Did you know that the majority of veterinary visits for reptiles and amphibians could be prevented with optimal husbandry? Just like any other pet, each species has very specific needs to keep them healthy. Following these veterinary recommended tips and tricks for care, diet, and habitat can help your pet live a long and happy life.
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Bearded Dragon Care and Husbandry
Tank - Hot end of tank should be around 105 degrees; a heating mat and/or a heat bulb is a good option. An ideal size is at least 40 gallons - investing in a front open tank now benefits you in the long run, as they prove to be much easier to clean. Spyder Robotics and Helix Controls are two recommended sources for a proportional thermostat.
Substrate - Paper towels are fine but require frequent changing - do not use sand. Reptile mats are great, but plan to replace periodically. Sample tiles cut at any local hardware store are a great option as they are easy to clean and hold heat well.
Hides - Alternatives for paper towels in moist hides are vermiculite/pearlite, coco fiber (just not as primary substrate). A great way to test the saturation in your moist hide is soak your substrate of choice, wring out until dripping, and weigh the entire hide before putting back into tank. Then, weigh your hide every few days: whatever weight is lost, simply add the difference in water to maintain consistent moisture. Monitoring preferences making sure they are spending equal time in all parts of the tank - helps to ensure one side is not preferred due to enclosure being too warm or cold.
Light source - troubleshoot which best encourages feeding and an appetite. UVB bulbs are necessary and require changing every 6 months; be sure you are providing multiple sources of light as heat sources as well as Vitamin D. Ideally, use a linear T5 high-output bulb with 5-10% UVB output and a parabolic reflector.
Diet - Recommend crickets no larger than the width between the eyes (particularly in young beardies), and dust with calcium and multivitamin powder shortly before feeding - crickets will groom the powder off themselves within 6-8 hours. Repashy brand vitamins are a recommended option. (Be sure to keep all vitamins in fridge, as they are heat-sensitive.) Any insects to be fed should be gut loaded with a quality freed prior to use. Insects strait from the vendor are not particularly nutritious and need to be prepared. The best option for gut-loading insects is a commercial insect gut-loading formulah. Mazuri Better Bug Gut Loading Diet is an excellent example, Feed the insects for at least 4-6 hours prior to feeding to your dragon. Alternatively, you may feed the insects a mixture of the following: whole oatmeal, dog or cat food (may be crushed into small pieces), a mix of fruits and vegetables (strawberries, carrots, sweet potato, dark leafy greens, apples and oranges, potato, etc.) Change the insect's food every 48 hours so that it does not get moldy or overgrown with bacteria. Although you might be tempted, do not feed bugs captured from outside - this can be risky if there is any previous exposure to pesticides.
Substrate - Paper towels are fine but require frequent changing - do not use sand. Reptile mats are great, but plan to replace periodically. Sample tiles cut at any local hardware store are a great option as they are easy to clean and hold heat well.
Hides - Alternatives for paper towels in moist hides are vermiculite/pearlite, coco fiber (just not as primary substrate). A great way to test the saturation in your moist hide is soak your substrate of choice, wring out until dripping, and weigh the entire hide before putting back into tank. Then, weigh your hide every few days: whatever weight is lost, simply add the difference in water to maintain consistent moisture. Monitoring preferences making sure they are spending equal time in all parts of the tank - helps to ensure one side is not preferred due to enclosure being too warm or cold.
Light source - troubleshoot which best encourages feeding and an appetite. UVB bulbs are necessary and require changing every 6 months; be sure you are providing multiple sources of light as heat sources as well as Vitamin D. Ideally, use a linear T5 high-output bulb with 5-10% UVB output and a parabolic reflector.
Diet - Recommend crickets no larger than the width between the eyes (particularly in young beardies), and dust with calcium and multivitamin powder shortly before feeding - crickets will groom the powder off themselves within 6-8 hours. Repashy brand vitamins are a recommended option. (Be sure to keep all vitamins in fridge, as they are heat-sensitive.) Any insects to be fed should be gut loaded with a quality freed prior to use. Insects strait from the vendor are not particularly nutritious and need to be prepared. The best option for gut-loading insects is a commercial insect gut-loading formulah. Mazuri Better Bug Gut Loading Diet is an excellent example, Feed the insects for at least 4-6 hours prior to feeding to your dragon. Alternatively, you may feed the insects a mixture of the following: whole oatmeal, dog or cat food (may be crushed into small pieces), a mix of fruits and vegetables (strawberries, carrots, sweet potato, dark leafy greens, apples and oranges, potato, etc.) Change the insect's food every 48 hours so that it does not get moldy or overgrown with bacteria. Although you might be tempted, do not feed bugs captured from outside - this can be risky if there is any previous exposure to pesticides.
Leopard Gecko Care and Husbandry
Tank - Hot end of tank should be around 92 degrees; a heating mat is a good option for Leopard Geckos. An Ideal cage is at least 20” - investing in an front open tank now benefits you in the long run, as they prove to be much easier to clean. Spyder Robotics and Helix Controls are two recommended sources for a proportional thermostat.
Substrate - paper towels are fine but require frequent changing - do not use sand. Reptile mats are great, but plan to replace periodically as they are difficult to clean. You can have sample tiles cut at any local hardware store - these are a great option as they are easy to clean, and hold heat well.
Hides - Alternatives for paper towels in moist hides are vermiculite/pearlite, coco fiber (just not as primary substrate). A great way to test the saturation in your moist hide is soak your substrate of choice, wring out until dripping, and weigh the entire hide before putting back into tank. Then, weigh your hide every few days: whatever weight is lost, simply add the difference in water to maintain consistent moisture. Monitoring a leopard gecko’s preferences-making sure they are spending equal time in all parts of the tank - helps to ensure one side is not preferred for temperature consistency.
Light source - troubleshoot which best encourages feeding and an appetite. For asthetics, UVB bulbs are the best choice; but as long as supplemented with Vitamin D, even natural sunlight is sufficient.
Diet - For younger leopard geckos, a good rule of thumb is feeding crickets no larger than the width between their eyes. Recommend crickets no larger than the width between her eyes, and dust with calcium and multivitamin powder shortly before feeding, as crickets will groom the powder off themselves within 6-8 hours. Repashy brand vitamins are a recommended option - be sure to keep all vitamins in fridge, as they are heat-sensitive. You can also leave calcium and vitamins in food dish to see if your leopard gecko will ingest on their own.
Gut-loading - the best option for gut-loading insects is Mazuri Better Bug Gut Loading Diet, ideally 4-6 hours prior to feeding. Alternatively, you may feed the crickets a mixture of the following: whole oatmeal, dog or cat food (may be crushed into small pieces), a mix of fruits and vegetables (strawberries, carrots, sweet potato, dark leafy greens, apples and oranges, potato peels, etc.) Change the diet every 48 hours so that it does not get moldy or overgrown with bacteria. Although you might be tempted, do not feed bugs captured from outside - risky if any previous exposure to pesticides.
Substrate - paper towels are fine but require frequent changing - do not use sand. Reptile mats are great, but plan to replace periodically as they are difficult to clean. You can have sample tiles cut at any local hardware store - these are a great option as they are easy to clean, and hold heat well.
Hides - Alternatives for paper towels in moist hides are vermiculite/pearlite, coco fiber (just not as primary substrate). A great way to test the saturation in your moist hide is soak your substrate of choice, wring out until dripping, and weigh the entire hide before putting back into tank. Then, weigh your hide every few days: whatever weight is lost, simply add the difference in water to maintain consistent moisture. Monitoring a leopard gecko’s preferences-making sure they are spending equal time in all parts of the tank - helps to ensure one side is not preferred for temperature consistency.
Light source - troubleshoot which best encourages feeding and an appetite. For asthetics, UVB bulbs are the best choice; but as long as supplemented with Vitamin D, even natural sunlight is sufficient.
Diet - For younger leopard geckos, a good rule of thumb is feeding crickets no larger than the width between their eyes. Recommend crickets no larger than the width between her eyes, and dust with calcium and multivitamin powder shortly before feeding, as crickets will groom the powder off themselves within 6-8 hours. Repashy brand vitamins are a recommended option - be sure to keep all vitamins in fridge, as they are heat-sensitive. You can also leave calcium and vitamins in food dish to see if your leopard gecko will ingest on their own.
Gut-loading - the best option for gut-loading insects is Mazuri Better Bug Gut Loading Diet, ideally 4-6 hours prior to feeding. Alternatively, you may feed the crickets a mixture of the following: whole oatmeal, dog or cat food (may be crushed into small pieces), a mix of fruits and vegetables (strawberries, carrots, sweet potato, dark leafy greens, apples and oranges, potato peels, etc.) Change the diet every 48 hours so that it does not get moldy or overgrown with bacteria. Although you might be tempted, do not feed bugs captured from outside - risky if any previous exposure to pesticides.
Administering Antibiotic Injections
Antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed therapy in reptiles, often as an injection administered at home every few days. Depending on the medication, you may be instructed to give this subcutaneously (under the skin) or directly into the muscle.
The video below will teach you how to give injections into the muscle. If you've been instructed to store your pet's medication in the freezer, be sure each syringe is first brought to room temperature by gently rolling in your hands, and the small amount of air is pushed out of the tip before administration.
The video below will teach you how to give injections into the muscle. If you've been instructed to store your pet's medication in the freezer, be sure each syringe is first brought to room temperature by gently rolling in your hands, and the small amount of air is pushed out of the tip before administration.