Lola. I am open to suggestions. Please help.
Answers:
I spoke with the director of our local wildlife center who has raised skinks for many years as pets. She advised that it is not safe to use 7 dust on a skink. 7 dust is very strong and we only use it for our wild pelicans that come in to the center either sick or injured. Those are huge birds and we only use a very small pinch of 7 dust on our pelicans to get rid of mites. If you use 7 dust on your skink it could possibly kill it.

If you can find anyone who has Ivermectin, you can use one and I mean only one little drop of it. Place the drop in the center of the skinks back. Ivermection is also strong and this is why only one drop is to be used. This has worked for her skinks.

You can also go to a pet store or pet smart and buy a spray specifically designed for reptiles to get rid of mites. Flea spray will not get rid of mites on skinks.Skinks do not get fleas.

If either of these two suggestions do not work, then you will need to bring your skink to the vet for further medicine to get rid of the mites. I know that the ivermectin will work as it has worked on her skinks with no problems when properly used. If none of your friends have any ivermectin, you can purchase this at any local feed store for farm animals.

Hope this helps :-)

if you tried all that stuff, try a vet. not 7 dust, it may kill her. some shops sell mite relief.

What do you mean "this time of year"? Mites aren't like dry skin.thy don't just "happen". They come from somewhere. Have you taken her to the vet? Are you sure they are reptile mites and not wood mites from the substrate you're using? I have had this happen with bark before. Take her to the vet to make sure, then if it is reptile mites, he or she can give you the proper medication (proper dose of ivermectin and proper administration of it) and suggestions for preventing reinfestation. If you are using bleach for the aquarium, make sure you rinse it very thoroughly and then, instead of putting your usual substrate in it, just use plain white paper towels (not printed ones) until the mites are gone completely and then consider using astroturf, which is cheap, aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and they seem to like it. Good luck!!

Hi there;

I have a solution that does not involve the use of harsh or potentially harmful chemicals. Use olive oil. While you are off to a good start with stripping down your habitat, you are not following through as thorough as you may think. You must stop the re-infestation by applying olive oil (which is harmless) to your pet as well as applying the oil to the outside surfaces in and around the habitat. Please wash your hands before touching ANYTHING including your skinks food. Inspect all substances (the use of a white sheet of paper or paper towel will do) for parasites. The beauty of using olive oil is not only is it harmless but can reapplied as needed.
Mites, as well as any blood sucking parasite breath through their bodies and will avoid anything that coats their outsides. By applying the oil the parasite can not breath and dies off. Those that have not found a living host (in this case your skink) will avoid surfaces which have been treated.
Good luck :)

take your skink to the vet to be treated,clean your skinks bedding,clean the tank with bleach and water,best yet change bedding completely.to make sure your new bedding is clean of any mites put it in the microwave to heat it to over 120 deg to kill any unwanted pest

I have a snake by my house. I wanted to know what kind it was?

2009-08-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

The snake in my yard is brown and was about 3 1/2 feet long.
Answers:
Hi Matt,
It might help if you repost your question with the State and city in which you live. Also, information as to whether or not the snake that you have seen is patterned.(spots, stripes, speckles, solid colored, etc.)

Without knowing this information it is nearly impossible for anyone to tell you what kind of snake that you saw. There are many different kind of snakes, but they don't all live in the same places. More information is vital to distinguish whether this is an indigenous specie that lives naturally in your vicinity, or, whether this was one of your neighbors escaped pets. real important: especially if your hometown is also hometown to venoumous snakes.

There are great reference books out there that you can look through. You can also contact your local State Dept. of Fish %26 Game/Wildlife. They can let you know what native species live in your area, this will narrow the field of search. Good Luck.

brown? how fat is it. Like a man's bicep or a forearm? Or is it real thin like a broom stick?

* Sings.

"THATS IT. I am sick of these motherfuc*king snakes in my motherfuc*king yard."

Times are strange
got a free upgrade for snakes in my yard
fu*ck um I don't care..

la la la laaaaa.

if you go to snakesandfrogs.com you will find several different photos of brown snakes along with descriptions of them and what they eat and if they are or are not poisonous. hope this helps u with ur snake!

It depends on where you live, what kind of habitat you live near (swamp, woods, desert, mountain, beach, etc.), what kind of markings the snake had, did it move fast or slow, how big it was, and several other factors. If it was just brown there are hundreds of species it could be. Please give more details.

I NEED A PICTURE

syberian ice snake.worlds most dealiest non posionous snake.. crawls up your butt and freezes you to death..stay away and call a snake handler

probably jsut your regular garden snake. But it depends on where you live

If its brown and you live near water it could be a copper head. Dont mess with it

It is not your girl friend is it ?

I have a small corn snake (about 3ft long) how long can I go in between feedings?

2009-08-02T17:31:00.003-07:00

Answers:
i would say that a medium sized mouse, or small rat would last him about a week or two at most.

and as for the other two posters..WTF y'all? get a d@mn life.

I used to work at a pet store and we handled snakes and stuff. Usually a snake of that size could go 2-3 weeks on one 250gram mouse. Just keep him/her in a cozy place while digesting the mouse. Never roughly handle a snake thats just eaten. You cant burp snakes that way.

corn snakes that long could eat a large mouse or 2 or a good size rat. The rat will last longer in the snake's digestive track. Rats are meatier and give more sustenance. It can last anywhere from 1.5 weeks to 3 weeks. Corn snakes have a very good appetite and seem to eat about as much as you offer them. I have a snow corn snake and love it. That is what I feed it. They can be overfed and will become obese so that needs to be watched also. Good luck..

Once every two weeks depending on the size of the meal. a rat would certainly last the snake two weeks unless his enlcosure is too warm. This would cause him to digest the food much quicker.

i find mine of the same size has gone up to 3 months with out any ill effect will eat when hungry normally once a week

A medium rat about once every two weeks. Feeding smaller food more frequently is bad for their digestive system.