The World of Reptiles, Amphibians, and Arthropods

World of Reptiles, Amphibians,
and Arthropods
Everything to help you keep reptiles, amphibians, and land invertebrates is contained here!

Herptiles and arthropods have been around for approximately 350 million years!

The World of Reptiles, Amphibians and Arthropods (land invertebrates) includes a diverse group of creatures. They come in all shapes and colors and can live in a variety of habitats. Learning all about them can be fun and interesting as well as informative.

The types of reptiles you will find here include snakes, lizards, turtles, and tortoises. Amphibians include toads, frogs, salamanders and newts. Arthropods, or land invertebrates, include arachnids such as spiders, scorpions, and tarantulas and myriapods such as centipedes and millipedes. All of these species guides include the animals background, behaviors, habitat and care. For identification purposes pictures are included of each as well… Read More

Animal-World’s Featured Animal of the Week – Saltwater Crocodiles

Animal-World’s Featured Animal for this week is:
The Saltwater Crocodile!

Photo Wiki Commons
Courtesy Molly Ebersold of the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.
Licensed under Public Domain.

The Saltwater Crocodile is the most dangerous and aggressive animal in northern Australia!

I know that normally I do my weekly featured pet on an actual pet, however this week I decided to switch it up a bit and do a post on an animal that is definitely not considered a pet – the saltwater crocodile! I find these creatures absolutely fascinating and they have recently grabbed hold of my interest. Did you know that they are the largest known reptile living today? And they are also considered extremely dangerous and aggressive, making them even more scary (to me) than sharks! Their scientific name is Crocodylus porosus, and they can be found in Australia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Bangladesh, the Solomon Islands, and along the east coast of India.

They are called “saltwater” crocodiles because they don’t generally hang out in freshwater, although crocodile young are raised in freshwater and they can thrive in freshwater if need be. They like brackish water (meaning has some salt but not as much as seawater) best as adults and can usually be found in waters that are near rivers and coasts. Mangrove swamps are a huge habitat for saltwater crocodiles.

Male crocodiles can reach long lengths of 20 feet! Although there have been cases of some reaching up to 27 feet in length in the wild, this is rare, and females generally only grow up to 10 feet. This still makes for a very large reptile and the males can weigh up to 2,900 pounds.

Their nostrils, eyes, and ears are all located elevated along the top of their head, so they can breathe, see and hear all while staying practically completely submerged and out of sight. They spend little time on land, so this is perfect for their lifestyle.

Another interesting fact is how their eggs hatch. Forty to sixty eggs are laid in each nest (generally from November to March) and they hatch about 90 days later. The interesting part, is that the baby crocodiles become male or female depending on what temperature the eggs are kept at! If the eggs are above 32 degrees Celsius, the crocodiles will become male, and if they are below 30 degrees Celsius, they will become females! However, only 1% or less of the hatchlings will survive to maturity.

I think everyone is probably aware that they have a reputation for being “man-eaters.” Well, they don’t go out of their way to eat humans – but if humans are in their territory, they are considered fair game as far as food goes! They kill 1 to 2 people per year in Australia. Their food includes just about anything they can overpower, including other reptiles, birds, buffalo, wild boars, monkeys, cows, humans, etc. They hunt by using their famous “death roll,” which involves the crocodile grabbing its prey in its jaws (which are extremely powerful) and rolling over and over in the water. This both crushes its victims and can drown them.

One event that really caught my eye was the Battle of Ramree Island. Apparently in 1945 about 1,000 Japanese soldiers were surrounded by British soldiers and had nowhere to retreat other than into the inland swamps. They spent the night traversing the swamps to get to safety and about 400 of them were thought to have been killed by the native crocodiles. It is considered “The Greatest Disaster Suffered from Animals” in the Guinness World Records! It is pretty hard to fathom something like that happening.

So, as an end thought – if you are ever in areas where wild saltwater crocodiles are plentiful, be careful and follow local crocodile safety guidelines!

Though these large and dangerous animals are not pets, there are many types of lizards and other reptiles that are great to keep as pets. Check out Animal-World’s Reptiles, Amphibians, and Land Invertebrate page if you are interested in more information.

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Sources Used

http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/animals1/crocodile/asc.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_crocodile

http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/saltwater-crocodiles.html

The Most Popular Types of Pet Turtles

Kids always want pets to call their own. If you are not so keen on a dog or cat, choose a pet that they can easily take care of with little assistance from you. How about a turtle? Here are some of the most popular types of turtles.

Turtle Facts

Turtles are amphibians. This means that they are equally at home on land and in the water. They carry their home on their back which makes it quite convenient for moving. Their softer body is integrated into the shell which makes it great for balance. They don’t move fast but they do get where they want to go.

Turtles have a long life span, longer than many think. It is not uncommon for them to live 60 years or more. What a turtle enjoys most is freedom to move. When they have a vast enough surrounding environment to eat, sleep and sunbathe, they are happy.

Turtles make great pets for kids who are just discovering pets because they are quite low maintenance. As long as you provide for their basic needs, they are content.

Turtles do nip and bite. To avoid this spend time with your turtle and allow them to get to know you. They may be apprehensive when you first get them home, but with increased handling they will start to trust you and the biting will lessen if not stop completely.

Popular Turtle Types

1. Terrestrial Turtles

The most common and popular terrestrial turtle is the box turtle. These turtles are green and brown with yellow markings on their shells and underbelly. If you can see their eyes, they are also green in color.

They love grass, dirt and warm temperatures. If you have a fenced in back yard with shade trees, this is the ideal place for them to live. Be sure to create a sunning space for them (like a rock that is easy for them to climb on) to soothe their cold-blooded bodies. Box turtles usually eat small bits of fruit, bugs they can catch and vegetables. They will eat dog and cat food if you give it to them.

2. Aquatic Turtles

Another popular turtle is the slider. It is an aquatic turtle. This means that they are more comfortable in the water than on land. They have greenish brown shells with yellow stripes on their heads. As with box turtles, they can roam free in the back yard as long as you have a fenced in property to protect them from predators for their own safety.

A slider likes any place that is warm and has a permanent water feature. Outdoor ponds with foliage and rocks can suit a slider to a T. keeping the water clean is essential to preventing bacterial problems with their shells. They love to dig in the mud and gravel, so provide loose earth for them to bury themselves in a sunny spot. They often eat whatever they can find like vegetables, worms, small fish and commercial turtle food.

Want a turtle? The two most popular types are box turtles and sliders. Once you gain more experience, you can try raising other types as pets as well.

To learn more about turtles and tortoises, check out Animal-World’s Turtle and Tortoise Care page!

Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week – The Red Eyed Tree Frog!

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The Red Eyed Tree Frog!

Did you know that the Red Eyed Tree Frog, Agalychnis callidryas, changes to several different colors, from different shades of brown to different shades of green! They have fascinating bright red eyes, which suits their name well. They are a fairly popular pet frog, especially among the exotic tree frogs. I used to love looking at them, and my favorite part of taking care of the reptiles and amphibians was watching them jump after and eat their crickets at feeding time!

As far as pet appeal, they have lots! Obviously, they are amazing looking little animals that just about anyone would agree with. They are fairly easy to keep, with some continuous low maintenance requirements. They are nocturnal and usually wake up at night, so when the whole family is home in the evenings they can watch them move about and eat! They do well by themselves or with friends, so you can feel free to keep more than one if desired! They are small (up to 3”) and can be handled carefully if you wish. However, you must wash your hands before handling them, as red-eyed tree frogs absorb many substances through their skin. This is critically important for their well-being to keep them safe and healthy!

They do have some special care requirements that must be noted and brought into action to keep them thriving and alive. The biggest requirement they have is the humidity in their environment. They should have the substrate in their enclosure damp at all times and the whole enclosure should be misted approximately three times a week to keep the humidity between 30% and 50%. There must be adequate ventilation as well, to help keep the humidity and temperature in balance. The temperature should ideally be kept between 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. They also do well with tall enclosures that have lots of plants and vines that they can climb on. This is because they are naturally tree dwellers and feel much more comfortable when able to climb up high on plants.

Their feeding should also be taken on with care. Their diet in captivity generally consists of crickets and house flies. Frogs in general can be prone to calcium and Vitamin D3 deficiencies, so it is important to make sure the crickets they are fed have enough of these nutrients in them to nurture the frog. The best way to achieve this is to feed the crickets a “gut load” diet that can be purchased at most pet stores and to dust the crickets with vitamin and calcium powder, also available at pet stores. They also should be provided fresh water every day. Both the water their enclosures are misted with as well as the water in their bowls must be chlorine and chloramine free. These chemicals can harm the frogs. Options to make sure no chemicals are in the frogs water include using dechlorinators in the water or buying purified or distilled water.

As mentioned above, frogs must be fed a proper diet with the correct nutrients. This is because they are prone to a metabolic bone disease which can and will kill them if not taken care of. The best way to avoid this problem is by gut loading the crickets and dusting them with calcium/vitamin powder.

If you think Red Eyed Tree Frog is a fascinating animal and are considering keeping one as a pet, feel free to check out Animal-World’sRed Eyed Tree Frog page for more detailed information!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

The Bearded Dragon Lizard

Bearded Dragon

"Being very hardy and docile, these make great pets!

What lizard has a “beard” that is spiny? A Bearded Dragon!

The Bearded Dragon got it’s name partially due to it’s spiny “beard” under its chin. These beards are used during mating rituals and during defensive displays for male Bearded Dragons. Female’s also have beards, however they are not as dark or pronounced as a male’s.

In recent years the Bearded Dragon has become a very popular and successful reptile, similar to the Crested Gecko, the Ball Python, the Leopard Gecko, and the Ball Python. They are being bred quite broadly now and being genetically manipulated to attempt certain colors, sizes and temperaments… Read More

Goliath Bird-eating Spider

Goliath Bird-eating Spider

"This is one big spider – and beautiful, too!

What’s huge, hairy, has lots of speed, and sparks an attitude? The Goliath

Bird-eating Spider!

Being one of the largest spider species in the world, the Goliath Bird-eating Spider impresses with it’s size and is quite popular with spider collectors. It is not bred in captivity very often and most of these spiders that are kept as pets are caught in the wild.

You can’t miss this big, coffee-colored spider!They attract attention simply due to their size, however they are not very friendly. They are quite aggressive and will attack if threatened… Read More

Featured Pet of the Week: The Green Anole

The Featured Pet for this week is: The Green Anole

I have always thought that anoles were fascinating little lizards. I had the privilege of caring for many of these little guys over the years when I was younger. One really neat feature they have is the ability to change colors (similar to chameleons) to different greens and browns. This can help them blend somewhat with their environment and serve as protection. Males often have very beautiful reddish dewlaps under their chins, which helps distinguish them from the females.

Holding anoles can be a precarious business. Because they are so small (only growing to a maximum size of 7 inches), they can be easily injured if handled incorrectly and/or squeezed too tightly. They will also lose their tails if they are pulled on too hard. However, some people do carefully and successfully handle their pet anoles regularly and with no problems – that is something you as a pet owner will need to decide if you want to hold your anole. Also, all reptiles can (but don’t always) carry salmonella, so if you do decide to hold your pet anole, make sure to use proper sanitation by washing your hands both before and after handling him.

Green anoles are often praised as great first pets due to their hardiness, ease of care, and being relatively inexpensive. This makes them a great pet for a child – they fit both a child’s budget as well as their responsibility level. Anoles are also not generally aggressive and will usually scamper away rather than attack or bite. They usually live 3-5 years, but if given optimum conditions can sometimes live up to 10 years.

I want to emphasize the proper care of anoles. Even though they are inexpensive and easy to care for, they still must be given a proper environment to thrive in, it is very important for their well-being. They are small, so generally one single anole can do very well in even a small 10 gallon terrarium or aquarium. The taller the aquarium, the better, because anoles love to climb and scale their habitats. If keeping more than one anole, you will definitely want to get an even larger habitat, and even larger if keeping several males. On the bottom of the aquarium you will want to put a substrate such as carpet or something such as crushed walnut shells, both of which can be purchased at pet stores. As I mentioned before, they love to climb because they are natural tree-dwellers, so be sure to include wood pieces like driftwood or grapevine for them to climb vertically on.

Lighting and temperature requirements must be taken into consideration as well. Anoles need UVB exposure to keep their metabolism going and to help them synthesize Vitamin D3. And so even though they are more hardy than other lizards, they still must be provided with proper lighting to thrive. Repti-Sun and Repti-Glo are both good lights because they provide both UVB and UVA rays. They also need proper temperatures to regulate their bodies. To achieve this, simply provide a 50 watt daytime bulb in the “basking” area of the terrarium and make sure it is far enough away from the other end of the terrarium so that there is also a cooler area available for them at the other end. You will also want to mist your anoles daily with water.

Feeding is relatively simple and is the main source of on-going expense for your anole. They are insectivores and therefore eat only insects, which includes crickets, mealworms and occasionally wax worms. You do want to make sure your anoles are getting enough calcium, so buy some calcium and vitamin powder to dust the insects in prior to feeding. Anoles are diurnal, so feed them their crickets/mealworms during the daytime. Also make sure to provide fresh water in a clean dish daily.

If you enjoyed these tips on anoles, you can learn much more about anoles as pets by seeing the Green Anole page!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

The Best Pets for Apartment Dwellers

Just because you live in an apartment doesn’t mean that you are limited in the pets you can own. If you want a cat or dog, it will help to know how to choose one who will love your third floor walk up or that first floor garden unit.

Check your rental agreement

The first place to go is to the rental office. If you are moving to another apartment, checking on their pet policy might want to be your first order of business. For your current apartment, reread your lease. Now that you want a pet, it will be imperative to know if it is even possible where you live.

Some agreements have stipulations even when you are allowed pets so read the fine print. There could be weight limit or size limit. Owning fish may be limited to smaller tanks and not the larger ones you see in doctor’s offices or restaurants.

Don’t forget the cost as well. To own a pet can add another one hundred dollars or more to your monthly rent. Increased cost is most likely due to the possibility of pet stains on rugs and damage to the apartment dwelling itself.

Top Apartment Pets

1. Fish – These are some of the most unobtrusive pets. They amuse themselves by swimming all day and only need to eat at intervals. The size of your fish or the aquarium might be in question but generally fish are allowed as long as the tanks are well maintained.

2. Reptiles and amphibians – Snakes are not the only reptiles. Many apartments will allow them as long as they are non-poisonous and kept in a tank. But, there are also small lizards like newts and salamanders. Don’t forget your friendly neighborhood turtle.

3. Birds – They can sing but don’t let them squawk. Try to stay away from macaws, parakeets in large numbers, cockatoos and other vocal birds. Apartment walls are not thick enough to stop a loud bird from keeping the neighbors up all night.

4. Small furry animals – This would include hamsters, guinea pigs, mice and rabbits. The major hurdle here is the smell. These pets need constant cleaning of their cages. If there is an issue with cleanliness, your landlord may ask them to go.

5. Cats – This furry creature is usually not a problem in most apartments. They keep to themselves and don’t make a lot of noise.

6. Dogs – Large dogs are not a good match for apartments because of the limited space during the day. Even small dogs need to be walked but they often fare better during the day when left alone.

Just because you live in an apartment doesn’t mean that you can’t have a companion of the animal variety. Check with your landlord and then choose a pet to suit your needs.

The Vietnamese Centipede

Vietnamese Centipede
Scolopendra subspinipes
"I am found all over Southeast Asia!"

Being very aggressive and large, the Vietnamese Centipede is often depicted as having

a bad attitude!

The beautiful Vietnamese Centipede is not recommended for beginner centipede keepers, however it is a hardy species and it’s care is relatively easy.

Scolopendra subspinipes is found most readily in Southeast Asia, but actually is found all over the world in tropical and subtropical locations. It is not only found in Vietnam, as it’s name suggests. This centipede is also divided into five subspecies… Read More

Painted Turtle

Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta
"The Painted Turtle is hardy and often a first reptile pet for many people!"

Because they can handle a vast variety of housing conditions and can become very tame,

painted turtles make great pets!

The four species of Painted Turtles are all good additions for a turtle enthusiast. They are all very alert creatures and love basking in the sun and thereafter jumping into the water! They can become quite tame relatively quickly, and love to surface when they see that food has been offered by their owner! Read More

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