Pet Reptiles

Thunderscreech · #1 08-20-2009, 08:26 AM

Since our cat is dead, and our attempt at getting another cat failed (I don't want to talk about it) I've been getting lonely without some sort of animal to care for.

My friend was trying to talk me into a Nile Monitor, but I researched and found out the level of care was more than I would be willing to give. Plus they get big, and I can hear my mom now...

I was also thinking about an alligator or crocodile, but I lack the space (I'd mainly use it to get rid of the annoying college punks next door that make their house look shabby and let the law grow up to 3 feet). Ditto with VENOMOUS snakes, like the Mojave Green Rattler, but if it bit me I'd die.

So, lately, I've been considering a snake or lizard of some sort, something small and low maintenance (easy to take care of, but wont mind if it gets left alone), but really have no idea where to start. My birthday is coming up soon, too, and people will start asking what I want.

peterbright · #2 08-20-2009, 08:33 AM

An anole would be a good match.

Yvon · #3 08-20-2009, 08:45 AM

I just bought my first Gecko leppard a few months ago, we love it.
We also bought a crested gecko. Very easy to take care of, don't take that much places. But try to read as much as possible about them before you get one.

CrispyDelicious · #4 08-20-2009, 08:52 AM

Get a blue-tongue skink. They are awesome. Mine is awesome.

Not mine:
http://mongabay.com/images/indonesia/zoo/z8753.JPG

CrispyDelicious · #5 08-20-2009, 08:52 AM

As for snakes, Ball Pythons are Corn Snakes are awesome beginner snakes.

Kipaste · #6 08-20-2009, 09:22 AM

Good ideas posted already. Bearded dragon is also a very nice and beginner friendly reptile. Iguanas are a lot of fun too, but they require a very big terrarium. And from snakes, boa constrictors (boa constrictor imperator especially) are easy to take care of. They also do require a bit more space though. Kingsnakes and rainbow boas are also easy to take care of. And if you can afford and fit a huge terrarium, burmese pythons are usually nice and easy.

Most reptiles sold in pet stores are pretty easy to take care of. Just make sure you read everything you can find from books and internet before making a decision. If you're well informed and enthusiastic, you can keep pretty much any reptile commonly sold. I wouldn't get anything venomous though as you aren't an experienced handler and might not be able to understand the animals behaviour. And remember, even though books may call some species easy to handle and non aggressive, it doesn't mean every specimen is like that.

Noonan768 · #7 08-20-2009, 09:26 AM

I've had a ball python (who has passed) and a red tail boa so far. Love my red tail. She's been a great pet. She's about 6 months now.. still growing.

Snakeman1066 · #8 08-20-2009, 09:48 AM

word of advice from the guy that lives with 100's of reptiles.....

make sure that whatever you buy is captive born and bred.....imported animals introduce a whole new level of headaches including parasites, and disease....and whatever you do avoid pet stores like they are the plague....as they usually buy from wholesale distributors where the animals are housed in really crappy conditions and in large numbers....and rest assured the animals will be diseased and stressed......buy direct from breeders only....it is usually very easy to find a reptile expo near you.....again buy direct and only captive born and bred...

Good beginner snakes include: African House Snakes(Lamprophis fuliginosus), the Trinket Snake (Elaphe helena helena) both these species are super easy to care for and can tolerate low temps if your heat source fails...and they are both quite inexpensive...

Next I would suggest a Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata) they come in many many many varieties, they are inexpensive and are widely available from commercial breeders....there are so many designer varaties out there.....you are sure to find something pleasing to the eye...The Corn Snake was one of the first snakes to be kept in captivity by people, and remains one of the most popular. Large numbers are bred annually to ensure that there is a large captive-bred population, lowering the need to collect specimens from the wild. plus they are very easy to care for...

next i would suggest a King Snake genus Lampropeltis of which there are about 45 subspecies (stay away from the exotic ones and stick to the meat and taters) such as the California, Florida, Desert, Eastern.....some others have very specific care requirements. You also have to watch them around other snakes because they will eat other snakes given the chance...

moving along into pythons....

the Ball Python or (Python regius) widely available but i repeat do not buy an imported animal because they are cheap....you will pay for it in the long run......buy a captive born and bred animal, they may cost you a bit more, but it is worth it; trust me.....i have been doing this over 20 years....they are the most common kept python on the planet and in recent years they have been bred in such large numbers that a massive variety of mutations or designer snakes are everywhere....they have a little harder requirements for care than the animals i mentioned above, but they are a good choice provided you buy captive born and bred

if you want a monitor check into ackies Varanus acanthurus acanthurus they stay small for monitors, but require a lot of heat and they are not cheap

hope that helps...

oh and i wouldn't touch redtails currently for all the money in the world.....there is a nasty disease called IBD running Rampant in the boa community (Think A.I.D.S.) and it will kill other reptiles very quickly....

http://www.mdreptilefarm.com/shows/va/nva.asp

there is a big show in Manassas in October check the link above

also try:

http://www.kingsnake.com/breeder

largest reptile web-site on the planet

Snakeman1066 · #9 08-20-2009, 10:10 AM

Ditto with poisonous snakes, like the Mojave Green Rattler, but if it bit me I'd die.

oh and by the way...

A bite from Mojave rattlesnakes is more than ten times as toxic than a bite from other north american species of Rattlesnake.....Their venom is the result of a presynaptic neurotoxin composed of two distinct peptide subunits.... called "Mojave Toxin"

ok pet peeve snakes are not poisonous they are venomous...lol

Venomous animals store toxins internally and release them through biting or stinging, disabling or killing what ever organism they bite or sting. Poisonous animals usually secrete toxins through their skin so that whatever creature bites or touches them is poisoned.

CrispyDelicious · #10 08-20-2009, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakeman1066

Ditto with poisonous snakes, like the Mojave Green Rattler, but if it bit me I'd die.

ok pet peeve snakes are not poisonous they are venomous...lol

Venomous animals store toxins internally and release them through biting or stinging, disabling or killing what ever organism they bite or sting. Poisonous animals usually secrete toxins through their skin so that whatever creature bites or touches them is poisoned.

LOL yes, this annoyed me too, but I didn't want to grind his gears.

Though I still vouch for the (northern) blue-tongue skink. They're really fun lizards, and not too big.

Or, Thunderscreech, have you considered arachnids? I have a few tarantulas. This one is still growing. The other day he ate a mouse.

I have a couple others but they are not the type to sit out in the open for photos.

Absentia · #11 08-20-2009, 10:19 AM

We have a bearded dragon, he really doesn;t do much mostly sleeps and eats maybe once a week. Bastard also bites, easy to care for just not very entertaining.
He just kinda sits there and watches people.

Gubna · #12 08-20-2009, 10:25 AM

how about a Komodo Dragon?

CapnSev · #13 08-20-2009, 04:12 PM

Iguana.

Go with the classic. My buddies had one that just sort of roamed their house, and it was a way cool pet. It was really mellow, didn't make a huge mess, doesn't care if you handle it (in fact I think theirs enjoyed it when it was out and around people) and you can feed it all kinds of fruits and vegetables if you want.

**cheezewiz** · #14 08-20-2009, 07:11 PM

Snakeman's post is very good and completely correct.

I'd recommend a corn snake. They are easy to care for, feed without problem, and are usually very docile.

**baba** · #15 08-21-2009, 08:36 AM

+1 on the corn snake. Easy to care for, great disposition, and they get big but not huge like pythons and boas.

King snakes are cool too, but they are a bit more aggressive.

Armueller2001 · #16 08-21-2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Absentia

We have a bearded dragon, he really doesn;t do much mostly sleeps and eats maybe once a week. Bastard also bites, easy to care for just not very entertaining.
He just kinda sits there and watches people.

Same here minus the biting. Weirdo Beardo is his name, for the very reason that he just sits there and looks around.

katibass · #17 08-21-2009, 03:47 PM

iguanas are pretty cool. i've never owned one, but i had a friend who used to sneak hers into school under her jacket and then take it out in class.

CrispyDelicious · #18 08-21-2009, 03:49 PM

Pfft. All you people with beardies and iguanas. Don't listen to them. Blue-tongues are way cooler than either!

Thunderscreech · #19 08-21-2009, 09:02 PM

mom vetoed a snake.

I wonder if a Lizard would do any better?

Snakeman what do you know about lizards?

John Deacon · #20 08-21-2009, 09:14 PM

Will dude, get a gecko. One of mine just died...but i still have one more. They were both are/were african fat tailed geckos.