The Link Between Humidity and Dehydration in Reptiles

“Cage” is a Four Letter Word

I have gotten quite a few questions just lately related to repetitive behaviors in a wide variety of different species of small animals, however, this post is pertinent for animals of every size. The consistent theme revolves around a variety of behaviors including, but not limited to, mindless digging, biting at the bars of the “cage,” nose rubbing in reptiles, self induced feather plucking in birds, fur pulling in rats and repeated escape attempts in all of the above.

What all these behaviors have in common is the “cage” the animal is in, and I use the word “cage” in this case, because I’m referring to a place that an animal is locked into, that for whatever reason they aren’t happy with and don’t want to be. A happy pet is one, that after a period of interaction with their respective person retires to their home to eat, drink and rest willingly and happily. I use my pet rat Munchkin as an example. The first thing I do in the morning is say hello to her and open both her doors so that if she wants to she can come out get some attention from me and roam about the table her home is on looking for the food and treats that I laid out for her the night before. She is used to this routine and looks forward to it and I often find her waiting at her door to be let out. She enjoys foraging for her food, exploring her play area and generally running around. She collects her food for the day diligently, carrying each piece one at a time back to her enclosure, hiding each one in what she considers to be the appropriate spot. This goes on for about an hour in the morning at which time she generally goes into her home on her own, grooms herself and naps for a good part of the day. When I am finished with my morning coffee and she is asleep I close her doors for her safety, not because I’m afraid she will escape as with her there is no escaping, she is happy and content in her home. This routine is then repeated at the end of the day as well.

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Bearded Dragon Care, “What You Need to Know,” by Dave Dixon

Dave Dixon, world traveler and founder of Bearded Dragons UK has recently updated his Beardie care booklet. If you are already a lover of Bearded Dragons or just now thinking of adopting one, then this information is crucial. It will also help you decide if a Dragon is right for you. Even the most experienced reptile owners will tell you that you never stop learning and what better way to learn than by information provided by an expert. Dave Dixon is not only an expert but cares, having Beardies of his own. Below is Jiggy, a happy Dragon indeed!

Never depend on information from pet stores or the pamphlets they provide. Although well meaning, you are often getting outdated information and at the very worst incorrect information for the sole purpose of making a sale. As is my personal philosophy which has served me well over the years, “Our best resource for keeping out pets happy and healthy is each other.”

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Big Brands Bonus Sale Continues at PetSmart!

The Big Brands Bonus Sale continues this June at PetSmart.com! You will be able to save on our top names and take advantage of these additional promotions.

Click on the links below and save!

• Save up to 30% on select Martha Stewart products at PetSmart.com!
• Save 30% on all Sentry Good Behavior dog & cat products at PetSmart.com!
• Save 20% on select Top Paw products at PetSmart.com!
• Save up to $10 on K9 Advantix II and Advantage II Dog or Cat Flea and Tick Treatment 6 packs at PetSmart.com!
• The Puppy Starter Kit – Over $130 in savings for only $19.99 at PetSmart.com!
• Reptile Mega Month – Our biggest Reptile Sale of the Year at PetSmart.com!
• Shop New Hill’s Ideal Balance dog and cat food at PetSmart.com!
• Summer PETssentials – Everything you and your pet need for summer fun at PetSmart.com!

Bearded Dragons – Why One is Enough

In 2006 we purchased two bearded dragons. We had fully researched their care and their requirements for the vivarium and equipment, but had missed any information about whether bearded dragons should be kept on their own or in pairs or groups. Many of the books we referred to were written by breeders who talked about their set ups with a number of beardies. So we went into it a bit blind, with little knowledge and made the decision to get a pair.

Knowing that we wanted a male and female, the breeder that we had contacted had two clutches of eggs from two separate pairs of breaded dragons hatching around the same time. He accurately selected one from each group which would hopefully turn out to be male and female (although he did point out he had done his best to sex them, but could be wrong – a warning you should expect from any experienced breeder). The two young hatchlings were put together in a separate vivarium, so they were together from when they were less that a week old.
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Keeping Turtles as Pets

Despite what numerous think, turtles aren’t low maintenance pets, they take a fair quantity of dedication and time and is usually rather expensive to preserve. They’re nonetheless exciting and entertaining pets that may be with you for years to come.

Those thinking about turtles need to keep in mind that they are a really long term commitment, turtles can live 50-100 years. Turtles should have exposure to ultraviolet light – this might be achieved by means of either direct exposure towards the sun or by utilizing special lights created for reptiles. Most turtles grow fairly big and will want a tank or pen to accommodate this growth. They need not just commercial turtle food but also fresh fruits and vegetables. Turtles, specifically water turtles, tend to be smelly and get dirty quite speedily, frequent cleanings are crucial and big aquariums for water turtles can expense a bit to run. Turtles, in particular young turtles, carry salmonella which could make a person incredibly sick, thorough hand washing is mandatory after touching one. Turtles are not a great choice for a child’s pet as not simply do they cause a well being threat, they are fair too high maintenance along with a turtle could readily bite.

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Bearded Dragon Care by Dave Dixon

Owners: Dave Dixon,

Debbie Hodgson

(opened 18/08/11 22:00)

beardeddragonuk.live.co.uk

Dave Dixon’s love of all animals has taken him all around the world, however when at home he enjoys his own pets, slightly smaller and scalier than the Tiger shown, but no less loveable. Join Dave of, Bearded Dragons UK and myself Kat of Critter Nook on Facebook and be a part of communities dedicated to the health, happiness and well-being of your pets.

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Buying A Leopard Gecko

Author: Chris Newell

When it comes to buying a leopard gecko, there is much to think about. The leopard geckos are one of the easiest of all reptiles take care of, make sure you decide on the right one.

This article will debate the ideal places to to acquire leopard geckos and what to look for so you can decide on a healthy one. Taking into consideration everything, you want to check that your leopard gecko is in good physical shape and that his heredity are good.

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Do lizards have emotions?

Yes, they do have emotions, but not in the way you’d normally interpret them. Their emotions are very limited, when compared to mammals. This is mainly due to the evolution of mammals, which use emotion to communicate in different ways. Snakes, for instance, can be satisfied, curious, scared, stressed, angry, defensive, and, in rare cases, lonely. I bring up lonely, because I’ve owned snakes before that would, if seperated from their cage mate (they were corn snakes), would never come out of hiding. But as soon as their cage mate was put back in, they would explore together and coil up together (never on different ends of the tank, always together). Of course, there may be a scientific reason for this “pack” behavior that I don’t know yet, but everything else I know for sure. If you’re really interested in a reptile’s emotions, you have to look at their body language. In your case, the lizard has probably seen hundreds of people all doing what you’re doing trying to get its attention, and it doesn’t respond to it anymore. I’ve played nodding games with bearded dragons before (I nod my head, they nod their head, back and forth).

Posted 31 Oct 2011 by dwoo in Information, Lizards, Pets, www.reptileresearch.org

Best first reptile, Leopard Gecko

The Leopard Gecko is a great choice for beginners on dealing with lizards. It is a small reptile, with 18 to 25 cm. of length when kept in captivity, and you can easily house a pair of them on a 60×40×40 cm. terrarium. They are not aggressive almost at all and are quite tolerant when handled. These are insectivore animals, whose diet is mostly based on crickets. They will accept, however, a great variety of insects, which actually should be introduced on their diet in order to widen it up a little more. They could turn out to be expensive pets to keep, since they need to be fed until they reject the food. Adults can eat up to 10–15 insects in one day, every two days. You can now easily find leopard geckos for sale, including in several color patterns and phases. The only thing that might be difficult is for you to choose one. Advantages: Given that the leopard gecko is a night-time animal, it doesn’t need the same lighting care that day-time reptiles do, which means you can either use a weak potency UVB lamp or not even use one. Disadvantages: Having a night-time pet also has its inconveniences, especially when it comes to compatibility with the owner’s “schedule”. Given the fact that these lizards’ highest activity period is opposite to most humans’, their owners will be asleep at the time when their pets are most active.

Posted 30 Oct 2011 by dwoo in First Reptile, Lizards, Pets, www.reptileresearch.org