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Reptile Care
So you’re in love with an iguana. He’s green, he’s scaly, and he . . . lives in a tank in your living room. You need all the information you can get to keep him
happy. And close encounters of the scaly kind require thought and planning beyond your average food bowl, water dish, and squeeze toy.
Universe in a closet
Two of the basic requirements in creating a home for your reptilian pal are heat and a reptile-friendly container. Aquariums, custom cages, and boxes of the
home-built type are all good places for your green friend to call home. The easiest (and cheapest) lining for the cages of many reptiles is newspaper-it’s easy to
change and easy to tell when it’s wet. Turtles need a more humid lining, such as soil mixed with peat moss. Geckos will like smooth aquarium stones in the bottom
of the cage. Snakes will appreciate rocks to facilitate shedding, and iguanas and snakes both will like a hardwood driftwood branch for climbing. All linings should
be changed regularly, with feces removed often.
"Hide boxes" (which function exactly as their name implies) provide a secure, out-of-sight place for rest and relaxation in your reptile’s home. A hide box should
be a shallow plastic container with a hole cut in the side and filled with one to two inches (depending on your friend’s size) of damp vermiculite or moss. Hide
boxes can double as nesting areas for some species-your veterinarian can tell you whether you’ll need one for yours.
The second component of building your pet’s personal universe is to create a sun-of sorts. Reptiles depend on the air temperature to maintain their body heat.
Room temperature is too cold for most reptiles, so you’ll need to warm the cage environment as well as provide hot spots for basking (see Your Own Personal
Sun). Most temperate (as opposed to desert or tropical) reptiles will appreciate air that’s 75 to 80 degrees Farenheit, and the only way to be sure you are
providing adequate heat is to use a thermometer-preferably of the digital, indoor/outdoor, minimum/maximum type.
But regulating the temperature of your reptilian companion’s environment means walking a fine line in determining their needs. If given the chance, reptiles will
actually burn themselves when on, under, or around a direct heat source. Keep heat sources out of the cage if possible, and never place a cage or aquarium in
direct sunlight without shade. In just ten minutes your friendly, fur-challenged friend can go from happy to heatstroke. And if your heat source must be in the
cage, bear in mind that if it’s too hot to rest your hand on, it’s definitely too hot for Iggy.
Water, water everywhere
Denizens of desert, tropic, and temperate environments alike need water, and plenty of it, to survive. In addition to drinking it, some need to periodically soak to
keep their scaly bodies sufficiently moist. Ensure that your reptile’s personal swimming area is shallow enough that he won’t drown and that it is kept clean from
food residue and feces. The cage itself should have a relative humidity of 50 percent for desert species, 60-75 percent for temperate species, and 80-90
percent for tropical species. Some parts of the country are humid enough that additional humidity isn’t necessary. If you do need to create a little rain, misting the
cage, or damp moss or vermiculite in the hide box should do the trick. With any method of humidifying, good air circulation is always important, and ultrasonic
humidifiers allow less bacteria buildup than those of the steam variety.
Big bad Salmonella
You know you can get Salmonella from raw chicken or eggs, but a lesser-known fact is that most (if not all) reptiles are carriers of the bacteria. Salmonella is
easily spread through bathtubs, hands, carpet, and clothing. For safety’s sake your green pets should not be allowed to roam free. In most people, Salmonella
exposure causes no problems, but in certain cases it can be quite dangerous-even fatal. People at serious risk for Salmonella include children under age five
(especially infants), pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Always wash your hands after handling your reptile, and do not eat or put
anything into your mouth while handling your pet. That also means that reptiles should be kept out of the kitchen, and kitchen sinks or infant bathing areas
should not be used to bathe reptiles, their cages, or their dishes.
The doctor is in
An annual checkup allows your veterinarian to monitor your reptile for chronic nutritional deficiencies, one of the most common problems facing our green friends
in captivity. Ensure that your reptile’s diet is well-balanced and varied, and check with the doctor for specifics on feeding. Your veterinarian can also advise you
on hibernation-many temperate snakes and turtles have a natural inclination to take a long winter’s nap. Usually this requires a gradual reduction of food,
seclusion in a darkened, cool area, and monitoring on your part to ensure your pet’s metabolism is low enough that he is not slowly starving to death.
Your own personal sun
No matter what the housing situation you set up for your reptile, you will need to create heat. Here are several options.
Space heaters---Warm the entire room or closet.
Hot tape, heating pads---Provide localized spots of heat. Be careful reptiles are not allowed to come in direct contact with these, as they will burn the skin.
Incandescent or infrared light bulbs---Especially appropriate for reptiles that bask in the sun. Mount in the center of the ceiling and away from the sides, or
even outside of the cage. Continuous light exposure can be stressful, so use infrared, red, or blue lights at night (even these should be mounted away from the
reptile’s reach).
Hot rocks, sizzle stones---Not generally recommended, as they do not warm the air and may cause your reptile to spend all its time on the rock, burning itself.
So you’re in love with an iguana. He’s green, he’s scaly, and he . . . lives in a tank in your living room. You need all the information you can get to keep him
happy. And close encounters of the scaly kind require thought and planning beyond your average food bowl, water dish, and squeeze toy.
Universe in a closet
Two of the basic requirements in creating a home for your reptilian pal are heat and a reptile-friendly container. Aquariums, custom cages, and boxes of the
home-built type are all good places for your green friend to call home. The easiest (and cheapest) lining for the cages of many reptiles is newspaper-it’s easy to
change and easy to tell when it’s wet. Turtles need a more humid lining, such as soil mixed with peat moss. Geckos will like smooth aquarium stones in the bottom
of the cage. Snakes will appreciate rocks to facilitate shedding, and iguanas and snakes both will like a hardwood driftwood branch for climbing. All linings should
be changed regularly, with feces removed often.
"Hide boxes" (which function exactly as their name implies) provide a secure, out-of-sight place for rest and relaxation in your reptile’s home. A hide box should
be a shallow plastic container with a hole cut in the side and filled with one to two inches (depending on your friend’s size) of damp vermiculite or moss. Hide
boxes can double as nesting areas for some species-your veterinarian can tell you whether you’ll need one for yours.
The second component of building your pet’s personal universe is to create a sun-of sorts. Reptiles depend on the air temperature to maintain their body heat.
Room temperature is too cold for most reptiles, so you’ll need to warm the cage environment as well as provide hot spots for basking (see Your Own Personal
Sun). Most temperate (as opposed to desert or tropical) reptiles will appreciate air that’s 75 to 80 degrees Farenheit, and the only way to be sure you are
providing adequate heat is to use a thermometer-preferably of the digital, indoor/outdoor, minimum/maximum type.
But regulating the temperature of your reptilian companion’s environment means walking a fine line in determining their needs. If given the chance, reptiles will
actually burn themselves when on, under, or around a direct heat source. Keep heat sources out of the cage if possible, and never place a cage or aquarium in
direct sunlight without shade. In just ten minutes your friendly, fur-challenged friend can go from happy to heatstroke. And if your heat source must be in the
cage, bear in mind that if it’s too hot to rest your hand on, it’s definitely too hot for Iggy.
Water, water everywhere
Denizens of desert, tropic, and temperate environments alike need water, and plenty of it, to survive. In addition to drinking it, some need to periodically soak to
keep their scaly bodies sufficiently moist. Ensure that your reptile’s personal swimming area is shallow enough that he won’t drown and that it is kept clean from
food residue and feces. The cage itself should have a relative humidity of 50 percent for desert species, 60-75 percent for temperate species, and 80-90
percent for tropical species. Some parts of the country are humid enough that additional humidity isn’t necessary. If you do need to create a little rain, misting the
cage, or damp moss or vermiculite in the hide box should do the trick. With any method of humidifying, good air circulation is always important, and ultrasonic
humidifiers allow less bacteria buildup than those of the steam variety.
Big bad Salmonella
You know you can get Salmonella from raw chicken or eggs, but a lesser-known fact is that most (if not all) reptiles are carriers of the bacteria. Salmonella is
easily spread through bathtubs, hands, carpet, and clothing. For safety’s sake your green pets should not be allowed to roam free. In most people, Salmonella
exposure causes no problems, but in certain cases it can be quite dangerous-even fatal. People at serious risk for Salmonella include children under age five
(especially infants), pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Always wash your hands after handling your reptile, and do not eat or put
anything into your mouth while handling your pet. That also means that reptiles should be kept out of the kitchen, and kitchen sinks or infant bathing areas
should not be used to bathe reptiles, their cages, or their dishes.
The doctor is in
An annual checkup allows your veterinarian to monitor your reptile for chronic nutritional deficiencies, one of the most common problems facing our green friends
in captivity. Ensure that your reptile’s diet is well-balanced and varied, and check with the doctor for specifics on feeding. Your veterinarian can also advise you
on hibernation-many temperate snakes and turtles have a natural inclination to take a long winter’s nap. Usually this requires a gradual reduction of food,
seclusion in a darkened, cool area, and monitoring on your part to ensure your pet’s metabolism is low enough that he is not slowly starving to death.
Your own personal sun
No matter what the housing situation you set up for your reptile, you will need to create heat. Here are several options.
Space heaters---Warm the entire room or closet.
Hot tape, heating pads---Provide localized spots of heat. Be careful reptiles are not allowed to come in direct contact with these, as they will burn the skin.
Incandescent or infrared light bulbs---Especially appropriate for reptiles that bask in the sun. Mount in the center of the ceiling and away from the sides, or
even outside of the cage. Continuous light exposure can be stressful, so use infrared, red, or blue lights at night (even these should be mounted away from the
reptile’s reach).
Hot rocks, sizzle stones---Not generally recommended, as they do not warm the air and may cause your reptile to spend all its time on the rock, burning itself.
Supplies Needed
- A glass aquarium – shallow, minimum size of 40 gallons. You can also make your own cage out of plywood and concrete. The bigger the home, the
better. Walls should be high enough so that your turtle can’t crawl out. If the walls are high enough, no lid is needed. - Line bottom of cage with bedding material like large wood chips mixed with peat moss or sand and soil mixture. This is called humid substrate. Drier
substrates can cause a turtle’s skin to crack. - A “hide box” and/or drifts of alfalfa hay to burrow in. Turtles like to be alone sometimes.
- A 75 to 100 watt incandescent bulb with a reflector at one end of the cage. Like all reptiles turtles need light to warm themselves. Lighting should be
direct. It should not pass through glass. - An easy-to-clean, shallow water dish, big enough for the turtle to get in. The bowl must be in the cage at all times. Make sure it’s shallow. Box turtles can
drown in deep water. - Keep the Cage Clean
- Clean waste material out of the bedding (or substrates) once a week
- Clean the water bowl daily
- Once a month, clean the entire cage. Remove the turtle. Clean all items and tank, using ammonia-free dish washing soap mixed with a few drops of
bleach. Make sure there is no film left on the tank. Bleach and soap film can hurt turtles. - The Right Temperature
- The cage should be no colder than 70-75 degrees at night
- Gradually warm the cage to 85-88 degrees during the day
- A 75 to 100 watt incandescent bulb at one end of the cage can provide a warm basking area for the turtle. Like all reptiles, turtles need light to warm
themselves. - A temperature gradient during the day should be provided with one side of the enclosure at 75 degrees, with the other side ranging to 88 degrees as a
basking area - When to Feed Your Turtle
- Adult turtles need to eat 3 or more times a week
- Young turtles must eat daily
- Feed turtles in the morning
- What to Feed Your Turtle
- Like people, turtles need a mixture of foods. Wash and chop or shave all fruits and vegetables. To make sure your pet eats vegetables, mix them in with
other foods. Young turtles should have a diet comprised of 50-75% protein. For adult turtles, protein should be less than or equal to 10-20% of the total
food volume.
The Right Mix of Foods
Some protein favorites:
- Earthworms
- Crickets
- Grasshoppers
- Cicadas
- Slugs
- Snails
- Whole-skinned chopped mice
- Baby mice (pinkies)
- High quality canned dog food (i.e. low fat, chicken based food)
- Mashed/soaked monkey chow
- Some favorite fruits:
- Tomatoes
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Apples (remove seeds)
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plumbs
- Oranges
- Nectarines
- Figs
- Melons (remove seeds)
- Bananas
- Mangoes
- Grapefruit
- Some favorite vegetables:
- Dark leafy greens
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Spinach
- Red leaf or romaine lettuce
- Dandelions (leaves, stems and flowers)
- Bok choy
- Pak choi
- Broccoli rabe
- Squashes (steam them to make them easier to chop – don’t boil)
- Sweet potatoes
- Carrots (shaved, not chopped)
- Mushrooms
Vitamins for Turtles
Box turtles need vitamin A. Some foods with vitamin A:
- Yellow or dark orange vegetables
- Dark leafy greens
- Lightly dust food twice weekly with calcium carbonate, lactate, citrate or gluconate
- Every 2-4 weeks, lightly dust food with multivitamins, but only if vitamin fortified foods aren’t eaten.
Full spectrum – or direct – lighting is required to metabolize Vitamin D3 and prevent calcium deficiencies. In order to be effective, UV light cannot pass through
glass. Full spectrum lighting is recommended 12-14 hours per day in addition to incandescent light/heat sources.
If You Have a Box Turtle that Won’t Eat, Try This:
- Feed him/her red, yellow and orange foods, as well as live animals
- Feed them when they’re most active – in the early morning or late afternoon
- Mist the cage with water before feeding them. Rainstorms make box turtles more active.
Your pet should see a veterinarian once a year and when you think it might be sick
How to Tell if Your Turtle is Sick
- Behavior or eating changes for more than 2 weeks
- Whitish or grayish areas on water turtles, either on shell or skin
- A soft shell
- A dry, flaky shell
- Dry, flaky or see through skin
- Spots on shell or skin
- Red tinge in shell or skin
- Nasal discharge
- Swellings or lumps especially over the ear
- Foam or discharge from sides of mouth
American box turtles can be beautiful and personable pets, and with the proper care, can become lifelong companions. The best advice we can give you is to
talk with your veterinarian to make sure you’re providing your pet with the best possible conditions and care to ensure a long, happy and healthy life.
Caring for Your Snake
There are many types of snakes. Ask your veterinarian what type of snake is right for you.
Supplies Needed
In general, temperatures should range from 60 degrees at night to 90 degrees in a basking spot during the day. But temperature range will vary among species.
Keep the Cage Clean
Never Keep a Wild Snake
Buy a “captive-bred snake”
Popular pet snakes include corn snakes, rat snakes and king snakes
Your pet should see a veterinarian at least once a year for an annual exam. Also take your pet to your veterinarian as soon as you think it might be sick.
How to Tell if Your Snake is Sick
Some signs that your snake may be sick:
There are many types of snakes. Ask your veterinarian what type of snake is right for you.
Supplies Needed
- A glass aquarium with a lid that’s big enough for your snake to move around. Place a brick or books on top to secure the lid.
- A “hide box” (snakes like to be alone sometimes)
- A heat lamp at one end of the tank (like all reptiles, snakes need heat to warm themselves
- A dish of fresh water
- Line aquarium with newspaper, paper towel or shredded bark (from pet stores)
- Feeding Your Snake
- These are general rules for feeding your snake, ask your veterinarian what’s right for your type of snake.
- Most snakes eat once a week
- Feed your snake pre-killed food from a pet store
- Offer thawed mice/rats/rabbits, depending on the size of your snake
- The Right Temperature
- Place a thermometer at each end of the enclosure and use something to measure humidity. Your veterinarian can help you determine the correct
temperature range and humidity level for your type of snake.
In general, temperatures should range from 60 degrees at night to 90 degrees in a basking spot during the day. But temperature range will vary among species.
Keep the Cage Clean
- Keep your snake’s aquarium dry and clean at all times
- Change lining daily and wipe up any spills
- Wipe the aquarium down once a week with water combined with a small amount of vinegar
- Clean the entire cage once a month. Remove the snake. Clean all items and tank, using ammonia-free dish washing soap mixed with a few drops of
bleach. Make sure there is no soap film or bleach left on the tank, as these can kill a snake. - Wash hands with unscented anti-bacterial soap before and after holding your pet
Never Keep a Wild Snake
Buy a “captive-bred snake”
Popular pet snakes include corn snakes, rat snakes and king snakes
Your pet should see a veterinarian at least once a year for an annual exam. Also take your pet to your veterinarian as soon as you think it might be sick.
How to Tell if Your Snake is Sick
Some signs that your snake may be sick:
- Hiding for long periods of time
- Not eating
- Shedding skin in pieces
- Bubbles around the mouth
- Opening his/her mouth to breathe
- But there are other signs as well. Call your veterinarian immediately if your snake seems to be acting differently.
Caring for Your Box Turtle
Important: Turtles carry a disease called Salmonella. Always wash your hands thoroughly after holding a turtle or
cleaning your turtle’s cage. The sale of Turtles has been banned in some states.
Other Types of Turtles
There are many different types of turtles/tortoises. Ask your veterinarian what supplies, cage, temperature and
food are right for your type of pet.
Important: Turtles carry a disease called Salmonella. Always wash your hands thoroughly after holding a turtle or
cleaning your turtle’s cage. The sale of Turtles has been banned in some states.
Other Types of Turtles
There are many different types of turtles/tortoises. Ask your veterinarian what supplies, cage, temperature and
food are right for your type of pet.
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