Lucky Lizards – Selecting an Easily Maintained Lizard for Beginner Reptile Owners

Buying your first lizard should be done with caution. Lizards make great pets, but there’s more to taking care of one than you might imagine. There are lizards that need a great deal of care and a more expensive set up in food and living quarters than other lizards, so choose with care. Know what your options are, so you and your new lizard will both be happy and content.

Most lizards, except the very exotic kind, are not that expensive to purchase. The type of lizard that you buy determines other costs. For example, the Black and White Tegu lizard requires a large area for its house, so it costs more to build or buy the housing for it. When you want to buy your first lizard you’ll need to look at lighting effects for your lizard too. If you’ve got a lot of room, then you’ll be able to accommodate an iguana that will grow up to six feet, but please remember that before you buy, even if you’ve got the room. It takes time, commitment and money to keep a lizard happy and healthy.

A Leopard gecko is a lizard that’s very good to buy if you’re a first time buyer. Leopards don’t require any expensive blue light for their enclosure, only a warming light. Reptiles are cold blooded so they all need a little warmth, especially in the cold winter months. Most owners of lizards will hang a light bulb above the enclosure to keep it warm. Don’t place it in their cage, or it will end up burning their reptilian skin. A standard 100-watt light bulb works nice for the animal. This lizard needs at least 50% humidity too, so keep a check on how humid you keep their cage. If you don’t they will loose body moisture and die.

Lizards that are active at night don’t like too much light, but they need ultra violet light so they can convert it into the necessary vitamins to make strong bones. Without the vitamin they’ll get scurvy and the joints will swell, eventually the lizards will die because they become paralyzed. Also, when you buy a lizard make sure that its feeding requirements are understood clearly. Feeding each type of reptile, either the Leopard or the bearded dragon, for a beginner can seem a bit confusing. For example, the Leopard only eats insects as their main diet, and the Bearded eats both plants and bugs, for theirs. Each lizard requires supplement foods to be added to their diets. You’ll need to feed a mixture of foods to both, like berries bananas, mice, and crickets that are loaded with nutrients. The bugs that you give them will need to be fed with the same supplements before feeding them to the lizards.

Drinking is another issue with a beginner reptile owner. Lizard can’t drink from a water bottle, so you’ll need to provide clean water everyday in a bowl that’s preferably ceramic. They won’t tip it over as easily, and the ceramic is not dangerous to their digestive system if it flakes a little. Young bearded dragons are known to be stubborn on drinking or just playful, and will knock their bowl over, but you can solve that problem. Lightly mist the inside of the cage area, and they’ll get all of the water they need. Also, don’t be surprised if your lizard goes through stages of not wanting to eat or drink as much in the winter months. It is just a part of the way they digest, but never force-feed them. This can cause stomach problems.

There are a lot of different lizards that you can choose from as a new lizard owner. Some others are the Green Anole, Madagascar, and the thick tailed gecko. A good way to decide what type you want is talk with a local veterinarian that works with exotic pets of the reptilian variety. They can advise you and work with you on getting your first lizard, and caring for it after you’ve brought it home. Remember, lizards are a lot of fun, but they’re more challenging to care for because they belong to the reptile family. Each lizard is as different as the next lizard, and by knowing how to care for him or her, you’ll have a fascinating time learning more about him or her.

Your Exotic Pet Bird – Typical Maintenance Tips for Food and Shelter

If you are interested in an exotic pet bird, there are a few things to consider before you settle on a specific breed. You will want to consider how much time you will be able to spend with your bird, how much noise you can tolerate, and whether of not you have enough space. The exotic bird you choose will and should depend on what your life style is as well as your personality type. You will also want to consider how much you can afford on food, shelter, toys, and Vet costs. The larger and more exotic the bird you choose the more money you can look forward to spending. Once you have decided a particular bird is right for you, it is now time to provide your pet with good food and shelter.

When it comes to food you will want to start young. Younger birds are much less picky and not so set in their ways, making them more willing to try new things. Be sure to let the bird know that what you have given him or her is food by placing it in a recognized dish. A great way to get your bird to try a new food is to mix a few sunflower seeds, cheerios, and/or raisins in with the meal. While searching for his or her beloved treat they will ultimately try the food and like it. The best time to introduce new food to your pet bird is first thing in the morning. It is instinctual for birds to forage for food in the morning so this may make it easier on you and your bird. If you are giving your pet bird vegetables you may have to do some trial and error. Some birds prefer raw, cooked, warm, cooled, and even pureed veggies. You will have to try them all to see which ones your bird like best.

When it comes to offering food to your bird, it is important to be creative. Try clipping veggies and fruits to the side of the cage in or around a play area. Weave greens through the bars of the cage for fun nibbling. Many bird owners have found this very useful for birds that will not touch fruits and veggies in their dishes. Chucks of corn on the cob can also be a favorite. Many birds enjoy not only the corn but gnawing on the cob as well. Many birds love brightly colored foods, as they seem more appealing. Try mixing yellow, orange, and red fruits and veggies in bite sizes together in a dish. When offering your exotic bird greens, it is best to wash them first and then hang the wet leaves in the cage. The water left on the leafy veggies is very attractive and can make your bird more prone to testing. You can also take a nibble of the food you are offering. Many times if your bird sees you eating a particular food he or she will want it now too. Feeding other people in the home and making a big fuss over the food will be all your bird needs to want some. You bird could also enjoy fresh seed just sprouted, as well. These are an excellent source of nutrients and can make the transition from seeds to leaves easier as well.



When it comes to shelter, you will first have to take the size of your bird into consideration. Each bird species has very specific shelter guidelines that need to be followed. There are several basics to providing your pet bird with a comfortable, safe, and convenient home. You will always want to go bigger when it comes to cage size. The requirements are the bare minimum and many birds do not thrive well in small confined spaces. Make sure the bars are in regulation for your specific bird. You do not want them too large and have your bird escape but too small can cause your bird to get his or her head stuck and cause serious harm. When it comes to cage shape never use cylindrical cages, they are very small and do not provide enough room. They can also cause your bird to feel unprotected and make them anxious. You will want to be sure that the cage you select is long and high enough for your bird to fly and play in. Birds need to have room to exercise so taller and longer is best.

Choosing Chinchillas – The Basics on Owning One as a Pet

A chinchilla is a small burrowing rodent that originates from South America. These small creatures are taken into many American homes today and treated as household pets. You need to know the basics about owning one of these small exotic creatures.

One of the most important things to remember about caring for non-domestic animals is that their behavior can be quite unpredictable. Therefore, if you are going to purchase a small household animal such as the chinchilla, you are advised to invest your money in one bred in captivity rather than one was captured from the wild.

Not only is the behavior of wild animals unpredictable, but they can also spread unknown (and many known) disease agents which could be harmful, especially to children and other household pets. Therefore, choose carefully when chinchilla shopping. The future of your entire household depends upon it. You need to know what you are getting yourself into when you commit to buying one of these animals.

Another aspect of owning a chinchilla involves assessing the cost of taking care of one once you bring it home. You need to make sure you can afford to feed your pet the proper chinchilla diet. The good news is, however, that chinchillas are not nearly as picky of eaters as ferrets. The most important aspect of feeding a chinchilla is to make sure that you do not give it any seeds. They do not take well to seeds.

If you want to make absolutely sure that your chinchilla is fed right and receives the right nutrients, you can feed your animal chinchilla pellets-and NOT rabbit or gerbil pellets. Food pellets created for chinchilla contain the amount of prescribed nutrients that is right for them. The best pellets created for this type of animal contain two parts calcium to one part phosphorus, with a low protein count and high roughage count. You can further check with experts to see what they would recommend. If you follow these above guidelines your animal will be most likely properly fed, however.

If you want to calculate the cost of feeding your new pet, you may want to make sure you consult a specialist who deals with exotic animals, or you can research that cost online. Pet stores that deal with chinchillas would have this kind of information as well. Talking to a chinchilla dealer about that animal's eating patterns will help you figure out if you can afford to feed your pet.

Another important factor you may need to know about your chinchilla is how to properly groom and care for your pet. For example, you may need to know how to deal with blotches of fur that may come out when you comb its hair. You have no need to be alarmed if this happens. It will grow back if it does. If you want to prevent from the hair falling out you will want to be careful not to pull too hard when coming.

Another time when you have to be aware of fur falling out is when you are handling your pet chinchilla. Sometimes they will lose fur when someone pulls on their fur too hard. If you do not want your animal to lose hair you can grab it by the base of the tail and the shoulder. This will decrease the chance of your pet losing too much fur. You will want to teach others how to handle your pet as well, so they are prepared in case the animal wants to get away.

The process of a chinchilla losing fur is a natural defense mechanism, which they use to protect themselves. If they are not alarmed by those who are holding them, they will be more likely to not lose any fur. No matter how careful you or your visitors are, however, it could still happen regardless. Either way, just do the best you cannot to startle your pet, and to teach others how to handle it properly. That is all you can do, and allow the pet to warm up to you and those around you.

For more information on what you need to know if you own or plan to own a chinchilla you can read more articles such as this one. You can also count on the advice of experienced pet owners and pet professionals to help you out. You can find these resources very quickly by searching on the Internet.

A Day in the Life of the Oriental Fire Bellied Toad

Are you looking for a unique, exotic pet that will turn heads and raise curiosity? If so, you may want to invest in one or more oriental fire-bellied toads. Furthermore, you may want to learn more about what happens in a typical day of a toad’s life, as well how to build for it the correct habitat when you bring one home.

The oriental fire-bellied toad, which is a type of frog, is one that is most noted for the bright orange on its underside, as well as the bright green and black coloration on its back. The bright red coloring on this type of toad’s back warns predators to watch out. They mostly feed on insects, just like other varieties of frogs will do, but also feed on some worms and small fish. They do not have a long tongue like other frogs do so they use their mouth to grab food and stuff it into their mouth with forelegs.

All toads including the fired-bellied variety are amphibians. They are called this because they live in the water and also can survive on dry land. The fire-bellied toad is different than a fish, which needs to stay in the water at all times otherwise it will die. You can set up a toad such as the one described in this article as a pet in your home.

If you want to take one home as a pet it is recommended that you put no more than 2 or 3 of them in a 10-gallon tank. One or two toads per tank are preferred. Furthermore, you should not mix the toads with other species otherwise some toxicity could result. The aquarium that you set up for your toad should consist of both water and dry “land”.

Flat rocks raised above water level can provide as the land on which the toad will prop itself. You will need to know that most toads such as the fire-bellied toad are freshwater creatures. Therefore, you will want to provide a fair amount of freshwater vegetation such as damp moss or cattail, which you can add to your toad’s aquarium. You can find the appropriate frog plant life at your local pet shop.

Most frogs, including the fire-bellied toad, prefer warmer temperatures above 75 degrees. However, since they are used to adjusting to the cold it may not be necessary to provide a heater for it. Your tank should have a filter added to it, however, and it should be cleaned out frequently.

The water that you put in your fire-bellied toad’s tank should be de-chlorinated and stale tap water that has sit out for approximately 24 hours, or it should be bottled water. Since toads produce a lot of waste, partial water changes should be done as often as possible as well.

The tank that you provide for your pet toad should also include plenty of ventilation, and should be covered securely. A screen lid on the top of the tank would be one of your best options, along with a filter, as mentioned earlier. These animals need to be able to breathe properly.

Small animal specialists can further assist you with any care or food needs if you let them know more about your animal. They live between 4 and 15 years, and the length of their life depends upon a variety of factors, which include the following:

Climate

Frequency of Aquarium Water Change

Amount of Chlorine in Water

The type of Water Used

Animal Diet and Eating Patterns

Effectiveness of Man-Made Aquarium Habitat (the right amount of plants, water, and land added)

Availability of Care when Animal is Sick

The more you understand about your fire-bellied toad the better. You want to give your pet the best care possible. Besides consulting animal specialists, you can also read more articles such as this. Not only that, but you can research more information about the fire-bellied toad and other animals very quickly by using the Internet.

Keep in mind that knowledge regarding animal care is being improved daily, and the information presented to you is subject to change. For your benefit, you will want to keep updated as often as possible. You can do this by reading animal news and magazine articles, and even books, about all varieties of animals to bring home as pets-including the fire-bellied toad.

Train Your Way To An Obedient Pet Ferret

Like many other types of pets, the ferret must be trained if you want to be able to have a good relationship with him or her. One of the first habits that require attention is the ferret’s inclination to nip. Ferrets that have been bred as pets should not be in any way vicious or bite hard. The ferret bite or nip is more of a play fighting, which is natural. Babies have no idea that they are being hurtful when they nip at you. Your ferret will need to be disciplined for nipping to train him or her to appropriate play. Like any other pet one must be willing to teach their ferret what behaviors are appropriate and which ones are not.

Many times it is a matter of the owner figuring out what is triggering the ferret to bite. Many normal calm ferrets that hear a very load noise, such as those from squeaky toys, can react with biting. Somehow the noise scares the ferret and he or she reacts with an extreme behavior. The best course of action would be to get rid of the toy and the behavior will more than likely disappear. Another reason ferrets may bite is due to pain or fear. Be sure to know why your ferret is biting before disciplining him or her. If you adopted your ferret it is important to know if he or she was abused. For ferrets in pain it is best to get them to the Vet, where they can be thoroughly examined and treated. For those ferrets that have been abused, try different ways of training and have patience. You ferret friend has to re-learn to trust humans and that will take time, love, and encouragement.

The best way to train a ferret, especially those who have been abused, is with positive reinforcement. You will use treats and praise to train you ferret to do what you desire. This works much better than punishment does and makes the ferret more cooperative. If you ferret does need some form of punishment a time out works wonders. Ferrets like to be free and roam about, confining your ferret for a few minutes to a cage or carrier directly after the behavior occurs. Make sure to hold fast when your ferrets nips, setting him or her down will only show them that they will get what they want when they bite.

When your ferret nips you, it is best not to use nose flicking or physical discipline, especially if there is a past of abuse. You do not want your ferret associating you as bad. There are plenty of alternatives that work just as well or even better and have great outcomes. Use a signal that your ferret knows when he bites you too hard, such as a high-pitched yip or hey. This noise reminds them of a kit and will make them stop. If that tactic does not work then use a stern, deep voice. This will let your ferret know you are the boss and that is not acceptable. Stop playtime and gently put you ferret down. He will get bored once he knows you are refusing to play, and stop the behavior. Many times if you have more than one ferret the time out tactic works wonders. You can place the misbehaving ferret in his or her cage while the other is playing freely about.

Another great way to keep your ferret from wanting to nip at you is to cover your hands with Bitter Apple or No Chew Spray. This will leave you ferret with a very nasty taste in his or her mouth and make them think twice before doing it again. To get the ferret off of your hand when he or she does bite, cover his or her nostrils gently with your fingers. This should make him or her release. There are plenty of non-aggressive ways to train your ferret how to behave if you just have the patience to try. You will find that with thorough obedience training, your ferret will be a loving and playful companion for all family members to enjoy. A happy ferret is a well-trained ferret. Your companion wants nothing more than to please and play with you.

Basic Lizard Maintenance from Supplies to Care

Before you run out and buy supplies for a lizard, check out all of the facts about caring for one. Don’t buy supplies until you’ve decided on the lizard for you, and bought everything that you know your lizard will need. Lizards have certain requirements from housing to foods, and knowing how to care for one is a life and death situation for your lizard. Take the time now so you and your new lizard won’t suffer because you haven’t checked out all of the facts about them. Read on to learn some things you’ll need before the baby comes to your house.

Its home is the first consideration that you’ll need to look at, and then purchase. You can either buy a lizard cage or build one, but it needs to be sturdy, so your lizards can’t escape. An aquarium works nicely for lizards, make sure that it’s big enough for them because they won’t stay babies forever. Next, consider its heating source for the new reptile in your life. Lizards are members of the reptile family so they need to have an artificial heating source, either from a light bulb, or a heating unit under their cage. Whatever type of heating source you use make sure that it won’t burn the delicate skin. Place the light bulb above their cage and the pad is properly adjusted, and well maintained. If your lizard isn’t nocturnal you’ll have to purchase special UV lighting for their cage too.

Feeding lizards is a little more complicated than just putting out some lizard food. Some of them eat plants and vertebrate or invertebrate foods like bugs and mice as a staple of their main diet, while others eat less. For example, the bearded dragon eats all three foods, while the leopard will eat very little mice. For most lizards you’ll have to add supplements of Vitamin D to their diets by purchasing pellets at the pet store, and giving them a good mixture of vegetables, fruits, and leafy greens for their dietary needs. All lizards love bugs like the cricket, but you’ll need to make sure that they are ‘gut loaded’. Gut loading insects are ones that have been fed with supplements right before they are fed to your lizard.

Hiding places inside the cage will help your lizard grow too. Lizards in the wild will take refuge from predators, and they love to rest in crevices of wood or leaves, so be sure to put them in the cage. A flowerpot made of terracotta is used too for a hiding space, but don’t place one in a cage that has been painted, its toxic to lizards. When building or purchasing one include perches too, so if they need extra warmth they can get to the heat. The bottom of their cage should have loose gravel that is not dusty at all. Dust causes respiratory problems for them, and many die from inhaling it. Besides, some lizards don’t have eyelids, and the dust from certain gravels will irritate and infect their eyes. Their dish of water should be heavy enough not to tip over, and most people find that a ceramic dish works perfectly.

Caring for a lizard involves more than just lights and food. It might surprise you to find out that lizards are like puppies, and need their toenails clipped too. Invest in a good pair of clippers, and clip them down when they become sharp. If you don’t feel that you can do it, drop your lizard off at the local pet shop that cares for exotic animals, it’s not that expensive to do. Because they’re reptiles a lizard will shed it skin many times during the year. If a small rock is placed inside its cage they can rub it off naturally. If however you find it’s having trouble, then soak your lizard in water, but be careful when handling it. The new skin is very tender, and bleeding is likely if you don’t. Caring for a lizard means that you’ll need to pay close attention to its needs, more so than you might have thought.

Finally, it’s true that lizards are a lot of work, but if you really want to own one do your research first, don’t purchase a lizard, and then ask questions later. Reptiles are one of nature’s truly exotic and fragile creatures. Many times they won’t survive if you don’t think and act appropriately, so find out all about the type of lizard that you want, and then invest for its care.

Anything and Everything You Wanted to Know about the Sugar Glider’s Sex Life

Okay. So maybe you really didn’t want to hear about your pet’s sex life. However, it will be necessary for you to learn how the sugar glider mates if you are going to take care of it. You will want to research this aspect of owning a sugar glider before you invest in one. Some of the most basic facts about the sugar gliders sex life include the following:

Since sugar gliders live most of their infancy in their mothers’ pouches, they are able to breed quite easily. That period of time is approximately 2.3 to 3 months.

They attached to the mother’s nipple until they no longer need to be. If you remove them too early from the mother they will not be able to reattach themselves. This is important for you to remember during the mating and breeding process.

They breed after about 8 months, and they mate year round. When they mate they usually produce two offspring at a time, but have been known to produce at least 4 babies a year. In order for this to happen the newly weaned animals need to be removed right away from the mother.

Sugar glider females reach sexual maturity at between 8-12 months and males reach maturity at about 12-15 months.

It is suggested to leave the mother along during the birthing process. However, sometimes the males remain present during it. Then, just after the babies are born, the male steps in and helps feed them.

Infant sugar gliders are feed mostly semi-solid foods such as low-fat fruit yogurts and baby food until about three months old (along with the mother’s milk).

The process of the separation of the baby from the mother glider causes some minor stress for a few days. Female sugar gliders are usually aggressive after female young when they reach three months old and older. The males are often ignored.

If you want to breed sugar gliders and sell them, you will need a license. To obtain information about obtaining this license you can call the U.S. Department of Agriculture and ask them for more information, or you can write them. They also have a website that you can visit. Furthermore, if you want to know how to promote your business in the event you obtain a license to sell these animals you can find contact the USDA regarding that as well.

If you want to prevent your sugar gliders from producing, it will be necessary to have them spayed or neutered. However, it is not recommended to have the females spayed unless it is for medical reasons. The males, on the other hand, are very easy to neuter and done in some cases as a birth control method. The other option is to just purchase only one sex of sugar gliders if your only intention of owning one is to enjoy it as a pet.

The neutering process should only be done under the direction and care of a licensed veterinarian, with the animal under anesthetics. Usually this procedure is only performed on sugar gliders if the owner does not want to breed. If you own a sugar glider and are considering letting them reproduce you will not want to get them neutered. Most likely it would be very difficult to get this procedure reversed.

Now that you know some facts about the sugar glider’s sex life you will be prepared in the event you have a female who is pregnant, even if not planned. If you suspect that your pet is pregnant, you will want to have it checked out by a vet. In addition, you will also want to make sure your female pet receives proper nutrition so that it carries healthy babies and produces strong offspring.

After the new glider babies are weaned and are on solid foods you can begin to carry them around in a bonding pouch. You can even carry them around while they are sleeping. It is important to have as much contact with these animals as possible because they will need to be used to it, because they will be handled quite a bit in their new home.

If you want to learn more about the sexual activity of sugar gliders as pets, and you want to learn more about breeding them you can read more articles like this one. Furthermore, you can ask questions of any vet who deals with small exotic animals such as the Australia and Guinea native-the sugar glider.