About Lizards - The Leopard Gecko as a Pet

About Lizards - The Leopard Gecko as a Pet
By Jon Beebe

Leopard Geckos serve as great household pets, for older children to adults. Leopard Geckos are among the most common lizards chosen as household pets because of their small size, they are easy to care for, they are very clean for a terrarium pet (their droppings habits are similar to that of a cat - they choose a main corner to lay their feces), they have an average lifespan of 19 - 22 years (longest recorded lifespan for a Leopard Gecko is 27 years), they have interesting wide-range of colors, and they can grow very tolerant to being handled. However, children should be monitored while handling Leopard Geckos because if they are under extreme stress or fear, their tails tend to fall off.

Another good reason why Leopard Geckos as pets are a good idea is because of the fact that Leopard Geckos are very easily found available at pet stores. Just like buying a dog, you can decide to buy a Leopard Gecko today, and find a perfect one to take home with you in less than an hour (of course, that's depending on how long it takes you to get to your local pet store). For those that are hesitant about keeping wild-caught animals as pets (for example, the common blue-bellied lizard that you used to catch when you were a small child), rest assured that Leopard Geckos are one of the few lizard species that are regularly bred in captivity, for the purpose of selling as pets. As an entire package, Leopard Geckos are comparatively cheap when you look at all your getting. Leopard Geckos are beautiful lizards that come in all kinds of different colors, breeds, and design patterns; they are very tolerant to being handled, are relatively non-aggressive (I'll get to the relatively part soon); they are very clean for any kind of pet, not just lizards and reptiles; they are very easy to breed (given the proper instruction). Leopard Geckos (depending on their rarity and sometimes age) are very cheap in contrast to other reptiles that may not have all the same good qualities as Leopard Geckos.

So do Leopard Geckos bite, you ask? The reason why I said Leopard Geckos are relatively non-aggressive earlier is because I have had cases where baby Leopard Geckos would bite my fingers when I attempted to hold them, because they were not used to it. Did it hurt? Absolutely not. Leopard Geckos are toothless, very small in size, and just don't have enough power to really hurt a human being; regardless if it's a baby or an adult. That being said, I wouldn't encourage any kind of animal to bite another human being, especially small child who's fingers aren't as strong as a grown adult's.

To conclude this article, I'll end with the note that Leopard Geckos make great pets, and even if they weren't so low-cost, they would definitely still be my first choice as a reptile/lizard pet.

J. Beebe is a reptile owner and has owned and studied them for years. He specializes in Leopard Geckos and runs an information website called:

The Leopard Gecko Resource (http://www.geckosleopard.com/)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Beebe

Sandlizards - Lacerta agilis

Caresheet For Sandlizards - Lacerta agilis
By Miqe Erikzen

Subspecies and spreading:

Lacerta agilis agilis , West Europe and western middle Europe.
Lacerta agilis argus, Eastern middle Europe and north Balkan, northeast Italy.
Lacerta agilis boemica, Northeastern Caucasus.
Lacerta agilis bosnica, Jugoslavian mountains, Bulgaria and north Greece.
Lacerta agilis brevicaudata, Transcaucasia and northeast Turkey.
Lacerta agilis exigua, Easter of Dnjepr river and northern of Caucasus, east of Lake Baikal and to Issyk-Kul and nothwest China.
Lacerta agilis grusinica, Caucasian coast of Black sea and adjacent coast of northeast Turkey.
Lacerta agilis chersonensis, Bulgarian and Romanian lowlands, eastern Poland and western Russia.
Lacerta agilis ioriensis, Upper reaches of river Iori in Caucasus.

Description:

Snout-Ventral Length ( SVL) of approximatley 8 cm´s and tail about 1,5 times the SVL. Colours and patterns vary between subspecies and populations. Predominant brown of gray ground-colour with numerous dark brown or black spots, particulary along a darker dorsalstripe. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism witch is particulary apparent in the breedingseason, when the males turn vivid green along the flanks. Males have a broader head, are stockier built and are on average slightly larger than females. Juveniles are similar in colour to the adults but lack green pigmentation. Hatchlings measure about 2 cm´s SVL, about 5,5 cm´s to 6,5 cm´s in total length. Maximum life span is 12 years.

Habitat:

The species prefer heathlands with sand or sandy soil, it also inhabits sand-dune habitats in a few areas. This species also have a preference for southerly facing slopes especially at the northley altitudes. Theese areas are also needed for egglaying and incubating eggs during the breedingseason.

Terrarium:

Indoor:
A pair should be kept in a terrarium measuring minimum 50 cm´s X 30 cm´s X 30 cm´s with sand as substrate, a part of it kept moisted and a part dry at a depth of 10 - 15 cm´s. Moisted sand of this depth ensures the females to excavate burrows in witch they lay their eggs, also to increase the relative humidity in the enclosure. Note that the males are territorial, so only one male / enclosure.

Pieces of bark, pieces of claypots, low branches and leafs are also added to provide cover and climbing-possibility. Provide a waterbowl, but also spray water every morning or evening to ensure that the animals are drinking.

A spotlight over a piece of bark makes a good baskingspot, the species need UV-B lighting. Temperatures ranging from 25° C to 27° C daytime, and reaching 35° C on the baskingspot. Night temperature drop to 14° C to 18° C. Daytime photoperiod remains at a constant 12-14 hours / day in the summer.

Outdoor:
An enclosure measuring 3 X 4 meters can hold 2 males and 2 females of this species. Enclosure should be well planted with a variety of vegetation to mimic natural habitats. Logs / heavy roots and flat stones / rocks or slabs for basking spots and for cover needs to be provided. Flowering plants are good to use to attract insects for variated natural food. Feed with some crickets every now and then to ensure that the animals are getting as much food as needed. Use a watering can to give the enclosure and the animals a gentle shower of drinking water once every day.

Reproduction:

This species require a hibernatingperiod, in order to trigger matingbehaviour in the springtime. This is done by putting the animals in a aerated box with deep moisted Sphagnum-moss layer/bedding. The box is put in the refridgerator at a temperature of approximatley 4° C for about 4 - 5 months, November to April.

Mating take place between March and May and the eggs are laid from late May to July. Northern populations lay a single clutch of eggs, and more southern populations up to 2 clutches a year. 4 to 18 eggs /clutch, witch take about 12 weeks to hatch.

Food:

The lizards will accept allmost all kind of insects, earth worms and occasionally sweet fruit and flowers. All food that is not from the outdoor enclosure should be dusted with vitamines and calsiumsupplements.

Miqe Erikzén 2007 http://www.terrariummorbidum.se

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Miqe_Erikzen

Why Bearded Dragons Make Great Pets

Why Bearded Dragons Make Great Pets
By Sarah Munn

Reptiles are fast becoming the most popular pets around, and in the number one spot in the popularity stakes are the bearded dragons. If you don’t know a lot about these reptiles, you may be excused for wondering what all of the fuss is about.

Bearded dragons make great pets for a number of reasons; the most obvious is because they are so cute. To start off with, they are one of the smallest reptiles available, so they can easily be comfortably housed in an enclosure that doesn’t use up the whole of your home. Like all reptiles, they will require some special equipment to simulate their habitat, such as lights, and heating pads.

When you see a bearded dragon, your first impulse will be to want to buy him right on the spot. The bearded dragon wins many hearts because of his stunning looks. There are a number of different bearded dragon colorings available including red, orange, lemon, and white. They have exquisite markings from head to toe, and have prickly looking spikes around their throats, which gives the impression of them having a beard.

Not only does the bearded dragon look good, he is also one of the tamest, friendliest reptiles around. Many bearded dragons that are bred in captivity need no taming down, and can be handled immediately. They are very comfortable with their human companions, and will often hold onto their owner's hands to avoid being put back in their enclosures. By nature, the bearded dragon is very friendly and inquisitive, which makes for an interesting interaction between pet and owner, as well as ensuring the survival of the bearded dragon after purchase, as he will happily fit right in without a lot of fuss.

The bearded dragon is an ideal pet for those who have children, and as long as younger children understand that the bearded dragon is very fragile, and can be hurt easily, the bearded dragons are safe to be handled by children, and won't bite, or scratch. They will quite happily lie on their owner's hands, and show no signs of discomfort, or distress while being handled.

Bearded dragons are easy to care for, as long as you know the equipment that is needed to simulate their environment, and will breed easily in the right conditions. Reptile owners will all agree that if you are new to reptile ownership, the bearded dragon is the best reptile to start off with because of his friendly disposition, hardiness and gentle nature.

If you are new to reptile ownership, and want to get a bearded dragon, make sure that you have all of the necessary equipment and food ready for your bearded dragon before bringing him home. Make sure to ask your supplier, or local pet store what the dragon has been fed previously, and make sure that you simulate his environment to resemble his natural habitat. By doing this, you will ensure the long, healthy, happy life of your reptile companion for many years to come.

Peru Sun Lizard (Liolaemus spp)

Common Name: Peru Sun Lizard

Scientific Name: Liolaemus spp.

The semi-arid desert areas of South America is home to the Peru Sun Lizard. Theire bodies are made to be in hot climates, as their scales are much harder than your average lizard.

Natural Location: South America

Estimated Size: 3 inches to 6.5 inches

Food & Water
Peru Sun Lizards are insectivores, meaning they eat insects. In captive care they should be fed a varied diet including crickets, mealworms, silkworms, and butterworms. They may also eat earthworms from time to time. Remember to use a multi-vitamin supplement on the insects every couple of days. When your Peru Sun Lizards are young, feed them everyday. When they are adults, feed them every second day.

Keep a shallow water dish in the habitat. Your Peru Sun Lizard will drink water from the dish. Make sure to change the water every day, as it may become dirty. Lizards tend tow defecate in the water, and if this happens, change the water immediately.

Lighting, Temperature & Humidity
For sufficient lighting for your Peru Sun Lizard, use full spectrum UVB lighting. Keep the lights on a 12 hour daylight cycle.

You must also use either incandescent lighting or a ceramic light emitter to produce a temperature range from 75 degrees F to 80 degrees F. There must also be a basking spot that reaches 90 degrees F. Drop the temperature at night down to 70 degrees F.

Keep the humidity level at 30 percent. A daily misting will accomplish this.

Housing
The minimum size habitat for a Peru Sun Lizard should be about 30 inches x 12 inches x 18 inches. These lizards are from a desert environment, so use a playsand substrate. Make sure to remove any small pebbles from the sand, as they can be ingested and lead to impaction. Place large stones and low branches from your lizards to climb over, and bask on. You should also create an area in the habitat that is cooler, allowing your Peru Sun Lizard to regulate its body temperature.

Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)

Common name: Sagebrush Lizard

Scientific Name: Sceloporus graciosus

Sagebrush Lizards are fairly small lizards, with black striping down their backs and rusty colours on their legs.

Natural Location: Western U.S.

Estimated Size: 2" to 3"

Food & Water
Sagebrush Lizards will eat a variety of feeder insects. Like all lizards, make sure the insects are gut-loaded and dusted with a calcium and/or multi-vitamin supplement. Feed them crickets, mealworms, silkworms, butterworms, etc. Provide a water dish at all times, ensuring it is clean water.

Lighting, Temperature & Humidity
Keep the day lights on a 12 hour cycle, maintaining the temperature between 80 - 85 degrees F. At night, drop the temperature to 70 - 75 degrees F. You can maintain the temperatures by using a ceramic heat emitter, incandescent bulb, or a heating pas. Provide full-spectrum flourescent lighting.

Housing
Sagebrush Lizards are fairly small, and due to this, do not need that much space. Bigger is always better, but they will only need a 2' x 2' x 2' enclosure. Provide a lot of cover/hiding places, and branches for climbing. Use a playsand or fine gravel as a substrate. At night, your Sagebrush Lizard may burrow themselves under the sand to sleep.

Viper Gecko (Teratolepis fasciata)

Viper Gecko
(Teratolepis fasciata)

General
Viper Geckos are a small terrestrial species from Pakistan with an adult size of around 4" (10cm) With their striking markings & colouration and relative ease of care, these geckos are proving a popular choice with beginners & experienced keepers alike. However they are more frequently available as wild-caught specimens with only a few breeders in the UK achieving consistent success. Wherever possible, always search for captive bred, as these are less likely to suffer from stress & are free of the often fatal parasites found in wild caught

Housing
Viper geckos can be housed simply in glass vivaria with a minimum size of 18" x 12" x 8" high, or in one of the larger (18" x 12" x 9") fauna boxes commonly available. There are many disagreements over the correct substrate to use with this species. We’ve found the ideal being pure calcium carbonate the safest option, although fine-grade sand is also used by some keepers. However even fine-grade sand can pose a threat of impaction.

Other keepers use kitchen towel, which is easy to maintain if a little alien to the geckos natural comfort. However kitchen towel is by far the safest option with hatchlings or young geckos.

Furnishings should consist of a few small, flat rocky perches and several cork hides for security, placed at either end of the viv to allow the gecko a choice and the chance to thermo-regulate

Heating, Lighting & Humidity
Viper geckos are nocturnal and therefore do not necessarily need specialist lighting, however they do need to have access to at least some lighting, even if it’s only daylight, to help maintain a natural body clock. The period of daylight needs to mimic natural seasonal changes, with a total of up to 16 hours in high summer to around 8 hours during winter. If using an artificial lighting source, try to maintain these seasonal adjustments with the use of an electrical timer.

Viper geckos require an ambient temperature of 80°F (27°C) rising to a hot spot of 95°F (35°C),with a night-time drop of approx 10°. These temperatures are easily achieved with a heatmat controlled by a suitable thermostat placed along the outside of the viv and covering one third of the ground area. If using artificial lighting, adjust the thermostat accordingly to take into account the higher ambient temperature. Always use a quality digital thermometer to monitor your temps

Feeding
Suitably sized crickets can provide the bulk of a Viper geckos diet, but they will thrive if given as much variety as possible to provide alternative minerals & maintain an interest. Other commonly available insects include waxworms, and small locusts. These in turn can be supplemented with small, naturally occurring invertebrates during the spring & summer months, such as small spiders, grasshoppers etc.

Food insects should always be gut-loaded a day prior to feeding with a high-quality insect gutload, fresh green vegetables and non-citrus fruit. Extra supplementation can be provided by dusting the insects with Nutrabol, Reptivite or equivalent every other feed. We have also found the addition of a small bowl filled with calcium powder placed in the viv an ideal option, with the geckos often helping themselves as they need - especially with breeding females

Breeding & Hatchling Care
Viper geckos are relatively easy to sex with the males having large, hemipenal bulges.. Females ideally need to be at least 12 months old before breeding is attempted. Any earlier and you run the risk of putting too much strain on the female, with often fatal consequences. Females should also be in top health, with a good weight and thick, healthy fat deposits in the tail & around the hips. Viper geckos are notoriously prolific, but like other small prolific geckos, this should never be exploited to the detriment of the females health. We recommend separating the female after 4 - 6 clutches to allow time to recuperate.

Eggs may continue to be laid during this rest period and close attention should be paid to her weight & overall healthThe young can be raised in the small lunch-box type containers using kitchen towel as a substrate. Gently spray one end with water everyday to provide a humid area.

Hatchlings can be fed with suitably sized prey items offered daily. They are very delicate at this stage and care should be taken to ensure their environment is never allowed to dry out completely. Water is best provided by means of a small, shallow bowl.

The young can be raised in the small lunch-box type containers using kitchen towel as a substrate. Gently spray one end with water everyday to provide a humid area. Hatchlings can be fed with suitably sized prey items offered daily. They are very delicate at this stage and care should be taken to ensure their environment is never allowed to dry out completely. Water is best provided by means of a small, shallow bowl.

ALL CONTENT © PAUL RITCHIE 2003-2005

Bibron's Gecko

Bibron's Gecko

Size: Length up to 6"


Temperature/Humidity
Ideal daytime temperature for Bibron's geckos should range between 75º and 85º. A basking lamp should be provided at one end of the enclosure to maintain a local temperature of 90º - 95º. Nighttime temperature should range between 65º and 75º. Bibron's geckos require the humidity to be maintained at 65% or higher.


Lighting
All diurnal geckos (mainly active during the day) require ultraviolet lighting to maintain good health. Ultraviolet lighting is recommended for 12-14 hours per day. The use of a timer will assist in maintaining an accurate schedule of light periods.


Feeding/Watering
Bibron's geckos do well on a diet consisting of a variety of vitamin/calcium dusted insects such as crickets, mealworms and waxworms. A shallow water bowl should be provided and changed daily. Daily misting of the habitat will help maintain the humidity level. Adult Bibron's geckos should be fed every other day, juveniles can be fed twice daily during their growing period.


Habitat/Housing
Successful permanent maintenance requires at least a 2'x18"x12" Vivarium. The enclosure must include a basking area with several climbing branches, a suitable hiding area, and a "cool" area to allow for thermoregulation. Cork bark is an excellent item to use with all geckos. The bark can be "layered" to allow the gecko many hiding and foraging areas. Artificial plants also help to create a natural look. Unless breeding is desired, Bibron's are best kept singularly. Substrate (Bedding): orchid bark is an ideal substrate for Bibron's gecko.


General info
Bibron's are almost "beaded" in appearance. As with most arboreal (tree dwelling) geckos, it is best not to handle these geckos frequently. Not only are they fast, their skin is sensitive and can be damaged easily. This is not a good lizard for Children and should only be handled in the company of an adult.

Chameleons

Chameleons

Care Sheet Supplied By : The Snake.Org

Micheal's Note : True chameleons are not typical pets, and they are not for everyone. If you are thinking of getting a true chameleon, please think twice. These animals are difficult to keep, even for experienced herpetologists.

The numbers of animals "consumed" by the pet trade is deplorable. Many problems face true chameleons in the wild and in captivity. Habitat loss, ignorant and greedy collectors, exporters jobbers and dealers, as well as unprepared and uneducated buyers. The combined animal loss from all of these activities is unmeasurably large. For chameleons, many of which have small, isolated populations, this loss is not likely to be sustainable long term. Please do your part to conserve these fascinating animals by purchasing only animals that were captive bred within the borders of your native country.

Prior to buying, please research your purchase carefully. Learn about the species, their needs, natural history. Then, if you still choose to buy, get your chameleon from a known, reputable breeder. Be aware that caring for a chameleon is an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. Be sure you are prepared to make this sort of committment before getting a chameleon.


Introduction : For decades true chameleons have thrilled hobbyists with their unusual body shapes, brilliant color changes and fascinating behaviors. But there has always been a dark side to keeping chameleons. They die. True chameleons (or old world chameleons) are highly evolved and delicate reptiles. They require extensive housing, special vitamin and mineral supplementation, exposure to UV lighting, a varied diet, and unusual watering in order to thrive in captivity. True chameleons are arboreal, insectivorous lizards which are found throughout much of the tropical old world. They are quite different from the Carolina Anoles which are sometimes sold in pet stores as 'chameleons', probably because of the anoles limited ability to change colors. True chameleons have evolved many striking adaptations which allow them to fill their special niche in the wild. Dramatic color changes help true chameleons regulate body temperature, communicate with other chameleons, and camouflage themselves in their natural habitat. Their long, extendable tongues, which are as much as 1.5 times the length of their body, allow them to grab food they otherwise would not be able to reach. Their globular, independent eyes help them to survey the world almost 360 around them - without moving their head or body. Their feet are ideal for grabbing and holding branches. But, in general, chameleons are awkward and clumsy on the ground. These special adaptations are what make chameleons so magnificent to watch. They are also what make them so difficult to care for. Every year tens of thousands of wild caught chameleons are imported into the United States bound for wholesalers and pet shops, many of whom are unaware of the special requirements of true chameleons. By the time these animals arrive in the United States, they have already been deprived of food, water and adequate shelter. Many arrive dead or near dead, heavily parasitized, malnourished and dehydrated. Those that survive the trip to the United States are often sold to pet shops that house them improperly. By the time their new owners have taken them home the chameleons days are already numbered, especially when the new owner has not been informed, or has been misinformed about the care their new pet requires. Fortunately, this is changing. Organizations, like the Chameleon Information Network (CIN) have been working to distribute quality information about the husbandry and propagation of true chameleons in captivity. New laws have been passed making it more difficult to import chameleons from the wild. This increases the demand for captive bred animals, which tend to be healthier and better adapted to life in captivity.


Choosing One : When you choose a chameleon, it is essential that you pick a healthy one. Because of their delicate nature, it is unlikely that a sick or injured chameleon will survive. The animal you choose should be active and alert. The eyes should be bright and full-looking. They should display at least some ability to change colors, depending on the age and species. Make sure the animal is captive bred and from a respectable breeder. Because of their high mortality rate, wild caught chameleons should not be considered. Age, species and the gender of the specific animal should also be part of your selection process. If it is not your intention to breed chameleons, it is probably wise to select a male. Female chameleons are more delicate and have special needs, due to the large numbers of eggs many captive animals produce. Females need more calcium supplementation than do males. For these reasons, a female chameleon should not be considered as a first chameleon.


Housing : A properly designed, built and furnished cage is one of the most important aspects of chameleon husbandry. The ideal cage should provide for the animals physical as well as their behavioral requirements. The essentials for a true chameleon cage are: 1) A large enough space so the animal may conduct all of its natural behaviors including, basking, hunting, feeding. It should also provide a variety of perching surfaces at different temperatures so the animal can regulate its body temperature by moving to an appropriate spot in the enclosure. 2) Good ventilation. Poor ventilation, like that found in a typical glass aquarium, will allow the air to become stagnant and provide an opportunity for fungus and bacteria to grow. These things can cause great problems for your chameleon. 3) Good lighting sources, including at least one incandescent basking light, one fluorescent full-spectrum light, and exposure to natural sunlight. Although chameleons are slow-moving animals, they require a lot of space. They need this for their physical and emotional well-being. At least 2 sides and the top should be constructed of coated screen. Standard aluminum screen should be avoided, as should fiberglass screen. There have been reports of foot injuries in chameleons from these materials. The cage should be furnished with branches of different diameters so that the lizard can easily navigate the entire cage. Live plants will provide good hiding places and add to the beauty of the enclosure. Because many chameleons are known for eating vegetable matter, only nontoxic plants should be planted in their enclosures. Hibiscus are ideal plants for true chameleon cages. They are beautiful, nontoxic plants which the lizards will love, for food and navigation. Pathos plants are also a good addition. Although they are considered mildly toxic, many reptiles, including some chameleons love them and have no negative side effects from eating them. One commonly recommended plant which should be avoided are ficus trees. These plants are mildly toxic and excrete a white milky substance. This secretion has been connected to a number of eye infections in captive chameleons. So this plant should be avoided. The arrangements of lights, plants and branches should be such to allow for at least one basking site where the temperature will reach the upper limits of the animal's comfortable temperature range. Other basking sites with slightly cooler temperatures may also be built into the cage. The temperature in the rest of the enclosure should be still lower allowing the animal to thermoregulate by moving around the cage. Most chameleons do best with a 10 degree F to 15 degree F night time temperature drop .


Water : Few chameleons will ever learn to drink water from a standing water dish. In the wild, chameleons lick dew and rain droplets off of leaves, or are attracted to moving water. This means that in captivity, special watering techniques need to be used to keep chameleons healthy and hydrated. Chameleons are naturally attracted to droplets of water which are reflecting light, and pendulous drops of water hanging from leaves of plants. Keepers of these lizards can take advantage of this by designing water systems which take this natural behavior into account. Drip systems are the most common form of chameleon watering system. They generally consist of a container of water which sits above the animals enclosure. A plastic tube runs from the water container and into the chameleon cage. Water slowly drips out of the end of the plastic tube. Pre-made drip systems are available at many reptile-oriented pet shops and generally include some sort of adjustment to control the rate at which water drips from the tube. Other, simpler drip systems are also used. Some as simple as placing ice cubes inside a container on top of the chameleons cage. When the ice melts, it drips through a hole in the bottom of the container and into the cage. If a drip system is used in a chameleon cage, care needs to be taken to pevent the cage from becoming too wet. This is easily accomplished by placing a container inside the cage which catches the dripping water. Make sure the chameleon can not get into, or get trapped in, this container of water. The water can then be emptied every day. Another method of watering your chameleon is to simply mist the inside of the enclosure once or twice per day. Chameleons will eagerly lick water off plants, as well as the sides of the enclosure.


Feeding : Many true chameleons will eat a bit of vegetable matter, along with their diet of live insects. With every feeding, your chameleon should be offered a variety of nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables, including: collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, sugar snap pea pods, bean sprouts, slices apples along with others. Vegetables to avoid include spinach, lettuce and cabbage. All captive chameleons require calcium and vitamin supplementation. The specific reason for this is beyond the scope of this document. But in short, chameleons need vitamin D3 in order to metabolize calcium for growth. Many 'basking' reptiles naturally produce vitamin D3 in their skin when they bask in the sun and are exposed to UV radiation. Since the UV output of most human-made full-spectrum lights do not provide the same UV exposure as the sun, additional supplementation is ESSENTIAL.

Feed your chameleon(s) daily by placing live insects and with fresh vegetables into a glass jar which is large enough to prevent the insects from escaping. Vitamin & mineral supplementation can then be sprinkled on the insects and vegetables. Shake the jar to evenly coat the vegetables and insects with the supplement. On a favorite perch, but below the chameleon suspend the jar. Do this in such a way that it is easy for the lizard to reach the food in the bottom of the jar. The insects will eat some of the vegetables. So the chameleons will benefit even if they do not directly eat much of the vegetable matter themselves. For very young hatchlings, a baby food jar makes a nice food dish. Insert a small stick into the jar for small youngsters. The stick should extend far enough into the food container to give the hatchling the ability to reach the food, but the stick should not reach the bottom of the jar. If the stick reaches the bottom of the jar, insects will easily climb the stick and escape. The same vegetable mixture that is fed to your chameleons should also be fed to the insects you will feed to your chameleons. This will ensure the insects are healthy and full of nutrition by the time your chameleons eat them. Following is a list of the different insects you can use to feed your chameleon:

Adult Crickets - Crickets are readily available at most pet shops. When fed a proper, vegetable-based diet, they are nutritious and can comprise up to 80% of your chameleons total diet. Crickets, however have a low Calcium/phosphorus ratio. So additional calcium supplementation should be included with every meal of crickets.

2 - 3 Week Old Crickets- Like adult crickets, but are small enough to be fed to juvenile chameleons.

Pinhead Crickets- Very small crickets which can be used to feed newly hatched hatchlings.

Mealworms - Mealworms are inexpensive and, like crickets, easy to load with valuable nutrition by feeding them a quality diet of fruits and vegetables.

Superworms- Superworms look very much like mealworms, but much bigger and are a slightly different color. These should only be fed to chameleons when they are large enough to eat them. Like crickets and mealworms they should be fed a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables prior to feeding them to your lizards.

Waxworms- Waxworms are sometime called grubs. They are nutritious, full of moisture, and easy to store. Chameleons LOVE them. Unfortunately, there are some negatives. They are difficult to nutrient-load prior to feeding them to your chameleons. They are also high in fat, so some people speculate they should only be a small part of your chameleons diet. Without knowing the breakdown of the 'ideal' chameleon diet, however, this may or may not be accurate.

Wax Moths- Waxworms turn into moths, which your chameleons will love to eat. And you will enjoy watching your pets 'zap' them out of the air with their tongue.

Roaches- Non-infesting forms of tropical roaches can be ordered from some suppliers. They are VERY good for your chameleons!

Wild-caught Insects- Many chameleon owners set up insect traps during the summer to catch their own insects. Grasshoppers, flies, crickets, centipedes, and spiders will all be devoured by your chameleons. This also helps offer a diverse diet necessary for the health of your lizard. It is important, however, that the insects be collected from areas where insecticides are not used.

Pinky Mice- Some people also supplement their adult chameleons diets with newborn mice. These are also available at many pet stores.

The following supplement schedule is recommended for your adult chameleons:

Calcium: Every feeding should include a calcium supplement which has little or no phosphorus. One popular brand is called Rep-calª.

Multivitamins: Add a good dose of a safe reptile multivitamin 2 - 3 times per week. Herptiviteª is highly recommended. It is a good source of vitamin D3. Herptiviteª also contains no vitamin A. This is important, because hypervitaminosis A (an overdose of vitamin A) has been linked to edema (excessive fluid buildup) in many species of chameleons. Instead of vitamin A, Herptiviteª uses beta carotene, which your chameleon's body can convert to vitamin A, if it is in need of vitamin A. Many herpetologists speculate this will dramatically reduce the number of cases of edema reported in captive chameleons every year.

Bee Pollen: The author of this paper has been supplementing his chameleons with bee pollen every day. This can be done by purchasing bee pollen tablets from a health food store. The tablets can be ground to a fine powder in a blender and added with equal portions of the daily calcium supplement. Many wild insects are covered with pollen when they are eaten by chameleons. Bee pollen is a good, safe source of vitamin B, protein, amino acids and enzymes. Vitamin B is often used as an appetite stimulant with anorexic animals. By supplementing with bee pollen, it is possible that some chameleon 'hunger strikes' could be avoided. For more information, see Hunger Strikes in the trouble shooting section.


Trouble : Parasites: Chameleons, especially wild caught chameleons are very susceptible to internal parasites. It is wise, therefore, to have your chameleon's stool sample checked for worms periodically. Parasite eggs are present in captive as well as wild-caught insects. They can easily be passed on to your chameleon, especially if your chameleons is experiencing stress. Since it is impossible to prevent exposure to parasite eggs, reduction of stress is an important factor in maintaining your pets health. Stress: All captive chameleons experience some level of stress related to their captivity. Stress can be fatal to chameleons. Chronic stress can suppress their immune systems, making them more suseptible to parasite infestation and other illnesses. The successful keeper of chameleons will do everything in their power to minimize stress. 1) Keep their cage in a low (or better yet a NO) traffic area of your home. 2) If weather permits, build a sturdy outdoor enclosure for use when temperatures are appropriate. 3) Put up visual barriers between your chameleons and human activity. 4) Chameleons think people are their predators. Every time your chameleon sees you, they will be stressed. 5) When you want to spend time observing your chameleon, remove the visual barrier, and sit still. The less you move, the more calm your chameleon will be. 6) Only handle your chameleons when ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

Hunger Strikes: There are many reports of chameleons refusing food. This is, in fact, a common cause of death in captive chameleons. They starve themselves to death. The lack of eating is likely a symptom of some other problem. Stress can cause an animal not to eat. Internal parasites can cause a loss of appetite. Lack of an essential vitamin or mineral could be at work. Sometimes chameleons will refuse one food item, but gobble up others. Therefore, it is important to have multiple food sources available all of the time.

Sun Light: In many areas it is impractical to house chameleons outdoors (where they are the most happy!) And normal glass filters out about 100% of the sun's UV light. However, natural sunlight can still be made available indoors by placing the chameleon cage near an east, south, or west facing window. During nice weather, the window can be opened to allow your lizards to bask in unfiltered sunlight. Full-spectrum glass (often referred to as low iron glass) is also available. By replacing the panes in the windows with low iron glass, you can provide your chameleon with a wonderful, energy-efficient source of natural UV light. They will be happier and healthier!




Copyright © 1999 Micheal Fry , Chameleons & Www.TheSnake.Org

Leopard Gecko ( Eublepharis macularis )

Leopard Gecko ( Eublepharis macularis )

Care in Captivity by Chris Jorden

Introduction

Leopard geckos have become one of the most - if not the most - popular lizards to be kept and bred easily. This is due to a number of reasons: their calm temperaments, their amazing coloration, and their manageable size, and not a huge need for a very spacious vivarium.

Leopard geckos unlike most other geckos have moveable eyelids letting them blink. This helps keep the eye free of dust in the deserts of Pakistan and north-western India. They are marked like a leopard, as their name suggests. The tops of their bodies are yellow with black spots and are bumpy. The undersides are creamy white and smooth, and their tails are grey and spotted. They and are a great choice for beginners (or experts), but like most lizards they have the ability to 'drop' their tail, so it should not be tugged or pulled, and they should be handled carefully. They are voiceless, unlike some other geckos, such as the tokay gecko (Gekko gecko), another lizard that can be kept by beginners. They grow between 20 and 24 cm (8 - 9.5 inches), and usually become very tame in captivity.

They can live for up to twenty years. Leopard geckos are nocturnal, which means they hunt for food at night. These geckos are ground-dwelling, and they use their sharp claws for digging in the wild, although they are not often presented with the chance in captivity, kept on under an inch of substrate, but they do not seem to worry too much. Sometimes they hide underneath water bowls or rocks, where they have made a tunnel in the substrate

Selecting A Gecko

The leopard gecko you choose should be alert. If possible try to see it feed, to make sure it is eating. Check if it is captive bred, practically all leopard geckos are, so this shouldn't be a problem. Its tail should be plump, a sign of good health. If the tail is thin or stumpy (which indicates it has been shed at one point, then re-grown), do not buy the gecko. It should not have any cuts or scratches and its eyes should be clear.

Make sure it is not in an overcrowded vivarium, and be sure to check enclosure it is being housed in is at the correct temperature. The tank should not be dirty or smelly and it should give the geckos the proper environment.

The gecko should be transported in a well ventilated plastic container, preferably with a substrate on the bottom. When getting a new herptile to add to a group, it should be kept in a different tank on its own for a few weeks to make sure it is healthy. If you put a sick gecko in with a healthy group, it may also kill the whole group, as well as dying itself.

Setting Up A Vivarium

A vivarium measuring 90 x 30 x 40 cm (length x depth x height) is fine for a pair or trio (one male and one or two females, or two or three females, but males are territorial, so should not be housed together, unless in an enclosure suitable for holding at least 15 geckos i.e. two males and at least thirteen females, which is impossible for the novice keeper).

The substrate could be play sand (or specially made reptile sand, which is now commonly available) or wood chips, and should be at least 2 cm deep, preferably 5 - 10 cm deep, for burrowing and digging. Smooth gravel could be mixed in with the sand.

You should have at least one hiding place per gecko and at least two per tank, one at the hot end, and one at the cooler end, which should also have some damp vermiculite or moss in it that the geckos will use when shedding, and the female as an egg-laying site. So if you have only one gecko in a tank, you need two hiding places, but if you have two in a tank, you still only need two hiding places, three in a tank, three hiding places, and so on from there onwards. The tank (called a vivarium by most herptile - reptiles and amphibian - keepers) should contain also some plants, fake (plastic) or real (if real not spiny cacti, but succulents). Real plants should be replaced when they die, and are probably not as practical as plastic or silk ones, as they will be killed by the geckos, and will probably make the humidity level too high. The humidity level should be moderate (45 - 60%) although most leopard geckos tolerate humidity up to sub-tropical (70%).

A water bowl about 2 cm deep should be provided. The geckos should be able to climb out of it easily. It should be changed at least three times a week. Mist spray the tank every four days or so, more often if a gecko is shedding.

The temperature in the tank should be 29 - 32 degrees centigrade (84 - 90 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day, 32 degrees centigrade near the bulb or heat-mat used to heat the tank, which should be at one end of the tank, and around 29 degrees centigrade at the cooler end, maybe slightly less. The temperature should drop to around 24 degrees centigrade (75 degrees Fahrenheit) at the warm end during the night, so the cooler end will be slightly colder. One way of heating the tank is having a heat-mat on all of the time, and a light bulb on for 10 -16 hours during the day. A basking rock should be placed under the light if one is provided, for the geckos to bask on, to raise their body temperature for hunting and digesting food. Leopard geckos do not need a fluorescent (UV) tube, as they are nocturnal, but low UV wave emitting bulbs can be used during the daytime (when the geckos are not very active anyway) to help the lizards produce Vitamin D and calcium.

Dry dropping or soiled areas should be removed from the tank whenever noticed, but this job should not be too hard as these geckos tend to choose one place in their tank as a toilet spot. When cleaning out the tank - this should be done every three or four months - make sure you disinfect the rocks, plants (if plastic) water bowl etc.

Feeding

Leopard geckos should be fed small invertebrates such as crickets, king or giant mealworms, mealworms, locusts (and hoppers), waxworms, tebos (caterpillars of a moth from South America) and wild caught prey (be sure these are free of insecticides). These insects can be dusted with a multi-vitamin and calcium supplement to increase the amount of vitamins your gecko gets, use the recommended amount. Also crickets and other insects can be 'gut-loaded' by you before being fed to your animals. The crickets you buy are normally fed on a very bad diet with no nutrients to pass onto your animals. So feeding them vegetables and fruit, tropical fish food, oats and dried dog food can give them some extra nutrients to pass on to your lizards. Or you can feed them a specially prepared cricket and other insect food to 'gut-load' them. The geckos will also eat pinkie (baby) mice.

Feed your geckos every day or every other day if possible, but they seem to survive just being fed three times a week, fifteen to twenty crickets a week each (if fed just on crickets, which is not recommended. If fed on other food, use however many of them as would be the same as about fifteen crickets). Leopard geckos kept in a group will probably fight over food, and the weaker ones may be made to become afraid of eating or drinking. Make sure that the weaker geckos get some food, perhaps by separating the geckos into separate feeding boxes at mealtimes. Undigested food normally means that the vivarium the geckos are living in is not being kept at a hot enough temperature while they are digesting food.

Being nocturnal some leopard geckos refuse to eat during the day, so they can be fed during the evening. This can cause a problem because the tank is cooler at night, so the gecko may find it hard to digest its food, especially if it is mealworms, which should not be fed very often. Some people choose to feed their geckos early in the morning, when it is still fairly dark, so when the geckos have finished eating, the light in the vivarium is turned on, as if day has just started, to assist the geckos in digesting their food. Once their foods is digested, the geckos will sleep.

Handling

Leopard geckos are brilliant lizards to handle. They should be handled when they are young so they learn humans are not dangerous. A good way to tame young geckos is by offering them a tasty treat when they sit on your hand calmly, although not many geckos will eat out of their owner's hands.

They tolerate handling very well and even wild caught geckos can be tamed quite easily (though these should not be purchased anyway as they have a high chance of carrying diseases and parasites, and the amount of captive bred geckos available means this should not be a problem anyway). Leopard geckos will climb all over your body if allowed, and they particularly like climbing on to people's shoulders and backs. They never bite, unless they mistake your finger for food, which is very rare.

Leopard geckos are perhaps the best lizard for beginners to keep, partly because the are so great for handling. Be careful not to hold them by their tail, as lizards are famous for dropping their tail when it is caught, so they can escape from the predator. The tails do eventually grow back, but they are never the same as before, usually growing much shorter and fatter than before, and sometimes the geckos even grow double or triple tails. Their tails are used to store fat and metabolic water reserves, so if they lose their tail, they should be kept in a tank on their own, and given daily feeding and watering.

Breeding

Before breeding your leopard geckos you must, of course, be sure you have a male and at least one female. The shop or breeder you bought them from would probably have sexed them for you, but if not (maybe the geckos were too young to be sexed as these lizards can be easily sexed only after they have reached a few months old), or if you want to check they were correct, here is the method for sexing them. Males have an obviously more robust head, body and tail than females but there are more definite ways of sexing them. Between the base of the legs on the underside of the male there is a fairly obvious 'V' shaped row of 8 - 14 pre-anal pores, which, during breeding seasons, produce a waxy secretion that is used to mark rocks and hiding places. Females do have a row of pits in the same place, but you will not be able to notice them very easily at all. Also, males have two hemipenes at the base of the tail, like swellings.

Breeding normally takes place from February through sometimes to as late as October. A drop of temperature of a few degrees stimulates breeding, so if you want to breed your geckos, drop the temperature in the tank at winter by about 7 degrees Celsius, to only 25 degrees centigrade (77 degrees Fahrenheit), and by a few more centigrade at night. When a male gecko wants to breed with a female he will approach her and lick her. He will then start gently biting her at the base of her tail, and work his way up to the neck. If she does not want to mate, the female will bite the male back, and he will soon go away. If she wants to mate, she will let the male continue biting her. When the male reaches her neck, he will put his nearest back leg over the base of her tail. The female raises her tail, and the male curls his tail underneath hers. Then, still griping her neck with his mouth he releases one of his two hemipenes, puts it in her cloaca, and mates.

About 4 weeks after mating the female will lay two eggs (very occasionally one, usually if the female is quite old or young). More clutches of two eggs will be laid, with intervals of about 4 weeks before each laying (but my first female leopard gecko - Geck, the first pet herptile I ever had - laid each set of her eggs just 2 weeks apart). Up to eight clutches can be laid, normally about five or six are laid. Females stop breeding when they are about thirteen to sixteen years old, sometimes slightly younger, occasionally older.

Incubating The Eggs

The eggs - which unlike the eggs of most geckos, which are hard, are leathery - should be incubated at 26 - 33 degrees centigrade (79 - 91 degrees Fahrenheit) in moistened vermiculite (equal parts in weight of vermiculite and water). Higher temperature will produce mainly males, while lower temperature will mean the majority of the hatchlings will be female. The incubator could be a professional reptile egg one or a home-made one, such as a heat-mat or light bulb in a polystyrene box (with a window - glass or plastic - in the top so you can check the eggs, but the should still be thoroughly checked, both lids taken off of both containers every day).

Fertile eggs will remain white, or may go slightly discoloured towards the end of incubation, and will quickly harden up a bit, while infertile ones stay soft, and are yellow. Reptile eggs must not be turned, if they are they embryo may get covered in yolk and die. The eggs can be placed in the vermiculite (completely covered, or half covered) inside a transparent box, which is inside the incubator, so you can constantly monitor the eggs.

They should be checked regularly (every day) to give them some fresh air. Very shrivelled or mouldy eggs should be taken out. A slightly shrivelled egg needs a higher humidity level - which should be maintained at 70 - 80%. For an even higher success rate a small fan, such as a computer one, could be placed in an incubator that does not already have one. This make sure there is good airflow. The babies will hatch in 6 - 12 weeks, the higher the temperatures (making sure they are still within the recommended range), the quicker the eggs will hatch.

Looking After The Hatchlings

The hatchling should be removed at least 2 hours after hatching - when they are completely out of their egg - and placed in a rearing cage, about 30 x 15 x 15 cm.

They should be raised individually if possible, to prevent the stronger ones harassing the others. Each vivarium should have several hiding places, a wet box (the box at the cool end with moistened vermiculite or moss) a basking rock under the light and a very shallow water bowl. The temperature should be the same as in the adult tank (and an ultra-violet light does not have to be provided), but the humidity should be slightly higher, to assist the baby geckos with shedding. Either a light should be on at day (with a heat-mat, if desired) and a heat-mat on a night. Or a hot white light should be on at day to provide the correct temperatures, and then a slightly lower wattage red light should be on at night. They should receive a misting every day or every other day.

The hatchlings will normally refuse food until after their first shed (usually about 1 week old) - as they are still living on yolk they absorbed in the egg. After the shed they will eat small crickets and waxworms, and other small insects and spiders (beware of pesticides on wild-caught foodstuffs). Mealworms are not a good first food as the contain lots of indigestible chitin, and do not provide many vitamins or calcium needed. All food items should be dusted lightly with a supplement. Hatchlings - especially female hatchlings, and also adults sometimes, normally breeding females - will normally eat ground cuttlefish provided in a bowl for extra calcium.

Other Species From The Family Gekkonidae

Leopard geckos, and all other geckos, are from the family Gekkonidae, and are from the subfamily Eublepharinae. Here are some other geckos that can be kept in captivity.

GECKOS FROM THE SUBFAMILY GEKKONINAE

Tokay Gecko ( Gekko gecko ) - The tokay gecko grows to about 32 cm (12.5 inches), and is from the subfamily Gekkoninae. It is similar in proportion to the leopard gecko, apart from it has webbed feet. It is blue with red-brown spots. They eat the same food as leopard geckos. The tank size should be slightly bigger than that of leopard geckos, and it should have a humid woodland style set-up, with branches, cork bark hiding places, and plants for decoration and cover. It should be kept at around 29 degrees centigrade (84 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day. They also need a water bowl like the leopards, and bark can be used as a substrate. They are easy to maintain, and sometimes breed, in captivity, but can give an owner a very painful bite. It is not as suitable for the beginner as a leopard gecko or some of the day geckos described, and gloves should be worn at first (until tame) if handled. The tank can be mist sprayed every day.

Day Geckos ( Phelsuma sp. ) - Day geckos are found in Madagascar, the East African Coasts, and other Indian Ocean Islands. Most of the day geckos are arboreal, and have very bright colours. They range in size from about 7.5 cm (3 inches) in Phelsuma ornata to around 27 cm (10.5 inches) in Phelsuma madagascarensis. They eat insects, nectar, fruit and will also consume ground cuttlefish from a bowl placed in the vivarium. The Madagascan giant day gecko ( Phelsuma madagascarensis ) is a particularly good day gecko for beginners. This is because it is fairly large and hardy, is not hard to feed (eats insects like crickets, waxworms and mealworms), and can often be tamed so it is suitable for handling. It is very bright and colourful, but does require a fairly large cage - a trio could be housed in a 75 x 40 x 60 cm vivarium, with a bark substrate. The vivarium should be kept between 26 and 32 degrees centigrade (79 - 90 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day, and at this time a full spectrum fluorescent tube should be on (for between 8 hours - at winter - and 12 hours - at summer, gradually changing throughout the year from one of these times to the other). Mist spray the tank of these geckos twice a day if possible, if not at least every day. Day geckos, especially the larger ones like the Madagascan giant are normally suitable for beginners

GECKOS FROM THE SUBFAMILY EUBLEPHARINAE

Banded Gecko ( Coleonyx variegatus ) - The banded gecko measures about 9 cm (3.5 inches) in length, and can be kept well in captivity, but I still do not recommend it to beginners who want to be able to handle their lizards, as it has very fragile skin. They can be kept in a vivarium measuring around 75 x 30 x 30 cm. This should be kept dry, and would easily accommodate a trio to a group of five of these delicate little creatures. It should have many hiding places and the substrate should be either sand or bark chips. They feed on small crickets, mealworms and waxworms. Other geckos that are closely related to the banded gecko and need similar requirements include the Texas banded gecko ( Coleonyx brevis ) and other species from the genera Coleonyx, Hemitheconyx and Holodactylus. An ultra-violet light can be used to good effect. Keep the temperature at about 29 degrees centigrade (84 degrees Fahrenheit). Mist the tank once a week.

GECKOS FROM THE SUBFAMILY DIPLODACTYLINAE

Caledonian Gecko ( Rhacodactylus leachianus ) - The Caledonian, or giant gecko can reach 36 cm (14 inches), but despite its large size, very rarely bites, even if provoked. It comes for eastern Australia and the South Pacific Islands, and it seems to even enjoy being handled and getting attention from its owner. It lives in tropical forests, so requires a humid set-up which should be at least 76 x 30 x 40 cm for a single specimen, but it would prefer a bigger vivarium. They eat pinkie and sometimes even fuzzy mice, locusts, large crickets, giant or king mealworms, hoppers and chicks. It will also consume some fruits, and seems to enjoy soft fruits such as bananas. Provide a full spectrum UV light. Mist the tank every day or every other day.

Leaf-tailed Gecko ( Phyllurus platurus ) - Growing to between 22 and 26 cm (8.5 - 10 inches), the leaf-tailed gecko is a pretty lizard that requires a humid vivarium kept at around 30 degrees centigrade (86 degrees Fahrenheit) at day. It is a shy but active animal, that looks good in a well planted display terrarium. An ultra-violet light should be provided at day time, for the gecko and for the live plants in the vivarium that are required for this lizard. Also a shallow water bowl should be provide, along with an abundance of branches to climb on. The tank should be misted very often. Suitable for novice and for keen beginners that are looking for a lizard that looks nice and is easy to keep and maintain, but should not be handled too often. A single specimen would need a vivarium around 60 x 30 x 60 cm.

GECKOS FROM THE SUBFAMILY SPHAERODACTYLINAE

Caribbean Gecko ( Sphaerpdactlyus elegans ) - At only 4 cm (1.5 cm) long, the Caribbean gecko is a surprisingly easy lizard to keep. The gecko is native to the Antilles, and can be suitable for beginners, but the tank must be checked for any possible escape places. Males are much brighter than females in this gecko that eats very small crickets, fruit flies, other flies and caterpillars. They like high humidity (85%) and the day-time temperature should be maintained at 27 degrees centigrade (80 degrees Fahrenheit), dropping to not below 20 degrees centigrade (68 degrees Fahrenheit) at night. At tank 60 x 45 x 75 cm would very comfortably house a group of five or six Caribbean geckos.

Copyright © Chris Jorden. 1999.

Inland Bearded Dragon

Inland Bearded Dragon ( Pogona vitticeps )

Care in Captivity by Chris Jorden

Introduction

Bearded dragons are extremely popular at the moment, and are becoming even more increasingly so all the time. They have wonderful temperaments, and some even seem to enjoy being handled, the breed fairly easily and they display interesting social behaviour like courtship, threat and recognition.

They all have their own different characters, and they are all very alert and attentive, watching you as you move around the room. A beard made of spiky scales covers a large throat pouch, and the can be extended along with the throat when the bearded dragon feels threatened. They also open their mouth when frightened, making a good threat pose. There are a variety of other poses and signals used by bearded dragons: when males are upset or frightened they blacken their throat; males will also use head bobbing and throat puffing when meeting another dragon to display dominance; tail raising is used by bearded dragons to show tension, almost to show being frightened; arm waving is also used - it is used in two ways, either to be used in recognition of other individuals or during the mating season when females use it as a sign of submitting to males for mating to avoid aggression. Arm waving is less severe, it shows less provocation than head bobbing, and sometimes juveniles use arm waving to interact with one another, not to be aggressive.

Bearded dragons grow to between 40 and 60 cm (16 - 24 inches) in length, although the males are usually bigger than females. Bearded dragons are a greyish brown in colour, although many colour types can be encountered, the prettier of these include lime phase, gold phase and sandfire red phase. Although these Australian lizards can be a great choice for beginners, their need for ultra-violet light, regular feeding and cleaning, and a very large vivarium can make them harder to keep than other smaller species such as leopard geckos and green anoles.

Selecting A Bearded Dragon

Before your decide to purchase one of these comical lizards, you must do a lot of research using books, web pages and by talking to experienced herpotologists or herpoculturists, and you must be sure you have the time and space for one of these quite demanding animals.

When you are definitely sure you want a bearded dragon you must buy the equipment needed and set it up before actually buying the lizard. Then you must decide were to get one from, choosing the best or easiest option for you as an individual. There are three main choices when deciding where to get your bearded dragons from: a pet (or specialist reptile) store that sell bearded dragons; a herp society (they have regular meetings and swap meetings) or show (herptile shows are now becoming much more common across the UK and USA); or a reptile wholesaler, like companies who advertise in herp magazines or sometimes in classified reptile advertisements on the Internet (these companies often have their own web pages, but unfortunately are far more common in America, and although they can ship, it puts extra stress on your soon-to-be 'new pet'. The disadvantages of having an animal delivered to you rather than you travelling to get it yourself are you can not see the animal before purchasing it to inspect it for good health and condition. Photographs can show you what the animal looks like in general, but they can not show you its real personality or character, and they can not display the whole of the bearded dragon's body, so the seller could be deliberately missing an abscess on its right foot, or a scar on the left hand side of its body.

Bearded dragons are usually bought at a few months of age, measuring only 15 - 20 cm (6 - 8 inches). They should be alert, but fairly tame (not too docile though, as these lizards tend to become tamer and slower with age). As juveniles or adults, they should have no sections of partially shed skin, especially round digits and eyes. The eyes should be clean - free of dust - and bright. There should be no obvious signs of injury, such as limp legs, or broken tails (some bearded dragons - but very few - are born with a kink in their tail, though, which normally causes them no problems. This may be a result of the incubation temperature or humidity being slightly high or low, or they could just be born with the slight deformality).

Setting Up A Vivarium

The very minimum cage size for an adult bearded dragon is 91 x 46 x 36 cm. For a pair an adequately sized vivarium would measure 150 x 60 x 60 cm, but would be larger if possible. A smaller tank would suit a baby (up to about 20 cm), say 90 x 30 x 50 or so. Bearded dragons are very active creatures, so larger vivariums are always better than a minimum size - as with all herptiles, apart from in the case of tiny, insecure hatchling snakes, lizards etc.

Wooden vivariums can be bought - but would be cheaper to make yourself - and large glass or plastic cages can be used too, especially for hatchlings. Bearded dragons can be tamed very well - so perhaps they could roam the house, or one particular room.

The enclosures needed to be heated to around 37 degrees centigrade (100 degrees Fahrenheit) at the hottest spot in summer (there should be a basking rock near the heat source, so the reptiles can bask to raise there body temperatures), with a drop to at least 28 degrees centigrade (82 degrees Fahrenheit) at the cool end. Temperatures should drop by a few degrees over the months until winter (then rise again) and also at night.

There should be a photoperiod (when the lights are on) of around 14 hours in summer and 8 - 10 hours in winter. Ultra-violet light is necessary for the well-being of this species, for healthy growth and development.

Many hiding places should be included, and climbing branches, and also plants can be provided. They can be alive or fake, but whichever they will provide another hiding place for your pet and make the vivarium set up more naturalistic. Also rocks can be to make a cave and basking site combined - soft, non-heavy rocks should be used so the lizards cannot harm themselves. A large water bowl should be provided at all times so the bearded dragon can drink and bathe in the water, sometimes to aid shedding.

Substrate should be wood chips, aspen (or pine) shavings or reptile astroturf for juveniles, and sand is another option for adults (sand cannot be used with young bearded dragons as it can cause impaction in the gut - which can ultimately lead to death). Tanks could have one desert area, with basking rocks and climbing rocks which would by dry, and a more humid woodland area, with a wet-box, plants, climbing branches, wood hides and the water bowl.

The vivarium should be thoroughly cleaned out every few months - water bowls, rocks, plastic plants, branches etc. should be disinfected and the properly rinsed and left to dry then replaced, the old substrate should be removed and new substrate added (if your bearded dragon is housed on paper the substrate should be changed every few days, or if it gets wet - which encourages the growth of mould), and the tank should be gently wiped with a damp cloth). While cleaning is taking place the bearded dragon should be placed in a large enclosure, or held by someone else.

Feeding

Hatchling bearded dragons should be fed at least twice a day - just about as much as they will eat, as they are growing rapidly at this stage. They will eat small crickets (2nd or 3rd instar), waxworms, spiders (make sure they are caught from non-polluted areas where pesticide is not used), and other little insects. Around 20% of their diet should be vegetables (and fruit, but that has high sugar content so vegetable are better) which should be provided two or three times a week in a bowl (or hand fed if your bearded dragons is particularly tame). Some young bearded dragons do not eat vegetables so readily as live food, so these could be fed first to encourage consumption.

Bearded dragons of a few months old can be fed slightly larger foods, for example large crickets and other insects - foodstuffs no longer than the distance between the lizard's eyes should be fed, as a general rule - small mealworms, preferably just molted can now be offered too, as well as waxworms and tebos (small caterpillars that are sometimes in reptile stores). They should be offered vegetables too - 25 to 35% of their diet.

Adults and sub-adults will eat pinkie and sometimes fluffy mice, but these are quite fattening, larger crickets, mealworms, giant (or super/king) mealworms, locusts, waxworms, tebos and field-caught bugs. Approximately one third to half of an adult bearded dragon's diet should be fruit and vegetables, foods which are good for them include squash, raspberries (on occasion), parsley, romaine lettuce, mustard and collard greens, dandelion leaves and flowers, carrots and turnip tops.

Crickets or other live foods, especially mealworms, left in the cage uneaten should be taken out - as they may nibble on your dragon when it is asleep, causing terrible damage, even death.

When feeding your lizards in a group, there will be a strict pecking order: the dominant (alpha) male will eat first, then the lower individuals in the society. If a dragon tries to eat out of turn it will be warned or even attacked by the alpha male.

Also bearded dragons - not just adults, young ones too - can be offered ground cuttlefish to provide extra calcium in their diet, which they will consume if needed. Foods should be dusted with some sort of calcium and multi-vitamin powder (normally about 1 pinch to supplement 20 - 25 crickets or similar). Bearded dragons can become very obese, so be sure not to over-feed when they are juveniles and adults, they should not be thin, but they should not look rounded like a ball. Bearded dragons are quite a flat, plump-looking lizard, so make sure they are not under-nourished either. Feed adults 4 - 5 times a week, around 5 - 9 locusts or similar (i.e. not just locusts) at every feeding

Handling

Pogona vitticeps are for sure one of the best pet lizards to handle. They are easy to tame if handled on a fairly regular basis when young, and sit still on your arm or shoulder without trying to escape. They are very docile, yet alert, and some even enjoy being handled. Some become so tame they will eagerly take food out of their owners hand (like my own - Goldie and Skinny), or perhaps that is just being greedy! A bearded dragons claws may feel sharp on your arm or hand, but these lizards are generally great to hold and stroke.

Breeding

Bearded dragons become sexually mature between one and two years old - but until then it is very hard to tell the sexes apart. In adults males head bob, display their beards and try to defend territory, but rarely arm wave. On the physical side, males possess a large vent opening, hemi penal bulges after the vent and enlarged scales before the vent (i.e. before is from the head down, so the enlarged scales are in between the stomach and vent). Females, on the other hand have a small vent opening and no enlarged scales or hemi penal bulges.

The optimum age for breeding in bearded dragons is between two and five years old, but they can continue to reproduce for a couple of years after that, although success rates drop. Before reproduction bearded dragons must be conditioned for breeding. To do this, several months before actual breeding (in the autumn, say) you must begin to gradually drop the temperatures in the enclosure, and decrease hours of light in a day, down to around 9 hours of light, which will send your lizard into a 'semi-hibernation' when the animals are generally much less active and eat less too. Hibernation stimulates the development of reproductive cells in the bearded dragon, but unless the dragon is in perfect health, hibernation should not be considered as it will cause considerable stress and could lead to death in your pet. The cage temperature should drop to 24 - 28 degrees centigrade (76 - 82 degrees Fahrenheit) at day and around 18 degrees centigrade (65 degrees Fahrenheit) at night.

Hibernation should go on for about 10 weeks, and then temperatures and daylight hours should slowly be increased again, up to summer temperatures after a few months. Feed your dragons as much as they will eat and add extra calcium than normal to the female's diet. You should notice more displays of head-bobbing and arm-waving, but make sure the male is not too aggressive; if the female has cuts or scratches - although a few small bites near the neck are typical occurrences during mating, so unless they are deep or infected, do not worry too much - or seems to be very worried by the male, split them for a few days.

If the female becomes gravid, which happens a couple of months after breeding, she should be very plump and the outline of eggs may be visible through her abdomen. She will begin to dig into the substrate, and a nesting box should be placed into the enclosure. This should be at least 6 inches of damp substrate, vermiculite or soil for example, and could be placed in a cat litter tray or in a tub. The female should then, when ready, dig a hole in the box (hopefully!) and lay between 10 and 25 eggs, and she will then re-cover the eggs in the nesting box substrate. After laying will look lighter and flabby and should be feed food high in calcium. The female bearded dragon may lay up to five clutches in one breeding year, at 25 - 35 day intervals.

The eggs should then be placed in an incubator - without being turned. They should be incubated at 29 degrees centigrade (84 degrees Fahrenheit) for roughly two months. A couple of days after hatching the bearded dragons should start feeding on lots of little insects. They eat a lot!

Copyright © Chris Jorden. 1999.

Israeli Dune Gecko

Israeli Dune Gecko ( Stenodactylus sthenodactylus )

Care in Captivity by Chris Jorden

Introduction

Dune geckos are a tiny desert species from Northern Africa that grow to only 5 - 8 cm (2 - 3 inches), in various shades of cream, gold and brown.

They are lively little ground dwellers and are excellent diggers, but unable to climb. Dune geckos are a vocal lizard, and can sometimes be heard chirping to each other in the evening and night.

This species of gecko is nocturnal, so if you wish to observe them, this is best done so at night or in the evening, when it is best to feed them too.

Selecting A Gecko

These little geckos are not readily available, so research would have to be done prior to getting one of these animals. They are not an animal anyone would just impulse-buy, as they are not particularly spectacular, nor an reptile you are likely to find in a local pet shop. To locate a dune gecko, it is probably best to check on the internet for people in your country selling them, or to try and find a reptile show near you, where there is a possibility you could find some - a reptile fayre is where I bought my trio.

Although they are not easy to find, they are generally not too expensive, somewhere in the region between £10 - 35, although I was lucky enough to pick up my trio for just £15.

When you buy them they should be alert, not docile, although they are nocturnal so if you look at them in they day and they do not move unless disturbed, they are probably sleeping. A dune gecko that appears to be tame is likely to be ill, and should not be bought. They should look healthy, with no obvious injuries or unshed skin, and they should not be smelly.

The tank they are in should be set up properly, and should not be smelly. These geckos should not be mixed with any other species of lizard.

The geckos should be transported in well ventilated plastic containers, preferably with a substrate on the bottom. When getting a new lizard to add to a group it should be kept in isolation for at least a month, just to be sure it is healthy and will not affect the whole group with an illness or disease.

Setting Up A Terrarium

A tank measuring 60 x 30 x 30 cm (24 x 12 x 12 inches) is ideal for up to four of these miniature geckos (up to one male and three females), although 45 x 30 x 30 cm (18 x 12 x 12 inches) is fine for a single dune gecko or a pair. Males should not be kept together as, as with most reptiles, they are aggressive towards each other, and are likely to fight, with one male going off food, or becoming badly injured or even killed.

The best kind of habitat for them is dry, rocky, sandy areas. The vivarium should always be kept dry and well ventilated, except for a nightly spraying. A substrate of children's play sand, coral sand, or a sand designed specifically for reptiles (such as calci-sand), at a depth of around 5 cm (2 inches) would be ideal. It only needs to be changed every 2 - 6 months depending on the number of geckos in the vivarium, as they are clean animals and do not smell. Pieces of bark, slate, pottery and rocks make good hiding places, as they do not like caves or 'houses', they prefer to burrow under and hide under flat rocks that are wedged into the sand, where they shelter during the hottest part of the day. Silk plants could be used to good effect, and larger rocks would be good, where the little lizards can be seen 'playing' during the evenings.

A shallow plastic dish (something like a jam jar lid could be used) should be used as a water bowl. Pebbles placed in it would help the geckos get out if they got into any difficulty, which they should as the water should only be a few millimetres deep. Also the tank should be misted in the evening, on object such as pebbles, rocks and plants, so the geckos can lick up the water droplets, which they can sometimes be seen doing.

A heat mat under the vivarium in one side of the tank would be good, and a low wattage light above a basking rock (around 10 - 25 W) turned on just in the day could help too, and although they will not use it to bask with much (as they are nocturnal), it will help heat up the tank and take it to more like the real desert temperature. The air temperature should be around 25 - 28 degrees centigrade (77 - 82 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day, with hot ends and cool ends, with a drop to around 21 - 24 degrees centigrade (70 - 75 degrees Fahrenheit) at night, with further decreases during the colder months of the year, to make it more like the wild and to stimulate breeding activity.

Feeding

Dune geckos should be fed a variety of small insects, such as 2nd/3rd instar brown crickets, micro black crickets, aphids, fruit flies and sometimes tiny waxworms if you can find any small enough - the food should not be bigger (longer) than the width of the gecko's head. Food should be dusted with a good quality vitamin and calcium powder, to the amount specified on the pot. They should be fed at least 5 times a week, preferably every day.

Handling

As they are very small, these geckos are also extremely delicate, and should not be handled if possible, as their skin is ripped easily. If they need to be caught for a check up it is best to gently help them onto your hand and cup the hand, so they can not jump off. They should be transported in well ventilated boxes with tightly secured lids.

They are definitely not recommend for handling, they are more an animal to watch and admire, rather than stroke and hold.

Breeding

Not much is known about the breeding of these small geckos. First you must have a male and at least one female. Females are generally bigger and stockier than males, and males have two 'bumps' at the base of the tail - between the legs.

To stimulate them for breeding, the temperature should be slowly dropped by a few centigrade during the winter and left for a few months (if the geckos become too docile o do not eat, bring the temperature back up slightly again) and then should be gradually brought up to normal temperature.

After breeding, if the females looks more rotund than normal, it is possible she has eggs, a small pot of damp substrate such as vermiculite could be placed in the tank for her to lay the eggs in, but she may just lay them in the sand under a rock anyway. The eggs are tiny, about 1/2 cm long (1/4 inch) and oval shaped. They should be taken out of the tank using a teaspoon and should not be touched. They should be incubated at temperatures of around 27 - 30 degrees centigrade (80 - 86 degrees Fahrenheit). They will hatch in a few weeks.

They baby dune geckos will obviously be tiny and should probably be fed very tiny pinhead crickets (black or brown, whichever you can find that are small enough), and fruit flies (Drosophila sp.), dusted with a calcium and vitamin powder like the parents. They should be fed at least once a day, preferably twice - once early evening and again later in the evening.



Copyright © Chris Jorden. 2000.

Feeding Bearded Dragons and keeping them healthy

Feeding Bearded Dragons and keeping them healthy

What can be said about feeding bearded dragons is also largely applicable to feeding other insectivorous lizards that start life small but grow rapidly into relatively large animals. Examples include water dragons, frilled dragons and small monitors.

Feed insects that are as long as the width of your lizard's head. Offer food to hatchlings little and often, as much as they want, up to three times per day. If insufficiently fed, those in groups tendency to bite each have a other's toes and tails. Uneaten crickets distress and irritate lizards and need to be removed after a reasonable period. Crickets also eat lizard faeces, which can lead to re-infection with internal parasites. It is best practice to feed only what will be eaten quickly and then to remove any surplus.

Added extras

Hatchlings can be frightened of fast moving prey like crickets, putting the crickets in a fridge for a few minutes slows them down All insect food should be both gut loaded with high quality insect food, and dusted with a highly adherent calcium powder especially for hatchlings. To enable calcium intake to be absorbed each individual must receive a regular weekly supplement of easily reptile-assimilated vitamin D3 ,or very close access to a specialist reptile ultraviolet fluorescent lamp, claiming an output of 5% UVB light. Bearded dragons also take vegetable matter. Spray this with tepid water to keep it fresh longer and provide additional moisture intake. Offer grapes, green beans, dandelion leaves and flowers, clover, Romaine lettuce, mustard greens, peas and sweet corn.


Prevent bullying

It is important to continually regroup hatching by size as they grow. Smaller individuals are dominated by those that grow faster and decline quickly as the bullying can stop them feeding. These smaller animals must either be raised individually or regrouped with hatchlings of the same size. Fresh water can be provided daily either in a shallow water dish, with an aquarium pump bubbling air into it, or with a small waterfall feature. Bearded dragons do not recognise standing water as drinkable and need to see the refraction of light from moving water to attract themto it. Spraying lizards with tepid water is the commonest method to keep them hydrated but can leave the cage too wet, which may lead to respiratory problems. A sprayed cage should be sufficiently well heated and ventilated to dry out completely within half an hour.

Great growth

Growth rates under the above regime should be impressive. As reptiles are cold-blooded, what they eat is mainly transferred into growth and not utilised to keep their bodies warm as it is with ourselves. Unlike hatchlings, adults only need to eat two or three times per week, with food intake drastically reducing as size increases. In fact for adults an occasional week or two without food is much more likely to be beneficial than harmful.

Supplied by pbwnews (Pet Business World)

BASIC CARE SHEET FOR THE CONEHEAD LIZARD

BASIC CARE SHEET FOR THE CONEHEAD LIZARD


Common Name: Conehead Lizard
Scientific Name: Laemanctus longipes
Distribution: Central America
Size: 22" - 28"


NATURAL HABITAT :

This mainly arboreal lizard is found in the dense foliage
of tropical rain forests though out Central America.
In captivity, adults need an enclosure measuring 4'x2'x2'

BEHAVIOUR :

Males can become territorial.
Usually Quite tame, but easily stressed if handled to frequently.
Likes a lot of cover so supply plenty of foliage, and requires a
well ventilated vivarium.

CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT :

Use UV lighting 12-14 hours per day (Arcadia D3).
Provide a basking area with access to a cooler area.
This lizard likes plenty of hiding places (imitation plants)
and lots of climbing branches.

TEMPERATURE :

Daytime temperature should be:
Cool Area 80 degrees F.
Night temperature should range between 70-75 degrees F.
Use a reptile heat mat for 24-hour ground heat inside the
vivarium.

HUMIDITY / WATER REQUIREMENTS :

These lizards need a constant high level of humidity.
Supply a medium fairly shallow bowl for drinking and bathing.
Fine mist the vivarium at least every second day.

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS :

This lizard is a carnivore. Its main diet consists of insects.
Will eat brown or black crickets, waxworm, mealworms,
Locusts. Don't forget to use a vitamin supplement.

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE SAND FISH

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE SAND FISH

Common Name: Sand Fish

Scientific Name: Scincus scincus
Distribution: Northern Africa
Size: 6" - 8"

N A T U R A L H A B I T A T :


These lizards are very docile and shy. Thay are mainly found
in sandy desert habitats. In captivity, adults will require a
vivarium mesuring 24"x 12" x15"


B E H A V I O R :

With regular handling these lizards become very tame and Quite
easy to handel. Males usually become territorial, So keep separate
from other males. Use sand for substrate, about 2" to 3" deep
for burrowing.
C A P T I V E E N V I R O N M E N T :


Use UV lighting 12-14 hours per day (Arcadia D3).
Provide a basking area with access to a cooler area.
This lizard likes plenty of hiding places (imitation plants)
Caves. Keep the lower layer of sand slightly damp.


T E M P E R A T U R E :


Daytime temperature should be:
Basking Area 88 to 95 degrees F.
Cool Area 80 degrees F.
Night temperature should range between 75-80 degrees F.
Use a reptile heat mat for 24-hour ground heat inside the vivarium


H U M I D I T Y / W A T E R R E Q U I R E M E N T S :


These lizards require only low levels of humidity.

Us a small water bowl for drinking.

N U T I T I O N A L R E Q U I R E M E N T S :


This carnivore eats primarily insects, brown or black crickets,

waxworm, small mealworms. Dust food with calcium and
vitamins.

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE FROG EYE GECKO

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE FROG EYE GECKO


Common Name: Frog Eye Gecko
Scientific Name:Teratoscincus scincus
Distribution: Iran and up into China
Size: 6" - 8"


NATURAL HABITAT :

The Frog Eye Gecko is a burrower, it inhabits desert and
semi desert regions of Iran and up into Western China. When
kept in captivity, Adult Frog Eye Geckos will require a
24"X17"x12" vivarium.

BEHAVIOUR :

Males may become territorial, Keep separate from other males.
Usually a tame lizard, but very active which can make it difficult
to handle. This lizard is nocturnal (mainly active at night).

CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT :

Provide a basking area with access to a cooler area.
These lizards like plenty of hiding places supply imitation plants,
rocks, bark hides. Use sand as a substrat and make it fairly deep.
Keep the sand in one half of the vivarium semi moist, below the
surface only.

TEMPERATURE :

Daytime temperature should be:
Basking Area 85 to 90 degrees F.
Cool Area 80 degrees F.
Night temperature should range between 70-75 degrees F.
Use a reptile heat mat for 24-hour ground heat inside the vivarium.

HUMIDITY / WATER REQUIREMENTS:

These lizards require only moderate levels of humidity.
Supply a small / medium size, shallow bowl for drinking water.

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS :

These lizards are carnivores. Always try to offer a varied diet,
Will feed on mealworms, waxworms, and black or brown crickets.
Always use a good dusting vitamin supplement.

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE OF THE RANKIN'S DRAGON

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE OF THE RANKIN'S DRAGON

Common Name: Rankin's Dragon
Scientific Name: Pogona rankini
Distribution: Australia
Size: 10" - 12"


NATURAL HABITAT:
This Australian lizard Inhabits semi desert and scrubland areas.
A adult pair in captivity require a vivarium measuring at least
36" x 18" x 18" is recommended.


BEHAVIOUR:
These lizards will become tame with regular handling.
A friendly and easy to handle lizard.
Males can become territorial, Keep separate from other
males. These lizards are very active during the day.


CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT:
Use full spectrum 5% UVB lighting 12-14 hours per day.
Provide at least one basking area with access to a cooler
area. Supply several basking areas of logs, rocks. Supply
Lots of climbing branches.
Supply hiding places cork bark or rocks for cover.
Substrate: fine sand and/or gravel would be good.


TEMPERATURE:
Daytime temperature should be:
basking area 95 degrees F.
cool area 80 degrees F.
Night temperatures should range between 70-75 degrees F.
Use a reptile heat mat for 24-hour ground heat inside
the vivarium.


HUMIDITY / WATER REQUIREMENTS
These lizards needs only low levels of humidity.
Requires only a small water dish for drinking.


NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
These lizards are omnivores, There main diet consists
of crickets, locusts, waxworm and pinkies. Also assorted
dark greens (dandelions,mustard,turnip) cabbage,sprouts
green beans, and runner-beans
Offer a variety for proper nutrition. Also use a good
vitamin supplement.

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE YELLOW HEADED GECKO

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE YELLOW HEADED GECKO


Common Name: Yellow-headed Gecko
Scientific Name: Gonatodes fuscus
Distribution: Cuba & South Florida
Size: 3" - 3.75"


NATURAL HABITAT :


This gecko is arboreal it usually occupies forest habitats,
Likes plenty of dense plant cover.
When kept in captivity, Adult yellow headed Geckos
require a 24"X17"x12" vivarium.


BEHAVIOUR :


Males may become territorial, Keep separate from other males.
Very Active and Difficult to hold, Their skin is easily Damaged
so take care. To much handling will stress the animal.


CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT :


Use full spectrum lighting 12-14 hours per day.
Provide a basking area with access to a cooler area.
This lizard likes plenty of hiding places ( imitation plants).
rocks, bark hides and branches to climb on. Use bark substrate.


TEMPERATURE :


Daytime temperature should be:
Basking Area 80 to 85 degrees F.
Cool Area 78 degrees F.
Night temperature should range between 70-75 degrees F.
Use a reptile heat mat for 24-hour ground heat inside the vivarium.


HUMIDITY / WATER REQUIREMENTS:


These Lizards require a moderate to high level of humidity
Mist the vivarium at least every other day to maintain humidity.
Keep the vivarium well ventilated.


NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS :


This species is a carnivore, these lizards like assorted insects.
Always offer a variety, small black or brown crickets, small
mealworms, waxworms. Will also take small amounts of fruit,
mashed into a liquid. Always use a good dusting supplement.

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE WHITE SPOT GECKO

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE WHITE SPOT GECKO


Common Name: White Spot Gecko
Scientific Name: Tarentola a. annularis
Distribution: Northern Africa
Size: 5" - 6"


NATURAL HABITAT :


This arboreal gecko is mostly found in dry rocky habitats
in North Africa. Adult white spot Gecko will require a
24"X17"x12" vivarium when kept in captivity.


BEHAVIOUR :

This lizard is mostly nocturnal.
Very active and rather difficult to hold.
To much handling will stress this small lizard.


CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT :

Could benifit from some UV (Activa/Arcadia D3).
Provide a basking area with access to a cooler area.
This lizard likes plenty of hiding places ( imitation plants).
Also supply lots of climbing branches. Use bark/gravel
substrate.

TEMPERATURE :

Daytime temperature should be:
Basking Area 85 to 90 degrees F.
Cool Area 78 degrees F.
Night temperature should range between 73-80 degrees F.
Use a reptile heat mat for 24-hour ground heat inside the vivarium.


HUMIDITY / WATER REQUIREMENTS:

This lizard requires low to moderate levels of humidity.
Mist the vivarium once or twice a week.
Supply a medium size shallow bowl for drinking and bathing.


NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS :

This species is a carnivore, these lizards like assorted insects.
Always offer a variety, black or brown crickets, mealworms, waxworms,
Small Locust. Always use a good dusting supplement.

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE STANDINGS DAY GECKO

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE STANDINGS DAY GECKO

Common Name: Standings Day Gecko
Scientific Name: Phelsuma standingi
Distribution: Madagascar
Size: 7" - 9"


NATURAL HABITAT :

This gecko is diurnal and arboreal it occupies tropical rain forest
habitats. When kept in captivity, Adult Standings Day Geckos
require a 24"X17"x12" vivarium.

BEHAVIOUR :

Males may become territorial, Keep separate from other males.
Very Active and Difficult to hold, Their skin is easily Damaged
so take care. To much handling will stress the animal.

CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT :

Use UV lighting 12-14 hours per day (Activa/Arcadia D3).
Provide a basking area with access to a cooler area.
This lizard likes plenty of hiding places ( imitation plants).
rocks, bark hides and climbing branches. Use bark substrate.

TEMPERATURE :

Daytime temperature should be:
Basking Area 84 to 86 degrees F.
Cool Area 80 degrees F.
Night temperature should range between 73-75 degrees F.
Use a reptile heat mat for 24-hour ground heat inside the vivarium.
Keep the vivarium well ventilated.


HUMIDITY / WATER REQUIREMENTS:

These Lizards require a moderate level of humidity.
Mist the vivarium every other day to maintain humidity levels.
Supply a medium size shallow bowl for drinking and bathing.


NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS :

This species is a carnivore, these lizards like assorted insects.
Always offer a variety, black or brown crickets, mealworms, waxworms.
Will also take small amounts of fruit, mashed into a liquid.
Always use a good dusting supplement.

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE LINED DAY GECKO

BASIC CAPTIVE CARE FOR THE LINED DAY GECKO

Common Name: Lined Day Gecko
Scientific Name: Phelsuma lineata
Distribution: Madagascar
Size: 4" - 5"


NATURAL HABITAT :

This gecko is diurnal and arboreal it occupies tropical rain forest
habitats. When kept in captivity, Adult Lined Day Geckos
require a 24"X17"x12" vivarium.

BEHAVIOUR :

Males may become territorial, Keep separate from other males.
Very Active and Difficult to hold, Their skin is easily Damaged
so take care. To much handling will stress the animal.

CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT :

Use UV lighting 12-14 hours per day (Activa/Arcadia D3).
Provide a basking area with access to a cooler area.
This lizard likes plenty of hiding places ( imitation plants).
rocks, bark hides and climbing branches. Use bark substrate.

TEMPERATURE :

Daytime temperature should be:
Basking Area 85 to 90 degrees F.
Cool Area 77 degrees F.
Night temperature should range between 70-74 degrees F.
Use a reptile heat mat for 24-hour ground heat inside the vivarium.
Keep the vivarium well ventilated.


HUMIDITY / WATER REQUIREMENTS:

These Lizards require a moderate level of humidity.
Mist the vivarium every other day to maintain humidity levels.
Supply a medium size shallow bowl for drinking and bathing.


NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS :

This species is a carnivore, these lizards like assorted insects.
Always offer a variety, black or brown crickets, mealworms, waxworms.
Will also take small amounts of fruit, mashed into a liquid.
Always use a good dusting supplement.