what are some starter reptiles for kids?
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i have a seven year old cousin that is browsing the market for a "starter reptile" does anyone know some cheap reptiles that kids can take care of? if you have any suggestions email me @ lillian.radford@yahoo.com or answer to this question..
Answer
The easiest way to cut costs for reptiles is by finding an animal which doesn't need live food (some geckos, turtles, newts, aquatic frogs), finding an animal which doesn't require heating and/or UVB lighting (some geckos, nocturnal lizards and frogs, newts and salamanders), or an animal which doesn't require any of those.
Crested Geckos: These guys are nocturnal and thrive at room temperatures of 65-80. They don't require live insects for feeding and will eat a powder mix called Crested Gecko Diet which can be found at many pet stores, reptile stores, and Amazon.com. Each gecko is different from another, even those from the same mother. For this reason, they are fairly expensive if purchased from someone who can properly assess their value (basically any store which is not a generic pet store). Babies are a lot cheaper since their colors haven't come in, but it's hard to find a good adult with more unusual coloration for under $100. However not everyone cares about the colors, so this place is a good place to buy if you don't: http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/animals/other-geckos/. It is important for this particular species to note that their tails DO NOT regrow if dropped. For this reason, it is best to keep them in one gecko per tank to minimize stress.
Gargoyle Geckos: Virtually the same care as Crested Geckos although they prefer live insects and will regrow their tails. They also have fewer color variations, really sticking more with dark blacks, grays, and browns than the orange, green, red, and yellow you can find with Crested Geckos. As a result, they're generally a little cheaper. They are however very hard to find at non-generic pet stores.
Leopard Geckos: Nocturnal, but they do require live insects and a higher temperature gradient (75-100). These are probably the easiest to handle as they don't move very fast. As a note, although they are called geckos, they cannot climb walls. For this reason, any tank for them should be long rather than tall (as is with Crested and Gargoyle), something which usually saves some money. They are also one of the few gecko species which will eat many types of worms such as mealworms and waxworms, but they also will not eat any fruit-based products. They also have lots of color morphs and variations, but it's a lot easier to find a "normal" one for under $50. These are the most common gecko at generic stores although it's easy to find them at good prices at reptile stores or reptile expos.
Bearded Dragons: Diurnal, they require UVB light and also need a high temperature gradient (80-110). They are pretty easily handled when they have been acclimated to the owner. Young ones are easy to find, but also incredibly heavy eaters, the recommended feeding amount being anywhere from 20-100 crickets per day just to stay on track with the standard growth curve. Adults should be fed a primarily vegetable diet which makes it easier, but many have to have been raised on vegetables as juveniles to acquire a taste and this is not always the case. They also require much larger tanks than any of the geckos, at least 50 gallons to be safe. A long tank is also preferable.
Salamander: This is pretty generic, but they tend to have the same care. Tiger and Fire are the most common, but they're nearly impossible to find at a generic and even hard to find at reptile stores or expos. These guys are very hardy (Fires can take temperatures down to 55) and also long-lived (they live for 50 years). Even though they are technically newts, they cannot swim, but do like a large water bowl to sit and soak in. They all require live foods, but not as much as a traditional lizard as they tend not to move very much, so they have low metabolisms and will get obese if you feed them too much. They do require much more moist habitats than other reptiles and amphibians because they breath through their skin. A salamander in the water bowl all day is a bad sign.
Newts: This is also pretty generic, but they're all similar as well. A fish tank setup works pretty well, but usually the water level can be lowered to half of the tank height or less. This usually depends on how high the water has to be on the filter for the filter to run. Newts are also very hardy (Spanish-Ribbed will take down to freezing) and are moderately long-lived (20-25 years). They do swim, so just providing a water bowl is not sufficient. They will eat the traditional newt pellets and sticks, although larger species may go for live fish and earthworms. The most common is the Fire-Bellied Newt or the Paddle-Tailed Newt, both of which are usually more common in generic pet stores than reptile stores because profit margins on both are very low.
The easiest way to cut costs for reptiles is by finding an animal which doesn't need live food (some geckos, turtles, newts, aquatic frogs), finding an animal which doesn't require heating and/or UVB lighting (some geckos, nocturnal lizards and frogs, newts and salamanders), or an animal which doesn't require any of those.
Crested Geckos: These guys are nocturnal and thrive at room temperatures of 65-80. They don't require live insects for feeding and will eat a powder mix called Crested Gecko Diet which can be found at many pet stores, reptile stores, and Amazon.com. Each gecko is different from another, even those from the same mother. For this reason, they are fairly expensive if purchased from someone who can properly assess their value (basically any store which is not a generic pet store). Babies are a lot cheaper since their colors haven't come in, but it's hard to find a good adult with more unusual coloration for under $100. However not everyone cares about the colors, so this place is a good place to buy if you don't: http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/animals/other-geckos/. It is important for this particular species to note that their tails DO NOT regrow if dropped. For this reason, it is best to keep them in one gecko per tank to minimize stress.
Gargoyle Geckos: Virtually the same care as Crested Geckos although they prefer live insects and will regrow their tails. They also have fewer color variations, really sticking more with dark blacks, grays, and browns than the orange, green, red, and yellow you can find with Crested Geckos. As a result, they're generally a little cheaper. They are however very hard to find at non-generic pet stores.
Leopard Geckos: Nocturnal, but they do require live insects and a higher temperature gradient (75-100). These are probably the easiest to handle as they don't move very fast. As a note, although they are called geckos, they cannot climb walls. For this reason, any tank for them should be long rather than tall (as is with Crested and Gargoyle), something which usually saves some money. They are also one of the few gecko species which will eat many types of worms such as mealworms and waxworms, but they also will not eat any fruit-based products. They also have lots of color morphs and variations, but it's a lot easier to find a "normal" one for under $50. These are the most common gecko at generic stores although it's easy to find them at good prices at reptile stores or reptile expos.
Bearded Dragons: Diurnal, they require UVB light and also need a high temperature gradient (80-110). They are pretty easily handled when they have been acclimated to the owner. Young ones are easy to find, but also incredibly heavy eaters, the recommended feeding amount being anywhere from 20-100 crickets per day just to stay on track with the standard growth curve. Adults should be fed a primarily vegetable diet which makes it easier, but many have to have been raised on vegetables as juveniles to acquire a taste and this is not always the case. They also require much larger tanks than any of the geckos, at least 50 gallons to be safe. A long tank is also preferable.
Salamander: This is pretty generic, but they tend to have the same care. Tiger and Fire are the most common, but they're nearly impossible to find at a generic and even hard to find at reptile stores or expos. These guys are very hardy (Fires can take temperatures down to 55) and also long-lived (they live for 50 years). Even though they are technically newts, they cannot swim, but do like a large water bowl to sit and soak in. They all require live foods, but not as much as a traditional lizard as they tend not to move very much, so they have low metabolisms and will get obese if you feed them too much. They do require much more moist habitats than other reptiles and amphibians because they breath through their skin. A salamander in the water bowl all day is a bad sign.
Newts: This is also pretty generic, but they're all similar as well. A fish tank setup works pretty well, but usually the water level can be lowered to half of the tank height or less. This usually depends on how high the water has to be on the filter for the filter to run. Newts are also very hardy (Spanish-Ribbed will take down to freezing) and are moderately long-lived (20-25 years). They do swim, so just providing a water bowl is not sufficient. They will eat the traditional newt pellets and sticks, although larger species may go for live fish and earthworms. The most common is the Fire-Bellied Newt or the Paddle-Tailed Newt, both of which are usually more common in generic pet stores than reptile stores because profit margins on both are very low.
Which is better, Corn Snake or Milk Snake?
Vertiigo
I have a ball python and I'm looking for another snake.
I want a docile snake with personality. Obviously snakes are wild animals, but which bite hurts less, or are they about the same?
Also, how much would a baby corn or a baby milk snake cost approximately, both as normal morphs?
Which one is easier to take care of and what would be needed in their terrarium? I live in a pretty dry area (Colorado).
Answer
Corn snake and milk snake care is nearly the same. I would say milk snakes are more likely to have cannibalistic tendencies, but snakes should be housed singularly anyway. They need a water bowl they can submerge in, an undertank heater (a heat emitter or lamp are optional. This depends on if the heat mat is enough to keep the tank at the right levels) two hides and things to climb on. The last is not required but they do enjoy it. Also have a good bedding. Both milks and corns LOVE to burrow. Aspen is my favorite for them.
This is funny, because of the four types of snakes I've kept, ball pythons, corns and kings are three of them. A corn snake bite will be the same as a king snake's. And I assume it's not bad. I've only been bitten by an adult 5 ft ball python, ironically. And their heads and teeth are bigger than a corn or milk's. ^_^ While I have been bitten by a young corn and a young, neglected king snake, neither broke the skin.
In terms of personality and calmness, I think king and milk snakes are easier startled than a corn snake. A young one is more likely to musk and false strike. So maybe just a little more high-strung. Overall, as they get used to you, the temperament of the two species is very similar. Very docile and easy to handle. I would recommend a reptile show if at all possible because you can handle different animals there and see how well they take to it. That's how I picked my newest addition: a young gopher snake who was "rattling" his tail but didn't strike, hiss or musk; calmed down fast and is doing awesome. :)
Baby normal corns cost as little as 10 bucks at reptile expos. I rarely see "normal" milk snakes. The lower priced morphs are around 30 bucks that I've seen, but it varies each month with different breeders.
I'll post care sheets for both to give you a basic look at what is involved with corns and milk snakes.
Milks and kings: http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/snakes/a/kingmilksnakes.htm
corns: http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/cornsnakes/a/cornsnakes.htm
It says 20 gallons is good for adults, but I prefer at least a 30 gallon minimum because these are more active snakes than ball pythons. They like to move around more. While most corn snakes stay in the range of 3-5 ft, look up specific lengths for subspecies of milks and kings. Some of them grow a lot larger than others.
I'd say you can't go wrong with either. I've had ball pythons I've taken in that have had feeding problems, etc. NEVER had either the corn or the rescue king turn down a meal or have any health problems. They are quite hardy snakes.
Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.
Corn snake and milk snake care is nearly the same. I would say milk snakes are more likely to have cannibalistic tendencies, but snakes should be housed singularly anyway. They need a water bowl they can submerge in, an undertank heater (a heat emitter or lamp are optional. This depends on if the heat mat is enough to keep the tank at the right levels) two hides and things to climb on. The last is not required but they do enjoy it. Also have a good bedding. Both milks and corns LOVE to burrow. Aspen is my favorite for them.
This is funny, because of the four types of snakes I've kept, ball pythons, corns and kings are three of them. A corn snake bite will be the same as a king snake's. And I assume it's not bad. I've only been bitten by an adult 5 ft ball python, ironically. And their heads and teeth are bigger than a corn or milk's. ^_^ While I have been bitten by a young corn and a young, neglected king snake, neither broke the skin.
In terms of personality and calmness, I think king and milk snakes are easier startled than a corn snake. A young one is more likely to musk and false strike. So maybe just a little more high-strung. Overall, as they get used to you, the temperament of the two species is very similar. Very docile and easy to handle. I would recommend a reptile show if at all possible because you can handle different animals there and see how well they take to it. That's how I picked my newest addition: a young gopher snake who was "rattling" his tail but didn't strike, hiss or musk; calmed down fast and is doing awesome. :)
Baby normal corns cost as little as 10 bucks at reptile expos. I rarely see "normal" milk snakes. The lower priced morphs are around 30 bucks that I've seen, but it varies each month with different breeders.
I'll post care sheets for both to give you a basic look at what is involved with corns and milk snakes.
Milks and kings: http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/snakes/a/kingmilksnakes.htm
corns: http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/cornsnakes/a/cornsnakes.htm
It says 20 gallons is good for adults, but I prefer at least a 30 gallon minimum because these are more active snakes than ball pythons. They like to move around more. While most corn snakes stay in the range of 3-5 ft, look up specific lengths for subspecies of milks and kings. Some of them grow a lot larger than others.
I'd say you can't go wrong with either. I've had ball pythons I've taken in that have had feeding problems, etc. NEVER had either the corn or the rescue king turn down a meal or have any health problems. They are quite hardy snakes.
Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.
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