anyone into herping? (collecting reptiles/amphibians)

Discussion in 'The Great Outdoors' started by lar20, Sep 13, 2009.

  1. hey everybody i was just wondering if anyone else out there is in to collecting reptiles? ive just started it recently and i think its a really cool hobby. so far i have a leopard and a crested gecko.
     
  2. hell yeah! i have a 3 year old ball python and a 2 year old leopard gecko. i found that doing reptile stuff (changing water, feeding, spot cleaning, handling) while stoned is pretty cool.
     
  3. i plan on getting a boa here soon,i just need the FUNDS
     

  4. the funds are important. most people dont realize how much time space and money are needed for reptiles.
     
  5. yea i might turn my whole under stairs into a grow op/habitat fir my snakes.but im wondering if they can live near each other safely
     
  6. idk ive heard that if lights are used as a heat source the snakes skin can get dried out. and theyre really curious and can get burned
     
  7. I have a 4ft female ball python. I also have a 55g reef tank and a 30g seahorse tank.. i love doing maintenance high
     
  8. what if i keep the lights hogh and have water for the snake to lay in and drink built into the ground?:wave:
     
  9. gee man idk. if you kept the snake in a tank in the same room thatd be fine and using a heat pad would be a lot safer. and theyre really not that expensive. any of these will work:

    Heat Pads, Mats

    ive bought 2 of the biggest zoo med pads and both of them fucked up within a month and almost burnt my whole house down twice so i would stay away from those ones.
     
  10. Invest in building you're own cage. I made 2 cages both 4'x2'x2' for about 120. One has a sliding glass door for my ball and the other has a mesh door for my beardie.

    If you plan on collecting more snakes, then a rack is the way to go. These can be pricey but compared to buyin online you'll be able to build a rack housing 4 sterilite tubs, thermostat, and flexwatt for a third of the cost. The most expensive things will be the PVC boards and the thermo.

    Total cost for this rack is about 300
     
  11. #11 Durchii, Nov 26, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 26, 2009
    What a great thread!

    I've had our Baby Ball Python Selene for nearly six months now, and she's really coming into her upgraded 40 Gallon Habitat. I would venture a guess that she has grown about 5 inches since we've had her and is now on Medium Hopper Mice. The only real problem with keeping Balls in Colorado is, simply, that the humidity level of our great state is probably 30% in the summer (if you're lucky) and closer to 15-20% in the winter, both very poor levels for even a sub-tropical reptile. Keeping the Hygrometer in the Habitat happy with the requisite 70-80% was proving impossible using strictly Aspen Bedding, even with thorough misting, so I added patches of Amphibian Moss to different areas of the cage earlier today and it seems to be holding the moisture quite well. Great news, as she's about to go into a shed.

    Here she is the day we got her. I'll get some updated shots after this shed, probably a week or so from now.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I really want to go Rattler hunting with my camera when the weather warms up a it, but at this time of year it would be damn hard to find one that isn't tucked away in the ground somewhere.

    As far as other reptiles, we're in the middle of moving out of our house just now, so the last thing I want to do is burden the family with another animal, but once we're settled into another place, I would love to pick up a Red Tail Boa, or even some Tree Frogs!

    :D

    Also, one of my friend's family has a Male Leopard Gecko that they do not take care of at all and I've really been meaning to take him off their hands, so I just hope he holds out until after this move. I hate to see any animal neglected or mistreated in any way.
     
  12. Oh, seriously? I'm using one of the smaller Zoo Meds and have yet to have any serious problems with it, save for it not really getting that warm.

    I'll look into alternatives if I see a single short from this one.
     

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