Advice of experienced reptile keepers appreciated

[ScaleLover]

Hey everyone! Before you start I know that almost every noob around here asks about their first pet, but I need an experienced person's advise here. I am looking to get my first herp and I have narrowed it down to two animals. The first is a bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and the other is a spotted python (Antaresia maculosa).

Two completely different (but beautiful) animals I know but here's the thing. My mate has both and they both go to greet him when he opens their enclosures and will just sit on his arm, neck, whatever the whole day. I would like a reptile that won't just run off or try and escape whenever you take it out. And seeing as snakes don't usually stick around like this one I thought maybe I should get a Beardie (When his ones see him they stand there and head bob until he takes them out), but both of his beardies almost exclusively eat crickets. It costs him a fortune to by them and no matter what he tries they won't eat much green stuff.

I understand that most reptiles only 'tolerate' being handled and I'm cool with this but I would like a animal that I can take out and not worry that it will bolt and that might just like to sit with me. At the same time I would like one that doesn't eat two boxes of crickets per day. + I would really like a snake. What should I get?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[orientalis]

Get yourself a WOMA.

 

[ShaunMorelia]

At the same time I would like one that doesn't eat two boxes of crickets per day. + I would really like a snake.

You have answered your own question.

Do you only want to get a spotted cos your mate has one thats nice?
Each snake has their own personality so the way it will act when you get it out of its enclosure will be different to each individual snake. But may also be different between species.

So really my question to you is, what size snake do you want to get as you will need to be able to house them and be comfortable in getting them out as well.

Cheers.

 

[reptilefan95]

Hey mate, this has been a massive decesion for many of us in herp land. I too was plagued by my undesiveness on what to get as a first reptile. I got a Pygmy Bearded Dragon, he is a great little fella and loves to sit and bask on his hot spot, he is not to bad at handling but like you said he tolerates it instead of likes it. Bearded Dragons are great first reptiles because of how easy they are to look after and their great personallity, although some of the down sides to them is that they get to be over 20 inches sometimes require a large enclosure that is heated very well and eat like monsters, hence the reason i went for a pygmy, only get to about 12 inches dont eat too much and dont need as much room as the pogona vitticeps. On the other hand you said you would like a spotted python, also great first pets, as they generally feed well, only need about a 60 cm by 30 cm by 30 cm enclosure as adults and for the first year of their life can be kept in a small container/ click clack with an under tank heater and a thermostat. What you must realize is that you have to make the decision we can go on for about a month telling you what reptiles we think you should get because we have had a good experience with them, but ultimately its your pet, so i think that you should choose the one that you think you would like most.


Here is a Basic Overview of each species

Bearded Dragon:
Bearded Dragons are diurnal terrestrial lizards, but do quite often like to climb up to be close to a heat source. The enclosure should be roughly 4 ft long by 2 ft wide by 2 ft wide for an adult. They like hot tempretures with a basking spot of 40 to 45 degrees, a hot end of the enclosure at 28 to 32 and a cool end at about 24. It is important to have proper ventilation to provide a proper heat gradient. They should also be provided with a UVA/UVB light source. As far as the enclosure ornaments go, you would need a substrate of your choice, preferably not sand as a hatchling, branches/logs to climb on, a hot spot, a hide on either end of the tank a water dish and a food dish, and some fake plants if you want. Dont get me wrong this may seen like a lot to do but its not and once you get the jist of it its really quite easy, your 18 and probably have a busy life but this will not take up much time at all perhaps one to two hours a week on sunday, where you can clean out the tank.

Spotted Pythons:

Spotted pythons belong to the Anstaria genus, i know i didnt spell that right!!! They are easy to look after as well. The require a 2 ft by 1 ft by 1 ft enclosure as adults, as hatchies or yearlings they only need a click clack. They like their tempretures to be a little higher than most pythons, at about 32 degrees. They will consume mice or rats depending on their size, you can feed them once a week. They do like to climb and so they should have quite a few branches/fake plants to cling on to. They are very good handlers, or so ive heard.
Unfortunately i dont keep snakes so hopefully someone can help you out more than i have with them, but if you have any questions please feel free to PM me

Peace

 

[abbott75]

Get yourself a WOMA.

You forgot the N

Nah seriously, I'd go for the python. But you won't be happy with one, we can guarantee that!

 

[redbellybite]

Get a bluetongue they eat anything ...cat food ,dog food ,love snails ...eat vegies, fruit etc and they are a good pet too ....then when you get the addiction that most people get when owning reptiles you wont give a ratz what it costs to feed as your desire to own over rides anything else

 

[Chris1]

snakes are heaps easier to care for, but beardise are alot more interactive,...

if i had to get rid of everything except 1 species i'd keep my beardies without a doubt.
(and hide my oldest python under the bed cos i could never let him go)

dont be put off by ur mates beardies eating mostly crickets, thats his fault fro not weaning them onto vegies.

my beardies are lucky to get insects once a week now that theyre adults, the rest is just a big salad in the mornings.

my beardes are awesome, they have the whole bottom story of the house and its like a big game of hide and seek for me when i get home!! u could never let a spotted run loose without losing it,...

 

[webcol]

i have a few spotteds and a water dragon, the dragon wont let me handle him, he eats alot and if i go on holiday i need people to feed him. spotteds feed once a week, handle great, and i can leave them alone without a babysitter.
therefore my choice is spotted, but in the end its up to you

 

[tenacres1100]

IMO go for a carpet python hachie. Pythons are easier to take care of, they only need feeding once a week and you only need a click clack to start out with.

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-herps/guide-to-build-a-click-clack-dial-up-warning-93266

http://www.southernxreptiles.com/Article%20PDFs/road_testing_lr.pdf

 

[sagara_cp_2006]

I would personaly go for the spotted python, every snake has their own personality and distinctive traits. My girl Sagara will sit on my head or wrap around my neck for hours at a time or either be really active and wanting to explore everything. The snakes behaviour I find is based alot on how the owner treats it and how often they get them out, but I couldn't imagine not having my spottted python now.

 

[ScaleLover]

Wow, you guys reply fast, thanks!

Um yeah, I've already got a tank, 1m long, .6 high and .4 wide. I was originally going to get a Olive because I heard they have a good temperment and like to be handled more than other snakes(+ they are so cute) but found out that the tank was too small for an adult and that they need to eat big things like rabits or chickens. So I settled on a Spotted cause they would suit the tank better, have a good temperment and eat rats/mice. Then I almost went for beardie cause they are so affectionate and interactive. Oh, and my mate has tried to get them off crickets many, many times. They starved themselves for five days even though there was always a fresh bowl of vegies, bok choi (how ever you spell it) and other stuff. Go figure.

Hmm, thanks for the info on the blue tongues RBB I didn't know that. I wonder why no one recomends them to first times, they seem great, or is it just an image thing? I'll take all of your comments into consideration, thanks again!

 

[ShaunMorelia]

An olive, wow.
I say go for it......

 

[redbellybite]

No blueys are a good first reptile ....they may not be as alert as beardies ...but I think they are the TONKA TRUCKS of the lizard world ...and they do eat anything ...cut all vegies and fruit into cubes and add a bit of petfood like canned cat or dog meat ....get some good snails (make sure they are not baited in anyway first) they love snails and eat the whole lot including the shell which is great in calcuim ..there requirements arent as much as beardies and they are a dead easy pet to look after ...but they are fun to handle and not as flighty as beardies either ...

 

[JasonL]

I have kept and bred more bearded dragons than I care to remember and I can only suggest one thing....get a snake...SSOOOO much easier to care for, and far less costly, though I think you should look outside the spotted circle... First pic for a snake would have to be a Woma, very easy going, don't get that big, hard to kill, easy to feed at any age, a all round great first snake. Distant second would be either a carpet or an advanced Antaresia (one that is feeding easily), and if your talking Antaresia, the pick are Stimmies.

 

[Colin]

my beardes are awesome, they have the whole bottom story of the house and its like a big game of hide and seek for me when i get home!! .

hide and seek.. maybe you could teach them to play twister

 

[Chris1]

hide and seek.. maybe you could teach them to play twister

i knew that was u without even looking,...nah, they prefer to play chase the roaches if its not hide and seek,..!

twister, like seriously..!!

 

[hawkesbury reptiles]

Double post

 

[hawkesbury reptiles]

Get yourself a WOMA.

Definately agree here.....everything you want but in a snake!
They are the only snakes I have that greet me at their enclosure door, climb out onto my arm and sit on the lounge with me (all 6 behave the same).....the dog of the snake world I reckon.

Good luck.

Oh...and they definately don't eat crickets!