Of all the reptiles, we are usually most interested in the largest ones - alligators, crocodiles, komodo dragons, and the big snakes. These snakes have songs written about them, and the anaconda was even the star of a movie! Not only are these reptiles amazing due to their size, they also have many other interesting points.Let’s begin with the standard question, exactly how big are they? The largest of the big snakes is the anaconda, which has been reported to grow to thirty-seven feet long. You can’t realize how long a reptile this is until you measure from your room down the hallway, probably well into the living room. A truly enormous snake, and one of the longest reptiles ever! This snake spends most of its time in the water hiding in the water plants of South America.

The other four giant snakes are pythons, and are found in Africa and Asia. They grow to between 22 feet and 32 feet, depending on the species. If you see a python in a zoo or other animal show, it is probably a reticulated python from Southeast Asia, due to its beautiful color pattern and the fact that it does well living in captivity. How do regular snakes compare with these giants? Most other snakes are much smaller, and even few rarely even grow to twelve feet.

The giant snakes can live up to twenty years in captivity. When they are young they can be eaten by hawks or other predators that eat smaller snakes, but no animal would try to threaten or eat a full grown giant snake. The only real enemies of these great reptiles are intestinal parasites, diseases, and man.

The giant snakes really can swallow a man whole! Very few cases of that have been reported though. Once a giant snake has had a large supper, it would be the same as if it ate four hundred average sized meals. This means that sometimes these reptiles might go a long time between meals, maybe as infrequently as once a year.

continue reading "Gigantic Reptiles!"

Iguanas: The Different and the SimilarGreen iguanas are the ones you usually bring home to take care and pamper. What you may not know is that there are different types of iguanas out there. Oftentimes, you will see these other types not in pet stores but in the forests where they live.

There are actually six types of iguanas. These are the

1. Dipsosaurus, the desert iguana.
2. Ctenosaura, the spiny-tailed iguana.
3. Lemanctus, casque-headed iguana.
4. Corytophanes, the helmeted iguana.
5. Cyclura, the rhinoceros and rock iguana.
5. Chalarodon, the Madagascar iguana.
6. Green iguana.

The famous iguana that is fast becoming a part of most households is the green iguana. These iguanas may be of different types and appearances but they all have similarities terms of diet, habits and size.

1. Herbivores iguanas.

The description of herbivores is the kind that eats only plant or plant matters. It can be noted that there are not many reptiles that can live on plant food alone. This is what makes iguanas unique from them. This may be the reason why people want these reptiles for their pet. Feeding them is not as hard as any other animals.

Being herbivores does not mean that you can just pick any plant out there to feed your iguana. If you want to maintain its health, consider giving them nutritious green and leafy vegetables. Try lettuce. You can give it to them regularly. If you do not have an abundance of vegetables to supply, consider other alternative sources of leafy plants.

2. Tropical temperature.

Iguanas are used to having tropical climates all year round. That is why you will not be able to find an iguana habitat in places where there are shifts of hot and cold climates.

This is one thing that you should consider once you have decided to have a pet iguana. You are required to monitor the temperature around your house or in shelter that you have provided for them.

Iguanas need constant heat to maintain their body temperature. Many iguana owners have realized that there is an increase in the usage of their electric heaters or gas once they have an iguana in their household.

So if you are located in locations where there is a winter season, make sure that your heater works. If you do not have one reliable source of heat, then it is a wise idea not to consider getting an iguana.

3. Tamed iguana.

Your pet iguana will not get tamed on its own. As the owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that you tame your iguana well so that they will be able to socialize well with you and with others.

A tamed iguana will be able to roam around your house without moving or eating on anything that arouses its curiosity. You can also take them outdoors or in events outside of your home. You also have the ability to caress, hold and cuddle your iguana once you are assured that it will not harm you when you do so.

4. Iguanas grow big.

You might be misled into thinking that your iguana will remain small and tiny all throughout its life cycle. This is a misconception.

All types of iguanas will grow its full size once they are taken properly care of. In 3 to 4 years time, expect your iguana to be five to six feet long.

Facts about Iguanas: Things You Need To KnowHow you ever wondered what make up the body of an iguana? Now if you are interested in taking care of one iguana, you better take heed and take into account these vital facts about iguanas.

The term iguana is usually used to refer to all types of the members of the lizard family branded as the Iguanidae. As a general knowledge, the iguanas possess powerful but short limbs added up with their sharp claws. These claws are utilized for digging and climbing. Yes, they do love to climb that is why a set of branches for climbing must be set up in their tanks. The strong tails are used for their defense mechanism.

They whip it in the air especially when a predator corners them. Their tails are likewise used for swimming. The dewlap is a huge flap of skin that is contained on the sides of the body particularly in the areas of the throat of a male iguana is used to either intimidate a predator around or to impress another female iguana. The dewlap also functions in the regulation of their body temperature. Furthermore, the iguanas also contain some crest of very soft spines that lineup the middle part of their backs and necks. Relatively, the male iguanas have longer spines in contrast with the female iguanas.

By means of size, the male iguanas appear to be bigger. They have bigger heads and brighter body colors compared with the females. The body of the male iguana is much distinct during the time of the breeding season. Physically, both the male and the female iguanas contain twelve up to thirteen pores underneath the sides of their thighs. The pores are the ones which secrete the waxy substance which they use in marking their territories and identifying each of them. When the male iguanas mature, their own femoral pores come to develop some outward projections which they tend to use in the copulation strategy to take a grasp of the female iguana.

The skin of the iguana is filled with very minute scales. They are unable to change their skin colors just like the deed of the chameleons but when they get exposed to light, some parts of their skin become darker in color. The young iguanas appear to be colored in pale green alongside with black ringed tails. As they grow mature, their colors turn out to be more earthly colored which are usually darker especially in their bodies and tails.

Back in their natural habitats, the iguanas appear to be wary since they always feel that danger is beside them. They could always be spotted running and hiding. They make full use of their accurate vision, keen sense of hearing and smell so that they could better ensure their own survival. They may appear to be clumsy at times but then the iguanas are great swimmers and tree climbers. They usually bask in the morning atop the trees and they can jump into the water anytime they sense danger.

Mating fro the iguanas occur in the months of January to February. The female iguana tend to get pregnant for two months and then by the time laying the eggs come, the female iguana digs in the soil or sand to deposit the eggs which range from 25 to 40 eggs. After two weeks, the hatchlings are ready to come out into the world.

The iguanas could be great pets provided that you know how to take care of them. They are inherently high maintenance. But then everything will pay off if you just learn how to care for your pet properly.

Tips and tricks in building an iguana cageIguanas are arboreal, they prefer to stay in a large and wide ecosystem. Iguanas also tend to spend its time high up in tall trees. It is because their enemies or predators will not be able to follow them up in high trees. Most iguanas can easily hide from their enemies, by climbing jumping down into the ground without getting hurt.

But today, the lives of iguanas are in danger. Some of them are being caught and eaten by wild animals.

If you’re an animal or pet lover you can help these iguanas to survive against predators and help them from being extinct. You can do this by taking care of iguana, by just having at least pair.

Handling of iguanas needs proper planning. There are some things to be considered.

The first and most important thing is building a cage or enclosure. You must provide them with a good place where they can roam while having the freedom they enjoy in the wild.

Here are some more tips in building a great home for your iguana.

1. Look for a cage that is spacious and secured. A large room or a big closet can be a good place where they can roam. You can add artificial plants and branches where they can climb and hang over. If your iguana is still young, be sure to make the appropriate size of the cage. A smaller one with no hole is recommended so that they’ll not escape from the cage. When your iguana grows and get habituated to his new home, you can expand the area so that it will not look crowded.

continue reading "Build Iguana Cage"

Get Acquainted with the Green IguanasThe green iguanas or those which take the name of “Iguana iguana” are commonly found all over the South and Central America, in Mexico, in the southeastern part of Brazil, eastern Pacific, and the Caribbean. Breeds of the green iguana are now also spotted in Hawaii and Florida. The green iguana is popularly the largest type of lizard that happens to inhabit much of the territories of United States.

The Physical Description of the Green Iguana

In a matter of three years, the young twelve-gram green iguana can turn into a one kilogram adult green iguana. Right after they get hatched, their length varies from 17 to up to 25 centimeters. Most of the well-fed matured green iguanas come to weigh at about 4 and 6 kilograms but at times they reach the 8 kilogram weight.

The term green iguana does not stereotype these reptiles. The matured iguanas come in uniform colors whereas the younger ones vary between brown and green. Their colors can also get affected by their health, mood, temperature, and social statures.

One of the distinct features they have is the dewlap that can be found under their throats. The dewlap is much dominant in the male green iguanas rather than in the females. The laterally positioned eyes of the green iguanas are being protected by some immovable eyelids and mobile lower eyelids.

The parietal eye functions as some kind of a meter for the solar energy and contributes much to the maturity of the endocrine and thyroid glands in these reptiles. Lastly, the plates or scales on their heads are much irregular and larger compared to the scales found on the rest of their body parts.

continue reading "Iguana"

There is nothing wrong with wanting a reptile for a pet, provided of course you first arm yourself with knowledge. Education is the key to being a responsible owner. Of course, there are instances when you may not first get the chance. Suppose your well-meaning relative decided it would be a good idea to give you an exotic pet for a gift, not thinking of the reptile’s welfare should you be unable to care for it or uneducated about its care. But, of course there are always exceptions to the rule.There are ways of choosing your pet when you do decide to obtain a reptile. You can choose to buy a pet to fit the cage you are able to get, or you can buy a cage to fit the pet you want. Either way you go, please make sure you take into account that the reptile will grow and must be able to fit into the enclosure as it gets bigger. Please refrain from purchasing the reptile if you will be unsure about being able to afford a larger cage later on or if you won’t have the space. There are plenty of other choices you can make that will fit into your budget.

A Leopard Gecko is a popular lizard choice for people who want a reptile that will be smaller than the Iguana. The Iguana has been known to reach 7 feet in length! A bigger lizard means a bigger cage and a bigger food bill. The Leopard Gecko only reaches 10 inches. There’s obviously quite a difference there. First time owners have more success when they start small and build up to the other interests. This lizard also stays active at night, so night owls may get more enjoyment from it than someone who wants to interact or watch their reptile during the day. The Leopard Gecko can live up to 15 years and is easy for a beginner to care for.

continue reading "What Types of Lizards Make Good Reptile Pets?"

Let’s travel to Florida to meet one of the largest of reptiles, the alligator. Alligators live only in the southeastern states of our country, like Louisiana and Florida. Most of the time alligators are pictured in swamps, but many people in Florida have reported seeing alligators in the lakes near their backyards. Having a reptile the size of a lizard in the backyard is normal, but seeing an alligator in a pond is something to get excited about. For such a big reptile, you might be surprised to find that it often isn’t easy to spot an alligator in the water.Alligators like to float just beneath the surface of the water, with only their eyes and nostrils breaking the surface of the water. The rest of their big body just relaxes underneath the water, legs spread apart and the huge tail hanging partway down. The alligator can float at exactly the right level by using his lungs as a kind of inflatable raft, and keeps just the right amount of air for only his eyes to stay above the water. An alligator stays mostly under water for one of two reasons.

The first reason is to keep his body temperature cool. Like other reptiles, the alligator’s body temperature depends upon the temperature of the air or water around him. The sun can get very hot in Florida, and since the alligator does not sweat, there has to be another way for him to keep cool. He first opens his enormous mouth, and that will cool him down a little bit. If the alligator is still too hot, he will go into the water to lower his body temperature even more.

continue reading "A Day in the Life of a Fascinating Reptile, the Alligator"

Carefully research your options for proper veterinary care before you decide to purchase a reptile. Although the animal may be sold at a low-cost, the care it would take once you own it may be more than you bargain for! A vet must be experienced in reptile care and medicine to make a good provider for your reptile pet. Reptile care and medicine requires special education.There is a list of vets you can access over the internet for the Unites States of America, International, and Canada. Check with your local vets to determine their areas of expertise, experience, and limitations.

You must make sure your vet will be comfortable handling your reptile. If the vet is uncomfortable, the animal will sense it and may become more of a problem. Once you get your animal, take it to the vet for a check-up even if it appears healthy. You may not be able to detect the problems a trained professional can find. Problems are not always readily seen by the eye. Maybe your reptile has parasites that you can’t see just by looking at it.

Your vet should be willing to help you find the proper care for your reptile if he or she is not properly qualified. You will want to know this information before your pet becomes seriously ill or injured. Even if your vet isn’t qualified, he/she may be able to provide temporary care until you can get your pet to the right person for the proper care.

It is a good idea to purchase a reptile that is already well-known as pet material. A pet that is new to the market will not be researched well enough yet.

Not many vet colleges offer the specialized medicine courses necessary for caring for ill reptiles. Test your vet with questions about temperature or food to see if they even have basic knowledge.

If you try to treat the animal yourself with over-the-counter medications, you could be making your pet more ill. The medication sold in pet stores often has ingredients like tetracycline that isn’t good for your reptile; or the shelf medicines just simply aren’t strong enough to do any good and are a waste of your money. A pet store may sell certain items just to draw money, without properly researching the items themselves for their effectiveness. After all, the clerks aren’t pharmacists.

If your vet has had special schooling required for reptile care, has he/she updated their knowledge recently? Are they aware of the latest treatments or medications? Do they have an interest in reptiles, conferences, or belong to any reptile associations?

If you’re unable to contact your vet, or are unsatisfied with the information provided, you can try asking zoos, other reptile owners, or local pet adoption agencies for references to reptile vets. In any case, it will help for you to educate yourself in case of an emergency. At least you could provide basic care until you could reach a qualified professional.

When people decide to buy reptiles for pets, some inevitably cross the line of safety and wisdom. Although it may seem thrilling to own a pet that is harmful, it’s best left up to the experts and people who are trained to preserve wildlife.

Underestimating a dangerous reptile can mean a quick and certain death to the uneducated and careless pet owner. But if you’re determined to own a dangerous reptile, at least make sure you are aware of all the possible safety precautions. Be fully informed as to what steps to take should you incur injury from contact with your pet.

continue reading "Dangerous Reptiles As Pets"