Unique Cages for Unique Pets
Posts tagged Lizards
Bearded Dragon Caresheet
May 23rd
More info at Bearded Dragon Page
Housing
For a bearded dragon that is under two months old and under 7 inches long, I would recommend a cage that has at least two square feet of floor space. The aquarium size equivalent to his would probably be about 30 gallons. I would not use anything bigger because the bearded dragon would have trouble finding its food. I would also not recommend using anything smaller because then the lizard wouldn’t have enough room to run around and be active. For a juvenille that is between 9 and 13 inches, I would recommend using a cage that has about four square feet of floor space, or a 55gallon aquarium. This size can be used for a single adult as well. For adults, make sure you have at least 4sq feet of ground space for each adult. Never house more than 4 or 5babies together or else you will have nipped tails and missing feet.
The enclosure can be made of anything, but I prefer either wood or glass. This is because they hold heat better than any other material. Whatever you use make sure there is plenty of room and there is a top on the cage. this is to prevent the lizard from escaping.
Substrate
The substrate can be anything you want it to be. Just make sure it is not toxic to the animal. I would recommend using either sand, newspaper, paper towels, alfafa pellets, or astro turf. If you use sand make sure it is washed playsand that you can buy at toys R’ us or home depot. Dont use sand for bearded dragons that are under two minths of age. This is because they are more likely to ingest the sand and block their intestines than older bearded dragons. If this happens then they most likely will die. If you use astroturf, make sure there are no frared edges just incase the bearded dragon might eat it and get impacted. Whatever you use make sure the substrate is kept clean and replaced periodically. NEVER USE PINE OR CEDAR AS THE SUBSTRATE BECAUSE THEY ARE TOXIC TO REPTILES AND WILL KILL THEM.
Decorations
I would recommend using wood and rocks to decorate the cage. This way the cage will sort of resemble the bearded dragons natural habitat. The wood I recomend using is sandblasted grapevine or sterilized driftwood. Driftwood can be sterilized by putting it in the oven at 200degrees for about 30 minutes. Always keep an eye on the wood to make sure it doesn’t start on fire. The rocks can be small 5 pound boulders that can be found everywhere, also make sure they are sterilized the same way as the wood. These are just recommendations on how to decorate a cage, do it anyway you want but DONT USE PINE OR CEDAR BECAUSE THEY ARE TOXIC TO REPTILES.
Heating
To heat the cage I would recommend using an incandescent light bulb in a reflector dome placed over one end of the cage. The reflector dome and light bulb can be purchased from home depot or walmart for about $8. The temperatures in the cage should be (all in degrees fahrenheit) 80-85 in the cool end 90-95 in the warm end, and 100-105 directly under the light bulb. To heat the cage you can also use a heat pad that can be purchased from any petstore that deals with reptiles. I would only use this in conjuction with the reflector dome in cooler parts of the country. It should be wrapped in a towel and placed under one end of the cage. The wattage of light bulb depends on the cage size, try out different wattages untill you get the closest to the temperatures mentioned above. NEVER USE HOT ROCKS, BECUASE THEY DEVELOPE HOT SPOTS AND CAN SEVERELY BURN YOUR LIZARD.
Lighting
Always have a UVB UVA light such as Reptisun 5.0 or vitalite placed over the cage at all times. The light should be kept on for about 12 hours a day, always turn off all lights at night. If you don’t use a UVB UVA light bulb then the lizard will die. The light bulb helps the lizard absorb vital nutrients and vitamins that are needed for good health. In addition to the special lighting, periodical exposure to natural sunlight will also be helpful. NEVER LEAVE YOUR LIZARD UNATTENDED OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT MIGHT RUN AWAY. The lights can be purchased from any petstore that deals with reptiles. Make sure the light bulb is long enough to cover the whole length of the cage.
Diet
Baby bearded dragons should be fed about 80% live foods like crickets, mealworms, and very very occasionally waxworms. Always make sure that the babys prey is no more than 1/4 inch long and half that width. Anything bigger will cause irreversable damage to the bearded dragon. They should also be fed leafy greens like kale, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, radish leaves, but never feed iceburg lettuce because it has no nutritional value whatsoever. Juvenilles and adults can be fed appropiately sized insects like crickets, locusts, grasshoppers, mealworms, superworms, and an occasional waxworm or pinky mouse. Only feed pinkys and waxworms ever once in awhile because they are high in fat content. Make sure the prey is not longer than the distance between the eyes of the bearded dragon and half the width.
Every other meal should be supplemented with a calcium supplement and a multi vitamin. the calcium can be grinded up tums or a product called rep-cal/ the multi vitamin can be herptivite. All these can be purchased from a petstore that deals with reptiles.
Selecting a Bearded Dragon
The bearded dragon you are looking to buy should have bright alert eyes. It should appear active and healthy. It should not have a fecal matter by the vent or deformities (crooked jaw, bent arm, etc). It should not have any external parasites or wounds (ticks, mites, bleeding sores, etc). And if possible, have the person you are buying from feed the dragon before you buy it, This wya you will be able to see if the dragon is eating before you buy it.
Water Dragon Waterfall Slideshow
May 23rd
Super useful slideshow depicting how to setup a waterfall inside your terrarium. Be sure to note the captions above the slideshow as that is where Michael Wallitis goes into great detail about the design and construction of various elements Elements of Vivarium Design Slideshow.
We get a lot of questions about this exact topic so hopefully this will be a huge help to all of our customers!!! This is also why we insist on plywood cages for aquatic environments as melamine fused particleboard does not perform well when exposed to the elements. While the melamine overlays repeal water, any exposed particleboard surfaces around the door or around screwheads will swell as much as 18% when wet. Plywood by comparison, only expands 1-3% without losing any of its structural or thermal reintentive properties.
Building vs Buying
Apr 20th
More info from the Green Iguana Society. This was written in regards to iguana habitats but it holds true for cages in general. Good insights into the Building verses Buying debate. Check out the rest of their site here Green Iguana Society .
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| If you are like most people, chances are your iguana needs a better habitat. Most likely, your iguana needs a habitat that is much larger than the one it currently has, and now you must decide the best way to get it what it needs. On this page, we’ll be discussing the pros and cons of building your own or buying a complete habitat. You basically have three choices: buy one that is already made, have someone you know build one, or build it yourself. First of all, make sure you learn all you can about what type of habitat your iguana needs. Once you learn what your iguana needs, buying or building a habitat will be easier, and you won’t end up with a habitat that you’ll need to replace later on. Most iguana owners end up going through several different habitats because they are still learning, and they discover later on that they should have done something different. Whether you’re building your own or buying a custom built habitat, learn all you can before you decide, and try to do it right the first time.
Buying a custom habitat – Although it may sound like the best way to go, buying a ready made cage or habitat usually isn’t the best way to go, unless you have a lot of money. Even then, you can end up with a habitat that isn’t the best for your iguana. There are many custom habitats and cages available, and most generally, they are very expensive and often times far too small for an adult iguana. There are only a few places that sell habitats for iguanas that are of suitable size. If you can afford one of these and do not want to venture into building your own, then by all means, buy one, but make sure it’s of suitable size and functionality for your iguana. Your iguana will get LARGE and it will definitely need a large habitat, unless of course you plan on allowing your iguana to be a free roamer. If you are allowing your iguana to be a free roamer, it can also be a good idea to have a habitat of some sort for your iguana to retreat to, if needed. If this is the case, you may be able to get away with providing a somewhat smaller habitat, but it still needs to be quite large. For more information on free roaming and setting up your home for a free roaming iguana, please visit our Freedom & Free Roaming section. If you do decide to look into buying a custom-made enclosure, the web sites listed below may be useful:
Custom Wood Reptile Cages – http://customwoodreptilecages.com Cages By Design – http://www.cagesbydesign.com Keith van Zile: Lizard Cages.com – http://www.lizardcages.com J.Worlds Unique Reptile and Rainforest Enclosures – http://www.jworlds.net/ (WAY expensive, but really cool) Size is critical – Most importantly, size will be the most important factor when choosing a habitat. Unfortunately, there are many types of cages and enclosures that are sold as “iguana cages” and chances are, they are far too small to be a permanent home for your iguana. Not only are these cages too small for an adult iguana, they are usually quite affordable. This is yet another form of misinformation about iguana care that leads to many iguanas being kept in inadequate habitats, which will most definitely lead to unhealthy and unhappy iguanas. You may be able to “get by” with a smaller cage, but ultimately, the health and happiness of the iguana will suffer. An iguana in a habitat that is too small will be stressed, which can lead to restlessness, nose rubbing and other injuries that are caused by the iguana trying to get out of a small enclosure. You can also get by with a smaller habitat while the iguana is a juvenile and still growing. Going through several habitats throughout the life of the iguana is normal for most iguana owners. If you do it right the first time and buy or build a habitat that is large enough for an adult iguana, you may spend more money now, but the habitat should last your iguana’s lifetime. Cost of a good habitat – It will cost a good amount of money for a suitable habitat. Going through several habitats, either built or bought, will become even more expensive than building or buying a LARGE habitat as early as possible. If you’re buying a habitat, be prepared to spend a great deal of money on one that is large enough for an adult iguana. You’ll probably have a very hard time even finding one large enough, and if you do find one that’s big enough, it will be very expensive. Also, most habitats that you buy do not come with light fixtures, switches, dimmers, and other accessories you may need. If you can’t afford to buy a habitat that is large enough for your iguana, then we definitely recommend that you build your own. Building your own can be much more affordable, but it will still be expensive. Depending on the materials you use, you’ll probably end up spending at least $150 (U.S.) building your own. Chances are, you’ll spend more than that, but it will usually cost much less than a pre-built one of the same size and quality. Building your own habitat – The best part of building your own habitat is that not only will your iguana have what it needs, you can build it exactly how you want it. Once again, you can usually build your own for much less than a pre-built one. Of course, you can also build one that costs much more, but chances are, it will be very nice and well worth the money in the long run. With building your own, you can also make use of exactly the amount of space in your home you’d like to give to your iguana. Many pre-built habitats come in a variety of sizes and colors, but if you build your own, you can make it exactly the size you want, as well as build it to become a decorative and attractive addition to your home. Do tools intimidate you? If you have absolutely no experience with tools, carpentry, electrical work, and building things, then buying a habitat may be the way to go. You may also want to try to get the help of a friend who does have more experience. More times than not, iguana owners end up learning about iguanas as well as carpentry and electrical work. Many iguana owners who had no experience with carpentry are now seasoned pros after building their own habitat. If you do have little or no experience with building things, you will also have the added expense and worry of having or buying the tools you will need to build a habitat. If you have few or no tools, you’ll either need to find a friend that will loan you some basic tools or you’ll have to buy your own. You can literally spend a fortune on high quality tools, but you can also buy inexpensive hand tools, especially if you don’t plan on using them for anything else. Conclusion – If you are planning on getting a new habitat for your iguana, then this is going to be a big decision to make…to buy or build. We would like to suggest that building your own is the best way to go. If you have experience with carpentry, electrical work and building things, then this should be a very easy decision. If you have little or no experience, we suggest that you find a friend that does have some experience and tools to help you. Whatever you decide, we can not stress it enough…. learn all you can about what your iguana needs, make sure you provide a LARGE habitat, and if at all possible, try to do it right the first time so you don’t end up building or buying several habitats throughout the life of your iguana. For more information and what kind of work is involved with building your own habitat, please visit our Planning & Construction page. |
Iguana Habitat
Apr 20th
Info from the Green Iguana Society. We’ve never dealt with them personally but they seem to have some very accurate and reliable information on their site including a list of iguanas available for adoption. Definitely check them out here Green Iguana Society .
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Heat/Lighting – Iguanas need an enclosure or habitat that is kept very warm. Temperatures under basking lights should be in the low to middle 90’s (Fahrenheit), and the ambient air temperature surrounding your iguana should be no lower than 80ºF. Within the cage, a range of temperatures should be provided so that your iguana can regulate its body temperature by moving back and forth between cooler and warmer areas. Daytime heat is best provided with incandescent light bulbs.
Hot rocks are not recommended for iguanas! Not only are hot rocks inadequate in providing heat, but they are dangerous. There have been numerous cases of iguanas obtaining serious burns from hot rocks. Heat and light should come from above, since in the wild iguanas bask in the sunlight. Ordinary incandescent light bulbs work great to provide both heat and light. You do not need to purchase expensive “basking bulbs” from the pet store. These are no different than ordinary bulbs. What wattage of bulbs you will need depends upon the ambient air temperature of the room and the size of the enclosure or basking area. Do not guess when it comes to temperature! It is imperative that you install a few good, reliable thermometers at various places in the enclosure to give you an accurate temperature readout. You can also hook up dimmer switches to your lights, which will allow for minute temperature adjustment. Hooded clamp fixtures work well for basking lights, come in a variety of sizes and can be positioned in various ways within an enclosure. Be sure to use fixtures that are designed to accommodate the bulb wattage you are using. If you are using high wattage bulbs (150-250W), you must use a fixture with a ceramic socket to prevent fire hazard. Be sure to place the fixtures in such a position that your iguana cannot climb on or touch them. If you place the fixtures inside the enclosure, it is a good idea to add a wire “bulb guard”, such as you see in the photo below, to prevent your iguana from coming into direct contact with hot bulbs. Bulb guards can be made from hardware cloth or other safe types of wire. If you have a smaller iguana that is likely to climb up on and/or cling to the light fixtures, consider placing the fixtures outside of the enclosure. |
 This simple bulb guard was made from a small piece of hardware cloth, which is held in place by the simple guard that came with the fixture. The edges of the wire have been bent under so that no sharp edges are exposed. |
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Nighttime heat – Like all other animals, iguanas must have a day/night cycle. We recommend a 12:12 or a 13:11 cycle. This means that you must shut your iguana’s lights off at night for 12 or 13 hours, or better yet, have them on a timer that turns them off at night and on again in the morning so you do not have to remember to do it. This allows the iguana to regulate behaviors and rest peacefully when necessary. Not providing a day/night light cycle can stress an iguana, causing behavioral changes such as feeding, pooping and unnecessary aggression. Iguanas can and should have cooler temperatures at night, but they still need ambient air temperatures to fall no lower than 75-78ºF. How then, do you provide heat at night, if you use light bulbs to heat the enclosure? There are a few methods of providing nighttime heat. One of the best is to use Ceramic Heat Emitters (CHEs), which screw into an incandescent light fixture and give off only heat, not light. These are available in different wattages. It is possible to have a set up where the lights come on in the morning and turn off at night, and the CHEs come on at night and turn off in the morning. Another possibility is to use a low wattage CHE 24 hours a day in addition to the daytime lights. Since iguanas can and should have cooler temperatures at night, a CHE of the appropriate wattage should provide adequate nighttime warmth.
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A word of caution about CHEs – they get very hot and can be fire hazards and/or dangerous to your iguana if not used correctly. Be sure to use them only in fixtures with porcelain or ceramic sockets, and keep them away from dry wood or fabrics that are flammable. Be sure to place them in a way that will not allow your iguana to come in contact with them, because their surfaces get very hot and can cause severe burns. Use only the appropriate extension cords that can handle the amount of wattage you plan to plug into them. A CHE can be an efficient and safe source of heat for your iguana, but only if you use them properly. Be sure to read all of the directions and cautionary statements supplied by the manufacturer. Be safe, use your common sense, and above all, be careful – not only with CHEs, but with other heating and lighting devices as well.
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| Internally-ballasted MV Bulbs: Pros
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Internally-ballasted MV Bulbs: Cons
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| Heat & UVB in one fixture – convenient.
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A bit more expensive than traditional tubes. Cost is usually around $45 each.
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| Give off higher levels of UVB than tubes.
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Can produce too much heat when used in smaller enclosures – especially the spot bulbs.
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| May enhance your iguana’s green coloring and appetite (this is based solely on anecdotal evidence).
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Have a high burn-out rate. The bulbs are fragile and break if jostled. Bulbs are guaranteed, but returning broken bulbs can be a hassle.
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| UVB travels further from the bulb, so they work better for larger enclosures and free-roaming iguanas.
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The spot bulbs give off higher levels of UVB that travels a further distance, but the area covered by the bulb is less. Iguanas must stay directly under the bulbs. The flood bulbs cover a greater area.
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| Externally-ballasted MV Bulbs: Pros
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Externally-ballasted MV Bulbs: Cons
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| Longer-lasting with a lower failure rate than internally-ballasted MV bulbs.
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More expensive than traditional tubes and internally-ballasted MV bulbs. Cost is usually around $75 each.
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| Give off higher levels of UVB than tubes.
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Do not give off heat. A separate heat source is required.
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| Can be used in smaller enclosures due to low heat output.
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Not as widely available or as easy to find at this time as traditional tubes and internally-ballasted MV bulbs.
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| Traditional Fluorescent Tubes: Pros
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Traditional Fluorescent Tubes: Cons
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| A bit cheaper per bulb than MV bulbs.
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Should be doubled-up for best results, thus bringing cost closer to that of interally-ballasted MV bulbs. Two tubes will usually cost around $30-$45.
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| Can be used in smaller enclosures where an internally-ballasted MV bulb may produce too much heat.
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Produce much less UVB than MV bulbs. Plus, because fluorescent tubes do not produce heat, additional heat bulbs are necessary.
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| Have a lower burn-out rate than internally-ballasted MV bulbs.
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Do not work well in cheap fluorescent fixtures. High-end fixtures are necessary for maximum UVB output.
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| Come in different lengths to fit different enclosures.
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The UVB does not travel far; thus it is necessary that the bulb is positioned no more than 12″-15″ from the iguana.
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This photo shows one way to increase the humidity in an enclosure. An ordinary drier duct is attached over the outlet of a cool-mist humidifier with duct tape, and the mist from the humidifier then enters directly into the enclosure through the duct. This simple set-up raises the humidity in the enclosure by as much as 20%. |
| Conclusion – There are a variety of enclosure designs that will be equally successful at providing your iguana with what it needs – proper heating, lighting, and humidity. What materials, design and heating/lighting devices you choose to use will depend upon the size of the enclosure or habitat, the placement of the enclosure, the surrounding room temperatures, and so on. For ideas on how to decide whether to build or buy, how to go about choosing the best building materials, and how to actually put it all together, visit our Building vs. Buying page, and the Planning and Construction page. If you have more than one iguana, visit our Multiple Iguanas page for a discussion on the pros and cons of housing two or more iguanas together. Thinking about building an outdoor cage? Check out the Outdoor Sunning Cages page. |
Iguana Facts
Apr 20th
Physical Appearance: Full-grown green iguanas are usually between four and six feet, although they have been known to grow up to seven feet long. This includes the tail, however, which can make up about half the body length and, in addition to its green color, has black stripes. Green iguanas, not surprisingly, are green in color, but can be found in many different shade ranging from bright green, to a dull, grayish-green. Their skin is rough, with a set of pointy scales along the iguana’s back. Green iguanas have long fingers and claws to help them climb and grasp.
Geographic Range: The green iguana is found over a large geographic area, from Mexico to southern Brazil and Paraguay, as well as on the Caribbean Islands.
Adaptations: Besides the long fingers and claws mentioned above, green iguanas have many excellent interesting adaptations. Green iguanas have good senses of hearing and smell, and superb vision. Their long tail is also quite sharp, and is snapped in the air as a defense mechanism. The tail can also break off if caught by a predator, but grows back without permanant damage. Green iguana skin is very water resistant, and tough to avoid cuts and scratches. The coloring of the skin helps camoulflage the green iguana, which means that they blend in easily to their surroundings to remain undetected by predators. If they are etected however, and need to escape quickly, these iguanas can dive from trees into water, and swim well. Green iguanas are quite sturdy– they can fall 40-50 feet to the ground without getting hurt! Male green iguanas have a special flap of skin called the dewlap. Male iguanas can raise their dewlap to appear bigger than they really are, either to intimidate predators, or to impressive females. Both male and female green iguanas can store fat under their jaws and in their necks for times when there is not much food available.
Habitat: Iguanas live in tropical rainforest areas, generally in lower altitudes in areas near water sources, such as rivers or streams. They spend most of their time high in the forest canopy, about 40-50 feet above the ground.
Behaviour: Iguanas are diurnal, meaning that they are awake during the day. They are also cold-blooded, which means they do not produce their own body heat. In other words, if it is cold, the iguana is cold too. So to stay warm, green iguanas bask in the sun, lying on warm rocks as they soak up the sun’s heat.
Reproductive Cycle and Family Habits: Green iguanas tend to live alone, but may be seen in groups occasionally in good sunny basking spots. Iguanas lay many eggs at a time (about 50), in holes inthe ground called burrows. They also dig pretend burrows to confuse any animals that may be looking for eggs to eat. After female iguanas lay the eggs, they leave them and do not return. When iguana babies hatch, they grow up without care from their parents. Green iguanas lay many eggs, but only 3-10 babies actually survive to be adults. It takes green iguana eggs about 8-10 weeks to hatch, then takes baby iguanas about 2 years to become mature adults.
Diet: Green iguanas are omnivorous, so they eat both plants and meat. They tend to eat mostly plants, though, especially leaves and fruits. Sometimes green iguanas (especially young ones) will eat eggs, insects, and small vertebrates.
Threats to Survival: Like many trpoical species, the green iguana is also threatened by habitat destruction. The green iguana is also a victim of the pet industry. Many people in the United States and elsewhere want a green iguana for a pet, so there is a big demand for their capture. Although many pet iguanas are now being raised on iguana farms, capture from the wild has lowered their numbers. In addition, some local populations of South America hunt the green iguana for food.
Conservation Efforts: Laws have been made to protect green iguanas from over-hunting and the pet-trade. Unfortunately, these laws are not enforced very well. Many people are trying to develop protected areas for the iguanas, and to educate local populations about the importance of conservation. Some of these educational programs help local populations find new ways of using the land, without permanantly destroying it. For example, for people who want to continue to eat the green iguana, programs are being developed to raise these animals for food, instead of hunting wild ones. Tony Garel, at the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, is woking on one such project to conserve the iguanas and educate local communities Tony has used captive breeding techniques to increase green iguana populations, and has released some of these iguanas into the wild.
Iguana Wikipedia
Apr 20th
See the original Wikipedia article here
Iguana is a genus of lizard native to tropical areas of Central and South America and the Caribbean. The genus was first described by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena in 1768. The genus Iguana includes two species: the Green Iguana, which is widespread throughout its range and a popular pet, and the Lesser Antillean Iguana, which is endemic to the Lesser Antilles and endangered due to habitat destruction.
The word “Iguana” is derived from a Spanish form of the original Taino name for the species “Iwana”.[1]
[edit] Anatomy and physiology
The two species of lizard within the genus Iguana possess a dewlap, a row of spines running down their back to their tail, and a third “eye” on their head. This eye is known as the parietal eye, visible as a pale scale on the top of the head. Behind their neck are small scales which resemble spikes, known as tuberculate scales. These scales may be a variety of colors and are not always visible from close distances. They have a large round scale on their cheek known as a subtympanic shield.
Iguanas have excellent vision and are able to see shapes, shadows, colors and movement at long distances. Iguanas use their eyes to navigate through crowded forests, as well as for finding food. They use visual signals to communicate with other members of the same species.
They respond to visual stimulus of colors such as orange, yellow, pink, and in rare cases blue as food substances.
An iguana’s ear is known as the tympanum. It is the iguana’s ear drum, and is located right above the subtympanic shield and behind the eye. Iguanas are often hard to spot, as they tend to blend into their surroundings. The color green helps as a mode of hiding from larger predators.
The male iguanas have, as well as other male members of the order Squamata, two hemipenes.
Water Dragon Fact Sheet
Feb 18th
Melissa Kaplan is one our favorites! Read her article at Water Dragons
Species, Range and Description
P. cocincinus. Eastern and southeastern Thailand, eastern Indochina, southern China.
P. lesueurii. Eastern/southeastern Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria)
Water dragons are native to the Southeast Asian mainland and Indo-Australian archipelago. Most imports arrive from Thailand or southern China.
Males typically reach 3 feet; females are somewhat smaller. Males develop larger heads, jowls and crest on the back of the neck, and their femoral pores are somewhat larger than on the female.
Always have new animals checked by a vet for internal and external parasites (bring a fresh fecal sample if you can – or get one to the vet at the soonest opportunity), hydration, nutritional status and overall health.
Captive Environment
You will need a large enclosure, one larger than most people think will be needed by a lizard of this size. The reason most are missing much of their faces, rubbed off from the snout back past the front teeth, is that water dragons will literally rub their flesh off and break their jaw bones trying to get out of a too small enclosure. They need space at least 2 x their total length – so you are talking min 6 ft long (side to side), at least 2-3 feet deep and 4-6 feet high to do it right.
Water dragons can be kept together, with one to three males in a room-sized enclosure. Some females can be domineering and may not want any other females around…others can co-habit with 3-4 females. You must monitor them all the time to assure all are feeding and basking properly throughout the year. If any aren’t, you are most likely seeing the results of intimidation and will need to increase the number of basking and feeding areas and/or increase enclosure size or separate them.
Water dragons are semi-arboreal but also need enough water to submerge and swim comfortably in, as well as branches for climbing, and plenty of ground area for roosting and feeding. They also need the appropriate thermal gradients, photoperiods, and a UVB light.
Substrate
Mixture of 2/3 peat soil + 1/3 clean sand with areas of bark. Can also keep on fake Astroturf. Very active digestive systems so lots of messy poop if they don’t go in their water.
Branches
Placed on the diagonal for climbing, horizontal for roosting.
Plants
Suggestions for suitable live plants include dragon plants (Dracaena), pothos (Scindapsus aureus), Ficus benjamina trees, Monstera deliciosa (philodendron) and staghorn ferns. Plants will need to be replaced as they are shredded by claws or eaten.
Temperature
Day time: 84-88 F with drop to 75-80 F at night. Must have a basking area going up to 90 F during day at one side of tank. Use thermometers! No hot rocks – use overhead basking lights and an under-tank heat pad or one under the indoor/outdoor carpeting substrate.
UVB Lighting
Must have direct sun or a suitable UVB-producing fluorescent (Vitalite by Durotest or Zoo Med’s 5.0+ Iguana or Reptile lights). Plant grow lights do not produce UVB and most so-called ‘full spectrum” lights do not either. Must produce wavelengths in the 290-320 nm range.
Water
Must be available at all times for full body immersions up to at least 1/2 their height. Must be cleaned and disinfected daily…two days okay if they don’t poop in it! If they dive into their water from a shelf or branch, you need to make the tub deeper so they do not injure themselves.
Feeding
Hatchlings and Juveniles:
2-3 week old crickets which have been previously gut-loaded (e.g., not right from pet store!) Also offer finely chopped vegetables and fruits (see iguana salad ingredients for a healthy salad). As the dragons grow, offer only slightly bigger crickets, and add in some mealworms and baby (‘pink’) mice, and occasionally a waxworm for a treat. Smaller food items are more nutritious and more efficiently digested than fewer bigger items. Feed every 2 days – or oftener if they look hungry.
Adults:
Small mice, 4 week old crickets, kingworms (Zoophoba) as well as plant matter. Feed every 2-3 days – or oftener if they look hungry. Also feed plant matter, such as greens and fruits (see iguana salad for recipe).
Miscellaneous Care Issues
Claw tips may be clipped. For how to do it, read the document claw trimming in the iguana page.
Water dragons, like sailfin lizards, can be held but they do not like to be clasped. Hold gently with your hand held loosely cupped around them.
Common Ailments in Captivity – caused by captive environment
Abscesses – infections due to injuries or stress
Internal Parasites (filthy import and pet trade conditions) (see below)
Metabolic Bone Disease (Calcium Deficiency due to- poor diet, inadequate UVB and/or heat
Rostral/Snout Damage – too small an enclosure
Stomatitis (Mouthrot) – snout damage, systemic infection due to improper environment or stress
Swollen/Infected Limbs – fractures due to MBD or getting caught in inappropriate tank setups.
Articular/Periarticular/Pseudo Gout – improper foods and insufficient hydration
Respiratory Infection – inadequate heat; stress
Gastroenteritis – protozoan, bacterial or worm infections (see below)
Diet-related Parasitic and Protozoan Infections
Gastrointestinal parasites may inhabit the mouth, coming from infected prey or from regurgitated prey that brings up parasites from lower down in the intestinal tract. The parasites live out parts of their life cycle within the intermediate or primary host, taking up residence in and migrating through different organs and systems. Many such parasites come from fish and amphibians that are used by the parasite as intermediate hosts during their life cycle. Some of these parasites, such as Rhabdias spp. may cause abscesses within the mouth or may migrate to the lungs. These are commonly found in garter snakes (Thamnophis spp.), grass snakes (Natrix spp.), and water snakes (Nerodia spp.), and other reptile species fed primarily on fish. The reptiles themselves may be treated with levamisole at 10 mg/kg sq. Feeder fish may also be treated, left to swim for 24 hours in a gallon of water mixed with 250 mg of levamisole.
Protozoan infections due to amoebæ is a problem world-wide and can cause serious health complications and mortality, including in captive reptiles. The cysts are ingested either through eating an infected reptile’s feces or that of some other infected animal, such as wastes from feeder animals. Once in the gastrointestinal tract, the amoebæ become active (trophozoites), and start reproducing by binary fusion. They start invading the mucosal lining of the GI tract, get into the blood, and spread through out the body through tissues and organs. Some trophozoitesr are transformed into cysts which are then excreted in the feces, awaiting to be ingested by another host. Fecal smears are required to visualize cysts and trophozoites; cysts can be found using fecal flotation, with fecal samples containing mucous or blood being the most likely to contain the cysts.
An interesting note… The most common – and pathogenic – amoeba in reptiles is Entamoeba invadens. Some reptiles (crocodiles, box turtles, garter snake, Northern black racer) may serve as a reservoir for this protozoan, carrying it and spreading cysts through their feces but not themselves showing any signs of illness. Certain reptile families seem to be particularly susceptible to dysentery from E. invadens infections (boids, crotalids, elapids, viperids, varanids), with giant tortoises as water snakes being most susceptible. This can be a problem in captive collections where enclosures are set up to house aquatic or terrestrial turtles and semi-aquatic or terrestrial lizards, such as sliders and water dragons. Accurate amoeba identification is essential as other amoebæ are not pathogenic in reptiles. If a fecal sample is not available, a colonic wash may be used to acquire a specimen for testing.
Postmortem exams of reptiles killed by E. invadens and other pathogenic amoebæ reveal inflammation, ulceration, or necrosis of the gastrointestinal tract or colon. The intestinal wall may be thickened with necrotic membranes. The bowel may be so involved that it is apparent that ingesta was not passed through in some time, which would be consistent with antemortem wasting, anorexia, and bloating. If spread through the blood stream, the liver, kidneys and other organs may contain abscesses, necrotic areas, and evidence general inflammation.
Amoebic infections are treatable once they are identified as such and the infection is detected and treatment started before tissue and organ damage is advanced. Maintaining proper environmental temperatures, exercising proper hygiene and quarantine procedures, and ensuring the infected reptiles are adequately hydrated will help increase survival rates.
Herpetology Defined
Feb 6th
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including the frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and gymnophionae) and of reptiles (including snakes, lizards, amphisbaenids, turtles, terrapins, tortoises, crocodilians, and the tuataras).
Herpetology is concerned with poikilothermic, ectothermic tetrapods. “Herps” (or sometimes “herptiles” or “herpetofauna”) include reptiles and amphibians, but exclude fish. However, it is not uncommon for herpetological and ichthyological scientific societies to “team up”, publishing joint journals and holding conferences in order to foster the exchange of ideas between the fields. One of the most prestigious organizations, the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, is an example of this. Many herpetological societies exist today having been formed to promote interest in reptiles and amphibians both captive and wild.
Herpetology offers benefits to humanity in the study of the role of amphibians and reptiles in global ecology, especially because amphibians are often very sensitive to environmental changes, offering a visible warning to humans that significant changes are taking place. Some toxins and venoms produced by reptiles and amphibians are useful in human medicine. Currently, some snake venom has been used to create anti-coagulants that work to treat stroke victims and heart attack cases.
The word “herpetology” is from Greek: ἑρπετόν, herpeton, “creeping animal” and -λογία, -logia. People with an avid interest in herpetology and who keep different reptiles or amphibians, often refer to themselves as “herpers.”
Bearded Dragons
Jan 4th
Article provided by ReptileCare.com
Bearded Dragons
Pogona vitticeps
Bearded Dragons make some of the best reptile pets. They reach a manageable size of about 18-22 inches and only require a 40-75 gallon enclosure.
Getting a Bearded Dragon is a serious commitment. They can live from 5-12 years in captivity.
Bearded Dragons do require a few very important things to remain healthy.
Proper heat gradient from 100 degrees F down to the 70s
UVB light in the form of a fluorescent light, Mercury Vapor Bulb or unfiltered natural sunlight
An Omniverous Diet with the proper calcium/phosphorus ratio
Fairly large enclosure from 40-75 gallons