What's this thing then?

'92 Si VTEC · Post by **jjmartin349571** » Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:53 pm

I did notice that he had Simpson style hands and normal feet. Didn't know lizards had normal hands, even though I owned one for years

Post by **Donald** » Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:59 pm

I'm working on getting back into exotics, I would like to have reptiles again. Perhaps I'll start with a few amphibians though, just adopted a fish tank + fish from a friend that's moving. She really cares about the fish though and if I'm honest I couldn't care less

Knowing my luck they'll live drokking forever. I just wanted the tank as it's cast glass = no joins, no pointy corners. Looks really smart

'92 Si VTEC · Post by **jjmartin349571** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:09 am

Trust me mate if you don't want them to live they'll keep going forever, I've had to move twice with my 5' tank and I think I'm going to see if I can wait out their little lives before I move again - 3.5 years on from when I started the tank off and some original residents are still there, they'll probably outlive me knowing my luck

mines joined glass unfortunately and it weeps, doing a 30% water change regularly is a ball ache as well with a 450 litre tank!!

Can smooth newts be kept as pets?? Always wanted an axolityl as a kid but a newt might do as a close second. I have a spare tank and a load of water dechlorinator...

I'd quite like to get a lizard again, a local place has day geckos which really take my fancy, but I sold all my kit so I'd have to buy it all over again, plus it's more pets to run around after

Post by **Donald** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:27 am

Yeah you can keep newts as pets, although I'm sure you know a wild caught animal is frowned upon

I had fire bellied newts as a kid:

Day geckos are nice but they can be quite aggressive IIRC!

What I really would like is a New Caledonian mossy gecko: https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=rhacodactylus+chahoua

Or

Axolotls are funny things. We had one in college that had some inflation problem and kept floating uncontrollably

sorted it in the end though.

'92 Si VTEC · Post by **jjmartin349571** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:31 am

There's a nice pond at my Nan's so I'll drop him off there tomorrow before work

he's in a small tank atm with some damp greenery from the garden, apparently they're terrestrial in winter

Might have to buy a more exotic one once he's gone!

Not sure I'll be getting a monitor lizard anytime soon though

Post by **Donald** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:38 am

Yeah they don't appreciate hibernating in frozen ponds

Why not try something like a dart frog? There are some really pretty species and captive breds wont kill you

No more difficult than keeping a most reptiles really, generally easier than something like a bearded dragon IMO. Plus no standing water, so no annoying water changes. Just leaf litter and 80-100% humidity, around 25 celcius and a daily misting. All they really eat are fruit flies and you can culture flightless ones.

'92 Si VTEC · Post by **jjmartin349571** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:46 am

They might not kill me, but would they be toxic to the dogs?? They're very stupid and eat anything that they can get in their mouth

The colours on the frogs are amazing though, they're pretty cool to see although my only critiscism would be that they don't do much. I prefer pets that you can see doing stuff

I bet building the frog habitat would be quite fun in a geeky way though

I didn't realise that day geckos were aggressive btw - is that aggressive to humans or other lizards? Or both

Post by **Doggo** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:49 am

Donald wrote:
What I really would like is a New Caledonian mossy gecko: https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=rhacodactylus+chahoua

The Eyes!!!

Post by **Donald** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:59 am

Their toxicity comes from their wild diet, so if if you reduce/don't give them their wild diet, their toxicity drops. Dart frogs are great fun though, they're diurnal so you get to actually see them and they do about as much as any reptile, if not more I would argue.

Day geckos are not the type you handle, not many geckos are really. They can be aggressive to you or other geckos, situation dependant. I mean you wouldn't keep two males together but even a male and female might not get on. It can be like that with a lot of reptiles actually. Leopard geckos are always a good starter but they're a bit bland unless you get a nice morph. If I was to get an easy starter it would be something like a crested gecko. Simple husbandry and they're quite attractive, plus with time you can handle them.

I can't remember exactly what, but I'm sure @lewd lude lover has/had a gecko of some sort? Perhaps it was a leopard morph of some description? I remember talking at the NM about something you had and morphs!

Post by **RattyMcClelland** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 9:42 am

Hay that looks like Geraldine. Not seen her in ages.