Any Reptile Keepers?

[slinkster]

I reeeeeeeeeeeally want a new pet... and I'd love a gecko or lizard or frog or tortoise or something...

Does anyone know anything about keeping reptiles? I've done a fair bit of research but I wondered if there were any first hand experiences out there?

[Eki]

I reeeeeeeeeeeally want a new pet... and I'd love a gecko or lizard or frog or tortoise or something...

Does anyone know anything about keeping reptiles? I've done a fair bit of research but I wondered if there were any first hand experiences out there?
I'm sure Lizardking would like you to keep him, but he hasn't been spotted on the forums for ages.

[Ian McC]

Eki, your bunny looks more like an owl :s

[Hazell B]

I'd love a reptile too. Thing is, I can't offer it the size of home suitable (I think keeping them in glass cases is very wrong) nor the stress free life of not being stared at by the dogs all evening (they'd want to eat it, however large it was :rolleyes: )

There's a few reptile rescue charities that do hands-on training and can supply lists of the best books to learn from. Some even loan out the animals that have been rescued, just the RSPCA rehome dogs and cats. Worth a Google perhaps?

[FrankenSchwinn]

i've had a few tarantulas over the years. i only have one now..... bitch wont die after 12 years in my custody. rose hair tarantulas are supposed to live 5-10 years only! avoid pink toed tarantulas, they are hard to keep.

my brother had a bearded dragon (it's a lizard) with a f'n attitude. that guy was so bad arse, and he smelled bad. the bro was away for about a month and pops forgot about the lizard and didnt feed him. horrible way to die but we were glad that thing was gone.

a friend of mine had many snakes and lizards while growing up(he's a marine biologist now). if you take care of them, they can be cool. my problem is that most of the time they just sit there in their tanks. if you are getting anything that is relatively sizeable, take it out and play with the lizard. you can teach most to "obey" you but don't expect it to be like a dog.

and that brings me to my last point, the bro just got a yellow lab puppy in december. that thing is now 5-6 months old and it's awesome. i call it "midget". get a dog, they change your life in a positive way.

[imull]

people might not appreciate you waking your lizard down the high street lol. even if it is pretty cool ;)

Do I count with this? I have a 16 year old lad who works for me. (well, I say works :p :) The colder it gets, the slower he moves. Does that make me a reptile keeper?

[slinkster]

I'd love a reptile too. Thing is, I can't offer it the size of home suitable (I think keeping them in glass cases is very wrong) ...

There's a few reptile rescue charities that do hands-on training and can supply lists of the best books to learn from. Some even loan out the animals that have been rescued, just the RSPCA rehome dogs and cats. Worth a Google perhaps?


Yeah Hazel, I've had to limit myself to smaller things like a gecko or a frog or something. I don't quite have the space to accomodate anything bigger than that (yet!)... I'll check out any rescue places though, thanks, I didn't think of that.


i've had a few tarantulas over the years. i only have one now..... bitch wont die after 12 years in my custody. rose hair tarantulas are supposed to live 5-10 years only! avoid pink toed tarantulas, they are hard to keep.

Definitely NOOOO spiders...


and that brings me to my last point, the bro just got a yellow lab puppy in december. that thing is now 5-6 months old and it's awesome. i call it "midget". get a dog, they change your life in a positive way.

and nope.. can't have a puppy or cat or anything as we rent and certain pets aren't allowed. :( I don't mind having a pet that won't love me like a dog would... I just like caring for things :)

[Schultz]

I own a few blue-tongue lizards at home. We have gone through a bit of a crisis atm. We have had a bit of a rat infestation since the house next door was demolished. The problem is that the rats have decided to make the lizard enclosure in the backyard their home. We didn't think this posed such a problem until we found one of our shingleback lizards in the corner with its tail literally eaten through to the bone. Those little *******s were basically eating him alive. We took all three of them out and have put them in tanks inside. It really was horrifying to see the damage done to him, but it looks like he will survive. They were all very healthy lizards but when they go into hibernation they aren't exactly the most lively of things and weren't able to defend themselves.

Thankfully i think we have destroyed the rats. But that is just one of the types of issues you can face when keeping reptiles. You just have to get an animal that is suitable for the environment you can provide. Thankfully, down in Melbourne there are plenty of native reptiles to choose from.

[CarlMetro]

I just like caring for things :)

What about a baby?

Perhaps a nice quiet little boy? I could lend you mine for a couple of years, just so you got a feel for it?

[LotusElise]

A friend of mine has newts. They're fairly undemanding to keep and have cute little smiley faces too. :-)

[slinkster]

It really was horrifying to see the damage done to him, but it looks like he will survive. .

:( How awful... Glad you got to him in time and I hope he recovers well.



What about a baby?

Perhaps a nice quiet little boy? I could lend you mine for a couple of years, just so you got a feel for it?


hehe funny you should say this, when I first suggested I really wanted a new pet, my boyfriend asked if it was some misplaced broodiness setting in... but no... I appreciate my sleep far too much at the moment, but thanks for the offer Carl! :P

[sagsert]

I had a green iguana for 12 years. For the first year or so I kept him in a terrarium then moved him to a big cage with branches, perches and water bowls in it. He was 6 inches when I first got him, when he died 2 months ago he was 52 inches long. I keep referring to my late Dino as he but about 2 years ago when I was rallying in Nevada, I got confirmation that Dino was a Sheguana, Dino has laid 16 eggs (and ate them all) in one night.

Iguanas are relatively easy to maintain, they eat lettuce and pellets, they don't smell bad as long as you keep their habitat clean, although they are very quiet, if you have other pets they can get frisky.

[Erki]

There's a reason why I'm called The Chameleon. ;)

[Hazell B]

If it's frogs or toads you want, come and help yourself to the ones at my stables. They're disgusting and all over the place (on and off in this weather) making me jump when they appear :s

I'll even throw in some tasty slugs as treats for them.

[slinkster]

If it's frogs or toads you want, come and help yourself to the ones at my stables. They're disgusting and all over the place (on and off in this weather) making me jump when they appear :s

I'll even throw in some tasty slugs as treats for them.

Not a frog fan then huh? I don't mind frogs at all, I've had to rescue a few from my cats when I lived back with my parents... they let out one hell of a screech when they're threatened. The frogs that is, not my parents!

[Eki]

Eki, your bunny looks more like an owl :s
The owls are not what they seem.

[Hazell B]

Not a frog fan then huh?

Not exactly, no :s
I see them as little tasty treats that happen to eat slugs whilst awaiting the swoop of a hungry barn owl. For the sake of the owls I'll put up with their hopity lifestyle :p :

Eki, you a Twin Peaks fan by any chance? :eek:

[LotusElise]

Grass snakes are rather partial to frogs and toads as well.

I saw a wild barn owl for the first time in my life not long ago. It wasn't eating a frog, but it was very impressive.

[Hawkmoon]

I've always wanted a terrapin or two. Cool little buggers. I'm used to keeping aquarium fish so I figure having a turtle tank can't be that much different, cant it?

[Eki]

Eki, you a Twin Peaks fan by any chance? :eek:
Yes, they are currently showing it as a rerun.

[oily oaf]

I don't know whether this might interest you Slinky but for the last 2 years I have been the proud owner of a pair of Bolivian Pit Bull Ants :)

Named Ant and Dec they have provided me with hours of innocent pleasure and the sense of toughness I feel as I swagger down Mile End Road with the 2 little rascals straining at their rhinestone studded harnesses as they snarl and bare their antennae at passing old ladies is worth every penny of the £75,000 that I paid Cocaine Carlos, a lesbian tightrope walker from La Paz.

Sadly Dec is under a bit of a cloud at the moment as he's due to appear in court next Tuesday charged with justifiable homicide under The Dangerous Insects Act of 1732 after he tore next door's centipede "Alan" to shreds when it jumped over the fence into our back garden.

I'm hoping that he'll get off with a few hours community service and end up mopping out the chodbins at a lorry depot like that Naomi sort who keeps lamping people with her cellphone.

Fingers crossed eh?

"BAD ANT! DIRTY ANT! IN YOUR BED!" :dozey:

[Zsolt]

My ex-girlfriend & I had a Chinese striped waterdragon. Pretty cool pet, we spoiled the damn thing. It liked to lay on the dvd/vhs player for warmth. I heard he/she died earlier this year. RIP Sam.