Emperor Scorpions as Pets

Scorpions are becoming a popular choice for pets, in particular the emperor scorpion. They are relatively easy to care for, can grow up to six inches long, and have a lifespan of about six to eight years.

The invertebrate animal is not especially dangerous in comparison with other scorpion species. Their sting can be likened to a bee sting and not usually requiring medical attention. However, like bee stings, there are people who may be allergic to the venom. The emperor scorpion may also pinch owners. Handling of pet scorpions is not recommended, due to these reasons, but also because it can cause stress to the pet. Forceps with foam are recommended for picking up the scorpion when necessary.

Emperor scorpions require very specific housing specifications. Proper heat and humidity are key. A glass aquarium tank makes the best housing with a tight secure lid. A ten gallon tank is perfect for one emperor scorpion. They can be kept in groups, though a large tank is necessary if housing more than one. They also require hiding spots, which can be created out of pottery, bark or other decorative (animal-safe) objects.

Substrate materials range from soil to peat or vermiculite, but should be at least three inches deep to allow the scorpion to dig burrows.

High humidity is necessary for scorpions, and can be maintained by daily misting. The substrate should be damp, but not wet. The temperature of the tank should be between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. A heating mat is the best way to provide heat, though it should be placed only under one portion of the tank so the scorpion can regulate its own temperature, as well. Use a thermometer to be sure the temperature is regulated consistently.

In captivity, emperor scorpions require a diet of mostly crickets supplemented with mealworms. An adult can eat three to six crickets per week. Feed scorpions at night, as they are naturally nocturnal. Also, you should provide a shallow water dish for the pet.

Taking care of a scorpion isn't exactly high maintenance. Keep the tank clean and feed the scorpion about every other day. Avoid handling the pet, too. Owning an emperor scorpion does mean that you'll have to provide food regularly for at least six years, so be sure it's the pet for you. As always, research should be done before purchase to be certain. If an emperor scorpion is right for you, enjoy your new pet!

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pets.

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Endangered Dolphins

Besides their playful attitude and often friendly appearance that have made them popular in the human culture, dolphins are considered to be one of the most intelligent animals on earth. They have performed an important role in the human culture, for ancient Greeks they were a good omen for a smooth voyage.

Dolphins are aquatic mammals closely related to whales. They vary in size and are found on shallower seas. These animals are carnivores and their diet consists mostly on fish and squids. Delphinidae is the largest family in Cetacea and since dolphins have evolved about ten million years ago they are relatively recent.

Even though these amazing creatures are trained to be entertainers in numerous aquatic parks around the world they are famous for several debuts in the big screen. Dolphins are trained by militaries for various purposes and are used for animal assisted therapy to help with physiological and neurological problems such as autism, depression and Down syndrome.

Dolphins are wonderful and adorable animals that can be found in our country. Right now there is a company called Ocean Embassy who wants to take advantage of the situation. They are planning on starting to capture dolphins and sell them to aquatic parks and establish in a multimillionaire business, leaving them in captivity.

Sadly the corruption in our country is greater than our sensibility, the situation on dolphins is getting critical, and luckily there are some Panamanians that have created associations to prevent the harm against these adorable creatures. You can help by singing petitions and joining to environmental groups, this cruelty can be stopped is in our hands to take a course of action!

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Frog Eye or Wonder Gecko Care (Teratoscincus scincus)

Frog Eye Geckos are becoming more common in the pet trade nowadays, particularly with the vast number of keen gecko enthusiasts. Captive breeding of this species has become well understood and easy to achieve. These geckos are native to fairly hot, arid climates within Southern Asia (Afghanistan, Iran, Arabia, Kazakhstan and Western China). These geckos are particularly well known for their incredibly delicate skin and cautious nature. They will shed their tail with ease if handled incorrectly, and the regular human finger-nail can tear right through the thin skin of these geckos. Although this species is a pleasure to keep, I would rate them as an intermediate species to keep.

Housing

For a single or pair or trio of frog eye geckos, a vivarium 60cm Length x 30cm Width x 30cm Height will be ample room. It should be noted that males are extremely aggressive with each other and should not be housed together. A vivarium can be made from a number of materials; wooden with melamine coating, glass, plastic and even good quality metal enclosures have been made.

I suggest a wooden vivarium, which is coated with melamine to allow the enclosure to last much longer. If you use regular chipboard or other non-coated woods, the vivarium will not last long with the water spillage and waste products related to keeping any animal. Be sure to have plenty of ventilation holes. Many vivariums are available on the market today already made to suit most reptiles, with ventilation holes and even fittings for the various heat and light appliances.

Substrate & Decor

Frog Eye Geckos come from dry, arid areas which should be re-created in a captive environment. It is not essential to use natural sands and substrates; newspaper would do the job but it is not aesthetically pleasing. The point is though, that the substrate must be dry. That is not to say though that the gecko cannot get to moist areas, as they will often crawl into slightly moist burrows in the wild. A small moist hide box would be a benefit, especially for when the time comes for the gecko to slough its skin.

A choice of substrate very much depends on what is more important for you. If you want something to look natural, then sand and soils can be the most aesthetically pleasing. These however are dirty and dusty and should be sieved through regularly to remove any waste. If sand is used, calcium based sand is recommended. This dissolves quicker than other sands and will even benefit your gecko with calcium additives when swallowed. Newspaper is cheap and easy to clean, but is hardly a catchy part of an enclosure. Wood chips can be used, but can often be swallowed by accident, causing an impaction in the gut of the gecko. The preferential substrate for the geckos would almost certainly be sand. They regularly dig and if the sand is wet down to form various layers of dampness, the geckos will be able to dig and form a number of burrows with hiding chambers at the end of each burrow.

For a naturalistic environment, rocks, wood and plants can all be used. Although some live plants are safe to use, I suggest fake plants and cacti. Live plants will require more care and many give off toxic fumes. Be careful when placing heavier objects into the enclosure. Frog eye geckos like to burrow, and will not hesitate to try and burrow underneath a rock. Make sure these objects are placed directly on the bottom of the enclosure and not on top of the sand, as this will collapse if the gecko decides to burrow under.

If you use any objects which have been outside, wash them thoroughly with hot water and weak disinfectant. It is important to be as clinical as possible and reduce any risk of bringing in infectious diseases or parasites.

Heating & Lighting

The most economical and simple way to add heat and light into your vivarium is to use a single incandescent spot lamp. Usually a 60 Watt bulb will be adequate for smaller vivariums. This should be on for 10-12 hours a day and should be used in conjunction with a Dimming thermostat. During the day time the temperature should be approximately 82F at the cool end, and 88-94F under the spot lamp. Once the light goes out, the temperature should be an overall 74-78F. It is often enough to just let the vivarium go down to room temperature. However, the temperature should be monitored with a thermometer and if it drops below the recommended temperature, some form of background heating will be required.

Background heat can be added with a small heat mat. This should be placed on the back wall of the vivarium and placed in the centre. Depending on how low the temperature drops at night, will depend on the size of heat you require. However, I suggest a 6x11 HabiStat heat mat. This should be enough just to bump the temperature up a few degrees.

Feeding & Drinking

It is important that water is available at all times. Although frog eye geckos come from dry, arid areas, they still like to drink. A shallow water dish which is hard to tip over and easy to clean is ideal. It is also an idea to have a bowl which does not have small crevices and cracks in it, which mould can build up in, and small insects can hide in.

Frog eye geckos are primarily insectivorous, feeding on insects. Such prey items include; small mealworms, wax worms, earthworms, crickets and locusts. However certain foods should be limited. It is important that the food you give your gecko is as highly nutritious as possible. It would be nearly pointless to feed a starved cricket to your gecko. Therefore, placing food such as potato peel and cabbage into the insects enclosure will benefit the gecko as much as the insects. Gut-Load can also be bought from many retailers. This is a balanced food for insects and should be offered to the insects at least 12 hours before feeding.

Hatchling or juvenile frog eye geckos should be fed on a daily basis. They will eat up to around 10 small crickets or similar insects. These insects should be either crickets or locusts, and should be no larger than the width of the geckos mouth. Wax worms can be offered in small quantities once a week, and mealworms can also be offered in small quantities twice a week. A Calcium:Phosphorous supplement should be dusted onto the food every other day. This is to aid in growing a healthy, strong bone structure, particularly in the leg and jaw areas. MediVet Repton, 2:1 Calcium:Phosphorous is a good product to use.

Adults can be fed less regularly, 2 or 3 times a week. They should eat around 8 insects at a time, but obviously these should be larger insects, approximately the size of the leopard gecko head. It is important the food is not too small for the gecko not to be interested, and also important for it not to be too big for it to become hard to swallow. For females in breeding season, calcium supplements should be added to food on every feeding, to aid in the development of the eggs. For males and females out of breeding season, a dusting of supplements once a week will suffice.

By Chris Jones
Director of Pet Club UK Ltd.
http://www.petclubuk.com

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Corn Snakes 101 - Buying Your Snake at a Reptile Show

While you may not live close to a corn snake breeder, you could still meet one in person (to purchase a snake) by attending a reptile show in your area.

These shows run the gamut from one-day events with 30 or so breeders to three-day events with hundreds of breeders. And due to the immense popularity of the corn as a pet snake, I guarantee you'll find at least one n snake breeder at nearly every reptile show in the United States.

These shows are a great way to expand your options when shopping for a snake. Professional breeders travel from all over the country to attend reptile shows (especially the bigger events). So you may have a lot more options for purchasing a corn snake by attending such an event.

There are two ways to find out about shows that may be coming to your area: (1) using the Internet and (2) checking out Reptiles magazine.

Using the Internet, you could just do a Google or Yahoo search for "reptile show" plus your city or state's name. For example: "Reptile show +California"

Reptiles magazine is another good place to learn about upcoming shows in the U.S. At the end of each issue, they have a list of events covering the next few months at a glance. You can pick up a copy of Reptiles magazine at most major pet stores, such as PetSmart and Petco.

Once you've discovered a show that's coming to your part of the country, the next step is to identify a corn snake breeder who will be attending the event. Once again, the Internet is a great place to start such a search. Here's how I would go about it:

1. First, make a list of professional corn snake breeders. You'll have to spend some time online, perhaps even using a corn snake forum like the one at Kingsnake.com. But you should be able to come up with a list of ten or so breeders fairly easily.


2. Next, after you have list of about eight to ten breeders, make a second column beside each breeder's name and label the column "Shows." What you are doing here is creating a helpful checklist for future research.


3. Use this checklist to keep track of your research -- which breeder is attending which show, etc.


4. Leave space for some additional note taking under each breeder's name. When talking to breeders via email or on the phone, use this space to jot down notes about snake availability, ordering process, or anything else you want to remember later on.


5. Now all you have to do is contact each corn snake breeder on your list by phone or email to start filling in the blanks.

I hope you have found this article helpful, and I wish you well in your continued research into corn snakes. Good luck.

Brandon Cornett is the author of the "Ultimate Guide to Corn Snake Care," which offers over 100 pages of helpful advice on corn snake care and keeping. Learn more or download your e-book by visiting http://www.reptileknowledge.com/cornsnakes

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