Some people prefer having reptiles as pets rather than the more conventional dogs or cats. If you’re someone who loves having exotic animals, such as reptiles, for your pets, choosing the right cage for them is a priority. Even more so if you expect the reptile to grow to a certain size. Reptiles such as lizards, snakes, and alligators need to be placed in large reptile cages for proper and safe enclosure.

Choosing your reptile pet enclosure

If you must keep reptiles as your pets at home, proper knowledge on their needs is highly important. Reptiles feed differently than most domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, or rodents. Also, reptiles need to have the right cages to keep them at a certain distance. Not everyone is thrilled about the idea of associating with a reptile, so to be safe, you need to keep them in sturdy cages.

Large reptile cages for security and privacy

The size of the cage matters a lot, especially if you expect your reptile to grow even bigger in the months or years to come. Certain types of snakes can grow anywhere from 5 feet to 7 feet long, and even longer. Young iguanas typically start small, but once they grow to a bigger size you might want to consider getting a bigger pen for them.

Typically, a selection of reptile cages is found in pet stores, so choosing the ones you need don’t have to be difficult. The sizes may vary as well so you need to make sure that the cage you are buying is big enough or deep enough for your pet. You would not want your reptile pet to live in a constricted space or in a cage that feels threatening or uncomfortable.

Building cages on your own

Some pet owners have difficulty in finding the right cages due to size problems or issues on quality. Fortunately you can find a range of cage making plans online, wherein you will only need to follow the right instructions and procure the right materials for your cage. This means that you can build your cage using the right materials, and you can monitor on its quality and durability as well.

If you are not handy with tools or if you are still a novice in handling reptile pets, you might want to think twice about assembling cages on your own. Also, you can seek advice from professional cage makers or get some helpful tips from pet store owners.

Cage accessories

Buying cage accessories is also important, such as carpets or substrates. As reptiles are cold-blooded animals, they need sufficient heating as well. Thus, heating lamps in cages are also indispensable.

Since most reptiles can easily grow to bigger sizes, large reptile cages can easily accommodate them. Going for bigger cages can prove to be a better investment in the long term especially if you are a reptile pet owner.

With all the great turtle information available today, the proper care and handling of your new pet should be simple to master. Although the turtle may seem like a shy and docile creature that hides inside its shell, it can, if provoked, use its beak and claws to defend itself. You should always keep two issues in mind when holding your pet: the safety of the person who is handling the animal, and the safety and well-being of the animal that is being handled.

First of all, if you have children under the age of five in your household, it is never advisable to keep turtles as pets. This also applies if there are pregnant women in the home, or people who have compromised or weak immune systems.

Turtles are known as notorious carriers of the Salmonella bacteria. Salmonella causes an illness called Salmonellosis, which infects the human intestinal tract, causing abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and at times, fever.

If you are a pet owner with a close relationship to your pet, the desire to hold, cuddle, or carry your pet around is certainly normal. It is very important to bear in mind that although turtles may appear to be calm animals, they do not appreciate being handled too much. If they become agitated or fearful, they will try to defend themselves by using their teeth and claws to bite and scratch. In fact, the majority of turtle information available states that they always prefer to be left alone rather than being carried around.

Even if you have already earned the trust of your pet, there are still precautions you must take to make sure that you avoid harboring unwanted bacteria, and that your pet is free from being stressed out.

When picking up your turtle, grasp it securely by placing your hands around both sides of its shell. Make sure that your fingers and hands are kept away from its head. It is important to keep the turtle’s head aimed away from you, so that the turtle cannot bite or latch on to your body.

Be very cautious whenever you handle your turtle. Never place your face, hands, or fingers near or in front of the turtle’s face or head, because it may reach around and bite, as some turtles have long necks. Always be quiet and calm whenever you are holding or approaching your turtle. Turtles have rather sharp claws that can scratch and hurt you if they are startled, stressed out, fearful, or uncomfortable.

Some other useful turtle information:

• You should always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after you have handled the animal, its cage, or feeding dishes.
• Never clean turtle tanks, dishes, or the turtle itself in the kitchen sink .
• Never allow your turtle to roam unmonitored around the house, because it may leave traces of Salmonella on the carpets, floor, and other surfaces with which it comes in contact.

This beneficial turtle information should help you establish a close relationship with your pet, without compromising either its welfare or your health and safety as its owner.

The thing is, when it comes to keeping a pet, you need to know how to take care of it and what it will ask of you. The same holds true when it comes to the Green Iguana. So the question is, just what do you have to know in order to make sure that you can properly take care of the Green Iguana.

Well, below are some of the things that you should be aware of before you go ahead and get a Green Iguana for yourself;

1. Iguana Care

Yup, it is one of the most important things that you should consider, you should know what the Iguana eats and how it sleeps. Knowing that the Iguana likes basking in the Sun and enjoys humid weather does not really qualify you to own an Iguana.

2. Finding an Iguana

Another important aspect, you should know where you are going to find your Iguana, I.E. which pet shops and stores are you going to go for in order to get the Iguana in the first place. This is not all that difficult and with the advent of the internet, it has become easier to find store retailers that will provide you with good deals on Green Iguana’s.

3. Making your Home Iguana Proof

Iguana’s normally require a lot of space to crawl in, so you would need to make sure that you can allocate enough space for the Iguana to roam around in and that the cage you get for it provides it with enough room to roam around. Though at the same time, you might also want to consider making sure that it is escape proof.

4. The Vet

This is another important aspect that you need to consider when it comes to getting the Iguana as a pet. The main thing that you need to realize is that the Vet you find should be qualified to treat an Iguana. Otherwise, you will have difficulty finding one in case the Iguana gets sick.

5. Getting the right stuff

This is the most important thing, once you do decide to get the Iguana, you will need to make sure that you have all the supplies required in order to keep it happy. This includes but is not limited to, UV Lights, the source of the heat as well as the kind of food that you will be feeding the Iguana.

Those are just some of the things that you need to consider before you go ahead and get an Iguana as a

HOT? WARM? COLD?

The correct temperature for leopard geckos’ enclosures ranges between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes he might want to warm up, other times he might want to cool off. Therefore, it is important to have a temperature range, have areas where your leo can vary his temperature as he desires.

Temperature plays a massive part, not only for the happiness of your leo, but also his survival. If your leo gets too cold, he will become sluggish and have trouble moving around his enclosure. More importantly, he will have difficulty hunting for his food. It is also possible for a leo to get to hot, which may lead to your leo getting burnt. Leopard geckos are just like humans; we don’t like it too hot, or too cold, we like to be just right!

If you are breeding geckos, temperature can also affect gecko eggs. The temperature of the eggs during the incubation period affects the gender of your baby geckos. An incubation temperature of about 79 degrees Fahrenheit will result in female leos; while a temperature of around 90 degrees Fahrenheit will see males hatching. If you don’t want to determine the gender of your babies, keep the incubation temperature somewhere in the middle.

HOW TO HEAT?

There are different ways you can heat your enclosure. The heat pad is a popular option. This is a flexible adhesive pad which you can stick to the outside of your enclosure. Stick it along the bottom of one half of your enclosure and it will radiate the warmth up, while also giving the temperature ‘range’ required. Heat lamps are also effective.

Another commonly sold heater is hot rocks or heat stones, however you should be very cautious when using these. While they sound like a good idea, (after all, in the wild leopard geckos warm themselves on warm rocks) hot rocks can have disastrous effects. There are many stories of geckos being severely and often fatally burnt. Hot rocks can get too hot and burn your leo. It is probably best to avoid this heating option altogether, for the happiness of your leo, as well as your peace of mind. Also, never guess at the temperature of your leos enclosure, it is important to have a good thermometer.

Now you can appreciate how important the temperature for leopard geckos’ enclosures is. The most important thing is that you keep the temperature range between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature is so important for your leo, so should be one of your greatest priorities regarding your leopard geckos care.

To be a responsible pet owner, you will need to be prepared to commit time and energy to caring for your snake. Corn snakes can live for around 18 years, so bear this in mind before you buy one. Reptiles have very different needs to cats or dogs, and you will need to make sure you have the right equipment to provide your snake with a suitable place to live.

You will need to take into account how big your snake could grow. Corn snakes can reach 4-6ft long when mature. They aren’t especially active creatures, but will need a reasonably sized vivarium or aquarium with a secure lid. As a guide, for each foot of snake, provide at least 1 square foot of floor space. The height of the tank should be around a third of the snake’s length. If you buy your snake as a hatchling, give it a proportionately smaller enclosure to begin with so as to avoid causing it stress.

For the substrate there are various products on sale in exotic pet shops, such as aspen shavings or Astroturf, or you could use paper towels. Make sure you remove any soiled substrate when necessary and disinfect the entire tank every 3-5 weeks, using a reptile-safe solution.

You should provide objects for your snake to hide in, and to climb on, as it would in the wild. For hiding places, you could use small cardboard boxes or toilet roll tubes, or shop-bought hides, which have the advantage of being cleanable so they can be reused. For climbing, branches and rocks can be purchased, or you could use ones from the garden if you sterilise them first to kill any harmful bugs. Plastic plants can be used, as some real plants may be harmful.

Corn snakes ideally need a temperature gradient of 21-30C, providing both warm and cool areas in the tank, so they can thermo-regulate by moving to different areas. To do this, use a thermostatically-regulated heat mat under a third of the floor space.

Corn snakes in captivity can be fed mainly on mice, depending on their size. Hatchlings can eat “pinkies” (baby mice), one every 5-6 days. As you snake grows, it can start to have a larger mouse every 1-2 weeks. Larger snakes may need two mice per feed. It’s important to use frozen mice, thawed to room temperature, as live rodents could injure your pet.

With proper care and attention exotic pets such as corn snakes can be fascinating and rewarding animals.

First of all, you need to look for an appropriate home for your pet snake. This has to be a cage or a large aquarium where it can slither and curl freely. The cage should have a secure lid so that the snake can’t escape. And since snakes are cold-blooded, it is imperative for the cage’s temperature to be well-maintained. Your goal is to achieve the exact temperature of the environment where your pet snake came from since they cannot adapt to the heat or cold of your environment. Snakes live at 25-30 degrees centigrade so if you can achieve this temperature, your snake will really thrive (you may need to buy a thermometer from a reptile supplies store to ensure temperature regulation). Make sure you also purchase an easy-to-clean cage so that you’re able to avoid dirty cage syndrome.

Snakes don’t need a bed so just line the base of your pet snake’s home with torn aspen or newspaper. Never use litter or sawdust since they expel ammonia and aren’t quick-drying. Some snake species that burrow need to have a different substrate type of lining such as potting soil or sand. Some reptile stores sell reptile carpets that are perfect for your pet snake.

Sunlight is often sufficient for most snake species but if you want to provide lighting so that you get to see your pet at night, do so with much caution. Some snakes are sensitive to light and might get sick if they are exposed to it. These reptiles also love privacy so you should purchase hiding spots for them and they will love you for it.

When it comes to feeding, you must have a water dish which will provide moistness to your pet snake. Never allow this dish to dry out since it can cause serious problems to your pet snake’s health. Snakes love eggs, mice and rats so don’t even attempt to buy fruits or vegetables for them. Serve lifeless mice to your pet so that it will not be injured when it feeds. Mice are bred and frozen in stores that sell reptile supplies. Feeding an adult snake once each week should be enough to keep it happy. If you want it to be extra healthy, you could also purchase vitamin pills for it.

Many people may not like reptiles but since you’re not one of them, you know better. Snakes are elegant creatures in their own right and they deserve to be welcomed warmly in your home. There are many one-stop-shops for reptile supplies so start building that perfect snake habitat now.

It is also a good idea to build or set up a toy raft in the turtle’s housing, so they can enjoy playing even when you are not around. Avoid handling your pet turtle too often, because it may become stressed out. When you do handle your turtle, be sure to wash your hands prior to picking it up, and hold it carefully so as not to cause it discomfort.

Turtle pets are an excellent addition to your household. With proper care, handling, and protection, you are sure to spend years of enjoyment together!

Turtle pets are very popular today, and becoming the new owner of a turtle can be highly satisfying and fulfilling. While some people might feel that turtles are difficult and costly to keep, there are certainly testimonials to the contrary.

In fact, turtle pet keeping has become a very popular hobby, leading to more and more information being gathered by experts and pet owners alike. More theories have been clarified, and myths busted, as these fascinating reptiles are attracting people due to their interesting characters.

Turtles are among the first species in the animal kingdom to appear on our planet. They can have an astonishing lifespan– some of them can live more than a hundred years if they are well-cared for and well-protected. We can even expect our turtle pets to be handed down or inherited from one member of the family to another.

Choosing a name for your pet turtle is one of the fun activities of turtle ownership. Turtles can have such a long lifespan that they can even be expected to outlive their owners. Due to their longevity, you should be sure to give your turtle a name that will suit its personality and reveal your close relationship with it.

Upon initial ownership of your new turtle, do not expect it to immediately be comfortable with you. Give it between three days to an entire week to grow accustomed to its environment and become familiar with your presence. One sure way to do this is to feed it at the same enclosure and at the same time every day. This practice will create a routine for your turtle, and it will gradually understand that you will come to feed it on a daily basis and at a particular spot in its enclosure. Be calm and quiet when you approach it, so as not to scare or alarm your turtle.

Some turtle pets love to play with seashells. They like to flip the shells and press them with their claws, in order to slide them across the floor. You can also spend quality time with your turtle by walking it outside! Your turtle will enjoy this freedom and benefit from it as well, because this will serve as an excellent form of exercise.

If you house your turtle pets in tanks or aquariums, you may also put small fish or broken pieces of cuttlebones floating in the water. Turtles love to hunt, and enjoy swimming and chasing after these. It is another form of fun and exercise for your turtle!

Another plus factor is that they can get ample doses of calcium when they ingest the cuttlebones. Small, live fish should only be placed once a week to avoid the risk of obesity among the turtles, as this condition is very much common in their species.

It is also a good idea to build or set up a toy raft in the turtle’s housing, so they can enjoy playing even when you are not around. Avoid handling your pet turtle too often, because it may become stressed out. When you do handle your turtle, be sure to wash your hands prior to picking it up, and hold it carefully so as not to cause it discomfort.

Turtle pets are an excellent addition to your household. With proper care, handling, and protection, you are sure to spend years of enjoyment together!

So, what questions do you need to answer before you qualify yourself to be an owner for the Iguana? Below is a listing of some of the things that you would need to consider:1. Do you have the time?

One of the most important things about keeping any pet happy is giving him or her the due time required to keep them happy, if you’re a busy individual, one that does not have the time to come back and fourth to take care of the pet, then perhaps the Green Iguana is not the best one for you.

2. Emphatic or are you?

Yup, you have to go that extra mile and understand the predicament your pet would be going through, you need to make sure that you understand things from its perspective as well, the kind of environment as well as the sound levels, everything matters.

3. Consistency, do you have it?

This is also another aspect that you need to consider, your pet green iguana when growing up, would require a lot of food and care, and you have to make sure that you can provide that before you take it over as a pet. Needless to say, its not everyone’s ball game, the reason is rather simple, you need to know make sure that the Iguana is getting the food on time as well as the excrement etc is getting cleaned on time.

These are just a few things that you need to consider before you go on out and decide on getting a Iguana as a pet, when you keep all of these factors in mind, you will discover that taking care of a green Iguana is the best thing that you’ve taken up till date.