(Part 2) Best reptile & amphibian health supplies according to redditors

In adult geckos, sand is probably less likely to cause impaction. However, the risk is still there. There are other problems with sand as well, it can cause shedding issues and possibly eye and respiratory issues. It's really not worth the risk, especially considering it's not really even their natural substrate.

As for the females housed together thing, yes, you can housed females together, but it's not recommended. Issues may still occur. Leos are solitary creatures and are always best when housed alone, the only benefit is human convenience. Like sand, cohabitation is another thing that's just not worth the risk.

A lot of guides and care sheets have some inaccurate information, in fact, I'd say most I've seen have something that should be changed. You really have to sort through all the information and facts and figure out what's right, there's a lot of misinformation out there and you really can't trust just one source (though as far as sources go, the care sheet in the sidebar of this sub is one of the best I've seen).

*****

Anyways, onto your original question. Not too bad, the hat's certainly... resourceful. It does look a tad cramped, can't tell what size it is from the picture but you might want to upgrade eventually. More space makes it easier to fit everything you need to in, plus extra room for the leo to roam. Space saving hides are great in the meantime, bulk-free hides (like coconut hides and paper towel rolls) and hides that fit right up against the wall are great.

Some things are harder to tell from pictures. Temperatures, particularly. If those things on the glass are the only thermometers you're using, you'll want new ones. Those are measuring ambient temperatures, and you need to measure floor temps. Use a thermometer with a probe or a temp gun. Also I can't tell for sure if you're using an under tank heater from the pictures, but a UTH is a must. Otherwise I'd just suggest that you check out the care sheet in the sidebar, maybe stick around the sub, and in general just keep learning and improving.

F10 Veterinary Disinfectant 1-Liter (Ready to Use) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0168Y6P2I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fmiKAb842NXTK

He has an infection in his eyes. Water might be the issue but the eye thing can be easily cured with drops you can order on amazon. I know because I just went through this age weeks ago:

Turtle Eye Drops https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D783VW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kuVhzbAFVHWAF

There are commercial products made to add to bathwater like this or this.

Plain grocery store Kirk's castile soap is often recommended as well.

I'd get rid of the lamp, bright light can hurt their eyes. The under tank heater should be enough for heat, and whatever the lighting in the room is should be enough for light.

You'll need a thermometer that measures ground heat, digital thermometers with probes are best. You can also use a temp gun.

You're also gonna need more hides for him to make him feel more secure, at least one on the cool side and one on the hot.

Check out /r/leopardgeckos too, they have tons of helpful information and a lot of cute gecko pictures.

Since the other person couldn't give you approx prices for beardies, I can do that!

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I'll repeat this at the beginning, but do not buy starter kits. It's tempting. Do not buy starter kits. They will have items that are dangerous to beardies.

Setup:

Terrarium - Very basic setup. I've seen this brand up to $190 locally, but of course it's cheaper online. ***Note: It's not suggested you get this size enclosure immediately, unless you're rescuing or purchasing a young adult or adult. Hatchlings can live happily in a 20gal glass tank for their first 9mo or so, but they grow quickly!

Substrate - Paper towels, newspaper, or ceramic or stone tile. I spent $8 on slate tile and broke it to fit my terrarium. All other options are dangerous to beardies in some way or another. No sand. No repticarpet. No gravel.

Light fixture - $37, but if you look around you can find something non-branded for much cheaper than this. Must be a bare bulb visible, no cover to diffuse light. I used to have a 4ft shop light fixture, but went down to an 18" fixture just for the cheaper price of the bulbs. Which comes to...

UVB bulb - $20, replaced every 6 months. Very important to replace regularly.

Heat lamp dome - $12

Ceramic heat emitter - $12.

Reptile calcium - $2-5

Food dish - $5 max?

Plus whatever decor you want. Most people go for hammocks, a hide, fake plants. Real plants aren't suggested and will either be destroyed or eaten, and many are poisonous. Beardies do not need a water dish (too much humidity is actually bad for them) and do not frequently drink from standing water, so owners usually bathe them weekly to give them opportunity to drink their fill.

Baby bearded dragons eat about 80% live food and 20% plants. By the time they're adults (about 18-24mo) they transition to 80% plants and 20% live food. How much you spend on food will vary depending on what you're buying for their staple, but I would buy a butternut squash for probably $2 or so, dice it up, and freeze it. My guy loved it. I'd supplement with other foods on the safe food list, a mixture of fruit and veggies.

Say about $5 per 2 weeks for live food for a baby and however much for veggies. Thankfully for the veggies, anything your beardie doesn't want to eat, you can, so I don't count it as much haha

While beardies DO have an expensive setup (like most reptiles), their actual maintinence costs are fairly low and their adorable derpiness is absolutely worth the initial cost! They can live up to 15 years or so - my boy, Warra, was 12 when I had to put him down due to an inoperable tumor in his mouth. It's been close to two years since I've had one, and I miss having beardie compansionship every day! I'm slowly succumbing to the urge to get a new baby...

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Edit: I wrote all of this, and forgot the price of the beardie...... Beardies can range anywhere from $60 to $500, depending on whether you're looking for a normal beardie, or a morph!

You can also gut-load your mealworms yourself. :) I raise mealworms myself because they're so easy. You literally buy 200 of the small ones, keep them in a vented container and feed them vegetable peelings every few days. (not too much on the moisture though.)

If you don't want to raise them yourself, you can also gutload them by feeding them carrot/potato peelings for an hour or two before you feed your leo.

My leo survived an accidental calcium deficiency last summer. Since then I have been also using liquid calcium in her water bowl. A teeny drop is all you need. This is what I use (I think): http://www.amazon.com/Fluker-Labs-Concentrated-Supplement-1-7-Ounce/dp/B006HX013A/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1427691500&sr=8-10&keywords=calcium+reptile
If not, it's pretty much the same for every brand.

I did something similar -

When my rabbit had GI statis, the vet gave me a few medicines and some Oxbow Critical Care. I put the medicine in a cup and mixed it up with the powder until it clumped together. She would eat EVERYTHING with no mess.

For the blood on the shirt, there's stuff you can buy at petsmart, or any pet store, really, in the reptiles aisle. Its called Fluker's. Not sure how it'll work on old blood, but I've used it to get blood out of my shirts a million times. its a little pricey, but a little goes a long way.

As for the cutting, I don't know :( /u/helloiloveu had a pretty good idea with the rubber band, I think.. If you don't remember doing it, that's highly concerning. does your friend know anything? or is there anyone you can stay with in case it happens again?

Ninja edit, added an amazon link to Fluker's

I honestly just got plants at Home Depot (indoor plants) that wouldn't grow any larger. They usually keep them inside near the garden area. If you want really nice plants i recommend you check Josh's Frogs. Depending on your set up make sure to get the right size plants.

Plants: https://www.joshsfrogs.com/plants-for-pets.html

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The water area is something I add for both humidity and for the skink to swim in. I got plexiglass from my local hardware store and got (silicone sealant waterproof clear) to seal the edges, this separates the water from the land. I should mention it is deep enough. I did add a mist maker fogger water fountain in the water, wire runs through the backside of the tank making its way to the top of the tank then out. The lighting comes from the mist maker.

Mist maker: https://www.amazon.com/AGPtek%C2%AE-Changing-Fountain-Atomizer-Humidifier/dp/B00GSKCW70/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538900380&sr=8-3&keywords=mist+maker

Silicone sealant: https://www.amazon.com/08641-Clear-Silicone-Sealant-9-8-Ounce/dp/B000BD0QAK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1538901020&sr=8-7&keywords=silicone+sealant+waterproof+clear

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This build is great I have the perfect size terrarium (small size in link) for this type of skink.

Terrarium: https://www.petsmart.com/featured-brands/national-geographic/national-geographicandtrade-reptile-desert-kit-27781.html?cgid=5000340

Make sure to get mesh, hydro balls, substrate and its your choice on real or fake plants.

Mesh: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00167VVO0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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As far as advise on this setup... water plants everyday and keep humidity high with fahrenheit 70-78. Adding moss helps. Make sure to take your time on the setup make sure everything fits and nothing spill. As well as waiting a few days after setup is done to order red eye skink.

REMINDER: Skinks are very shy make sure to add lots of hide or plants so it won't starve itself.

So we are currently two raising two juvenile bearded dragons and I will give you the run down of what they get everyday.

5-8 Appropriately Sized Dubia Roaches
I would not suggest mealworms for a baby bearded dragon. The big issue with mealworms is that bearded dragons can have issues breaking them down. Crickets are another alright option but you can't beat Dubia Roaches. They are apparently 24% protein and unlike Crickets they don't smell, die all the time, or escape your bearded dragon. We have a colony we setup in a 20 gallon aquarium we purchased from https://www.dubideli.com/ but with just one baby you could just easily order a bunch of the size you need. For a baby you are probably looking at starting at the 1/4" sort group For roaches we generally feed them about what they normally eat but if they still look hungry we will keep feeding them roaches until they stop hunting them. Most of the time you can judge by your dragons behavoirs.

Pep-Cal Juvenile Bearded Dragon Food
This is served in a small food bowl. It is a nutritionally balanced commercial bearded dragon diet. You can soften it with either water or 100% juice. We have found that Apple Juice (we use Indian Summer) works best.

Shredded Salad
This is where the real work comes in. If you do not have a food processor I would suggest you get one right away. So every couple of days we make chopped salad in our food processor using vegtables and fruits from this list. I generally try to a good balance of healthy vegetables, if you like I can go into how to grow alfalfa sprouts at home (they are high in protein and calcium). I always make sure to add a little bit of fruit and a splash of apple juice to make it appealing. You will find what your dragons prefer. I know that for example anything that tastes like blackberries will go down well with our female so i always put a bit in the salad.

I just put a small amount of this salad in a food bowl every day and then put the rest in a tupperware container in the fridge. I generally make just enough to last 3 days.

Supplements
You must must be providing your bearded dragon with a Calcium/D3 supplement 3 times a week and a multivitamin once a week. I prefer to "dust" the roaches instead of putting the dust in any of the other foods because I can be guaranteed they will eat the roaches. You can get two jars of vitamin dust that will last you for almost forever. This is what I just pulled off my shelf and what we are currently using: [Flucker's Phosphorus Free Calcium/D3](http://amzn.com/B0002DHPF8} and Rep-Cal Herptivite Mutlivatime (http://amzn.com/B00076HT3S). I just have a vatamin schedule on the fridge.

I had a rehomed boa as well with mites, and this worked for me...

First, make sure you've got a separate plastic bin (Rubbermaid, Sterilite, etc). Also make sure you've drilled or melted holes (I used a soldering iron) so the snake can breathe. I'm sure that's common sense, but you know, some people's children. Better safe than sorry. I also used two other supplies: Reptile Relief and Provent-A-Mite. Put your snake in the bin and spray the hell out of it all over its body, then put the lid on and let it sit for about 15 minutes so the mites die.

While that's going on, you need to treat the enclosure because there are also mites and mite eggs sitting around. Dump the old substrate, clean the hell out of the enclosure and decor with Provent-A-Mite, and then wash all decor (hides, fake plants, water bowl, etc) in hot soapy water. PAM is toxic and potentially fatal when it's wet and gives off a gas, but it's all right when it's dry.

Put everything back except for your snake and water dish. Continue to let the enclosure air out and rinse your snake off. Rise your water dish out again before replacing it. You should probably do this a week later just to be safe.

i have a medium size one for my crested gecko, i believe they make bigger ones but this one makes a really fine mist and has worked amazingly for over a year of spraying every day. it is called "mist'r lizard" and they sell them in pet stores also.

edit:http://www.amazon.com/Conceptual-Creations-Mistr-Lizard-Junior/dp/B003M7JQUS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_petsupplies_5

this is it, i don't know the capacity but this works amazingly and i highly recommend it, with an adjustable brass nozzle this works. also, there is a deluxe model but im not sure how well that works

OK I removed the wood.

I live in St. Paul, MN

Zilla Night black 100 watt heating lamp on during the day for 16 hours with a timer

And this exo terra 2.0 UV lamp

Hydrating using flukers mini dripper and i recently put a glass of water filled to the brim in the corner of the cage, ive yet to see him drink from it though.

i took him to the sink he did drink a good amount of water which sadly means your probably right Im really torn up over this because i thought i was a good owner. IM making a video right now but he isnt moving around at all, i put my phone in the cage because thats all i have to record video, i know that if i take him out and put him on the floor of my room he will start to walk around alot so i think ill record that for you if he dosent start to move in the cage. I turned the heat lamp off and set the uv light to ten hours, (buying a 5.0 today at my lunch)

edit: ill wait for him to move at his pace i dont want to put him on the floor just to get a video of him moving i dont like the feel of that, might take a few tries since my phone can only record for so long

Amazon is a good source. If in the US this listing gets you a full spray bottle plus two premesured refills.

they are not clear but here are the photos of the turtle

top view

front right

back view

and here is the picture of the enclosure

enclosure

thermometer/barometer. It looks like it is 82 degrees and low 50's humidity

dried up food

I use this heat/UVB mercury vapor lamp. I bought it two weeks ago and it blew out yesterday

I feed him this turtle food.

I give his water on a standard glass plate. I change it every day and every other day I drop the turtle pellets in the plate so he can eat it on his own.

Every other day or every other two days I put this liquid vitamin drop in his water dish. I put generous amounts

[I like this terrarium ](Exo Terra Nano Glass Terrarium Reptile Habitat - 8 x 8 x 8 Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S79FE8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8j6QybSNSH7G1) as a small enclosure. Eco terra front open terrariums have gotten me through a lot of pets and I trust their build.

I would recommend applying a triple antibiotic ointment like neosporin to the wound as long as it’s not the “pain relieving” kind. Just apply a light coat with a Q tip every day after soaking him in a providone iodine solution. If you really want to go the silver route, find a comparable product to the curad silver solution antimicrobial gel. Do not use the liquid or oily colloidal silver solutions.

Also I recommend some vitamin A eye drops like these, especially in the swollen closed eye:
Zoo Med Repti Turtle Eye Drops, 64 ml, 2.25 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DJ0AQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1n7gDb7CG4GHC

also just thought id check seeing as you seem to know a bit.
im using this calcium http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exo-Terra-PT1851-Reptile-Calcium/dp/B001B57IM6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407969176&sr=8-2&keywords=exo+terra+calcium

and this multi vit to dust food
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exo-Terra-PT1860-Multiple-Vitamins/dp/B003XLJ6G2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407969186&sr=8-1&keywords=exo+terra+multi-vitamin

is that right?

Oxbow Critical Care would probably be best. It is designed for this situation.

I use exo terra calcium+d3. I cannot tell from the bottle how much phosphorus is in it but according to the amazon product page it is phosphorus-free. I give them dandelions as well during the warmer months, and sometimes organic dandelion greens from Whole Foods.

Is there some kind of specific dietary regimen I should change to? I don't go buy any kind of strict schedule, I just make sure they aren't getting the same exactly green veggie more than 3 days in a row. I use spring mix about 50% of the time becuase it has a variety in it already, and the other 50% of the time I rotate between mustard, romaine, and kale. But if there is a better way to approach their diet, or some other aspect of their diet is inhibiting their ability to absorb the calcium, I will gladly change that...

You don't really need a block. Most people use the calcium powder (Also look into versions without vitamin D3, buy both with and without) that you can find at nearly any store. Pet stores certainly will have it, but WalMart near my house has it as well, even though the reptile/fish selection is limited to one half an aisle. Also put some of the calcium without D3 in a little dish (I use a milk jug lid) and they'll take part if they feel like they need more calcium.

Calcium Without D3:

Add-On Item (Cheaper)

Non Add-On Item

Calcium With D3:

Add-On Item (Cheaper but a lot smaller)



Non Add-On Item

Also look into a separate vitamin.

This will give you the options necessary for size and with/without D3.

So this would be good to leave in the tank?
Zoo Med Reptivite without D3 8oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00167S5GM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8DCLzb7V6DB30

This would be an okay barrier between the litter and the eco earth or whatever you are using