Reptile Housing
Owning a reptile species for a pet can be fun, interesting, educational and a lot of work.
Many pets that fall under this category require very specialized housing, food and care.
The most common reptiles kept as pets in the United States are lizards and iguanas. Others include Bearded Dragons, chameleons and monitors. Obviously, snakes tend to be well-liked by mostly boys and young men, but don’t count out all of the girls. Many girls own and are knowledgeable about snakes.
Topping the list as the most popular snake in the pet industry is the Corn Snake, followed by the Ball Python and the California King Snake.
Each of these species requires very specialized and, at times, intense care when taking husbandry into account. The next few weeks I will focus on a specific aspect of care for the most commonly kept reptiles.
When you are thinking about a reptile as a pet, and definitely before you buy one, you must do adequate research about the species you are considering and determine what you will need to provide a comfortable, consistent and thriving environment for the pet.
The most common issue we see with reptiles in the hospital is related to housing and feeding. This week we will discuss specific environmental recommendations that are absolutely necessary when keeping a reptile so you may enjoy your pet as long as their natural lifespan in captivity will allow.
The first thing you have to take into consideration is the room or area you will be keeping the enclosure or “home” for the reptile.
Most of these pets require a humid and tropical environment like they have in nature. The humidity, along with heat, is essential to reptiles for digestion of its food and more importantly to keep its temperature stable since they are naturally cold-blooded animals.
The most extreme way to achieve this is to convert an entire room or area for the reptile and place a humidifier that will produce the best air for them. Since this is a bit farfetched and unrealistic for most pet owners, you have to find a way to provide the reptile with some source of humidity. Many owners use a spray water bottle and spray down the reptile two to three times daily as well as the inside of the tank, which will collect condensation on the sides of the enclosure if it is glass or plastic, and provide a longer lasting humidity. It is also important to spray inside plants and wood perches as they will hold droplets of water that supply the reptile with its daily fluid needs.
The next most important aspect of their environment is the cage. Many species are kept in a glass aquarium while some lizards, land turtles and snakes require a more dry area that can be bought or made out of wood with fence or chicken wire sides to allow for airflow.
The enclosure should be big enough to allow exercise, which usually consists of climbing and jumping. Even many snakes like to climb around tree branches; however, turtles and tortoises usually stay close to the bottom of the cage and do not require much exercise.
Each of these enclosures must have a substrate on the bottom to collect and absorb the reptile’s urine and fecal waste. There are many different opinions on what is better in the bottom of the cage but whatever you choose make sure it is safe for the kind of reptile you own.
Most of the reptile veterinarian specialists recommend Carfresh Bedding sold in most pet stores for lizards or newspaper bedding. It can be removed, tank cleaned properly, and replaced easily. It absorbs well and most reptiles do not eat it.
Although popular, walnut shells, sand, seeds, rocks, wood shavings and Astroturf are not good bedding sources. Reptiles eat these things, sometimes inadvertently when catching live prey and it can cause an impaction or obstruction. Turtles usually require more natural bedding like dirt, rocks, leaves, and a swim area for those that require it. Snakes do well on newspaper, too.
The next most important aspect of keeping a reptile is the temperature of its environment. In general, most reptiles require two distinct temperatures for survival.
You should split the cage in half and have a thermometer on both sides. One side should stay around 75 to 85 degrees and the other side should be 90 to 100 degrees. These temperatures are very important for appetite, digestion and resting. The lizard, turtle, and snake will venture to whichever side it requires at the moment.
It is never a good idea to use a heat rock or slab for warmth. Many reptiles will burn themselves, especially if it is not feeling well, without realizing how hot the rock gets. The proper temperatures can be achieved by placing drop lights, one with a higher-watt bulb such as 100 and the other being a 60 to 75 watt bulb that stays on as long as it takes to maintain steady temperatures on each side. I use a timer to keep the temperatures consistent.
The last, but most important aspect to owning a reptile is providing the correct light for survival. Many lizards required a special light that produces UVA and/or UVB rays. While the easiest and cheapest light source is direct sunlight, moving a large enclosure outdoors may not be an easy task and winter months tend to produce temperatures that are not tolerated by reptiles.
Lights purchased usually range in price, which means you get what you pay for. Owning a well-made reptile light is essential for its needs as it uses the light to convert vitamin D in its body to calcium, which is required for bone and organ health. Most lizards need 14 hours a day minimum. It is better to spend a little more on a good light than have to treat a sick reptile. Other species may not require the special rays but do rely on a light cycle that tells it about its day/night cycle. These cycles are also essential to the overall well-being of the pet.
As you can see, it can be quite time consuming and expensive to provide a proper environment for a reptile because they typically are not a species of the Midwest region.
You have to reproduce their natural surroundings to enable them to live as they were meant to.
Research specific species for more recommendations from doctors at veterinarypartner.com. Be very careful about information given on other Internet websites that are not reviewed by doctors.
Next week I will discuss feeding requirements and important information on dangerous food items for reptiles
Dr. Toinette Strusinski-Broschay is the owner of Ash Veterinary Clinic in Carleton. She can be reached at 1-734-782-2827.
