Say hello to my little friend.

[K]

OK, so it was the thinnest of excuses - having to do an assignment on comparative anatomy and choosing the option of 'Snakes vs Lizards', just so I could go down my local reptile shop and play with my new camera. ;)

In my defence, having owned a couple of snakes and various lizards in the past I knew more about them that the other choices of 'Bats vs Birds' or 'Horses vs Cows' (that most everyone else was doing - Equine Degree - go figure :rolleyes:).

So... aaaannnyway... with my tortoise being boring and hiding out in my fridge for three months hibernating, and what with me having a huge viv I haven't got round the moving out after my snake passed away of old age...


... and there were just all these cute little scaley things running around and chasing crickets...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/spazmutt/P100019730.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/spazmutt/P100025130.jpg

... and these guys just plain being lazy and sunning themselves:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/spazmutt/P100020130.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/spazmutt/P100023730.jpg


I kinda 'aquired' a new housemate. :oops: Meet Egg:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/spazmutt/P100024230.jpg
Spiney Tailed Monitor lizard, about 16" nose to tail (can possibly get to 28" total) and currently amusing both me and the dog by stalking locusts.

Well - it's something to keep my attention diverted away from real life anyway. ;)

[mister c]

Some nice pics. Ex lady friend used to keep lizzards, never understood the craze, but each to thier own I say :)

[fizzwheel]

:cool:

[the white rabbit]

:smt006

hello, little friend ;)

:lol:

[markmoto]

An ex of mine had a snake must admit i still like the idea of having one as a pet.

[missyburd]

lovely pics K :D is that first one a bearded dragon? I love those. We used to have a gecko a long time ago, gorgeous little thing he was!

[DarrenSV650S]

:)


What does he/she get up to K? Does he fetch?
Or does he/she sit on your lap while you stroke it and look mischievous? ;)

[K]

:)


What does he/she get up to K? Does he fetch?
Or does he/she sit on your lap while you stroke it and look mischievous? ;)

At the moment he (we're fairly certain it's a he) stalks insects, catches them, crushes their head on a handy rock so they stop wriggling and then eats them, comedy style, with the legs often sticking out of the corner of his mouth.:cool: (I really must try to get a photo of that next feed time.)

Or you can hold him and stroke his belly then he simply falls asleep whilst hugging your thumb! :p

[DarrenSV650S]

comedy style
:lol:
(I really must try to get a photo of that next feed time.)
Yeah do:cool:

Or you can hold him and stroke his belly then he simply falls asleep whilst hugging your thumb! :p
Awwww! Get a photo of that too:D

[K]

Or you can hold him and stroke his belly then he simply falls asleep whilst hugging your thumb! :p

Awwww! Get a photo of that too:D

To be honest, it's a trick that you can do with most lizards. Hold them either uproght or slightly laid back (or even on thier back if they'll let you) and stroke down the center of their chest and belly - it puts slight repeating pressure on a main nerve that runs down there and puts them into a kind of stupour. they go all dozy and some completely fall asleep.

It was a trick the vet taught me when he had to try to give a calcium injection to my Iguana.:smt045 Quite amusing seeing a five foot long reptile go from hissing at him to being all dozy and placid.8)

[K]

lovely pics K :D is that first one a bearded dragon? I love those. We used to have a gecko a long time ago, gorgeous little thing he was!

Yup. He's the Dad of the group that were sunning themselves - they are only a few months old.:cool:

[missyburd]

To be honest, it's a trick that you can do with most lizards. Hold them either uproght or slightly laid back (or even on thier back if they'll let you) and stroke down the center of their chest and belly - it puts slight repeating pressure on a main nerve that runs down there and puts them into a kind of stupour. they go all dozy and some completely fall asleep.

It was a trick the vet taught me when he had to try to give a calcium injection to my Iguana.:smt045 Quite amusing seeing a five foot long reptile go from hissing at him to being all dozy and placid.8)

Didn't know that, shall store that away now in that part of the brain for random bits of useful info :D

You're a lucky one to have a monitor, they're bootiful!

[Richie]

Hola, pequeño amigo.:smt006

Why you no enter Photo comp with these amigo?

[Bluepete]

Why you no enter Photo comp with these amigo?

'Cos K's bare in the photo comp.




Someething wrong with the spelling there I think! Ho hum ;)

[K]

Hola, pequeño amigo.:smt006

Why you no enter Photo comp with these amigo?

Cos they're 'captivelife' not rally 'wildlife'...

... whereas I really do have bears at the bottom of my garden! ;)

[Fizzy Fish]

Nice one K!

[pencil shavings]

what are the cool little ones on the rock in the 'sun'??

[Bear]

It was a trick the vet taught me when he had to try to give a calcium injection to my Iguana.

Is it me or is that begging to be a euphemism?

Cool pet K! Always wanted lizards when I was a kid, might investigate now I'm big enough to tell my mum I want them!

[K]

what are the cool little ones on the rock in the 'sun'??

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/spazmutt/P100020130.jpg

The ones above are baby Bearded Dragons. The one below is Dad.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/spazmutt/P100019730.jpg

[pencil shavings]

thanks K.
are there any lizards like those ones that look like that when they are adult, say about 6" long that like to be in groups?

I was looking online but found it very hard to find much info on species and the conditions they need.

[K]

thanks K.
are there any lizards like those ones that look like that when they are adult, say about 6" long that like to be in groups?

I was looking online but found it very hard to find much info on species and the conditions they need.

When you say 6", do you mean total length or just the body length?

Total - your best best would be Green or Brown (Cuban) Anoles - not the most highly patterned of lizards, but can be fascinating in a group. The Males have flashy red/orange throat fans and pose about bobbing their heads and displaying.

Or Blue Tailed Tree Lizards - fast little beggers though, and need a bigger viv than others of their size - mainly as they love to climb and jump from branch to brance. Quite pretty too.

Otherwise, you'll probably find the most variety in the smaller sizes of geckos. Gold Dust Day Geckos or Leopard Geckos (a bit larger) are fairly easy to both obtain and keep.

Body Length - Collared Lizards are probably the closest looking the the Bearded Dragon babies. Quite sociable, but like most if you are keeping a group, just have the one male.

Green Lizards are similar... but green. ;) Greater range of diet though and will take pinkie mice and occasionaly soft fruit as well as bugs.


Best bet is to find yourself a good dealer, preferably one that breeds some of their own stock and only deals with captive bred animals. The best places only deal with reptiles too, not tropical fish shops that have 'branched out', and certainly not garden centres. :mad:
If you think the staff are more concerned with selling you something rather than educating you, move on.

[pencil shavings]

If you think the staff are more concerned with selling you something rather than educating you, move on.

for sure. Ive kept tropical fish for awhile. Was looking at getting a mudskipper set up but then it dawned on me that they are brackish and i cant be bothered with that, so now im looking at lizardy things.

How big a viv would I need, I was thinking about a 3footer, is this the right region or am i living in a dream world?

thanks :thumbsup:

[K]

3' x 2' x 2' would be OK for a pair of the smaller lizards or a small group of Anoles.

4' x 3' x 2' for the larger. Though going for the biggest you can means you can have a more interesting set up with loads of places to hide and hunt in.

It's a bit of a variable really, some Geckos only need relatively small vivs as they're not as energentic, most skinks often need long but low vivs as they like to dig through stuff but don't climb, then the Blue Tailed or various Chamelons often need far more height than width as they are constantly wriggling about through branches.
Likewise with many snakes that are mostly arboreal, they will sit in a ball on a branch and move maybe once a week unless you take them out for a bit. :roll:

My Iguana used to live in a small converted wardrobe... but then she was also let out in the evenings to wander round the livingroom. Her favourite place was to climb up the curtains and sit on the pole at the top, basking in the heat from the radiator below.
But then she also used to chase the dog and drive him to hide on the sofa. ;)

[Daimo]

Supercool.

Only thing is, arn't giant lizards meant to be covered with infection diseases (A bit like pigeons)?

Looks awesome though. You need a Helmet goblin + dog + lizard shot :lol: