Reptiles Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-26-2022

Before you bring home your new pet iguana, purchase all the necessary supplies and equipment, and make sure the enclosure is roomy enough for your iguana’s size. Daily baths are part of iguana care, so be sure you know how to bathe your iguana correctly, and be on the lookout for certain conditions that require a trip to the veterinarian.

Article / Updated 08-22-2018

You can house your terrestrial turtle or tortoise in a number of ways: glass aquariums, commercially designed reptile cages, home-built wooden enclosures, and plastic swimming pools. However, before you decide which type of cage to use, you need to figure out how large it should be. In addition, you need to make the cage escape-proof. Size matters Terrestrial turtles and small tortoises are active. In the wild, they forage for food and like to explore, climb, burrow, and dig in leaf litter. In captivity, their cages (often called terrariums) must allow them some of these same activities. Consider these guidelines for choosing the right size for an enclosure: For terrestrial turtles: Allow each turtle 3 square feet of floor space for each 8 inches of turtle length. For example, if you have an adult box turtle that's 12 inches long, it should have a minimum of 4-1/2 square feet of space to roam. If your turtle is captive-bred, this much space will probably work just fine. However, if your turtle is wild-caught, you may need to supply even more room before your turtle adapts to captivity. For small tortoises: Tortoises need even more room. Small tortoises need a minimum of 3 square yards of floor space for each 12 inches of length. For example, if you have a leopard tortoise that's 12 inches long from nose to tail, you need to supply an enclosure that's 9 feet long x 9 feet wide — in other words, a small bedroom! A 6-inch pancake tortoise, however, can do quite well in an enclosure that's about 4-1/2 feet square or in one that's 2 feet wide x 9 feet long. Choosing the proper materials Most adult tortoises and terrestrial turtles, when housed inside, are kept in either a plastic swimming pool or a homemade enclosure. A plastic children's wading pool works well for many turtles and small tortoises. It's cheap to purchase, easy to replace, and easy to clean. Unfortunately, it does take up floor space — you can't just set it up on the counter! A homemade cage is as good (or bad!) as you are a carpenter. A simple wooden box with four sides and a floor can be a great cage. Be sure to paint or seal a wooden cage with a nontoxic paint or water sealant; otherwise, it will absorb wastes and become dangerous to you and your pet. Housing terrestrial turtles or tortoises in all-glass aquariums isn't a good idea. Because the tanks are see-through all the way around, the turtles are constantly visible and suffer from the stress of being so visible. (Just imagine yourself living in a glass house!) They often beat themselves against the glass, hurting themselves in an attempt to escape. If you do decide to use an all-glass aquarium, cover three sides with paper or cardboard and provide plenty of hiding places. Many commercial reptile cages aren't made specifically for turtles or tortoises. Wire cages aren't suitable because tortoises and terrestrial turtles will either hurt themselves on the wire or tear up the cage. In addition, wire doesn't hold in the heat needed for many tortoise species. Plastic reptile cages, on the other hand, can work for smaller species or hatchlings. These cages are solid; have a molded plastic top, bottom, and three sides (with no seams); and usually include Plexiglas or glass sliding front doors. Plastic reptile cages are easy to heat, easy to clean, and easy on the wallet. However, they're not at all suitable for adult animals of larger species. Preventing a great escape No matter what kind of cage or enclosure you use, it must be escape-proof. Box turtles are wonderfully inventive escape artists! The males, especially, are quite tenacious. Don't assume that your adorable little pet won't climb; given the opportunity, it might! Make sure that the sides of the cage are high enough to prevent escape and are as vertical as possible, with no slanting sides. Don't pile cage furnishings (covered in the following section) along the sides or in the corners. And every cage, even a swimming pool, should have a cover of some kind. Hardware cloth (mesh screening) of 1/2-inch squares works very well. If you're building a wooden enclosure, make the height of the sides twice the length of the turtle. (If your turtle is 6 inches long, for example, the sides should be at least 12 inches high.) Plus, cut a triangular piece of wood for each corner and fasten it at the top of the corner, making a small triangular roof. If the turtle tries to escape by using the corners as a brace, it will be unable to do so. Feel the heat, baby After you decide which type of cage or enclosure you're going to use, you need to decide how you will supply heat. Consider providing more than one source of heat, such as an incandescent light (which provides warmth and a place to bask in the artificial "sunshine") and belly heat — heat underneath your turtle or tortoise. An incandescent light is a good source of heat, and you can position it anywhere you want over the cage to make a hot spot. Test the temperature of this spot by putting a thermometer in the light at a position where your turtle may rest: The temperature should be at least 85 degrees for most terrestrial turtles and even 90 degrees for many tortoises. If you have a glass aquarium, you can use an undercage heater for belly heat. These heaters attach to the bottom of a glass cage, sticking to the glass, and can be positioned at one end of the tank, providing a heat gradient. However, never use one of these heaters on a plastic cage (it will melt or crack the plastic) or a wooden cage (it could start a fire). If you have a plastic or wooden cage, you may want to use a heat rock for belly heat. Bury the heat rock in the substrate so that it doesn't overheat and burn the turtle's or tortoise's lower shell that covers the belly). ( Substrate is the stuff you spread around on the floor, like shredded newspaper, bark, or alfalfa pellets.)

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-27-2016

Your shelled pet may not have the warm fuzzies of more ordinary choices, but turtles and tortoises definitely have a cool factor that mammals can’t touch. As the owner of a turtle or tortoise, you enter a world with a whole new vocabulary and a different set of records to keep.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Iguana communication is physical. Their words are formed by the arrangement of their body and body parts (posture), movements (stylized walking, strutting, bobbing), and use of three-dimensional space (where they're in vertical space, seeking height or flattening out). Iguanas, then, have developed a limited (in human terms) vocabulary, one that — like some spoken languages — has some very subtle nuances in pronunciation. They're easily able to communicate with other iguanas in this language of the body. Although iguanas are able to learn some spoken words or sounds that we make (such as their names or the sound of the refrigerator door opening), they can effectively communicate to us only in the language they know best. It's up to us to learn to read their language — interpret their postures and movements — to understand what they're saying. Once you learn their language, you can also use some of their "words" to talk to them. Posture The usual iguana-at-rest-but-alert posture is rather like a dog. The body is flat on a surface with knees bent, feet back, and forearms flat, but the head and neck are raised. From this position, it's easy for them to go to sleep. Sometimes they doze with their head up but eyes closed, but usually the head goes down onto the surface they're lying on — or on their arms or resting on some object. When they're in deep-sleep mode, their fore- and hindlegs may be extended back along their sides ("the swimmer" position); some may even throw one of their legs up over their tail. From the sphinxlike starting position, it's also easy for them to raise up into an alert crouch or into a full standing position. The crouch may be in response to something that mildly startles the iguana or to some serious petting by you, as the iguana arches its back to meet your hand. When two iguanas, generally two males, are battling one another for dominance, the one giving up adopts the "surrender" posture. It almost looks like a dog soliciting play: The forelegs and hands are on the ground, elbows slightly flexed for rapid movement if necessary, the body is low to the ground, and the hindquarters are slightly raised. The head and neck are plastered to the ground. This is the subordinate iguana's way of signaling that he is lower than a worm and of no threat or competition to the dominant iguana. For now. The dewlap The dewlap is more than just a solar heater; it's part of the iguana's communication system. When it's tucked up tight or flared stiffly out, you can read the iguana like a book. When the dewlap is tucked up under the chin, an adult or juvenile iguana is signaling submission or a state of nonaggression. A baby iguana who's trying to present as nonthreatening a profile as possible keeps his dewlap tucked up tight, too. When dewlaps are relaxed, they flop down and sway when the iguana moves. In large iguanas, especially males, the dewlap is long, wide, and luxuriously silky, hanging in folds like a curtain. When the dewlap is rigidly extended, its leading edge actually slants forward a bit. This flaring out is used both offensively and defensively. Offensively, it may be part of a threatening gesture, a warning that here is a big iguana not to be messed with. It typically occurs when something or someone new enters the iguana's environment. Being unsure what it is or what type of threat it may present, the iguana issues a preemptive warning first. When the flared dewlap is combined with the tall stance, laterally compressed body, and erect nuchal and dorsal crest, the iguana is seriously working at intimidating someone or something. If the iguana is at a level higher up than the object of its intentions, it may also lean over to make sure that the object gets the full effect of the posture. Funnily enough, iguanas on the floor lean over, too, trying to intimidate the person or animal standing over them. If they're presenting this posture to you, and you lean over them, some keep leaning until they flop right over. The swagger The swagger is a male thing, carried out by an iguana threatening, or trying to court, a human or another iguana (or dog, cat, stuffed toy animal, and so on). In this stylized walk, the body is compressed laterally to make it look taller, and the lizard stands on straightened legs. As the lizard walks, the tail is slightly arched up behind the hind legs and may be swished from side to side. The dewlap is fully extended downward. When approached, such iguanas lean over away from you or circle around you, attempting at all times to present the biggest possible broadside profile to you to maintain their threatening or "come hither" look. Tail twitching The tail twitch may be part of the swagger, or it may be done when the iguana is at a standstill. The last half of the tail twitches, much like the tail of a cat that's stalking a bird or ball of yarn. This movement seems to signify a condition of mixed motivations — like when a male iguana wants to attack its female human keeper to mate with her but knows that such an action won't be received with the same spirit in which it was intended. In such a mixed-emotions state, the iguana may be hunched up, the body in compressed and broadside presentation, but with the head down, dewlap semirelaxed, similar to the submission/subordinate position, with the tail twitching slowly back and forth. The eyes Eyes wide open or eyes wide shut, iguanas are quite expressive with their deep brown to light hazel eyes. The one look that every iguana keeper becomes familiar with is the infamous "iguana glare" or "stink eye." Whether delivered straight on or thrown back over the shoulder, the glare is the primary way disgruntled iguanas put their annoying keepers in their proper place. Iguanas also communicate with their eyes closed. When the eye closest to you is closed but the other eye is open, it's actually a sort of compliment. It means that the iguana is comfortable with you but is keeping an eye out on what's going on around him. When you first get your iguana, chances are he'll spend a great deal of time in your presence with both eyes closed. This is his way of escaping from the overall stress of the situation, with the new home, people, noises, smells, routines, and strange new foods leading to sensory overload. He closes both eyes as a way to reduce the stimuli and shut everything out. As time goes on, and your iguana becomes acclimated to you and his new home and family, you'll find that the closing of both eyes happens rarely. Eventually, you'll see that it most often happens when you're engaged in a petting session — and the closed eyes and relaxed posture reflect iggy nirvana. You'll also find that it happens when they've insinuated themselves among your fragile bric-a-brac, and you have the nerve to start yelling at them as you move everything away to extricate them.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

An iguana can be injured several ways. Sometimes the injury is obvious; sometimes it's not. When the injuries are minor, you can often treat the injury yourself, but knowing whether an injury is minor — or knowing when it goes from being a minor problem to a major one — is the tricky part. If you're new to iguanas, or you've never encountered and dealt properly with the condition before, don't fiddle around with it. Take your iguana to a vet immediately. The longer you wait before taking your iguana to the vet, the bigger the risk to his health. Abscesses Abscesses are pockets of infection containing solid pus. They commonly occur as a result of injury to tails, toes, necks, and legs, especially when two iguanas are kept together and one gets bitten. Rostral abscesses occur when an iguana repeatedly injures its nose or snout by banging it into hard surfaces. However, abscesses don't necessarily occur at the site of an injury or immediately after an injury. In fact, they may occur months after an injury or when there has been no injury. Abscesses need to be treated by a veterinarian who may recommend administering a course of antibiotics first and then surgically removing the abscess. Despite being removed and being treated with antibiotics, abscesses can form again in the same place within a very short time during the recovery period. As a result, two or more treatments may be necessary. Burns Burns are most frequently caused by heat sources: hot rocks, under-the-tank heating pads when used without a substrate layer, human heating pads when they're the only source of heat, and overhead heat lights and ceramic heating elements. The burns may be mild, with just a small blister, or they may be severe enough to cause death by the time the keeper notices them. Although you can treat minor blistering and burns at home by soaking them daily in povidone-iodine and applying a burn ointment, it's best not to guess at the severity. Even with moderate burns, the iguana must be seen by a vet. Serious burns destroy skin, result in heavy fluid loss, and leave the iguana highly susceptible to invading bacteria. This, in turn, can lead to a raging, possibly lethal, systemic infection. You know the saying "Once burned, twice shy"? In the case of burn victims, it's "Once burned, forever susceptible to burns." If the burn is on the iguana's belly or pelvis, do away with all bottom heat sources for the duration of the recovery period. Once the burn is healed, you can use a human heating pad in conjunction with overhead or other radiant heat sources, but the pad will have to be covered with a thick terry cloth towel. Iguanas require a warm environment, not just a hot surface, to successfully and safely thermoregulate their core body temperatures. If your iguana is found hugging a light or light fixture, or if it never leaves its pad or rock, that's a sure sign that the enclosure is too cold and that you're watching a burn about to happen. Fix the situation before it becomes a problem. Claws — broken or torn off Iguanas climb by using their claws as well as their toes. When walking, climbing, or jumping, they may jerk their toes instead of disengaging them, resulting in a broken toe, a ripped-out claw, or both. The same may happen if the claw is trapped in a tiny hole or fissure in a piece of wood. Sometimes the claw may still be attached to the fingertip by the underlying fleshy structure or a tiny shred of skin. Removing the claw at this point is best. If just a tiny shred of tissue is holding the claw on, you can quickly pull it off; otherwise, you should take your iguana to the reptile vet to have the claw cut off. If the claw is gone, dip the toe tip in warm diluted povidone-iodine and let it soak for several minutes. Top the tip with antibiotic ointment. For the next couple of days, repeat the medicated soaks and apply the antibiotic ointment to the tip at night. Depending on how much of the nail matrix is left, the claw may or may not grow back. If it does grow back, the initial regrowth will be slow. Keeping the iguana's claws neatly trimmed and reducing or eliminating the fissures and small holes in climbing and basking branches that can trap claws will help prevent future occurrences. Trimming off the ultra-sharp tip projecting off the main claw won't hinder his ability to climb. Crusty mouth Sometimes, usually in the morning, you may find a mixture of serous fluid and saliva encrusted around the edges of your iguana's mouth. It may be thick and hard enough to have glued your iguana's mouth shut. The cause is usually a minor injury to the gums, as from the stem of a leafy green or a small chunk of squash. Biting cage wire, thin branches, your favorite ballpoint pen, another iguana's tail, and other hard objects can also cause minor mouth tissue injuries. Remove these deposits by wetting a cotton-tipped swab in warm water and then twirling it against the deposit to gently loosen and move it away from the mouth. Then check inside the mouth, looking for signs of petechia (tiny red lines indicating bleeding in the tissue) or plaques (patches of tissue that may be yellowish, whitish, or greenish in color). If you see no signs of the plaques or petechial hemorrhaging, then there's nothing to worry about. You may have to remove the crusts a couple of times a day for a few days, but the injured tissue heals quickly in a healthy iguana, and you don't need to treat the area with any topical antiseptic. Stubborn, recurring crusty sores on the rim of the mouth may mean an infection. If so, your iguana needs to visit a vet for evaluation. Petechia, plaques, and regularly occurring crustiness may indicate a more serious underlying injury or infection, so you should see your reptile vet before the infection gets worse or spreads. Dried food deposits look like crusty mouth deposits and are just as easily taken care of with a wet cotton-tipped swab. Iguanas generally grab and gulp their food, smearing food and juices on their face and dewlap. The result can, at first glance, look like your iguana's been bleeding or has other injuries. You can relax once you realize that your iguana is wearing the day's strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. Because iguanas also walk in their food, check their toes daily and remove any bits of food found stuck on them.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

The first thing to know when considering an iguana for a pet is that several different types of related lizards have the word iguana in their name, including the helmeted and casque-headed iguanas (Corytophanes and Laemanctus), the desert iguana (Dipsosaurus), the Madagascar iguanas (Chalarodon and Oplurus), the spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura), the rock and rhinoceros iguanas (Cyclura), and the green iguana (Iguana). Because green iguanas are the most widely sold of all the iguanas and the ones most likely to be in animal shelters and rescues, this article focuses on them. Some of the information about iguanas is just plain fun, but most of it is critical to you as you make your decision to get — or not get — a green iguana as a pet. Before you decide to get an iguana, you need to know as much as you can about them: how to care for one, what to expect in terms of temperament, and other stuff, and so on, so that you don't join the ranks of those who discover too late that a green iguana isn't the pet for them. They are herbivores Iguanas are herbivores, animals that eat only plant matter — the vegans of the animal world. There aren't many herbivorous lizards in the world, but they all share a couple of traits: They all need lots of heat, and they all get big. Herbivorous reptiles also require good, nutritious plant matter, not just a head of lettuce now and then. In fact, most conscientious iguana owners come to realize that their iguanas eat better than their human family members. Putting together a nutritious plant-based diet can be quite complicated, especially if you can't find a steady, year-round source of all the leafy greens and vegetables that your iguana needs. They get big Iguanas reach a total length of 5 to 6 feet within three to four years (often making them longer than their owners). The body itself only reaches 22 to 24 inches long. The rest of the length is in the tail. That tail is a vital part of the iguana — used in thermoregulation (how they regulate their body temperature), balance, and defense. Want to know one of the biggest mistakes iguana owners make? They think that because the iguana's body is only 2 feet long, they only need to provide an enclosure that's 2 to 3 feet long. Wrong. An iguana needs an enclosure 1.5 to 2 times its total length, so an iguana that's 6 feet long needs an enclosure that's at least 9 feet long. Many people realize too late just why so many experienced iguana keepers call these lizards giant green iguanas. Granted, at 15 to 20 pounds, iguanas may not weigh as much as 6-foot-tall humans, but they can be just as cumbersome to hold. And consider this: They have sandpapery rough, scaly skin, a knife-like ridge on their tail, and 20 claws. They eat like a herd of horses and poop like medium-sized dogs, too. Oh, and they have 116 to120 razor-sharp teeth attached to strong, tenacious jaws. Ouch! They need tropical temps Green iguanas are tropical lizards. They need the same tropical temperatures all year long, even when temperatures outside your house drop below freezing during the winter. Iguana owners from cold winter climates need to have lots of spare heating equipment for their iguanas in order to provide the necessary 88- to 95-degree Fahrenheit basking temperatures every day of the year. Many iguana owners find that their electric, gas, or propane bills more than double once they have a green iguana in residence. If you live off the grid or where frequent power failures occur during cold winters, a tropical or desert pet is not a good choice. They require taming and socialization Iguanas rarely become tame and socialized on their own. You need to work with iguanas daily for a year or so to get them to trust you and to get them to appreciate the pleasures that tameness and socialization bring. A well-adjusted iguana can enjoy head, neck, and body rubs; yummy treats; free rein around a room (or, more often, the entire house); interesting excursions; and a human to cater to their every whim. Yes, it takes a year or so — and that's if you do it right. Do it wrong, or don't do it at all, and chances are high that you'll end up with a fiercely (literally and figuratively) independent iguana who barely allows you to provide fresh food, a bath, a clean environment, and the occasional yummy treat. If you're lucky, your reward will be a tail thwack rather than a lunge, nip, or crocodile roll. To remain tame and socialized, iguanas need regular reinforcement. Some iguanas may need less frequent reinforcement as time goes on, but others may never become completely comfortable with human interaction. And, unfortunately, there's no way to predict which hatchlings will tame easily, become affectionate, become merely tolerant, or always be aggressive to some degree toward humans. They pose certain health risks All reptiles present potential health risks to humans. One of the most highly publicized zoonoses (diseases that can be passed, directly or indirectly, from animals to humans) in recent years has been salmonella. The reason salmonella is a problem with reptiles is that the strains or types of salmonella that typically infect them are different from those that we humans normally encounter in our food. These strains can cause symptoms ranging from very mild to potentially lethal. Even mild strains can be deadly to humans who have compromised or immature immune systems: infants, toddlers, the elderly, anyone with a suppressed immune system due to illness, organ-transplant recipients receiving anti-rejection drugs, or cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Most instances of salmonella transmission from pets to humans take place because humans don't know that a risk exists. Knowing about it and taking proper precautions can greatly reduce, but not completely eliminate, the risk. Fortunately, you can take precautions such as washing your hands before and after handling an iguana. All kinds of animals carry diseases that can be passed to humans. Reptiles are no exception. Most, if not all, reptiles carry salmonella, which can cause serious illness, hospitalization, even death, in humans, despite the reptile appearing to be perfectly healthy. If you have or are planning to have babies or have or work with young children or other at-risk humans, you may want to rethink getting an iguana.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Unlike mammals and birds, iguanas don't clean or groom themselves. Iguanas in the wild seem to rely on brushing against rough bark and plunging into bodies of water to remove the grime and parasites that they pick up over the course of living their lives. Given that a captive iguana probably doesn't have much rough bark to rub against or pools to dive into at will, the task of keeping him clean falls to you. Bathing your beauty To bathe your iguana, follow these steps (remember, though, that "bathing" an iguana doesn't mean using soap on him or in the water): 1. Run the water until it's chest deep (the iguana's, not yours!) at the deep end where the drain is. This depth makes the water about iguana-hip deep at the shallow end. If your iguana isn't used to bathing, put less water in the tub and see the following section for tips on getting him comfortable. 2. Let him soak to his heart's content. If you leave your iguana in the tub long enough for the water to start cooling off (a good bath temperature for iguanas is 85–90 degrees Fahrenheit [29–32 degrees Celsius]), run more warm water into the tub, draining off a little of the cool water. The noise of running water can be quite loud in a tub/shower enclosure. If your iguana gets stressed by this noise, fill a pitcher with warm water at the sink and pour it gently into the tub. 3. When he's done soaking, blot him off to remove the drips and send him on his way. 4. Thoroughly clean and disinfect the tub. If any individuals in your household are at high risk for contracting bacterial infections, have your iguana use a different bathroom than the at-risk family members use. Even if you take precautions to thoroughly clean and disinfect the tub, walls, and floor, accidents and distractions can and do happen. Daily baths are a good idea for several reasons. Iguanas get to soak, which is good for their skin. They get to loll about in an environment that has higher humidity, so they're inhaling air that has more moisture in it. Another benefit is that many iguanas drink deeply when their bodies are in water. But perhaps the most popular reason why iguana keepers bathe their iguanas daily is that most iguanas poop when they're in water. Keeping the enclosure clean is very easy because it's a lot easier to drain the bathtub, thoroughly rinse off the iguana, wash the bathtub out, and then disinfect it before the next use by human or iguana. Iguanas who are new to baths frequently freak out. Acting like you're trying to kill them, they thrash wildly, scrambling about trying to launch themselves out of the tub, over your head, and out of the room. This scene is enough to make many iguana keepers shrug, dry themselves off, and never try it again. Which is a shame because, if you keep it up, starting off with very shallow water and over time gradually deepening the bath water, iguanas come to tolerate a bath quite well, if not actually look forward to a luxurious soak. Making bath time more comfortable Iguanas are excellent swimmers. They're able to hold their breath for extended periods of time, easily staying fully submerged for 20–30 minutes at a time. This ability tends to freak out iguana keepers who haven't previously seen their iguana looking dead, lying on the bottom of the bath tub. This is not to say that iguanas can't drown. They can. One of the dangers of leaving them unattended in the bath for long periods of time is that the water cools and they get too cold to move. In addition, something may panic them, causing them to thrash about and inhale water into their lungs. Some iguana keepers make it easier for their iguana to climb in and out of the tub by placing a rubber bathmat or a rubber-backed bathroom rug over the rim of the tub. Terry cloth towels can be attached to the inside and outside of the tub with Velcro strips. The towels can be easily removed and tossed into the washing machine if they get soiled. If your iguana is bothered by the slick surface of the wet porcelain, put some decals on the bottom of the bathtub (those used to provide a nonslip surface for young children). Another trick is to put a terry cloth towel or rubber bathmat in the tub so the iguana has something to stand on that won't slide out from under him. If you have two or more iguanas, poop them in the tub, clean and disinfect the tub, and then put them all into the refilled bathtub for a long soak. Obviously, you can do a joint bath only if the iguanas are compatible with each other. If you have iguanas who don't get along with one another, you have to give them each their own soaking session. Although a long soak in a warm bubble bath may sound like a little bit of heaven on earth to you, it's not such a good idea for your iguana. In fact, because soaps and disinfectants can irritate their skin, eyes, and mouth, it's best to use just plain water when bathing and rinsing them. Getting rid of stubborn dirt Once in a while, especially when taking in an iguana who was ill-cared for, you'll see some feces or undetermined soiling stuck on and between the scales that won't come off with just a good, long soak. Here are a couple of suggestions: After you let the iguana soak for a while, use a washcloth or soft children's toothbrush to gently rub at the soiling to remove it. If it's still stuck on, you can put a drop or two of a child-safe soap or shampoo on the cloth or brush and work it in; then let the iguana soak some more in fresh, warm water. In 15 minutes or so, work on it some more. You may need to do this several times to get the soiling all off. Whatever remains ground-in will come off when the skin next sheds. When you're done, toss the washcloth in the washing machine and wash it with hot, soapy water and bleach. The toothbrush can be washed and left to soak for ten minutes in the same disinfectant you use in the iguana's enclosure. Then rinse and dry the toothbrush when it's done soaking. Be sure to store it with the iguana's cleaning supplies and not someplace where a family member may confuse it with his or her own toothbrush.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

As your turtle's or tortoise's caretaker, you are ultimately responsible for its good health. You aren't able to hear directly from your turtle or tortoise when it is unwell or has been hurt. In fact, your turtle or tortoise is genetically programmed to hide illnesses and injury, because in the wild, predators prey upon the weak. However, if you set up a regular routine of examining your pet, you can spot problems before they get too serious. And if you select a veterinarian who's knowledgeable about the care and treatment that chelonians require, you'll have someone to turn to if a problem occurs. Finding a veterinarian Not all veterinarians are skilled in treating reptiles. Finding a veterinarian who likes turtles and tortoises and is knowledgeable about their care is vital — it's something you need to do before an emergency happens. Some veterinarians who like working with exotics (including reptiles) advertise that fact in their ads in the Yellow Pages. In addition, if you have friends with turtles or tortoises, they may be able to recommend a vet to you. Local turtle and tortoise clubs also maintain listings of reputable veterinarians. The Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) is for veterinarians who have an interest or specialize in working with reptiles. This association may be able to help you find a qualified veterinarian in your area. You can also check out the American Veterinary Medical Association for assistance in finding a qualified reptile vet in your area. There's a difference between a veterinarian who's knowledgeable about reptiles, a vet who likes working with reptiles, and a vet who's actually a specialist. For a veterinarian to be called a specialist, he or she must pass a specialty board in that particular specialty. After you find vet who is experienced, is knowledgeable, and/or specializes in reptiles (or turtles and tortoises), make an appointment to talk to him or her before you have an emergency. Introduce yourself and tell the doctor about your pets and your plans for them. (Are they pets only, or do you plan to breed them?) Ask the vet about his or her policies regarding appointments, emergencies, billing, and so on. A veterinarian is your partner in pet ownership. Having a veterinarian whom you can call not just in emergencies, but whenever you have concerns, will help you take care of your pets in the best way possible. Ask to see the vet's facilities as well. Do you see cages for reptiles with supplemental light and heat, or are reptiles kept in dog and cat cages? Is the hospital equipped to use Isoflourane gas (currently the best anesthesia for reptiles)? Talk to the vet, too, about his or her charges. What do a normal office call and an exam cost, and how much are the most common tests, including fecal tests for internal parasites? In some areas, veterinary charges are as expensive as physicians' charges! Make sure that you can afford this vet's services. Preventing illness Keeping your pet healthy is the best way to prevent illness. Correct caging, heating, lighting, humidity, and nutrition are vital to your pet's overall good health — if you don't deliver even one of these needs, your pet's health can suffer. But preventing illness involves more than that. Keeping your pet's environment clean is also important, and by keeping the environment clean, you can prevent the spread of salmonella — a potential threat to you as well as your pet. Vaccinations aren't yet available for turtles or tortoises, but your pets can live a long life without them. It's up to you to make sure that happens! Maintaining a clean environment In the wild, turtles and tortoises have a home range or territory, but they move around. They don't stay in the same spot day after day after day, and they certainly don't eat anywhere near their feces. In a cage or enclosure, the area where a turtle or tortoise defecates and the area where it eats are pretty close to one another, which can cause significant health problems. Keep the cage or enclosure clean. Scoop feces daily (if not more often) and replace cage substrate (the stuff you put on the floor of the cage) often. Replace water and throw out food that has been soiled with feces, is old, or contains meat. Preventing the spread of salmonella About 20 years ago, selling turtles less than 4 inches long was made illegal. This was the result of many cases of salmonella that were associated with tiny red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans), which were sold everywhere, even at five-and-dime stores. Some of the cases of salmonella (but certainly not all) were probably directly related to the turtles, because turtles can carry salmonella. Of course, salmonella can be carried in other ways, too, including through other animals and feces. People have been infected from improperly refrigerated foods and foods contaminated during processing. Even contaminated water can carry salmonella. However, salmonella can be carried by reptiles and is found in aquatic turtles, box turtles, and iguanas. Don't take salmonella lightly. Although healthy adults can fight off a mild case without showing any significant symptoms, young children, elderly people, and those with suppressed immune systems are at grave risk. The symptoms include cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, bloody stools, and fever. Severe cases may turn into meningitis and encephalitis. If you or someone in your home becomes unexpectedly ill and you have a new turtle, make sure to tell your physician about your turtle! Although many turtles show no signs of illness when carrying salmonella, some turtles with weakened immune systems may become ill from it. Veterinarians can test to see whether a turtle has salmonella, but unfortunately, treatments are rarely effective. Most animals carrying the disease are euthanized, although salmonella is sometimes treatable with antibiotics. You can prevent salmonella infections by keeping cages and enclosures very clean and by picking up leftover food and feces right away. Always dispose of feces in a sealed plastic bag; don't add feces to your backyard compost heap. Wash cage furnishings and dishes someplace other than the kitchen sink. Use bleach when cleaning the cage furnishings and dishes and rinse them well. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling your pet or touching anything in the cage. And teach other family members, especially kids, to do the same.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

In the wild, aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles live wherever there is a constant source of water, coming out to forage, bask in the sun, or lay eggs. Quick-running rivers, slow, meandering streams, and tiny creeks all support turtles. Swamps, ponds, lakes, and even brackish (salty) marshes have chelonian residents. Aquatic turtles rarely enjoy being handled; in fact, most have a well-developed flight instinct. For these turtles, anything that moves is a potential predator, and they view your hand reaching into the aquarium as a predator attacking. Therefore, aquatic turtles should be viewed as decorative pets, much like tropical fish. Aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles are relatively intelligent and remarkably adaptive, able to cope with many changes in their environment. Habitat loss, however, is something that these remarkable turtles can't deal with. As a result, turtles are becoming quite rare in some areas. In captivity, however, several species of aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles make interesting and rewarding pets. A closer look at species Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) are colorful, hardy, long-lived turtles. The wood turtle (Clemmys insculpta), although not as colorful or striking as the red-eared slider, is, in turtle terms, intelligent and fairly easy to care for. The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is an attractive North American turtle that likes to bask in the sun or under a heat lamp. The matamata (Chelus fimbriatus) is an odd-looking side-necked aquatic turtle. This turtle's head looks like a leaf. When startled, instead of pulling its head into its shell, its neck folds sideways, hence the description side-necked turtle. Some aquatic turtles should be kept only by careful, experienced keepers. The various soft-shelled turtles are very different in appearance; instead of a hard, bony shell, these turtles have a leathery shell. This different look attracts many potential owners, but beware! Some soft-shelled turtles, like the Florida softshell (Trionyx ferox), are known for their aggressive nature. These carnivorous turtles bite anything that moves in their tank, including the hands or fingers of their keepers! Most aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles are carnivorous (meat eaters) or omnivorous (eating whatever is available, meat or plants), although not all are as aggressive as the soft-shelled turtles. Most of these turtles eagerly catch and eat fish, scavenge, and eat berries, ripe fruits, and some water plants. As pets, these turtles need fish to catch, commercial turtle food, occasional canned meat, and some berries or fruits. Some species have very particular nutritional needs. Some aquatic turtles aren't good pets. Common snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), alligator snapping turtles (Macroclemys temmincki), and big-headed turtles (Platysternon megacephalus) are all unsuitable pets because they bite — and bite hard! The big-headed turtle is also quite an escape artist and an accomplished climber. And alligator snapping turtles can get quite large, making it difficult for even experienced keepers to maintain a clean environment. Considering aquariums Aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles need an aquarium (or other waterproof enclosure) that provides plenty of room for swimming as well as room for the turtle to climb out of the water, dry off, and bask under a heat lamp. One or two small turtles could live in a 20-gallon aquarium sectioned off to provide both environments (water and land). Figure, as a general rule, an 8-inch aquatic or semi-aquatic turtle needs at the smallest a 20-gallon (low and long rather than tall) aquarium. Each added turtle should have an additional 10 gallons. So if you have three 8-inch turtles, the smallest the tank should be is 40 gallons. Most adult turtles eventually need a bigger tank than 20 gallons. Before getting a turtle, prepare for this eventuality. Aquatic turtles rarely enjoy being handled; in fact, most have a well-developed flight instinct. For these turtles, anything that moves is a potential predator, and they view your hand reaching into the aquarium as a predator attacking. Therefore, aquatic turtles should be viewed as decorative pets, much like tropical fish. Filtration systems Aquatic turtles defecate in their swimming water. Because they are carnivores, the water gets dirty quickly. To keep the aquarium clean, keep smells to a minimum, and prevent disease, the water portion of the enclosure or aquarium must be circulated and filtered unless you're prepared to change the water daily. Because few people have that kind of time, a heavy-duty filtration system is a good investment. After you set up the aquarium or enclosure, aquatic turtles don't require a great deal of your time until it's time to clean the aquarium. This may happen every two, three, or four weeks, depending on the size of the tank, how many turtles you have, the size of the turtles, and the efficiency of the filtration system. A filtration system can be expensive. Tell the salesperson what you will be using the system for and how much water (in gallons) you anticipate filtering, and then get the best system you can afford. A cheaper filtration system requires you to clean and change the water more often. Enclosures Setting up an aquatic turtle tank can be somewhat costly, depending on the size of tank you choose. A simple glass aquarium — 20 to 30 gallons in size — runs from $60 to $100, depending on the brand name and whether it has a cover and a light. Because you need a cover and a light, go ahead and get them all when you buy the aquarium. Then you know that they'll fit. For semi-aquatic turtles, most major pet stores carry a kit that enables you to divide the aquarium into two sections: part for water and part for land. As is true with many reptiles, the turtles will probably be much less expensive than their enclosure. You can usually purchase a red-eared slider for $10 to $30, depending on the size of the turtle. The rarer a species of turtle, the more expensive it is.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When you think of turtles, do you think of the tiny quarter or half-dollar-sized turtles that used to be sold in pet stores (and in some places still are)? If so, you're not alone. That image is the one that comes to mind when many people think of turtles. However, those tiny little turtles (most of whom died shortly after their purchase) are only one of many different types of turtles and tortoises, many of which can be long-lived, healthy, hearty pets. So what's the difference? Turtles and tortoises are known as chelonians, from the Greek word for "tortoise," chelona. Chelonian refers to all turtles and tortoises, no matter whether they live in the ocean, in fresh water, or on land. The term turtles applies to chelonians that live in or around water. Sea turtles, for example, never leave the ocean except to lay their eggs. Other turtles are more or less aquatic, depending on their species. The sliders, mud, bog, and leaf turtles are all found close to fresh water. Terrapins are aquatic turtles that people frequently eat. Many terrapins live in and close to brackish salt water. Box turtles are primarily terrestrial (land roving) but are almost always found within walking distance of water. See Figure 1 for an example of a turtle. The term tortoise refers to chelonians that live on land and rarely venture into water except to drink or bathe. Tortoises range in size from tiny little guys weighing less than 1 pound to gigantic, weighing over 600 (or more) pounds. Size aside, tortoises have many things in common. They are primarily herbivores (plant eaters), although many will scavenge, given the chance. Tortoises also usually have hard shells, often with high domes, to help protect against predators. Take a look at Figure 2. Although more than 250 different species of chelonians exist, many are impossible to keep as pets. Think of the size aquarium and the filtration system you would need to keep a 200-pound green sea turtle! However, many species of turtles and tortoises do quite well in captivity and make good pets. Figure 1: A turtle. Figure 1-2: A tortoise. Life in the original mobile home Turtles and tortoises are in the reptile family, which means that they are ectothermic, or cold-blooded. Cold-blooded animals rely on external heat sources, such as warm ground, hot rocks, or sunshine, to warm their bodies. Turtles are the original sun worshippers and can often be found sleeping on rocks or logs, soaking up the sun's rays. Premium shell-ter All turtles and tortoises share a similar characteristic: their shell. No other animal on Earth has a shell quite like this. A turtle's shell is a boxlike exoskeleton (a word that refers to a part of an external skeleton) with the spine and ribs fused to the top shell. These bones are, in fact, a part of the carapace, or top shell. The shell itself is made of bone, and the outer covering of the shell is made of keratin, much like human fingernails. Each shell is made up of sections called scutes. As the turtle grows, new layers of keratin are formed around the outer edges of each scute, looking much like the growth rings of a tree. Some people count each of these rings in an effort to tell how old a turtle may be. This can give only a rough idea, however, because just like a tree, if food is plentiful a turtle may have two growth spurts per year, or in a bad year may grow very little. Also, as a turtle gets older, the shell becomes worn and smooth, and the rings may be difficult to see. Got protection? The type of shell and the degree of protection offered by the shell are based on the turtle's lifestyle and habitat. Sea turtles, for example, have a light, streamlined shell covered by a leathery skin. Freshwater turtles usually have a hard shell, but in some species, it's too small to protect the entire body. Land turtles and tortoises that rely on the shell for protection have a hard, domed shell. Many turtles and tortoises can pull in all four legs and their head so that the shell protects them from predators. When a turtle pulls its head into its shell for protection, its neck either folds to the side or into a vertical S shape, and the skin of its neck bunches up — hence the name turtleneck for shirts and sweaters with bunched-up necks. With many species, the outer skin of the legs is hard, rough, and, in some tortoises, armored, giving the turtle even more protection. The skin on the legs of tortoises is hard, with scales made of keratin protecting it. Some of the keratin scales are quite large and pronounced; on some species, the scales create spurs or spikes that help protect the tortoise from predators and also help desert tortoises retain water. Because aquatic turtles usually dive into water when threatened, their skin is much softer with fewer protective scales. Most turtles and tortoises have five toes (although they sometimes have four or as few as three) with hard nails on the toes. Aquatic turtles have webbing between their toes. Some turtles and tortoises can even close their shell, giving additional protection. Box turtles (hence their name) have a hinge across the bottom shell (the plastron). This hinge can close both front and rear, hiding the turtle completely inside. The muscles holding the shell closed are incredibly tough, and after the hinge is shut, you can't open it without harming the turtle. A type of tortoise can close its shell, too, although not as completely as the box turtle. Hinge-back tortoises have a hinge across the top of their top shell (the carapace) and can close in their back legs, protecting them. Although the shell, made of bone, seems to be the ultimate protection, it is vulnerable. Predators can chew and break the shell. A larger bird of prey can pick up a small turtle and, flying high, drop the turtle on rocks below, breaking the turtle's shell like an egg. The shell can protect a tortoise from a small, fast-moving wildfire, but larger, hotter fires will kill a turtle or tortoise caught in it. Domestic dog, Fido and Fluffy, have been known to treat turtles like chew toys, with disastrous results!