Reptile Advice
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Reptile Advice
Reptiles as Pets
Reptiles can make rewarding pets because of their fascinating behavior and in many cases, physical grace. Many of them will thrive in a fairly small space, making them suitable for smaller dwellings. They don't have the fur or feathers that cause allergies for so many. However, they aren't for somebody who wants the cuddling and interactions that come with domesticated pets like cats, dogs, birds, or rabbits, and they aren't necessarily easier or take less time to care for.
Selecting a Reptile
Lizards, snakes, and turtles are the most common reptile pets. Usually lizards and snakes are the easiest to care for, while turtles are more challenging. The store or breeder you buy from can give you reptile advice specific to your pet.
Make sure that the kind of reptile you're interested in is legal in your area. Your health or animal control department can usually help with this. If you rent, also make sure that your lease allows reptiles.
Captive-bred reptiles are usually much healthier and less stressed than ones captured in the wild.
Salmonella
Almost all reptiles carry salmonella bacteria, so always assume that yours is a carrier. Young children (those under the age of five), elderly people, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk for salmonella complications. Don't kiss your reptile or let it walk on your face, always wash your hands after contact with it, and make sure any children who play with it follow these rules, too. Keep it away from food preparation areas and don't clean its cage or aquarium in the kitchen. If it spends time outside its cage, wipe down the surfaces that it walked on with a mild bleach-water solution.
Feeding
Many reptiles need live prey or at least need to be convinced that their food is alive. You can use forceps to dangle dead prey in a way that imitates its normal movement. (Don't use your hand, since reptiles can't always tell the difference between your hand and their meal.) Be careful when presenting live prey, as sometimes it can fight back and injure your reptile.
Some are carnivores and eat only other animals, while others are omnivores and need greens as well. A few kinds of lizards are herbivores and eat only plant foods. Make sure that the plants you offer are clean and free of pesticides.
Health Checkups
- Skin. A reptile's skin is one of the best indicators of its overall health. Depending on the species, a healthy reptile's skin is clear and unwrinkled (wrinkles can indicate dehydration). Changes in the skin such as darkening or lightening can indicate illness.
- Eyes. Its eyes should be bright and shouldn't look sunken in or have any kind of crust around them.
- Mouth. Mouth rot is a nasty and often fatal condition that often occurs after an injury to the mouth or snout. The earliest sign includes red, swollen tissues inside or around the oral cavity. If you spot any trouble, see your vet immediately.
- Breathing. Reptiles can get colds and the symptoms are almost the same as for human versions: runny nose, sneezing, and wheezing. Your vet can prescribe medication if necessary.
- Behaviors. If your reptile's eating habits, activity levels, or elimination patterns change, this may indicate a health problem.
Cleaning
A clean cage is vital to your reptile's health. How frequently you'll need to clean depends on your pet, how big it is, and what it eats. Most reptile cages need a thorough cleaning once a week. A few general tips:
- If you have multiple reptiles, make sure that if one is sick, you clean its cage with separate materials or clean its cage last.
- Use hot soapy water to clean cages and equipment like feeding bowls, climbing rocks, and so on. After cleaning, disinfect with mild bleach or ammonia solutions. For bleach, use 2 ounces per gallon of water, and 1.75 ounces for ammonia.
- Disinfect sponges, gloves, or other cleaning equipment with bleach or ammonia. This formula for diluting bleach is 4 ounces per gallon of water, and 3.5 ounces for ammonia.
Temperature
Reptiles don't regulate their own body heat the same way that mammals, like humans, do. Whatever the temperature is in their environment, that's their body temperature, which is why it's so important to make sure that you use the right heating system for your specific pet. Usually this means providing a specific daylight temperature, a different nighttime temperature, and sometimes a basking area that's a few degrees warmer. Put a thermometer in your reptile's enclosure and check it regularly.
Humidity
Reptiles also need specific humidity levels. You can control humidity in different ways, such as misting, the size of water bowls, and so on. The right way will depend on the specific reptile. Pet or plant supply shops supply hygrometers, which measure humidity within the cage.
Parasites
Reptiles are frequently subject to internal parasites, particularly worms. If your reptile's eating behavior changes or its stools change in consistency, color, or frequency, it might be a parasite. Your vet can examine its stools to determine the kind of parasite and how to treat it. Mites are another common problem. If your reptile seems to be scratching itself more often than normal, check for reddish-brown, brown, or black dots or lumps on its skin, particularly around folds like armpits or joints, or underneath scales.
Calcium, Vitamin D, and Sunlight
Reptiles, just like humans, need calcium for healthy bones, along with Vitamin D to help them absorb it. Without the right mix of calcium and Vitamin D, they get what's called Metabolic Bone Disease. Sunlight or artificial sunlight through ultraviolet UVB lamps is the best source of Vitamin D. Be sure to get lamps that provide UVB or make sure to put your reptile in direct sunlight through an open window, because glass and plastic block UVB rays.
Shedding Skin
Snakes are famous for shedding their skins, but so do other reptiles. (Reptile skin doesn't grow, though reptiles themselves do.) Even turtles shed plates from their shells, though not the entire shell. If your reptile's environment is too dry, its skin may get stuck in certain places and cause problems ranging from discomfort to cutting off circulation and causing gangrene. Excessive humidity can cause other problems, so make sure to get the humidity within the right range for your pet.
Additional Reptile Advice
A vet can provide you with additional reptile advice. Reptile specialists are best but even general vet practitioners can provide basic reptile advice. Local clubs are also a good source for reptile pet health advice.
