Reptiles and amphibians are getting a lot of attention as pets. They are small, cheap, and easy to maintain. People who have busy schedules or cannot spend a lot of money on a pet are willing to keep these animals instead. But just because reptiles and amphibians are easy to maintain, doesn’t mean they require no attention whatsoever. They also require basic needs to be taken care of, otherwise, they will fall sick and possibly die.
There are different types of reptile pets such as leopard geckos, turtles, iguanas, chameleons, etc. The types of pet amphibians are usually different species of toads and frogs.
To help you out, here are some easy tips for taking care of your amphibian or reptile pets.
How to Take Care of Reptiles
1. Ensure Habitat has Enough Light
Reptiles need light to function. When they are out in the wild, they are mostly active during the day. At night, they remain inactive. Inside your house, obviously, there will not be as much light as there is outside.
So, you need to keep a light source inside the container at all times. They need light to function, such as digest food and create energy. Without light, they cannot properly digest their food and their blood circulation falls. Your light source could be UVA and UVB lights. You can also use UVC lights but long exposure to UVC could do more harm than good.
2. Feed a Balanced Diet
Most reptiles are insectivores whereas some are omnivores as well. They mostly like to eat small insects like crickets, wax worms, and mealworms. If you can’t find them in your nearest pet shop, you can look for them online and find great deals on Wax Worms For Sale.
However, these insects cannot provide all the necessary nutrients your pet reptile needs. This is why you need to give them additional supplements like calcium to make sure they get a balanced diet.
Also, you need to gut feed the insects before feeding them to the reptiles. A gut-fed insect will be full of vitamins and minerals.
3. Ensure a Strong Container Roof
Since reptiles are predatory animals, they are very good at moving around and escaping harsh situations. If the roof of your reptile container is loose, they can easily escape from it.
So, make sure that the roof of your reptile container is strong and tightly locked. Otherwise, you’ll be posting ‘missing reptile’ adverts around your neighborhood!
4. Maintain Proper Humidity
Humidity should be a key concern for you because different reptiles require different humidity levels. For example, lizard-like reptiles do not like humid environments. You should have a dehumidifier in your house. Turtles and tortoises, on the other hand, prefer a humid environment. In that case, you should keep a water source inside their container. Snakes also prefer a humid environment. So, depending on your reptiles, change the humidity in your room.
5. Understand Your Reptile’s Behavior
If you want to take good care of your reptile, it’s important to understand their behavior. Some reptiles, such as bearded dragons, are friendly and do not mind being handled by humans. On the other hand, some species of chameleons, like the veiled chameleon, don’t like getting handled at all. They become aggressive if humans try to hold them for too long. So, in order to maintain a good relationship with your reptile, you need to understand how they behave. If you see that they’re getting aggressive or trying to stay away from you, let them be.
How to Take Care of Amphibians
1. Ensure Habitat has Enough Light
Light is very important when it comes to amphibians as well. They don’t require as much UV light as reptiles do, but you need to make sure they receive at least 12 hours of light during summer and 8 hours during winter. Otherwise, it is likely that they will fall sick.
2. Keep the Environment Humid
When it comes to humidity, there is not much variation with amphibians. Most amphibians are native to the tropical environment so almost all of them prefer a high humidity inside their container.
The easiest way to do so is to keep small plants and a small pool of water inside the amphibian container. You might need a humidifier to provide additional humidity during winter, especially if it gets too cold.
3. Prepare a Damp Habitat
The habitat of the amphibian is a bit different from that of a reptile. It does not simply require some soil and tree branches. The container for an amphibian requires more things like driftwood, plants, rocks, and moss. These things make a damp environment inside the container and recreate their natural habitat.
4. Don’t Touch Them with Dry Hands
It is best not to touch amphibians, especially with dry hands. They are cold-blooded creatures and even the warmth of your hand could be dangerous for them, especially for tiny ones.
However, if you wish to touch and handle them, then make sure your hands are wet. This will provide some protection for the amphibian. You should wash your hands after touching them because some amphibians carry toxins in their skins that could be harmful to humans.
5. Notice Any Abnormal Behavior
As mentioned before, amphibians are tiny and fragile creatures so they tend to fall sick very easily. If you notice any abnormal behavior in your pet amphibian, you need to take them to the vet immediately. Otherwise, they might worsen and, worst-case scenario, die.
So, when you see symptoms like a loss of appetite, lethargy, sluggish movement, abnormality in their skin, take them to a vet who specializes in amphibian care.
Final Thoughts – Reptiles and Amphibians Care
Reptiles and Amphibians can be amazing pets. They are small, colorful creatures that add a certain vividness to your house. They are also quite independent creatures making them a perfect pet for busy people. But from time to time, you will also need to look after them to ensure that they live a long healthy life. We hope these tips will help you take care of your reptile or amphibian pets!
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