Pre-purchase Research

1. Do research or study the specific species you want to purchase.

Diet; Natural habitat - Types of soil, rock, vegetation, amount of rain fall, and temperature ranges; Photo or light periods - need for UV light; etc.

2. Find a reputable breeder or Pet shop who really knows about reptiles.
3. Make sure to quarantine new arrivals for 1-2 months, get them examined and tested for parasites.

Housing
1. Temperatures: These are general parameters and you need to research each species that you purchase.

	Day	Night
Snakes	75-85F	70-75F
Lizards	80-90F	70-75F
Turtles	Same	Same

Tortoises and box turtles- natural sunlight in late spring to early fall.

Note: Drastic changes in Temp (<65F) can cause stress, decreased
digestion, vomiting, diarrhea and possible URI. Use multiple Temp strips throughout tank.

2. Heat sources: Never use a heat rock, esp. as a primary heat source because it won't heat up whole environment and can cause burns. These tend to overheat.

- Can shine a light on the rock for natural basking.

Primary heat is radiant - incandescent bulbs, flood lamps, and ceramic bulbs > 30" above tank.

-Can use 65-75 Watt bulbs.
-Don't use with arboreal spp. - can cause burns.
-Heating pad under tank - be careful of fire hazard.
-Direct sunlight is the best, but only in warm temps.

3. UV Light Needs: Again, these are generalities & you need to research.

Snakes - Optional
Turtles - Yes
Lizards - Yes, except leopard Geckos Tortoise - Yes

Note: Can use timers for overhead and UV lights with day light being white and night lights being ceramic, blue or red.

-Reptiles need light and dark cycles.
-Never put outside in an enclosed glass or plastic tanks d/t will cause the green house effect = will fry.

4. Cage Set Up

Size: Research requirements for each spp.. In general, cage size should be big enough to where animal can have some exercise and completely fit when they are fully extended.

Bedding: For snakes, lizards, and tortoises: Newspaper, Astroturf, and Paper towels work well. They are easy to clean, cheap and easily acquired. Use shredded paper, old T-shirts or towels for burrowing spp. Turtles - Have wet and easily accessed dry areas. Keep water clean and at a 70-75 degree Temp (may have spp variation).
- Do not use soil or sand because of bacterial lode and impaction risk.
Also don't use wood chips or corn cobs b/c can get lodged in mouth causing a stomatitis or a blockage in gut. Rough rocks or lava can cause injury during shedding. Large, flat, and smooth rocks are OK.

Cage Furniture:
-Branches need to be thick, solid, with texture for grip, and free of pitch, ooz, or toxic sap. Arrange to climbing ability of reptile. Do not use cherry tree branches - may be toxic. Can use disinfected drift wood.

-For snakes and some lizards, hiding places are important. Can use a box with a cut whole i.e. tissue box. Can also use plastic plants, and basking rocks, which will encourage natural behavior.

-For turtles, set up just like a fish tank, but use artificial plants and make sure that the turtle can easily get to a dry place.

5. Feeding/Diet:

-Goal is to keep healthy, but not obese.

Snakes: Any frozen food must be fully thawed before feeding. Most snakes will eat rodents, but there are exceptions….Ring Snakes will eat amphibians and earthworms and Garter and water snakes will eat gold fish. Tree snakes need to be teased.
-Do not feed live adult or sub-adult rodents. Live rodents may bite, wound or kill a snake that is not interested.
**Prey should be freshly killed or thawed.

Lizards:
Vegetarians can be fed washed, chopped and mixed leafy greens, (collards, mustard, radish, turnip greens or tops, kale, cabbage, dandelions (Green Iguana), and bok-choy), carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, thawed frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots, green beans, lima beans); alfalfa, radish, clover, bean sprouts, soaked alfalfa pellets, mushrooms, bell peppers, green beans, and okra.
Fruit choices (not > 15% of diet): Apples, pears, grapes, plums, oranges, nectarines, figs, melons (no seeds), bananas, and grape fruit.

** Recommended to give daily Vitamin/Mineral/Amino acid supp. and Ca/P supp. every other day. Do not feed a lot of broccoli or spinach- may cause thyroid disease.

Carnivores can be fed pinkies or very young - not fully furred rats/mice.
Can feed freshly killed adult mice or rats depending on size of lizard.
Juveniles (up to 2.5 yrs) should be fed once daily and adults (>2.5 yrs) are fed once or twice weekly. This is to prevent obesity.

Insectivores can be fed crickets (Should not be >50% of their diet - low in protein and Ca - need to feed a commercial cricket food 48 hrs to crickets before feeding them to your lizard), wild-caught insects and captive-raised insects: mealworms, King mealworms, wax worms, earthworms, cockroaches, flies, grasshoppers, field crickets, caterpillars, and silk worms. These need to be dusted daily with Vit/Min/AA and every other day with Ca/P.

Tortoises: Same as the vegetarian lizard.
Turtles: Feed hatchlings once a day and adults 1-3 times weekly with variety.

--Majority of diet: Whole animals such as earthworms, slugs, thawed frozen or fresh goldfish, guppies, trout, bait fish, and some smelt.
--Minority of diet: Trout, catfish or shrimp chow, pelleted fish food, Reptomin floating sticks (tetra), Tender vittles or Happy cat semi-moist cat food, Gaines burger semi-moist dog food, commercial turtle diets (not desiccated insects). Can also feed insects: crickets, wax worms, mealworms, flies, moths, and grasshoppers.

Box turtles are omnivorous and need to eat:

-50% High protein foods…Earthworms, crickets, grasshoppers, slugs, wax worms, mealworms, silk moth larvae, other insects, maintenance dry dog food, trout chow, whole skinned chopped
mice, mice pinkies, goldfish, pelleted parrot diets, monkey chow, and sardines.
-50% Plants (25% fruits and 75% vegetables)…Fruits: Tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, apples, grapes, peaches, pears, plums, oranges, nectarines, figs, melons (no seeds),bananas, grapefruit and mangos. Vegetables: Same as vegetarian lizard.

6. Water:

-Give fresh water daily.
-Methods include misting, spraying, or a water dish depending on spp.
-Dishes should have easy access and entry. Don't make too deep - can drown pet. Dish should be partially buried with very little lip exposed.
-Can put rocks inside bowl to allow reptile easy exit.
-Water contaminated with feces or urine should be changed immediately.
-Disinfect bowls once a week with a diluted (10:1) bleach solution.

Snakes:
-Most non-desert snakes need a bowl big enough for them to completely get into - helps with shedding. Make sure it's not too deep.
-Non-arboreal snakes should only be misted to aid in shedding.
Lizards:
-For most, a heavy, sturdy and shallow(1-2 inches deep) dish is sufficient.
-Arboreal spp. (Anols, Day Geckos, and Oldworld Chamelons) need a misting system to simulate rain. Can also use hand sprays or a drip method with a drip pan. Chameleons need to be sprayed or "rained on" daily. Geckos will drink from shallow dishes, but they can be sprayed too. Water should be at room temp or slightly warmer when spraying.
Tortoises:
-Same as non-arboreal lizards.
-Small or Juvenile tortoises should be soaked in shallow lukewarm water for 20-30 min twice a week to prevent constipation and blockage.

Note: For insectivores, water bowls should be partially filled with rocks that rise above the water line so no insects don't drown and rot or foul the water.

Sanitation

1. All food and water dishes should be cleaned daily.
2. Do not leave fresh food in for more than 12 hrs to prevent rotting.
3. Clean cages that have paper bedding every other day and those with Astroturf 1-2 times/week.
4. For aquatic reptiles, use a good underneath the gravel filter and keep algae growth to a minimum.
5. Disinfectants include: Diluted bleach soln (10:1), Chlorhexidine (Nolvasan), or Roccal soln.
6. Make sure to wash your hands after handling to decrease salmonella infection, especially with turtles.

Preventative Care

1. Thorough research on the reptile you chose.
2. Complete physical exam every six months by a Veterinarian who works with reptiles.
3. Can do yearly, biyearly or tri-yearly blood work ups.

When to call a Vet

1. Anorexia with juveniles snakes and turtles/tortoises for 3 weeks or greater. Adults can go for months.
-Chameleons, Geckos, and Iguanas, call if anorectic for >2 days.
2. Lethargic, losing wt., and if it looks like it's getting thin.
3. If any sneezing, wheezing, and foamy discharges from mouth or nose.
4. Any nonuse of limbs or inability to walk or move.
5. Anytime you have any doubt or question.