Reptile owners?

[beforethevision]

I have recently aquired a Bearded Dragon pet, and have spent the past few weeks learning about and loving it.

I am working through what he likes to eat most, what temperatures he likes, etc. Definately like crickets, shuns food that doesnt move. Seems to like most temps around 40degC for basking, and around 30-35 for hunting. Also likes the occasional swim.

Now, I'm interested to know who else owns a pet reptile? Post up a pic and some details!

Cheers!

PS. Sorry if this has been done before!

EDIT:
the lizard;
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5951/03102008162001fz7.jpg

the home; plus since then added a mercury vapour bulb for UVB
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/7791/06102008165hv1.jpg

[long stroke]

Well we have several pet reptiles including about 15 coastal carpet pythons (we breed them), 2 darwin carpet pythons, 1 diamond python and seven blue tougus.
We have also had water dragons etc in the past and dad had a big old goanna when he was a kid, (Planning on building a big goanna pit one day).

Dad is a member of wires so is often bringing home injured lizards and snakes.
I'll post up some pics later;)

CHEERS TIM.

[sschmez]

...... reptiles including about 15 coastal carpet pythons (we bread them), .......

Sounds nice, haven't tried them breaded ... (but I imagine it'd be a bit like the breaded pork from the chow shop with sweet/sour )...

Nah, don't tell me it's just like chicken


:D:D:D

Seriously though, my wife often brings the school's Childrens Python home for the holidays ... the school also has dragons, bluetongues, snake neck tortoise (tree frogs, chickens, rats, mice, budgies and more)

I'll have a look for pics

Stevo

[long stroke]

Sounds nice, haven't tried them breaded ... (but I imagine it'd be a bit like the breaded pork from the chow shop with sweet/sour )...

Nah, don't tell me it's just like chicken


:D:D:D

Seriously though, my wife often brings the school's Childrens Python home for the holidays ... the school also has dragons, bluetongues, snake neck tortoise (tree frogs, chickens, rats, mice, budgies and more)

I'll have a look for pics

Stevo


:oops2: better change that:o

Sounds like a very interesting school!!

CHEERS TIM.

[crump]

[quote=beforethevision;830508]I have recently aquired a Bearded Dragon pet, and have spent the past few weeks learning about and loving it.

I am working through what he likes to eat most, what temperatures he likes, etc. Definately like crickets, shuns food that doesnt move. Seems to like most temps around 40degC for basking, and around 30-35 for hunting. Also likes the occasional swim.

Now, I'm interested to know who else owns a pet reptile? Post up a pic and some details!

Cheers!

PS. Sorry if this has been done before!



your Beardy will also eat greens such as grated zuchinni, Bok choy etc..Yellow is also a favourite colour, so try corn kernels cut to size, yellow squash and if you can get them, Dandelion Flowers.Make sure you gutload your crickets before feeding and coat all food in calcium powder, preferably one with vitamin D3 added.

[crump]

One of my Perenties and my favourite pair of Death Adders.

[long stroke]

One of my Perenties and my favourite pair of Death Adders.

Nice!!
What class licence is required to keep your perentie??

CHEERS TIM.

[beforethevision]

your Beardy will also eat greens such as grated zuchinni, Bok choy etc..Yellow is also a favourite colour, so try corn kernels cut to size, yellow squash and if you can get them, Dandelion Flowers.Make sure you gutload your crickets before feeding and coat all food in calcium powder, preferably one with vitamin D3 added.


Yeah I carrot and gutload all the crickets, but have not yet got specific calcium stuff to dust them with. I have had no luck yet with greens, but i might give the corn a go, perhaps mixed with a little squash. Stupid question, but keep it raw? or soften it up a little?

Thanks!

[feraldisco]

Remember to use the proper reptile UV lights and to replace them every 1-2 years as their UV output declines with time. The plant-based UV fluoros generally don't have high enough output for reptiles and this will result in them being more sluggish and possibly growth problems.

If you want to make your dragon lower maintenance, get them used to the commercial green/red pellets that you can buy - these have all the necessary vits/mins/energy requirements and can be supplemented with insects. Just make sure you soak them in water first...

Also, avoid too many mealworms when the dragon is young - not enough nutrient and too much exoskeleton which may cause digestion/defecation problems! Crickets are fine.

[beforethevision]

Remember to use the proper reptile UV lights and to replace them every 1-2 years as their UV output declines with time. The plant-based UV fluoros generally don't have high enough output for reptiles and this will result in them being more sluggish and possibly growth problems.

If you want to make your dragon lower maintenance, get them used to the commercial green/red pellets that you can buy - these have all the necessary vits/mins/energy requirements and can be supplemented with insects. Just make sure you soak them in water first...

Also, avoid too many mealworms when the dragon is young - not enough nutrient and too much exoskeleton which may cause digestion/defecation problems! Crickets are fine.

Yeah i picked up a mercury vapour bulb a few days ago. It is the same shape as the bathroom IXL heat bulbs. Its both UVB and heat, 160W. Aimed at the lizards favourite basking spot seems to work. My fluoros are only there to provide light. I may upgrade one /a few to reptile specific, but they are not cheap, and the 160W should emit enough UVB. Plus mercury vapour doesnt decrease in output over time like fluoros do.

I have read that the only live insects to feed them are crickets until they are larger. I dont really mind as long as it keeps him healthy. I have tried soaked pellets, but hes a picky thing. I would like to try and get him onto them tho, as crickets get expensive! I would like to get him eating plant matter too, sounds like it should be part of their diet.


Any recommendations on a calcium/vitD3 powder for coating live food?

Thanks!

[JohnF]

No longer keep reptiles but had pet pythons in the past. Still occasionally catch and relocate a snake, including deadly ones. Wanted to keep bearded dragons when I was young but did not know how to feed them back then, so kept Pythons instead and fed them mice, rats and occasionally day old chickens. But now days relocate all Pythons that get into our chook yard.

[crump]

Yeah i picked up a mercury vapour bulb a few days ago. It is the same shape as the bathroom IXL heat bulbs. Its both UVB and heat, 160W. Aimed at the lizards favourite basking spot seems to work. My fluoros are only there to provide light. I may upgrade one /a few to reptile specific, but they are not cheap, and the 160W should emit enough UVB. Plus mercury vapour doesnt decrease in output over time like fluoros do.

I have read that the only live insects to feed them are crickets until they are larger. I dont really mind as long as it keeps him healthy. I have tried soaked pellets, but hes a picky thing. I would like to try and get him onto them tho, as crickets get expensive! I would like to get him eating plant matter too, sounds like it should be part of their diet.


Any recommendations on a calcium/vitD3 powder for coating live food?

Thanks!

raw veges not cooked, I use "Balanced Cal' as a dusting powder for all my animals(birds and reptiles) you should be able to get it anywhere. Beardys are predominantly herbivores as they mature so keep trying the veges.Speckled feeder roaches are better food than crickets and easier to breed, get on to the "Amphibian Research Centre" if you havent already to buy your insects, much cheaper than the shops and deliverd to your door.

[crump]

Nice!!
What class licence is required to keep your perentie??

CHEERS TIM.

In QLD Perenties can be kept on the standard recreational licence, you only need a specialist licence for venomous and endangerd QLD endemic species.

[beforethevision]

raw veges not cooked, I use "Balanced Cal' as a dusting powder for all my animals(birds and reptiles) you should be able to get it anywhere. Beardys are predominantly herbivores as they mature so keep trying the veges.Speckled feeder roaches are better food than crickets and easier to breed, get on to the "Amphibian Research Centre" if you havent already to buy your insects, much cheaper than the shops and deliverd to your door.

Thankyou! that place is waaaay cheaper. Are the roaches you speak of the same ones sold on that site?

I assume crickets will happily live off a carrot for a week? Where do you order the "Balanced Cal' and gutload from? At that rate its easier to keep 200 of them for a fortnight than buy 'em regularly.

Cheers!

EDIT: ...or do the crickets come with gutload...?

[crump]

Thankyou! that place is waaaay cheaper. Are the roaches you speak of the same ones sold on that site?

I assume crickets will happily live off a carrot for a week? Where do you order the "Balanced Cal' and gutload from? At that rate its easier to keep 200 of them for a fortnight than buy 'em regularly.

Cheers!

EDIT: ...or do the crickets come with gutload...?
Same roaches, easiest way to gut load is a premium dry dog food and feed carrot and green veges to your insects, and then dust with calcium before feeding off."Vet and Pet Direct" online is where i think I get calcium powder(been a while since I ordered some as i buy it in 10kg lots), you should be able to get it at any produce store anyway.As a point of interest you dont need uv lighting for dragons IF and I stress IF your dietary supplement regime is up to scratch.

[beforethevision]

Same roaches, easiest way to gut load is a premium dry dog food and feed carrot and green veges to your insects, and then dust with calcium before feeding off."Vet and Pet Direct" online is where i think I get calcium powder(been a while since I ordered some as i buy it in 10kg lots), you should be able to get it at any produce store anyway.As a point of interest you dont need uv lighting for dragons IF and I stress IF your dietary supplement regime is up to scratch.

hahahahahahahha ok.

Eitherway, I have a UV light, so im happier. Thankyou for all the information you have given, it should make things alot easier for me, and healthier for my dragon!

Thanks!

[long stroke]

Jeeeeeeeeeze this forum is informative in every way:D

[long stroke]

This isn't ours, dad had to rescue it at midnight in someones bathroom, very nice looking coastal carpet..don't have any of ours at the moment have to take some pics.
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1666/nicesnake002nd7.th.jpg (http://img337.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nicesnake002nd7.jpg)https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4757/nicesnake003qm2.th.jpg (http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nicesnake003qm2.jpg)http://img507.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/9641/nicesnake005wc2.th.jpg (http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nicesnake005wc2.jpg)https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

CHEERS TIM.

[Redline_Special]

I live in Cape Town, South Africa, and we found a Puff Adder in our yard not too long ago....it was the second time...the first time there was a baby in our toilet...what are they after in the bathrooms???

[Blue_Paj]

In QLD Perenties can be kept on the standard recreational licence, you only need a specialist licence for venomous and endangerd QLD endemic species.

Anyone can have a kid BUT you need a licence for a lizard ??????:o:o;):D

[crump]

I live in Cape Town, South Africa, and we found a Puff Adder in our yard not too long ago....it was the second time...the first time there was a baby in our toilet...what are they after in the bathrooms???
I assume you mean a baby puff adder!:eek:Most likely after water or just a cooler place to hang out.

[crump]

Anyone can have a kid BUT you need a licence for a lizard ??????:o:o;):D


or a native bird, the licensing system for native fauna (in QLD) has come along way since 20 years ago when it was quite common to have an armed police officer(fauna squad) and 2-3 National Parks Rangers come knocking on your door at 5am Sunday morning to conduct an "INSPECTION:eek:" just because you kept native birds(hardly any of us kept reptiles back then). The supposed purpose of this was to check if your record book was up to date and if not confiscation of animals and fines followed.:mad:Generally these confiscated animals ended up euthanased or in the collections of friends of the officers or rangers or were resold on the black market:o.Bet you didnt know that your tax dollars were spent terrorising 15 year old kids!.

[IceFyre]

What I have at the moment:

2 x Bredli (My breeding pair)
5 x Bredli Juveniles - (Selling @ $350 each if anyone is interetested)
4 x Stimpsoni
4 x Spotties