Gecko's As Pets

These lizards in my opinion are one of the best beginner reptiles someone can get. With the scientific name of Eublepharis macularius. These pets all have different personalities and attitudes. They are the easiest to care for as far as food, and space. One gecko can live in a 10 gallon tank for its entire life. These reptile are nocturnal with means they sleep during the day and are awake at night. So when purchasing this pet consider when you are home. I work during the day so I get to see the geckos at night when they are most active. They are pretty docile lizards and some don't mind being held for a little while but like other reptiles they don't really need to be held or showed affection. Below I will get more specific about needs and breeding etc..

Feeding: Every reptile owner feeds their animals in different ways. I will discuss how I do it and what works for me. Through trial and error I have messed around with different foods and methods. I found that in general all these lizards need to eat is meal worms. Other people say that you need to switch foods around because the gecko will get bored and not eat. I have found that this is not true. All I feed my geckos is meal worms. Depending if I have a gecko that needs to gain more weight I feed them wax worms because they contain more fats. I feed these worms just for this reason only. You cant feed wax worms every day because they are all fat and low on nutrition. I have spoke with multiple high end breeders from all over the country and they all use just meal worms for their normal diet. Some owners like to use crickets for a normal diet but for me they are a little bit of a pain. Crickets are noisy, and require a entire home/care center to keep them alive until they are ready to feed to the gecko. Meal worms can be refrigerated until ready to feed. Like other lizards geckos require calcium. I use calcium and supplements to dust the mealworms when feeding. I put them in a small dish and the gecko eats them when ever they want. I feed them every other day as needed. All geckos eat different. Some are aggressive, they'll eat anything you drop in the tank but others eat small amounts as they get hungry. Some geckos eat much less than other reptiles especially in the winter some cut off food for awhile. Some gecko owners get alarmed when their gecko doesn't eat for awhile but truth of the matter is these lizards can go a long time with out eating. They get much of their nutrition from their fat tales as needed.

Home: Tank set up can be very simple. I use 10 gallon tanks for their homes. The best and easiest flooring I use is paper towel or newspaper. No its not super fancy but it looks ok and is very easy to replace to keep clean. Many owners use sand but this is dangerous for these lizards especially the younger ones. They can actually eat the sand and become impacted because their body can not digest it. Why take the chance. If you ask me a  real reptile owner that cares for their pets would prefer his lizards to be safe and doesn't care about looks so much. These geckos are actually very clean and will go to the bathroom in the same spot every day. So once you see where that is you can just put a napkin there and just replace it as needed. These geckos require a hide to go and rest. They are sensitive to light and they can actually get stressed if exposed to excessive light. Flooring, water bowl, food bowl and hide then you'll be good to go. Only other thing is of course heating. I use heat mats controlled by a thermostat. I have found this works best and they prefer to get belly heat instead of a basking light seeing they are nocturnal. You may want to put heat mat on only one side of tank so the gecko can thermo-regulate. If cold, they go on the heat mat. If they get hot, they go on the cool side. As far as grouping these lizards together, it works great. Females can all be grouped together. Males must be separated because they fight all the time even to the death. I currently own 4 females and 1 male. I keep all the females together in a 40 gallon breeder tank. I have hides, water, food, calcium dish and a big heating mat right in the middle of tank. This works out great for the geckos and makes my cleaning very easy. The male is by himself in another 10 gallon tank.

Breeding: This for me has been the best part of owning these reptiles. It has been a great experience for me and the family to breed these lizards. It is easy to do and you just have to make sure you have the space to deal with extra lizards. Some people don't realize that and before they know it they are over run with baby geckos. So make sure to have space or new owners lined up for babies once born. To start you obviously need a male and female. Female has to be at least 50-60 grams in weight to breed to make sure they can carry the eggs. One male can breed to up to 5 females. That is why I have so many females and only 1 male. You can either put the male with all the females to breed or put one female in with the male. The male will start dancing around to show he's a male and start biting the female in the tail or head. This is common breeding behavior. The male may get turned down but he will try again until the female submits and lets him breed. He will lock up with the female and do his business. Sometimes you will witness it and sometimes you won't. Best way is to just keep the male in with female for about a week. He will get the job done in that time. It is a good idea to take and separate the male and female after mating because the male will stress the female out and continue to try and breed. The male only needs to breed with a female once and she will have multiple eggs. They lay eggs in clutches. Two eggs at a time and she will continue to lay eggs about every 30 days. First time around, the female will lay about 2-3 clutches. The second or third time around they may lay much more up to 15 clutches in some cases. My gecko's laid 4 clutches the first time around. A lay box will need to be put in the cage. This can be simple, like peat moss sprayed with water to keep moist. They will lay the eggs in there when ready. You have to keep a eye on the cage because they will sometimes just lay the eggs anywhere. You must find them before they dry out. That's what the lay box is for, to keep the eggs moist until you get to them. Another fun part of breeding them is the morph making. You can basically create your own color by mix and matching the type that you breed.

Incubation: I have tried different methods for this until I found what works best. I made a homemade one first. I took a 10 gallon tank and filled it like a little over 1/4 of the way up with water. Then I took a aquarium heater and put it in the water and adjusted it to about 80 degrees. Then i put a container in the water with the eggs in smaller containers on the top of that one. I put tin foil on the top cover to keep humidity in. This worked a little and I hatched a few eggs but lost some because the extra humidity was causing mold and ruining the eggs. I switched to using a regular incubator. Its basically made from styrofoam and comes with a built in thermostat to keep temps steady. It has a little water on the bottom but not much. This worked great. No mold and hatched the eggs perfectly. As far as the container the eggs are in, I use regular deli cups. I fill them about half way with perlite and make 2 indents in it to lay the eggs in. I found perlite works best because it breaths better. At one point I used peat moss which is like dirt but that causes to much mold. Eggs incubate for about 30-60 days depending on temps. You can control the gender that hatches based on temperature. 75-84 degrees for female. 85-90 for mixed gender. 90-95 to hatch males.

Hatching care- These little guys are very simple to care for once they hatch. I use shoe box size plastic containers with a hide, food and water. You can put half of the container over some heat tape to keep a little warm. They don't like to be bothered at all. They are straight little demons when they're first born. They will hiss and jump at you for no reason because they are scared. It passes after a few weeks. I feed them the small baby meal worms and it works fine.

In conclusion I recommend this reptile for the first time reptile owner. They have been fun for me and the family to care and breed them. You will notice they have their own personalities. You will notice it more when you group them together. I have some that don't want to be bothered much. They just want to eat and sleep and don't want you holding them all the time. Others will walk up to the front of the tank and greet me because they know I have the food. All and all these geckos are a must have for any reptile lover.


Leopard Geckos by Jovanie Velazquez

Read more...

Reptile Lighting (An Art)

Lighting is vital to reptile health for many reasons. From essential minerals to temperature regulation. Specific species of reptiles require specific lighting requirements. Everything from length of light to wattage will change from species to species. Desert reptiles will need different lighting than say a tropical reptile species. If the lighting requirements aren’t met this could cause a reptile to improperly grow and metabolize the nutrients it must have.

Reptiles are cold-blooded so they must use the environment to regulate their body temperature. Light is one way reptiles do this. Infrared light is used to heat up the ambient temperature in the terrarium. Another light source that some reptiles may need are basking bulbs. These emit light in a certain area in the terrarium to allow some reptiles to bask so raise their body temperature. Heat is a way for reptiles to produce energy for daily tasks.

Minerals are an important part of every animals life including our own. Reptiles aren’t an exception to that. Most reptiles need UVA and/or UVB light to break down certain vitamins. For instance UVB light will break down vitamin D3 do that calcium can be metabolized. Without the special lighting certain health conditions will not be met. A iguana may not get the amount of calcium it needs which in turn can cause mouth and other deformities.

A reptiles overall “look” is a good indicator of health. Lighting will improve the color and “look” of a reptile. Lights like UVB will also improve an animals vibrant colors and also stimulates natural behavior. The closer one can get to the suns actual lighting the more natural it is for the animal. Reptiles weren’t meant to be in terrariums, so the more natural we can make their life in them the happier they will be thus increasing their lifespan greatly.

Once I had taken in a Green Iguana who had leg deformities due to an inadequate amount of calcium. He was a cute little guy but I felt so bad for him. I knew I couldn’t fix what had happened to him but I did improve his overall health by improving his lighting like adding basking bulbs and UVB lights. His bright green color came back and his activity level increased. At that time I learned the importance of lighting requirements in reptiles.


References
Exo_Terra_Lighting_Guide_EN.pdf (application/pdf Object) A GUIDE TO LIGHTING BY EXO TERRA.
Reptile Lighting: A Current Perspective ARTICLE FROM MELISSA KAPLAN’S HERP CARE            COLLENTION.
The Influence of Light Intensity and Temperature on Microhabitat Selection in Two Anolis Lizards,. P. E. Hertz, L. J. Fleishman and C. Armsby, Functional Ecology
Vol. 8, No. 6 (Dec., 1994), pp. 720-729


Thanks for Reading!
James

Read more...

Children and Pets

My Cat Creature Winking

Picture this: A young boy of about 9 running through an overgrown hay field with his black lab faithfully running behind him or a little girl having a tea party in the front yard of her suburban home with her best friend Molly the green parakeet on the back of the chair opposite her. Seeing this would help you understand why a child should not miss out on a pet.

There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a child spending quality time with their pet. It is magical to watch the way they interact with the animal; Petting, talking with, and hugging on their best friend.  So what makes pets great for kids? Pets are incredible educators for children in many ways. Pets are ambassadors to friendship, responsibility and compassion. These are important characteristics that every parent wants their child to learn and grow up with. There are many pets out there that may seem well suited to be kept by children but the truth is there are many things to consider when bringing the proper animal into our homes.

Many of the same questions we ask ourselves before bringing one home are the same for children but with more emphasis. One huge aspect of a child’s pet is the ability to hold and often times cuddle with their newfound friend. So which pet is suiting for your child? 

Starting a child off with a pet can often times be challenging because things like space, affordability, and amount of care are imperative factors in the decision. A child’s age is another aspect to take into consideration as well. Most children between the ages 4 and above have potential to enjoy a pet without harming them or the animal. This of course also depends on the child’s maturity level. 

There are 7 pets, exotic and domestic, that I find is suiting for children around this age group.  While there may be others, these seem to fit most children and adults. 

·      Leopard Gecko- This reptile is hearty and meek in just about every aspect of its husbandry. Children can carry them around on their shirts as they play around in the house or apartment. These lizards do not need UVB as they are nocturnal. Which means they only wake up at night. Heating is essential but not as demanding as some other reptiles. Leopard Gecko’s are insectivores devouring any cricket or mealworm their eyes are aligned upon. 

·      Bearded Dragon- These particular lizards aren’t too difficult to keep as long as you maintain their heating requirements. While “Beardie’s” are relatively small when born they will reach lengths of about 1.5-3 feet. Like the Leopard Gecko’s they are also insectivores. For temperament, you couldn’t ask for a better lizard. 

·      Dogs- All dogs make wonderful pets for children but, I would stay away from the smaller breeds as the child may unintentionally injure them. I personally grew up with a Black Labrador that we named Crazy because he would partially swing inside our tire swing. He sure was something else. I loved that dog.

·      Ball Pythons- If the child loves snake then this python is a great fit. It doesn’t get as huge as most pythons do. Nor does it come with the aggressive nature that others do. They are hearty in that Ball pythons are forgiving in less than perfect habitat settings (Not Recommended) like if a heat light is cut on for a day, they are not likely to get sick. 

·      Cats- Cats make great pets for a number of reasons. The biggest is they are low maintenance. Most will be happy if left alone and fed. Plus there are some breeds that act like dogs in their personalities. An example is the Angora. These particular cats are known for learning to play fetch.

·      Parakeets- From green to yellow to blue, parakeets come in a variety of colors. Just like their colors vary so do their personalities. These perfect little parrots can learn to mimic and do tricks. While they can be a bit on the messy side, they can be quite affectionate. The secret to keeping these beautiful birds happy and healthy is a clean water bowl, food daily, and out of a drafts way. 

·      Fish- For a child that isn’t the touchy, feely type then maybe a Betta Fish would suffice (Thanks Kathy Hollis). This is a great starter pet because they are not expensive and they are easy to take care of. An interesting fact, as a person watches fish in an aquarium that persons’ stress level decreases. So they are not just great for kids, they may even be good for you!

As the time comes when your child wants a furry scaly or feathery friend, you will have some insight into which pets are suitable for them. Hope this helped.

 Hope you enjoyed the Post!

Questions or suggestions email me at James DWard24@gmail.com

Read more...