# Pet advice!



## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

I am looking into getting a reptile. I was REALLY wanting an Iguana, but my mind has changed.. They just seem to get too damn big! SO I am thinking of a little lizard(a foot to 2 feet grown). I am really wanting something very calm and likes to just sit there and be lazy and pet.. Any ideas? DO you have any? Why do you like them?


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)

Ew! That's not a pet, it's a varmint!

At our local pet store, the crickets are always getting out of their bin...so you go into the pet store, and there are crickets EVERYWHERE. Think, you'll get to deal with not only the reptile...but their attendant bugs!!


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

LOL!
The bugs will be kept outside.. Some lizards are vegetarians.. I really want a snake(pretty much to watch it eat mice lol) but the Roomie says NO lol. 
I did buy my son a Beta fish during the weekend.. lol


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)

OMG! No snakes! No snakes!


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

Yea, I kinda got over it but.. lol
Plus there are soem young kids here. Also helpe don the decision of the Iguana


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)

Iguanas are flipping nasty.

But then all reptiles are.


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

That was my argument for ferrets lol


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)

Ewwww....

Give me a dog any day.


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

I would love to have a dog = Cant have them inside or outside (plus I have a hard time training them lol)
I would love to have a cat = Cant have them inside


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## peach174 (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


> I am looking into getting a reptile. I was REALLY wanting an Iguana, but my mind has changed.. They just seem to get too damn big! SO I am thinking of a little lizard(a foot to 2 feet grown). I am really wanting something very calm and likes to just sit there and be lazy and pet.. Any ideas? DO you have any? Why do you like them?



The Bearded Dragon, seems to be the best.
Types of Pet Lizards - 3 Types of Lizards that Make Good Pets

I have a pet red eared slider turtle.
But it is expensive and time consuming to keep them well and healthy, but to me it is well worth it. It is fun to watch them play.


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## L.K.Eder (Feb 20, 2013)

i recommend the trouser skink


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

Bearded dragon and the Uro are on our list! I really like the way Uros look and there are sooo many different breeds. 
Turtles have not even been mentioned. They sound like they would be boring..


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

L.K.Eder said:


> i recommend the trouser skink



I looked into them. They look gross lol. Do you have one?


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## rightwinger (Feb 20, 2013)

Geckos are nice...smart too


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## L.K.Eder (Feb 20, 2013)

nope, i only have a trouser snake.

but your roomie said no to a snake, and you wanted a lizard. hence the skink.


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## tinydancer (Feb 20, 2013)

Hey congrats on the Beta! I'd run with a dwarf tegu. They're one of the most beautiful lizards and stay size wise in a range that is completely manageable.

And they're non aggressive. Here's a picture. And yes we've had many beasties. So we're pretty good at this. 

And we've had some disasters on some of the ones we've adopted (screwing up is the way we learned like the time we tried to house train a baby possum.  it wasn't a pretty experience) but we do know what has worked or hasn't worked for us. 






And swifts are nice too. Just drop dead gorgeous. My favorite were always emeralds. 

Check this out.


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

TD, they just dont get as big as wanted.. and LOL @ your story!
Pretty picky about it, but why not? This is a long committment.. hopefully


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## uscitizen (Feb 20, 2013)

Reptiles are hobbies not pets.
Pets are something that show affection back to you.


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

Pets are for a persons enjoyment. Enjoyment varies with the person


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


> I am looking into getting a reptile. I was REALLY wanting an Iguana, but my mind has changed.. They just seem to get too damn big! SO I am thinking of a little lizard(a foot to 2 feet grown). I am really wanting something very calm and likes to just sit there and be lazy and pet.. Any ideas? DO you have any? Why do you like them?



Iguanas bet big and mean, and at some point, they will hurt you. If you are wanting a Lizard, I second the bearded dragon, and uromastix. I lean towards the beardi though. They tolerate handling better then other Lizards in my opinion, grow to an impressive size, but not HUGE, and are active enough to be entertaining. Of all the Lizards, bearded dragons are my favorite. Ill get my Son to clean his room, and send you some pics of his set up.


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

earlycuyler said:


> TNHarley said:
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> > I am looking into getting a reptile. I was REALLY wanting an Iguana, but my mind has changed.. They just seem to get too damn big! SO I am thinking of a little lizard(a foot to 2 feet grown). I am really wanting something very calm and likes to just sit there and be lazy and pet.. Any ideas? DO you have any? Why do you like them?
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LOL please do that! Iguanas or bearded, one of them, get real aggressive during "heat". Just keep them shits in the cage lol! Dont the bearded gets to be around 2 foot or so? That can be handled


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## tinydancer (Feb 20, 2013)

My husband's fave. Again, gorgeous, easy to maintain, easy to handle (lizards really do like being held unless you get into the bigger tegus or monitors).

Leopard gecko. I mean how beautiful can you get?


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## Ernie S. (Feb 20, 2013)

koshergrl said:


> Iguanas are flipping nasty.
> 
> But then all reptiles are.


Reptiles are only boots that can still walk (or slither) on their own.


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## Ernie S. (Feb 20, 2013)




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## tunalips (Feb 20, 2013)

I highly recommend the bearded dragon. They are easier then most to take care of and they are eager to interact with you. If you have a kitty they will get along as well. They will reach 18-22 inches.


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

Ernie S. said:


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Which is that?


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


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The biggest bearded dragon I have seen was about a foot long. Its owner would make clothes for it. The Iguana I had was about 5 foot long. Between the two, I would take a pissed off Bearded any day.

Iguana teeth-






Teeth and claws-






Every time I would go to clean its cage I would have to dress for combat. It would always climb when it heard me coming, and it would whip at my face with its tail. When I had to grab it, I was guaranteed a good bite and clawing. Iguanas are bad news. And yeah, when there little rut is on, they are flat out nasty, nasty, nasty.


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

Grown up Iguana teeth-


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

Definately not them. Those rambunctious kids would meet PAIN lol


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## tinydancer (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


> TD, they just dont get as big as wanted.. and LOL @ your story!
> Pretty picky about it, but why not? This is a long committment.. hopefully



Sometimes you just learn by disaster. We were big into fish tanks (and watch out you get addicted and before you know it you become Sea World )

So we were building the "perfect" South American aquarium and going right by the Axelrod rules. You have to build up slow with tanks.

We were at the tetra stage. Had a nice little school of neons and decided next step we'll add these these very beautiful tetras called serpaes. 

OMG we put them in and it was like we added a pod of homocidal freaking killer whales. It was horrible.

There were scales, gills and fins everywhere. Not one neon made it. Yikes. Thank heavens the kids didn't see it. You learn as you go. You try your hardest, but sometimes Murphy's Law takes over.



Good luck. I'll keep checking in to see how you are doing in your quest.


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## Ernie S. (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


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Gila monster.


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


> Definately not them. Those rambunctious kids would meet PAIN lol



Its very likely. Picture a Jack Russel with shark teeth, a bull whip for a tail, and steak knives for claws.


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

Ernie S. said:


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Is on my list. Except Ill be going for the Mexican beaded lizard due to better availability, and less legal issues .


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## Ernie S. (Feb 20, 2013)

The problem I see with gilas is that it takes 6 or 8 to make a pair of boots.


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

I remember seeing somewhere that Gilas were around with the dinosaurs. Interesting


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## BecauseIKnow (Feb 20, 2013)

Iguanas are big, and they require gloves to handle them. I wouldn't recommend them as a pet. They can whip you pretty hard..... Have you ever that of getting a gecko lizard? I've handled one in a environmental science class. They have pokey needles on their legs and arms. They tickle. But they are small and fun to have them walk around your sweater. They don't need a huge tank, etc.. Easy to maintain. Feed them crickets and melee worms.


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


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Don't pick up one of those...they're poison, lol.


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)

I like the little green one. 

We have western alligator lizards around here...you can find them if you're lucky, in the summer, and they are very cool.

I've also lived where there are horny toads....and blue-tailed lizards. When you find one it's like a little treasure.

I've just never felt like keeping them in the house. We kept the little western alligator in the house for a while, but he always got out and finally he got out for good or we turned him loose. I remember he bit my brother's nose, pulled off a tiny little tag of skin (didn't bleed that I recall, just a tiny little scrape) and ate it. Gross!


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

koshergrl said:


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I know. Maybe thats why they have been around for millions of years lol. Little shits


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)




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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

Just found a 20 gallon terrarium starter kit for 150 bucks! It is specifically for bearded dragons.


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

koshergrl said:


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One of what was once thought of the only two venomous lizards on the planet, excep that I think komodo dragons are considered venomous now to.


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


> Just found a 20 gallon terrarium starter kit for 150 bucks! It is specifically for bearded dragons.



If you get dragons, be picky about where you get them. We got my Sons from Lynns bearded dragons. Google her and you will find her.


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)

earlycuyler said:


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Komodos aren't technically venomous but they might as well be, their bites are so nasty and toxic that it is what eventually brings most of their prey down. They bite and let go, and then just wait.

Interesting trivia...pretty much every komodo lizard expert ends up as a meal.


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## koshergrl (Feb 20, 2013)

That is probably a slight exaggeration, lol. 

But there have been at least two experts who *disappeared* while studying them. One wasn't that long ago.


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

koshergrl said:


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Its a great debate. Last I heard Dragons were venomous, but you are libel to get rolled if you state it as fact. Interesting critters nonetheless. There grooved bottom teeth are what I find interesting. Mexican beaded lizards, and Gila's have them to.


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

koshergrl said:


> That is probably a slight exaggeration, lol.
> 
> But there have been at least two experts who *disappeared* while studying them. One wasn't that long ago.



I think back in the 1800's an expedition disappeared, and that the Komodo dragons were a suspect.


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## Sallow (Feb 20, 2013)

TNHarley said:


> I am looking into getting a reptile. I was REALLY wanting an Iguana, but my mind has changed.. They just seem to get too damn big! SO I am thinking of a little lizard(a foot to 2 feet grown). I am really wanting something very calm and likes to just sit there and be lazy and pet.. Any ideas? DO you have any? Why do you like them?



Best advice for something thinking of shelling out hundreds of bucks for a reptile?

Adopt a dog or cat.


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## Sallow (Feb 20, 2013)

earlycuyler said:


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From what I understand they are not "venomous" per se..but the stuff they eat stays lodged in their jaws and forms deadly bacteria. When you get bit..that bacteria gets transferred.

Ouch.


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## earlycuyler (Feb 20, 2013)

Sallow said:


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Thats what they say. Here is a cool article, thats a good read.-

Mystery of the Komodo dragon's poisonous bite is solved - it's down to terrible dental hygiene | Mail Online

Pretty interesting that 90+% of the bacteria found in there mouth can be considered pathinogenic. Awesome animals.


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## TNHarley (Feb 20, 2013)

Sallow said:


> TNHarley said:
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> > I am looking into getting a reptile. I was REALLY wanting an Iguana, but my mind has changed.. They just seem to get too damn big! SO I am thinking of a little lizard(a foot to 2 feet grown). I am really wanting something very calm and likes to just sit there and be lazy and pet.. Any ideas? DO you have any? Why do you like them?
> ...



cant have either


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## waltky (Feb 21, 2013)

Reptiles carry salmonella...

... not good to have around kids...

... get a stuffed dog or cat...

... den ya don't have to worry `bout `em...

... poopin' onna floor in front of yer guests.


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## TNHarley (Feb 25, 2013)

Well ordered a Citrus Bearded Dragon. Went and got the terrarium and all his goodies on Sat. He should be here before 10:30 tomorrow! I am excited! WE ALL ARE!
Got to run to petsmart today, forget a thermometer and ran out of backdrop for the tank. Got him a rock house, hammock, log and stick that attaches to the glass. USed reptile carpet because I figured the sand would be everywhere after a while.. Uv bulb, dark light and basting light. He is ready! Last night I also ordered some epoxy, a cable lock and some cable clamps for the cage. Too many young kids lol


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## earlycuyler (Feb 25, 2013)

Did you order from Lynn's ? And keep an eye on the hot rock. They can get pretty hot them selves. Cute little bastards aren't they ?


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## Sallow (Feb 25, 2013)

Good luck.


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## TNHarley (Feb 26, 2013)

earlycuyler said:


> Did you order from Lynn's ? And keep an eye on the hot rock. They can get pretty hot them selves. Cute little bastards aren't they ?



Na got it from Big Apple. I will! Yep lol.


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