Best reptile & amphibian care books according to redditors

Check out /r/turtles....I bet they can help! :D

I also found this: http://www.petmd.com/reptile/care/evr_rp_how-to-take-care-of-pet-turtles

And some books on Amazon.

Complete Aquatic Turtle Care

How To Care For Your Turtle Like An Expert

Red Eared Sliders from A to Z

I just checked Petsmart.com and it looks like the three types they're going to generally keep in stock are map turtles, African side-necks and red-eared sliders. It's been a LONG ass time since I worked at Petsmart, but I do seem to remember that when helping a new owner pick out a turtle, red-eared sliders were the easiest to deal with as well as the most common. It's also going to be helpful (if you end up getting one) finding a vet who treats exotics such as turtles. :)

I set up a small living (bioactive) viv recently for a white lipped python. Up front cost was not too bad. The one I set up is 36" x 18" x 13" and cost $50-100 to set up with all materials and bug cultures. I bought some supplies like the hydro-leca online for the drainage layer. Wanted to keep it light weight. The leca is worth it.

So far it has been up for only a bit under 2 months, but no problems yet at all. The snake is doing just splendidly in there.

Here is the post for the enclosure. I've since added some cultures of tropical wood lice and tropical springtails. Things have really taken off, and I have healthy populations! They've been taking care of any waste since I've hardly seen any. (I've only seen a couple urates on plant leaves, which I clean off.) The pothos has grown tremendously. New leaves begin growing in almost every day. I've also added a hollow cork wood log since those photos were taken, which has become her favorite place to hide.

For more information on bioactive vivariums, I recommend the book The Art of Keeping Snakes.

Also these articles helped me greatly.

And this Facebook group is active and very informative! Be sure to check the files section at the top, too. Many people with different kinds of creatures (lizards, snakes, frogs, etc of all sizes) and set ups on there.

Also, this forum is just starting, but I found the articles on it very useful as well. Link to the article section.

The links I provided help explain maintenance, the work in it. For larger animals, you'll need to remove what waste you can see.

What do you think your enclosure will be made of? Wood, even sealed, can be tricky and people suggest putting down a liner so it does not rot. Eventually I am going to get a PVC cage and just seal it, myself. Right now I have no worries with the plastic tub.

The essential 3H club that every snake needs daily are Heat (watch the temperature), Hydration (water), and Hide. Most commercial hides are way too tall; a snake likes to feel the hide against its back.

Food is a lot less important. That can wait weeks, or even months if your snake is adult and healthy.

A great way to monitor your snake's health is to weigh it weekly. If a snake is losing weight quickly, something is wrong. If it's holding pretty steady, not eating is nothing to panic about.

Also, there are a lot of idiots keeping snakes. A logbook of weights, temperatures, feedings, and defecations is the best way to convince any vet you're talking to that you're not one of the idiots.

Important tip: all snakes have internal parasites until proven otherwise. Anything wild-caught, anything from a reptile show, anything from a breeder, anything that's been housed in a large group. If the seller can't tell you the dates of the last two fecal exams, your snake has worms.

The problem is that a captive snake comes in contact with its own feces much more frequently than a wild snake with a larger range. So a moderately virulent parasite in the wild becomes a ridiculously virulent health danger in a small cage.

If you want more details, Klingneberg's Understanding Reptile Parasites is the best book. (The first edition will also do you fine, if you come across it.)

If you believe me, the cheap way is to do a course of fenbendazole (Panacur and other trade names) and then do a fecal exam to see what's left. If you need convincing, do one right up front. For best results, freshness of poop is important. Keep moist with a few drops of non-chlorinated water (contact lens saline is ideal) and tightly wrapped in the fridge until it can be dropped off for examination.

Since I started doing my own fecal exams (when you have enough snakes, $500 for a good microscope is a lot cheaper than paying for tests at $20 a pop), I've found more parasites... but once you really get them clean, they actually stay clean.

Well please don't put him outside. Even though garters are famously cold tolerant, cold weather and injuries are a recipe for trouble.

Also, if you are going to hang on to him and he has abrasions or lacerations from the trap you are going to need to disinfect the area and keep him in a very steril enclosure (ideally a plastic box or glass aquarium with no substrate that you can completely sterilize every day for a few weeks). later you can make a large proper enclosure if you decide to keep him long term.

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I wouldn't count on pet stores knowing much unless you happen to live near one that specializes in reptiles.

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If you need a reptile vet try here:

http://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

or

http://www.kingsnake.com/vets.html

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For general care, I might start reading here:

http://www.thamnophis.com/index.php?page=caresheet

and ask questions here:

https://www.thamnophis.com/forum/forum.php

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This guy knows a thing or two (I have no affiliation)

https://stevenbolgartersnakes.com/

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You can get this book cheaply:

https://www.amazon.com/Garter-Snakes-Water-advanced-Herpetocultural/dp/188277079X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542943477&sr=8-2&keywords=garter+snake+book

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My own experience with keeping garters was that they were very active and I think demand much large enclosures than the snake world (which loves to keep snakes in tiny little boxes for some reason) will tell you.

If you do keep it long term I'd suggest getting a very large plastic box or large aquarium (something at least 4-5 feet long and 1.5 to 2.5 feet wide) and make a planted vivarium. (but only after any injuries have healed). You can even make the vivarium and attractive showpiece if the animal 's requirements are met.

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Good luck.

Thanks for saving it.

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Death Gate Cycle is probably one of my favorite series aside from WoT and Sanderson books.
https://smile.amazon.com/Dragon-Wing-Death-Gate-Cycle/dp/0553286390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466613725&sr=8-1&keywords=death+gate+cycle

You don't want to wake them up when they are sleeping to handle them... Especially not an iguana. Iguanas do best with routine. Not all iguanas become tame. Iguanas are incredibly smart lizards and if you treat them with respect, understanding that they are smart and you are building a bond with the creature...you'll have a much easier time. It takes a while, and it's not going to be overnight, but with patience it'll mellow out.

I highly, highly recommend this book - we don't carry it, but I read it when I first started working with reptiles beyond my personal collection, and it was the most helpful book about iguana care I've ever read. Iguanas for Dummies

Good luck!

-Jen

Reference material. I mentioned www.anapsid.org earlier. Here is an awesome
awesome awesome book. Please buy it.

Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Manual
by James W., III Hatfield
Link: http://amzn.com/1883463505

Iguanas for Dummies is written by Melissa Kaplan, the author of the
anapsid.org site. It's a good book, too.


Handling. I neglected to mention socializing.

When iguanas are young they are cute and bright green and timid and have huge
eyes and people fall in love with them. Then they become iguana teenagers and
reach the "Free to a Good Home" stage.

Iguanas are not domesticated--they are wild animals. They're not evolved to
live with humans. But they can be taught.

Socializing requires careful attention to touching and holding and lifting your
iguana. There are a lot better references to iguana socializing out there than
me. But socializing is very, very important! Getting your iguana used to human
touch and human presence will save you a lot of grief (and bandages and scars)
later.

Not to prattle on too long but gentle touching at first (petting) then move up
to start lifting. Don't pull from his/her branch! Lift by gently sliding hand
under the head toward the tail. Carry holding iguana on your forarm, head in
your hand, tail supported by your armpit.


Read the books, read the Melissa Kaplan website. And you'll have a great housemate for 20+ years. :-)

Iguanas are like cats. But with more attitude.

I read a fantastic book from first hand care taking while on a deployment a few years ago. I don't own an iguana, but still enjoyed the read.

http://www.amazon.com/Green-Iguana-Ultimate-Owners-Manual/dp/1883463505/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372717553&sr=1-3&keywords=iguana

I have this one and it is awesome. Very easy to understand and lots of good information plus great pictures of various tarantulas.

I like this book mostly because it was written by Bill and Kathy Love who are well known and respected corn breeders. www.cornsnakes.com is a very helpful forum website.

Some people say a corn that's under 3 years old should eat once a week while others like to feed very young corns more frequently. The Munson plan is sometimes considered a bit aggressive but I like it young corns close to this. When it says four to five days I'll usually feed pinkies every 5 days, fuzzies every 6 days, and hoppers and adult mice once a week. When they're young, they'll often shed about once a month.

The color is of a hypo lavender (I just picked up a little female hypo lavender myself! Her and her normal pattern for comparison ) and the pattern is motley. It may have sunkissed in there too and that reduces the head pattern slightly and tends to make them brighter. Males do tend to be brighter and smaller but there's no guarantee for that. Keep in mind that as babies, most corn morphs will change color slightly with each shed, so if you get a baby it's not going to look exactly the same as an adult.

There doesn't seem to be a required minimum for handling but some snakes do respond better to being handled less often as it can be stressful but it really comes down to the individual snake. Twice a week is typically fine but I wouldn't handle the snake at all once it starts to go into a shed or before it settles into the new home and is eating well.

Spot clean when you see poop and total deep clean once every couple of months though some people say every month. To me, if you're spot cleaning it doesn't seem necessary to do it every month.

If you keep them on aspen, I would be careful about misting as it can mold. You can give them a moist hide though they usually shed fine at 40% humidity which is pretty normal for most places.

Getting a bigger enclosure is fine so long as you make the snake feel hidden by "cluttering" the tank with foliage and hides.

Having a dog shouldn't be an issue so long as you keep the snake out of harms way. I haven't seen any of my snakes react to the presence of the dogs unless the dog tries to get close. Freezing, the "s" shape stance, and high tailing it in the other direction are good indicators of being stressed.

temperature sounds about right, cool side should be about 70° and warm around 86°.
I read a lot online, plus bought a book. I think the best info I found was linked on this reddit, plus these:

• http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/corn_snake_care_sheet.htm
  
• https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corn-Snakes-Herpetocultural-Library-Kathy/dp/1882770706/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492589590&sr=8-2&keywords=corn+snakes
  
  
  also something I forgot to mention but is dead important: check these things:
  
  
• you are allowed to keep snakes in the place you live (not just the state, but also in your building/flat)
  
• there is a reptile specialised vet within reach. Normal vets might not have a clue how to help a sick snake.
  
• you can get frozen mice where you are, either from a shop or delivered.
  
  EDIT: and make shameless use of this subreddit. Whenever I had questions, even silly ones, I received good explanations, info, and help here. It's a pretty awesome corner of the internet.

1. Since we don't know it's age it would be hard to estimate that. Size is a better indicator of when (half grown) but even then it's sometimes possible to tell early on.
   
   
2. Does Geek have a suitable hiding place? If the 'cave' it has is not sufficiently dark or is too big to make it feel protected then temperature selection becomes priority over cover thus it will select a comfortable temperature spot in the cage. Do you have a thermal gradient set up?
   
   Two suggestions: Get a book on your new pet. This is the leo bible, but something like this or this is suitable for a new owner and all the needs of his new friend.
   Secondly i would stay away from those heavy plastic rock caves. They have a tendency to slip from the hand of the owner and smash their little friend. Try something like this that you might buy food in. They are very light, about the right height, a hole can be cut into them easily, most are dishwasher safe, and it can be thrown away and replaced with another.

My best friend has had his iguana for about 7 years, he says that Iguana's for dummies is the most informative book that he has seen about them and their care.

http://www.amazon.com/Iguanas-For-Dummies-Melissa-Kaplan/dp/0764552600/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343286940&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=igunas+for+dummies

Anapsid.org http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/index.html And the book Iguanas for Dummies Iguanas For Dummies https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764552600/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IXyTzb9TFYX0F are both really good resources as well.

They are strictly herbivores, so no insects. Here is the basic recipe I used for my baby until he got older and I could vary his diet more (he got less picky).

1 cup shredded green beans, 1 cup shredded butternut squash OR sweet potato, 1 shredded parsnip, and about 1/2 cup shredded fruit (grapes or mangos are my guy's favorites.). Mix together and refrigerate.

Also offer leafy greens, NOT lettuce. Collards, mustard and turnip greens are best.

Feel free to message me with questions.

Although I've been reading Discworld books since I was very young I don't own a lot of other fantasy style books but people do tend to buy me them thinking I must be totally into that genre.

A while back someone bought me the first book of The Death Gate Cycle

Whilst it's not really anything like Discworld, I'd recommend it once you've read all 40+ Pratchett books. However, like the Discworld books, I don't think anyone has ever listened to my recommendation.

Have you tried .. every "pop" fantasy book ever?


The Shannara books are pretty popular. https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Shannara-Trilogy-Terry-Brooks/dp/0345453751


So are the Discworld books (a bit more tongue in cheek).
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Magic-Discworld-Terry-Pratchett/dp/0062225677


Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series is really good. https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-First-Rule-Sword-Truth/dp/0812548051

If you want to branch out into fantasy that isn't swords and wizards, you can move into things like The Deathgate Cycle. https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Wing-Death-Gate-Cycle/dp/0553286390


All of these have pretty interesting worlds with a hero that saves the day.

Have you considered the Death Gate cycle by Weis/Hickman?

It follows the story of Haplo, one of the descendants of two warring factions of seemingly-all-powerful magic users. His people were locked away for centuries after "losing" the war and have only recently begun breaking free from their prison. Haplo is tasked to go through "Death's Gate" to scout the other worlds in preparation for his people's return to power.

The first thing he discovers is that no one remembers his people, and "the enemy" is nowhere to be found...

Edit: Don't go to wikipedia for this one, the article is spoilery as hell and you will enjoy the series much more if the revelations occur organically. Here's book 1 of the 7 book series.

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Wing-Death-Gate-Cycle/dp/0553286390

I tend to agree that mites can be transmitted by feeders and the What's Wrong with my Snake? book agrees.

I've also used their method with success. Basically, give the snake a bath in water with a drop or two of dish soap (per liter of water). The purpose is to drown the little fuckers. Slowly and painfully. Of course, some will try to migrate to the snake's head, so you can coat their head and neck in olive oil. Fair warning, but you are probably going to need a friend to help with this. Bathe the snake, disinfect everything with chlorohexidine, and switch to newspaper. You should do this daily until the mites are gone.

I would stay away from anything not indicated for snakes. There's been some cases of neurological damage from improper treatment.

Essentially you are creating a live, cycling environment for your reptile that will break down waste in the substrate utilizing small insects, beneficial bacteria and fungi, just as it would in nature. You will need to ideally have it set up and running without the reptile in there for at least a month to give the plants and insects time to settle in and any mold blooms to die off/get eaten by springtails. There are various ways to do this, and you can make it as simple or as complex as you want it to be. See here for a good general idea. I also highly recommend this book as it goes into detail about different bioactive substrates and setups.

Bioactive setups are NOT completely self-sustaining, that is a myth. They work best for smaller animals since there is not as much waste to break down (so an anole would be a perfect candidate). You will still need to spot clean the decor, walls, etc. The substrate can go rotten (trust me, you will smell it) and in that case you'd need to replace it, but if you do things right you shouldn't need to replace it for a year or more. I also always put a pvc pipe in the corner of my enclosure to act as a drain, so if I overwater I can drain it (or I can directly water the drainage layer if needed).

Please don't take this as aggressive, but there seems to be multiple red flags in what you're saying! I am not a professional by any means but I have a few concerns. Sorry for the incoming wall of text btw!!

1. You live with your parents and are a legal minor. Do NOT bring any animals under the roof of your parents that they are not comfortable with. I'm assuming you are in school and planning to go to college. What are you going to do with a venomous snake when you're living in a dorm?
   
2. If you don't "have a whole lot of money", why do you want to bring another animal under your care if you might not be able to care for it? Yet another reason to wait until you are out of school and in a VERY stable place in life before taking on a dangerous animal. Thinking ahead will ensure the best for you both!
   
3. If you only have two mild mannered snakes, I wouldn't take in an advanced species until you have more experience under your belt with something that's more difficult to care for. Going from boa constrictor to even a quick tempered/defensive animal (yes even a 'training' snake) is a big jump... care requirements, ease of acquirement, and otherwise. Maybe find an animal with a more 'intermediate' temperament and care requirements, but in the meantime, enjoy the snakes you have and don't take them on too fast. Take baby steps! You have lots of time to enjoy these creatures and learn from them.
   
4. What will you do if a venomous species gets sick? Are you living in an area with a vet that will care for them? Do venomous species comply with local legislation?
   
   -
   
   You already seem to have the idea of treating what you get like the most venomous thing you will ever meet, which would be good practice. The best thing I can tell you is to interact with mangroves or falsies in person any way you can; perhaps locating a nearby herpetarium, keeper, or zoo that will allow you to volunteer. Go to reptile shows and try to find the species you're looking for and ask if you can handle them. Go to reptile forums and read, read, read, read, ask for the personal experiences of people who own these snakes.
   
   If you're wanting vipers, I suggest a blood python. They pack the heavy body, the temperament (aka very fast swings in mood where you have to be very careful with interaction and become very in tune with their behavior), and the speed and musculature of a Gaboon while lacking the venom.
   
   Instead of a falsie or a mangrove, a carpet python might also be a good choice. Some localities do not grow as large as others (darwins, IJs are the smaller ones while jungles are intermediate size) and they are fast, energetic, and snappy. Never met a calm carpet in my life, lol, but they're worth it.
   
   Hognoses might also be a good choice. They're small, but they are mildly venomous (about bee sting worth) and colubrids like the species you're looking at. They may be difficult to get to start feeding, and that challenge is something you might encounter with a falsie or a mangrove, but they tend to be reluctant to bite and are good handlers.
   
   Certain species of rat snakes and racers are a good introduction into more flighty, nervous, and bitey snakes as often they tend to be feisty and fast. Remember that some species are much more difficult to care for than others, however. North American rat snakes come in many morphs and localities to choose from and some very much will have temperaments found in gateway hots. Cave racers would be a great choice of an intermediate species in my opinion.
   
   (Of course, my evaluations of temperament are based on generalization and personal experience. You may pick up a blood or a carpet that's the sweetest thing on the planet, or a hoggie that will bite you every chance it gets.)
   
   -
   
   Don't go for cheap when it comes to caging and equipment. The bigger investment will be worth it in the long run; get a good hook, good tongs, good locking enclosure and make sure you know how to properly operate everything BEFORE using it on any snake, venomous or not. Different brands are good for different species, and different snakes will need different techniques to be mastered depending on temperament and size. Also remember there's more than hooking involved: bagging, tubing, etc.
   
   Always go for quality and captive bred status over cheapness and ready availability. Wild caught animals will have parasites and carry sickness and often refuse to eat, not to mention the taking of wild animals from their habitats is highly detrimental. The vet bills and the stress for a beginning keeper are definitely not worth the possible cheapness of the animal.
   
   -
   
   If I'm saying stuff you already know, I apologize! I just want the best for you and your future herps. Remember the level of responsibility that comes with a venomous species; if something happens to you, it reflects on the community as a whole.
   
   Here's some care sheets and useful links for you, in case you haven't already read them:
   http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Snake-Species/False-Water-Cobra/ http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Snake-Species/Mangrove-Snake/
   
   http://cobras.org/handling-snakes-golden-rules/
   http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Venomous-Snakes/Laws-Regulations/
   http://www.venomousreptiles.org/
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Guide-Keeping-Venomous-Snakes/dp/1934941174/161-9206310-4665712?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&tag=wetboy-20
   
   

I would recommend http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005G55ZGI?cache=b14cd81eae262cd970511258a4cff8c3&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1411533018&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2

The author lives in AZ and I have been to their house a couple times. Great beginner book. For more complicated viv builds use dendroboard. All the basics are covered and how to get started. Best of luck.

Howdy! I'm glad that you're doing research before buying an animal! I'm no expert, but I personally keep four corn snakes along with a number of carpet pythons, ball pythons, hognose, amazon tree boas, and rainbow boas. I'll do my best to answer your questions!

• Books and websites: This books would be a great one to read. It covers pretty much everything you need to know about corns. Kathy Love has been doin' it for a long time.
  
  
• Feeding and shedding: So as far as feeding, I generally feed 10-15% of the body weight every week. You can also go by size, which would be only slightly larger than the widest part of the entire snake. Don't underfeed because you think they won't be able to get that tiny snake head around that mouse! I don't supplement with quail, but I honestly don't see anything wrong with it. Some people will also say that you should take your snake out of its enclosure and put it into a clean tub to feed it, but I think it just stresses the snake out more with the extra handling during feeding time.
  
  As far as shedding, you can expect them to shed once a month for the first few years, then it slows down a bit(at least in my experience.)
  
  You can assist your snake in shedding by giving it a 15ish minute soak in room temperature or warm water along with misting its cage when it is near shed. You could also make one of the hides in your enclosure a moist hide where it can hang out as it nears the next shed. Don't try to help the snake pull its skin off, it can do harm.
  
  
• I'm not an expert on morphs, but I think that is a hypo lavender motley.
  
  
• Males vs. Females: Males do tend to be smaller, but I don't believe they tend to be any brighter. There are some other things to consider when choosing sex. Females will sometimes produce eggs whether they are fertilized or not, much like chickens. Your snake will go off feed and start wandering around and you might think something is wrong, then there will be little yellow eggs around the cage and everything is back to normal. There are sometimes complications, but they usually get it all done by themselves.
  
  
• Socializing and cleaning: Correct, you don't really want to hold your snake for a day or two after feeding, and generally not the day of feeding at all. It can stress the snake out and cause them to regurgitate the meal which smells horrible and isn't healthy.
  
  I personally don't handle my snakes every day that they aren't feeding or digesting like some people do. One reason is that I have around 25 snakes and it would be really time consuming to handle them all regularly, but I also don't want to stress them out just because I feel like holding them. I'm not saying that you shouldn't bring your snake out, that is just how I personally feel.
  
  I spot clean every day, and change water every other day. During this time I also take the snake out and inspect it to make sure I didn't pick up mites somewhere and that everything else checks out health-wise. This is really the only time I handle the snakes unless I'm showing someone how awesome they are.
  
  
• Enclosures: You generally want to get a smaller cage for a small corn snake, then upgrade as it is growing up. A lot of space can really stress a snake out. I suppose you could get a larger cage and add a ton of hiding places, but I feel like it would just be a hassle trying to find your snake.
  
  For corn snakes it is generally recommended that you use an under-tank heating pad hooked up to a thermostat as the only heat source. You could put a light over the cage, but it would be for your viewing, since corn snakes absorb heat through their underside.
  
  To keep humidity in the right zone, you could buy a cage specifically for keeping snakes rather than a fish tank with a screen top. If you do go for a screen top, you need to block a good portion of it to reduce airflow, as it will dry out the tank.
  
  I just want to reiterate the need for a thermostat on your heating pad. They get really hot if you just plug them into the wall and your snake will cook itself.
  
  
• Other pets: Chances are your dog would kill a snake if it got the chance. I have golden retrievers that are very sweet and generally wouldn't hurt a fly, but I do NOT let them near my snakes. Your snake can "smell" that there is a dog there and will see it as a predator.
  
  Again, I'm not an expert. If anyone has anything to add feel free to add on!

It isn't really anything like The Dark Tower, but if you want to try something off the beaten path, I love The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis / Tracy Hickman (the duo that did Dragonlance). It's a multi-world seven-book series, fantasy (though not as "high fantasy" as Dragonlance), and the first book is called Dragon Wing.

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Wing-Death-Gate-Cycle/dp/0553286390

Let's see... at your age, I started reading Wizard's First Rule and was immediately hooked. And around 14-15 I was really into Dragon Wing.

Both are excellent books in the fantasy genre, although the former is part of a very long series, while the latter is only seven books long.

This is how I learned to troubleshoot python.