My First Lizard- Tips Please!

[kribensis12]

You might have better luck on : http/michiganbulb.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E...ature+Citrus_E_

Any other questions?

 

[Cutlass]

Cheap!!!! But Michigan? Won't the shipping be expensive for me?

 

[kribensis12]

Sorry, i forgot you live in Canada! Probably around 20 dollars for shipping. You might want to look in GreenHouse Nursuries around your home town. My Uncle and Aunt Live in Alberta! Any other Questions?

 

[kribensis12]

Wait, you might not want one shipped anyway! It is dead cold here, i only wonder what it would be like in canada?

 

[Buslady]

I'm thinking of getting a Green Anole (everyone's been telling me leopard geckos are best for beginners but the Anole's okay too if I think I can handle it)

What's a fair price for the lizard itself? What am I looking for to identify a healthy animal? How much should I budget for the initial cost of everything, assuming I raise my own crickets? And then; how much should I budget for monthly costs?

Any tips?

HIGH humidity, remember that. They come from areas like South Florida, I used to catch anoles all the time as a kid..there's the green ones and the brown invader species that pushed out the greens. They eat more than just crickets, you gotta give them a variety as if they were in the wild still. I'd suggest looking up care sites, there's no doubt a really good site that'll help you.

 

[kribensis12]

Brown Anoles ge ton my NERVE'S!!!!!!! I catch them adn keep them, instead of let them run wild. I go to Florida Every Year for Vacation sicne i was 8? That is 6 year's. I have only seen wild green anoles once, adn that was the first time i remeber being in florida! Poor thing's, brown ones grow faster, bortn bigger, eat more, and dont need as much care! Hopefully we will see a comeback, adn the reason they are so hard to see, is they usually live in tree's, not on the ground!

 

[Cutlass]

My monster's moving in tomorrow! (or today if the shop is open) Just one for now; I'll get another if there are loneliness issues...

I've done some work on my terrarium, too; I haven't found my camera but I got a new one for Christmas!

> The new branches are from my apple tree, I hope that's okay? I wasn't worried about hitch-hikers because they're completely frozen, but it's a good thing I did wash them because there was A LOT of drowned bugs in the wash water....

> That tacky plastic suction-cup plant thing? My friend gave it to me...will the lizard use this or should I replace it with another tree branch instead?

> Yes, I removed the water dish. I discovered that it leaks! I probably won't get a new one...

> Err...the duct tape on the corner? Well I didn't think anything of the rapid disappearance of the water in the dish because my aquariums tend to evaporate just as quickly...but one morning I discovered a small leak in the corner that had made a huge puddle on the floor I borrowed my neighbor's caulking gun and fixed it up properly; I just forgot to take off the duct tape which was a temporary fix while the caulking was setting....

> It's hard to tell in the pic because of the flash, but the area where the water dish was is now very well sheltered from the light!

> The plastic turtle is a thermometer in disguise; IMO it was an ugly thermometer before

> Don't mind the snowflakes...my sister likes to decorate.

> The & sign is... XD


Oh! I wonder; will the Anole ever try to climb that fake rock backdrop?

 

[kribensis12]

Very Nice, you will be spoilling the little thing's! Very humid, im impressed!!!!!!!!! Keep it up!! Dont forget to post pic's of the little thing's when you get them!

 

[Cutlass]

YAY! I'll be picking up the lizard either before or after work; I don't have a lunch break today that I know of and the pet store has tight hours but I'm getting him today for sure. I'll have pics up by tomorrow and I do plan on getting a second lizard soon, dunno when.

 

[kribensis12]

Cant wait for the pic's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cheesy feet]

Don't keep the whole terrarium soaked though, I went a bit over the top with my water dragons super fogger, and although it was the desired humidity the bottom and branches were quite wet, which I think caused it. (look on triciaschinesewater website to find out more on the disease and others).

You wouldn't think it would catch it, afterall they come from the rainforests in asia/china.

 

[kribensis12]

True, i ahd a yellow fungu's from too much humidity, but i sacrificed by taking the fungus out, as my lizard's loved the humidity!

 

[Cutlass]

Don't worry; the terrarium only looks that wet right after spraying. The air itself is usually at roughly the desire humidity...Normally the branches dry fairly quickly, the substrate and moss is always damp and the plastic plant dries fast but holds a lot of water droplets for drinking I'll be careful about not over-soaking things, though! Thanks for the tip!

I would have posted earlier this morning but the power lines froze and snapped and I had to wait several hours for the power to come back on The terrarium got very cold and I had to take the lizard out and share my body heat, but every thing's okay now and he seems happy! I named him Frodo! His body is a little longer than half my thumb and his tail is twice that size...Originally I thought he was female because of the light stripe down his spine but earlier today he starts flaring that giant dewlap He loves that tacky plastic plant, whether he's basking on the outside or hiding on the inside. He also loves climbing the rock backdrop(so do the crickets...) Will he be okay if he falls from the top?

I'm still trying to take a picture that isn't just a blurry mess; I guess my new camera's not really made for close-ups

About two hours ago(still during the power outage) Frodo had seemed hungry(or thirsty?) and he wouldn't go after the cricket I gave to him. We had no bananas so I gave him a mashed raspberry and he loved it. I hope this is okay? I would have asked but there was no internet

When I go to get more crickets I'm going to get another one! But I'm curious; how do you tell the difference between a green Anole and a brown Anole? I mean, green Anoles can turn brown, too...

 

[Cutlass]

Do crickets shed their skin!?!?!?!?

I mean; that's their SKELETON, isn't it One of the crickets in the terrarium has shed it's skin and is now all pinkish-white and soft-looking and it's gross! Is something wrong here? Is it still okay for my lizard to eat? (well, I guess it shed the calcium powder along with it's skin?)

.......

 

[cheesy feet]

Do crickets shed their skin!?!?!?!?

I mean; that's their SKELETON, isn't it One of the crickets in the terrarium has shed it's skin and is now all pinkish-white and soft-looking and it's gross! Is something wrong here? Is it still okay for my lizard to eat? (well, I guess it shed the calcium powder along with it's skin?)

.......

Yep they do, just like locusts and mealworms do.
They are most nutritious and easiest to eat at this point because they have no hard out shells, just pure meat, and are squishy.I always feed newly shed ones to my water dragon/leopard geckos if I see them.