Herp Nutrition

Before making the choice to own box turtles, reptiles or amphibians for pets, you need to do your research and be sure of what owning a pet of this sort would entail. People often go to a pet store, see the box turtles and think, how hard could it be? It can, however, prove to be a daunting task in the long run.

Even though the name box turtle suggests that the turtles live in a box, this is not so. All box turtles, reptiles and amphibians require special housing called a terrarium or habitat. They will each also need special kinds of food and supplies.

Box turtles can be easier pets to own, since they do not require large habitats or massive amounts of food. The average box turtles can live in a glass aquarium and they require few habitat items. However, box turtles are known to carry bacteria and can cause illness if the correct precautions are not taken. You can now purchase gloves to handle pet box turtles with or even buy a special sulfa block designed specifically for box turtles. There is also a large selection of hand wipes and sanitizers as well. You will also need to consider purchasing shell moisturizer for box turtles and even eye drops in case of irritation from the environment.

When considering reptiles or amphibians for pets, there are many to choose from. Reptiles come in a wide range of shapes and sizes; there is no one size fits all. Some reptiles require large cages up to four feet high. Other small reptiles may only require a small open air habitat. Reptiles can also live up to ten plus years. They require a long term commitment to own. However, most reptiles require little interaction to survive. Most reptiles are actually considered nervous creatures and prefer quiet environments. Reptiles do require more supplies for their habitats than turtles.

Amphibians are cold blooded, water based animals. This is something to consider when purchasing amphibian habitats. Amphibians are creatures such as frogs and salamanders. Picking the right terrarium for amphibians can be a somewhat difficult task. You must consider what type of place the amphibians lived in out in the wild. Most pet owners choose half water and half land type tanks. This provides a choice for the amphibians to use the water or be dry at their liking.

When choosing between box turtles, reptiles, or amphibians for pets, consider all the factors involved. You will need to consider how long you would like to have a pet, how much space you have and the financial responsibilities as well. As with buying any pet, it is a long term commitment that can take a lot of time and effort. The best thing do is research which pets you would like to own, and know all the positives and negatives before you make a purchase. While it can be no walk in the park to own an animal, it can be a very rewarding experience.