Reptiles?

[cezcal20]

Is anyone in to reptiles and amphibians ?? They are my favorite hobby

[summer710]

Years ago, I used to have quite a collection of lizards (no snakes...one firebelly newt, just for curiousity). 

I had three breeding couples of Leopard Geckos; one male African-fat tail, two breeding couples of Standingi Day Geckos, one male Madagascar Giant, one male Peacock Day Gecko, and one male Gold-dust (all in separate tanks; breeding couples were tank segregated by species).

ALSO...had one Burundi Nile monitor, one Savannah; one Golden Tegu, and one White.   

Of the big saurians, definitely the White Tegu was my favorite; on the whole, however, I much preferred the Geckos...the Leopards for their personality and handleability, the Day Geckos for their aesthetic beauty (plus the challenge to create a proper rain-forest enclosure for the Madagascar Giant, the Peacock, and the Gold Dust day geckos).

What are you taking care of?

[cezcal20]

I have always been into Reptiles. When i was very young my mom's friend gave us her snake to take care of for the summer ( Cali King snake ) that was my first experience with snakes. Then high school rolled around and they just started a reptile club, run by one of the Biology teachers. It opened at the end of my sophomore year right before school got out and ( about 3 months until that school year ended) . I got to take home and care for a Red tailed Boa that summer.

That club was the first start of my LOVE for Reptiles !! We had 100's of live snakes, turtles, lizards, and  dragons. Everyday after school we would stay after and help feed, clean cages, handle and learn about the different reptiles we had there. I had a blast. My teacher started this programs in CT and was one of 6 schools to have live reptiles in the school. He has permits also for other species as well. We went on field trips to other elementary school to do live presentations for the kids. We also participated in town events and did presentations there also. Senior year i became an Officer of that club who. Ever was a senior that year , as a senior gift was given a snake of their choice from the club to keep. I chose a Jungle Carpet Python that i actually bought from the club my Junior year as a little neonate. I named him Irwin after my mentor growing up , Steve Irwin " The Crocodile Hunter".  I visited there not that long ago and they now have Tranchulas and other big bugs to

I no long have my snake though. I moved in with my now ex two years ago and when we broke up 2 years ago, i left Irwin behind to come back and get him later. My ex actually contacted me a week ago and i haven't heard from him in 2 years. He said that my snake came down with an illness right after i left and died I'm heart broken. I feel like i failed my beloved snake by leaving him behind.

Right now i have a Eastern Painted Turtle baby that i found in the middle of the street last summer, very dehydrated.so i nursed him back to health and he is growing like crazy, always hungry haha. I do want to get a Salcuta Toroise hatching soon. I also really really want to get a Jungle Carpet Python again when i moved out of my parents house. They wont let me keep snakes as pets here. When i'm all done with college i want to get a bunch of snakes I also as my dream job, want to open a reptiles park/store and work with Reptiles, amphibians, some mammals, to educate people about the importance of reptiles in todays world.

[Angela???]

Got to love Reptiles, wish I had room for them at my house, but 1 of my dogs loves to kill Tiger snakes and  Blue Tongue Lizards.
Mongral dog!
She got a Blue Tongue Lizard an nearly killed it before I saved the poor little thing (was about a foot long or more, they get big around my area). Took nearly a year before I could release it, but it was in a real bad way, that's for sure!
Got to love a Blue Tongue, can catch them fully grown and they tame real quickly! Done that a few times, tame them then release them in our yard. My way of getting rid of them snail's, Blue Tongues love snail's.

[summer710]

Yeah - lizards have played a huge role in my life...they were the impetus that set me on my current career; they set me up for a life of generalized intellectual curiosity and love of biology.

In a few years (once I leave my tiny little apartment), I hope to restart my hobby.  Probably with the Leopard Geckos and then the Day Geckos.  While I love the monitor lizards and tegus...obviously, they can be a handful, even with regular handling (plus the food, and the housing requirements).  Truth be told, if there was any one single lizard I could have the opportunity to take care of, without a doubt it would be the African Sungazer.  These aren't big lizards (14-18 inches), but they are so regal looking as they bask in the morning sun (hence the name, Sungazer).

It's always nice to find others who share a love of reptiles...I've been able to travel the world to feed my love for these lil' critters.  I've been to the rainforests of Costa Rica and seen the ever diminutive Reef geckos (full-grown...about an inch or two); and then obviously, full grown iguanas in both the rainforests and the sandy beaches.  While in Berlin, while most people were fixated on seeing the Komodo dragons and Salvator Water monitors, I was fixated on the Tuatara, aka the 'not really a lizard but quite possibly the closest reptile descendant of the dinosaurs'.  Ahhh...like so many things...the love of reptiles is a journey that will never end

[Angela???]

I like to bush walk.
I come across the small Mountain Dragon lizards in Tasmania, and the white lipped brown snake, they are only a small snake and their bite can make you sick, never heard of anyone dieing from their bite.
The other types of lizards are manily skinks and there are 15 different types, plus the Blotched Blue Tongue Lizard, not bad for a relatively cool climate. 
We do have other snakes as well, Tiger snakes and Lowerland Copperheads. Tigers you will find everywhere, and the Copperhead lives in the marshy areas of Tasmania.
Our snake's are different to mainland Australia, due to our snake's having a grove down the back of their fangs. The mainland snake's have hypodermic fangs, and I know which snake I would rather get bitten by! Least with the Tasmanian  snake you have a better chance, seeing your jeans will get most of the poision on them!

[cezcal20]

I want a Crocodile Monitor Lizard sooooooooo bad. They are pretty dangerous to keep due to the sharp teeth hence the same crocodile lizard. I have seem people actually tame Crocodile Lizards , Komodo Dragons at some zoo, forget where though. YOu just have to work with them as a hatching. I saw some Blue Tongue Skinks some guy was selling. So pretty to look at and there scales are so glossy

[Angela???]

Yes the Blue Tongue make a great pet that's for sure.

Talking about the reptiles makes me want another Blue Tounge or a White Lipped snake would be great!
Space is a problem, tanks are easy to make but the room in the house is the biggest problem, no room for the tank
1 of my friends breeds frogs in a tank in his bed room, they are the Brown Tree Frogs that he has. They do real well in his tank, he reproduces nature in his tanks. He also is very good with fish, fresh and salt water. his biggest tank holds 1.3 ton of water and is made from ply board with a glass front.

[cezcal20]

I want a salt water fish tank also !! They are so pretty to look at and the fish are so spectacular I want to get Nemo fish , clown fish in finding Nemo haha. I also want to get a Alligator in the future, i think they are allowed as pets or at least with a permit down south. I do know in NY you can get a permit to have a croc or alligator for educational purposes.

[Angela???]

My mate had Nemo and clown fish, plus cone fish which are deadly if they get ya, plus a Lion Fish, they are deadly also.
The list just goes on and on. The one I liked was his Spounge Crab. It walked around the tank with a kids toy Blue Heghog on it's back! Funny to see that's for sure. Had to keep it out of the main part off the tank, as it liked to cut the coral of the rocks, which kills it. Very destructive they are! He liked all the deadly or weired fish.
He now has a fresh water tank with some very large fish in it, looks choice, that's for sure. He sure know what he is doing, as the fish bred as soon as he put them into the tank he built. The biggest tank he had was 6 ton, with fresh water fish.

Too cold for crocs here in Tasmania, we don't have Alligators in Australia. But the crocs up north get real large that's for sure, known for taking people!

[brainiac]

I had an iguana at one point, but that's the only reptile I've been in a lot of contact with. I always wanted a ball python as a kid. They're so cute! Snakes are gorgeous--I've never lived in an area with dangerous snakes, so maybe that's why I'm not bothered by them at all? I dunno, I've never understood why people are creeped out by them. They're such beautiful animals.

Am I the only one who thinks baby crocodiles are also adorable? That yipping noise they make to call their mom is so cute (they definitely don't make good pets, though).

[Angela???]

I had an iguana at one point, but that's the only reptile I've been in a lot of contact with. I always wanted a ball python as a kid. They're so cute! Snakes are gorgeous--I've never lived in an area with dangerous snakes, so maybe that's why I'm not bothered by them at all? I dunno, I've never understood why people are creeped out by them. They're such beautiful animals.

Am I the only one who thinks baby crocodiles are also adorable? That yipping noise they make to call their mom is so cute (they definitely don't make good pets, though).

I would like a Python but not sure if I could keep 1 in Tasmania   But I sure like snake's, not that I have ever had 1, seeing the snakes I like in Tasmania are posionous, plus I got kids.
When bush walking in Australia, you need to keep an eye out for snakes, they turn up anywhere. I even have to keep an eye open for them around my home, I live in a small town with large open areas of paddocks around me, and I am close to the center of the town!
If it's not the snakes, spiders, blue ring octupus, sea snakes, caterpillars, scorpions, centipedes, bees, wasps, ants and the list goes on and on, to look out for, you will need to watch out for kangaroos cause the big bucks will rip your guts out, cassowaries, emus, wombats, quolls and just about every animal in Australia can hurt you!
I have a book called Australia's Dangerous creatures, it has 386 page's listing animals, insects and plant's that can hurt or kill a person, worth a read.
I far as all the spiders and snakes ect. goes, who care's, I'm not scared of any of it. It's just part of life here!