Reptile pet enclosures guides? The Russian tortoise is one of the more popular tortoise breeds in the trade. Spend a few minutes with one and you’ll see why! These creatures are rather active compared to other species. Not only that, but they are easy to care for. Pair that with their beautiful appearance and choosing this species is a no-brainer for both beginners and experienced owners! The shell of the Russian tortoise features shades of olive green, tan, black, and brown. While most tortoises have dark scutes with a lighter center, the scutes of the Russian tortoise are the opposite. The ridges are lighter in color while the raised portion is darker. Another distinct feature is the claws. This species is sporting four sharp claws on each foot. They help the tortoise burrow in the substrate and climb on obstacles. Needless to say, creating a secure environment for this reptile is a must! They can live inside an appropriately sized terrarium or vivarium. Or, you can keep them outside. Whatever you choose, it’s important to make sure that the enclosure has tall walls that penetrate deep into the substrate to prevent escape. Can you guess what the most defining characteristic of this species is? It has an elongated shell, making it look more oval than other species.

Fortunately, many pet snakes will accept dead prey. If yours does, consider keeping a separate small freezer for what are delicately called “prey items”. Dead mice and rats of various ages can be purchased in frozen packages through pet supply stores and directly from people who breed “feeder” mice. For health reasons, it is best to keep your snake’s dinner separately from your own foods. Depending on the snake, she might scarf down three or four at one meal, or she might only eat one. You’ll need to keep half a dozen on hand, in any case. Try starting with prey items that are about the same size around the middle as your snake is. If your snake won’t touch dead prey items, try wiggling the meal a bit, to make it move. Also, try putting a piece of fabric over the tank as a “privacy curtain”. Sometimes one or both of those will do the trick. If that fails, you might need to feed your snake live prey. This is more complicated, and not for the faint of heart. You’ll need to watch the snake hunting and killing the larger prey, because it is dangerous to the snake to leave an adult rodent alone with her. The panicked creature could injure the snake with its claws and teeth.

Your Mexican alligator lizard will enjoy being fed a variety of items such as crickets, grasshoppers, mealworms, snails and butter worms. For maximum nutritional benefit, make sure to gut load these insects first. You can use kale, lettuce or fruits to gut load your insects. You’ll also need to dust the prey with supplemental calcium and vitamin powders prior to feeding time. It’s also important to ensure that you’re practicing smart feeding habits as well. Here’s what to do: Put the food items in a small bowl, and remove anything that’s left over at the end of the day. You can start off giving your lizard 10 to 15 insects at a time, two to three times a week. You can always increase or decrease the amount of food given. Expert Tip: Be careful not to overfeed your Mexican alligator lizard since these reptiles can quickly become overweight (leading to a long list of possible health issues). Read additional info at reptile pet habitat guides.

Humidity should be maintained between 35-75% to provide as natural as possible an environment for your bluetongue — this can be achieved by placing a shallow dish of water in the enclosure. Feed your adult bluetongue every two days in warm weather, in colder weather every three days. Remember — if the enclosure temperature is not right your bluetongue may refuse to eat. Bluetongues are omnivores and should be offered a variety of foods such as insects e.g. crickets, worms, snails and slugs. They will eat a range of chopped fruits and vegetables including dandelion, milk thistle, watercress, banana, apple, pawpaw, pear, green beans, carrots, alfafa sprouts, parsley and tomato. In addition, small amounts of moistened dog kibble and canned dog food may be given occasionally. Add a calcium supplement to the food once a week.

Wherever you keep them, you must be careful about preventing escape! Thanks to their flat bodies, these critters can slip under narrow cracks. They’re also surprisingly good climbers! Pancake tortoises are easy to please when it comes to food. Natural herbivores, these reptiles have a healthy appetite for plant-based foods. They enjoy a wide variety of leafy greens and dry grasses. The tortoises also enjoy fruits and vegetables. Here’s a species that’s on the larger side of the size spectrum. Reaching roughly 10 to 18 inches as adults, leopard tortoises are the fourth-largest species in the world! It’s not hard to see why this pet tortoise breed is so loved in the herpetology community. The shell is unique, featuring a distinct pattern that stands out in a crowd. The base color of the shell is usually tan or light brown. However, splotches of black create a spotted effect that looks like the fur of a leopard. Find extra info on this website.