Category: Reptile Basic Care Guides

Care level: Beginner/Intermediate

Temperament: may be shy and often will be bitey when held, but can become interactive through feeding

Minimum enclosure size: approximately 60 gallons (230L), generally around 48”x18” (120x45cm) footprint

Basking air temp: 90-95°F (32-35°C)

Basking surface temp: 100-110°F (38-43°C)

Water temp: 72-78°F (22-25.5°C) for adults; 80°F (27°C) for hatchlings

UVB: UVI 2.9-7.4/Ferguson zone 3 (e.g. Arcadia T5HO 6% at 8-13″ (20-33cm) away with no mesh or 6-10″ (15-25cm) away with typical mesh)

Diet: primarily proteins (turtle pellets, insects, safe fish, crustaceans, snails, etc) with vegetables/plants for grazing

Adult size: S. odoratus – 4-5” (10-12.5cm); S. carinatus – 5-6” (12.5-15cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

Dubia.com Guide – Musk Turtle

ADW – Sternotherus odoratus

ADW – Sternotherus carinitus

Safe Feeder Fish

Care level: Beginner/intermediate

Temperament: generally shy and don’t enjoy handling

Minimum Enclosure Size: 20 gallon long (30”x12”x12” (75x30x30cm)) up to 3

Cohabitation: may be possible with females or one single male, but males should not be housed together

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 90-95°F (32-35°C)

Warm Side Temp (ambient): 85-90°F (29-32°C)

Cold Side Temp: 75-80°F (24-27°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 64-68°F (18-20°C)

UVB: UVI 1-3/Ferguson zone 2 (Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at 12-15”(30-38cm) away with no mesh or Arcadia T5HO 6% at 11-21”(28-53cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 60-70%

Diet: insectivorous

Size: 5-7” (12.5-18cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

Dubia.com Guide – Central American Banded Gecko

Care level: Intermediate

Temperament: generally skittish and flighty

Minimum Enclosure Size: 24”x18”x18” (60x45x45cm) for up to 2

Cohabitation: may be able to cohab (same species only!), but males should not be housed together

Basking Spot Temp: 90-95°F (32-35°C)

Warm Side Temp: 80-85°F (27-29°C)

Cold Side Temp: 75-80°F (24-27°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 60°F (15.5°C)

UVB: UVI 2-4/ Ferguson zone 2-3 (e.g. Arcadia T5HO 6% at 11-16” (28-41cm) away with no mesh or 7-11” (18-28cm) over typical mesh)

Humidity: 70-80%

Diet: insectivorous

Size: 10-12” (25-30cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

Dubia.com Guide – Long-Tailed Grass Lizard Care

Care level: Intermediate

Behavior: burrowing, diurnal, solitary

Temperament: often interactive through feeding once settled in, but generally do not enjoy handling

Minimum Enclosure Size: 36x18x18” (90x45x45cm)

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 95°F (35°C)

Warm Side Temp (ambient): 90-95°F (32-35°C)

Cold Side Temp: 75-85°F (24-29°C)

UVB: UVI 1-3/Ferguson zone 2 (e.g. Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at 12-15” (30-40cm) away with no mesh or Arcadia T5HO 6% at 11-21” (29-54cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 60-70%

Diet: primarily insectivorous with small amounts of plant matter

Size: 12-15” (30-38cm)

Wild Distribution: tropical forests throughout west/central Africa

Availability: frequently available wild caught, but becoming easier to find captive bred

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

Dubia.com Guide – Fire Skink

Care level: Intermediate

Temperament: Often defensive and flighty but can be handleable

Minimum Enclosure Size: 40B (36×18×18” (90×45×45cm)) for male; 4’×2’×2’ (1.2m×.6m×.6m) for females

Basking Spot Temp: 90-95°F (32-35°C)

Warm Side Temp: 85–90°F (30–32°C)

Cold Side Temp: 70-75°F (21-24°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 60°F (16°C)

UVB: UVI 1-3/Ferguson zone 2 (Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at 12-15” (30-40cm) away with no mesh or Arcadia T5HO 6% at 11-21” (29-54cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 30-50%

Diet: Carnivorous; specialize in toads in the wild, but can also eat some lizards, geckos, eggs, and very few mammals

Size: up to 35” (89cm), with males much smaller than females

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

Above & Beyond Naturalistic Care for Hognose Snakes – Facebook Group

Above & Beyond Naturalistic Care for Hognose Snakes – Western Hognose Care Guide

ReptiFiles Guide – Western Hognose

ReptiFiles Guide – Hognose (General)

Dubia.com Guide – Hognose

ADW – Heterodon nasicus

Care level: Intermediate

Temperament: Often defensive and flighty but can be handleable

Minimum Enclosure Size: 40B (36×18×18” (90×45×45cm)) for male; 4’×2’×2’ (1.2m×.6m×.6m) for females

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 86-88°F (30-31°C)

Warm Side Temp: 75–85°F (24–30°C)

Cold Side Temp: 70-75°F (21-24°C)

UVB: UVI 1-3/Ferguson zone 2 (e.g. Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at 12-15” (30-40cm) away with no mesh or Arcadia T5HO 6% at 11-21” (29-54cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 50-60%

Diet: Carnivorous; specialize in toads in the wild, but can also eat some lizards, geckos, eggs, and very few mammals

Size: up to 46” (117cm), with males much smaller than females

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Eastern Hognose

ReptiFiles Guide – Hognose (General)

Dubia.com Guide – Hognose

ADW – Heterodon platirhinos

Care level: Beginner

Temperament: Generally docile

Minimum Enclosure Size: depending on species, 4’×2’×2’ (1.2m×.6m×.6m) up to 4’ (1.2m), add a foot (30cm) in length for each foot in snake length

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 85-90°F (29-32°C)

Warm Side Temp: 80-85°F (27-29°C)

Cold Side Temp: 75-80°F (23-27°C)

UVB: UVI 1-3/Ferguson zone 2 (Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at 12-15”(30-38cm) away with no mesh or Arcadia T5HO 6% at 11-21”(28-53cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 40-60%

Diet: Carnivorous; primarily mammals as well as occasional lizards, avians and eggs

Size: up to 60” (152cm)

Common hobby species: Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum (eastern milksnake), L. t. abnorma (Guatemalan milksnake), L. t. blanchardi (Blanchard’s milksnake), L. t. arcifera (Jalisco milksnake), L. t. hondurensis (Honduran milksnake), L. t. annulata (Mexican milksnake), L. t. nelsoni (Nelson’s milksnake), L. t. multistriata (pale milksnake), L. t. syspila (red milksnake), L. t. sinaloa (Sinaloan milksnake), L. t. stuarti (Stuart’s milksnake)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Milksnake

Dubia.com Guide – Milksnake

ADW – Lampropeltis triangulum ssp.

Care level: Beginner

Temperament: Generally docile

Minimum enclosure size: depending on species, 4’×2’×2’ (1.2m×.6m×.6m) up to 4’ (1.2m), add a foot (30cm) in length for each foot in snake length

Basking spot temp (surface): 90-95°F (32-35°C)

Warm side temp: 80-85°F (27-29°C)

Cold side temp: 75-80°F (24-27°C)

UVB: UVI zone 0.5-1/Ferguson zone 1 (Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at 18+” (45+cm) with no mesh or at 12+” (30+cm) over typical mesh)

Humidity: 40-60%

Diet: Carnivorous; primarily mammals as well as occasional lizards, avians and eggs

Size: varies, 24-60” (.6-1.5m)

Common hobby species: Lampropeltis getula getula (eastern kingsnake or common kingsnake), L. g. brooksi (Brooks’ kingsnake), L. g. splendida (desert kingsnake), L. g. meansi (Apalachicola kingsnake), L. g. nigrita (Mexican black kingsnake), L. g. holbrooki (speckled kingsnake), L. g. californiae (California kingsnake), L. pyromelana pyromelana (Arizona mountain kingsnake), L. p. knoblochi (Chihuahua mountain kingsnake or Madrean mountain kingsnake), L. nigrita (eastern black kingsnake), L. alterna (grey-banded kingsnake), L. calligaster calligaster (prairie kingsnake), L. c. occipitolineata (south Florida kingsnake), L. leonis / L. mexicana thayeri (variable kingsnake or Nuevo Leon kingsnake), L. ruthveni (Ruthven’s kingsnake), L. mexicana mexicana (Mexican kingsnake or San Luis Potosi kingsnake)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Kingsnake

Dubia.com Guide – Kingsnake

ADW – Lampropeltis calligaster

ADW – Lampropeltis getula

Care level: Intermediate/advanced 

Temperament: display pet; often very shy 

Minimum Enclosure Size: 24”×18”×18” (120cm×45cm×45cm)

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 82-85°F (28-29°C)

Warm Side Temp: 77-82°F (25-28°C)

Cold Side Temp: 72-75° F (22-24° C)

UVB: UVI zone 0.5-1/Ferguson zone 1 (Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at distance of 12”+(30cm+) with no mesh or 18”+(45cm+) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 70-80% during the day, 80-100% at night

Diet: insectivores

Size: 6-8″(16-20cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink

Dubia.com Guide – Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink

Care level: Intermediate

Temperament: interactive, but not handleable; can be trained to walk onto your hand/arm and take food from tongs/fingers but should not be grabbed due to their fragile skin

Minimum Enclosure Size: 12”×12”×18” (30cm×30cm×45cm) for 1; 18”×18”×24” (45cm×45cm×60cm) for 2, opposite sex pair or 2 females

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 90°F (32°C)

Cool Side Temp: 80-82°F (27-28°C)

UVB: UVI 2.9-7.4/Ferguson zone 3 (Arcadia T5HO 6% at 8-13”(20-33cm) away with no mesh or 6-10”(15-25cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 60-80%

Diet: omnivorous; crested gecko diet and insects

Size: 3.25-3.75″(8.3-9.5cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Neon Day Gecko