Glass Reptile Cages
June 13th, 2010 | Published in Reptiles
Good Tropical Reptile Pet?
I have 6 1/2 years of experience with reptiles. It doesn't need to be able to be handled. I have 3 empty cages at the moment, a 10 gallon, a 20 gallon tall, and a 30 gallon tall. I have a screen lid for the 10. A screen lid, glass and screen lid, and a hood for the 20. Also, a hood for the 30. The 30 is shaped like a half-octagon and no one makes them in the same shape anymore(they never made a screen lid for it anyway). I don't want a care sheet for it, I want to research them myself. I also want to know any experience you've had with that species. I just want to know some good species/families to start from.
(Just for the record, I'm including frogs in this even though they aren't technically reptiles. Sue me.)
10 gallon:
~~Leopard gecko-Can be hand tamed with patience. Have also tamed the ones at work into eating from my hand. They love to crawl up under my shirt collar. Very cute.
~~Firebelly toads (could keep 3-5)--Not for handling, but these are very amusing little guys. I especially love decorating and rearranging their setup at work (the semi-aquatic aspect makes it fun to work with). They are also the most gluttonous things in the world! I have to supervise them when they eat because they will go after anything that moves once the crickets are in there--meaning I have to pry them off of each other when they mistake another frog for food. However, they are communal frogs, so they should be kept in at least pairs.
*Some will suggest small geckos and frogs, but these actually need more height than a standard 10 gallon provides, so please disregard these options.
20 gallon tall:
~~Crested gecko-LOVE these guys. Able to be hand tamed (again, takes a little bit of patience). They are just all around cute and interesting. Love the sticky toes, and nothing is cuter than a crestie om-nom-ing on some fruit. You could keep one male and one female in there.
~~Green tree frogs-Not for handling. Cute, but I'm not a huge fan. Could fit a male female pair or trio in there. Try to only get 1 male and 2 females. These guys are not quite as bad as the anoles (up next) but it is still best to do just to prevent stress.
~~Green anoles or Bahaman anoles-Not for handling. Actually, I have had a few at work who will let me handle them a little bit, but this is rare. They are cute, and their color-changing is pretty interesting. You can keep them together if you are careful to not get multiple males as they will fight. A trio of one male and two females would be great though.
~~White's/Dumpy Tree Frog-I LOVE these guys, and I'm not really a "frog person." However, I think these guys have hilarious personalities. They are the only frogs that are really okay with being handled. Fatty, our Dumpy Tree Frog at work, is actually the one who made me like frogs a little more. I used to be impartial, but I found them a little boring. Now I actually think they are interesting. White's/Dumpys will always be my favorite of the frogs because of their personality, though.
30 gallon:
~~White's Dumpy Tree Frog-I know I already mentioned them, but you could keep a pair in a 30 gallon. A 20 high is the minimum for one though, so don't put two in there.
~~Crested gecko-could up it to a M:F:F trio in here.
~~Green tree frogs/anoles-again, could obviously fit more in here.
~~Cornsnake-Very friendly, don't get too huge. I looked up the dimensions for this tank, and it would be perfect--would actually give a little extra room (NEVER A BAD THING!). Aside from being very docile snakes, they also come in an infinite number of color morphs and patterns, which is pretty cool. I love the blizzards and certain lavendars.
~~California Kingsnake-another good beginner snake due to their docile nature and ease of care. I like the desert/wide-banded phase.
~~Ball Pythons-again, great docile snakes. I love the desert ghosts and albinos.
Hopefully I've rambled on for long enough to give you at least one idea you might be interested in. Have fun, and good job doing your research first. =)
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Iguana Illnesses That Need Immediate Attention
Like humans, these iguanas actually also fall ill. If you have learned to love your pet iguanas, you might as well want to keep them for long. Here are some of the most common iguana illnesses that require immediate veterinary attention and proper medication or else you will lose your pets.
Fibrous Osteodystrophy or the metabolic bone disease. This iguana illness comes as a result of extreme malnutrition especially when they are not fed well. Most of the shops selling the iguanas give out worthy nutritional tips and advices to the buyers of these reptiles. Most of the pet owners prefer to feed their pets with squash and lettuce. In truth, the lettuce is a water sponge-meaning there is no nutrition to be derived from it. Such shortcoming is again aggravated by the insufficient vitamin D3 and calcium intake by the reptile. When they get exposed to this dangerous situation, they might in fact die. Among the vital symptoms of the disease are a swollen lower jaw, listlessness, rubbery or soft face and lower jaw, difficulty in eating, and swollen limbs. At most times, the spine and the limbs also easily get fractured.
The paralysis of the back legs. This is the result of a deficiency in vitamin B1. The tail also gets affected. With this comes the injection of the essential minerals and vitamins to the reptile and a change in its diet is as well recommended.
The nose abrasions. The frequent attempts of the reptile to escape cause the abrasions and scratches to its face and nose. When they are in search for a way to escape, they often rub their noses on the enclosures of their tanks. The abrasions are often caused by the wire, glass, or plastic enclosures of their cages. When the nose abrasions remain untreated, ulceration of the rostrum, bacterial infection, and other deformities could result.
The thermal injuries or burns. The burns are usually acquired through the contact with the heat sources within the tank enclosures. Among the typical culprits are the hot rocks and light bulbs which are left exposed. The lights are advised to be placed above the enclosures which cannot be reached by the iguana.
The bacterial infection. There are several types of bacterial infection that can affect the iguana. The blister disease is caused by the repeated exposure to the filthy and damp environment. The dry gangrene of the toes and tails causes these body parts to turn dark gray to black, and then start to have it breaking off. The main root of these all is the insufficient sanitation. Mouth rot causes the occurrence of inflammation, swelling, and pus in the mouth of the iguana. Abscesses results in the formation of the pus.
The parasites. The parasites settle within the gastrointestinal tract just within the blood of the iguana. The parasites are the major causes of death in the iguanas which are taken captive.
Viral Infection. Researches are ongoing for the causes and cure of viral infections in iguanas.
Organ failure. Organ failure among iguanas is caused by its age or of an existing bacterial infection. The dominant symptoms are weight loss, loss of appetite, listlessness, bloating, and death.
Bladder stones. This causes the abdomen to be enlarged.
Egg-binding. This causes death among the female iguanas especially when they are unable to let the egg pass through their reproductive tracts.
These and a lot other iguana illnesses require medical attention if you do not want to risk the life of your iguana pet.
About the Author
To read about iguana cage and iguana diet, visit the Iguana Care site.