Tortoise Love

Tortoise Love

Have you ever tried to cuddle a tortoise, in the recent hot spell I decided to have little siesta in the garden I lay on a sun mat; my Mediterranean Tortoise “Tommy” is always following me around the garden walking on my feet etc. but this time he crept under my arm and decided to snuggle up there he lay underneath me for about half an hour and somehow I managed to dose off with him there, the next thing I knew he’d moved out from underneath me and was giving my fingers a little nibble – ouch. I’m not an early riser but I know when he wants me to go out and be with him he knocks on the back door step, it sounds like someone’s banging on the doorstep with a mallet.
Snakey Sue

Hamster care

Biology
Lifespan: 2-3 years
Earliest breeding age: Male - 6 weeks;
Female - from 4 weeks
Weaning: 21 days
Daily water amount: approx. 30ml
Daily food amount: approx. 10-15g
Hamsters are mainly nocturnal animals. There are different species of Hamster. The most common, the Golden or Syrian Hamster, should be kept singularly except for short periods when breeding. Other species of hamster (Russian and Chinese) are best kept as a ‘single sex pair’ (2 males or 2 females together) as long as they are together from a very early age.
Housing
There are a number of different types of hamster cage on the market. The most common being a wire cage with a plastic base, and sometimes having a second or third floor above. Woodshavings make ideal bedding/ flooring material for hamster cages and shredded paper is an excellent alternative. Hamsters are actually very house-proud creatures and can be very easy to toilet train. Place a jam jar containing some paper bedding in the area your hamster normally uses to wee. Most hamsters quickly get the idea and do all their wees in the “wee-jar” making the cage much easier to keep clean and smelling fresh. Hamsters are generally solitary creatures that in the wild live in constant fear of being preyed upon. Secure hiding places where they feel safe and get privacy are important. The cage should have some type of box or house for the hamster to retreat into, and a good idea is to have a deep layer of shredded paper in the base for the hamster to burrow into. The wee jar should be cleaned daily the rest of the cage can then be left about two weeks between cleaning.
Toys
Provide your hamster with a wheel for exercise. Hamsters can be destructive by nature and one of the best toys to give them is something they can chew. You will find chew sticks available in pet shops. A hamster ball is useful when cleaning out but they should not be left in it for too long or unsupervised.
Food and water
Hamsters are Omnivorous, which literally means they eat everything! Dry “Hamster mix” from the pet shop is a good basic diet but it should be supplemented with lots of other things. In small amounts fruits and vegetables are good, as are small amounts of meat and occasional chicken or lamb bones. Hamsters can become bored of their cages so anything that keeps them occupied is good. Scattering dry food items all around the cage (mixed in with the paper) provides lots of good activity and exercise. Fresh water should be available at all times, and should be changed daily.

Pet Lizard Basics

There are approximately 5,000 "known" species of lizards around the world and a lot of them have become popular in terms of becoming household pets. The range in size, shape, color and look is so wide that breeders and ordinary pet lovers find them very interesting and for some, they consider their pet lizards as their collection.

But there are a few things one must remember when owning or planning to own a pet lizard. Unlike cats or dogs, these animals are usually unfriendly. Most lizards don't like being handled and are aloof, if not apprehensive, towards humans. So proper care and precaution must be observed when owning and handling one.

Lizards are complex animals. Just because you've had experience in owning or caring for other kinds or types of pets does not mean that owning a lizard would be relatively easy for you. These creatures have strict diets to follow. They have dietary and needs that you can't just simply guess and there are specific requirements for their tanks or housings.

If you are just a beginner in the field of owning a lizard, make sure to research all the important information first on how to care for pet lizards before you set off to buy one. There are various species of lizards that you could own, some look better than others while some look meaner or scarier than others.. Don't make the mistake of getting one simply because it looks cool or because it looks scary and you can use it to play pranks on your little sister.

Your very first consideration should be your ability to own and raise a complicated animal for a pet. If you think you can't handle owning one, then it would be best not to, but if you are insistent, then get those that are more manageable and will not give you too much trouble.

When you get your first lizard, make sure that you house it in a tank with enough space for your pet to move around and grow. Some breeders will opt getting two tanks for their pets. A small tank while the lizard is still a hatchling and another one when the pet lizard has become an adult. There is nothing wrong with this but it's a waste of money. Instead of getting two housings, just get one that will be enough to house an adult lizard. This way, you don;t have to transfer your pet from one housing to another.

In terms of diet and nutrition, the needs depend on every species. There are lizards that feed exclusively on insects, there are lizards that are vegetarians, there are lizards that eat small mammals, birds, fish and insects, while there are lizards that eat everything that will fit in its mouth. Before you get your pet lizard, make sure that you know what their diet is so that you could prepare your daily budget for their dietary needs.

These reptiles, just like every other animal in the planet, do get sick as well. Unlike other animals though, lizards won't show you their sick until it's too late. They either don't feel that they are sick or they are so good at pretending to be healthy. So be cautious of your pet lizards health and lifestyle in order to avoid severe illnesses that could cause its death.

These are just a few reminders and information that you might want to know about lizards. If you want to know more about Pet Lizards, the type that are popular and manageable to own for beginners, and how to properly care for and feed pet lizards, visit: Pet Lizards for more readings.

http://www.petlizards.com.au/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rio_Regio

Reptile supplies online

Crested Gecko's

Crested or Gargoyle Geckos

The Rhacodactylus ariculatus species is often referred to as the gargoyle gecko. Unlike other gecko species the gargoyle gecko tends to eat a large amount of fruit such as Bananas, Plums, Apricots, etc. (Apricots are higher in calcium). Provide a shallow water dish . Feed fresh fruit if possible although baby food can also be used as a substitute when fresh food is unavailable. Gargoyle geckos will also take insects such as crickets, or mealworms. Mealworms should not be fed to animals under six months of age. All foods should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement such as Repton.

Gargoyle geckos have raised bumps on the top of their heads, large teeth and resemble the stone gargoyles found on churches and old buildings, hence the nickname gargoyle gecko. The gargoyle gecko originates from New Caledonia and is the smallest of the Rhacodactylus species growing to a length of around five inches.

Screen type cages are best as they provide more ventilation and a more natural environment than normal vivariums which tend to keep the environment too moist, this can lead to problems with bacteria breeding in the cage and cause ill health. Ventilation is very important when housing these geckos as they require misting regularly. Only one male should be placed in each enclosure although you may keep up to four females with a single male.

Daytime temperatures should reach 74 degrees F.in the centre of the enclosure. Use a basking lamp on top of the screened enclosure to give a temperature up to 82 degrees F. in this spot for the animal to warm itself. Gargoyle geckos are arboreal and need branches or plants for climbing. It is also beneficial to provide hide places with a moist area for the gecko.

The substrate should be a mixture of potting soil and sphagnum moss or Orchid bark chippings may be used. Gargoyle geckos do not need the high humidity that other Rhacodactylus species require. A daily misting of the substrate is all that is required to keep the humidity levels ok.
Female gargoyle geckos are attracted to moist areas to lay their eggs, although they rarely breed in captivity.

Breeding season is from September to January. These geckos are also relatively long lived with captive specimins living 15 up to years. Incubation temperature for their eggs should be around 78 deg F. At this temperature you would produce both male and female offspring. Incubation medium may consist of slightly dampened vermiculite or slightly dampened peat moss. Incubation time for the eggs is around fifty to sixty days.

Accurate sexing of gargoyle geckos may be done at the age of seven to eight months of age. The males have an obvious swollen tail-base.Coloration is achieved by multiple generations of selective breeding.