# My first reptile



## Forensick (Apr 3, 2007)

I am looking at getting a lizard, but i am unsure as to which type i should get.
i really like water dragons, but.... i don't exactly have the space for like an 8 foot tank.
i do really like the "jungle" looking tanks with the large amount of water at the bottom, rock wall at the back, lots of green.
so i am wondering if you guys could recomend a lizard...
(something that will do fine in a 3-4foot tank.

cheers


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## Chris1 (Apr 3, 2007)

get a beardy!


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## Forensick (Apr 3, 2007)

i didnt think beardies were that into water?

how big do they get...
how many could i keep in a 3-4foot tank?


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## slither (Apr 3, 2007)

get a beardie mate they are awesome


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## nickamon (Apr 3, 2007)

Depending on where you live, it's likely that you'll need a reptile keeper's licence. Check with your state government, and get a list of animals that you'd be allowed to keep on a beginner's licence. If you live in the ACT, you are allowed to keep bearded dragons, shinglebacks and bluetongues without a licence. If I were to keep a larger lizard, I'd go for a bearded dragon, they are real characters.


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## hornet (Apr 3, 2007)

if you want a watery tank, get a green tree frog, or if you are willing to ditch the water but still wanna keep the green get a southern angle headed dragon, beardies dont suit the sort of setup you want


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## Forensick (Apr 3, 2007)

eh, not really a fan of the frogs... (i though of it)

is it possible to do it with like a "pond" setup in the tank at the cooler end?
the care sheets said they like to soak


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## dragons75 (Apr 3, 2007)

Change the setup get a Beardy.


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## hornet (Apr 3, 2007)

nah, the only things that will like the amount of water you want are gft and ewds, just get rid of the water and get a southern angle headed dragon


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## Chris1 (Apr 3, 2007)

nah, beardies dont like wet conditions,....that was just a suggestion fro the amount of space u have.

mine are 44 and 49cms long, (including tails) they can get up to 60cms.


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## Forensick (Apr 3, 2007)

beardies are cool....

b ut i have never really seen a "pretty" enclosure

---i like it to look pretty, seeing as they take prime positions in my lounge


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## inthegrass (Apr 3, 2007)

their might be a legless lizard going cheap pm natty.
cheers.


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## MannyM (Apr 4, 2007)

If you want an enclosure which has a water based feature, then have a look at some Eastern Water Dragons.

Keep in mind, any enclosure with water in it has its fair share of upkeep.


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## hornet (Apr 4, 2007)

in his first post he stated he doesnt have to room for an adult water dragon


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## Forensick (Apr 4, 2007)

yeah, i don't think a lizard that can grow to a metre long (incl tail) would be happy in a 4 foot tank...

i decided on the southern angle head, then went to print out my licence stuff, and it is on the advanced licence! yay :cry:

so i think i'll go the beardie.... on the bright side, least the enclosure will be cheaper.


however, 
in setting the tank up, can i make it LOOK jungley, but still make it suitable for the beardie?
or is that just pushing it to far?


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## hornet (Apr 4, 2007)

go for one of the smaller dragons, beats beardies on looks, get some central netteds, they can be picked up very cheap


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## Aslan (Apr 4, 2007)

Mate you can make the enclosure LOOK however you like - the large amount of water was the only problem with your previous idea...


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## Forensick (Apr 4, 2007)

some of those smaller dragons only live for a couple of years....
thats no good for me...
pets dying always hits me very hard


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## hornet (Apr 4, 2007)

i think centrals can live 6-7years


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## Forensick (Apr 4, 2007)

hmmm, must have been the other one you showed me...


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## Auzlizardking (Apr 4, 2007)

Eastern water skinks they love to swin and don't grow very big


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## cris (Apr 4, 2007)

I would get some golden/eastern water skinks, they would go well in an enlosure that size they look awesome(i have only seen wild ones). They are fairly cheap and breed easily as they are live bearers, they can also be handled if you want something that can be handled.

Im not sure about water skinks but most lizards will prefer to crap in the water so if you put a good filter in you would probably rarely need to clean anything other than the filter.

You could probably keep a variety of other things such as various species fish with them too, even young turtles.

Definately one of my favorite skinks.


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## hornet (Apr 4, 2007)

yes water skinks are another good choice, pick them up for under $100


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## cris (Apr 4, 2007)

Forensick said:


> in setting the tank up, can i make it LOOK jungley, but still make it suitable for the beardie?
> or is that just pushing it to far?



An eastern beardie will be able to tolerate a fairly high level of humdity so a planted enclosure would be fine, but i wouldnt keep one in a 4 foot tank, especially if it had a large amount of water. I have also read of beardies drowning when they are young but im not sure of the circumstances as mine can swim pretty good if he is after food.


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## cris (Apr 4, 2007)

Auzlizardking said:


> Eastern water skins they love to swin and don't grow very big



haha you must have had the same brain wave :lol:
Other species of water skink would also be the in the same boat, but they arnt as good as gold IMO.


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## Forensick (Apr 4, 2007)

what i was thinking of doing, was in the front corner of the tank (6"x12") silicon in a glass divider about 3inches deep, and putting the water in there.
-i have a spare canister filter.
i was thinking more than anything, it would mean there is always going to be clean water there, even if i had to go away for the weekend.


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## Chris1 (Apr 4, 2007)

use a bunch of thick leafy jungley looking vines from the $2 shop....and theres proper viney looking stuff u can get from petshops, thats a bit pricey though.

i wouldnt go with a planted terrarium, too much humidity causes respritory infections, and the leat lights would create alot of humidity on damp soil.

central beardies live between 10 and 15 years, ive heard of 1 turning 19....all depends on good husbandry though, proper temps, UVB lights and low fat feeders and getting them to eat their greens are very important for a long life.

if u use a water bowl take it out @ night, when mune were babies one fell off its branch iinto the water bowl and didnt wake up, if i wasnt still up to hear the tiny thud she would have drowned.


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## Auzlizardking (Apr 4, 2007)

I have a gold EWS and it love to swim and is also great to watch.
I made a little fish tank and it doesn't affect the wood


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## stringbean (Apr 4, 2007)

i rekon u should get an ewd. we get a few of them in the creek near my house, always swimming. they look pretty good to.


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## Forensick (Apr 4, 2007)

i would LOVE an EWD, it was what i originally wanted tho....
i just dont have room for a 6x4x4 tank


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## Forensick (Apr 4, 2007)

where in melbourne should i get beardies from?
is anyone likely to have any avail soon?
and which is better, central or eastern?


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## DA_GRIZ (Apr 5, 2007)

i think central because they can be several different colors


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## chic parma (Apr 5, 2007)

easterns grow bigger than centralls aswell, and centrals have better
temperants apparantely.
go the central.


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## hornet (Apr 5, 2007)

easterns have great temperaments, i dont know where people have heard otherwise, go eastern


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## hodges (Apr 5, 2007)

i love the blue tongue lizards and beardies 
cheers
brad


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## bredli84 (Apr 5, 2007)

i was in pails for scales today, they had a fair few young beardies running around, seemed pricy, but i have never looked into buying them so not sure what the normal price is.


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## cris (Apr 5, 2007)

hornet said:


> easterns have great temperaments, i dont know where people have heard otherwise, go eastern



Easterns have great temperments and are more suited to handling than any other lizard that isnt a beardy(as far as i know). Central beardies are just noticeably more tame and almost fearless as a general rule.

Eastern beardies would be better suited to higher humdity, so they would probably be the best choice for the type of setup you are thinking of.


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## bredli84 (Apr 6, 2007)

did u consider monitors? thigs such as V. gilleni, acanthurus etc would do well in a 4ft tank.


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## jordo (Apr 6, 2007)

cris said:


> they can also be handled if you want something that can be handled.



Are you talking about water skinks? Handling WS's would cause them a lot of unecessary stress.



bredli84 said:


> did u consider monitors? thigs such as V. gilleni, acanthurus etc would do well in a 4ft tank.



They would need a desert-like setup.


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## bredli84 (Apr 6, 2007)

jordo said:


> They would need a desert-like setup.



well, you could still put fake plants in there for "ambience" couldnt u? i dont see how it would be much diff to central beardies?


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## jordo (Apr 6, 2007)

Of course you could, but you couldn't really use live plants or have a water area.
Forensick - you could design a desert setup to look good as a display tank, use sand, buy or make a fake termite mound, get some bones, a few branches and maybe some spinifex if you can get any, it would give you a lot more freedom in terms of the species you could then choose from.


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## hornet (Apr 6, 2007)

i can try and help ya with spinifex, i'm trying to track some down at the moment, also sand sage, looks great in desert tanks


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## alex_c (Apr 6, 2007)

Forensick said:


> where in melbourne should i get beardies from?
> is anyone likely to have any avail soon?
> and which is better, central or eastern?


 i should have heaps of centrals later this year early next year. ive already sold all my babies. someone might still have some babies though.


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## Forensick (Apr 6, 2007)

i found someone selling them
yellow phase, $50 each

they are holding onto them for me till i get my license.

-that a good deal?


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## cris (Apr 6, 2007)

Forensick said:


> i found someone selling them
> yellow phase, $50 each
> 
> they are holding onto them for me till i get my license.
> ...



Yeah thats a fair price.


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## morgs202 (Apr 13, 2007)

hornet said:


> easterns have great temperaments, i dont know where people have heard otherwise, go eastern


 
I agree. I have had my eastern for 5 years now, and he is the best! Tonnes of personality and has never once tried to bite anybody.


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