reptile & vivarium keepers

Ramon

Rancid wrote:

Can it be that difficult to say "Feed weeds and don't use a viv."?

That's a bit of a generalisation don't you think???

Feeding baby red foots on "weeds" and keeping them in anything other than a viv would be disasterous - being omnivorous and tropical, thus requiring high humidity.

There are so many chelonia species available, and given that Hermanns (and gracea) are CITES 1, while red foots and the majority of other tropical species are appendix 2 and therefore easier to import, would-be owners should inform themselves on species specific requirements.

An another note, there is also a genetic predisposition to raised scales...even in the best conditions and on a perfect diet of low protein and correct calcium phosphorus ratio some Hermans will develop a bumpy appearance to the plastron.

tallus

Ramon wrote:

That's a bit of a generalisation don't you think???

Feeding baby red foots on "weeds" and keeping them in anything other than a viv would be disasterous - being omnivorous and tropical, thus requiring high humidity.

There are so many chelonia species available, and given that Hermanns (and gracea) are CITES 1, while red foots and the majority of other tropical species are appendix 2 and therefore easier to import, would-be owners should inform themselves on species specific requirements.

An another note, there is also a genetic predisposition to raised scales...even in the best conditions and on a perfect diet of low protein and correct calcium phosphorus ratio some Hermans will develop a bumpy appearance to the plastron.

Ramon: that comment was in concern with mediterranean tortoises, and therefore was NOT a generalisation. Glass Vivarums are totally unsuitable, and so is the diet they are being fed by the majority of pet shop owners. I only know of two shops who feed them the correct diet. It's the shell and not the plastron that gets bumpy btw.

Ramon

tallus wrote:

Ramon: that comment was in concern with mediterranean tortoises, and therefore was NOT a generalisation. Glass Vivarums are totally unsuitable, and so is the diet they are being fed by the majority of pet shop owners. I only know of two shops who feed them the correct diet. It's the shell and not the plastron that gets bumpy btw.

Please excuse my misuse of terms i.e. plastron...thinking of two seperate posts (i.e. also the one referring to sexing) and only writting with reference to one. Saying that, calcium deposits and abnormalities (as you refer to as being "Bumpy") are also encountered on the plastron, partiucularly in the form of an excresence at the scutes.

However I don't remember any comment specifying mediterranean tortoises, or for that matter "glass" vivaria...another generalisation methinks. Besides even with the Med species humidity must be regulated, particularly as we live in a more temperate zone that has too high humidity relative to temp for many European species (not only mediterannean but also Russians). That's one problem I've alway had with the table enclosures, having kept and bred chelonia for over a decade, although for breeding purposes with small species their design facilitates a laying chamber quite well.

Oh, Just to add...Feeding Weeds is a dangerous Generalisation regardless of how you explain it

Rancid

Ramon wrote:

Please excuse my misuse of terms i.e. plastron...thinking of two seperate posts (i.e. also the one referring to sexing) and only writting with reference to one. Saying that, calcium deposits and abnormalities (as you refer to as being "Bumpy") are also encountered on the plastron, partiucularly in the form of an excresence at the scutes.

However I don't remember any comment specifying mediterranean tortoises, or for that matter "glass" vivaria...another generalisation methinks. Besides even with the Med species humidity must be regulated, particularly as we live in a more temperate zone that has too high humidity relative to temp for many European species (not only mediterannean but also Russians). That's one problem I've alway had with the table enclosures, having kept and bred chelonia for over a decade, although for breeding purposes with small species their design facilitates a laying chamber quite well.

Oh, Just to add...Feeding Weeds is a dangerous Generalisation regardless of how you explain it

*I* mentioned the weeds-and-no-vivs in relation to Hermanns. I have a 50year old female Hermanns and tallus has 2 babies and we were talking about them.
We also both have experience of pet shops giving misleading or just plain incorrect care and diet info.
Weeds... will hardly ever do as much harm as bananas and cat food, methinks!

Of course as you say, would-be owners should inform themselves on the specific species requirement and wouldn't this be made so much easier if pet shops had some good *reliable* care sheets?

Ramon

Rancid wrote:

*I* mentioned the weeds-and-no-vivs in relation to Hermanns. I have a 50year old female Hermanns and tallus has 2 babies and we were talking about them.
We also both have experience of pet shops giving misleading or just plain incorrect care and diet info.
Weeds... will hardly ever do as much harm as bananas and cat food, methinks!

Of course as you say, would-be owners should inform themselves on the specific species requirement and wouldn't this be made so much easier if pet shops had some good *reliable* care sheets?

That's fair enough, my only concern is that alot of people go for a soundbite and will jump on to a generalisation thinking that it's a one rule fits all situation. While experienced herpers may drop in words here and there knowing that they can assume others with the same knowledge understand what they're on about it's easy to forget other folks have a narrower frame of referrence...My questioning wasn't to have a dig, rather to outline the bigger picture. And I agree with you, most petshops are ****e (edited - just realised that words are censored here - whats with that?). Let alone the advice, if I were stuck where a petshop was my only way to source any herp I'd make darn sure I knew who was their supplier and if that was okay I'd be collecting the animal on the day it was flown over.

Back in my day...god I sound old...if you wanted CB you had no choice but to import directly from a breeder overseas. I personally won't breed reptiles anymore though, as they've become such a fad and the majority of their owners just seem to have no clue

Rancid

Ramon wrote:

That's fair enough, my only concern is that alot of people go for a soundbite and will jump on to a generalisation thinking that it's a one rule fits all situation. While experienced herpers may drop in words here and there knowing that they can assume others with the same knowledge understand what they're on about it's easy to forget other folks have a narrower frame of referrence...My questioning wasn't to have a dig, rather to outline the bigger picture. And I agree with you, most petshops are ****e (edited - just realised that words are censored here - whats with that?). Let alone the advice, if I were stuck where a petshop was my only way to source any herp I'd make darn sure I knew who was their supplier and if that was okay I'd be collecting the animal on the day it was flown over.

Back in my day...god I sound old...if you wanted CB you had no choice but to import directly from a breeder overseas. I personally won't breed reptiles anymore though, as they've become such a fad and the majority of their owners just seem to have no clue

Can't argue with you there... people *do* have a short attention span, and *do* hit on one bit of info, take it out of context and never ever follow it up to find out more.

When I took on my tort 11 years ago, I tried the pet shops for advice to supplement the info the previous owners gave me, it was so contradictory that I doubted everything they said.
I finally found my way to the Tortoise Trust site.
I just hate to think of the outcome if people believe everything the pet-shop people tell them.

tallus

I'd agree with that Rancid, I did my research too as I had been considering obtaining tortoises for years, and collected mine from the shop the day after they arrived. It was never a fad or whim thing. They deserve better than that.

tortoise17

Ramon wrote:

That's a bit of a generalisation don't you think???

Feeding baby red foots on "weeds" and keeping them in anything other than a viv would be disasterous - being omnivorous and tropical, thus requiring high humidity.

.

glass vivs are disasterous for tortoises, full stop... :cool:

redfoots, and yellow foots are from tropical rainforests in s. america
they still need a well ventalated tortoises table, there is
a substrate you can get, which will keep the humidity high.
also redfoots need weeds, along with fruits, and some fungus.

check out dublin zoo, they breed redfoots, and house them in torotise tables,
they have perfect shells

tallus

Tortoise17 Yer back !!

Lizard Queen

i work in whackers pet shop and most us are knowledgeable in repitiles. im doing vet nursing in college and im going to a brillent reptile clinic in new york for work placement. Reptiles are only really a new ting in ireland and there are not any good vets for reptiles.

Shelli

I do admit, Whackers seems to have improved a bit recently. A new guy took over the reptile section a while ago from what I could see, and he definately knew more than the previous guy.

There are very few vets in Ireland who will see reptiles and even fewer that specialise. My vet in cabra will see my reps if needs be, but they have told me in advance that if they are unsure of anything that they can refer me to a vet that works with the reps in Dublin zoo.

Shelli

Lizard Queen wrote:

i work in whackers pet shop and most us are knowledgeable in repitiles. im doing vet nursing in college and im going to a brillent reptile clinic in new york for work placement. Reptiles are only really a new ting in ireland and there are not any good vets for reptiles.

Hope your college examiner is not strict on spelling :rolleyes:

tortoise17

tallus wrote:

Tortoise17 Yer back !!

kinda ,
i dont have broad band so im on when i can ,

ya, i agree there are very few reptile vets in ireland,
i went to one before, the told me they had a tortoise vet but when i went in,
he had never seen a tortoise, :eek:

flynnc

ring boardwalk pets on 6779060 they have list of vet that deal with reptiles in ireland

tallus

@Lizard Queen:
Argyle and Bainbridge in Dundrum, Barbaire O'Malley in Bray, and Manus Canon in Clondalkin are all specialists in exotics. Reptiles aren't new so much as becoming more popular in Ireland. I know people who have been keeping and breeding them for years.

Our man in Havana

Lizard Queen hun keeping reps is not a new thing! it may be more popular now but is deffo not new!

Jimkel

Dont forget Kinsealy Pet Shop, just off the malahide road. besides reptile Havan they are my fav pet store, Their not perfect but they have just hired in some new staff and the reptile expert there is very knowledgable. I have recieved poor advice from Whackers, completely contradicting the books ive read on certain reptiles. So far kinsealy pet shop has been very helpful, willing to go to great lenght to ensure the customers satisfied and well informed. They sell a wide variety of reptiles too and also have a reptile boarding home. Well worth a look if only to see the large bearded dragons they have in stock.

dbrock

Lizard Queen wrote:

Reptiles are only really a new ting in ireland and there are not any good vets for reptiles.

have to say john bainbridge is an amzing reptile vet highly recomend him to any one,,
also there is a shop in dunlaoighre called fintastc aquatics in patricks street ,, they specialise in fish but have a few reptiles all of which they can give the proper advice on and dont get into stuff they cant give advice on
well worth a trip, if your after your bread and butter stuff ie corn snakes,,geckos,,water dragons,,beardies,,

the best shop in dub or to be honest the best shop ive been to has o be reptile haven ,, bens advice and experience is second to none

SCI

I keep and breed cornsnakes and hopefully sonoran dwarf boas,there's
more info on my site and I'm based in Belfast.

http://www.freewebs.com/scissnakes/
There are several shops up here city reptiles in Belfast
and family pets in larne co. Antrim.

PiperT

Hi Folks

Just looking for some advice for my young daughter who has taken to snakes in recent months. She first had a trinket snake (bought in wackers) which died after 2 weeks, it just stopped feeding. We're not sure if it was sick when we got it or if we did something wrong. Anyway, second time around we decided to go with a rat snake which feeds less often and is probably slightly easier to look after for a beginner. It has been feeding OK for about five weeks, taking a small pinky every week. This week its refusing to eat and we're a little worried. Its shedding at the moment and we're hoping its something to do with this. Temperature is fine in its environment. Is this something we should be concerned about or should we give it a few more days ?

Any advice/comments would be much appreciated.

TIA

dbrock

wait till after the shed to try again alot of snakes go of there food around shedding time im sure it will be ok

Demonique

Rancid wrote:

I saw baby Hermanns tortoises being kept in a vivarium in Reptile Haven a couple years ago. Totally unsuitable. I wasn't impressed.

Fishamble Street is between the Christ Church end of Dame Street and the Quays in Dublin.

To be fair, they can't exactly keep them in a tortoise table in the shop, can they? People would constantly be picking them up and stressing them out.

What are suitable accomodations for a Hermann's anyway? I read in a book that vivs are fine when the tortoise is young, but tortoise tables and a pen out the back garden in fine weather are recommended when the animal is older

tallus

@Demonique:I have always kept my two babies on a tortoise table. If you're under any illusion just visit the Tortoise trust site. It's the best resource on the net for all things chelonian in my opinion.

Demonique

tallus wrote:

@Lizard Queen: Reptiles aren't new so much as becoming more popular in Ireland. I know people who have been keeping and breeding them for years.

If that's the case, then how come there's no-one offering Exotic Pet Insurance in Ireland? The ones in the UK won't insure Irish exotics.

I've got a €2000 albino boa constrictor and a male/female het albino boa pair worth €1000 that I want insured.

mini5476

anyone know if any Irish sites sell Waxworms/ crickets and such??

tallus

Demonique wrote:

If that's the case, then how come there's no-one offering Exotic Pet Insurance in Ireland? The ones in the UK won't insure Irish exotics.

I've got a €2000 albino boa constrictor and a male/female het albino boa pair worth €1000 that I want insured.

Well tbh how can I answer that question ? I dont sell insurance. I dont make policy in insurance companies. Why dont you call them and ask them.

Gingy Fly

Greets folks, like another poster earlier in this thread I too am into Tarantula's. I have 12 at present. Regarding Dublin shops, Ben in Reptile Haven is a very good and informative guy. Gavan is trying to turn Whackers around right now and is also a pleasant guy. I dont agree with what an earlier poster called him. They are doing the shop up at present. BTW, Ben and Gavan are good friends.

Gavan knows his stuff albeit snakes are his bag in the main. They have a nice selection of Tarantula's in there however, I do find their housing poor considering how long they are there for before being sold on. Gavan's prices I find are a little better than Ben's in fact. Having said that I am after a T Blondi (largest Tarantula there is, leg span of up to 12 inch's) and although Ben and Gavan have one each they are far too expensive. Looking 180 Euro for a specimen which is a joke ! I will be going to the UK to buy this one for a fraction of the price.

Kinsealy Pets are also not bad, the Spanish guy in the reptile section is David, again a very nice and informative guy. They have a small but nice selection of Tarantula's too and are keenly priced.

Cheers

YAQ91

hi wat is the name of the site u purchase from

Our man in Havana

@tonydude
Do not post defamatory posts in this forum. :mad:

chris139ryan

i get all my reptiles and bits and pieces in reptile haven. great shop, very knowledgeable and wont sell you crap