How to Buy a Reptile by John Davis

PrefaceI frequently get letters and phone calls from parents whose kids, and adults whose partners or spouses, want a reptile. I get even more letters and phone calls from parents whose kids (or spouses) went ahead and got a reptile without realizing the full implications what they were getting into. In many cases, the reptile they got was unsuitable for them; in too many cases, a reptile was unsuitable, period. These owners found, often too late, that the choosing and caring for reptiles is not as simple as it may appear.

The Alien FactorWith most reptiles, we are attempting to keep an animal with very specific environmental and dietary needs in an environment very much unlike its native habitat. Owners must spend a great deal of time-and money-working to keep their reptile's enclosure warm enough or cool enough, and dry enough or humid enough, or the reptile will sicken and die. What works to provide the right temperatures and humidity during the summer may not be enough during the winter. During the spring and fall, the great disparity between ambient day time and night time temperatures makes almost daily fiddling with heating equipment a must. If you don't have the money to invest in the extensive heating and lighting equipment (and increased power bills) or the time to be monitoring temperatures day and night during much of the year that is a basic requirement of keeping most reptiles, then a less "alien" reptile should be considered.

The Interest FactorWhether the child is six or sixteen, most lose interest in their reptile after the initial thrill has worn off. This is true of many adults, especially those who acquire reptiles that are more work than they bargained for. The daily grind of food preparation, cleaning and disinfecting the enclosure, checking the water, the temperatures, making sure it is shedding properly, taming it, getting pooped on, remembering to close and secure the enclosure, spending the allowance or limited budget on lighting and heating and food supplies (or begging parents or family for the same), blowing the savings on emergency veterinary care because one or more of the above weren't provided or done, all conspire to make even the best intentioned, most avid child (and spouse) find other things to take their time. This leaves the animal to languish in its enclosure, often for years, as one parent or the other tries to guilt thechild (or spouse) into caring for it. Too often, these animals end up severely ill before anyone does anything about it (usually giving it away when they find that no one wants to buy it). Too many of theseanimals die from the neglect.

The Cool FactorThe cooler-looking the reptile, the more it is likely to cost you, in time and money and space, to set up properly, quite apart from the cost of the reptile itself. The trick for a parent who is working to get their child redirected to a more appropriate reptile is to learn as much as possible about the suitable reptiles. This usually means heading to the local herpetological society, World Wide Web, and herpetological booksellers to get information on how the animal lives and has adapted to its environment, as the booksand information available in most pet stores will not cover this information.

The "Caterpillar" FactorRichard O'Barry, founder of the Dolphin Project, has said "Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as important to the child as it is the caterpillar." Teaching your child why she can't have that lizard or frog or snake is just as important to you and the child as it is to the animal itself. Keeping animals of any sort is a major responsibility. It is a life-long commitment (the life of the animal, which may well exceed your child's middle school, high school and college years). It is not something to be done lightly, nor with the thought that if it doesn't work out, or the child gets bored, you can just give it to a zoo or sell it. The increasing number of reptiles being given away for whom no homes can be found tells just how unrealistic this attitude is. Being tired of the whining and begging is simply not a good enough reason to potentially put the life of an animal at risk.

The "Vet" FactorAs discussed in the Finding A Reptile Vet article, not all vets are knowledgeable about reptile medicine.If you cannot find a reptile vet in your area, be prepared to widen your search, geographically. Unfortunately, just as there are no laws mandating that pet stores must know anything about the animals they sell, there is no law mandating that pet stores sell only those species for whom there are competent vets in the area who can examine and treat them. Compounding the problem are the people who buy exotics without first finding out if there are vets capable of treating them, and who then try to pass their sick animals off to other unsuspecting people once they realize that finding a qualified vet is going to take some effort - not to speak of money. If you live in a rural or otherwise less metropolitan area and decide to buy any type of exotic pet, you must commit to traveling the distances required to get your exotics to a vet trained in their treatment. Depending on where you live, that may entail trips of one or more hours. In some parts of Canada and the U.S., some herp keepers drive 5 or more hours - one way - to see their vet. If you aren't prepared to go the distance, don't get the pet.

Basic ConsiderationsOkay. You have successfully dealt with the above factors and have decided that a reptile will be suitable for your family. But, which one is best for you?

Reptiles are not all alike and, as prospective owners, we need to understand some things about ourselves before we can even think about what reptile to get. Ask yourself the following questions, and then we can narrow the field down:

How much money can you spend?Remember that the cost of the reptile is generally the cheapest part of getting a reptile. On top of the cost of the reptile itself is the enclosure (and despite all cautions, most people still start off with ones that are too small and so have to buy a new one within a year or so), the furnishings, the substrate, the lighting equipment and supplies, the heating equipment and supplies, cleaning equipment and supplies, food, housing and food for the food (when you have to supply crickets and worms and things), and initial veterinary care. For example, that $10 iguana will actually cost you $250 or more (depending on

where you live and the availability of the necessary lighting and heating equipment, foods, and veterinarians); that $6 anole will cost you $75-100. Lizards, on the whole, are much more expensive than snakes when everything is taken into consideration. And then there's the monthly costs of heating the herp (see Calculating the Cost of Electricity).

How much room can you spare for an enclosure?One of the most common mistakes is that people buy enclosures that are too small. While the enclosuremay fit the animal at the time of purchase, reptiles grow, often reaching adult size within a year or two. It is cruel and inhumane to house an animal in an enclosure that is too small. It not only causes severe stress which leads to illness and behavioral problems - it also makes taming and working with territorial species that much more difficult. Such animals spend most of their time trying to break out oftheir enclosure, often injuring themselves severely enough to require veterinary care. For some reptiles,such as iguanas and large pythons and boas, there are no commercially made enclosures big enough forthese animals, and much of what is available is not the right shape for them. This means that you must build, or have built, an enclosure that may ultimately take up a good portion of your living space.

Can you feed one animal to another?Most snakes and lizards that eat rodents will cheerfully take killed prey, and for their own safety and for the humane treatment of the prey, should be fed killed prey. That means, however, that if you cannotfind a pet store that will kill it humanely for you, you will have to kill the prey humanely yourself, or buy prey in bulk from breeders who will ship it to you already killed and frozen. Which means that the family needs to accept the fact that, in the freezer, amongst the chicken and ice cream, is a bag or two of mousicles...

Mealworms and crickets need to be fed live; the large Zoophobas ("kingworms") should be killed by quickly crushing their heads before being fed out...can you do this?

If housing and caring for insects, keeping containers of worms and beetle larvae in the refrigerator isn't appealing, or keeping baggies of prekilled mice, rats or rabbits (whole rabbits, not the neatly butchered ones from your meat market) in the freezer isn't something you or your family can deal with (or have room for), and if you can't kill them humanely yourself, then a carnivorous or omnivorous reptile is notfor you. The commercial foods and dried insects available at pet stores are not appropriate replacements for fresh, whole prey, and in many cases the reptiles will not even touch them.

Can you prepare fresh foods on a regular basis?Americans have a strange conception of what 'vegetables' are. They are not the things you find on top of a fast food burger, nor even what you will find at most salad bars. When you have an herbivorous lizard or tortoise, or an omnivorous lizard or turtle, you must be prepared to buy a variety of healthy vegetables, greens, and fruits, and prepare them in such a way as to enable the reptile to maximize its intake and digestion. You may have to hit a couple of grocery stores, or convince the produce manager at your regular store, to get what you need, and then spend an hour or two a week preparing the foods.

In some countries in which green iguanas, desert iguanas, Uromastyx, and prehensile-tailed skinks (all

herbivorous lizards) are sold, the foods they need to be fed regularly are difficult, or impossible, to find. As with carnivore food products, the commercially available foods for herbivores are not appropriate replacements for a properly constructed fresh food diet.

Does an herbivore still sound good to you? Unfortunately, there are no herbivorous snakes, and the herbivorous lizards are amongst the hardest and most demanding of all to keep.

Can you afford the upkeep?This includes regular changes of substrate, cleaning supplies (including separate sponges, disinfectant, rubber gloves, etc., just for the reptile), appropriate and sufficient food, and veterinary care, as well as lighting and heating equipment and supplies, often including special (and expensive) UVB-producing fluorescent tubes that need to be replaced every 6-12 months.

A cost generally not taken into consideration is the cost of providing heating and lighting to all reptiles,but especially for desert and tropical species. While there is some respite during the winter for desert species owners, tropical species must be maintained at tropical temperatures all year round. To get an idea of what your prospective reptile may cost you, see the information on Calculating the Cost of Electricity. Keep in mind that as it gets colder outside, it may take more heating equipment just to maintain the temperatures they need (see Heating: Watts it all about for more information).

Suitable StartersWhat criteria do I use in deciding what is a suitable starter reptile? I look at the ease of keeping it (note:this may still entail more work, time, money or space than you personally are willing to devote to it), moderate size (8 in - 4 ft), and ease in taming (note: parents must do the taming--not the child--and must oversee all interactions between child and reptile even when the reptile is very tame.)

No matter what you are told by someone trying to sell you a reptile or what you read in the too many outdated books still being sold in stores and stocked on library shelves, no reptile is easy enough to care for to be left strictly to a child to care for. Your child cannot be expected to get himself to the pet store or hardware store for food and supplies, nor to place orders with mail-order suppliers. Too many reptiles die because the light went out or got unplugged, or it was forced to go "just one more day" without water or food.

Most reptiles are skittish when you first get them (even species recommended as good starter reptiles) and need to be handled carefully. Handlers are likely to get pooped on or musked, or the animal quicklyescapes their grasp. Kids are prone to just drop the animal who starts thrashing or entwining around their fingers or arm, and they tend to squeal and throw an animal that poops on them--teenagers as well as young children have exhibited this reaction, so the age of your child is not necessarily a good determinant. An adult must always do the initial handling, giving close supervision until they are satisfied that the child is capable of not being freaked out and the animal exhibits a degree of comfort being held by the child. Retiles can be seriously, even fatally injured (or otherwise traumatized) by being clutched too hard by an eager youngster, so if your child can't be hold the reptile gently enough, they should not be allowed to hold the reptile until the child matures enough to being able to control how tightly they hold onto the reptile.

Lizards

Leopard GeckoThese small nocturnal insectivores (who get big enough to feed on pinkie mice) can do well in a 20 gallon aquarium with several inches of clean playground-type sand, an undertank heating pad, an overhead nocturnal heat source, hollow log and bark slab, and water bowl. Maximum size is 8 inches. Temperament is very sweet though may be skittish at first. Have been popular captive-bred lizards for decades.

Collared LizardDiurnal desert dwellers that can be set up as the leopard gecko, but must be in a larger enclosure, at least a 55-60 gallon. They also need much higher heat during the day, and a special fluorescent bulb that produces UVB (290-320 nm wavelengths - something that only specially made, and rather expensive - fluorescents can do). Largely carnivorous, adults will eat some plant matter. Most in stores are wild-caught. To 10-12 inches.

Bearded DragonDiurnal desert dweller, to be set up as the collared. Babies are cheap but that's because they have a lower survival rate. Buy one at least 6 inches long - big enough to start eating mouse pinks. Smaller beardeds are more difficult to feed, with intestinal impaction from insect exoskeletons and paralysis and seizures-even death-from being fed prey that is too big, all too common. These guys need the least amount of work in terms of taming - they are pretty much big lazy slugs. They do go into a winter slowdown, a period of long inactivity (sleeping for days or weeks) interspersed with a bit of wakefulness, eat a bit, drink a bit, then down again for several weeks. To 20 inches.

Blue-tongue SkinkThese low-slung, wide-bodied lizards look like a giant alligator lizard with skin like your kitchen floor. Like the bearded dragon, these Australian natives are strictly available as captive bred lizards here in the US. Blue-tongue skinks are omnivores, requiring a temperate woodland type of environment, with temperatures in the mid-70s to mid-80s. They need some access to UVB which can be easily supplied by taking them outside with you for awhile during clement weather, and by providing a UVB fluorescent during the winter months. To 24 inches. They like to move about and wander, so a larger than expected enclosure is a must.

Savanna MonitorThese strictly wild-caught, strictly carnivorous lizards are one of the most common of the small monitor lizards. They also have one of the nicest temperaments-when you get them tamed. They are masters of scrabbling backwards in your arms and hands, leaving trails of scratches in their wake. You do need to be careful when feeding them their mice, however-they get extremely eager and easily mistake your fingers for the mouse, so always use tongs. Temperatures from mid-70s to mid-80s with a slightly higher basking area. UVB occasionally. Hissy and thrashy initially, lots of bluff but rarely a bite. Once tamed by an adult, are usually suitable for handling by middle childhood age kids. To 4 feet. Good climbers, they need large, well secured enclosures.

Snakes

Corn SnakeCorns are the easily the most domesticated of all snakes and widely available as captive bred. They alsocome in a remarkably wide variety of colors. Hatchlings are barely bigger than a pencil but are active

feeders (and poopers). They be a little skitty at this size, and certainly not appropriate for young children to handle at this age, but they rapidly put on mass and length, maxing out at 4 feet with a head no bigger than a small adult thumb. Sweet, inquisitive and gentle snakes, they are easily kept, singly or in pairs, in a 20 gallon enclosure as adults. Temperatures in the mid 70s-mid 80s, no special lighting, easily feed on killed mice.

Captive Bred KingsnakesMost kings are also great starter snakes. They may be a little skittish at first, and may musk you during the first month, but once they realize you mean no harm and are, in fact, a nice warm place on which tohang out, they are calm and relaxed being handled. Captive bred kings are generally great eaters and can be easily converted to feeding on defrosted prey. Temperatures need to range from the-70s to mid-80s. They should be kept singly due to their propensity to eat other snakes, including other kings. Depending on species, may be kept in 20-30 gallon enclosure as adults.

Captive Bred Ball PythonsI cannot stress enough the importance of only, only, only, ONLY buying a captive bred, by the person from whom you are buying, ball python. Most stores are selling imports - whether they were wild caught snakes or hatched from wild collected eggs is immaterial: they do not recognize mice as being food, they are heavily parasitized and stressed, and an increasing number are infected and dying from inclusion body disease. Since beginners (and even many intermediate) herpers cannot tell a good store from a bad one, and even herp specialty stores are selling sick and wild caught ball pythons, I recommend you do not buy them from a store, period. Buy only from a breeder to whom you can go back to for assistance. This means not buying one from those folks selling cheap ones at expos. If you buy a healthy captive bred one who is feeding well (ask to see it being fed - too many people have ended up with non-feeding ball pythons after being assured by the store or expo vendor that "it just ate"), then you will have a wonderful snake - all the fun of the large pythons without the bulk or size or potential for harm.

Unsuitable Starter ReptilesI consider these unsuitable for children-and many adults-for a variety of reasons. This is not to say that they are not suitable for some people. Some are not handlable, some have very complex needs, some rarely become tame, many are available only as wild caught specimens which means that they are not in great health to start with...

LizardsHerbivorous lizards, those who eat nothing but vegetation, on the whole get very large, ranging from 3-6 feet with in the first 1-3 years, depending upon species. It is because of their large body size and the temperatures found in their native habitat (all are desert, neotropical or tropical lizards) that they have been able to succeed as herbivores. Due to their size and environmental needs, not to speak of the power in their bites and tails, herbivores are more difficult to care for than omnivorous lizards. Some are only available if you catch them in the wild: chuckawallas and desert iguanas are not being bred much in captivity. Green iguanas rapidly reach 5-6 feet in overall length and take a great deal of work to tame - so much so that they often defeat adults and should never be left to children to care for and tame. The Uromastyx, also called spiny-tailed, or dab lizards, currently available in pet stores are for the most part wild-caught imports and are highly parasitized and stressed. Until such time as captive breeding is up to speed (or unless you can find a captive breeder now) these should be passed on for now.

Other unsuitable lizards, given the degree of care, hardiness, tame-ability, aggressiveness or delicacy:

Agamas - there are many different species being imported - getting accurate species identification and finding proper care information is often difficult

Ameivas, aka Junglerunners, Dwarf Tegus

Anoles, often miscalled "chameleons," they lack the prehensile tail and turret eyes of the true chameleons

Basilisks

Chameleons

Day Geckos (Phelsuma species)

Dwarf Tegu (see Ameiva)

Green Iguanas and other iguanids such as spiny-tailed iguanas, crested or helmeted iguanas, "forest chameleons"

Mountain Dragons

Monitors, other than Savannahs

Tegus (Lansdown; AI)

Tokay Geckos

Tree Dragons

Sailfin Dragon

Spiny-tailed Iguanas (aka black iguanas)

Uromastyx * See Note

Water Dragons

* Note: Since this article was written, Uromastyx breeders have, well, multiplied like their lizards. If you buy from a good captive breeder and if you will commit to maintaining these lizards at the hot desert temperatures they require, and if you don't mind the scratching or poking of the claws and the spiked tail, then this lizard may be worth a try for some beginners.

SnakesGenerally speaking, any snake that requires two or more people to handle it when it is barely half

grown isn't a good idea for beginners. That elimiates all boas and pythons but the very small one ones (those that are less than six feet when full grown).

Anacondas - combine huge size and nasty temperament in a powerful body

Burmese pythons - huge and generally nice, but involved in increasing numbers of human fatalities dueto owner stupidity

Hognose - while generally nice and docile, they are rear fanged and mildly venomous; the easterns onlyeat toads

Rainbow boa - a sweet moderately sized boa with very critical humidity requirements

Red-tail boas - not as huge as anacondas, Burmese or reticulated pythons, but, based on the increasing numbers being dumped on rescues, even 10 feet is too much for some people

Reticulated pythons - see anaconda

Any tree boa or python - many tend to have very specific humidity and dietary needs, and with their testy temperament and very long, bird-snagging teeth, can deliver a painful bite

Water snakes (exception: some garters are okay, but require live fish) - tend to be testy and finding and maintaining the proper water pH can be a problem

Wild caught garter, kings, gophers, etc. - many are difficult to feed on what we have to offer them in captivity, and in most places it is illegal to capture wild birds and mammals to feed them

Turtles And Tortoises (Chelonians)All of them. Chelonians are not good handling animals and are much more complicated in their set up and care then pet stores will tell you. Different species have very specific environmental and dietary requirements that must be met. Most sold in the pet trade are wild caught and so are suffering from internal and external parasites, respiratory and shell infections.

In closing...If I sound negative at times, it is because I am. Experts estimate that between 50-90% of reptiles die their first year in captivity, on top of the 10-50% that died during the importation process. The reasons for their dying once they reach the importing country are primarily due to people not knowing what they are getting into, relying on inaccurate care information (including that provided by most pet stores), and not being able to afford the necessary equipment, upkeep and veterinary care (assuming that the basic equipment required is actually available in the country in which the reptile is sold).

Of all the animals kept in captivity, reptiles are the only ones who do not typically reach their normal lifespan. In captivity, most animals should live to-or exceed-their expected natural life span due to the improved conditions (regular feeding, veterinary care, etc.) and lack of predators. That this doesn't happen with reptiles is a tragic commentary on how poorly we understand and provide for these animals. If the pet trade were itself fully knowledgeable, if the people selling reptiles were honest aboutwhat it takes to properly house and maintain reptiles they sell and about the reptiles' eventual size and

temperament, the reptile trade would not be the multi-million dollar business it currently is...

If reptiles were as cool and easy to care for as too many people think they are, then reptile rescue groups, herpetological and humane societies wouldn't be getting literally dozens of calls a week from people trying to give away their reptiles. Yes, give away. Besides the 20-40 calls every month from iguana owners who no longer want their lizards, I take calls from people trying to get rid many different types of reptiles (most common: Burmese pythons, red-tailed boas, large monitor lizards, aquatic turtles, box turtles). They generally call me after they have found that no one has beat down their doors trying to buy their reptile, and that the pet stores or breeders from whom they originally bought their animal, and zoos and wildlife educators and refuges don't have any more room for cast-off pets. Others are shocked by not being able to find a vet who will treat their severely ill reptile for free, or that there isn't anyone else out there who will pay for the necessary care for them. Besides the 20-30 iguanas a year I take in and try to find homes for (something that has become increasingly difficult as there are more people buying them than are actually capable of and willing to care for them properly), Ihave taken in or otherwise rescued: gopher snakes, ball pythons, Burmese pythons, red-tail boas and corn snakes; savannah monitors, gold tegus; bearded dragons, leopard geckos, tokay geckos, water dragons, and sailfin lizards; box turtles, tortoises, and aquatic turtles; and assorted amphibians. Most are suffering from some form of neglect and many are moderately to severely ill. Most come from people who never thought beyond merely buying the animal and sticking it in a (generally too small) enclosure.

Reptiles are not things. They are living, breathing, feeling (yes, they do feel pain and suffer from the effects of stress) animals, with the same basic emotions, nerve structure and needs that the so-called higher animals have. Whether they live only a couple of years or 150 years, they require the same commitment to their care and well-being as does any animal.

Reptiles are not stuffed toy animals you can just stick away in a garage because someone in the family thinks reptiles are icky, or because everyone's lost interest in it. Reptiles do not belong in garages, just as cars don't belong in the bedroom or family room. Sticking an intelligent reptile, such as a green iguana, in a garage is nothing less than cruel and inhumane. For some idea of what it is like being shunted away from family activities, or forced to spend your life in a cage way too small just because the humans refuse to provide you the space you need to ensure your health, please read my article, Imagine: A Visualization Exercise.

Keeping a reptile properly can provide a wonderful learning experience for the family. But so, too, can choosing not to keep one.

If you take away nothing else from this article, please consider this: do not get, nor agree to letting yourchild (or spouse or significant other) get, any animal that you are not willing to care for, provide for andsupport entirely for the rest of its natural life. Because all too often, that is exactly what you will be faced with...

Still thinking about it...?Before buying a reptile from a pet store, expo, or breeder, be sure to check out the lists of herp societiesand reptile rescue groups for information on reptiles that may be available for adoption and to meet andtalk to keepers of species you may be interested in getting. The various herp email discussion lists are also a good place to get the views and experiences of other keepers before you get a reptile. Whenever

possible, select previously owned animals who need a new home, or buy a captive bred one.

Reptile Housing: Size, Dimension and Lifestyle

Excerpted from master's thesis: Classroom Reptiles: A teacher's guide to their selection and care in the schoolroom

©1997 Melissa Kaplan

A great deal of thought must go into a reptile's captive environment. The type of environment it needs will be based on how big the animal gets, how the animal lives in the wild, how it gets water, and its macro- and microclimate requirements. In other words, the captive habitat must contain the key elements of the reptile's habitat in the wild. Deciding what habitat to set up for a captive reptile dependsupon:

where in that wild habitat the reptile lives; when it is active; and what its habits are.

Commercial and Custom Enclosures and MaterialsTo construct a habitat in captivity, we must consider the size and shape of the enclosure as well as the materials from which the enclosure will be constructed.

There are many different aquarium-type enclosures available commercially. The key thing to rememberis that they are aquariums. Most do not have tops that have been made specifically for them. Some havebeen superficially adapted for the reptile trade by the inclusion of a part fixed screen, part hinged glass top. Some pet supply companies are making flat screens that can be placed on top of standard aquariums. The problem with these enclosures is that they are still based on a design that works well for fish, not for the varied needs of reptiles. These enclosures generally do not have the height that is required for arboreal reptiles. Their glass tops prohibit the proper use of ultraviolet B-producing fluorescents (as UVB is filtered out by glass and plastic). There is no safe way to mount heating equipment to them or install shelving inside them. Many factory-fitted and after-market tops fit so poorly or loosely that they are worthless in preventing a determined snake from escaping.

There are companies making wooden, melamine/pressboard, and molded plastic enclosures. Too often, however, these are modeled on the glass aquariums and so suffer from the same drawbacks of those enclosures. Many are built in a simple cube shape. Taller than the glass aquaria, they are usually not tallenough, and are rarely wide enough for the full grown lizard or snake for which they are being sold. Their large front-opening door makes it almost impossible to prevent a motivated lizard from escaping when you open the door. Melamine presents a problem in that, while the insides and outside of the enclosures look good, and they clean and disinfect well, the sides of the openings and doors are not finished on many of them. The exposed pressboard soaks up liquids (spilled water, urates, cleaning and disinfecting solutions), warping over time, often leaving escape-sized gaps or weakening the overall structure so that the enclosure inhabitant can push its way out.

Wire cages fabricated for mammals or birds are sometimes used. Unfortunately, these are impossible toheat and maintain the thermal gradients required by most reptiles without heating the room in which the

cage sits. The wire poses a danger to reptiles as they can severely injure their snouts, toes, and tails by repeatedly rubbing, climbing, trying to claw out or squeeze through the openings, or when startled into a flight response.

Hobbyists and herpetoculturists are a creative group of people when it comes to modifying existing structures into reptile habitats. Old armoires, prefabricated shower stalls, jewelry or deli display cases, discarded television sets, and sturdy wooden book cases have been converted into reptile enclosures.

A common failing with many of these custom conversions, however, is the same as when you buy an enclosure that appears large enough, or large enough "for now": the reptiles too often rapidly outgrow them. Because of the work and expense that goes into converting a piece of furniture or buying a commercially produced enclosure, most reptile owners are unwilling to repeat their efforts one or two years down the line when the reptile has outgrown it.

Many people want to set up naturalistic enclosures, with interesting layered substrates, plants, branches, molded back and side walls, "ponds," etc. The problem with most is that, in trying to make it as attractive and 'natural' as possible, there is too often insufficient room for the intended inhabitant to properly move around, thermoregulate, access the necessary microclimates, or feed. At least 30-40% ofthe floor space should be left open for the reptile to easily move about, feed, water and defecate. There is no substitute for an appropriately sized enclosure, nor for not expanding or providing larger enclosures as required by the reptile's continued growth.

Determining Enclosure Size: Some rules of thumbMany reptiles do well in spaces smaller than what would be suitable for similarly sized mammals. However, space is very important for reptiles. The space must be large enough to permit a proper temperature gradient to be set up and maintained. Enough room must also be provided for the animal tomove around, thermoregulate, feed, drink, bask, and sleep.

The following dimensions pertain to a single reptile being kept in a simply furnished enclosure. The dimensions must be increased by one-half for each additional animal housed together, with even more room provided for territorial species. Additional room also needs to be provided if a naturalistic habitat is being set up for the reptile(s), including leaving 30-40% of the floor space free for movement, feeding, and defecating.

When calculating a lizard's size for the purposes of determining enclosure size, you must include the tail in the total size. The tail is just as important in the thermoregulation and manufacturing of the precursors to vitamin D3 as the rest of the body. You may think the following dimensions are excessively large, so I will take this moment to note some herpetocultural and zoo sources specify sizesdimensions even larger than those shown below.

LizardsDimension Snout-Tail LengthMinimum length (side to side): 2-3 xMinimum depth (front to back): 1-1.5 xMinimum height:

Terrestrial/Fossorial:

1-1.5 x

Arboreal/Scansorial:

1.5-2 x

As with lizards, snakes can be deceptive about their requirements. Some small, active snakes such as racers need more room, relative to body length, than do large, and largely lazy, pythons and boas. Terrestrial, arboreal, and scansorial snakes do not need to be able to stretch out full length in their enclosure. They should be able to stretch out enough, however, to allow most of their lung or lungs to extend full length. Semi-aquatic snakes require larger enclosures to provide a water area large enough for them to comfortably swim in and hunt for food, while the land area is large enough to for sleeping and basking.

Some herpetoculturists and commercial snake breeders say that many snakes get stressed when they arekept in large enclosures. Most of the people who say this keep their snakes in shoe-box or sweater-box sized enclosures. While it is true that snakes prefer a cozy hiding place, one in which they can feel two or more of the walls with their comfortably coiled body, they still need a reasonably large enclosure. There needs to be enough room for you to attain and maintain the species required thermal gradient, an adequately sized water bowl, a humidity retreat box, and a place to feed. Many of the enclosures at pet stores and breeders, and pictured in many snake books, have barely a few inches of exposed floor space, the rest of the enclosure being filled with the snake and its bowl.

SnakesDimension Total LengthMinimum length (side to side): 3/4 of total lengthMinimum depth (front to back): 1/3 of total lengthMinimum height:

Terrestrial/Fossorial:

3/4 of total length

Arboreal/Scansorial:

1 x total length, max 6-8 ft

As with lizards, snakes can be deceptive about their requirements. Some small, active snakes such as racers need more room, relative to body length, than do large, and largely lazy, pythons and boas. Terrestrial, arboreal, and scansorial snakes do not need to be able to stretch out full length in their enclosure. They should be able to stretch out enough, however, to allow most of their lung or lungs to extend full length. Semi-aquatic snakes require larger enclosures to provide a water area large enough for them to comfortably swim in and hunt for food, while the land area is large enough to for sleeping and basking.

Some herpetoculturists and commercial snake breeders say that many snakes get stressed when they arekept in large enclosures. Most of the people who say this keep their snakes in shoe-box or sweater-box sized enclosures. While it is true that snakes prefer a cozy hiding place, one in which they can feel two or more of the walls with their comfortably coiled body, they still need a reasonably large enclosure. There needs to be enough room for you to attain and maintain the species required thermal gradient, an adequately sized water bowl, a humidity retreat box, and a place to feed. Many of the enclosures at pet stores and breeders, and pictured in many snake books, have barely a few inches of exposed floor space, the rest of the enclosure being filled with the snake and its bowl.

Aquatic And Semi-Aquatic TurtlesDimension Carapace LengthMinimum length (side to side): 4-5 xMinimum depth (front to back): 2-3 xMinimum height: 1.5-2 x total length plus 8-12" to prevent escapes

Aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles need both a land and water area. The water area must be large enough

for them to swim freely through the water to catch their food. Those species whose natural habits include burrowing into the silt or sand at the bottom of their native lakes or rivers must have similar substrate layers in the bottom of their enclosure. This is in addition to the necessary depth and breadth of the water and the additional space above the water line to preclude escape. For some species of aquatic turtles, a haul-out place big enough for the tank inhabitants, or floating platform, may be all thatis needed in an otherwise completely aquatic enclosure. Most Semi-Aquatic species will require a substantial land area as well as water area. The haul-out and land areas are used to bask, sleep, and laying eggs.

Use a good, strong aquarium or prefabricated tub. Aquatic turtle tanks are very heavy and there is tremendous pressure placed on the walls of the enclosure. Remember that the above dimensions are for a single turtle in an enclosure. If you are keeping more than one turtle, both the water and land areas will have to be increased by 1-2 times the total length of the largest inhabitant in each width and length.

Terrestrial (Box) Turtles And TortoisesDimension Carapace LengthMinimum length (side to side): 5 xMinimum depth (front to back): 3 xMinimum height: 1.5-2 x to prevent escapes

Thanks to variations of the The Tortoise and the Hare fable, most people think of tortoises as slow-moving animals who do little with their time. As tortoise owners will tell you, however, a healthy tortoise housed in a proper environment is both active and quick. Box turtles are similarly wide-rangingand, well, speedy. Many tortoises and box turtles range widely throughout their habitat, with several sleeping and basking areas used every day. Most are burrowers and talented diggers, easily digging under outdoor pen walls and fences. They are also good climbers, especially tortoises. Escapes can be prevented when they are housed indoors by building the enclosure walls higher than they can stretch when they climb on the back of another inhabitant or on top of a rock, log, or hide box.

Tortoise and box turtle enclosures need pans of shallow water that the chelonian can easily walk into and drink from. Unlike the U.S. species of box turtles (Terrapene) those from China and Indonesia (Cuora) are more aquatic in their habits, and must have deeper, yet easily accessible, water in which to soak and feed.

Housing Different Species Together There are many problems associated with keeping members of different species, even orders, together. The primary problem is that the individual animals may have commensal or other organisms

in or on their bodies with whom they have co-evolved. Having co-evolved together, the host animal hassome natural immunity to the possible deleterious effects of the organisms. Exposing another reptile to these organisms, however, could be fatal to that reptile. This is especially true with animals from one continent being mixed with animals from another continent. Too often, people try to mix species together who have completely different habitat requirements. This will cause severe stress in the animalwhose needs are not being met and may ultimately be fatal to it. Problems are also caused when housing predators with prey, even if that particular predator may not prey on that species of prey. An example is housing a bearded dragon and sand boa together. Not only are they from different continents(potential for transmission of deadly organisms) but even though the sand boa may not think of eating alarge bearded dragon, the bearded dragon, who is preyed upon by snakes in its native habitat, will always be fearful, if not outright terrified, by the constant presence of the boa.

Basing your decision on what animals can be kept together cannot be made by looking at what is being done in most pet stores. Most stores tend to house different species or taxa together without regard for zoonotic transmission or habitat requirements. Thus it is not uncommon to see iguanas housed with tortoises, terrestrial turtles with aquatics, and temperate frogs with tropical lizards. You must complete your own research, using encyclopedias, atlases, and availing your self of information resources through the local herpetological society, herpetoculture publications, and Internet resources.

Lifestyles of the Wild and Scaly

HabitatsThe habitat is where the reptile generally lives within its ecosystem. Deserts, woodlands, temperate grasslands, savannahs, and tropical forests are the ecosystems from which most of the reptiles in the pettrade come. Habitats are a complex mix of temperatures, humidity levels, photoperiods, elevations, organic lifeforms, inorganic matter, and space.

Aquatic:Aquatic reptiles need large bodies of water in which to swim, feed, and thermoregulate. Some do haul out on land or rocks to sun themselves. The enclosure needs to be strong enough and waterproofed to hold the water, and provisions made for regular cleaning and disinfecting of the tank as well as the filtration systems needed to keep the enclosures clean on a daily basis. Care must be taken when supplying overhead heat sources that the reptiles in the enclosure cannot get to them and topple them into the tank. If submersible heaters are used to heat the water, they must be shielded so that the animal cannot come into direct contact with them.

Arboreal:Many species of lizards and snakes spend most or all of their time in trees, including anoles, water dragons, iguanas, various agamas and geckos, boas and pythons. Arboreal enclosures therefore need to be tall as well as have the necessary width. They must be outfitted with sturdy branches or, for the largelizards and snakes, shelves for basking and roosting. All fixtures in these enclosures must be securely fastened. The lighting and heating elements must be shielded as these reptiles will easily climb on and into them. If live plants are used in these enclosures, they must be sturdy enough to withstand the clawing and crushing they will get, or be easily removed and replaced with other plants when they get too damaged for continued use. Live plants will also require that a partial or complete drainage layer beused to catch the run-off when the plants are watered. They must, obviously, also be non-toxic and harmless.

Fossorial:

Many snakes and lizards, and some chelonians, are burrows, spending some or all of their time coveredby a few inches or more of substrate. Some, like sand boas, are rarely seen above ground; others, like some skinks, burrow away to sleep and digest. Enclosures for fossorial reptiles need to be strong enough to safely hold several inches of burrowable substrate over a drainage layer. They must also be tall enough to make it difficult if not impossible for the inhabitant to climb up-and out-of the enclosure.The same width and depth furnished to terrestrial reptiles must also be provided.

Scansorial/Saxicolous:Many lizards live in rocky crevices, basking and hunting for food on rocky walls and outcroppings. Rocks, cleaned and disinfected, can be arranged and cemented together with a non-toxic silicone cement to provide walls and outcroppings for such lizards. Caves and crevices can be built into these structures to provide some natural hiding and sleeping places. Walls need to be anchored to the back of the tank to prevent their toppling over and crushing the enclosure inhabitants. Outcroppings should be well balanced and partially buried in the substrate to ensure they are not toppled or shifted around during use. Scansorial enclosures need sufficient height and depth to be able to fit in the walls and outcroppings yet still keep the reptiles safely distant from overhead heat and light sources. They also need the width necessary for ample thermoregulation and food gathering.

Semi-Aquatic/Riparian:Some reptiles spend considerable amounts of time in the water swimming, feeding, and sleeping, as well as basking on dry land. These enclosures must provide ample room for the aquatic area setup as well as a terrestrial portion; both must be large enough for the inhabitants to use them for their intendedpurpose. As with aquatic enclosures, heating and lighting must be securely mounted to ensure that they cannot be accidentally toppled into the water.

Terrestrial:Terrestrial reptiles still make use of various irregularities in their environment, irregularities often beingdifferent microclimates. Terrestrial enclosures, then, must provide such irregularities. All type of terrestrial reptiles will make use of such features as hide boxes or caves, areas of higher humidity, and rocks, branches or shelves for climbing and sunning. Ample width and depth of enclosure are required to ensure enough room for the furnishings and adequate thermoregulation.

Naturalistic HabitatsIn creating habitats, you must begin to think of the interior space in three dimensions. You will need to consider not only the reptile's living spaces within the habitat but also your ability to easily get in to service and clean the environment. A natural habitat setup in captivity unfortunately does not include all the microorganisms found in the wild that would be busily engaged in breaking down plant and animal wastes. The more difficult or complicated an enclosure is to get into and service, the less likely it is going to be done as often as needed. If you cannot devote the time necessary to establish and maintain a complex environment, then consider making one that is a bit less complex. Less complex does not mean uninteresting. It can still be interesting and educational for you and the class, suitable and interesting for the reptile, and not require major disassembly and a full day to get in and clean!

Look at photographs of your reptile's native habitat, or go out looking on your own. Visualize each section of the scene by looking at it from the top down - down into the ground. Note the uneven surfaceof the ground itself,, the different heights of the plants growing there, the fallen branches, leaves, the scattering of rocks or stones. If you are out in the wild, take a small spade or stick and dig into the ground a bit. Look at and feel the earth beneath the surface, the different textures, humidity, and temperatures. The features on top of the ground constitute the topography of the habitat; those at and

under the surface are the substrata.

Creating a habitat means recreating the key aspects of the topography and substrata. We begin constructing the habitat from the substrata up, starting with the different substrates, then building, layer by layer, the surface topography.

If you are using a glass enclosure, make sure it is sturdy enough to hold the weight of the contents. If you can find the older, metal-framed aquariums, they are stronger than the all-glass ones. Keep in mindthat the enclosure, especially a large one, is going to be very heavy when you are done. It is best to set the enclosure in its place first, then begin constructing the interior. When buying or building enclosures,remember that the bottom several inches of the interior will be given over to substrata and ground cover so always buy or build taller enclosures than you might otherwise think you need.

Make a couple of sketches of the interior, both as it will be seen from the front and from the top. Begin to decide where you will make the high and low spots and place the plants and other furnishings, keeping in mind the reptile's habits and preferences for daytime basking, sleeping, feeding, and water use. Once you have these figured out, you then will know where you need to place the lights and heat sources. If you are limited by access to electrical outlets as to where the lights and heat can be, then youwill have to design the interior based on where those lights must be placed.

Artificial HabitatsArtificial habitats differ from naturalistic habitats in that they are set up more simply. The needs of the reptiles for thermoregulation, lighting, humidity, security, etc., are still being met, but in an environment that does not particularly resemble the diversity of materials, elevations, etc., of their native habitat. Artificial habitats should always be used when animals are in quarantine prior to being introduced into their permanent individual or community enclosures.

References

Barnard, Susan M. (1996) Reptile Keeper's handbook. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Company.

De Vosjoli, Philippe. (1996). Design and Maintenance of Desert Vivaria. Santee, CA: Advanced Vivarium Systems.

Griehl, Klaus. (1987). Snakes: Giant Snakes and Non-Venomous Snakes in the Terrarium. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series.

Heatwole, Harold F. & Taylor, Janet. (1987). Ecology of Reptiles. Chipping Norton, Australia: Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd.

Kreger, Michael. (1993). The psychological well-being of reptiles. Humane Innovations and Alternatives, 519-523.

Mattison, Chris. (1992). The Care of Reptiles and Amphibians in Captivity. London, England: Blandford Press.

Society for the Study of Reptiles and Amphibians. (1994). Captive Management and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles. James B. Murphy, Kraig Adler, Joseph T. Collins. (Eds.). Hays, KS: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

Warwick, Clifford. (1990). Important ethological and other considerations of the study and maintenance of reptiles in captivity. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 27(4), 363-366.

Zug, George R. 1993. Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.