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Corn Snake Care Sheet
Distribution: Most of United States Habitat: Hardwood forest and Grasslands Size: Average 4 foot up to 6 feet Life span: 12 to 15 years average with some living to 20 years Number of eggs 5 to 30 Introduction: This is the ideal first snake, as it generally has a good disposition. This snake is also very capable of withstanding a large temperature range so it is very hardy making it an excellent first snake. Buying your first snake if you are new to snakes you should buy from somewhere that is recomended to you or where you are happy that the staff will be able to help you if you have any problems.All snakes sold should be feeding on defrosted food and easy to handle. Care of your snake: Temperature should be 80-85F(27-30C) during the day at the hot end of the vivarium, with a 5-10F drop at night. It is best to have two thermoneters, one at each end of the viv so you know the temperature at the hot and cold ends. Your viv can be heated by many methods but the key thing to is that your heat source should be well guarded so that the snake can't get too close and burn itself. All sources of heat should be thermostatically controlled which can cost Ł15 to Ł50. This will be your most expesive piece of equipment but the most important! There are two main sources of heating commonly used for reptiles. The first is heat mats which are placed idealy in the vivarium. This provides a local source of heat for the animal. The second is bulbs or ceramic heaters these work by warming the air a more natural way. We keep our corn snakes using both mehods and the snakes do as well using either method. Snakes shed theirbwhole skin as they grow, this happen at intervals during its life usually after five or six feeds. You will notice that the skin become duller in colour and the eyes wil go grey. Do not feed your snake if you see this happen. This colour change indicates that the old skin has started to seperate from the new skin. When you see the snakes eyes go clear again he is about to shed his skin. Give him a bath in tepid water. About 80f should be hot enough, this will help to soften the old skin before he sheds it. Do not use any soap or detegent in the water but a few drops of cooking oil in the water may help. He will usually shed his skin within 48 hours of the eyes becoming clear. Wait 48 hours after he has shed his skin before feeding Furnishing your vivarium: As a substrate you can use anything from paper to wood chippings, but do not use anything with cedar chippings or saw dust in it as this is dangerous for reptiles. Do not use silica sand or sawdust as the animals that ingests these will not live very long.Your snake will need something to hide under. This can be anything from a box made of wood or a flower pot , cork bark or a hollow log. It will also need a water bowl big enough to curl up in without over flowing onto the substrate. This water bowl should be cleaned out every day and the water changed. Feeding: PLEASE DO NOT FEED SNAKES ON LIVE FOOD! Small animals can do great damage to snakes if they are grabbed by an inexperienced snake and it causes untold suffering to the small animal. Feed only defrosted frozen food! Food should be defrosted at room tempertaure and warmed in a plastic bag and in a bowl of warm water up to 100F before being presented to your snake. Cornsnakes should be eating mice or rats. If they are eating defrosted chicks please be carful as they might not be as healthy as the ones fed on rodents. Young corn snakes should be fed every four ore five days, decreasing to every week as the snake grows eventually once every two weeks will suffice for adult specimens. The food it eats should be as thick as the snakes thickest part of its body. If you keep more than one snake in the same vivarium seperate them for feeding as the may fight over the same piece of food. Some snakes may slow down their feeding as winter comes on even though the vivarium is still as warm this may be due to shorter days and so full spectrum lighting is recommended as for some lizards may be an advatage to these snakes to keep them feeding normally. Please remember this is only basic advice and veterinary advice should be sort if your animals have any problems.

Corn Snake Care Sheet

Distribution:   Most of United States
Habitat:         Hardwood forest and Grasslands
Size:              Average 4 foot up to 6 feet
Life span:      12 to 15 years average with some living to 20 years
Number of eggs 5 to 30
Introduction:
This is the ideal first snake, as it generally has a good disposition. This snake is also very capable of withstanding a large temperature range so it is very hardy making it an excellent first snake.
Buying your first snake
if you are new to snakes you should buy from somewhere that is recomended to you or where you are happy that the staff will be able to help you if you have any problems.All snakes sold should be feeding on defrosted food and easy to handle.
Care of your snake:
Temperature should be 80-85F(27-30C) during the day at the hot end of the vivarium, with a 5-10F drop at night. It is best to have two thermoneters, one at each end of the viv so you know the temperature at the hot and cold ends.
Your viv can be heated by many methods but the key thing to is that your heat source should be well guarded so that the snake can't get too close and burn itself. All sources of heat should be thermostatically controlled which can cost Ł15 to Ł50. This will be your most expesive piece of equipment but the most important! There are two main sources of heating commonly used for reptiles. The first is heat mats which are placed idealy in the vivarium. This provides a local source of heat for the animal. The second is bulbs or ceramic heaters these work by warming the air a more natural way. We keep our corn snakes using both mehods and the snakes do as well using either method. Snakes shed theirbwhole skin as they grow, this happen at intervals during its life usually after five or six feeds. You will notice that the skin become duller in colour and the eyes wil go grey. Do not feed your snake if you see this happen. This colour change indicates that the old skin has started to seperate from the new skin. When you see the snakes eyes go clear again he is about to shed his skin. Give him a bath in tepid water. About 80f should be hot enough, this will help to soften the old skin before he sheds it. Do not use any soap or detegent in the water but a few drops of cooking oil in the water may help. He will usually shed his skin within 48 hours of the eyes becoming clear. Wait 48 hours after he has shed his skin before feeding
Furnishing your vivarium:
As a substrate you can use anything from paper to wood chippings, but do not use anything with cedar chippings or saw dust in it as this is dangerous for reptiles. Do not use silica sand or sawdust as the animals that ingests these will not live very long.Your snake will need something to hide under. This can be anything from a box made of wood or a flower pot , cork bark or a hollow log. It will also need a water bowl big enough to curl up in without over flowing onto the substrate. This water bowl should be cleaned out every day and the water changed.
Feeding: PLEASE DO NOT FEED SNAKES ON LIVE FOOD!
Small animals can do great damage to snakes if they are grabbed by an inexperienced snake and it causes untold suffering to the small animal.
Feed only defrosted frozen food!
Food should be defrosted at room tempertaure and warmed in a plastic bag and in a bowl of warm water up to 100F before being presented to your snake.
Cornsnakes should be eating mice or rats. If they are eating defrosted chicks please be carful as they might not be as healthy as the ones fed on rodents. Young corn snakes should be fed every four ore five days, decreasing to every week as the snake grows eventually once every two weeks will suffice for adult specimens. The food it eats should be as thick as the snakes thickest part of its body. If you keep more than one snake in the same vivarium seperate them for feeding as the may fight over the same piece of food. Some snakes may slow down their feeding as winter comes on even though the vivarium is still as warm this may be due to shorter days and so full spectrum lighting is recommended as for some lizards may be an advatage to these snakes to keep them feeding normally.
Please remember this is only basic advice and veterinary advice should be sort if your animals have any problems.


Milk Snakes and King Snakes You would need the same conditions and feeding as recommended for the corn snakes. please remember that the snake will eat other snakes so should be housed alone.They may also grow to a larger size than the corn snake. Boa constrictor imperator These snakes are quite large when full grown (8/9feet)so require a much bigger home 6feet x 2feet x 2feet minimum. They do not grow as large as the Boa constrictor constrictor which can reach 15 feet in length so if handled reulary they make great pets. Royal python Royals are known to dificult to feed at times so make sure that the snake you are going to buy is feeding on defrosted food before you agree to take him home. These are nice snakes as they are not worried about being handled usually. They roll up into a ball if they feel threatened so giving rise to the american name of Ball Python. Leopard Gecko These little lizards are great for the first time lizard keeper, they are fed on live insects such as crickets or wax worms which need to purchased fresh and alive. They need similar housing to a basic corn snake set up but the lid needs to be escape proof for the crickets. Calcium sand can be used as a substrate, if the lizards consume it with their food it will not compact in the gut as silica sand does. Wood chip flooring can be used as it retains moisture and helps keep the humidity correct for leopard geckos. They do not need artificial lights as they are nocturnal. Bearded Dragon. These lizards are from the deserts of Australia originally and need to be kept a slightly higher temperature of about 90 F. They need UV lighting to help them aborb calcium from their food for their bones and skin. They are also omnivours so will eat vegetation as well as live insects. They grow to about 20" in length and are very easily tamed and are usually very handlable. When fully grown they will need a 50 gallon vivarium ( 48" x 18" x 18"). Tortoise Tortoise need similar conditions to the bearded dragons but not so hot, about 80F should be enough, they still need UV lighting. As vegetarians all their food should be dusted with a calcium suplement for their shell and bones. Remenber if you keep your tortoise in a centrally heated enviroment it will not hibernate. Even though you turn off the heating in its vivarium the heating in your home will keep it warm enough to be active. So if you need to hibernate it please take advice from your vet as to wether it is healthy enough to survive hibernation. Monitor Lizards. These are a larger lizard that can grow to over 6' in length and weigh in excess of 50lbs. They are carnivores and will eat all live foods(crikets, locust, meal worms). Even from small size they will take defrosted food like pinkie mice. As they grow you will need to increase the size of thier food. An adult monitor will easily cope with a large rat or a small rabbit. Feeding should be done sparingly as these lizards will eat every thing that is put in front of them and will become obese very easily. They are absolute dustbins, in the wild they are scavengers and will survive on anything they can find. Remember how big these can grow before you consider buying one on a whim.

Milk Snakes and King Snakes
You would need the same conditions and feeding as recommended for the corn snakes.
please remember that the snake will eat other snakes so should be housed alone.They may also grow to a larger size than the corn snake.
Boa constrictor imperator
These snakes are quite large when full grown (8/9feet)so require a much bigger home 6feet x 2feet x 2feet minimum. They do not grow as large as the
Boa constrictor constrictor which can reach 15 feet in length so if handled reulary they make great pets.
Royal python
Royals are known to dificult to feed at times so make sure that the snake you are going to buy is feeding on defrosted food before you agree to take him home. These are nice snakes as they are not worried about being handled usually. They roll up into a ball if they feel threatened so giving rise to the american name of Ball Python.
Leopard Gecko
These little lizards are great for the first time lizard keeper, they are fed on live insects such as crickets or wax worms which need to purchased fresh and alive. They need similar housing to a basic corn snake set up but the lid needs to be escape proof for the crickets. Calcium sand can be used as a substrate, if the lizards consume it with their food it will not compact in the gut as silica sand does. Wood chip flooring can be used as it retains moisture and helps keep the humidity correct for leopard geckos. They do not need artificial lights as they are nocturnal.
Bearded Dragon.
These lizards are from the deserts of Australia originally and need to be kept a slightly higher temperature of about 90 F. They need UV lighting to help them aborb calcium from their food for their bones and skin. They are also omnivours so will eat vegetation as well as live insects. They grow to about 20" in length and are very easily tamed and are usually very handlable. When fully grown they will need a 50 gallon vivarium ( 48" x 18" x 18").
Tortoise
Tortoise need similar conditions to the bearded dragons but not so hot, about 80F should be enough, they still need UV lighting. As vegetarians all their food should be dusted with a calcium suplement for their shell and bones. Remenber if you keep your tortoise in a centrally heated enviroment it will not hibernate. Even though you turn off the heating in its vivarium the heating in your home will keep it warm enough to be active. So if you need to hibernate it please take advice from your vet as to wether it is healthy enough to survive hibernation.
Monitor Lizards.
These are a larger lizard that can grow to over 6' in length and weigh in excess of 50lbs. They are carnivores and will eat all live foods(crikets, locust, meal worms).
Even from small size they will take defrosted food like pinkie mice. As they grow you will need to increase the size of thier food. An adult monitor will easily cope with a large rat or a small rabbit. Feeding should be done sparingly as these lizards will eat every thing that is put in front of them and will become obese very easily. They are absolute dustbins, in the wild they are scavengers and will survive on anything they can find. Remember how big these can grow before you consider buying one on a whim.

Yemen Chameleons
Most chameleon species are fairly solitary and intolerant of other individuals being housed with them. Thus one ADULT animal per cage is the general rule. Veiled Chameleons all have their own personalities. Some individual chameleons may become tame to the point of climbing over to "greet" you at their cage door, others will only want to come out occasionally. Letting your Chameleon come out for a wander (supervised) every now and again is a good idea and helps keep them fit. To tame your Chameleon, try and get him/her to hand feed from about 10 weeks old. Firstly, place a waxworm in the flat palm of your hand about 10 inches from your chameleon so as not to scare him/her. Then be patient! The waxworm will start to wiggle and eventually the chameleon will notice the food. Once your Chameleon is looking at the food with both eyes it should soon fire out its tongue to catch its prey. It might take a while at first but eventually the chameleon will become more confident and will eventually take food quickly every time. Once it is feeding confidently from your hand other foods can be introduced. Housing Chameleons can either be kept in purpose built Chameleon enclosures or normal vivariums (height needs to be about 20 inches plus for adults). If a normal vivarium is used, one of the glass doors should be replaced by a mesh panel as all Chameleons require a lot of ventilation (have the remaining glass door the same side as the basking lamp). Poor ventilation, like that found in a typical glass aquarium, will allow the air to become stagnant and provide an opportunity for fungus and bacteria to grow which in turn will effect the health of your chameleon (and may even kill it). The cage should be furnished with branches of different diameters so that the chameleon can easily navigate the entire cage. Live plants will provide good hiding places and add to the beauty and humidity of the enclosure. Because some chameleons are known for eating vegetable matter, only non-toxic plants should be planted in their enclosures. The most common choices among chameleon breeders are Pothos, hibiscus, Umbrella plants or Ficus benjamani, Ficus "Alii", and Ficus natidia. Plastic plants can also be used with or instead of real plants and have the advantage that they are easily cleaned. The arrangements of lights, plants and branches should be such to allow for at least one basking site where the temperature will reach the upper limits of the animal's comfortable temperature range. The temperature in the rest of the enclosure should be lower allowing the animal to thermoregulate (chose its own temperature) by moving around the cage.Do not use substrate with chameleons as it can sometimes get it stuck in their digestive track causing problems. Temperature Veiled chameleons, coming from Saudi Arabia and Yemen, need hot temperatures during the day. The basking area should be around 90şF to 95şF. At the opposite end to the basking spot the temperature should be at least 10şF lower than the basking spot. With a mesh door it's relatively easy to achieve this. Standard 40 /60 watt light bulbs can be used to create a basking spot. Vary the wattage to get the basking spot the right temperature. Alternatively attach the bulb to a dimmer thermostat with the heat sensitive probe situated near the basking spot. As Chameleons climb on anything its better not to cover the heat source with a wire cage otherwise they tend to climb on the cage and burn their underside. Its better to situate the heat source far enough away from the nearest branch that they can't touch it at all. The basking spot light should be on for 12 hours a day. Baby Chameleons should be kept a bit cooler than adults during the day. Veiled chameleons are very hardy chameleons that can withstand a large range of temperatures. At night, it is necessary for them to experience at least a 10şF to 15şF drop in temperature. In a normal house, no heating is required at night. This allows better resting and simulates their natural habitat where temperatures drop significantly at night. Lighting Lighting is very important for Veileds as it is for all chameleons. Veileds should be provided with a UVA/UVB producing light source and a basking light. UVA and UVB exposure allows chameleons to synthesize vitamin D3 into their skin. The synthesis of vitamin D3 allows the absorption of calcium which is critical for all chameleons. The recommended lights to provide sufficient UVB/UVA exposure are ZooMed's ReptiSun 5.0, ZooMed's Iguana Light 5.0, Arcadia D3 Reptile Light, Interpet Triton Reptile D3 Light and Repti-glow 8.0 Reptile Light. No tungsten light produces UV light (even so called full spectrum or Reptile basking lights). They are perfect however for basking lamps. The light should be on for 12-14 hours a day.All Chameleons love natural sunlight. On hot summer days take your Chameleon outside and put it on a bush to bask. No artificial light can really duplicate the full effects of the suns rays on a sun loving reptile like the Veiled Chameleon. Obviously make sure your Chameleon can't escape or the local cat or bird of prey does not fancy a quick meal first! An outside aviary with a dripper system is Chameleon heaven on a summer day if you have the space. Always make sure the Chameleon can get out of the sun if it wants to though. Water Few chameleons will ever learn to drink water from a standing water dish. In the wild, chameleons lick dew and rain droplets off of leaves, or are attracted to moving water. This means that in captivity, special watering techniques need to be used to keep chameleons healthy and hydrated. Chameleons are naturally attracted to droplets of water which reflect light. Chameleon keepers can take advantage of this by designing water systems that takes this natural behaviour into account. Drip systems are the most common form of chameleon watering system. They generally consist of a container of a water container that sits above the enclosure. A plastic tube with a flow control clamp runs from the water container and into the chameleon cage. Water slowly drips out of the end of the plastic tube. Pre-made drip systems are available and generally include some sort of adjustment to control the rate at which water drips from the tube. Other, simpler drip systems can also be used. A tub of water with a hole in the bottom made by a drawing pin works just as well suspended from the ceiling of the enclosure. If a drip system is used in a chameleon cage, care needs to be taken to prevent the cage from becoming too wet. This is easily accomplished by placing a container inside the cage to catch the dripping water. Make sure the chameleon can't tip it over. Covering the container with mesh will prevent the chameleon or crickets from falling in. The water can then be emptied every day. Another method of watering your chameleon is to simply mist the inside of the enclosure several times a day. Chameleons will eagerly lick water off plants, as well as the sides of the enclosure. With Veiled Chameleons you should mist twice a day and have a drip system going for about 10 minutes at a time at least once a day. If no drip system is used increase the spraying to several times a day. After a while you may find the Chameleon will drink directly from drips from the water spray. Some Veileds rarely drink water however that does not mean it should not be available regularly. Chameleons like clean warm drinking water. Pre boiled semi-cooled water or mineral water (warmed up with boiling water) is best. If using tap water leave it to stand for a while to allow chlorine etc to disburse. Water temperature drops dramatically when sprayed. To get the right temperature, spray your hand from 12 inches away. If it feels warm then it's the right temperature (you will find you have to use fairly hot water in the spray bottle to get a warm spray at 12 inches). Be careful if your Chameleon drinks directly from the nozzle of the spray bottle as the water for spraying could be too hot if coming out in drops. Feeding Veiled chameleons will eat a bit of vegetable matter, along with their diet of live insects. You may find that the plants in the enclosure gradually get eaten by the Chameleon (although some never eat vegetation at all). Try watercress, grated carrot (or sweet potato) and chopped spring greens. Dandelion leaves are an excellent replacement for spring greens and watercress. Just make sure you pick them from areas that don't use pesticides and wash them first. All captive chameleons require calcium and vitamin supplementation. The specific reason for this is beyond the scope of this document. But in short, chameleons need vitamin D3 in order to metabolise calcium for growth and proper nerve functions. Many 'basking' reptiles naturally produce vitamin D3 in their skin when they bask in the sun and are exposed to UV radiation. Since the UV output of most human-made full-spectrum lights do not provide the same UV exposure as the sun, additional supplementation is ESSENTIAL. Feed your chameleon(s) daily by placing live insects with the fresh vegetables into a plastic container which is large enough to prevent the insects from escaping (a 2 litre ice cream tub is perfect). Vitamin &/or mineral supplementation when required can then be sprinkled on the insects and vegetables. Shake the container to evenly coat the vegetables and insects with the supplement. Alternatively use a plastic cup and suspend the container under the chameleons favourite perch. Do this in such a way that it is easy for the chameleon to reach the food in the bottom of the container. The insects will eat some of the vegetables so keeping them gut loaded and alive hence the chameleons will benefit even if they do not directly eat much of the vegetable matter themselves. For very young hatchlings, a baby food jar makes a nice food dish. The same vegetable mixture that is fed to your chameleons should also be fed to the insects you will feed to your chameleons. This will ensure the insects are healthy and nutritious by the time your chameleons eat them. Following is a list of the different insects you can use to feed your chameleon: Adult Crickets - Brown Crickets are safer (Blacks can bite Chameleons at night when they are sleeping). When fed small slices of sweet potato (or carrot) and fresh greens they are nutritious and can comprise up to 80% of your chameleons total diet. Crickets however have a low Calcium/phosphorus ratio so additional calcium supplementation should be included with most cricket meals. Supplement lightly with pure calcium powder, not one with vitamins. 2 - 3 Week Old Crickets- Like adult crickets, but are small enough to be fed to juvenile chameleons. *Tip:* Crickets should be gut loaded (fed) for at least a day prior to being used as food. Put a slice of carrot and a dandelion leaf (washed, or spring green/cabbage) into the cricket tub. Leave them for 24 hours if possible before feeding to the Chameleon. Locusts - A brilliant food for Veileds. Feed the locusts on grass and greens before feeding to the Chameleons. Small hoppers for babies, Adults for Adults.Fruit flies are a great source of food for baby chameleons. Mealworms - Mealworms are inexpensive and, like crickets, easy to load with valuable nutrition by feeding them a quality diet of fruits and vegetables. Commercial gut loading such as bug grub is also available and is excellent. Only feed occasionally as the hard chitin shell of the mealworm is not digestible and can cause blockage of the gut when overfed. Superworms or Zoophobias- Superworms look very much like mealworms, but much bigger and are a slightly different colour. These should only be fed to your chameleon when your chameleon is large enough to eat them. Like crickets and mealworms they should be fed a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables (or commercial gut load) prior to using. These are much better than normal mealworm as there is more body compared to hard shell. Best fed when they have just shed their hard shell (when they are white in colour). Waxworms- Waxworms are sometime called grubs. They are nutritious, full of moisture, and easy to store. Chameleons LOVE them. They can be made more nutritious by feeding them Bee Pollen Granules from a Health Food Shop. Unfortunately, some Chameleoms love them so much they seem to get addicted and won't take anything else. To avoid this, they should only take up a small proportion of your Chameleons diet. They are the best food to get chameleons used to feeding from your hand. Wax Moths- Waxworms turn into moths, which your chameleons will love to eat. Wild-caught Insects- Many chameleon owners set up insect traps during the summer to catch their own insects (not bees or wasps or hairy caterpillars). Grasshoppers, flies, crickets, and spiders will all be devoured by your chameleons. This also helps offer a diverse diet necessary for the health of your chameleon. It is important, however, that the insects be collected from areas where insecticides are not used. Moths can be collected at night and stored until the morning for feeding. Pinky Mice- Some people also supplement their adult chameleons diets with new born mice called pinkie mice. Not all Chameleons will take pinkie mice. They are definitely a matter of taste for you and your Chameleon and should only be fed once a week if accepted but they do help to get added calcium and nutrients into the Chameleon. Veiled chameleons, when young, should be fed as much as they will eat. As they get older they should be given a more stationary diet (large crickets, large mealworms or superworms, waxworms, earthworms etc.). It is important that you limit the amount of food you feed an adult chameleon. Allowing a chameleon to gorge itself, will result in a very obese and unhealthy chameleon. When they are young they will devour anywhere from 6 to 20 small cricket sized insects daily. When they grow up

Yemen Chameleons

Most chameleon species are fairly solitary and intolerant of other individuals being housed with them. Thus one ADULT animal per cage is the general rule.
Veiled Chameleons all have their own personalities. Some individual chameleons may become tame to the point of climbing over to "greet" you at their cage door, others will only want to come out occasionally. Letting your Chameleon come out for a wander (supervised) every now and again is a good idea and helps keep them fit.

To tame your Chameleon, try and get him/her to hand feed from about 10 weeks old. Firstly, place a waxworm in the flat palm of your hand about 10 inches from your chameleon so as not to scare him/her. Then be patient! The waxworm will start to wiggle and eventually the chameleon will notice the food. Once your Chameleon is looking at the food with both eyes it should soon fire out its tongue to catch its prey. It might take a while at first but eventually the chameleon will become more confident and will eventually take food quickly every time. Once it is feeding confidently from your hand other foods can be introduced.

Housing
Chameleons can either be kept in purpose built Chameleon enclosures or normal vivariums (height needs to be about 20 inches plus for adults). If a normal vivarium is used, one of the glass doors should be replaced by a mesh panel as all Chameleons require a lot of ventilation (have the remaining glass door the same side as the basking lamp). Poor ventilation, like that found in a typical glass aquarium, will allow the air to become stagnant and provide an opportunity for fungus and bacteria to grow which in turn will effect the health of your chameleon (and may even kill it). The cage should be furnished with branches of different diameters so that the chameleon can easily navigate the entire cage. Live plants will provide good hiding places and add to the beauty and humidity of the enclosure. Because some chameleons are known for eating vegetable matter, only non-toxic plants should be planted in their enclosures. The most common choices among chameleon breeders are Pothos, hibiscus, Umbrella plants or Ficus benjamani, Ficus "Alii", and Ficus natidia. Plastic plants can also be used with or instead of real plants and have the advantage that they are easily cleaned. The arrangements of lights, plants and branches should be such to allow for at least one basking site where the temperature will reach the upper limits of the animal's comfortable temperature range. The temperature in the rest of the enclosure should be lower allowing the animal to thermoregulate (chose its own temperature) by moving around the cage.Do not use substrate with chameleons as it can sometimes get it stuck in their digestive track causing problems.

Temperature
Veiled chameleons, coming from Saudi Arabia and Yemen, need hot temperatures during the day. The basking area should be around 90şF to 95şF. At the opposite end to the basking spot the temperature should be at least 10şF lower than the basking spot. With a mesh door it's relatively easy to achieve this. Standard 40 /60 watt light bulbs can be used to create a basking spot. Vary the wattage to get the basking spot the right temperature. Alternatively attach the bulb to a dimmer thermostat with the heat sensitive probe situated near the basking spot. As Chameleons climb on anything its better not to cover the heat source with a wire cage otherwise they tend to climb on the cage and burn their underside. Its better to situate the heat source far enough away from the nearest branch that they can't touch it at all.
The basking spot light should be on for 12 hours a day.

Baby Chameleons should be kept a bit cooler than adults during the day.

Veiled chameleons are very hardy chameleons that can withstand a large range of temperatures. At night, it is necessary for them to experience at least a 10şF to 15şF drop in temperature. In a normal house, no heating is required at night. This allows better resting and simulates their natural habitat where temperatures drop significantly at night.

Lighting
Lighting is very important for Veileds as it is for all chameleons. Veileds should be provided with a UVA/UVB producing light source and a basking light. UVA and UVB exposure allows chameleons to synthesize vitamin D3 into their skin. The synthesis of vitamin D3 allows the absorption of calcium which is critical for all chameleons.

The recommended lights to provide sufficient UVB/UVA exposure are ZooMed's ReptiSun 5.0, ZooMed's Iguana Light 5.0, Arcadia D3 Reptile Light, Interpet Triton Reptile D3 Light and Repti-glow 8.0 Reptile Light.

No tungsten light produces UV light (even so called full spectrum or Reptile basking lights). They are perfect however for basking lamps.
The light should be on for 12-14 hours a day.All Chameleons love natural sunlight. On hot summer days take your Chameleon outside and put it on a bush to bask. No artificial light can really duplicate the full effects of the suns rays on a sun loving reptile like the Veiled Chameleon. Obviously make sure your Chameleon can't escape or the local cat or bird of prey does not fancy a quick meal first! An outside aviary with a dripper system is Chameleon heaven on a summer day if you have the space. Always make sure the Chameleon can get out of the sun if it wants to though.

Water
Few chameleons will ever learn to drink water from a standing water dish. In the wild, chameleons lick dew and rain droplets off of leaves, or are attracted to moving water. This means that in captivity, special watering techniques need to be used to keep chameleons healthy and hydrated. Chameleons are naturally attracted to droplets of water which reflect light. Chameleon keepers can take advantage of this by designing water systems that takes this natural behaviour into account. Drip systems are the most common form of chameleon watering system. They generally consist of a container of a water container that sits above the enclosure. A plastic tube with a flow control clamp runs from the water container and into the chameleon cage. Water slowly drips out of the end of the plastic tube. Pre-made drip systems are available and generally include some sort of adjustment to control the rate at which water drips from the tube. Other, simpler drip systems can also be used. A tub of water with a hole in the bottom made by a drawing pin works just as well suspended from the ceiling of the enclosure. If a drip system is used in a chameleon cage, care needs to be taken to prevent the cage from becoming too wet. This is easily accomplished by placing a container inside the cage to catch the dripping water. Make sure the chameleon can't tip it over. Covering the container with mesh will prevent the chameleon or crickets from falling in. The water can then be emptied every day. Another method of watering your chameleon is to simply mist the inside of the enclosure several times a day. Chameleons will eagerly lick water off plants, as well as the sides of the enclosure.

With Veiled Chameleons you should mist twice a day and have a drip system going for about 10 minutes at a time at least once a day. If no drip system is used increase the spraying to several times a day. After a while you may find the Chameleon will drink directly from drips from the water spray.
Some Veileds rarely drink water however that does not mean it should not be available regularly.

Chameleons like clean warm drinking water. Pre boiled semi-cooled water or mineral water (warmed up with boiling water) is best. If using tap water leave it to stand for a while to allow chlorine etc to disburse.

Water temperature drops dramatically when sprayed. To get the right temperature, spray your hand from 12 inches away. If it feels warm then it's the right temperature (you will find you have to use fairly hot water in the spray bottle to get a warm spray at 12 inches). Be careful if your Chameleon drinks directly from the nozzle of the spray bottle as the water for spraying could be too hot if coming out in drops.

Feeding
Veiled chameleons will eat a bit of vegetable matter, along with their diet of live insects. You may find that the plants in the enclosure gradually get eaten by the Chameleon (although some never eat vegetation at all). Try watercress, grated carrot (or sweet potato) and chopped spring greens. Dandelion leaves are an excellent replacement for spring greens and watercress. Just make sure you pick them from areas that don't use pesticides and wash them first.

All captive chameleons require calcium and vitamin supplementation. The specific reason for this is beyond the scope of this document. But in short, chameleons need vitamin D3 in order to metabolise calcium for growth and proper nerve functions. Many 'basking' reptiles naturally produce vitamin D3 in their skin when they bask in the sun and are exposed to UV radiation. Since the UV output of most human-made full-spectrum lights do not provide the same UV exposure as the sun, additional supplementation is ESSENTIAL.

Feed your chameleon(s) daily by placing live insects with the fresh vegetables into a plastic container which is large enough to prevent the insects from escaping (a 2 litre ice cream tub is perfect). Vitamin &/or mineral supplementation when required can then be sprinkled on the insects and vegetables. Shake the container to evenly coat the vegetables and insects with the supplement. Alternatively use a plastic cup and suspend the container under the chameleons favourite perch. Do this in such a way that it is easy for the chameleon to reach the food in the bottom of the container. The insects will eat some of the vegetables so keeping them gut loaded and alive hence the chameleons will benefit even if they do not directly eat much of the vegetable matter themselves. For very young hatchlings, a baby food jar makes a nice food dish. The same vegetable mixture that is fed to your chameleons should also be fed to the insects you will feed to your chameleons. This will ensure the insects are healthy and nutritious by the time your chameleons eat them. Following is a list of the different insects you can use to feed your chameleon:

Adult Crickets - Brown Crickets are safer (Blacks can bite Chameleons at night when they are sleeping). When fed small slices of sweet potato (or carrot) and fresh greens they are nutritious and can comprise up to 80% of your chameleons total diet. Crickets however have a low Calcium/phosphorus ratio so additional calcium supplementation should be included with most cricket meals. Supplement lightly with pure calcium powder, not one with vitamins.
2 - 3 Week Old Crickets- Like adult crickets, but are small enough to be fed to juvenile chameleons.

Tip: Crickets should be gut loaded (fed) for at least a day prior to being used as food. Put a slice of carrot and a dandelion leaf (washed, or spring green/cabbage) into the cricket tub. Leave them for 24 hours if possible before feeding to the Chameleon.

Locusts - A brilliant food for Veileds. Feed the locusts on grass and greens before feeding to the Chameleons. Small hoppers for babies, Adults for Adults.Fruit flies are a great source of food for baby chameleons.

Mealworms - Mealworms are inexpensive and, like crickets, easy to load with valuable nutrition by feeding them a quality diet of fruits and vegetables. Commercial gut loading such as bug grub is also available and is excellent. Only feed occasionally as the hard chitin shell of the mealworm is not digestible and can cause blockage of the gut when overfed.

Superworms or Zoophobias- Superworms look very much like mealworms, but much bigger and are a slightly different colour. These should only be fed to your chameleon when your chameleon is large enough to eat them. Like crickets and mealworms they should be fed a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables (or commercial gut load) prior to using. These are much better than normal mealworm as there is more body compared to hard shell. Best fed when they have just shed their hard shell (when they are white in colour).

Waxworms- Waxworms are sometime called grubs. They are nutritious, full of moisture, and easy to store. Chameleons LOVE them. They can be made more nutritious by feeding them Bee Pollen Granules from a Health Food Shop. Unfortunately, some Chameleoms love them so much they seem to get addicted and won't take anything else. To avoid this, they should only take up a small proportion of your Chameleons diet. They are the best food to get chameleons used to feeding from your hand.

Wax Moths- Waxworms turn into moths, which your chameleons will love to eat.

Wild-caught Insects- Many chameleon owners set up insect traps during the summer to catch their own insects (not bees or wasps or hairy caterpillars). Grasshoppers, flies, crickets, and spiders will all be devoured by your chameleons. This also helps offer a diverse diet necessary for the health of your chameleon. It is important, however, that the insects be collected from areas where insecticides are not used. Moths can be collected at night and stored until the morning for feeding.

Pinky Mice- Some people also supplement their adult chameleons diets with new born mice called pinkie mice. Not all Chameleons will take pinkie mice. They are definitely a matter of taste for you and your Chameleon and should only be fed once a week if accepted but they do help to get added calcium and nutrients into the Chameleon.

Veiled chameleons, when young, should be fed as much as they will eat. As they get older they should be given a more stationary diet (large crickets, large mealworms or superworms, waxworms, earthworms etc.). It is important that you limit the amount of food you feed an adult chameleon. Allowing a chameleon to gorge itself, will result in a very obese and unhealthy chameleon. When they are young they will devour anywhere from 6 to 20 small cricket sized insects daily. When they grow up

Tarantulas
Tarantulas Before you buy a tarantula you should think about the conditions it will need to live a long and healthy life. Many tarantulas die in the first few days because their new owner hasn't prepared a suitable home for them. First decide what you want to buy because a small spiderling will obviously require very different accommodation to a full grown specimen. I will assume you are buying a medium-sized tarantula in which case you will need to provide the following. Housing Pet shops will sell suitable tanks in glass or plastic and the size should not be less than about 25cm by 15cm by 15cm high. If you want to create a tank that tries to provide natural conditions (for example rain forest with leaf litter, logs etc.) then you will need a much larger tank, but you won't see your spider very often! I would suggest that you begin with the simple tank without unnecessary contents so that you can watch your tarantula's activities. Substrate (Ground cover) A 2cm layer of Vermiculite should cover the bottom of the tank and a thin layer of chipped bark or cocoa fibre placed on top of that. These can be purchased from most garden centres and should be kept damp to keep up the humidity levels in the tank. Potting compost should not be used as they really need to be sterilised and changed frequently. Heating A temperature of 21-24⁰C is required for most of the tarantulas that you should buy as a beginner. If you have a centrally heated room which stays at that temperature all the time then you won't need extra heating during the winter, but you will between spring and autumn when the heating is switched off. A good pet shop that sells reptiles and spiders will have a variety of thermostatically controlled heating devices including underground cables, heating mats and hot rocks. Tell them the size and type of tank that you are using and they will recommend a suitable heater for you. An alternative is a seed propagator which can be purchased from garden centres. You can keep your tank inside it. Red light bulbs are not very suitable for heating spider tanks. Humidity The humidity in the tank should not be less than 50-60% and you should buy a little humidity gauge to stick on the inside of your tank. If the humidity drops below 50% your tarantula may die during its next moult. Food Crickets and locusts are usually available from pet shops that sell tarantulas and reptiles and you can try other livestock which you catch yourself, such as moths and caterpillars. Some will even eat earthworms. A tarantula of about 3-4cm in body length will eat 8-10 crickets each week although it will survive on less. Water Water is vital to your tarantula. It can survive for weeks without food but quickly die without water. A small container such as a coffee jar lid half-full of water will provide drinking water and help keep the humidity up. Moulting As your tarantula grows it will moult (shed its skin) regularly, 2-3 times a year in the case of the half grown individual. Signs of an approaching moult are darkening of the colour and the spider will stop feeding. When feeding stops, remove any live food in case they irritate the spider, or worse, nibble it while it is helpless during the moult. Normally the spider will turn on its back to moult and lie still in that position for several hours. Do not disturb it in any way at this time as activity may prove fatal. Feed it about 4-5 days after moulting when its new skin has hardened. Suggested species For your first tarantula you don't want an aggressive, difficult to keep or very expensive specimen. The following are ideal species: Chilean Rose (Grammostola spatulatus / G. cala) Entre Rios (Grammostola inheringii) Curly Haired (Brachypelma albopilosa) Red Rump (Brachypelma vagans) White Collared (Pterinopelma saltator)

Tarantulas

Before you buy a tarantula you should think about the conditions it will need to live a long and healthy life. Many tarantulas die in the first few days because their new owner hasn't prepared a suitable home for them. First decide what you want to buy because a small spiderling will obviously require very different accommodation to a full grown specimen.

I will assume you are buying a medium-sized tarantula in which case you will need to provide the following.

Housing

Pet shops will sell suitable tanks in glass or plastic and the size should not be less than about 25cm by 15cm by 15cm high. If you want to create a tank that tries to provide natural conditions (for example rain forest with leaf litter, logs etc.) then you will need a much larger tank, but you won't see your spider very often! I would suggest that you begin with the simple tank without unnecessary contents so that you can watch your tarantula's activities.

Substrate (Ground cover)

A 2cm layer of Vermiculite should cover the bottom of the tank and a thin layer of chipped bark or cocoa fibre placed on top of that. These can be purchased from most garden centres and should be kept damp to keep up the humidity levels in the tank. Potting compost should not be used as they really need to be sterilised and changed frequently.

Heating

A temperature of 21-24⁰C is required for most of the tarantulas that you should buy as a beginner. If you have a centrally heated room which stays at that temperature all the time then you won't need extra heating during the winter, but you will between spring and autumn when the heating is switched off.

A good pet shop that sells reptiles and spiders will have a variety of thermostatically controlled heating devices including underground cables, heating mats and hot rocks. Tell them the size and type of tank that you are using and they will recommend a suitable heater for you. An alternative is a seed propagator which can be purchased from garden centres. You can keep your tank inside it. Red light bulbs are not very suitable for heating spider tanks.

Humidity

The humidity in the tank should not be less than 50-60% and you should buy a little humidity gauge to stick on the inside of your tank. If the humidity drops below 50% your tarantula may die during its next moult.

Food

Crickets and locusts are usually available from pet shops that sell tarantulas and reptiles and you can try other livestock which you catch yourself, such as moths and caterpillars. Some will even eat earthworms. A tarantula of about 3-4cm in body length will eat 8-10 crickets each week although it will survive on less.

Water

Water is vital to your tarantula. It can survive for weeks without food but quickly die without water. A small container such as a coffee jar lid half-full of water will provide drinking water and help keep the humidity up.

Moulting

As your tarantula grows it will moult (shed its skin) regularly, 2-3 times a year in the case of the half grown individual. Signs of an approaching moult are darkening of the colour and the spider will stop feeding.

When feeding stops, remove any live food in case they irritate the spider, or worse, nibble it while it is helpless during the moult. Normally the spider will turn on its back to moult and lie still in that position for several hours. Do not disturb it in any way at this time as activity may prove fatal. Feed it about 4-5 days after moulting when its new skin has hardened.

Suggested species

For your first tarantula you don't want an aggressive, difficult to keep or very expensive specimen. The following are ideal species:

Chilean Rose (Grammostola spatulatus / G. cala)
Entre Rios (Grammostola inheringii)
Curly Haired (Brachypelma albopilosa)
Red Rump (Brachypelma vagans)
White Collared (Pterinopelma saltator)

Bearded Dragons

BEARDED DRAGON - CARE SHEET
		*Pogona Vitticeps*

	Bearded dragons originate from Australia; they are known to live in sub - tropical forests and also deserts. Bearded Dragons aren't either the smallest or the largest of the lizard family and are known to grow on average 16-24 inches from nose to tail. Bearded dragons are among the tamest of all lizards, and their outgoing personalities, activity level, appetites and interesting social behaviours make them a very captivating lizard to observe. They have a very rapid growth rate, so the 4" hatchlings can grow to their adult size within a year. Most bearded dragons adapt easily to handling and are calm enough to perch on their owner's shoulder, or be placed on a countertop, or enjoy the view from a windowsill.



	Housing The minimum size cage for up to 2 adult dragons should be 48" x 24" x 24". Several basking sites should be provided under the hot spot and the UV lighting. Bearded Dragons need to bask and they need high temperatures to help with the digestive process. Basking area should be about 100 degrees Fahrenheit with an ambient temperature of 75F and then dropping to about 65F at nighttime. Bearded Dragons need to have UV running along the top of the tank. In the wild they bask in the sun to absorb the vitamins from their food. Obviously in a tank they won't receive much sun so a UV will act as the sun. Bearded Dragons need to tell the difference between night and day, to do this you need to have your UV bulb on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours. The UV must be within 12" of the bearded Dragon to enable the dragon to get the full benefit of the UV bulb. Your UV bulb will need to be changed once a year as it loses its efficiency. You will need a ceramic heating bulb and a pulse thermostat to control the temperature of the tank. You will also need a thermometer inside the tank so that you can check they are being kept at the right temperature. Some people use 2 thermometers, one at the cooler end and one at the hotter end to monitor the temperature range. If you use only one thermometer then place it in the middle of the tank towards the bottom. A substrate is known as the material to line the bottom of the tank and these can range from newspaper, bark, and sand for reptiles. Never use hot rocks, as they are widely known to cause belly burns. Feeding Bearded Dragons like fruit and vegetables as well as meat. They like a large variety of live insects, which include black and brown crickets, locusts, mealworms and wax worms. A good measure of the size of live insects to feed is that they must not be bigger than the size of the dragon's head. Do not feed mealworms to baby dragons as they contain chitilin which is hard to digest. Do not feed them insects from your garden, as you do not know if they have been sprayed with anything that can be harmful to your dragon. Fresh fruit and vegetables must be offered daily and remember that they like variety. They like to eat Chicory, Watercress, Broccoli, Courgettes, Carrot, Peas, Apple, Banana, Kiwi and grapes. Try to avoid spinach and kale as they are calcium binders and affect the dragon's bones. Another thing to avoid is iceberg lettuce, as this has no nutritional value to the dragon. Make sure to chop the food into small bite size pieces to avoid choking. Bearded dragons grow very fast and this means that they require extra calcium for their bones to remain strong and to develop at the normal rates. Bearded Dragons also need extra Vitamin D3; this vitamin is needed just as much as calcium. This vitamin is needed for your Bearded Dragon's body to absorb the calcium. All you need to do to maintain your Bearded Dragon is to dust your live food every other day with a vitamin and mineral supplement like Nutrobal. Water can be offered in a shallow dish but it is advisable to spray the cage once a day, as in the wild the dragons would drink the dew from the plants. General Information Natural sunlight is very beneficial and should be provided if possible. Bearded dragons should never be placed outside in a glass enclosure. The animal could easily overheat and die. Bearded Dragons live for an average of 4-10 years depending on their quality of lives, if they have had good lighting and temperatures maintained as well as a good balanced diet then you could expect your dragon to live longer than a dragon that hasn't. But if you have a female that has been repeatedly bred then her life span can be expected to be quite short. Beardies will keep you amused for a long time. Just observing and interacting with them is fascinating.There are 2 things that the Beardie does; one is to nod its head (which is a sign of dominance) and the other is the arm waving (this is a sign of submissive behaviour). When they sit with open mouths this is their way of cooling down their body temperature It is not advisable to keep two males together as they will probably fight; more so if a female is present. If you would like to keep more than one Beardie then make sure that there is only one male in the cage. Do not mix other reptiles with Bearded Dragons, as it is an accident/fatality waiting to happen.

Terrapins
A BCG care sheet on the keeping of these aquatic reptiles. Red-eared Terrapins do not make ideal family pets and are not suitable for children, for reasons of expense and hygiene. Unwanted terrapins are a problem to rehome. INTRODUCTION Terrapins, turtles and tortoises are reptiles and are classically known as chelonians. They are recognised by the protective shell into which they can withdraw. While the tortoise is a land animal, the terrapin is amphibious, spending time in water as well as on land. In the United States these animals are called "turtles", a term used in Britain for the marine species.Another American name for them is "sliders". The species most commonly kept as a pet is the Red-eared Terrapin Trachemys scripta elegans from the south of the USA. There are over 126 species of terrapin worldwide. RESPONSlBlLlTY Terrapins are long lived, with life spans of over 30 years, so you are taking on a long term responsibility. To ensure that terrapins enjoy a long and healthy life, it is essential to provide them with a lifestyle resembling the natural one as closely as possible. Many health problems derive from poor husbandry. To achieve success the following points must be observed: * Correct, varied diet. * Free access to clean water in which to swim. * Natural sunlight or artificial light for warmth and basking. * Careful handling. * Scrupulous attention to cleanliness. * Observation of general health and regular examination of animals. Keeping Terrapins well is expensive in equipment and electricity costs. ACQUIRING A TERRAPIN Red-eared Terrapins are usually purchased as hatchlings. Many die through inadequate care or outgrow their tanks and/ or the interest of juvenile owners. Many come up for rehoming through the British Chelonia Group. It is preferable to give an unwanted animal a home rather than encourage the tradein hatchlings. A healthy terrapin should be alert, bright-eyed, clean about the mouth and nostrils. The shell should be hard, without cracks or other damage and the neck and legs free from wounds. HANDLING Hold the sides of the shell firmly. Remember that, although the shell is hard, it and bones of the legs, head and neck can get damaged or broken if the animal is dropped. Care must also be taken to put the animal down as gently as possible to avoid injury to the legs. Large animals are very powerful andare quite capable of inflicting painful bites or scratches with their sharp claws which, in turn, might cause them to be dropped. Always wash your hands after handling terrapins. INDOOR HOUSING Terrapins can grow up to 20 cms (8 inches) long. A 60 x 30 x 30 cms (24 x 12 x 12 inches) tank would be suitable for a pair of half-grown terrapins up to 10 cms (4 inches) shell length. As the number or size of terrapins increases, so a larger tank in proportion would be required. A reliable guide is to allow 100 cms for each 1 cm of shell lengthto be accommodated: e.g. one 10 cm terrapin = 10 x l00² cms or one 10 cm terrapin plus one 5 cm terrapin = 1 5 x 100² cms to give the total surface area required. Never overcrowd your terrapins as they can be very aggressive towards each other and always keep a close observation on your animals if you introduce new ones to the tank. Water depth needs to be approximately the width of the shell for juveniles but should be no deeper than 5 cms for hatchlings. Adults like deeper water provided with an easy exit to a basking area. The water temperature should be maintained at 24 - 26 degrees C (75 - 78 degrees F) during the day for young and growing animals and should be dropped by approximately 5 degrees C (9 degrees F) at night. Submersible aquarium heaters with inbuilt adjustable thermostats can maintain this temperature range. These will require protection from the larger, more boisterous animals. It is also possible to use underfloor heating mats outside the tank controlled by a reliable outside thermostat. This system avoids the possibility of damage to the equipment but it may have the following drawback: it has been known for this type of heating mat to suddenly overheat, which is not immediately detected by the outside thermostat, resulting in a cracked bottom glass in the tank. It is advisable to include a safety circuit-breaker (such as is sold for lawn-mower use) in the electrical system as a safety guard in the event of an accident. Healthy adult animals can tolerate normal living-room temperatures. Indoor tanks should never be placed in direct sunlight as thismay cause overheating, and, since glass filters out most ultra-violet light,there is little benefit to be gained. Dirty water is a major problem which causes smell and the potential for disease. The installation of a canister filter and pump, obtainable from an aquarist shop, is advisable. The filter (either on or in the pump) will require cleaning at regular intervals. Avoid using under-gravel filters as the principle behind their design is not suitable for use with terrapins. Even with a filtration system, the tank will have to be emptied and cleaned. After washing with hot water (remember that boiling water will crack glass), it is normal to clean the glass with a safe disinfectant - never use any containing phenol or phenolic compounds - and always rinse thoroughly beforerefilling. Betadine antiseptic solution, obtainable from chemists, is an iodine, aqueous-based safe antiseptic. There must be a basking area for your terrapins. The simplest is a stack of house-bricks with a spot-light bulb over this. Other methods of providing a basking area include fixing a platform or tray to the sides of the tank withaquarium cement. This allows a larger area (up to one third of the surface area) since the terrapins can swim underneath it, but, if using this method,beware of forming places where the terrapins could get trapped and drown. A slope should always be provided for the animals to haul out for basking. A dry basking area should be large enough to allow all of the terrapins to bask at the same time. The type of light and the wattage varies throughout the year. In the summer a 40 or 60 watt bulb used in conjunction with a Sunglo or Trulight tube (to provide ultra-violet light) will give sufficientwarmth, but in winter a 100 watt lamp is recommended. Whichever lighting youuse, it needs to be on for no longer than 12-14 hours per day. Do not put an airtight cover over the tank since this will prevent ventilation and increase the temperature and humidity.>p> OUTDOOR HOUSING Before placing terrapins in an outdoor pool they must be acclimatised. This is best started in late winter by gradually decreasing the heating until no heating is provided at all. It should be accomplished over a period of several weeks and the animals should remain in the unheated tank for at least a period of three weeks before being released into the garden pond in the springtime. Do remember that one of the natural prey of terrapins is fish, so do not put them into a goldfish pond! An outdoor pool is ideal for the warm summer months. The terrapins will bask in the sunlight and the natural ultra-violet rays enable them to synthesise vitamin D3 which is essential for the absorption of calcium from their diet. Ensure that they have some shaded area to escape from the sun on very hot days. Also, ensure that the area is escape-proof as they are excellent climbers. Avoid wire netting - not only will they climb it, they may actually get trapped in it. As with the indoor tank, there must be some form of slope so that the terrapins can climb out of the pool. Logs and small shrubs ( avoiding poisonous plants such as rhubarb, ivy, yew or laurel) are ideal. Provide an area of sand as a possible nesting site. In more permanent outdoor set-ups, waterfalls and circulatory pumps can be included. Large, healthy adult terrapins of 750 gms ( 1 lb 9 oz) can be kept outside and allowed to hibernate during the winter provided that the water does not fall below 4 degrees C (39 degrees F). Small, shallow garden ponds do not offer adequate protection in frosts. Outdoor ponds should always be provided with adequate protection from the attentions of cats, dogs and birds, especially the heron! FEEDING As with any young animal, small hatchling terrapins should be fed daily. As they grow older and larger, they require feeding less often and as adults only 2 - 3 times a week. Terrapins will only feed in water, not on land. To keep the tank clean, feed the terrapins in a separate container - this can be a plastic bowl. The water temperature in this container should be similarto that in the main tank. Once they have eaten, leave them in the feeding container for a further 10 minutes, during which time they often empty their bowels and bladder, thus avoiding contaminating their own tank. Dispose of the water and food debris down a drain or toilet (never a sink) and then clean the feeding container as described for the tank. For various good reasons, keep this container exclusively for feeding your terrapins and label it as such. Terrapins in the wild feed on fish, frogs, tadpoles, worms, water snails, water insects, various larvae and water plants. Suggested foods are: sprats, whitebait, herring, snails, mussels, cockles, prawns, shrimps, Daphnia, earthworms, Tubifex worms, bloodworms,dandelion, watercress, lettuce, vegetables, fresh fruit, tomatoes, timed cat or dog food, dried cat or dog food, koi or trout pellets. When feeding dried cat or dog food, koi or trout pellets, always soak them beforehand, and this provides an opportunity to introduce a soluble vitamin supplement such as "Abidec" by placing it into the water which is being soaked up. Always feed fish whole with guts, liver, roe, skeleton etc. as it is essential that terrapins obtain the vitamins and minerals from these parts of the fish. Avoid feeding minced meat, chicken or slices of butcher's meat alone, because these are deficient in essential minerals and vitamins. Some terrapins relish vegetables like lettuce, watercress and other greens occasionally. It is important to ensure that you feed a varied diet, since feeding the same food for too long can lead to a number of disorders. A cuttlefish bone can be deposited in the main tank - when eaten, it will supply a source of calcium to the terrapins. "Turtle foods" comprising of dried river shrimps as sold in pet shops can be added as a source of roughage. HIBERNATION Terrapins can be hibernated, but this is not essential for their general well-being except for breeding. If they are in an indoor vivarium, then lower the temperature gradually over several weeks down to 4 degrees C (39 degrees F). The vivarium should be positioned in an unheated room or cellar and a check should be kept on the temperature using a maximum and minimum thermometer obtainable from garden supply shops. Here they may be left to hibernate for 6 - 12 weeks, depending on their size and condition. During the time that the temperature is being reduced, do not feed them as they need to empty their alimentary tract before hibernating. If the temperature does not go below 10 degrees C ( 50 degrees F) they will use up their reserves more rapidly and the period of hibernation should then be reduced. Younger terrapins may be hibernated in asimilar way but for shorter periods. Another method is to place them, once they have reached a low body temperature, into deep plastic boxes full of damp moss. Put these boxes into a cold place where the temperature remains at 4 degrees C (39 degrees F). It is important to keep the moss moist by spraying it regularly with water - this will prevent the terrapin from dehydrating or suffering from kidney failure. With both these methods, keep a watch for activity and emergence from hibernation in the spring. During hibernation there will be a gradual loss of body weight and it is advisable to weigh the terrapins every week. If there is a sudden loss of more than 10% weight since hibernation started, then bring the terrapin into a warm room and allow it to warm up over several hours. Whether hibernating or not, it is extremely important to avoid sudden changes in temperature. They must then be kept in warm water at 24 - 26 degrees C (75 - 78 degrees F) in a well established tank, with basking area,and receive 12 - 14 hours of artifical or daylight and be fed regularly. If they are kept in heated conditions thoughout the winter, they will remainactive and feed for the whole year without ill-effect. Keeping a terrapin warm indoors under a lamp during the winter and feeding it regularly will prevent it from hibernating. Never attempt to hibernate a terrapin which is ill or not in top condition. Hibernation in outdoor ponds. When hibernating outdoors, the following points must be observed: Do not allow the surface of the pond to freeze over completely for longer than two weeks. It is advisable to use a pond heater. * Ensure that the pond is at least 1 metre (39 inches) deep with a good layer of mud for the terrapins to burrow into, and that it has a large surface area. * Avoid oxygen deficient conditions (stagnant black mud) by ensuring that the surface area is much wider than the depth and remove rotting leaves. Whilst success in breeding is unlikely in this country, it is important that your animals hibernate if you do decide to attempt it. Eggs need to be incubated artificially. SEXING Red-eared Terrapin males have elongated, tapering tails and elongated front claws which are used to stimulate the female during courtship. Females have short claws and short tails and tend to be 20% larger than males.

Terrapins

A BCG care sheet on the keeping of these aquatic reptiles.

Red-eared Terrapins do not make ideal family pets and are not suitable for children, for reasons of expense and hygiene. Unwanted terrapins are a problem to rehome.

INTRODUCTION

Terrapins, turtles and tortoises are reptiles and are classically known as chelonians. They are recognised by the protective shell into which they can withdraw. While the tortoise is a land animal, the terrapin is amphibious, spending time in water as well as on land. In the United States these animals are called "turtles", a term used in Britain for the marine species.Another American name for them is "sliders".

The species most commonly kept as a pet is the Red-eared Terrapin Trachemys scripta elegans from the south of the USA. There are over 126 species of terrapin worldwide.

RESPONSlBlLlTY

Terrapins are long lived, with life spans of over 30 years, so you are taking on a long term responsibility. To ensure that terrapins enjoy a long and healthy life, it is essential to provide them with a lifestyle resembling the natural one as closely as possible. Many health problems derive from poor husbandry. To achieve success the following points must be observed:

* Correct, varied diet.
* Free access to clean water in which to swim.
* Natural sunlight or artificial light for warmth and basking.
* Careful handling.
* Scrupulous attention to cleanliness.
* Observation of general health and regular examination of animals.

Keeping Terrapins well is expensive in equipment and electricity costs.

ACQUIRING A TERRAPIN

Red-eared Terrapins are usually purchased as hatchlings. Many die through inadequate care or outgrow their tanks and/ or the interest of juvenile owners. Many come up for rehoming through the British Chelonia Group. It is preferable to give an unwanted animal a home rather than encourage the tradein hatchlings. A healthy terrapin should be alert, bright-eyed, clean about the mouth and nostrils. The shell should be hard, without cracks or other damage and the neck and legs free from wounds.

HANDLING

Hold the sides of the shell firmly. Remember that, although the shell is hard, it and bones of the legs, head and neck can get damaged or broken if the animal is dropped. Care must also be taken to put the animal down as gently as possible to avoid injury to the legs. Large animals are very powerful andare quite capable of inflicting painful bites or scratches with their sharp claws which, in turn, might cause them to be dropped. Always wash your hands after handling terrapins.

INDOOR HOUSING

Terrapins can grow up to 20 cms (8 inches) long.

A 60 x 30 x 30 cms (24 x 12 x 12 inches) tank would be suitable for a pair of half-grown terrapins up to 10 cms (4 inches) shell length. As the number or size of terrapins increases, so a larger tank in proportion would be required. A reliable guide is to allow 100 cms for each 1 cm of shell lengthto be accommodated: e.g. one 10 cm terrapin = 10 x l00² cms or one 10 cm terrapin plus one 5 cm terrapin = 1 5 x 100² cms to give the total surface area required.
Never overcrowd your terrapins as they can be very aggressive towards each other and always keep a close observation on your animals if you introduce new ones to the tank.

Water depth needs to be approximately the width of the shell for juveniles but should be no deeper than 5 cms for hatchlings. Adults like deeper water provided with an easy exit to a basking area.
The water temperature should be maintained at 24 - 26 degrees C (75 - 78 degrees F) during the day for young and growing animals and should be dropped by approximately 5 degrees C (9 degrees F) at night.

Submersible aquarium heaters with inbuilt adjustable thermostats can maintain this temperature range. These will require protection from the larger, more boisterous animals. It is also possible to use underfloor heating mats outside the tank controlled by a reliable outside thermostat. This system avoids the possibility of damage to the equipment but it may have the following drawback: it has been known for this type of heating mat to suddenly overheat, which is not immediately detected by the outside thermostat, resulting in a cracked bottom glass in the tank.
It is advisable to include a safety circuit-breaker (such as is sold for lawn-mower use) in the electrical system as a safety guard in the event of an accident. Healthy adult animals can tolerate normal living-room temperatures. Indoor tanks should never be placed in direct sunlight as thismay cause overheating, and, since glass filters out most ultra-violet light,there is little benefit to be gained.
Dirty water is a major problem which causes smell and the potential for disease. The installation of a canister filter and pump, obtainable from an aquarist shop, is advisable. The filter (either on or in the pump) will require cleaning at regular intervals. Avoid using under-gravel filters as the principle behind their design is not suitable for use with terrapins. Even with a filtration system, the tank will have to be emptied and cleaned. After washing with hot water (remember that boiling water will crack glass), it is normal to clean the glass with a safe disinfectant - never use any containing phenol or phenolic compounds - and always rinse thoroughly beforerefilling. Betadine antiseptic solution, obtainable from chemists, is an iodine, aqueous-based safe antiseptic.

There must be a basking area for your terrapins. The simplest is a stack of house-bricks with a spot-light bulb over this. Other methods of providing a basking area include fixing a platform or tray to the sides of the tank withaquarium cement. This allows a larger area (up to one third of the surface area) since the terrapins can swim underneath it, but, if using this method,beware of forming places where the terrapins could get trapped and drown. A slope should always be provided for the animals to haul out for basking.

A dry basking area should be large enough to allow all of the terrapins to bask at the same time. The type of light and the wattage varies throughout the year. In the summer a 40 or 60 watt bulb used in conjunction with a Sunglo or Trulight tube (to provide ultra-violet light) will give sufficientwarmth, but in winter a 100 watt lamp is recommended. Whichever lighting youuse, it needs to be on for no longer than 12-14 hours per day. Do not put an airtight cover over the tank since this will prevent ventilation and increase the temperature and humidity.>p> OUTDOOR HOUSING

Before placing terrapins in an outdoor pool they must be acclimatised. This is best started in late winter by gradually decreasing the heating until no heating is provided at all. It should be accomplished over a period of several weeks and the animals should remain in the unheated tank for at least a period of three weeks before being released into the garden pond in the springtime. Do remember that one of the natural prey of terrapins is fish, so do not put them into a goldfish pond! An outdoor pool is ideal for the warm summer months. The terrapins will bask in the sunlight and the natural ultra-violet rays enable them to synthesise vitamin D3 which is essential for the absorption of calcium from their diet. Ensure that they have some shaded area to escape from the sun on very hot days. Also, ensure that the area is escape-proof as they are excellent climbers. Avoid wire netting - not only will they climb it, they may actually get trapped in it. As with the indoor tank, there must be some form of slope so that the terrapins can climb out of the pool. Logs and small shrubs ( avoiding poisonous plants such as rhubarb, ivy, yew or laurel) are ideal. Provide an area of sand as a possible nesting site. In more permanent outdoor set-ups, waterfalls and circulatory pumps can be included.

Large, healthy adult terrapins of 750 gms ( 1 lb 9 oz) can be kept outside and allowed to hibernate during the winter provided that the water does not fall below 4 degrees C (39 degrees F). Small, shallow garden ponds do not offer adequate protection in frosts.
Outdoor ponds should always be provided with adequate protection from the attentions of cats, dogs and birds, especially the heron!

FEEDING

As with any young animal, small hatchling terrapins should be fed daily. As they grow older and larger, they require feeding less often and as adults only 2 - 3 times a week. Terrapins will only feed in water, not on land. To keep the tank clean, feed the terrapins in a separate container - this can be a plastic bowl. The water temperature in this container should be similarto that in the main tank. Once they have eaten, leave them in the feeding container for a further 10 minutes, during which time they often empty their bowels and bladder, thus avoiding contaminating their own tank. Dispose of the water and food debris down a drain or toilet (never a sink) and then clean the feeding container as described for the tank. For various good reasons, keep this container exclusively for feeding your terrapins and label it as such. Terrapins in the wild feed on fish, frogs, tadpoles, worms, water snails, water insects, various larvae and water plants.

Suggested foods are:

sprats, whitebait, herring, snails, mussels, cockles, prawns, shrimps, Daphnia, earthworms, Tubifex worms, bloodworms,dandelion, watercress, lettuce, vegetables, fresh fruit, tomatoes, timed cat or dog food, dried cat or dog food, koi or trout pellets.
When feeding dried cat or dog food, koi or trout pellets, always soak them beforehand, and this provides an opportunity to introduce a soluble vitamin supplement such as "Abidec" by placing it into the water which is being soaked up.
Always feed fish whole with guts, liver, roe, skeleton etc. as it is essential that terrapins obtain the vitamins and minerals from these parts of the fish. Avoid feeding minced meat, chicken or slices of butcher's meat alone, because these are deficient in essential minerals and vitamins.
Some terrapins relish vegetables like lettuce, watercress and other greens occasionally. It is important to ensure that you feed a varied diet, since feeding the same food for too long can lead to a number of disorders. A cuttlefish bone can be deposited in the main tank - when eaten, it will supply a source of calcium to the terrapins. "Turtle foods" comprising of dried river shrimps as sold in pet shops can be added as a source of roughage.

HIBERNATION

Terrapins can be hibernated, but this is not essential for their general well-being except for breeding. If they are in an indoor vivarium, then lower the temperature gradually over several weeks down to 4 degrees C (39 degrees F). The vivarium should be positioned in an unheated room or cellar and a check should be kept on the temperature using a maximum and minimum thermometer obtainable from garden supply shops. Here they may be left to hibernate for 6 - 12 weeks, depending on their size and condition. During the time that the temperature is being reduced, do not feed them as they need to empty their alimentary tract before hibernating. If the temperature does not go below 10 degrees C ( 50 degrees F) they will use up their reserves more rapidly and the period of hibernation should then be reduced. Younger terrapins may be hibernated in asimilar way but for shorter periods.
Another method is to place them, once they have reached a low body temperature, into deep plastic boxes full of damp moss*. Put these boxes into a cold place where the temperature remains at 4 degrees C (39 degrees F). It is important to keep the moss moist by spraying it regularly with water - this will prevent the terrapin from dehydrating
or suffering from kidney failure. With both these methods, keep a watch for activity and emergence from hibernation in the spring.
During hibernation there will be a gradual loss of body weight and it is advisable to weigh the terrapins every week. If there is a sudden loss of more than 10% weight since hibernation started, then bring the terrapin into a warm room and allow it to warm up over several hours. Whether hibernating or not, it is extremely important to avoid sudden changes in temperature. They must then be kept in warm water at 24 - 26 degrees C (75 - 78 degrees F) in a well established tank, with basking area,and receive 12 - 14 hours of artifical or daylight and be fed regularly.
If they are kept in heated conditions thoughout the winter, they will remainactive and feed for the whole year without ill-effect. Keeping a terrapin warm indoors under a lamp during the winter and feeding it regularly will prevent it from hibernating.
Never attempt to hibernate a terrapin which is ill or not in top condition.

Hibernation in outdoor ponds.

When hibernating outdoors, the following points must be observed: * Do not allow the surface of the pond to freeze over completely for longer than two weeks. It is advisable to use a pond heater.
* Ensure that the pond is at least 1 metre (39 inches) deep with a good layer of mud for the terrapins to burrow into, and that it has a large surface area. * Avoid oxygen deficient conditions (stagnant black mud) by ensuring that the surface area is much wider than the depth and remove rotting leaves.
Whilst success in breeding is unlikely in this country, it is important that your animals hibernate if you do decide to attempt it. Eggs need to be incubated artificially.

SEXING

Red-eared Terrapin males have elongated, tapering tails and elongated front claws which are used to stimulate the female during courtship. Females have short claws and short tails and tend to be 20% larger than males.


Chinese Water Dragon Care Food & Water Chinese Water Dragons are omnivorous, but eat meat more often than not. The majority of their diet should consist of feeder insects. When young, small crickets and small pieces of vegatables should be offered every day. When older, larger insects (crickets, butterworms, waxworms, silkworms, etc.) and pinkie mice can be eaten, and they should be fed every second day. Make sure to dust the food with a vitamin supplement / calcium powder prior to feeding. All insects should be gut-loaded with nutritional foods. As you can tell from their namesake, Chinese Water Dragons love water. They need water in their enclosure at all times. They will swim in it if there is enough water. The only problem in this is that the Dragons will consistently defecate in the water, and this needs to be cleaned everyday. It may easier to use a large pan filled with water. They will drink from the pan as well, but a daily misting and a drip system is also recommended Lighting, Temperature & Humidity You should keep the temperature during the day between 83 to 88 degrees F. There should be a basking spot reaching 90 degrees F. At night, the temperature should be between 75 to 80 degrees F. Keep the day light on a 12 hour cycle, and 14 during the colder months. You should keep the humidity in their enclosure around 80%. Do not let it reach above 85 to 90% under any circumstances, as high humidity may cause respiratory problems. Your Dragons will need full spectrum lighting. Having both UVA and UVB light will allow the Dragon to get the vitamins it needs. Housing A large enclosure is a must for dragons. The length of the tank should be at least twice the length of the dragon. Since they need water to swim, a glass aquarium is a good option. The top must be fully screen. You could easily provide a screen enclosure, but would have to make sure to supply enough water for the dragon. Screen enclosures also provide good ventilation to avoid stagnant air. If you are not using water on the bottom of the enclosure, potting soil, sand and peat moss are good substrates. You must provide large branches and other objects for the Water Dragons to climb and perch on. .

Chinese Water Dragon Care

Food & Water

Chinese Water Dragons are omnivorous, but eat meat more often than not. The majority of their diet should consist of feeder insects. When young, small crickets and small pieces of vegatables should be offered every day. When older, larger insects (crickets, butterworms, waxworms, silkworms, etc.) and pinkie mice can be eaten, and they should be fed every second day. Make sure to dust the food with a vitamin supplement / calcium powder prior to feeding. All insects should be gut-loaded with nutritional foods.

As you can tell from their namesake, Chinese Water Dragons love water. They need water in their enclosure at all times. They will swim in it if there is enough water. The only problem in this is that the Dragons will consistently defecate in the water, and this needs to be cleaned everyday. It may easier to use a large pan filled with water. They will drink from the pan as well, but a daily misting and a drip system is also recommended

Lighting, Temperature & Humidity

You should keep the temperature during the day between 83 to 88 degrees F. There should be a basking spot reaching 90 degrees F. At night, the temperature should be between 75 to 80 degrees F. Keep the day light on a 12 hour cycle, and 14 during the colder months. You should keep the humidity in their enclosure around 80%. Do not let it reach above 85 to 90% under any circumstances, as high humidity may cause respiratory problems. Your Dragons will need full spectrum lighting. Having both UVA and UVB light will allow the Dragon to get the vitamins it needs.

Housing

A large enclosure is a must for dragons. The length of the tank should be at least twice the length of the dragon. Since they need water to swim, a glass aquarium is a good option. The top must be fully screen. You could easily provide a screen enclosure, but would have to make sure to supply enough water for the dragon. Screen enclosures also provide good ventilation to avoid stagnant air. If you are not using water on the bottom of the enclosure, potting soil, sand and peat moss are good substrates. You must provide large branches and other objects for the Water Dragons to climb and perch on.