# Reptile Keeping



## fishkeeper (11 Aug 2009)

Hi all

I was wondering whether there were any members of the forum who keep reptiles and what they keep?

I'm very interested in getting a Leopard Gecko after I buy some equipment for my tanks.

Also, if you do keep reptiles, are there any good magazines such as there is PFK for fish?

Thanks


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## AdAndrews (11 Aug 2009)

I looked into reptiles slightly, and researched a bit about a leopard ghecko, you can use a 10gallon tank, have a mesh on the top and a heat lamp on one side, then you need calcium substrate(to be sifted once a week) and thats about it i think- pretty easy from what i gathered, although i have never kept them.
hope that helps

Adam


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## rawr (11 Aug 2009)

I know Dan has a frog - see his post in the 'Emmersed' forum. 

PFK sometimes have a reptile section. I'm sure there's dedicated magazines though, take a look in WHSmith or do a quick Google.


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## Jase (11 Aug 2009)

The people who do PFK do Practical Reptile Keeping mag too http://www.practicalreptilekeeping.co.u ... nav=latest

I've been keeping reptiles for almost 12 years, and been breeding various species for about 4 years now   

Leopard Geckos are possibly the best starter lizard in my opinion, they are semi-nocturnal, by that I mean they are a dawn and dusk sort of animal and will allow constant handling from an early age.


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## aaronnorth (12 Aug 2009)

you need some live foods for them so it is handy if you live close to a reptile shop


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## Ed Seeley (12 Aug 2009)

I've got a Leopard Gecko.  Well she's not really mine but our school's and lives in my class and comes home with me during the long holidays.

She's in a wooden vivarium with no substrate (read that they can get gut compaction with some types of substrate so I played it safe) except paper that I replace when cleaning it.  She has a heat mat under 1 half of the vivarium and a place to hide in both the cool and warm halves.  She eats live crickets and locusts and won't accept dead food and has a little water bowl too.  She spends all the day hiding though as she's crepulsar/nocturnal.


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## Iliveinazoo (12 Aug 2009)

My mates got a leopard gecko and it must be about 10-15 years old and 15cm long, as with anything - buy the biggest vivarium that you can afford, i'd say that 10USG is too small.

A common mistake is buying 'friends' - reptiles don't need friends! My girlfriend bought a 1 year old marginated tortoise as a friend for our 4 year old spur thigh; they are now seperated!!


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## Jase (12 Aug 2009)

Iliveinazoo said:
			
		

> A common mistake is buying 'friends' - reptiles don't need friends!



Although I would agree with you in part being that nearly all reptiles should be solitary, I have kept non-breeding groups of female Leos together without problem, for long periods of up to 10 years together. The problems come if you have multiple males together, fight til the death in many cases.


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## Matt Clarke (12 Aug 2009)

Practical Reptile Keeping (despite the very similar name and format to Practical Fishkeeping) was actually recently launched by a completely different publishing company. PFK is made by Bauer, while Practical Reptile Keeping is made by Kelsey Publishing. Clever tactics... as a lot of our readers have assumed the same.


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## aaronnorth (13 Aug 2009)

Matt Clarke said:
			
		

> Practical Reptile Keeping (despite the very similar name and format to Practical Fishkeeping) was actually recently launched by a completely different publishing company. PFK is made by Bauer, while Practical Reptile Keeping is made by Kelsey Publishing. Clever tactics... as a lot of our readers have assumed the same.



I always thought all "practicals" were by the same company! obviously not...


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## Joecoral (13 Aug 2009)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> I always thought all "practicals" were by the same company



I thought that too. Unless all the others are, but the reptile keeping one isn't and is just trying to piggyback on the success of the other "Practical X" magazines maybe?


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## Iliveinazoo (13 Aug 2009)

Jase said:
			
		

> Although I would agree with you in part being that nearly all reptiles should be solitary, I have kept non-breeding groups of female Leos together without problem, for long periods of up to 10 years together. The problems come if you have multiple males together, fight til the death in many cases.



I did come accross a bit matter of fact didn't I ?  It's just that it's taken us a while to figure out that not everything needs companionship, hence the reason we have 2 indoor vivariums, 2 outdoor tortoise enclosures, 3 fish tanks and 2 dogs!

I'd never tell anyone not to try - as you say multiple females usually work better than multiple males - just be prepared if things don't work out.  You may end up living in a zoo like us!


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