Lizards Archives - Page 3 of 11

Can Chameleons swim?

If you are interested to know if Chameleons can survive in the water you are in the right place. As a lizard keeper, it is important to know their limitations so you can keep safe.

Can Chameleons swim? No, however, they will attempt to float. There are some videos and clips of them attempting to swim, but in reality, they are not built for swimming. Other lizards can swim (click to see full article), but Chameleons are not natural swimmers.

Now that you know that Chameleons are not natural swimmers, let’s go a bit deeper and see if they can breathe underwater, water items that you should avoid to keep them safe, how they prefer to consume water and more.

Can chameleons drown?

Yes, they can drown. In fact, even very shallow bowls of water can pose a risk for chameleons.

To be honest, Chameleons do not want to drink from a bowl anyway so, you should not be providing this anyway, but more on this later on in the article.

But, if for some weird reason, you need to provide a water bowl in their enclosure, do not make it very deep. They are not very clever and can easily walk into this bowl and may never be able to get out.

Can chameleons breathe underwater?

No, they cannot breathe underwater. In fact, there is no known reptile or amphibian that can breathe underwater.

Fish use Gills to breathe underwater. Reptiles simply do not have this. So, it is not physically possible for them to do this.

It may be confusing for some people because they may argue that a crocodile can breathe underwater, right?…. Wrong!

The majority of its time is spent in water, but in reality, they do not actually breathe underwater. They submerge their body in the water and keep their nostrils and eyes above water level. This is so they can see their prey, keep breathing and spend large amounts there.

Do chameleons like to be sprayed?

No, they do not like to be sprayed directly. However, they do appreciate their enclosure being sprayed.

This spraying method is commonly termed as “misting”. It gives lizard keepers the ability to replicate the natural environment of rain. In the wild rain causes the trees to get wet.

Chameleons typically lick and drink the water from the trees, plants or branches left by the rain. Fortunately, rainwater is a reliable water flow.

So, if you have an enclosure and you are misting, be careful not to spray the lizard directly.

Why should you avoid artificial waterfalls?

This is because waterfalls may look aesthetically pleasing to the eye but in reality, they are a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. Obviously, this can be harmful to your lizard. Let Me Explain.

These artificial waterfalls constantly pump potentially dirty water back through the enclosure. If the water is soiled in any way for example if your lizard has produced feces in the water, or an insect died in the water. This tainted water is continuously pumped around the enclosure. Are you with me?

Meaning germs and bacteria generated by these things will keep being pushed through the system and passed on to your lizard.

In reality, if a human saw this defecation in the water bowl, it would be removed. But, the waterfall system will continually keep pumping the dirty water around. This is why it is not a good idea to use them.

Lizard Falls on Left Foot – What Happens?

Have you ever heard about Lizard Astrology and some of the common beliefs and effects a Lizard has? Well, there is a particular one that got my attention, about what will happen if a Lizard falls on your left foot. Let me give you the detail on that.

If a Lizard Falls on your Left Foot, What Happens? It is believed in Lizard Astrology that bad times are ahead if this happens. This is strongly believed by a collective of Hindu’s. However, it has never been proven if it will actually happen.

Now you know what will happen if a lizard falls on your left foot. Let me explain what will happen in many more situations. For example, what happens if it falls on your head? Let explain more and also where these beliefs came from.

Why do people believe that strange things will happen if a lizard falls on them?

This is all part of lizard astrology which is part of the Hindu beliefs. It is believed, by the Hindus, that depending on what position a “Chipkali” (Indian word for common house lizard) falls on you, a combination of different things can happen.

There is an understanding that there are different outcomes depending on if the lizard is male or female (more on this later in the article).

It is not been proven if these things can really happen, so it’s really down to your beliefs. So let’s look at the effects of these lizards now:

Where do these Beliefs Come From?

Gowli Pathana Shastra is a part of the astrology that outlines these perceived effects from Lizards falling on the individual. They are found in the Gowli Panchangam.

Effects of a Lizard falling on You

In this section, I will list each body part that a Lizard can fall on. Then I will explain what is believed will happen if the lizard falls on that body part.

This first section is focussed solely on the effects on a man. I will explain the effects on women in a different section later in this article.

Effects on Men:

The head: If it lands on a man’s head, it’s believed that there will be some kind of conflict or clash to be expected in the near future.
Top of the Head: Start to feel weirdly paranoid of Death.
On the Face: Likely to come into some financial gain.
Left of the Eye: You should expect some great news to come.
Right of the Eye: – Likely to lose something important or be unsuccessful. E.g. maybe you will not get the job you were hoping for.
On the Forehead: You will become distant with a loved one, maybe some form of separation.
Right of the Cheek – Expect some bad news to come your way.
Left of the Ear: Expect some unexpected boost of income. Maybe a financial windfall?
Upper Part of the Lip: Expect to get into some kind of argument.
Lower Part of the Lip: Money is coming your way, get ready!
On Both of the lips: Expect bad news of someone passing away.
On the Mouth: Paranoid about a health condition.
The left side of the back: Expect some great victory or win.
Wrist: – Expect to get some improvements in your beauty.
Arm – Expect some Failure in the form of financial loss.
Fingers – Good chance you will meet old friends/acquaintances.
Right of the Arm – Expect some type of Issue or Trouble to come your way.
Left of the Arm – You may soon feel shame.
On your Thighs – You can expect to lose some clothing.
Mustache – Expect some difficult challenges in the near future.
On your Foot – Expect Difficult times in the near future.
Back of your Foot – Prepare yourself for a long Journey.
Toes – Health Issues could be coming your way.

Effect on Women:

On the Head – Become afraid of death.
On your Hair Knot – Start to feel paranoid about health issues.
On the Left Eye – Expect some love from a man of your dreams.
On the right eye – Expect some form of mental stress.
On the Right Cheek – Expect a Baby boy to be born.
Upper Right side of Ear – Expect a financial windfall.
On the Upper Lip – Prepare yourself for disputes.
On the Lower Lip – Expect to get new things.
Both of the Lips – An argument or conflict is on the way.
On the Backside – Could be news of death on the way.
On the Nails – Expect a difference of opinion or personal friction.
On the Hands – A financial windfall is on the way.
On the Left Hand – Stressful times could be on their way.
On the Fingers – You will be getting ornaments.
On the Right Arm – Romance could be in the near future.
On your Shoulders – You will be getting ornaments.
On the Thighs – Romance could be in the near future.
On the Knees – Expect someone to have a crush on you.
On the Ankle – Expect some life challenges.
Calf Muscle of the leg – Some visitors will be expected.
The Right leg – You will face some loss or defeat.
On the Toes – Expect the birth of a baby boy.

Where Do House Geckos Hide?

Are you wondering where house Geckos may hide out in your house? Well, this is something many people consider or wonder. Let me help you and provide some answers.

Where Do House Geckos Hide? You can typically find house geckos hiding in houses that have insect infestations. Often hide in crevices, under sinks, behind cupboards, bookshelves, etc. Wherever you can find insects such as cockroaches or bed bugs, you will find them.

Now you know where they can hide out, let us look at a few more places they may hide, why some people like them in their house, what damage they can cause in your house and more.

What is the house gecko?

House Geckos (Hemidactylus Frenatus) are found in Southern Asia. Also known as:

Pacific House Gecko
Asian House Gecko
House Lizards
Moon Lizard

Are Common House Geckos Regarded as Pests?

Some people say yes for the following reasons:

Leave a lot of feces in their house
Cause disruptions with electronic devices (such as air conditioning systems – more on this later)
Making weird noises in the night.
Lay eggs in weird places (like light fittings – more on this later)

Other people say that they are an asset because:

They help with pest control
Eat a large number of unwanted house insects

One thing I would say, regarding pest control, they are not perfect for this. The reality is, they can only eat so much before they get full, and insects multiply a fast rate.

Where do house geckos lay their eggs?

Before I explain where they lay their eggs, let me say one thing. It’s important to control the number of common house lizards in your house. If not you may start by trying to battle an infect infestation, and then left with dealing with a lizard problem, are you with me?

The best way to control this is to find out where they lay their eggs. I’m going to explain some common places where you can find them.

Here are the common areas:

Basements
Behind Cabinets & sinks
Hidden behind bookshelves

Hiding in the Basement

Basements are perfect because they are very dark, plenty of places to hide and usually damp. Perfect for them to lay their eggs.

You can expect a female lizard to lay up to 20 eggs per batch. In the mating season, you can expect two or three batches of this size.

Cabinets and sinks

Cabinets and sinks are ideal to lay their eggs. Sinks, in particular, are always in the vicinity of flowing water, meaning that there is usually a level of moisture within this location. In addition to this, it’s usually dark. Another perfect location for them to lay their eggs.

Behind bookshelves

This is another ideal location for them. They are typically in areas of the house which do not have much activity. Meaning that the eggs are safe and not likely to be disturbed by anyone. This is why it’s a good idea to look out for these places.

What damage can a house gecko do while it is hiding in your home?

You can expect a number of different issues with a gecko rampant in your house. One common issue is with them getting caught behind electrical devices.

For example, especially in hot countries, an air conditioning unit. Problem is, they tend to get caught, trapped and die from electrocution. Typically leads to the electrical device malfunctioning and high repair costs.

Can you just get rid of house geckos if they invade your house?

This largely depends on what country or state you live in. For example, if you live in Australia, then you cannot just try to eradicate these lizards. Why? because technically they are protected. Meaning that you could get into some serious trouble if you try and take the law into your own hands.

Therefore, the best way to do this, in these areas and stay within the law is to try a different angle. Instead, you can try to get rid of their food sources instead.

The best way to do this is to eradicate the insects and bugs that they usually come to your house to feed on. So, you need to deal with the root cause of the problem, are you with me?

What Do Lizards Eat in the Desert? (Really?)

If you are like me, you may be thinking how can a lizard survive in the desert and what do they even eat? Well, let me explain this to you now.

What do lizards eat in the desert? Depending on their species, they can eat insects, small animals, and even other lizards, even including their own species. If they eat other lizards, this is typically a smaller lizard that they can easily pick on.

Now you know what they eat at a high level. Let me explain how they get their water, what predators they have in the desert, how they survive and more.

What Predators do they have in the desert?

There are many different types of predators that a lizard has. In the wild, especially in the desert, this includes many types of birds such as hawks, Eagles, owls and other birds of prey.

Snakes are another known Predators for lizards. Finally, lizards are even known to eat other lizards. You usually find that a larger lizard will prey on a smaller lizard, even if they are the same species.

How do lizards survive in a desert?

Looks like one of our Gidgee Skinks (Egernia stokesii) is ready for the weekend! Are you? We are open daily from 9.30am to 5pm 😊 .
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.#AliceSpringsReptileCentre #GidgeeSkink #WeekendReady #ReptileCentreAliceSprings #ReptilesOfAustralia #Reptiles #ReptilesOfInsta… pic.twitter.com/3ejZaSFOnN

— Reptile Centre (@ReptileCentreNT) January 4, 2019

When the desert reaches its maximum heat for the day you’ll often find that lizards will hide away from the sun to regulate their temperature. They have an amazing technique to control their breathing and heart rate in this period of inactivity to conserve energy.

Lizards have to be careful in extreme heat because they are cold-blooded animals. Meaning they have to regulate their temperature by moving away from direct sunlight. If they don’t avoid the direct sunlight they could burn to death.

Where do they get their water from in the desert?

The majority of the water comes from the food that they consume. You may be thinking to yourself, how is that even possible?

Extreme Retention & Conservation of water

This is because they have a very unique system of retaining as much water as possible from their food and not expelling it through their body. As humans we are the opposite, we expel a lot of water through common daily activities such as sweating and urinating.

However, when a lizard urinates the majority of it is urates. Meaning a salt particle of uric acid. As opposed to a liquid form that we as humans have.

This is similar to Birds however birds do not do this as well as lizards. This is evident in the watery white paste that you may have seen soiling your car windscreen, remember?

Also, their scaly body is designed to retain as much moisture as possible and not to expel it through this skin.

This process of refining its urine and retaining as much water as possible is quite taxing on their energy levels. But it is beneficial to them, especially in the desert where water is scarce.

Eating For Hydration

Based on this efficient system that they have, they can easily consume a diet of crickets, for example, and retain enough moisture from the cricket to sustain themselves.

However, if they are given the option to consume more water through other means they will still take that option. It’s just that they have a natural survival Instinct to be able to get by in the absence of freely available water.

Do Lizards Eat Bed Bugs?

If you have ever had bed bugs or have them now, you will do anything to get rid of them. But are lizards the answer? That is the question that I will be answering today.

Do lizards eat bed bugs? Yes, they do bed bugs. Especially the house lizards (geckos). However, they are not a feasible pest control solution. This is because there is only so much bed bugs or other house pests that they can consume before they are full. And Bed bugs multiply at an alarming rate.

Now that you know that lizards will eat bed bugs, let us delve a bit deeper. What if you want to offer your pet lizard bed bugs, is this a good idea? what can happen to them? What other pests can they eat besides bed bugs? Let’s answer these questions now.

What is a bed bug?

4 Pest Control Ways To Avoid Spreading #BedBugs In Home https://t.co/yNTbcrfmp2 – #NiagaraBedBugs #Niagara #Welland #PestControl #extermination pic.twitter.com/Fs6hvbGyBR

— Niagara Bed Bugs (@NiagaraBedBugs) November 24, 2017

Bedbugs are a type of tiny insect that typically feeds off human blood in the night. They are called bed bugs because they are usually found infesting people’s mattresses and causing irritation and bites during the night.

The bite can cause a number of different health-related issues primarily rashes, blisters or other skin related problems.

The two main species that are known for bed bugs is the well known common bug (Cimex lectularius) or Cimex Hemipterus.

Their Size

These bed bugs are quite hard to detect because they are really small. Typical size can be between 1 & 7 mm in length. As you can imagine they are very hard to see with the naked eye. Especially if you’re sleeping.

They get around by jumping onto clothing, pets or other household items. They spread by laying eggs and multiplying. If you find them in your house, it’s not necessary due to bad hygiene, it could be just because you live in a highly populated urban area.

Could You Just Have Multiple Lizards to deal With a Bed Bugs Infestation?

In reality, lizards will eat until their bellies are full and then roll over and leave the rest. You may be thinking to yourself, well if that’s the case I’ll simply have multiple lizards to deal with them. You could do this, but then you will have an infestation of lizards spreading droppings and mess all over your place. So for that reason, it is not advisable.

What are the dangers of feeding lizards bed bugs?

If your lizard is left to fend for itself in your house primarily for pest control there is not so much of a concern. However, if you regard your lizard as a pet, then that is different.

If that is the case, it is not a good idea to feed them bed bugs. Reason being, recent research carried out in Vancouver has revealed that they can carry organisms that can lead to bacterial infections.

What other pests do household lizards eat?

You may be happy to know that house lizards do not just eat bed bugs, they will also feed on other pests that may be lurking in your home.

Rats and mice

In reality, as you can imagine, it is unlikely that a small house lizard can deal with a big rat or mouse for that matter. However, they are more than capable of dealing with their offspring. In particular their babies or newborns.

Lizards tend to hang out in dark murky places where rats and mice like to rare their young. This is an opportunity for them to snack on these young mice known as “pinkies” which are an ideal size for them.

They tend to hide in areas where they know the Offspring will be and wait for the mother to disappear before launching their attack.

Cockroaches

House lizards like to hang out in cool damp and dark areas which are ideal for cockroaches. This is ideal for them because house lizards love to snack on cockroaches.

Centipedes

Centipedes are definitely eaten by house lizards. Their wriggly movement attracts their attention and they will snap them up without any hesitation. You can expect to see them looking for centipedes.

An example of places that you may find these centipedes within a house is, for example, within wooden fixtures such as wood beams. Especially if the wood is old or worn with some signs of wood rot. Lizards will scale the walls to eat them.

Termite Swarmers

Swarmers are an adult version of termites with wings. You can often find them flying in colonies, hence the reason they earned their name “swarmers”. If lizards are given an opportunity they will gladly lap up these delicious treats.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are one of their favorite foods. They are notorious for sticking out their tongues and devouring them.

Problems you may have using a house Lizard for pest control

If you are still considering using a Lizard as pest control, to deal with your insect infestation. Let me warn you about a couple of things.

Feces

Using a house gecko as pest control, as discussed earlier, can’t really help you. But in addition to this, there are additional undesirable effects, for example, you will start to find lizard droppings hidden behind hard to find areas that could take months to discover.

For example, you could find feces behind an old kitchen cupboard which is rarely moved. This hidden gem could be located right at the back, hard to find.

In fact, you may not notice this stinker for months or longer. Maybe you will only notice when other related problems occur. Such as flies swarming around the feces and adding to your pest problem.

Damaged household devices

You may also notice house geckos will get everywhere, even in your prized electronic devices, which could end up getting damaged.

There have been reports of a particular homeowner who found a lizard electrocuted and stuck within their printer causing it to malfunction and costing them because they had to replace it.

Where are Veiled Chameleons from?

If you are interested in Veiled Chameleons, in particular where they come from, you are in the right place. Let me get straight to it.

Where are veiled chameleons from? The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) is a species of the Chameleon and native to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It is also known as the conehead or Yemen Chameleon

Now that you know where the Veiled Chameleon is from. Let me explain more about them. Such as if they can be kept as pets in captivity, what they eat, what supplementation they need, lighting requirements and more.

Can a Veiled Chameleon be Kept as a Pet in Captivity?

Yes, it can and it is also quite a popular pet. For that reason, in this article, I’m going to give you some tips and details of the best practices to keep them.

What do veiled chameleons eat?

Veiled Chameleons mainly eat crickets in captivity. However, if you are going to be feeding them you need to make sure that you get the sizing correct. A general rule for most lizards is to only feed them food which is no longer than the distance between each of their eyes. The reason for this is to avoid choking.

When they are young, such as baby or juvenile, is important to feed them on a regular basis. When I say on a regular basis, I mean at least once or twice a day. However, as they get older you can reduce this frequency to every other day.

Supplementation

In addition to this, because they do not have other sources of nutrients and calcium, you will need to supplement their food. This is done by providing a calcium and vitamin supplement. This can easily be achieved by dusting the insects with the supplement.

For females, this is even more important. Because there is a good chance that they will breed during their lifetime.

Gut-loading Insects for Nutrition

To improve their nutrition, it is a good idea to also gut-load the insects that you feed them. This is done by simply pre-feeding the insects, such as crickets, with nutritional food.

The ideal food for this is:

Collard Greens
Mustard greens
Etc.

What water requirements do they have?

Clean vivarium Plants

Veiled chameleons are arboreal, which means that they live most of their lives in trees. Therefore, they do not expect to see water handed to them a water dish.

What they are used to is getting their water supply from the dew off plant leaves. To emulate this in captivity, you have to mist the leaves in their enclosure.

To achieve this simply water spray the enclosure (Misting) at least a couple of times a day to make sure that the leaves and plants are well covered.

Another option is to provide a dripping system. This dripping system will allow you to automate the misting of the leaves. Using one of these gizmos, it will drop in water on a regular basis to make sure that the leaves stay misted.

What is the ideal housing for the veiled Chameleon?

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t really provide a glass terrarium for a veiled chameleon. This is mainly because of their need for ventilation.

Ideally, you should provide them with a mesh enclosure. Ideally made from PVC. You can avoid the metal or fiberglass versions PVC is adequate.

Verticle Enclosure Is a Must

Whatever you choose just make sure that it is a vertical enclosure. This is because chameleons really like to climb. So, a vertical enclosure is an absolute must.

The ideal size of this enclosure is 36x24x36, but obviously the larger (or taller) you can get it the better.

You can also consider providing an outdoor enclosure for your chameleon. However, if you do this, you need to make sure that they do not get overheated. So you will need to regulate the temperature to ensure that this is not a problem for them.

Cleaning, maintenance and substrate requirements

Regular cleaning and maintenance of the enclosure are very important. If you neglect to do this, you could notice bacteria and mold growing in the enclosure. This can lead to unfortunate health conditions.

To help make cleaning and maintenance easier it is recommended to use newspaper or paper towel substrate.

However, you should avoid using wood chips or any other particle-based substrate. This is because they could easily be ingested by your chameleon and cause impaction or any other related health conditions.

Plants and accessories

To keep them happy make sure that you have a good supply of plants and climbing branches. Just make sure that they are non-toxic. You can also consider artificial plants & vines if you do not want to invest in natural ones.

In addition to this make sure that there is a good selection of branches at different levels. As discussed earlier, the chameleons like to climb.

Heating and lighting requirements?

Chameleons require two forms of lighting:

Heat source
UVB light

Heat Source

It is important to provide a heat bulb in a basking area with incandescent fixtures. However, you should avoid heat rocks or tape. Or any other similar heating items.

UVB Lighting

As discussed earlier they also need UVB lighting. This is important because it helps them absorb calcium and avoid health conditions such as Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), caused by calcium deficiency.

If you are in the position to provide natural sunlight then this is obviously preferred but in captivity, this is usually not possible.

One thing to note, these UVB lighting tubes cannot penetrate glass. So, you need to position the UVB lighting at the top of the enclosure with the nearest perch approximately 6 to 8 inches away.

To maintain these UVB bulbs you need to make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and change them on a regular basis. This is because they can be deceiving at times. Even if they still show a form of light, it may not be providing UVB rays, which is the whole purpose of the tube.

It is also important to provide gradient lighting inside the enclosure

This means that you have a contrast of a cool area and a basking area in the ambient area you would best to provide the temperature of approximately 72 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the basking area, you need to provide a temperature of at least 85 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This is best produced by having a heating lamp approximately 6 to 8 inches away from a Perch in the enclosure.

Will Chinese Water Dragons Eat Dead Crickets?

If you own or thinking of keeping a Chinese Water Dragon maybe you are interested to know if you could save some effort or money and check if they will eat dead instead of living crickets. Let me explain.

Will Chinese water dragons eat dead crickets? Yes, they will definitely eat dead crickets. However, this is not normal behavior. In fact, you will find that this is quite rare. Reason being, the movement of live insects usually triggers them to attack and eat them.

Now that you know that they can eat dead crickets let look at what else you can feed them, what foods to avoid to keep them happy, how often you should feed them, if their specific requirements, such as UVB lights that Water Dragons need are too advanced for beginers and much more.

What is a Chinese water dragon?

The Chinese water dragon (Physignathus Cocincinus) is a species of the Agamid. It is a native of China and the South East of Asia. it is also known as the following:

Green water dragon
Tai Water dragon
or Asian Water Dragon

What should you feed a Chinese water dragon?

Dart also scored a cricket 🦗 for lunch. #lizards #waterdragon pic.twitter.com/w7UShXFSwR

— Myfanwy (@JMyfanwy1) December 3, 2017

They are omnivores, meaning they will eat primarily insects but can also eat vegetables and fruit. You will find the majority of their diet will consist of insects such as the following:

Silkworms
Crickets
Waxworms
Earthworms
Grasshoppers
Etc.

You will find online guides or books that say fruit and vegetables are a required part of their diet. In fact, this is true. They will be expected to have at least 10 to 15% of their diet consisting of fruits and vegetables.

However, in practice, this can be quite different. You will find that they are quite picky. In some cases, they will completely reject anything else apart from insects.

You will have to take this on a case-by-case basis but in general, you can expect them to prefer eating insects. You might get lucky, if you see it that way, and your one may enjoy eating fruit or veg.

Important food items

Once they are at the juvenile age, up until it’s an adult, it is important to keep their calcium and nutrient levels at a good level.

To achieve this it is a good idea to feed them some of the following:

Pinkie Mice
Feeder Fish
and Fuzzy Mice

It is advised to offer them this at least two to three times a week to maintain a good nutritional profile.

What is the best feeding schedules?

It is advised to feed them every other day or worst case two to three times a week. However, some keepers have found that feeding them daily works well.

These keepers argue that feeding them every other day or less is not healthy, especially when they are hatchlings or juveniles. It is important to keep them strong and healthy, hence the reason some of these people keepers swear by daily feeding.

What do Water Dragon hatchlings eat?

Hatchlings eat pretty much the same diet as their adult counterparts. With the exception of the larger items, such as pinkie or fuzzy mice.

They will usually have mealworms or other insects broken up into two or three pieces. This is because they are very young and important to give them smaller portion sizes so that they can handle it. This will avoid choking.

What happens if they stop eating?

You may find from time to time that your water dragon starts to refuse to eat or may start to become picky. Unfortunately, this is one of the challenges of owning a Chinese Water Dragon.

Majority of the time this could be down to boredom due to lack of variety in their diet. To get around this, it is a good idea to rotate their food items. This is so they are not always eating the same thing over and over again.

The mistake that some lizard keepers make is feeding them one or two food items over and over again, which will start to make them feel bored.

The Simple Solution

The simplest solution is to rotate their food. For example, on day one offer him some crickets. On day two some mealworms. And on day 3 you mix it up and provide some earthworms.

Continue with that rotation. Try to rotate with as many items as possible. Ideally, you would have 7 or more different items. So you can offer a longer rotation cycle, are you with me?

I understand in practice this could be more expensive because you’re having to buy different items. But, just stretch it as far as your budget can allow.

Are they ideal for beginners?

Whilst they are very beautiful and interesting lizards, in my opinion, they are not the best choice for a beginner.

The reason I say this is because, as discussed earlier, they can be quite picky when it comes to food items.

In addition to this, they have very specific requirements (such as heating & humidity) that need to be met for you to stand a good chance of keeping them happy and maintaining them for the long-term.

What food items should you absolutely avoid giving to a Water Dragon?

There are some leafy green vegetable items that you should definitely not feed your water dragon. These include the following:

Kale
Spinach
or even spinach

They are great for us humans, but for water dragons, not so good. They are high in oxalate and this is not ideal for them.

Can water dragons eat strawberries?

Yes, they can eat strawberries as well as the following fruit items:

Raspberries
blueberries
Figs
etc.

In addition to these fruit items, as discussed earlier, they can also eat vegetables.

These include:

Sweet potato
Green beans
and even carrots.

One tip though, it is a good idea to make these food items finely chopped when you offer them. This is so you stand the best chance of them eating them, and avoid choking.

Are Skink Lizards Poisonous? (Wish I knew it Earlier)

If you have ever seen a skink, you may have wondered if they are poisonous. Or maybe saw the blue tongue on one of their popular species, and thought they must be dangerous. I had similar thoughts, but I will now clear up some of the myths.

Are Skinks poisonous? No, they are not poisonous. Neither are they venomous. For some reason, some people are quite superstitious and rumours have led people to believe that they are dangerous, poisonous or even venomous. In fact, they are really not that dangerous at all.

Now that you know that they are not poisonous or venomous. I will now explain what skins are, how they defend themselves. The most popular species and much more.

What are skinks?

The Skink is a lizard from the Scincidae family. Its family holds some of the most diverse species of lizard. Some of these skinks have normal lizard features. However, there are some confusing species such as Typhlosaurus, that literally look like they are a snake, instead of a lizard.

For this reason, some people tend to get them confused and mixed up with completely different animals.

Now let me give you an idea of some of the most common stinks out there:

Keeled skink: The Keeled Skink is from Asia and also found in northern parts of Australia. It is one of many common skinks out there.
Sand Skinks: This species of skink is quite interesting. It is also known as the “sandfish”. The reason it is called this is because of his bizarre capabilities of being able to sift it’s way through sand. It uses its scales and toes to cut through sand like butter.
The Snake-eyed Skink: Has bizarre eyes. In particular, it has fixed plates on its eyes instead of moving eyelids, meaning when you look into its eyes it’s as if it never blinks. Unfortunately, because of its stand-out features, it is often captured in the wild and sold on the black market to people that want to sell them on as pets.

How do skinks defend themselves?

Obviously, there are many different species of skink, however, if we focus on the blue-tongued skink, it has a very noticeable way of defending itself. It uses its blue tongue to confuse and intimidate its prey.

It’s contrasting blue tongue in its pink mouth causes its predators to think twice about attacking it.

Other techniques that are used, beyond this, is the ability to flatten its body and make-up undesirable hissing sounds. This is to fend off any oncoming predators.

Failing this it will use its vicious bite which has quite a lot of pressure. It can cause a lot of pain and injure its opponent.

Are skinks good pets to keep?

Yes, they are good pets. Over the last few years, they have become quite popular as pets. This is mainly because of their laid-back and friendly behaviour.

Most Popular Skink

One of the most popular species, that is usually taken as a pet, is the blue-tongued skink. This is because it has the most interesting blue tongue and good temperament.

As stated earlier it is very relaxed and well behaved. Also, it is usually quite happy to be handled, as long as you handle it correctly.

However, you need to make sure that you only pick up a captive bred skink. Because if its captured in the wild, they are not usually as relaxed and well behaved. You may find they have wild tendencies and not wanting to be handled.

Beware of Mixing Children & Skinks

Word of warning though, even if you do pick up a captive bred skink if you have them around children. Make sure they are monitored at all times. This is mainly because if they are not handled correctly, and they feel threatened, there is a chance that they may bite.

In addition to this, they may confuse your child’s small fingers as a wiggly worm. And get confused and think food that’s being offered to them. So, to avoid any of this you are strongly advised to monitor your children.

Why is the blue tongue skunk is such a popular skink?

First and foremost, their behaviour. Because they are so easy to adapt to human surroundings and able to accept being handled, they make a good pet.

Their diet

Because this skink loves eating, it makes it easier to maintain them. They are not as picky! They are omnivores, so they eat a combination of fruit, vegetables and also insects. This means that you have a lot more options to feed them and to keep them happy.

However, you need to make sure that you keep the balance right when you are feeding them. In particular, they need to be fed at least 60% plant matter and vegetation. The final 40% can be a mixture of insects, including waxworms, silkworms, etc.

Do Gila Monsters Lay Eggs? (with Video & Pics)

The Gila Monster is a mysterious, solitary lizard. They had me wondering how they reproduce or if they even lay eggs or have live young. If you want to know I will tell you.

Do Gila Monsters lay eggs? Yes, they do lay eggs. Typically, they will lay anything from 2 to 12 eggs in one Batch. This is usually in the summertime, around July and August. When the eggs are laid there is a small hole dug up which (approximately 12 cm deep) and the eggs are left, unattended to hatch.

Now you know that they lay eggs, let me explain how they breed in the wild, how they breed in captivity, some useful tips to increase the chances of successful breeding and much more.

How are they breed in the wild?

It is often suggested that a random group of Gila Monsters is put together to encourage successful breeding. This is mainly due to the complexities of differentiating the male and the females.

The hypothesis is if there is a large group, it increases the chance of some of them pairing up and mating. In addition to this, there is another theory that the males in the pack, that may typically be hard to breed, will be more inclined to do so, due to social pressure and increased competition from rival males.

How is breeding achieved in captivity?

In captivity there are other challenges, firstly the male does not have an escape route when it is in an enclosure. Therefore there will be more fighting, however, it is believed that fighting is a natural part of establishing who will mate.

The best method

The method that has been used successfully in captivity is deliberately separating the male and female Gila Monsters. Then, when you wish to breed them, introduce the female to the male enclosure.

There will be fighting and combat but this is a natural prerequisite to mating. The winner will be gifted the female for breeding. But, you do have to keep a close eye on the fighting to reduce the injuries on the losing lizard.

In captivity for some reason, it has been noticed that the male Gilas use a lot more biting than they would in the wild. This can open up cuts and injuries. Therefore, this needs to be managed.

The Importance of Temperature

To encourage successful mating, you need to make sure that the temperature is perfect. Especially after the winter cooling period. To get this right you need to have the temperature at a consistent 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you have this and get the timing right, you can expect the “magic” to happen within 4-6 weeks.

Getting the Female/Male Mix Correct

For the best results, you need to have a one-to-one ratio of male and female Gilas. This is not mandatory but it usually gives you the best results. Typically, once the male and female are paired up for mating, you can expect this copulation activity to last anything from 15 minutes to 2.5 hours.

What should you do once the female is gravid?

Once the female has completed mating and is actually gravid (basically a lizard form of being pregnant), you need to make sure that you separate her. This is so she can lay her eggs and keep them safe from other cage mates.

During this period, when the female is gravid, she will be quiet but alert. It will be a noticeable difference in behavior.

You may even notice large periods of time while she may even appear motionless. Nevertheless, she will still be alert and on the lookout even though she is actually in the enclosure on her own.

The best housing at this stage

During this time you should provide an adequate nesting box for your female Gila monster. This will give her time to rest in the nest box before laying her eggs. Just make sure that there is some Moss substrate there for her to lay her eggs and feel comfortable.

What preparation is required before breeding?

To successfully breed you need to make sure that the female is adequately fed. This is really important and something that a lot of people underestimate. The reality is, if they are not fed adequate food before reproduction, it will not happen it’s a simple as that.

The lizard’s body needs a certain amount of fat reserves for it to allow the female to reproduce so that it does not put itself, or its eggs, at any danger during the process.

The reproduction will typically happen before the winter cooling off period. Therefore, the year before this mating season you need to make sure that the female is well fed and has fat reserves.

How should they be treated after egg laying?

Hapfy Nafionaw Birr Day @NatickBobCat!!https://t.co/qWXZbXZuUa #NationalBirdDay #FrenemiesUnite pic.twitter.com/aDO58IV1h4

— Gila monster (@gilamonsterasu) January 5, 2018

After egg laying, they need to be fed so that they can return to the correct weight. Similar to before they were gravid.

However, do not stop there. After the winter cooling off period, it is important to continue with their feeding. To keep them well fed for the following years breeding cycle. If you do this on a consistent basis you should be in a position to breed them on a yearly basis, without any problems.

Do their hatchlings have any known Predators?

Yes, they do have Predators this includes:

Humans
Coyotes
Birds of Prey
Cage Mates

Humans are one of their biggest predators. They will often use excuses that they were defending themselves to justify their actions. Coyotes are another predator. Also in captivity, other cage mates are also known predators. Hence the reason why it’s important to keep the female on her own during the egg laying process.

Why is a Komodo Dragon Called a Dragon?

Komodo Dragons are often ridiculed for their name. Many people wonder where their name came from and if they are even really lizards. For this reason, I will explain where they actually got there name from.

Why is a Komodo dragon called a dragon? When they were first discovered, they were known to have “dragon-like” features and are from the island of Komodo. These lizards were discovered in the early 1900s. During the first world war, when a plane crashed and discovered them.

Now you know whey they are called this, lets now learn more about them, such as what other names they have, if people can actually have them as pets, if they are venomous, what other animals they prey on and more.

What is the Komodo Dragon?

The Komodo Dragon is also known as the Komodo monitor. Its scientific name is “Varanus komodoensis” and it is found on the Indonesian island called Komodo. It is also one of the largest lizard species in the world.

It often raises curiosity amongst people, due to its sheer size (up to 10ft long) and dangerous persona. They are large formidable lizards. They are also known part of the Monitor lizard family (Varanidae).

Why is the Komodo dragon classed as a reptile?

This is because the Komodo dragon fits into the category of reptiles perfectly. Firstly it has a backbone, scales, does not live in water, so it breathes through its lungs rather than using Gills. Finally, it is also cold-blooded. With all these attributes it is a perfect fit to be classed as a reptile, no matter the size.

Is the Komodo dragon an endangered species?

Yes, the Komodo dragon is an endangered species. The reason for this can be pinned down to a few key things:

Volcanic activity
Eating its own Young
Environmental Effects (Habitat)

To summarise, in the Komodo dragons natural habitat there has been volcanic activity which has caused widespread damage to their environment. This has affected their numbers.

But one of the biggest problems that they have is us, humans. Firstly they are sometimes hunted by us and secondly, there are indirect effects such as us hunting food that they rely on for food. An example of this is deer and other livestock.

Another large contributing factor is their tendency to eat their own young. They are also known to attack smaller Komodo Dragons as well.

Are Komodo dragons a good idea to have as pets?

The short answer for this is no. But let me explain:

Their size

Komodo dragons can be up to 10 feet in length. This is a really big lizard. Meaning anyone that would consider taking care of them would need a very advanced level of skill as well as unlimited resources to accommodate their diet and living environment. Not to mention the fact that they would be a constant danger of being eaten.

Infectious bacteria in their teeth

Komodo dragons are known to have very bad dental hygiene, to say the least. In recent studies, it has been found that the Komodo dragons can have up to 50 different variations of bacteria and toxic offerings. In fact, a proportion of these are actually very dangerous to humans if they are passed on.

Difficulties to differentiate between Male & Female

The male and female Komodo dragon is very hard to tell apart. In fact, there is no obvious way to do this especially if you are an untrained individual.

Also to make matters worse mixing males together is very dangerous because you can almost guarantee they will fight.

Cannibalistic tendencies

One of the things that Komodo dragons tend to do it is to prey on smaller Komodo dragons in their vicinity. As I’ve stated earlier, they also have a tendency to eat their own young. They will not hesitate to attack each other. As a potential keeper, you could have serious problems keeping them away from each other.

They will eat just about anything

Out of over 3,000 lizard species, the Komodo dragon wins the prize for being the largest living lizard in the world! pic.twitter.com/6teBafl6eu

— San Diego Zoo (@sandiegozoo) August 16, 2016

Nothing is safe around a Komodo dragon, they will eat almost anything. And when I say almost anything, I mean it. This includes hair, teeth, and horns off of their prey.

Poor hearing

They have really poor hearing especially in comparison to us human beings. They cannot voices that are low or high pitch screeches. So, communicating with them could be a challenge.

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