A RED EARED SLIDER Will Make An Excellent Pet

There are various freshwater turtle species in the world, but probably none are as well renowned as the red eared sliders. Sliders make an adorable pet, seeking plenty of attention. There are some serious cleanliness measures that should be taken into consideration while nurturing a red eared slider. These measures are as follows:

A closer look at the head of red-eared slider. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

                 

How to distinguish a male and a female red eared slider?

The differences between the male and female red eared slider are fairly distinct, however, they do not become too obvious until the slider reaches sexual maturity. Male red eared sliders reaches sexual maturity in 2 to 5 years, conversely, female red eared sliders reach their sexual maturity in 5 to 7 years. Male sliders can be distinguished from their claws on front feet, which are not present in the females. Furthermore, another trait differentiating male and female slider is their tail. The tail of male slider is longer and thicker. The cloaca in males is located farther from their body with males having somewhat concave plastron.

Tank water and your red eared slider

Red eared sliders spend plenty of time in water, therefore, it is highly recommended that the water they live in is clean. Keeping water clean may sound an ordinary task, however, the reality is slightly different. It is obvious that sliders also defecate in their water. Due to defecation, the tank becomes smelly and cloudy making the cleanliness measures challenging.

In a nut shell, water quality maintenance measures include removing wastes along with instituting colonies of healthy bacteria that will collapse waste products. Ways in which you can do this are as follows:

Measure the quality of water

It is essential to check the levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in the water. Excess of any of these can be irritating and harmful for the turtles. You must purchase test kits for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates from the pet stores. The directions to use them are printed at the back of the kit. High levels of the three requires a complete water change, however, moderate level requires frequent partial water change.

Chlorinated or Dechlorinated Water?

This is subject to conflicting opinions. However, it is suggested to dechlorinate water by using water conditioners. Chlorine can be irritating to your pet, especially to their eyes. If you live in a city where chloramines are used to treat the drinking water, then you must buy a water conditioner that is labeled to remove chlorine, chloramines and ammonia (a by-product of the deactivation of chloramines).

What option of filtration you prefer?  

The ideal filter for red eared sliders is the one rated for 2-3 times the size of the sliders tank. There are many filtration levels available in the market such as, biological filtration, chemical filtration and mechanical filtration.

‘Red Eared Slider Secrets’ by Chris Johnson is book that includes everything about red eared turtles. If you are looking forward to provide your new friend a comfortable and loving home then you should have this handy book with you.

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REPTILE Diseases

Dangers exist when keeping reptiles as pets, but not just as bites and scratches.  You can also contract salmonella disease from not washing your hands after coming into contact with the feces or urine or touching something that has.  It's important to keep your hands away from your face, food, or food preparation areas or utensils until you've properly washed and disinfected your hands.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Salmonella can be transferred to your countertops from the reptile's feet, so allowing the little bugger to walk on in your kitchen, on your dining table, or even near your toothbrush is inadvisable.  Mild infection of salmonella includes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.  More severe infection happens if the germs travel to the bloodstream, bone marrow, or nervous system.

Other diseases that can be passed to you from reptiles are toxoplasmosis, Lyme disease, rabies, or chronic fatigue syndrome.  These diseases are known as zoonotic diseases, those which can be passed from animal to animal or animal to human.  It is important to understand that reptiles are not the only animals that transmit these diseases, so there's no need to panic just because you weren't aware of them before you bought the reptile.  Lyme disease is passed by tick bites, and you can get ticks from walking through tall grass!

Proper handling of your reptile is the most important issue to keep diseases from being passed to you or your loved ones.  So, make sure you educate your children on the importance of proper handling and hand washing.  If you aren't sure they are old enough to understand, it is best if you keep the reptile away from the child's reach at all times.  The temptation of touching the reptile or putting their hands in the cage just might be too much for them to resist.

Besides the risk of diseases being transferred to humans, the reptiles themselves can suffer from several diseases.  Mites, ticks, worms, rickets, osteoporosis, fungal diseases, bacterial diseases, anemia, depression, or anorexia are just a few.  There's also a disease known to attack lizards called metabolic bone disease.  It's very painful for the reptile and is often caused by lack of calcium.  Improper ultraviolet radiation also causes the reptile problems because of the inability to release vitamin D3, which enables proper absorption of calcium.  The symptoms of this disease are brittle bones, swollen jaws, swollen legs, recessed jaws, and no energy.  Just imagine how horrible it must feel!

Other problems reptiles can encounter are mouth rot, skin disease from improper shedding, organ bleeding from an overdose of vitamins, colds, and respiratory infections.  Central nervous systems can suffer with vitamin B1 deficiency.  A female reptile can acquire overloaded ovaries or post ovulatory eggs, which could require surgery.

This is why you must take your animal's welfare seriously.  If you are well-armed with knowledge on how to care for it, the chances of it contracting or becoming worse from disease is much reduced.  Of course, you have much less control over something the reptile may have had prior to your care.  This is where it will help to have some background on the history of the pet shop where you decide to purchase.  It also helps to know what to look for to spot some problems before you purchase!

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IGUANA Facts - What a Newbie Needs to Know

If this is the first time that you'll be caring for an iguana, then it's probably best to acquaint yourself with the anatomy and basic behaviors of an iguana. By educating yourself, it will be easier to tell when there's something wrong with your new pet reptile. These are a few basic iguana facts you should know.

Adult male iguana (Iguana iguana) in Morikami Gardens, Delray Beach, Florida
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Iguanas Require Heat and UV Light

Iguanas are reptiles and, therefore, they need a consistent supply of heat and Ultra violet rays to stay healthy. Iguanas won't be able to function in habitat with a temperature which is lower than 79 degrees.

Ultra violet rays are necessary so the iguana is able to metabolize calcium and other minerals. Without Ultra violet rays, your iguana will probably experience bone mineral disorders that frequently result in their death.

Iguana Behavioral Characteristics

Iguanas can seem to be threatened fairly easily, and when you don't observe their mannerisms and behavior closely enough you may get bitten or hit by its massive tail. Unlike cats and dogs, iguanas will not vocalize a lot before biting, so be careful particularly if the iguana hasn't been fully tamed.

When you first bring your new pet home do not over handle him or overexpose him to strangers. 

It will take a few weeks to gradually acclimate him to his new environment. Once he is comfortable in his new surrounding, begin to socialize him gradually and the bonding process will go much better.

The dewlap, or the large wad of skin beneath the iguana's jowls, is additionally used to communicate. In the wild, an iguana may raise its head to extend the dewlap to signal a basic "Hello" to members of its own species.

An extended dewlap may also mean that it is attempting to protect its territory from the human owner or from other iguanas. During mating season an extended dewlap may mean "I desire to mate". This only applies should there be female iguanas in the same enclosure, and it's mating season.

If your iguana has been tamed, and is used to your presence, an extended dewlap may signify it is just a little drafty and it's making an attempt to make itself feel warmer.

Iguana Mannerisms

Head Bobbing: I am the man of the house?

Head Bobbing: (to owner) "Howdy Mate!"

Head Bobbing: (fast, laterally then up and down) I'm threatened do not go near me!

Tongue Flicking: Just exploring the air. Possibly eating something.

Tongue Flicking: I'm about to take a bite from something.

Sneezing: I'm purging my system of something.

Tail Whipping: I'm planning to attack.?

Squirming Around: I do not like being held.

Head and Front Legs Stretching: I feel great and I feel good!

Iguana Anatomy

Just like other reptiles, your iguana has a set of eyes that have evolved to scan the environment for food and potential predators. It has a pair of ears that are protected by a fairly wide element of skin called the subtympanic shield.

The iguana also forms spines along its back; these pliable spines are called the caudal spines and, as time passes, these grow in length and become harder. Iguanas also have a flap of skin under their lower jaw known as the dewlap.

Iguanas are herbivorous (they are nourished by plants only), so they are equipped with small, yet very sharp, teeth that are designed to tear apart fibrous plant matter. Be cautious when bringing your hands near the iguana's mouth, because those teeth can cause serious tears in your skin. If you look closely at the top of the iguana's head, you will observe a prominent, light patch of scale.

This is called the parietal eye, or third eye. The iguana uses its third eye to detect changes in light in a given area. It is thought this primordial eye is also used to detect flying predators, hence the iguana can make a run for cover before becoming another animal's lunch or dinner.

It is essential to learn about iguana behavior and mannerisms. The basic facts discussed in the article should help to decipher your iguana's moods. Don't forget that no two iguanas are exactly alike so you must also learn the personality of your new pet. Ask questions and gather as much information as possible to ensure that your iguana is long lived well cared for.

By Samuel Boothe Sam Boothe has been keeping reptiles since childhood. Learn more about iguanas and iguana care at http://iguanacare-site.com to ensure your new pet lives a long and happy life. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Guidelines on What to Feed a LEOPARD GECKO

One of the most important factors in the health and well being of your Leopard Gecko is a healthy diet. Leopard Geckos are insectivores, they prey on insects, such as spiders, moths, mosquitoes, and worms.

Adult geckos can be fed live prey every other day while baby leopard geckos should be fed daily. This is not always the case, but it is a pretty good rule of thumb.

Eublepharis macularius1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You can also feed your gecko crickets, but when giving a gecko crickets as prey, you need to make sure that you use crickets that are small enough for your gecko to hunt.

Two appropriately sized mealworms for each inch of the geckos length is a good amount. but you can treat your pet to waxworms or superworms once a week. Although some geckos have been known to have a sweet tooth and enjoy eating fresh fruit or even honey. They should be given live insects that are small enough for the gecko to deal with.

You can feed your gecko anywhere from 4 to 8 crickets at one time, depending on the size of your gecko and the size of the crickets. If the crickets aren't eaten within a couple of hours they should be removed and used for the next feeding, so that they don't cause your gecko any unnecessary stress. It is normal for geckos to eat the skin that they shed, so they may not always need the same amount of food for each feeding.

Super-worms, mealworms or anything else that can be contained in a dish can be left within the cage without putting the gecko in any danger.

If you wish, as a treat you can offer your adult gecko an occasional tiny pinkie mouse. One that is only a few days old will be little enough for a fully grown gecko to manage. In fact, pinkie mice are a wonderful choice to offer breeding females.

Wax-worms are also a good treat for your gecko however, because wax-worms can become additive for geckos, they should only be given sparingly. Even though geckos love wax-worms, they are very fattening and generally unhealthy for geckos.

The prey that you offer your pet should be no larger than half the width of your gecko's head, this will ensure that your gecko doesn't choke on it.

The skin that the gecko sheds, and then eats, does help to provide them with protein and other healthy nutrients.

One of the best ways of keeping your leopard gecko healthy in regards to feeding it, is to gut-load your geckos prey 24 hours prior to feeding it to them. Gut-loading is feeding the crickets or other insects a highly nutritious, high quality meal prior to feeding them to your gecko.

Offering your gecko a healthier insect in turn makes a healthier gecko. You can buy a feed the insects things like chick or hog mash, fruits, vegetables and grains. They also make and sell products that come in a powdered form and can be fed to the prey. Along with gut-loading, you can offer your gecko calcium and vitamin supplements by sprinkling the prey with powdered supplements prior to feeding them to your gecko.

Calcium and vitamins supplements are very important to the overall health of your leopard gecko. Dusting the prey does run the slight risk of the cricket cleaning it off or even getting the dust in your geckos eyes. So, gut-loading and leaving the powder in a lid might be best.

Dusting is also a good way to enrich the diet of baby leopard geckos and breeding females.

Water should also be given to your gecko and kept fresh at all times. Stagnant water is a breeding ground for bacteria which can lead to illness in your gecko so the water should be changed frequently.

By Debbie S Miller Debbie Miller is a pet lover and leopard gecko expert. Article Source: EzineArticles

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