LIZARD BASICS
The fascinating hobby of lizard keeping
will provide you and your family with
years of enjoyment and educational experiences.
The ongoing popularity of dinosaurs
and the Jurrasic experience has mesmerized all
of us and lizard keeping has become a miniaturized
version which we can all enjoy together
daily in a wonderful family pastime. With
your enjoyment comes the responsibility to
understand the needs of your pet and how to
properly care for it.
All lizards are reptiles, have dry, scaly
skin, are cold blooded, and have claws on their
feet. Their natural habitats range from the rain
forests and jungles of the tropics to the
parched and arid areas of the world. Lizard
keeping is becoming very popular because of
their small space requirements and easy maintenance.
Many factors influence your lizard’s health
and well-being such as light, heat, humidity,
stress, nutrition and hydration. Therefore, it is
very important to understand where and how
lizards exist naturally in the wild.
Generally speaking, lizard keeping is divided
into two broad groups. There are lizards
requiring a dry desert-like environment and
those requiring more of a tropical environment.
Be sure to check with your pet retailer
for your lizard’s specific environmental
requirements. You should also ask for recommendations
on good books or other reference
materials on the specific species you have.
Basic Items for Your Lizard
• Housing enclosure at least twice as long as animalScreen tops and clipsSubstrate appropriate for species • • • • • • • • • • heater, lamps) • Maintenance & Care The lizards home should be spot cleaned daily by removing any droppings while “checking the furniture”. Weekly maintenance should include thoroughly cleaning the branches and rocks, turning the substrate, removing any large clumps, wiping down the glass, changing the newspaper etc. All lizards should be handled with care and with adult supervision, because sudden movements may shock a lizard causing him to run for cover too quickly, resulting in serious injury including the loss of their tail. It is always important to wash your hands with an anti-bacterial soap after handling your lizard. The information provided is designed to give you a good start only and being a basic guide, it is not intended to replace your professional veterinarian, local reptile expert, or excellent books available by renowned authors which provide more in depth information on specific lizard species. Also, check the Internet for many valuable web sites that contain additional information. Basic Snake Care
It is presumed that most people initially
select a snake as a pet because they are
unusual. However, snake-keeping as a hobby
has several attributes. Snakes do not require
frequent attention. They are relatively hardy
and are clean, odorless and quiet.
You will also find that this exciting, educational
hobby requires a limited amount of special
equipment for proper care and handling.
But it is very important to understand that the
proper care of snakes can never be generalized
and certain species require very specialized
handling. There are many species readily
available to the pet hobby and various species
occupy different habitats including fields,
marshes, meadows, tropical forests and deserts
and it is necessary to replicate the snakes natural
environment as close as possible in order
to provide optimum care.
In recent years the captive breeding of
many preferred species has been perfected and
captive reared specimens are available on a
seasonal basis however there are still many
others that are field collected throughout the
world.
General Care
It is easy to see that it is very important to check
with your pet retailer for your snake’s specific
dietary, environmental and heat requirements. The
frequency of feedings also differs with each
species being kept.
Some snakes enjoy being handled and some
don’t. There is a right way in handling and several
wrong ways.
Snakes shed their outer skin layer as they grow.
Before each shed, your snake will turn a milky
color. Do not handle him before or during a shed.
In order to help it shed, provide the snake with a
rough rock or branches and fresh soaking water.
The information provided is designed to give
you the basic information in knowing what is generally
required in keeping a snake as a pet. Being a
basic guide, it is not intended to replace your veterinarian
or local reptile expert. There are several
excellent books available written by renowned
authors which provide more in depth information
on a particular species of snake.
The substrate should be removed and cleaned
when soiled. Periodically, the cage and the props
used for climbing or hiding should be removed and
cleaned with a diluted chlorine bleach and water solution
at least once every two weeks..
Housing
Aquariums, with a lock-on screen covers, are
ideal enclosures for your snake. They will
retain the heat that cold-blooded animals need,
in addition to providing maximum visibility
and adequate ventilation. Snakes utilize both
vertical and horizontal surfaces and should be
provided sufficient space for them to stretch
out and move freely within its enclosure. An
aquarium that is longer and deeper than it is tall is
best, unless you are planning to keep an arboreal
species such as a rough green snake, a ribbon
snake or a tree boa that require height for climbing.
Avoid wire along side walls of an enclosure
because snakes may strike at the wire or rub
against it and cause damage to its face or skin.
Screen covers absolutely necessary to make
sure the screen cover is designed for security.
Snakes are escape artists and can climb up glass
walls, push open covers and squeeze through the
smallest openings. There are other more elaborate
custom designed reptile enclosures available with
molded sides and tops and sliding glass fronts. In
all cases, make sure that the enclosure has adequate
locking systems to prevent escape.
•
Housing enclosure•
or other security system to
prevent escape
Lock-on screen cover•
Substrate materials•
Heat lamp•
Under tank heater•
Hiding place•
Heavy branches•
Environment
or as elaborate as you like as long as it conforms to
a few basic needs. No matter the species, a clean
and dry environment are perhaps the two most
important ingredients in maintaining a healthy
snake and the interior should be designed with this
in mind. Even water snakes, garters, and other
species from high humidity micro-climates must
have a dry space within the enclosure.
A simple enclosure can contain nothing more
than a newspaper substrate, a heavy water dish sufficient
in size for drinking and soaking and a hiding
place. On the other hand, if you want to create a
striking natural environment you may include either
cypress bark, aspen shavings, silica sand, stones &
rocks and dry leaves. All of the above depends on
the specific species and your willingness to go that
extra mile in daily and weekly cleaning.
Branches and other climbing devices should be
securely anchored and strong enough to hold the snake.
Other accessories may include cleaned and treated
cork bark, driftwood, manzanita or grapevine branches,
logs and hollowed cholla branches. Since snakes are
secretive, a completely enclosed little hiding place is
also important. They enjoy coiling in a hiding place
that always seems barely big enough for them to fit
into.
Desert species prefer sand while burrowing species
like potting soil, leaf or litter.
Lighting is also extremely important for all reptiles.
Water bowl•
•
The interior of your snakes home can be as simpleTemperature
Most snakes require a constant ambient temperature
between
a slight temperature variation throughout the
enclosure. This can be achieved by the strategic placement
of an under aquarium heat pad and an incandescent
reptile light fixture with a spot light or ceramic
heater. By placing the hiding place in the cooler corner,
your snake can change his own micro-climate within its
environment as it desires.
Tropical species require slightly higher temperatures
ranging up to
75ºF and 85ºF. It is best, however, to provide85ºF in the basking area..Water
IMPORTANT:
Change it regularly.
A heavy, shallow water dish with fresh water is important
for drinking and soaking. If you cannot provide a
dish large enough for the snake to completely submerge
itself, it would be a good idea to allow for weekly
soakings in a special plastic container where he can
move about, soak, relax and shed its skin or relieve
itself if necessary. Some small or tropical species
enjoy drinking from artificial rainfalls in the form
of misting with a spray bottle.
Always keep the water clean and fresh.Diet
All snakes are carnivorous and in captivity they
are typically feed mice, rats, chicks, fish, eggs, red
worms, and crickets. Nightcrawlers and minnows
are fed to water snakes and garters. Live crickets,
earthworms, insects and caterpillars are fed to
green, decay and ringneck snakes. Hognose snakes
only eat toads while many desert species only eat
lizards. Other snakes, bird eggs and even birds are
other common diets of various species. The type
of feed and how often you feed will vary depending
on the age of the snake and the time of year.
Normally, snakes should be fed once every 1 to 2
weeks.
Remember, your snake’s jaw can expand which
will allow him to consume a rodent that is even
larger than the size of his head. Never feed a live
rodent to your snake! This is unnecessary and can
cause permanent scars or death.
Handling
When removing your snake from its enclosure,
you must get control of its head and provide support
for the rest if its body. Grasp the snake
behind the head near its jaw and support its body
with your arm or other hand. For larger snakes, it
may take more than one person to safely and properly
handle the snake. When placing your snake
in its enclosure, place the body in first and maintain
control of its head until you are ready to
remove your hand from the enclosure. Quickly
remove your hand and secure the enclosure.
WARNING: Always wash your hands with an antibacterial
soap after handling your snake to minimize
the likelihood that people handing reptiles will contract
Reptile-associated Salmonella.
Signs of Illness
Monitoring your snake’s appearance is important
and can often indicate signs of illness such as open
mouth breathing, wheezing, excess salvation,
swelling, nasal discharge, problems shedding,
refusing to eat, excess salvation, lesions or the
presence of parasites. When such signs surface, it
is important for you to contact a veterinarian to
treat your snake.
Snake Basics Care Pamphlet
Provided By PIJAC
Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council
Washington, DC
© 2003 Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council