Macaw - reptiles UPDATE

[Deleted]

Beardies like the handling more than the CWD, and, well my adult male Beardie is about 15 inches long. The water dragon tends to be more timid. Up to you Also the beardeds are a LOT of fun to feed, they are very enthusiastic! My water dragons have always blended in with the plants and ate when I wasn't looking

[katt]

I knew the Iguana's and Monitors can be unpredictable that's why I was leaning towards the CWD. I didn't know the CWD had teeth or could do damage.
How do you think they rip through the greens? Most reptiles have teeth, and they have very strong jaws, so when they bite (esp when they are adults) they can do some serious damage.

Look at those chompers!

Almost all animals can cause harm to people.. I recently visited family in MO and I guess they just had a recent accident involving a ferret and a child. The ferret chewed up the childs fingers. I got crap from my friend I was staying with. They were scared of my ferrets. It was really annoying hearing all the crap b/c they have dogs that growled and barked at us when we walked in the door.. I guess they don't get that even there sweet dogs can chew childrens fingers and even kill a person.

Absolutely right! More bites come from pet dogs than any other animal I believe. Also, that story about the ferret and the baby is pretty controversial. There is very little concrete evidence that they fingers were actually eaten by the ferret, the parents are suspected of being on drugs, all kinds of stuff.

I'm fine with being bite and just the damage I'm afraid of.
Monitors and iguanas can cause some SERIOUS damage with their bites. Did you see the thread I linked before? Yikes! WD's will also be able to do some pretty sufficient damage with their bites - their teeth and jaw structure is fairly similar to igs.

My parakeet would bite me sometimes and my parents Cockatiel is very aggressive b/c they don't care for it at all. I knew he would bite me but I still took him out. He just needs more attention.
Reptiles are the same way. They need a LOT of regular handling to become well socialized and even then should never be thought of as "predictable." If you adopt an older lizard you will (hopefully) have the benefit of them already having been socialized. Or not. They key words with reptiles are: patient, consistent, persistent.

They were even going to let me take him home with me, but I knew my friend's who were driving me home wouldn't like that very much. I googled CWD bites but I couldn't find anything. What is there bite like? What are the chances of being bit?

I see so many people with the Exo Terra Terrarium for there CWD online that I thought if I got the biggest one it would be okay.
No offense, but you also see many people online feeding Marshalls kibble to their ferrets, keeping their geckos on Calci Sand, and a million other dangerous and incorrect things... Tis the curse of exotics.

I guess I could build my own, and it's cheaper to do it that way. Maybe I could even find one on craigslist. My estimate in the beginning for a CWD set up and the reptile itself was 600.

I really like the CWD b/c it looks very similar to the Iguana but it's smaller and I don't hear a lot of horror stories about them.

I'm looking for a pet that I can take out, spend time with, likes the company of humans, different, interesting, not too small. No dogs until we own a house, allergic to cats and guinea pigs. Bad experience with our ex evil pet rat Templeton. No rats, hamsters or mice.

Likes the company of humans to me suggests bearded dragon, gecko, skink, or snake. With enough handling these guys will often learn to really enjoy human company. With the larger guys (Monitor, Ig, WD) you will be lucky if they so much as tolerate you. They will learn to like being scratched, and coming out of their cage, etc but they are not exactly affectionate. Of course some will be more people-friendly than others and there are certainly ones who do like being around people. But even those ones are moody and while they might be excited to hang out one day, 5 min later they could change their mind and decide they care less about you and would rather sit on their branch in the other room. They are more like...cats...very independent.

WD's are certainly much more docile than iguanas and monitors for the most part. They are less likely to bite and show aggression. But they are still big, unpredictable, wild animals.

Do some reading around here:
www.herpcenter.com/water-dragons/

Here are some pictures of people's enclosures for:
Water Dragons: www.herpcenter.com/reptile-enclosures/water-dragon-enclosures-c1.html

Monitors: www.herpcenter.com/reptile-enclosures/monitor-lizard-enclosures-c7.html

Iguanas: www.herpcenter.com/reptile-enclosures/green-iguana-enclosures-c4.html

Bearded Dragons: www.herpcenter.com/reptile-enclosures/bearded-dragon-enclosures-c12.html

And a care sheet for:
Water Dragons: www.herpcenter.com/water-dragon-care/

Iguanas: www.herpcenter.com/green-iguana-caresheet.html

Monitors: (see the first 3 threads in this board): www.herpcenter.com/monitors/

Bearded Dragons: www.herpcenter.com/bearded-dragon-caresheet.html

Honestly, from what you have said so far I would recommend a snake (very cool pets, very easy to care for, many species love chilling with their humans) specifically a Columbian Boa (if you want something big), Ball Python, or Corn Snake (long, but thin); a bearded dragon; a skink (Schneiders or Blue Tongue skinks are very cool); or a gecko. If you are set on something BIG and Challenging then out of iguana, monitor, and WD I would recommend a WD.

[Deleted]

Jun 30, 2011 15:09:50 GMT -5 @rajh08 said:

I'm looking for a pet that I can take out, spend time with, likes the company of humans, different, interesting, not too small. No dogs until we own a house, allergic to cats and guinea pigs. Bad experience with our ex evil pet rat Templeton. No rats, hamsters or mice.

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Jun 30, 2011 17:33:28 GMT -5 katt said:

Honestly, from what you have said so far I would recommend a snake (very cool pets, very easy to care for, many species love chilling with their humans) specifically a Columbian Boa (if you want something big), Ball Python, or Corn Snake (long, but thin); a bearded dragon; a skink (Schneiders or Blue Tongue skinks are very cool); or a gecko. If you are set on something BIG and Challenging then out of iguana, monitor, and WD I would recommend a WD.

I really agree with Katt on this one. "Social" is not a term that holds the same meaning with reptiles as it does with other animals. If you're looking for something you can actually interact with safely on a regular basis, you want a ball python. They respond to humans quite well, and grow fairly large. Plus, they don't require expensive UVB lights that have to be replaced every six months, and they're easy, reliable feeders on prekilled mice and rats. If you think a ball python isn't exciting or impressive enough, check out one of the dozens of incredible color morphs. There are also plenty of adults available from breeders if you don't want to start with a baby or juvenile.

We have a milk snake (very like a corn snake) as well as a ball python, and I'd say go with a ball python... he's calmer and more interested in hanging out with his people.

[rajh08]

I've never really been interested in snakes, they are kind of creepy... but I never gave them a chance. I'll have to look into the them more.

Bearded Dragons ware my 1st choice and I have always wanted one. But my husband wants something different. He says bearded dragons look like normal dessert lizards.. I personally thinks he's wrong lol.

btw Katt I joined the herpcenter.com forum and I have been reading around!

Thanks for all the tips! Choosing the right animal is always hard.. for us anyways.

[Deleted]

Well you are doing great with all your research! Good luck and happy herping!

[Deleted]

If your husband thinks beardies are boring, maybe show him some of the different color morphs (www.dachiu.com/beardeddragons/dragonpictures4.html Just some pics off a breeder's site...I really love the reds!) Out of all the herps I've worked with, I think beardies are the coolest and most personable.

[katt]

Snakes are great. SO low maintenance, low-cost, and very personable. If you are looking for something BIG, Columbian Boas are great. They get big, but not unhandle-able large. They tend to be more active and curious in my experience than Ball Pythons though, where Balls are more likely to just chill out on your shoulders with less need to roam across the room (though they are still curious too lol). Balls are great - my BP Shiiva loves hanging out on our shoulders, and she has a shower curtain rod in the shower that she likes to chill on and soak up the steam in the shower.

I am glad that you are doing your research! Reptiles are VERY misunderstood pets. Often even more so than ferrets sadly. A LOT goes into their care for just baseline health and survival. But they are very fascinating animals and rewarding to own and work with. I wish you luck! Herp Center is a great place, and feel free to keep asking questions around here too!

And when you decide, we of course need pics!

[rajh08]

I talked to my husband about a Ball Python last night and he said it's better than my other ideas.. (like a bird) I think there size is as big as I would want to go. They do have really pretty colors, but they seem to cost a lot more. I like they pied colored ones or the pastels and some bright colored ones. Would you recommend getting one from a breeder? I heard that is the best place to get one b/c they are less likely to be ill and able to eat mice/rats. I looked into rescues but there are no Ball Pythons available in CO. There are beardies.

I love the bright colored Beardies. So pretty

I will post pictures once we decide and bring whatever we decide home, but it may be awhile.

[rajh08]

O and can I see pictures of you reptiles!!!

[katt]

I talked to my husband about a Ball Python last night and he said it's better than my other ideas.. (like a bird) I think there size is as big as I would want to go.
They are a nice medium sized snake. If you do go with one you will not be sorry. They have really great personalities! I looove my Shiiva. She is so mellow and sweet. The Only issue with balls that I forgot to mention earlier is that they are notoriously difficult feeders. It is not unusual for them to go on months long feeding strikes. They can also be very picky. If you get one, make sure that it is already eating frozen/thawed rodents. And whatever it is eating I recommend eventually switching to rats. They are higher in protein than mice and so a little better for them.

They do have really pretty colors, but they seem to cost a lot more.
Yes. Honestly, normal morphs are beautiful too. I prefer normals over many of the morphs. not all, but some.

I like they pied colored ones or the pastels and some bright colored ones.
I would kill for a Pied. *drools* They are AMAZINGLY gorgeous. *drools* They cost more than some cars though so that won't happen until I am rich an famous.

Would you recommend getting one from a breeder? I heard that is the best place to get one b/c they are less likely to be ill and able to eat mice/rats. I looked into rescues but there are no Ball Pythons available in CO. There are beardies.
Look on Craigslist. I got Shiiva from PetCo. Well, technically my first roommate got her from PetCo, then gave her to me. But she is very docile. It is less expensive, and you can ask if they are captive bred or wild caught. They often get in wild caught snakes and they are much less docile (they still can become very docile, it just takes a it more handling) and this is where a lot of the increased risk of parasites comes from. Getting it from a breeder is definitely the healthier choice. And depending on what you want, breeders will often sell adults or yearlings as well as hatchlings. I like to start from babyhood with my animals. I like to watch them grow and their personalities develop and whatnot. I would check CL first though. I see snakes on there ALL the time.

For caging, I recommend a 40 gallon breeder. a 40 breeder is going to be the smallest size cage for an adult ball. Bigger of course is better. Also, they sell those 40 breeders for reptiles with the sliding lids. Do NOT get that if you can find a normal 40 breeder (they do carry them), then buy a screen lid that folds in half to open. The sliding ones are a PAIN in the rear. You have to turn the heat light off, let it cool so you don't burn whatever you set it on, then take it off to slide the lid off. Not to mention if you inadvertently put anything else on top of the cage. NOT worth it to me. I ditched my sliding lid, got some tubing to cover the lower part of the edge, and got a folding screen top. I LOVE it. It is better than a solid one because I don't have to take the lid, lights, and everything on it entirely off every time I go in her cage. I can get into the cage easily, and it is very secure with the screen clips. A worthwhile investment!

You will want a timer for the lighting to create a night/day cycle, and a heat lamp. If the heat lamp is not enough, then an under tank heater, or a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat can be used to fine tune the temps. I personally use a 150 Watt bulb (house-bulbs work fine, don't waste your money on reptile heating bulbs. The same wattage will produce the same heat) on a dimmer. The dimmer allows me to fine tune the temps. The only downer is that when the ambient temps fluctuate, the temp is not automatically regulated so they don't always stay constant (assuming the ambient temps fluctuate) but they stay VERY close.

You need a DIGITAL thermometer and hygrometer. Don't waste your time or money on the dial ones, they are absolutely worthless. They give a general idea of the temp but are not accurate enough to depend on for specific temps. Flukers makes a nice combo thermo/hygrometer.

You will also need a water dish big enough for the snake to soak in, and (preferably) several hides - at least one on the hot, and one on the cold side. Or at the least, enough sheltered spots that the snake feels secure.

Here is Shiiva and her set up. I just realized I don't have any recent pictures of her, so these are all old.





Enjoying her shower perch




She is even bigger than this now!


Here she is as a little baby


I can't find the pictures of her set up I will post some later.

[katt]

The Great Tito Rex




She is 2-3 years old and still growing like a weed


I have also had a few geckos, a skink, and have some pics of my roommate's and boyfriend's snakes too if you are interested... lol

[Deleted]

You can become ill from toxic bacteria that monitor lizards have in their saliva. If you don't treat your bite wounds properly. Animal Planet has a show called deadly attractions and a man was killed from not taking care of a monitor bite. It gave Him blood poisoning and his free roaming house lizards ate him after he died. I am not trying to scare you but research research research. I know that's what your doing and that's great! I love reptiles but I would not own one I need something that will love me back not tolerate me. Good luck with your search for the right fit.

[Deleted]

I would say go to a breeder if you're a first time snake owner. It's unfortunate, but many snakes end up on Craigslist because they're not being taken care of properly, and if you're new to snakes, you might not see some of the subtle signs of illness. Reptiles are way too good at hiding their problems until it's too late. A breeder's snake will cost a little more, but just like with any animal, it should be worth it. And even one of the fancier color morphs is usually less expensive than a parrot!

Our BP, Darth Batman, is a pastel from www.royalconstrictordesigns.com/ (Garrick is awesome; you can totally trust him with shipping a healthy animal.)



This is a good reminder to me to get new photos of how big he's gotten!

[katt]

Jul 1, 2011 18:36:02 GMT -5 @kerit said:

It's unfortunate, but many snakes end up on Craigslist because they're not being taken care of properly, and if you're new to snakes, you might not see some of the subtle signs of illness. Reptiles are way too good at hiding their problems until it's too late.

Hmmm....very good point! And yeah - you think ferrets are good at hiding illness? Try reptiles! lol Luckily they are not quite as prone to 100 million diseases like ferrets are. Read into the common ailments ahead of time though to get an idea of signs you should watch for. Common things are blockages, mouth rot, bacterial infections, scale rot, and stuck shed (usually a fairly easy problem to remedy).

[Deleted]

And respiratory infections! Years ago my husband accepted a seven foot burmese python from someone trying to get rid of her... He named her "Kitty" and spent a year treating her for mites and an RI, including having to give her injections, and she still passed away. Once we bought a house we decided to get another snake, but I was absolutely opposed to getting one that could eventually grow big enough to eat the cats. We went to Garrick's to pick out Darth, and ended up coming home with the milksnake too... Snake math