February 20, 2007

Something Sad, Something Scary

First, the sad news: human rights activist Barbara Gittings passed away on Sunday. She was a trailblazer and an inspiration; the story is here, if you'd like to read it.

The scary news is that D's school brought in the super-cool Lizard Guys for an in-school program yesterday and, you guessed it, our young man is now on fire for a blue tongued skink. Wants one. In his room. Knows that no one in our family could possibly be allergic to it. Is very excited and looking for an answer soon. His cousins have a dog, his best friend has two kitties, and as far as he's concerned, the writing's on the wall.


UH OH.

Please, gentle reader, delurk and give me some advice, I beg you!

5 comments:

angie said...

Oh, Shelley, lizards are wonderful. Once I bought a rubber-tree plant and when I cleaned it out, I got an anole! Had no idea what to do with it. Freaked out. Ended up keeping it for two years (it ate crickets!) and loving it. There's something very cool about lizards and they are VERY quiet. I vote that you get it for him!

Wendy said...

lizards can be cool, but reading that some reptiles can carry salmonella.

and he'll have to feed it live crickets...does he like picking up crickets?

i know if satch asked for a lizard i would probably have to say yes.

my friend abigail used to let her son critter sit for the classroom critters...rats, snakes, lizards...you name it. they all spent time in alessandro's room. it gave him a chance to learn how to care for different animals.

Anonymous said...

All animals have their pros and cons. I find that when it comes to reptiles the pros out weigh the cons.

Pros: Most adult lizards eat one or two times a week (yougins eat every day, some twice a day). They are non allergenic. They are personable. When spot cleaned regularly, the need to break down the cage and clean it is infrequent (once every 1-6 months depending on the critter versus a minimum of once a week with the mammals). Their fecal matter and urates are both solid, so cleaning up after them is a breeze. The good feeling of owning something so unique.

Cons: The possibility of coming in contact with pathogenic microorganisms.

Keeping the cage clean, the water fresh and hand sanitizer handy will help to prevent the spread of any unfriendly bacteria hanging about. You have just a good a chance as contracting Salmonella from chicken.

However, a Blue Tongued Skink (BTS) isn't a lizard for beginners. While they tend to be tamer than other options, they are still a high maintenance reptile.

BTS' are medium (18-28" depending on species), diurnal, desert (warm and arid) omnivores. That's great right? But what does it mean?

Well, firstly it means that if you aren't comfortable with the reptile, that's two feet of animal you still need to help your son with. Secondly, even with a small species you are looking at laying down a pretty penny or two. The recommeded minimum enclosure size is 36"x18"x16" or a 40 Breeder (40BR). One 40BR tank: $110 A lid: $20. Substrate: $8-10 Water Bowl: $6-16 Food Bowl: $2-4 Basking Lamp: $8-11 Basking Bulb: $9-12 Basking Rock: $2-4 UVB Fixture: $30 UVB Bulb: $30-40 Decorations are your choice but they will need a hiding spot so at least another $15. If you need a stand they run $150-200. Total so far: $240-472 And we haven't even touched on food or the fact BTS themselves run $150 from a breeder; $200 from a pet store.

Assuming we get past the financial investment we hit the next part: Diurnal and Desert

Diurnal - being active during the day - means that BTS need UVB lights. UVB is a delicate wavelength that is absorbed by the reptile and used to synthesize Vitamin D - which allows them to metabolize Calcium. Being placed next to a window is not a substitute for a UVB bulb (they are expensive and come in flourescent tubes, super coils and mercury vapour bulbs); the window glass and terrarium glass break the small amount of UVB down before the Reptile can get it. They also need to be replaced once every 12 months, whether they still produce light or not.

Desert of course means that they need dry warm temperatures. Typically not a problem in the summer, but in winter can be trying. Keeping a basking area of 100 degrees F when your house is only 72 can be quite challenging!

But we dealt with those in the cost section, most days keeping them warm with UVB is a matter of just turning on their lights (for 12-16 hours a day).

Now is the fun part. Omnivory! I suppose it does depend on who you talk to as to which is more difficult, herbivores or omnivores. But you're talking to me and I maintain that Omnivores are the most difficult to feed (excluding animals with specialized niches). Why?

Well you must balance their protein intake with their carb intake. BTS require 60:40 balance, 60% Fresh Veggies and Fruits and 40% Animal Protein. Sounds simple enough, right? Except Lettuce is a no-no, as are many other common F+V. Crickets are also a no-no, it doesn't sound so bad until you go looking for the good things. The importance is variety and maintaining the 60:40 ratio, all while keeping the food healthy.

I know this seems like a LOT of information, but it is important you know what you're getting into prior to getting into it. I fell in love with Blue Tongued Skinks 5 years before I felt comfortable enough in my ability to properly maintain one.

If you are curious for more information a good read is the caresheet at http://www.bluetongueskinks.net (direct link: http://www.bluetongueskinks.net/care.htm )

But we don't want to dash hopes. I really think it would be nice for him to get a lizard, I just don't think a BTS would be a good choice. Things like Crested Geckos and Leopard Geckos are very lovely in their own rights, and are generally considered good for beginners (BTS are intermediate-advanced depending on species).

Stacy said...

OK, how about a fish? I bet he won't want to sit on your lap while you write stuff for your blog.

snakes-n-scales said...

As an expert in the field, Herpetologist owner of Snakes-N-Scales, I have to give Kudos to Stephanie for an excellent job of laying out the facts. I would just add one more comment. The problem with reptiles, is the people. People expect it to be a dog with scales. They want love and loyalty and playfulness but the reptiles cannot accommodate the human's needs, so they become unwanted and end up with us.

We rescue these animals, so if anyone reading has any questions or problems, please feel free to contact me. We use these animals in programs and we DON'T recommend them. Bill 973-248-9964
bill@snakes-n-scales.com