Reptiles & amphibians
Vicki Moore did not believe in the general principle of keeping animals as pets, but realised that animals would be and if they were they should be kept in the best way possible.
Lots of animals lead a miserable life due to the way they are kept. If you are going to keep a pet it is your duty to do your best for it. The following are some guidelines to help you achieve this.
Keeping amphibians and reptiles as pets
This is general advice on how to protect your pet from safety or health hazards. For advice on individual species please consult your veterinary or expert books.
Reptiles and amphibians in the wild live in an environment that is suitable to their needs. The majority of species come from a climatic area, be it jungles or desserts, which is very different to our climatic zones. Thus this environment has to be artificially created in your home in order for them to survive. This requires in-depth knowledge about the species kept and adequate technical assistance, which may be quite costly.
Getting a amphibians and reptiles
As with all pets we recommend that you check with your local shelter first, whether there are amphibians and reptiles that need a new home. You will be saving a life.
Before purchase you should ask yourself the following question:
- Are you prepared to do extensive research in advance about the species you select? Different species have different needs.
- Reptiles and amphibians don’t make good pets, as they must not be handled too much. Some amphibians are fairly cheap and affordable for children. Frequently they die a premature death after a life in horrible small plastic containers, which do not provide a proper environment. Imagine a beautiful snake from the tropics being confined to a tiny world made of glass for the rest of its life.
- The pet industry constantly comes up with new ideas for your pets. Mostly they are designed to give you pleasure rather than your pet.
- Your idea of a terrarium or aquarium might be something that is nice to look at, with plants and rocks. However, with reptiles and amphibians cleanliness comes first! Anything that is not easy to clean and disinfect is out of the question. However you have to careful what to use, as some chemicals are toxic for the animals.
- Did you know that one of the main causes of death in pet snakes is pneumonia? This is due to a combination of lack of humidity and an increase of toxic gases from their own excrements and food leftovers or in short, due to the lack of cleanliness on behalf of the owner.
- To prevent escape and harm the terrarium must be closed. Thus proper ventilation must be guaranteed, but the ventilation must be installed in a way that draught is prevented. According to the species you need to invest in proper lighting equipment. Even though sunlight is needed it is wrong just to expose the container to direct sunlight. Different species need different types of heating with cooler temperatures at night. The heaters must be installed so they cannot be reached easily.
- One sad example is the exposure to direct sunlight of water amphibians in small plastic containers. Even though these colourful containers, which are quite cheap, have some slits for airing in the lid, this is not enough, when the animals are put out into the sunshine on a balcony or windowsill for hours in summer. Apart from the fact that there is no proper shade for the amphibians on the small elevations in the container, temperatures quickly rise to dangerous levels.
- A hygrometer must be installed to monitor humidity. Humidity is a vital ingredient to the animal’s well-being, especially amphibians, who take air in through the skin, and are dependant on a sufficiently humid environment. The material you use on the base of the terrarium may influence the humidity of the air. Some substrates might stick to food and cause stomach problems. You should ask about this before purchase.
- Make sure your pet cannot escape from the holding container, while you clean the terrarium. The holding container should also be properly ventilated and easy to clean. When you move your pet, handle it gently and if you use a net, make sure, the netting cannot injure it.
- These animals also need sheltered areas to withdraw to. The back of the aquarium and the sides should be covered, since some species of lizards injure themselves by crashing into the glass.
One very bad idea is clothing for iguanas
It is stressful for the animal to get dressed. You might actually injure your pet in the process, as it will definitely try to fight you off. The clothing itself is harmful as it does not allow proper movement and may have toxic contents. Skin problems may result from prolonged use.
Living food or prey
A balanced diet is necessary for any being. In the case of snakes this can lead to an ethical conflict. Your pet might need to feed on live animals. Are you prepared to kill another animal? Are you prepared to hand a live animal to your pet in case a dead animal is rejected?
In the case that you decide to breed and keep the prey as well, you need to keep those rodents in good conditions and on a balanced diet according to the needs of their species. In fact you should keep them as if they too were your pets. Get advice from your vet on how to kill them in the most humane way possible to avoid suffering.
If you feed live rodents to your reptile make sure your snake does not end up being attacked and injured by the rodent. If the prey is not eaten immediately, you must feed the rodent, otherwise the prey might start eating the snake.
Tortoises
Tortoises theoretically outlive their owner. However, a lot of tortoises die a premature death due to bad keeping. Keeping a tortoise may not be as cheap and easy as one may think. Different species have their own specific needs about which one has to inquire before purchase and technical equipment, like heaters and a UV light.
Tortoises like to move a lot and it is simply not fair to confine them in small containers. Do you have room for a terrarium of a decent size? It needs to be in a quiet area, where vibrations do not continuously disturb the animal. Obviously it should be sheltered from cigarette smoke and draughts.
Since tortoises can climb too, a lid that allows ventilation should cover the terrarium. This also keeps them safe from other pets in the house. If a tortoise escapes or is put on the floor by its owner it may not be found easily and get trampled on or die from starvation. Imagine the shock of one set of owners, who could not find their tortoise in their house and finally gave up the search. Only a year later, when moving house, they found the dead pet. It had found its way into a pile of shopping bags and died.
Apart from a water bowl large enough to bathe in (but not too deep), they need a place to withdraw. With regards to the appearance of the terrarium the same rule applies: what appeals to your taste, is not always be beneficial for your pet. Some materials are outright detrimental to its health, like gravel for the floor, because it causes injuries to the skin.
If you want to keep your tortoise in the garden, again safety comes first to prevent your pet from being attacked by all sorts of predators. However, make sure the animal does not injure itself when trying to climb out. Your tortoise must never be exposed to cold temperatures. Even a “cool summer” may be too cold for your pet.
One big mistake is to feed tortoises ready-made food designed for aquatic turtles. Since this is too high in proteins, it may cause damage to the kidneys. A balanced diet according to the species is vital! Don’t overfeed.
Another way to harm or kill your tortoise by mistake is made when preparing your tortoise for hibernation. You have to take it to the vets first to determine whether it is fit for hibernation and get some advice how to get your pet safely through this phase.
Aquatic turtles
Most turtles are purchased for children when the animals are still very small. The parents are made to believe that they are low-maintenance and that it is okay to keep them in a colourful plastic bowl with a little plastic palm tree on a small island.
Red-eared terrapins probably account for the largest number of victims among aquatic turtles. They like to move a lot and keeping them in small and unfiltered containers is simply cruel. Due to the bad water conditions they tend to get ill fast. They grow surprisingly fast, but most people cannot be bothered to provide them with a large fish tank. If they have not died from illness or stress yet, they are simply abandoned in ponds and lakes, which means they will die sooner or later because of the water not being of the right temperature and their not getting the correct diet.
But even in a big fish tank many turtles die because of their owner’s lack of hygiene. Faeces and food leftovers are a big problem. If you are not prepared to put in the extra time for frequent water changes and cleaning, you should not acquire aquatic turtles. You also need a powerful filtration system. Filters used for fish tanks clog up too fast, this means you have to get some expert advice on which material to use inside the filter.
Ready-made food products like flakes, in many cases, cannot be considered a proper and balanced died. Consult your vet on how to feed your turtle properly. You will also need vitamin supplements to prevent deficiencies. A lack of Vitamin A for example may cause inflammations of the eyes.
For most species you will need a heating system that is out of reach from your pet. Under-gravel heating is probably best.
You also need a source of UV-light, as this contributes to keeping the turtle’s bones healthy. Placing the aquarium in the window is not a good idea. On the one hand you do not get proper UV-light through the window anyway and on the other the heat cannot be properly controlled, which means it could become hot too quickly.
Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)
A safety measure that should be looked at is the installation of an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) this will cut off the electrical supply if there is an electrical fault. This is something you should get specialist advice on.
Again, what might suit your taste may not necessarily be best for your pet. Gravel, plants or plastic plants and the land area where they like to bask should not constitute a health hazard. Make sure they have enough room to swim, as well as an area that provides shelter.
Don’t overcrowd as this means additional stress for the animals and don’t mix several species.
If you want to keep your aquatic turtle in a garden pond, enquire first whether the species is suitable for keeping outdoors. Again safety from escape and predators is an issue. Most likely you will have to invest in technical equipment, since a proper level of oxygen needs to be provided at all times. In hot weather the oxygen level in a pond sinks drastically.
As with tortoises, hibernation may cause problems. It is not recommended to allow turtles to hibernate in a garden pond.