Reptile Eggs

 

Lots of people have an interest in breeding reptiles, but are not successful due to lack of knowledge. Some are lucky enough to get eggs, but don’t know how to incubate properly. There are many different techniques to hatching reptile eggs. I will share my method which I find creates the highest success rate. Hopefully this blog will help if you are having trouble getting your reptiles to hatch.

First you will want to remove the eggs from the mother in a timely fashion. They will dry out, shrivel up, and ruin hours after being laid if the appropriate action is not taken. Next find an appropriately sized plastic Tupperware container with a lid. You will want to find a product called Vermiculite, which can be found at most garden sections at stores. You will mix Vermiculite with water with a ratio of 1:1. Fill the plastic container with the mixed Vermiculite then place the eggs in the container. You will want to make sure that the eggs are about 50% buried. Find a small incubator and set it at the right temperature for the reptile you are attempting to hatch. Leopard geckos for example would be set at a temperature of 85 degrees. Place the container in the incubator. Make sure to completely open the incubator and container daily to supply the eggs with fresh air.

 

Once you have the eggs set up in the vermiculite you will want to check the eggs for bad eggs. A bad egg will rot and mold and can spread the mold to healthy eggs. These eggs need to be removed as soon as possible. You can turn off the lights in a room and press a small flashlight to the egg. You will be looking for any signs of blood vessels, so look for red lines. If the egg has no blood vessels then it is most likely bad. Watch suspected bad eggs and remove at the first sign of mold. Good eggs will be nice and white, but bad eggs will start to turn a brownish color. If you are lucky you may be able to hatch a few reptiles of your own. You may even produce a new mutation.

Thanks for taking some time to learn about reptile eggs.

Michael Walker

Nile Monitor escapes

A few years ago, I came across a man wanting to give away a small Nile Monitor. This is a smaller version of the Komodo dragon and it lives in Africa.  The fact that the reptile was free made me quick to accept his offer.  Up until then, I had never even seen one in person.  The lizard was about two feel long and weighted about 5 pounds. I was feeding it turkey from the store, but they will eat just about anything dead or alive.

It wasn’t long before I realized I was in over my head. These lizards will leave a nasty bite, but they also harbor diseases like salmonella. One scratch from its talons would have left me with a horrible infection.   It was a little creepy sleeping with this dragon-like creature in my room, so I decided an outdoor pen would have to be constructed.  I really went all out on the cage. It included a swimming pool, sleeping box, food dish, branches to climb on, and a big rock for basking in the sun. I placed the Monitor in the cage and was confident it would enjoy the new home.  I stood back to admire my work and general awesomeness. It was only later I realize that I had mad a big mistake.  During construction, I cut a small hole in the wire to throw food through.  I had intended to cover this hole with something that I could remove daily. Needless to say the lizard found the whole and escaped.

 

I figured the monitor would die, so I was surprised to see it a few months later in my yard.  My first attempt to recapture the lizard was a complete failure. I thought I would run the lizard down on foot and capture it with my bare hands. That didn’t happen, because the monitor took off up a tree like a squirrel chasing peanut butter. There is no question that Nile monitors are excellent tree climbers.  I began to wonder what it had been eating. Perhaps it had been eating my neighbor’s cats.  I can only guess, but due to the size of the lizard I knew it had found something. The Nile was 4 feet long now and looked to weigh 30 pounds or more.  I never saw the lizard again. I assumed that it would die during the winter, because it is a native species of Africa and can not handle this climate. I still wonder if it survived that first winter. Nature finds a way for the sort of things. I hope that it’s not lingering in some sewer pipe covered in chemicals, which will cause it to transform into a Godzilla type creature.  That would not be good for me.

Thanks for reading about my Nile Monitor story.

Michael Walker

Secret Swamp

Today, I would like to talk about my secret location for studying animals.When keeping reptiles you may want to do some field studies. One might want to collect data or simply just enjoy the scenery. I like to choose a spot that is undisturbed by humans. I found a place like this, somewhere in the southern part of Arkansas. I will not disclose the exact location, that information is completely exclusive. Nature is the best place to observe reptiles and other forest life.

I know that not many people know about my secret swamp. The swamp is deep in the woods. Dead trees and leaves cover the forest floor as you approach. A few rays of light shine through the tree tops onto the forest floor. This is a great place to find a snake trying to absorb some of the suns heat. Surprisingly, there are only four snakes here in the United States that will hurt you. The snakes to watch out for are rattlesnakes, coral snakes, cotton mouths, and copper heads. I have yet to find a coral snake in my part of Arkansas. I have found some snakes like the banded water snake, big rat snakes, rattle snakes, speckled king snakes, mole king snakes, copperheads, and cotton mouths. My best find was a hognose snake and a mole king snake.

 

I usually find a couple snakes on the way to canoe, which is well hidden in the swamp. I always select a location that feels secure and secret. Leaving dollar bills attached to trees and the canoe helps me decide if a place is free of humans. I usually look for alligators once out on the water. I have seen gators in this swamp that were much larger than a canoe. I always thought it would be fun to find one of the big alligator nests. I have trained several of the gators and named them. I call my gators in and feed them a couple times a week. I usually bring a couple cups of dog food, but sometimes will spoil them with baloney. I also observe many types of ducks and woodpeckers. I usually don’t keep up with woodpeckers, until I came across an article about a woodpecker called the Ivory billed woodpecker. This bird is thought to be extinct. I can’t prove it with pictures, and I don’t even own a camera, but I’ve seen it a couple times. It seems to only appear when you’re not looking for it. I didn’t tell anyone, because they would want into my secret swamp. My hopes are that the Ivory will reproduce and start rebuilding its population. I enjoy seeing all the different reptiles in there undisturbed habitat. I think it’s good to have a place where you can go and observe nature.

Thanks for reading about my swamp

Michael Walker
  
 

Panther Chameleons

Panther Chameleons are my personal favorite type of chameleon.  I find that this creature displays some of the most prolific colors in the reptile world. The male is able to transform into different bright colors, but the female remains dull. Although the panther is very desirable, caring for the animal is a daily ritual. A lot of responsibilities came with my panther; I choose to sale my panther, because I didn’t have the time to devote to the animal. This is one of the hardest reptiles to keep, so make sure research is done before any purchase.

I got my first male in 2005, from a NRBC reptile show in Dallas, Texas.  He was already almost a year old at the time of the purchase. This animal became a very expensive luxury for me.  I bought a special screen-like cage, and filled it with some house plants. It is important to buy sticks and branches from a pet store. Do not pick sticks out of your yard, because they are harboring thousands of tiny bugs that are undetectable with your eyes. Mites are one of the asexual arachnoids that will cause a lot of problems for a reptile hobbyist.  It is extremely important to pick plants that are organic and free of chemicals.  Find a safe plant list on the internet. I basically had to create a natural rainforest habitat inside my room.  Chameleons also require natural light, so special UV bulbs had to be purchased. Timers will need to be purchased as also, because it’s important that the light comes on and off at regular intervals. Changes in the cycle will stress the animal and eventually result in fatality. High humidity is required, so I picked up a clean spray bottle from the dollar store.

TIP:   Chameleons don’t drink from water bowls. They lick moister from the leaves of plants. You can put ice cubes on top on the enclosure. The ice will slowly melt and drip onto the plants.  

I used a many untraditional methods during my year of chameleon keeping. It is a known fact that it’s best to feed a variety of prey items such as crickets, super worms, hissing roaches, and pinks. (Pinks are baby mice) However, my chameleon had a personality and would refuse all prey except for crickets.  I never fully understood or concluded on why the animal developed an addiction to crickets. On one occasion I got the chameleon to strike a hissing cockroach. The weird moment was when the chameleon crunched down on the roach and turn to look at me.  It was almost like the facial expression changed, “Dude I just ate a roach….Gross” is what it looked like as he immediately spit out the insect. This chameleon was able to learn a special trick. As stated before, chameleons will not drink out of water bowls. This is due to the fact that they can not see the water, and only respond to the movement of drops of water on leaves.  My chameleon drank water from the bowl. Believe it or not, each animal has a unique personality and soul that we are not yet able to understand. For example one chameleon may like to be handled while another refuses to be handled. One might drink from a water bowl if you teach it how.

Tip: I placed a small water bowl directly under my ice drip. I also place a leaf on the surface of the water to achieve more movement. The drop of water would fall on the leaf and splash in the water.  Over time the chameleon learned the location of the water bowl, and would lick the leaf.  Eventually I stopped placing the leaf on the surface of the water in the water bowl. He kept using the water bowl.  I noticed that my chameleon used memory instead of eye sight to find the water.

Michael Walker

Thanks for reading this blog about Panther Chameleons.

Bearded Dragons

One of my favorite lizards is the Bearded Dragon. This is a desert dwelling creature is covered in small spiked scales. These gentle beast originates from Australia, but thanks to captive breeding they can be found at most pet stores across North America. Due to their docile nature and relative small size (usually 16-20 inches) they have become quite popular in recent years. This lizard requires a lot of different things, so make sure you know what you’re doing before buying one

I’m not an expert on Bearded Dragons, but I have owned three and gain some experience. This is lizard requires a lot of attention. The dragon will need live bugs, but also eats plants. The dragon will run through a lot of crickets, so you might want to look into other options. Crikets will eat a hole in your wallet and can only be found in summer. African Hissing roaches are good sized and high in nutrition.  You will also need to include some type of greens into your pet diet. I personally use collard greens with my animals. The animal also requires direct sunlight in order to produce vitamins it needs for development. A UV light bulb will have to be purchased.

It is important to pick a dragon that is healthy. I always look for the lizard that has wide eyes and is alert. Never pick the dragon that is looking lethargic in the corner. It most likely will have some sort of problems. The small dragons will fight, and their bites can break a sibling’s leg. I once had three bearded dragons. The largest of the three grabbed the other two and broke their legs. Those two dragons were named captain hook and tip-toe.

There are also several morphs available in bearded dragons. In nature the dragon will be a grayish color. Bright colors have emerged thanks to selective breeding. The most common morphs are orange, red, and yellow colors. I personally like the blood morphs and the sunburst. I don’t know a lot about breeding these lizards, but I know a little. The female will lay 20-40 dime sized eggs which will need to incubate at 85 degrees for 60 days. The female dragon burrows to lay her eggs, so at least a 12 inch layer of damp sand will be required for breeding.  I’m sure there is better way, but this is method I have. After she lays the eggs you will need to get them out and place in a humid incubator.

• Try some of these links to find info
• http://www.kingsnake.com/
• http://www.beardeddragonguide.com/

The Bearded Dragon is a great pet if you can get over all the work that comes with them. Thanks for talking some time to learn about Bearded Dragons.

Michael Walker

Red Tail Boas

Red tail boas are another interesting reptile i have always liked. They are one of the larger snakes, and females can reach lengths of about 9 ft. They can be found at some pet stores, but you will have to go to a breeder for a nice morph. I do not recommend this snake for a beginner. The snake will grow very rapidly after the first year. Make sure that research is done before buying a red tail boa.

Feeding:
For the most part the red tail boa is good natured, but i have seen some that have anger issues. The main thing you want to watch out for is an accidental bite. Some get very eager when feeding time comes. The boa learns that when you open the enclosure it is most likely going to get some food. They are kind of stupid, so make sure not to dangle your hand in front of a hungry boa. In the wild this snake is what you call an opportunistic feeder, and will eat a variety of different prey.

Feeding Tip 1:   
 I always grab my boa by the tail first, because this lets my boa know that i am not food. Like i said the boa is kind of stupid. It can’t tell the difference between food items. A hand doesn’t looks so much different than a rat when you’re a boa. Be smart and use some gloves, because a boa’s teeth are like fishhooks. I once got bit on the shoe when I was walking by my 10 footer. It took forever to get that shoe back.

Feeding Tip 2: Do not feed large prey items live. That is just a bad idea. When feeding rabbits you should order frozen or kill the rabbit yourself. Larger prey can inflict bites or scratches to your reptile. Your reptile can become infected or badly injured by large prey.

Breeding
When you have a male and female boa you want to breed them. I will first tell you that this is not an easy task for most. The Boa is an interesting snake in the fact that it does not lay eggs. The boa gives live birth to 20-60 young at a time. The female boa will need to be at least 3 years of age. The male must be at least 1 year old. The mating will begin in November, and the process will take 165 days. After the female has ovulated you may remove the male. The female needs to stay at a constant 80 degrees. Remember not to feed your boa for a month prior to birth.

Breeding Tip: When the babies are born remove the female. Do not mess with the young as they will still need some time. They will break free of their embryotic sacks on their own. If you tamper with the sacks the snake will die. The best thing you can do is put the new born babies in a nice clean enclosure that is a stable 80 degrees.

Also make sure to remember that breeding and keeping boas requires a lot of time and energy, the boas grow large requiring bigger meals and enclosures. Remember boas can have up to 60 live young, so do not be unprepared for 60 hungry little snakes. Notice that the litter below has some "morphs". The morphs appear to have the albino gene.

Thanks for reading a little about these wonderful red tail boas. 

Good luck,

Michael Walker

Royal Pythons (Ball Python)

This week I’d like to talk about one of the most common known pet snakes. This animal is great pet for many reasons. The snake has a very docile nature which makes it a favorite for collectors I'm talking about the Royal Python from Africa. Most people call this snake the ball python. .Above you can see a photograph of a normal ball python. Most people have no idea, but actually over 100 ball python morphs exist. New morphs come out every years, so its always interesting to see what’s new. Below are just some of my personal favorites. I feel like there are so many good things about the ball python. I am always amazed to see what new pattern/color mutations will appear next. They are very easy to take care and breed. Another good thing about this python is it stays pretty small. Big females will usually stay under six feet long.

Favorite morphs

•  Bumblebee
• Killer bee
• Albino

You can also go to the link below and search for "ball python morphs" to see a slideshow of the various types of ball python morphs.

• Click link below
• In the search bar
• Type ball python A-Z
• http://www.youtube.com/

Breeding

The average female will lay 4-8 eggs. These eggs must be incubated at a perfect 88 degrees. They will die if you flux too much with the temp. The key to breeding is to make sure your female is healthy and up to weight. You will want to make sure she has proper heating as well. After eggs are laid you will need to get them into an incubator. Set the temp at 88 degrees and wait 55-60 days. If your eggs starts growing mold after a week you need to throw it away. This egg has gone bad for some reason, and will spread mold to the other eggs. If you really want to see if you have a good egg you should use the "candle" method. Turn off all lights and place the egg over a flashlight. You will be able to see red blood vessels if the egg is fertile. Learn how to incubate ball pythons on the web. Here are the results of one breeder’s hard work. It looks like a baby killer bee or Queen Bee. When it comes to ball pythons: the queen bee is the ultimate goal for me. I love this morph, because it’s so much different that the normal.

• Males must weigh at least 400 grams to breed.
• Females must weigh at least 1200 grams to breed.
• You will need a good incubator to hatch eggs.

Breeding Tip: 

The female ball python is very protective of her eggs. Keep in mind that your normally friendly pet will defend her newly laid eggs. Be very careful at this point, because the female will actually hurt the eggs trying to bite you. Be as gentle as possible when removing the eggs. Just be careful when removing the eggs. I personally have only ever been bit once. I got bit trying to take a female ball pythons eggs.

Ball pythons are one of my favorite snakes. Their small size makes them really easy to handle. They are picky eaters in the juvenile stage, but quickly learn to eat frozen/thawed mice. They will rarely strike at a human. Some of the ball python morphs really blow my mind. I really enjoy the ball python morphs. Each different paintjob is like a natural work of art.

Thanks for taking the time to learn a little about ball pythons.

Good luck,
Michael Walker