Lizards

[frogger]

So my son has wanted a snake or lizard since he was 4. He is 10 now but I know nothing about either. From what I see a leopard or crested gecko might be a good start. I also keep reading contradictory info on the internet about their care. Lights versus pad for example though I have figured out sand is bad.

 

Does anyone have a favorite book, video, or website that is reputable? We only have a petzoo nearby and it seems like the Walmart of the pet world. Not that all their stuff is bad but you can't get advice or anything.

[cintinative]

I would try to tag demetler (sp?) on this. She has a daughter that is really into reptiles and may have some input. 

 

As for us, we have a corn snake. We use a regular glass aquarium and we do have a heat pad that sits underneath the aquarium to keep part of it warm for her. She is a super easy pet--eats frozen mice (that we defrost) once a week. Bedding changes are easy and low on the gross scale.  

 

The only possible negative is that people don't exactly line up to snake sit if you are gone for more than a week.  =)  

 

Snakes are escape artists so we have the top of her cage clamped with bungee cords just in case.  

[mom2att]

My youngest has a leopard gecko. Super easy and quiet pet, eats every other day, non-messy poop, tank doesn't stink. Highly recommended as a pet for kids. I did have my son do some research and write a short paper on geckos before we purchased ours, but I don't remember the specific sites where he got his info.

[Dmmetler]

Leopard geckos are about the easiest lizards, with cresties close behind. Chameleons, Bearded dragons and blue tongued skinks are the next up. Avoid iguanas and monitors/tegu unless you're an expert. The little tiny lizards (anoles, long tailed lizards) are very fragile and fast-not good pets for kids. And geckos are adorable. In geberal, carnivorous herps are easier than omnivorous, and omnivorous are easier than vegetarian, and mammal eating herps are easier than insectivores. The closer an animal is to it's native climate, the easier it will be to care for.

 

And yes, the corn snake is by far the easiest herp we have (well, except for the wild ones outside). The ball python is a close second. But if you want a lizard, and are OK with keeping insects/larvae, Geckos are a good choice.

 

 

Lizards require UVA/UVB and generally benefit from both Day and night bulbs. Under the tank heat may or may not be helpful depending on your climate. Avoid heated rocks. A thermostat and timer are a good idea. We use ones by Hydrofarm-they are very reliable and less expensive than Zoo Med or Exoterra. (if you need a UTH, we have also found the hydrofarm mats to be a good choice. They are a lot thicker and more durable than the zoo med ones. We use aluminum tape to attach them to the bottom of the tank).

 

We either use tanks with front opening doors or use strips of velcro all the way around the tank and lid for all herps-even the turtles. It keeps anyone who is likely to try to escape in, and things that shouldn't be in, out (cats and visiting children-the velcro is audible enough that DD or I can hear and intervene before a kid gets in).

[frogger]

Thank you for the detailed info. I read that heating pads are better than lights as Geckos are nocturnal so I'm glad you commented on the need for UV light. I'm finding lots of info but no one seems to agree.

 

It looks like insects need dusted with some kind of vitamin powder?

[Wheres Toto]

I'm going to give another vote for corn snake if you are looking for simple to start with.   We have a red albino corn snake and she is a wonderful pet.   Very interactive, easy to handle, easy to care for.   Because they are native to our area, we don't have to worry if our power goes out (we lost multiple fish tanks this way), and we can bring her to our local 4-H fair.   An undertank heat pad, a large water bowl with fresh clean water, bedding, and two mice once a week are all she needs.  They generally like somewhere to hide but we also put a few inches bedding each time we change it out and ours loves to burrow in it.  Frozen mice can be ordered on Amazon.

 

There is a corn snake forum online with lots of great information.   

 

Whatever you go with, make sure you research how large they will get and how long they will live.  I used to volunteer at a zoo and we had a ton of snakes and lizards that people dropped off because they didn't realize how big they would get or the long term commitment.   People are constantly trying to give away beardies around here once they realize how large of a tank they need.

[Dmmetler]

Geckos tend to need less UV than beardies and skinks. For the desert herps, you really need It, but it's less of a concern with a gecko. I'd still use it, though, unless you have the enclosure somewhere that gets natural light without UV screening.

 

Yes, insects need to be gut loaded with really nutritious food and dusted with Calcium/Vit D powder. The downside of insectivores is that you end up also keeping insects. Most insectivores want to see their prey move, so while you can get freeze dried mealworms or crickets, most herps won't eat them.

 

To piggy back on Dorothy's post, there is no such thing as a cheap herp pet. Period. And I say this as someone who has never purchased a snake, lizard, frog or turtle. The set up is usually several hundred dollars, and the enclosure needs to grow with the animal. Leos stay small, but a pencil sized corn snake is eventually a 5 foot long snake, sometimes a little larger. Beardies easily need a 75 gal tank as adults. Aquatic Turtles need 10 gallons of water per inch of turtle, and sliders get to dinner plate size. The most common pet tortoise is also the third largest species in the world, and really needs an outdoor enclosure with a heated shelter that is escape proof because they can tunnel. And space to move it every few months when the tortoise has rooted out all the grass.

 

And the care for amphibians is even harder, starting at about the same level as tropical fish and going up from there.

 

Exotic vets are relatively few and far between, and vet care for a herp tends to be more expensive than for a cat or dog if they do need to go.

 

Most herps are long lived. Also be aware that the captive lifespans keep being revised upward, because many of these animals have only been in the pet trade a relatively short time. It is highly likely that DD's 28 yr old ball python will still be around to see his third owner off to college.

 

They are fascinating animals, and my daughter has learned a lot from herp keeping, but there is a reason why I'm strongly encouraging head starting and herp-sitting, not permanent pets.