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Big Centipede
Mar 20, 2009

it tingles

supermikhail posted:

Oh. Apologies. I think I misinterpreted the intent of that list in the OP.

No problem. The list was really supposed to just highlight some of the worst choices for beginners in the herp keeping hobby.

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Aphelion Necrology
Jul 17, 2005

Take care of the dead and the dead will take care of you

hackbunny posted:

Less than a third actually. Bluto (♂) is ~300 grams, Olive (♀) is ~90 grams, I forget the exact weights but that gives you an idea. I disclaim any responsibility, my girlfriend takes care of them, and breeding to sell was her idea. For what it's worth, she says she's done the barter thing before, with goldfish. Me, I just enjoy the comedy value of a completely mismatched couple, like when he walks around with her resting on his back (at least, I used to enjoy it until he tried to eat her)

Goldfish are worth more in bulk because they can be feeders. Good luck getting most pet stores to want 15 normal baby beardies, they probably already have 30.

Also 90g sweet lord. Female beardies shouldn't really be bred until they're about 2 years old and fully grown.

Whatever, gross.

Silver Nitrate
Oct 17, 2005

WHAT
I know someone who has an alligator of some sort and it has a whole bedroom to itself. It seems pretty cool and chill, but drat it's biiiiig. They're kind of like meat eating iguanas with teefs instead of the tail whip from hell. I would rather have an aligator than an iguana but I could put a lot of snakes in a spare room instead. We get gators through the rescue occasionally and so far they have all been placed. :shrug: I would take one but I have been told we are not allowed to eat animals we get from the rescue.

Also please stop trying to breed those beardies, your female is too small and could die.

Aphelion Necrology
Jul 17, 2005

Take care of the dead and the dead will take care of you

Silver Nitrate posted:

I know someone who has an alligator of some sort and it has a whole bedroom to itself. It seems pretty cool and chill, but drat it's biiiiig. They're kind of like meat eating iguanas with teefs instead of the tail whip from hell. I would rather have an aligator than an iguana but I could put a lot of snakes in a spare room instead. We get gators through the rescue occasionally and so far they have all been placed. :shrug: I would take one but I have been told we are not allowed to eat animals we get from the rescue.

Also please stop trying to breed those beardies, your female is too small and could die.

But how would they know that you ate it?

hackbunny
Jul 22, 2007

I haven't been on SA for years but the person who gave me my previous av as a joke felt guilty for doing so and decided to get me a non-shitty av

Hood Ornament posted:

Also 90g sweet lord. Female beardies shouldn't really be bred until they're about 2 years old and fully grown.

Silver Nitrate posted:

Also please stop trying to breed those beardies, your female is too small and could die.

OK, I'll pass it along

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Hood Ornament posted:

But how would they know that you ate it?

"It unfortunately passed away". and you get cool gator nuggets.

Also mail me gators.

Silver Nitrate
Oct 17, 2005

WHAT
I got the results back from my ratsnake's throat culture and it is negative for everything. He's still making RI noises and has bubbles in his saliva. But is eating and otherwise healthy. What the heck could be causing this? A tumor? Something stuck inside of his nose? What the hell, snake. $500 in vet bills and dozens of shots later he's still got something going on. Worst free snake EVER

Aphelion Necrology
Jul 17, 2005

Take care of the dead and the dead will take care of you

Silver Nitrate posted:

I got the results back from my ratsnake's throat culture and it is negative for everything. He's still making RI noises and has bubbles in his saliva. But is eating and otherwise healthy. What the heck could be causing this? A tumor? Something stuck inside of his nose? What the hell, snake. $500 in vet bills and dozens of shots later he's still got something going on. Worst free snake EVER

Like I said, scarring from previous RI can just make a snake sound like poo poo forever. If he does have a tumor, not much you can do about it. What did the Vet recommend?

Silver Nitrate
Oct 17, 2005

WHAT

Hood Ornament posted:

Like I said, scarring from previous RI can just make a snake sound like poo poo forever. If he does have a tumor, not much you can do about it. What did the Vet recommend?

I haven't talked to them yet, just got the message. It sounded like he was out of ideas, tbh. "Be sure to... keep an eye on him and... bring in that stool sample when you get a fresh one." We're basically hoping that the mega-deworming helped somehow. Lil' dude is really blue so I haven't been bothering him much but he sounds the same. If it was scaring though, there wouldn't be stuff coming out of his nose, right? I should really call the vet back. >.<

Silver Nitrate fucked around with this message at 01:04 on Jan 28, 2015

Aphelion Necrology
Jul 17, 2005

Take care of the dead and the dead will take care of you
That is bizarre. I've also had snakes get wheezy around shedding time due to loose skin around their nostrils, but no mucous.

http://www.anapsid.org/rti.html

"Some reptiles may exhibit signs of respiratory infection as a signal to you that they have been handled enough or want (or need) to be put down. My female Burmese python would start dripping saliva from her mouth in copious amounts when she'd decided she had had enough out and handling time at education events. When I saw the saliva start oozing from her mouth, I knew I needed to put her away off exhibit immediately. (An interesting note: my male Burmese would erect his anal spurs, digging them into my arm, when he was tired.)"

Maybe your snake is just a brat?

Eifert Posting
Apr 1, 2007

Most of the time he catches it every time.
Grimey Drawer
I've eaten gator and it's the most boring meat I've ever had. Yeah good bang for your buck if it's free but it's basically chicken without crispy skin.

Aphelion Necrology
Jul 17, 2005

Take care of the dead and the dead will take care of you

Eifert Posting posted:

I've eaten gator and it's the most boring meat I've ever had. Yeah good bang for your buck if it's free but it's basically chicken without crispy skin.

Eat it like a man and leave the skin on.

Sweet CupnCakes
Feb 13, 2007

Did you ever walk in a room and forget why you walked in? I think that's how dogs spend their lives.
So we are going to be moving out of our house soon and going on a new adventure. The realtor came into the house to look around and give us an idea of how much she thought we could get for it and let us know that she was going to be sending someone to 'stage' our furniture and stuff so it was more inviting to people coming to look at the house. She went into the office and almost had a heart attack when she saw Ditty. She said 'you can't have that in here when I'm showing the house, people will run away and never come back'. So no I have to figure out where to hide my baby while we are showing the house. Where the hell do you hide a 12 ft burmese python? The cage looks enough like furniture we may just have to cover it with a nice table cloth and put some flowers on it or something. That's what I get for owning a giant snake.

Obligatory recent pics of my baby.


Hanging in the conference room.


Modeling with my younger cousin.

Eifert Posting
Apr 1, 2007

Most of the time he catches it every time.
Grimey Drawer

Hood Ornament posted:

Eat it like a man and leave the skin on.

I've eaten raw chicken liver, live octopus and any other # of probably poor decisions, but that doesn't sound like a good idea.


I know, right? Especially since squid aren't smart and taste almost exactly the same. Thanks Korea.
VVVV

Eifert Posting fucked around with this message at 06:55 on Jan 29, 2015

Silver Nitrate
Oct 17, 2005

WHAT

Eifert Posting posted:

I've eaten raw chicken liver, live octopus and any other # of probably poor decisions, but that doesn't sound like a good idea.

Octopi are so boss how could you feed them to what are probably dumb and boring humans?

Stealthgerbil
Dec 16, 2004


I received an adult bearded dragon and I am in need of a habitat for it. However the problem is that I only have a regular car and I can't fit a large tank in it :( I wanted to get one that was at least 24 inches deep so my bearded dragon can turn around without touching his tail. Any suggestions? I really just need like a 2 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot box with a plexiglass front and a lid. I could probably make that with a trip to the hardware store. I also can't find any site that sells decent box cages that I could assemble. So far I have tried asking people on craigslist if they would deliver the cage but no luck. I just need like a 55+ gallon one.

Big Centipede
Mar 20, 2009

it tingles

Stealthgerbil posted:

I received an adult bearded dragon and I am in need of a habitat for it. However the problem is that I only have a regular car and I can't fit a large tank in it :( I wanted to get one that was at least 24 inches deep so my bearded dragon can turn around without touching his tail. Any suggestions? I really just need like a 2 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot box with a plexiglass front and a lid. I could probably make that with a trip to the hardware store. I also can't find any site that sells decent box cages that I could assemble. So far I have tried asking people on craigslist if they would deliver the cage but no luck. I just need like a 55+ gallon one.

Go to Home Depot and rent a truck for like $19

Stealthgerbil
Dec 16, 2004


I guess that works too. Just need to find a decent tank then.

Fitzy Fitz
May 14, 2005




You can build one for less than $100. I just did. There are plans all over the internet and someone posted a really good guide in the last thread but now I don't know where that is.

Silver Nitrate
Oct 17, 2005

WHAT
I got my second rack today and I got the bins that I had drilled and put up. Tomorrow I'll have to get more bins so everyone except the little babies can have a larger space. Also, if my cats get into the snake room, they can't open the big bins as easily as they can the small ones. I'll be moving the geckos to the bare spot on the left rack. Goddamn I love Animal Plastics.

PK
Apr 30, 2004

EXFOLIATE! EXFOLIATE! EXFOLIATE!

Fitzy Fitz posted:

You can build one for less than $100. I just did. There are plans all over the internet and someone posted a really good guide in the last thread but now I don't know where that is.

This one?

Jekub
Jul 21, 2006

April, May, June, July and August fool
My younger son is moving into his own room, primarily to give him and his brother some personal space and stop my house sounding like a never ending wrestling match. Previously I asked you all about Ball Pythons, with the result that eldest now has his beloved snake and all is good there. On the weekend we went to a small zoo and sat down for the reptile show, where my youngest, at the grand old age of five named every single animal, country of origin, food stuff and happily, carefully held everything from snakes to cockroaches.

So the question there is then, what pet to get him? It's a small room, so height of enclosure counts more than width. It needs to be something he can handle, not to jumpy or skittish. Primary care will of course reside with myself and my wife with him learning and assisting. He is equally fascinated by Snakes and Lizards and we have all enjoyed having the python around.

I took a quick trip into my local specialist today for advice and came back with Crested Gecko being the primary choice at this time, probably in an exo-terra crested setup with additional UV lighting. Anything else I should consider or are we on the right track with this?

Jekub fucked around with this message at 15:36 on Feb 3, 2015

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

What kind of moron told you to get UV lighting for a nocturnal animal? There's 0 evidence they need it or even enjoy it.

And I wouldn't waste money on an exoterra unless you're sure the kid is gonna be fascinated with it to the tune of $200-$300. They do fine in plastic bins that cost $10 instead.

E: I wouldn't get a 5 year old anything small enough they can squeeze to death and wouldn't sell a crested to anybody who was giving their kid one, either. If it's gonna be a family pet that's cool, but your 5 year old doesn't need an animal in his room because he's 5 and can easily knock over pet stuff and kill'em and then you have all kinds of sobby kid drama.

If you're still gonna insist on getting him something (and you are) just remember they live for 15+ years, females will randomly lay eggs even without males and if your house gets hotter than 80 degrees ever it's probably going to die terribly. They're great animals, but geckos are pretty delicate. Even the beginner ones are, and they're way less tolerant of stuff than snakes. Cresteds are great, but I wouldn't give them to a kid that young. They jump like bunnies, too. It's totally feasible the kid could lose it. gently caress, I've almost lost crested hatchlings that decided to go on a jumping binge.

But since you're gonna get one anyway: Get a 20 gallon long aquarium from petco the next time they do a $1 per gallon sale and a screen lid so you can turn it up on it's side. Do a quick google or youtube search for crested gecko DIY enclosures, find something you like, and do it. A hot glue gun, some foam, a few fake plants, the right temps and humidity and the right food and that gecko will do great for the 6 months it takes your 5 year old to get bored with it. And this way you don't have a ton in it.

Fluffy Bunnies fucked around with this message at 21:56 on Feb 3, 2015

Leperflesh
May 17, 2007

Agree cresties don't need UV.

Disagree a pet for a child should be kept in a plastic bin: also, cresties are arboreal, so they need climbing surfaces and are best suited to a vertical vivarium with branches, and a soft substrate (I recommend sphagnum moss). Moreover, they need to be misted daily, but the viv needs enough ventilation that it dries out between mistings... and if you are going to feed crickets, a viv that won't let them escape is nice. You can do all of those things with a plastic bin, but a nice setup that lets your son observe his pet's behaviors is better. The gecko will mostly only be active at night, but I've got one that comes out earlier in the evening and another that doesn't come out until after midnight, so it varies. Having a glass setup where you can let it get dark, and then turn on the room light and watch the gecko do stuff in the evening is a nice way to enjoy a pet that is otherwise dormant during waking hours.

Exo-Terras are expensive, but they're also really nice. The next step down would be a 20 gallon tank on its side with a sliding screen door top (which becomes the front of the viv). That's a lot more affordable.

One thing to be aware of is that cresties can be handled, if they're handled regularly, but it's good to have someone show you how to do it (or watch some videos) and a five-year-old that gets a little grabby may find himself with a flopping bloody tail. It won't kill the gecko to loose a tail, but it can be a disturbing thing to watch happen even for an adult.

Cresties that have dropped their tails already are often a little less expensive, so that might be an option for your kid?


e. Actually I changed my mind, I agree with FB. A five year old is too young for a small reptile unless it's totally off-limits and he's not allowed to handle it - mom and dad can handle the pet while he watches, but that's about it.

Get your son a puppy.

Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 22:00 on Feb 3, 2015

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Leperflesh posted:

Agree cresties don't need UV.

Disagree a pet for a child should be kept in a plastic bin

The kid is 5 so it's gonna murder the poo poo out of that crested anyway, or get bored because it's a reptile that sits there silently for 20 hours of the day. I just figure save the parents some cash.

For the record, I don't have anything against the dude who wants to get his kid a pet or whatever but this is dumb because the kid is 5 and everybody is going to whisper about what a bitch I'm being but somebody has to be straight with the guy instead of being goddamn hug island. Ball python at 9, sure. Crested at 5 says you're probably gonna be digging a hole in less than 6 months. Which isn't anything wrong with the kid. They're just little and delicate and not really a that-young kid pet.

If he ain't, that's great. I don't have high hopes for it.

Leperflesh
May 17, 2007

Edited my post but yeah, you're right. I've occasionally met a five-year-old who could handle a gecko, but they're really rare, and the vast majority are going to get it out when dad isn't around, it's goign to jump and startle him, and then he'll either kill it being too rough, or lose it.

I don't think it's necessary to be hostile while saying that this isn't an appropriate pet for a small child, though, or to say poo poo like "but you're gonna do it anyway," like random stranger you don't know is incapable of listening to and accepting advice.

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

To be perfectly honest dude, if your kid is fascinated by geckos your zoo may have an adoption program. You could call and ask if there's any reptiles available for adoption, maybe even one he could name. It's a cheap sponsorship, you help the zoo, and you don't have a dead animal and a sobbing kid (unless he throws a fit because he wants a reptile in his room too in which case, may god have mercy on your soul because sibling rivalry is terrible). Get a zoo membership, take the kid so he learns so freakin much and he can visit "his" reptile while he gets older and he CAN deal with having a tiny delicate gecko in his room. I'd say no younger than 10 for a crested, and even then it's tricky.

E: That was just brash, that wasn't even hostile. Hostile would be way more colorful and involve graphic descriptions of just where he can put his dumb idea.

Eifert Posting
Apr 1, 2007

Most of the time he catches it every time.
Grimey Drawer
Get a frog. I had a Whites Tree Frog about that age and it was a great pet for a kid.

Aphelion Necrology
Jul 17, 2005

Take care of the dead and the dead will take care of you
Why is a 5-year-old getting any small animals in his room - much less one he is expected to handle regularly?

Please rethink your whole plan.

Jekub
Jul 21, 2006

April, May, June, July and August fool
Rethinking, thanks for the advice and the (mostly) polite way it has been delivered.

We will revisit this in a few years, the house has more than enough animals as it is anyway (cats, dogs, fish , snake, garden full of wildlife), he gets to spend time on my sisters farm and we have membership at the local zoo so he's not exactly deprived of animal contact. But fair points all round, the reason I asked before commiting was to confirm if this was going to be a workable plan from people who have personal knowledge and if the answer is no, then it's no.

Jekub fucked around with this message at 11:24 on Feb 4, 2015

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Jekub posted:

Rethinking, thanks for the advice and the (mostly) polite way it has been delivered.

We will revisit this in a few years, the house has more than enough animals as it is anyway (cats, dogs, fish , snake, garden full of wildlife), he gets to spend time on my sisters farm and we have membership at the local zoo so he's not exactly deprived of animal contact. But fair points all round, the reason I asked before commiting was to confirm if this was going to be a workable plan from people who have personal knowledge and if the answer is no, then it's no.

:qq: Somebody was mean to me because I asked a dumbass question. Let me be a passive aggressive little shitstain.

Why are you letting your 5 year old approach wildlife? He is 5 and is going to get ravaged or bitten or stung. Farm yes, zoo yes but wtf "garden full of wildlife". I guess you're one of those people who encourages a kid that young that spiders are cool and whoops, look who picked up a black widow while mommy/daddy wasn't watching.

On the other hand, if you get a video if your kid destroying animals (eh, or the other way around) you could probably get some youtube fame. I only rescind this if you live in some magical fairytale world where there are no dangerous fauna around (if you live in the US, you at least have some dangerous insects). I think you're expecting way too much of a 5 year old in terms of judgement. It's cool to teach kids about animals, but you sound like the moron who expected us to let kids handle the scorpions so they "get to know them". You just come off as the most flippant, oblivious person and I half expect your next thread post to be "TELL me how to make a cannon for my 5 year old who is fascinated by the american revolution, I want him to get the Full Experience".

Fraction
Mar 27, 2010

CATS RULE DOGS DROOL

FERRETS ARE ALSO PRETTY MEH, HONESTLY


There's no reason to be a bitch about someone asking perfectly legitimate questions

This is why nobody likes PI, they all think we're like you.

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Fraction posted:

There's no reason to be a bitch about someone asking perfectly legitimate questions

This is why nobody likes PI, they all think we're like you.

Perfectly legitimate questions like "why is my dog making GBS threads blood, I don't want to go to a vet" and "what is the exact sound a 5 year old makes when a vinegaroon sprays him in the face in his garden full of wildlife?"

Eifert Posting
Apr 1, 2007

Most of the time he catches it every time.
Grimey Drawer
How many of us didn't run around outside looking for bugs at that age? Did a five year old poo poo in your cheerios this morning?

Fraction
Mar 27, 2010

CATS RULE DOGS DROOL

FERRETS ARE ALSO PRETTY MEH, HONESTLY


Fluffy Bunnies posted:

Perfectly legitimate questions like "why is my dog making GBS threads blood, I don't want to go to a vet" and "what is the exact sound a 5 year old makes when a vinegaroon sprays him in the face in his garden full of wildlife?"

Someone asked a question about reptile ownership, in a thread about reptile ownership, and then was perfectly reasonable in their response

Unlike certain loving idiots I could mention!! (Hint: it's you)

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Eifert Posting posted:

How many of us didn't run around outside looking for bugs at that age? Did a five year old poo poo in your cheerios this morning?

I'm about to poo poo in yours (I'm gonna do it). Lots of us did. Encouraging harassing wildlife like that reads, is stupid.

gently caress, I used to throw cottonmouths out of my house's ditch so I could throw myself in it and hunt crawdads but that doesn't mean my parents were like "oh her wonderful creek of wonders!" about it and hollered at my stupid rear end when I brought goddamn venomous snakes into the house because "hey this one looks cold".

Jekub
Jul 21, 2006

April, May, June, July and August fool

Fluffy Bunnies posted:

:qq: Somebody was mean to me because I asked a dumbass question. Let me be a passive aggressive little shitstain.

Why are you letting your 5 year old approach wildlife? He is 5 and is going to get ravaged or bitten or stung. Farm yes, zoo yes but wtf "garden full of wildlife". I guess you're one of those people who encourages a kid that young that spiders are cool and whoops, look who picked up a black widow while mommy/daddy wasn't watching.

I shall be sure to check that all the hedgehogs, squirrels and house spiders running around England are not murderous before letting him down the garden in future. It a dangerous world out there after all, just last week a small field mouse killed a child at his school.

And yeah, he knows 'look but don't touch'.

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Jekub posted:

I shall be sure to check that all the hedgehogs, squirrels and house spiders running around England are not murderous before letting him down the garden in future. It a dangerous world out there after all, just last week a small field mouse killed a child at his school.

Well at least when your kid grabs a hedgehog and gets multiple lacerations at least now I know you won't have to pay the hospital bill. You can put that money toward getting him an adder when he's 12 I guess. Well done.


Fraction posted:

Someone asked a question about reptile ownership, in a thread about reptile ownership, and then was perfectly reasonable in their response

Unlike certain loving idiots I could mention!! (Hint: it's you)

You know what, america beat you limey bastards once. It can do it again. *rolls up sleeves, an eagle cries out in the background*

Fraction
Mar 27, 2010

CATS RULE DOGS DROOL

FERRETS ARE ALSO PRETTY MEH, HONESTLY


If you can't think of a way out of this situation other than hyperbole and changing the subject, maybe you should just get the gently caress off the internet and back to whatever shithole you belong

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Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Fraction posted:

If you can't think of a way out of this situation other than hyperbole and changing the subject, maybe you should just get the gently caress off the internet and back to whatever shithole you belong

That's pretty rich from somebody who had ferrets.

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