Kevin Stevens, owner of Coast To Coast, the North East’s leading exotic animal dealer and breeder, shares five essential tips for first-time owners…
Reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas and invertebrates aren’t everyones cup of tea, but for many people they make an ideal pet or hobby. There are now more reptiles in UK homes than cats and dogs!
But education is paramount, and in no particular order, these are the five most important tips that we at Coast To Coast always give to budding exotic animal keepers…
1. Always Maintain Reptiles In Purpose-Made Vivaria
Housing your reptile correctly is critically important. By keeping them in purpose-made vivaria, you can be sure there are no rough edges to harm them, or to make cleaning out difficult. Plus, there are no means of escape!
Think about whether you’d like a vivarium made from glass, melamine or plastic. They all have various advantages and disadvantages, so choose the best for you.
2. Consider The Associated Foodstuffs
You’ll need a separate area in your freezer for frozen mice, and if you have a lizard (not all but most) you’ll need to look after live insects too. Make sure crickets and locusts are kept in a purpose designed plastic tank and fed correctly to ensure they are ‘gut loaded’. This means that added vitamins and minerals can be eaten via the insect’s stomach contents!
One bonus to using a purpose made livefood tank is that you don’t need to handle the insects. They have an ingenious hiding tube that enables you to move them from the tank into the vivarium! Plus, you’ll save money by looking after your livefood correctly because they won’t die quickly!
3. Don’t Handle Newly Acclimatising Reptiles Too Often
This is especially important for baby snakes and lizards. Handling too often can cause them to become stressed, stop feeding and ultimately become ill. For the first week, handling should be limited to once or twice for five minutes, with a gradual increase over the following weeks.
After handling, clean your hands with a good quality anti-bacterial soap, as like all animals, reptiles have been known to carry Salmonella. Likewise, don’t kiss your reptile!
4. Take Advice From The Experts…
…and not from a local ‘expert bedroom breeder’. For example, the correct heating and lighting is critical, and this kind of knowledge can only be gathered from years of contact with thousands of reptile keepers. Did you know that a heat mat is perfect for a Leopard Gecko, but detrimental to a Tortoise’s health? We do, because we have the experience to back up our knowledge.
Coast to Coast Exotics is one of the UK’s finest and oldest exotic animal stores, and has been providing excellence in their field for the last three decades. It is owned by Kevin Stevens, well known herpetologist who sits on the committee of the IHS, FBH and REPTA – the three main organisations involved in the reptile hobby and industry.
Find Coast To Coast at 122-124 North Road, Darlington, County Durham, DL1 2EJ. Call on 01325 283 756, or email info@coasttocoast.co.uk.
