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When it comes to reptile habitats, one of the most essential elements to creating a happy home for your pet is including the appropriate type of lighting. Zoo Med helps outline which lights are right for your pet.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Learn some tips and strategies that can be used to get your pet reptiles safely through a power outage regardless of the time of year.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Learn how to take care of your Hermann's Tortoise, tank size, diet & habitat setup. Find the right food, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Learn how to take care of Water Dragons, recommended diet and habitat setup. Find the right food, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Red-eared sliders are primarily aquatic but will fully emerge from the water. Setting up a habitat that mimics their natural environment will help ensure your turtle is set up for a happy, healthy life!
Updated on November 13th, 2025
A proper diet for red-eared sliders includes a complete pellet, such as those made by ReptoMin, and dark leafy green vegetables. This can be fed once per day, and the amount should be based on how many pellets Cooper can eat in 5-7 minutes. This is just a guideline, and your veterinarian can help you to determine if this is appropriate based on Cooper's body condition score (i.e. whether she is overweight or not). For a heat lamp - photo 1 just looks like the dome, and there doesn't appear to be a bulb in it. The second lamp looks like it is a daytime only heat lamp - it is often beneficial to have a heat source that can be used during the day or at night, and if that is what you are looking for, I would recommend a ceramic heat bulb. If you are looking for only a daytime basking bulb, there are many brands that would be appropriate. The key words that you should look for are "daytime basking bulb." For watts - it depends on how far the bulb is away from your turtle - there are some b
Updated on August 12th, 2025
You must treat both the environment and the pet. You can try some over the counter products but many can be ineffective if the environment is not treated concurrently. Ivermectin can be dispensed by your veterinarian to use systemically or topically. Do not treat with ivermectin without the advice of your veterinarian as it is quite easy to overdose. A 30 minute soak in a diluted Betadine bath can remove most mites and may soothe irritated skin. Remove the substrate, bag it and take it outdoors. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls and tank furniture. You can use hot, soapy water followed by a 1:30 dilution of bleach and water followed by a thorough rinsing on the tank, bowls and non porous surfaces. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. You may need to clean and sanitize the enclosure weekly for several weeks. The pet may need multiple treatments as well.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Thanks for your question about Smaug, and thanks for the photo as well! I think that you have a good start to your set up, and that we can tweak a few items. First, your lighting situation appears adequate - I see a UVB light (please change this bulb every 4-6 months), a basking light, and a ceramic heat bulb. I would ensure that your temperatures are appropriate for this species, and that you are monitoring them using digital thermometers (I think that you see both a digital and analog thermometers currently) at the level of Smaug. Analog thermometers are inaccurate, so I don't recommend using them (also, they are high up on the sides of the enclosure, so they wouldn't be giving an accurate temperature read for Smaug). For the cage furniture that you have, I like that you have places for Smaug to climb and hide. However, I would recommend having a hide on both the warm side of the enclosure and the cool side so that Smaug has choices. Same for the climbing structures. I may have misse
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Soak him in warm water for 15-20 minutes daily until the bit of shed falls off. Monitor for swelling, discomfort, redness, lameness or lethargy. Keep his enclosure clean. If he develops any of the above symptoms, have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Often when a reptile doesn’t want to eat, it is a sign that they don’t feel well. The most common reason behind them not feeling well is imperfections in their husbandry and diet. I would recommend consulting an online care sheet to ensure that your husbandry is as perfect as possible. Common areas of imperfection include temperature, lighting, and humidity. I would also recommend having Ash seen by a veterinarian, as they can help to counsel you about Ash’s husbandry as well. In addition to a thorough physical examination, they may recommend diagnostic testing including radiographs (x-rays) and blood work to evaluate systemic health. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Boop by Petco!
Updated on August 12th, 2025