Behavior: Bearded
Dragons get their names from the
way they puff out their beards in defense or in mating rituals. They
also do
the Arm Wave,it basically means, “I’m a Bearded Dragon,
Please don’t hurt me”.
They also tend to lick everything.
Housing: All
glass aquaria with wire tops are
commonly used and are inexpensive to obtain. The enclosure should have
a
basking spot with temperatures ranging from 90 to 105 degrees
Fahrenheit,
which
can be provided by an overhead light in a reflective hood. They also
need a UVB
light to digest the calcium in their body. Under tank heating can be
used for
night time
use, supplied by a heating pad or tape. The enclosure should be
large enough to allow the lizard to retreat to a cooler area as needed.
A ten
gallon is OK for a baby
but very
soon you will need a bigger enclosure. Adults
should be kept in a 30-40 gallon tank. A tree branch or log should be
supplied
for climbing and basking. Good substrates
are newspaper,
sand, pea rock or
aquarium gravel. Substrates such as mulch, shredded tree bark, or corn
cob
should not be used as they can hold moisture and promote bacterial growth.
Babies
should be kept on Newspaper or Paper towels for a month or so depending
on how old they are when you get them
Feeding: Bearded
dragons should be offered a
varied diet consisting of crickets, mealworms, pink or fuzzy mice and a
variety
of greens and vegetables. Juvenile dragons can be raised
on small
crickets and
greens until large enough to eat
mealworms and mice. It is very important to regulate the size cricket
given to
juvenile dragons. Large meals have been associated
with partial
paralysis. A
general rule is to use crickets no larger than the distance between the
dragon’s eyes, and should be offered in several small meals per day
rather than
one large one. Crickets
should be dusted with a Calcium powder
w/vitamin D3
every day for up to three months, then reducing supplementation to
every other
day. Fresh greens,
such as collards, kale, and mustard
greens should be finely
chopped and offered every day until they’re full grown, then reduced to
every
other day along with vegetables such as yellow squash, zucchini and shredded
carrots.
Be sure to
thoroughly wash all greens and vegetables before
offering
them to your dragon. Fresh water should be offered everyday.
You
should also Spray Babies
twice a day with a mist bottle for a month or
two. Bearded dragons in the wild get their water from the morning dew
on plants
and afternoon rains. In captivity,
they seem to have a difficult
time
recognizing standing water. When you spray them they will lap up the
water off
of their noses and lower their head to standing puddles if some type of
movement
is detected.
Lighting: Bearded dragons will require UV-B
lighting, which is required for calcium absorption. These bulbs can be
purchased from your local Pet store and are relatively inexpensive.
A calcium supplement which contain vitamin D-3 should be used to dust crickets and/or
greens to ensure proper calcium absorption for bone development in growing dragons
Handling: Newly acquired bearded dragons should be
allowed to get acclimated to their new enclosures and feeding schedules before
attempting to handle them. Once acclimated, short periods of handling
and hand
feeding will quickly tame most dragons. They will be content to sit on a
shoulder or lap for hours while watching TV or using the computer. Young
children should be supervised and
instructed on careful handling techniques.
Sexing:
The
picture on the left is a Male, notice the two lumps on the outer tail
and the dimple in the middle.
The picture on the right is a Female,
notice the one lump in the center of the tail.
Cleanliness: All Reptiles can and will carry Salmonella.
Wash hands and/or use antibacterial soap after handling your dragons. Wash your
hand after cleaning up after your dragons. Don’t allow them on
surfaces you
will be eating on (like the counter or kitchen table). Practice cleanliness
when handling your dragon at all times and you and your dragon will have a fun
filled life together.
What You Will Need:
1. Tank
w/Metal Screen Top
2. Metal
Clips to hold Top
3. Reptile
Temperature Strip @ Basking height
4. Branch
or object to climb to basking area
5. Hide
spot on opposite side of cage
6. Water
& food dishes
7. Heat
Lamp (shop lamp w/regular light bulb)
8. UVB
Lamp (shop lamp w/UVB bulb)
9. Calcium
w/Vitamin D3
10. Spray
Bottle
Scientific Name: Elaphe guttata guttata
Common Name:
Corn Snake.
Size:
Hatchlings 7-14", adults up to 5 ft.
Life Expectancy:
± 20 years
Color: Many
colors and pattern morphs are available in the pet trade.
Do they make good pets? Excellent. They’re great for a first
time snake owner. They are inexpensive, feed well, have a great temperament and
come in attractive colors.
Housing:
Aquarium or cage with a tight-fitting screened lid. 24L x 24H x 18D is
adequate, but 30L x 24H x 18D would allow the animal to be comfortable through
adulthood.
Temperature:
75-85° F day, 65-75° F at night. Place a temperature strip 1 or 2
inches above the floor of the tank. The use of a heating pad (or heat tape)
under the tank for
heat is usually not necessary. If your tank gets too cold at
night, then it would be required. I do not recommend using heat rocks.
Humidity:
Usually not a problem, but if it gets too dry they may have shedding problems
and will soak in their water bowl. I usually mist the cage under the heat lamp
every
morning with a water bottle. This keeps the humidity up so they can shed
easily.
Lighting:
Incandescent, shine onto basking area. I use an inexpensive clamp light with a
regular light bulb. About 14 hours light, 10 hours dark under normal summertime
conditions.
Furniture: Hide box, water bowl, large enough for
soaking (add fresh water often or any time there is feces in the water,
disinfect before putting back in the cage), basking branch, thermometer. Corn snakes, like most snakes, like to feel secure in their environment. One
way of providing for this need is to put hiding spots in the enclosure. Hiding
spots can be made of anything, as long as the snake can completely fit inside
the area and hide itself from view. Cheap plastic bowls with a notch cut out
are easy to get but so are many of the commercially manufactured hiding spots
available in pet stores. A hiding spot should be placed both on the warm end
and the cool end of the cage, so that the animal can feel secure in any spot.
Corn snakes kept without appropriate hiding areas become stressed and may
refuse to eat.
Substrate:
Use Newspaper, Paper Towels or the Green Carpet sold in Pet stores for the
first year so there’s no chance of the babies swallowing the bedding. Or you
can use the bedding and feed them outside the tank. They cannot digest or pass
this at an early age. Clean shredded barks, cypress mulch, shredded aspen. Keep
bedding clean and dry. Remove feces at least weekly. Remove sheds when you see
them.
Diet: Mice, Hatchling chicks (don't have as much calcium as mice).
Larger specimens can eat small rats. Choose rodents that are slightly wider
than your snake's body. Always offer food with tongs, never feed rodents to
your snake with your fingers. Hatchling corn snakes
begin eating pinky mice, and progress up to adult mice once they are mature. A
good rule of thumb is to feed the snake a food item that is the same, or close
to, the snake's diameter. Feed an item that is too large, and the snake will
often regurgitate it. Snakes will also regurgitate if they do not have a warm
area or if they are handled too soon after they eat. You should give them 2-3
days to digest their food before handling them. Corn snakes can be fed two
times a week, but once is usually enough. Clean water should be available at
all times, corn snakes drink often.
Feeding Tip: Remove
your Snake from his tank, place the food in and then put him back in. This will
make sure he doesn’t associate your hand entering the tank for feeding time.
Sexual Maturity: Corn snake reach sexual maturity at approximately 2 years of age.
Sexing Your Snake: Sexing your snake is fairly easy. I recommend going to Kathy Love’s Website and watching her ‘Popping’ and ‘Probing’ videos. I have provided the Links below.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Corn Snakes are a great pet. Hold them often, keep them warm,
feed them, love them and they will love you right back. Enjoy your new pet.